Questions
1. What is honorable among this group of thieves?
Although they are criminals, the thieves are loyal to the king and England. “ . . . we be bad men, in
some few trifling ways, but none among us is so base as to be traitor to his king; we be loving and
loyal hearts, in that regard.” (Ch. 17, p. 76) Most of them seemed like they used to be good
people working on farms and keeping out of trouble but when their farms were for taken for
sheep, they were forced to become thieves to survive.
2. Translate the quotation from the Ruffler into modern, standard English. “Five and twenty
sturdy budges, bulks, files, clapperdogeons and maunders, counting the dells and doxies and
other morts.” (110).
“Twenty-five strong clothes-stealers, pickpockets and their mates, born beggars and new beggars,
including the women.”
Vocabulary:
traversed (107) – travel across or through
prating (107) – talk foolishly or tediously about something.
budges (110): clothes-stealers
bulks and files (110): pickpockets and their mates
clapperdogeons (110): born beggars
maunders (110): beggars
dells, doxies, morts (110): women
My alfie is Edward an' no one believes I am king.
I am stuck wiv da Mark Greaves what don't know 'ow ter sing.
I wan' ter go garden gnome where life is really bee's knees.
Lor' luv a duck! Someone 'elp me, please!
Translation: My name is Edward and no one believes I am king. I am stuck with the thieves and they don’t
know how to sing. I want to go home where life is really good. Someone help me, please.