Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 02.pdf/266

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Bookseller Carliles Images.
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For that the king's good subjects he affrayed,And travel on the king's highway delayed.The crowd's bad character was clearly proved,And it was shown that purses were removedFrom owners' pockets and were not returned;A neighboring tavern-keeper swore he burnedHis candles all the livelong foggy day,Because the crowd obscured his " airy " way;A tradesman by his oath did clearly showThe crowd was of the "lowest of the low," —So low, in fact, that as his shop was nigh 'em,They lowered his receipts three pound per diem.Carlile, of ancient adages defiant,Though his own lawyer, had no fool for client,And on the trial made a cunning speechWhose merits skilful counsel scarce could reach. He said the law should never stop One's drawing custom to his shop; When rentals are so high in Fleet, One must contrive to make ends meet; This concourse was not near so great As when the king proceeds in state To theatre or parliament, Or judges to the Hall are sent; If he was wrong, much more was Gray, Who with his coaches stops the way; The images on Dunstan's church, Which strike the quarters from their perch, And call together such a crowd, Were ever unrestrained allowed; So the Lord Mayor's civic show Is suffered through the streets to go, And bear along the effigies Of Gog and Magog, giant size; And ne'er forbid was Bartly Fair, Though noise and rioting reigned there; So Very, the confectioner, Had handsome daughter, and set her In window, filling Regent Street With folk who flocked his wares to eat.
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