Loose cannons

Usage examples of rogues.

Possibly, after that time has elapsed, your majesty will not only prevent his crushing me, but will deprive him of that slipper, which was only meant to be the terror of rogues, and not of an humble Venetian, who is an honest man, though he escaped from The Leads.

Three brawny rogues who, scowling, fiercely eyed him, And with lewd gibes and mocking gestures plied him.

The Capuchin answered me with a torrent of abuse, so the count ordered a pair of scissors to be brought, that the beards of the filthy rogues might be cut off.

That complaint was comic throughout, for the three rogues shewed themselves very brave in writing, stating that they would certainly not have given way so easily if the dread authority of the council had not been put forth by the leader of the band.

And so in faith is he, As we are rogues, so ye are rogues, All rogues in verity.

Ye rogues, pass Folly in, no man shall say That from our town we folly turned away.

This evil place they straightway entered in, Where riot reigned, the wild, unlovely din Of archers, men-at-arms, and rogues yet worse, Who drank and sang, whiles some did fight and curse.

Now at the three Sir Pertinax did spring, And clashing steel on steel did loudly ring, Yet Pertinax was one and they were three, And once was, swearing, smitten to his knee, Whereat the maid hid face in sudden fear, And, kneeling so, fierce cries and shouts did hear, The sounds of combat dire, and deadly riot Lost all at once and hushed to sudden quiet, And glancing up she saw to her amaze Three rogues who fleetly ran three several ways, Three beaten rogues who fled with one accord, While Pertinax, despondent, sheathed his sword.

A chain of gold such as but knights do bear, Why thou canst front three armed rogues unafraid, Yet fear methinks to look upon a maid?

Yet sad am I That I must die With rogues so base and small, Sly coney-catchers, Poor girdle-snatchers, That do in kennel crawl.

Fool to lie in dungeon fettered and gyved along of innocent rogues and roguish robber?

Be ye comforted in this, distressful rogues, the shorter our life the less we sin, the which is a fair, good thing.

Folly sing a song to cheer All poor rogues that languish here, Doomed in dismal dungeon drear, Doomed in dungeon dim.

Rick--a saintly ploughman, he Hath guided plough so well, That here, with rogues the like of me, He pines in dungeon cell.

Since naught but scurvy, coward rogues are ye, And so be hanged--be hanged to ye, all three!