Aye, lad, such a merry night we've had at Blackwell
The sound of the fiddle still rings in my ear
All well clipped & heeled were the lads & the la**es
& many a lively young la**ie was there
The better sort they sat snug in the parlour
In the pantry the sweethearts they whispered so soft
The dancers they kicked up a dust in the kitchen
At lanter the card-players sat in the loft
The clogger from Dawston's a famous top hero
& beats all the player-folk twenty 2 one
He stamped with his foot & he shouted & roystered
Till the sweat it ran off his very chin end
Then he held up a hand like the spout of a tea-pot
& danced Cross the Buckle & Leather 2 Patch
When they cried Bonny Bell he leapt up 2 the ceilin'
Kept snappin' his thumbs for a bit of a fratch
The Heverby lads were well used 2 deep drinkin'
At co*kin' the Dawstoners neva were beat
The Buckabank chaps were right famous at courtin'
Their kisses just sound like the latch of a gate
The la**es of Blackwell are so many angels
The Cummersdale beauties all glory in fun
God help the poor fellow that squints at them dancin'
He'll steal away heartless as sure as a gun
The bacca was strong & the ale it was lively
& many a one emptied a quart like a churn
Daft Fred in the nook, like a half-roasted devil
He told smutty stories & made them all grin
Then one sang Tom Linton another Dick Walters
The farmers all bragged of their fillies & foals
With jibin' & jokin', & shakin' & laughin'
Till some thought it time 2 set off 2 the coals
But hold! I forgot: when the clock struck eleven
The platter was brought in with white bread & brown
The knife it was sharp, the great cheese was a topper
An lumps big as lapstones our lads gobbled down
The trim, jolly landlady cried, Do not be shy
In God's name step forward; now welcome & eat
Our guts were well filled, we paid up for blind Jenny
& ext paid the shot on a great pewter plate
Now full 2 the throttle, with headaches an heartaches
Some crept 2 the clock case instead of the door
Then sleepin' & snorin' took place of their roarin'
An one a-top another they laid on the floor
The last of December, long may we remember
At five in' the morn, eighteen hundred & three
Here's health & success 2 the brave Johnny Dawston
An many such meetings may we live 2 see