Fratres in Malo: or Tom Bobbin's Rap at the Pyrates

Date1773

After work by John Collier (Tim Bobbin) (1708 - 1786)

Engraver Thomas Sanders

OriginEngland, London

MediumBlack and white line engraving and etching

DimensionsOH: 10" x OW: 15"; plate: H: 8 1/2" x W: 13"

Credit LineMuseum Purchase

Object number1966-191,2

DescriptionUpper margin reads: "FRATRES IN MALO : or Tim. Bobbin's Rap at the PYRATES./ 40"
Lower margin reads: "WHere is the man who sees this motley crew/ Wou'd judge them brethren on the nicest view/ Yet so it is __; tho some look wondrous prim./ They're thieves alike; and all have robb'd poor Tim./ Now since the partial Law no man relieves/ Against these Pyrates, tho' the worst of Theives,/ Tim weeping takes his Room; resolv'd to sue,./ And in's own Count; be Judge, and Witness too./ First Preston's Stuart heads the pilfring Troop: ' His Bro of London stands the next ith' Group:/ Which is the better man, or whethers's worse/ There's none can tell me___: but secure your Purse./ As for the fiest, cou'd Higginson but tell;/ Or Peggy blaxon what she knows too well;/ Mankind wou'd shun him; converse they'd refrain./ And brand his forehead for a second Cain./ Mark brazen'd Finch of Wigan how he stands/ With Bandyhewit in his pilf'ring hands;/ This man damn'd Stuart as a Rogue in Chief./ Then hastens home__and dubs himself a Thief./ See Hitch and Haws, two men of great repute; By pilf'ring thrive like Caledonian;/ Nor do they care from whom, or how it comes;/ These rob for trifles, that for mighty sums./ Then Bankrupt Scolfield, Middlewich's Squire./ Wou'd thrive like Hitch; grows high as Hhaws, or higher/ But he like Phaeton, fell heels oe'r head./ And lyes th'Cave of Poverty, for dead./ Next dirty Eyres of Warrington appears;/ He fears no Hemp___nor trembles for his ears:/ In bugger mugger lives as wizzard black/ Carring poor Tim, and Meary on his Back./ This makes him grunt__and Tim's stiff bridle tires:/ Which suits them all, s well as nibbling Eyres./ Last northern Smith cas'd from the Lowland Glens/ For B_r_ry, and S_l_ng Geese and Hens/ Comes fidging on_scratching his Yuky arm,/ In robbing Sootherons, swears there is no harm:? Sets up in Halifax, Pyrates his books./ Dres'd up by Edinburh, and Glascow Cooks;/ And like your Chimney-sweep doth never blash/ By Pyrates on, nor values Hemp a Rush./ And in his Once, twice, thrice: its just a going./ Prefers a Sixpence to a man's undoing:/ Yet still this Saint oth'Kirk with Looks demure/ Lets fly his Gold for peivate room and W__e./ Now if the Pythagorean System's true./ The time may come that we these Rogue's may view:/ Some as Chaise Horses sweating in bad roads/ Whipped hard by Anthors, and prick'd on by Goads:? Some as Scotch Pedlars with great heavy Packs/ Of begar'd Poets riding on their backs:/ Others in cunning pilfring Foxes Furrs./ Hunted by Writers in the shape of Curs./ All these eight Saints for Tim may make a Float./ wast him o'er Styx, and cheat old Charon's Boat:/ And when on shore bear him on Palaquins./ In sweat ane toil to balence former sins./ Publish'd as the Act directs May 1773"
Label TextThis is a page from drawing book by Tom Bobbin (pseudonym for John Collier), "Human Passions Delineated, in above 120 figures, droll, satyrical and humourous: design'd in the Hogarthian Style, very useful for young Practitioners in Drawing, by Tim Bobbin Author of the Lancashire Dialect," 1773.

The print shows the inside of a shop, which obviously is also the posting place. Many people with packages addressed in satiric manner are seen. A large bookcase of books can also be seen.