Bedlam Boys

For to see Mad Tom of Bedlam

Ten thousand miles I traveled

Mad Maudlin goes on dirty toes

For to save her shoes from gravel

chorus:

Still I sing bonny boys, bonny mad boys

Bedlam boys are bonny

For they all go bare and they live by the air

And they want no drink nor money.

I went down to Satan's kitchen

For to get me food one morning

And there I got souls piping hot

All on a spit a-turning.

From the hag and hungry goblin

That into rags would rend ye

All the sprites that stand by the naked man

In the book of moons, defend ye

My staff has murdered giants

And me bag a long knife carries

For to cut mince pies from children's thighs

And feed them to the faeries.

The spirits white as lightening

Would on my travels guide me

The stars would shake and the moon would quake

Whenever they espied me

And when that I'll be mutherin'

The Man in the Moon to a powder

His staff I'll break and his dog I'll shake

And there'll howl no demon louder