The Beggar’s Opera

dear? Macheath Suspect my honour, my courage, suspect anything but my love.⁠—May my pistols misfire, and my mare slip her shoulder while I am pursued, if I ever forsake thee! Polly Nay, my dear, I have no reason to doubt you, for I find in the romance you lent me, none of the great heroes were ever false in love.

Air XV. Pray, fair one, be kind⁠—

Macheath

My heart was so free,
It roved like the bee,
’Till Polly my passion requited;
I sipped each flower,
I changed every hour,
But here every flower is united.

Polly Were you sentenced to transportation, sure, my dear, you could not leave me behind you⁠—could you? Macheath Is there any power, any force that could tear me from thee? You might sooner tear a pension out of the hands of a courtier, a fee from a lawyer, a pretty woman from a looking-glass, or any woman from quadrille.⁠—But to tear me from thee is impossible!

Air XVI. Over the hills and far away.

Were I laid on Greenland’s coast,
And in my arms embraced my lass;
Warm amidst eternal frost,
Too soon the half year’s night would pass.

Polly

Were I sold on Indian soil,
Soon as the burning day was closed,
I could mock the sultry toil
When on my charmer’s breast reposed.

Macheath

And I would love you all the day,

Polly

Every night would kiss and play,

Macheath

If with me you’d fondly stray

Polly

Over the hills and far away.

Polly Yes, I would go with thee. But oh!⁠—how shall I speak it? I must be torn from thee. We must part. Macheath How! Part! Polly We must, we must.⁠—My papa and mama are set against thy life. They now, even now are in search after thee. They are preparing evidence against thee. Thy life depends upon a moment.

Air XVII. Gin thou wert mine awn thing⁠—

Oh what pain it is to part!
Can I leave thee, can I leave thee?
O what pain it is to part!
Can thy Polly ever leave thee?
But lest death my love should thwart,
And bring thee to the fatal cart,
Thus I tear thee from my bleeding heart!
Fly hence, and let me leave thee.

One kiss and then⁠—one kiss⁠—be gone⁠—farewell.

Macheath My hand, my heart, my dear, is so riveted to thine, that I cannot unloose my hold. Polly But my papa may intercept thee, and then I should lose the very glimmering of hope. A few weeks, perhaps, may reconcile us all. Shall thy Polly hear from thee? Macheath Must I then go? Polly And will not absence change your love? Macheath If you doubt it, let me stay⁠—and be hanged. Polly O how I fear! how I tremble!⁠—Go⁠—but when safety will give you leave, you will be sure to see me again; for ’till then Polly is wretched.

Air XVIII. O the broom, etc.

Macheath

The miser thus a shilling sees,
Which he’s obliged to pay,
With sighs resigns it by degrees,
And fears ’tis gone for ay.

Parting, and looking back at each other with fondness; he at one door, she at the other.

Polly

The boy, thus, when his sparrow’s flown,
The bird in silence eyes;
But soon as out of sight ’tis gone,
Whines, whimpers, sobs and cries.

Act II

Scene I

A tavern near Newgate.

Jemmy Twitcher, Crook-fingered Jack, Wat Dreary, Robin of Bagshot, Nimming Ned, Henry Paddington, Matt of the Mint, Ben Budge, and the rest of the gang, at the table, with wine, brandy and tobacco.

Ben	But pr’ythee, Matt, what is become of thy brother Tom? I have not seen him since my return from transportation.
Matt	Poor brother Tom had an accident this time twelvemonth, and so clever a made fellow he was, that I could not save him from those fleaing rascals the surgeons; and now, poor man, he is among the Otamys at Surgeons Hall.
Ben	So it seems, his time was come.
Jemmy	But the present time is ours, and nobody alive hath more. Why are the laws levelled at us? are we more dishonest than the rest of mankind? What we win, gentlemen, is our own by the law of arms, and the right of conquest.
Crook	Where shall we find such another set of practical philosophers, who to a man are above the fear of death?
Wat	Sound men, and true!
Robin	Of tried courage, and indefatigable industry!
Ned	Who is there here that would not die for his friend?
Harry	Who is there here that would betray him for his interest?
Matt	Show me a gang of courtiers that can say as much.
Ben	We are for a just partition of the world, for every man hath a right to enjoy life.
Matt	We retrench the superfluities of mankind. The world is avaritious, and I hate avarice. A covetous fellow, like a jackdaw, steals what he was never made to enjoy, for the sake of hiding it. These are the robbers of mankind, for money was made for the free-hearted and generous, and where is the injury of taking from another, what he hath not the heart to make use of?
Jemmy	Our several stations for the day are fixed. Good luck attend us all. Fill the glasses.
Air XIX. Fill every glass, etc.
Matt	Fill every glass, for wine inspires us, And fires us With courage, love and joy. Women and wine should life employ. Is there ought else on earth desirous?
Chorus	Fill every glass, etc.
	To them