MARRY THE LASS!

TEUN-"Billy, me bonny Lad."

MARRY the lass, Sep Riley,
Myek her as gud as yor-sel,
An' then she'll be warse then ivor she wes,
It wes just throo ye she fell;
She once wes a decent bit milk-lass,
As decent as any can be,
N00 a' the foaks luck doon upon her,
An' ye knaw it's just throo ye.

Marry the lass, Sep Riley,
If just te give her a nyem,
For ye knew she once had a gud un,
An' disarves te keep the syem;
She's workin as hard as a lass can,
Te keep her-sel ivry day,
The time 'ill seun cum when she cannet,
Marry her noo-when ye may!

Marry the lass, Sep Riley,
Ye often tell'd her ye wad,
Ye knaw that she thinks a vast 0' ye,
Vor the only lad she's had;
If ye dinnet, aw's sure she'll be heart-broke,
She's gettin warse ivry day,
Ye knaw she hes gossipin neybors,
That divvent care what they say,

Marry the lass, Sep Riley,
If ye'd only seen her cry,
When she thowt nebody beside her,
I' the lane that's just hard by;
Aw's sure it wad myed ye relent, lad,
It wad turn a heart 0' styen,
Te hear the poor thing when she'ssobbin,
Sobbin an' sighin alyen!

Marry the lass, Sep Riley,
She'll myek ye a canny bit wife,
Tho aw's sartin she's ower gud for ye,
For ye've been her bane throo life;
Her fethur 'ill set up the hoose, lad,
Her muther 'ill help her, tee,
So marry, an' give her a nyem, lad,
If ye divvent=-poor thing, she'll dee!

Marry the lass, Sep Riley,
Bliss ye! ye say that ye will,
An' ye'll nivvor heh cawse te repent it,
Vor heart's i' the reet place still;
Aw'll tell her it's settled for Sunday,
Poor lass, it 'ill myek her glad,
So let's hey a gill on the heed on't,
An' two eftor that, me lad.

Source: Joe Wilson,(author) Songs and Drolleries, 1890