The Ticklish Minstrel (1837)

The ticklish minstrel! A most bewitching collection of the very best and most truly lecherous and delicious vocal tit-bits ever printed, and not to be had in any other work. [London,] West, [c. 1837]. pp. 48. front.

BOARDING AND LODGING: OR,
THE SINGLE YOUNG MAN LODGER

O listen every blade,
My heart is in sad torters,
I am a snob by trade,
With a wife and three fair daughters.
But having lost my all,
My wife, the artful codger,
Declared that she would have
A single young man lodger.
Tooral looral, &c.

So we stuck up a bill,
And soon we had a cove, sir
Who said his name was Will —
Of the room he did approve, sir.
He was a tall young spark,
Besides an artful codger.
My wife, I soon remarked,
Admired my single lodger.
Tooral, &c.

One night I had been out,
And when I home did travel,
I heard a singular rout,
At which I much did cavil;
I heard the bedstead creak -
"I'm an unhappy codger,"
Says I, "there's something wrong
With my single young man lodger."
Tooral, &c.

I through the keyhole gazed,
And saw what made me quake, sir,
I ne'er was more amazed,
My wits did me forsake, sir.
Plump upon the bed,
I twigged the artful codger,
A-grinding my old wife -
Was my single young man lodger.
Tooral, &c.

I jumped into the room,
And spoiled their amorous sporting;
But he struck me with the broom,
And recommenced his courting.
Says he, "Get out, you fool,"
And gave me such a podger.
"I came here, you know, to board,
And I'm damned if I don't," said the lodger.
Tooral, &c.

My wife made me submit,
He would not shift his quarters.
First he ground my wife,
And after that my daughters.
Nine months made me quite wild
(I am a wretched codger),
They each one bore a child,
Just like the single lodger.
Tooral, &c.

Take warning, married folks,
(You see what I've got through it).
Never allow such jokes,
Or sorely you will rue it.
Always watch your wife,
To each party dodge her,
And mind you never take -
A single young man lodger.
Tooral, &c.

from The Ticklish Minstrel! [c. 1837]