Part 35 (1/2)

I' the Parliament house to be seated, Ye may just as weel send Captain Starkey[18] up tee, Your glory will then be completed.

Let Fame canter on, &c.

Footnote 16: Governor General of the Lunatic House.

Footnote 17: It was reported in the London Papers, that Sir T. B.

intended putting up as a Candidate to serve Newcastle in Parliament.

Footnote 18: An eccentric character well known in Newcastle.

WRECKENTON HIRING.

Oh, Lads and La.s.ses, hither come To Wreckenton, to see the fun, And mind ye bring your Sunday shoon, There'll be rare wark wi' dancing-o.

And La.s.ses now, without a brag, Bring pockets like a fiddle bag, Ye'll get them cramm'd wi' mony a whag Of pepper-kyek an' scranchim-o.

And Bess put on that bonny goon Thy mother bought thou at the toon; That straw-hat wi' the ribbons broon, They'll a' be buss'd that's coming-o: Put that reed ribbon round thy waist, It myeks thou luik sae full o' grace, Then up the lonnen come in haste, They'll think thou's com'd frae Lunnen-o.

Ned pat on his Sunday's coat, His hat and breeches cost a note, With a new stiff'ner round his throat, He luikt the very dandy-o: He thought that he was gaun to choke, For he'd to gyep before he spoke: He met Bess at the Royal Oak, They had baith yell and brandy-o.

Each lad was there wi' his sweetheart, And a' was ready for a start, When in com Jack wi' f.a.n.n.y Smart, And brought a merry Sc.r.a.per-o: Then Ned jump'd up upon his feet, And on the table myed a seat; Then bounc'd the Fiddler up a heet, Saying, 'Play and we will caper-o.'

Now Ned and Bess led off the ball, 'Play Smash the windows,' he did call, 'Keep in yor feet,' says. .h.i.tchy Mall, Learn'd dancers hae sic prancing-o:'

Now Ned was nowther lyeth nor lyem, And faith he had baith bouk and byen, Ye wad thought his feet was myed o' styen, He gav sic thuds wi' dancing-o.

Now Jackey f.a.n.n.y's hand did seize, Cry'd, 'Fiddler, tune your strings to please!'

Play, 'Kiss her weel amang the trees,'

She is my darlin', bliss her-o!

Then off they set, wi' sic a smack, They myed the joints a' bend and crack: When duen he took her round the neck, And faith he dident miss her-o.

The fiddler's elbow wagg'd a' neet, He thought he wad dropt off his seat, For deil a bit they'd let him eat, They were sae keen o' dancin'-o.

Some had to strip their coats for heet, And sarks and s.h.i.+fts were wet wi' sweet!

They cramm'd their guts, for want o' meat, Wi' ginger-breed and scranchim-o.

Now c.o.c.ks had crawn an hour or more, And ower the yell-pot some did snore; But how they luikt to hear the roar Of Matt, the King Pit caller-o!

'Smash him!' says Ned, 'he mun be rang, He's callin' through his sleep, aw's war'n;'

Then shootin' to the door he ran-- 'Thou's asleep, thou rousty bawler-o!'

Now they danc'd agyen till it was day, And then went hyem--but, by the way, Some of them had rare fun, they say, And fand it nine months after-o: Such tricks are play'd by heedless youth; And though they're common, north and south, That's nae excuse for breach of truth, Nor food for wit and laughter-o.

Suen Wreckenton will bear the sway, Two Members they'll put in, they say; Then wor Taxes will be duen away, And we'll a' sing now or never-o: Backey and Tea will be sae cheap, Wives will sit up when they sud sleep, And we'll float in yell at wor Pay-week, Then Wreckenton for ever-o.

ON RUSSELL THE PEDESTRIAN,