ANONYMOUS – Mad Maudlin’s Search


Mad Maudlin’s Search

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.

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 or money.

I now repent that ever

Poor Tom was so disdained

My wits are lost since him I crossed

Which makes me thus go chained

I went down to Satan’s kitchen

For to get me food one morning

And there I got souls piping hot

All on the spit a-turning

There I took up a caldron

Where boiled ten thousand harlots

Though full of flame I drank the same

To the health of all such varlets

My staff has murdered giants

My bag a long knife carries

For to cut mince pies from children’s thighs

And feed them to the fairies

The spirits white as lightening

Would on me travels guide me

The stars would shake and the moon would quake

Whenever they espied me

No gypsy, slut or doxy

Shall win my mad Tom from me

I’ll weep all night, with stars I’ll fight

The fray shall well become me

And when that I’ll be murdering

The Man in the Moon to the powder

His staff I’ll break, his dog I’ll shake

And there’ll howl no demon louder

So drink to Tom of Bedlam

Go fill the seas in barrels

I’ll drink it all, well brewed with gall

And maudlin drunk I’ll quarrel

For to see Mad Tom of Bedlam

Ten thousand years I have traveled

Mad Maudlin goes on dirty toes

For to save her shoes from gravel.