Musa Pedestris - Three Centuries of Canting Songs and Slang Rhymes [1536 - 1896]

Delve into a lively anthology that gathers three centuries of the hidden verses spoken in England’s bustling streets, taverns, and market lanes. The collection brings together bawdy ballads, gritty cant songs, and clever rhymes once whispered by beggars, thieves, and itinerant workers, preserving the raw humor and defiant spirit of a world that existed on the margins of society. Each piece is accompanied by careful notes that decode the cryptic slang, letting modern ears hear the rhythm and wit of a language that was both a badge of identity and a shield against authority.

Beyond the colorful verses, the volume offers a window into the everyday concerns, rivalries, and rebellious attitudes of ordinary folk from the Tudor era through the Victorian age. Readers will find themselves tracing the evolution of street talk, noting how certain phrases survive, transform, or vanish entirely. This richly annotated compilation invites listeners to experience the pulse of historic urban life, one mischievous rhyme at a time.