Appendix D - Holograph Manuscript of ‘Touchandgo’ (Watermark 1827)

Summary

HOLOGRAPH manuscript of ‘Touchandgo’, on three pages of a double quarto sheet of blue-greyWhatman paper, dated 1827 in watermark, tipped in at the back of a bound manuscript copy of Paper Money Lyrics. The poem is reprinted in Halliford , 7.242–4 (see also 7.496–7).

Location: Pforzheimer Collection, New York Public Library (TLP 18).

pray who can show

Hoho! hoho! and do you know

Whither has fled great Touchandgo?

He's gone off in a chaise and pair

And not a man on earth knows where.

In his own chariot off he ran

And there was not a turnpike man

His In his own chariot he has gone

Twixt London and the western channel

Could see his arms upon the pannel

He set off with the morning-dawn

Some say he took the road to Bristol

Equipped with sixpence and ^^a pistol

Some say with plen^gold he’^s was well apparelled

And blunderbusses double-barrelled

Others affirm he strove to pop

His brains out in my uncle's shop

And missing fire set off to Milford

With lots of sovereigns which he pilfered

Some say he beat about all Sunday

I’ th’ wind's eye off the isle of Lundy

Showered on them pails to [for of] gold like manna

And there was shipped off for Savannah.

Others aver he still doth dwell

Deep in a fishing vessel's well

And there chin-deep in Milford Haven

Takes cold and croaks like any raven.

They add

Some say his assignée's attorney

Has fl waited on Sir Richard Birnie

With a request that M^r Bishop

Him

The culprit from said^fishing smack may fish up.