1. Canesco, or the Sleu-dog’s Language

2. Lurg if a Dog, Mellin if a Bitch

He cries first, ‘horse, Lurg,’ then the dog leaps up before him, and there will sit upon the neck of the horse like an ape. Then he bids him ‘ga down sir, and make ye for’d,’ then he goeth piss and shit. Then he bids him cast for a fore gate of a night drift; then he leads him in a line of cord, and as soon as he sees him put down his head, he cries, ‘is that it? Chalice5 that.’ Then he barks. Then he cries, ‘chalice that, the caple, and the cawd arne’ (that is, the horse shoes) that drives the cow with it. ‘Turn tha woo’d. Go where she goes; put her tull a stall, and thous ha’ blood on her. Keep thee with thine awne cow and change her not. Is that she that tha first fand? Keep tha with that and change her not, but go where she10 goes. Shame, thief, he’ll shame’s both. Shame him that would shame thee and me.’

Then when he comes among other beasts he cries, ‘is tat hit, that tha first fand?’ It’s a night drift, and he waps it in the day fewte, that is, when other beasts crosseth the trod. Then when he is troubled with another15 trod, he cries, ‘hast it? Keep thee woo’t then. That’s thine awne bugle, i’faith tha gar’st thy bugle blaw now. Gather’t, gather’t, and go thy way wooth’t, and change not that.’