Dani called this one correctly -- the ravings of a madman. Complete text with lots more verses can be found in Chappell's "Popular Music of the Olden Time." But not all of them scan to the relatively new tune.

There were, dating from the Middle Ages, two major insane asylums, St. Mary of Bethlehem (Bedlam) for men and St. Mary Magdalen (Maudlin) for women. At some point, if memory serves me, in the early 18th century, overcrowding resulted in the release of many unfortunates from these institutions. They had no choice but to beg in order to survive. After a while they began to fare better than the sane beggars, some of whom having noticed this, began to feign madness in order to increas e their own take.

The tune is pure Dorian, and Jeri's chords work quite well. I play it out of Am chording with capo on the fifth fret, but don't use the (C) F she gives in her setting -- Tom