I am a brisk lad and my fortune is bad
And if e 'er I get rich,
it's a wonder
I spent all my money on
girls and strong beer
What riches I had are all plundered
Field after field off to market I sent
Till the land was all gone
and the money was
spent
My heart was the heart
that I never did repent
And that's what put me in
to limbo
Oh, once I could run while the others did lie
Strut like a crow in a gutter
The people all said they saw me passing by
There goes
Mr.
Forbidden, a floater
To the top and top gallant
I hoisted my sails
With a flimsy cravat an
d a wig with three tails
Oh, now I am ready to
gnaw my own nails
And drink the cold water
of limbo
Oh, I had an uncle who lived in the
West
And he heard of my sad disaster
But still after that he could never take rest
Oh, his sorrows came faster
and faster
He came to the jail to
see my sad case
And as soon as I saw him,
I knew his odd face
And I stood gazing at
him like one in disgrace
And I wished myself safe
out of limbo
Jack, if I should set you once
more on your legs
And put you in credit and fashion
Oh, will you lay off
all those rakish old ways
And try for to govern your person?
Uncle says
I, if you will set me free,
I surely will always be ruled by thee
And I'll labour my bones for the good of my soul,
see myself miles out of limbo
Then out of his purse he
pulled 3 ,000 pounds
He counted it up in bright guineas
And when I was free of those prison escapes
Oh, I went to see
Peggy an d
Jeannie
In my old ragged clothes they
knew not of my gold
And they all turned me out
in the wet an d the cold
Yet I laughed for to hear how
the saucers did scold
The night they let me out of limbo
You