For to see Mad Tom of Bedlam Ten thousand miles I traveled Mad Maudlin goes on dirty toes For to save her shoes from gravel.
Chorus: Still I sing bonny boys, bonny mad boys Bedlam boys are bonny For they all go bare and they live by the air And they want no drink or money.
I now repent that ever Poor Tom was so disdain-ed My wits are lost since him I crossed Which makes me thus go chained
[chorus]
I went down to Satan's kitchen For to get me food one morning And there I got souls piping hot All on the spit a-turning
There I took up a caldron Where boiled ten thousand harlots Though full of flame I drank the same To the health of all such varlets
My staff has murdered giants My bag a long knife carries For to cut mince pies from children's thighs And feed them to the fairies
The spirits white as lightening Would on me travels guide me The stars would shake and the moon would quake Whenever they espied me
No gypsy, slut or doxy Shall win my mad Tom from me I'll weep all night, with stars I'll fight The fray shall well become me
And when that I'll be murdering The Man in the Moon to the powder His staff I'll break, his dog I'll shake And there'll howl no demon louder
So drink to Tom of Bedlam Go fill the seas in barrels I'll drink it all, well brewed with gall And maudlin drunk I'll quarrel
For to see Mad Tom of Bedlam Ten thousand years I have traveled Mad Maudlin goes on dirty toes For to save her shoes from gravel.
