Folk song collected by H.E.D. Hammond from George Moore of Hazelbury Bryan, Dorset.

As I was walking Portsmouth City
There I met a saucy strump;
Up against a wall I pushed her,
Then I found that she was drunk.
Twenty, eighteen, sixteen, fourteen,
Twelve, ten, eight, six, four, two, none;
Nineteen, seventeen, fifteen, thirteen,
Eleven, nine, seven, five, three and one.

Going on I met some other
And I told to her my case.
She said "You need go no further,"
Up she took me to her place.

When I woke up in the morning,
Oh! What a terrible sight of woes!
She had only gone and left me,
Gubbered off with all my clothes!

The backwards counting, according to the note, is supposed to be a test for drunkenness. More likely, I think, an inducement to drunkenness, i.e. anyone getting it wrong would have to down a pint before continuing the song.