LOSSIN THE LICENCE!

TEUN-" The Uppur Ten."

THE leets burn'd dimly i' the bar,
The lanlord wassent there,
The tyeble wes a' thick 0' dart,
The koonter had its share;
An' ivrything luckt oat 0' place,
The lanlady her-sel
Wes fair dooncast, an' frev her lips
This doleful ditty felI

Korus.
" Thor's nowt on orth me heart te cheer,
Me heart te cheer, aw'm wretched here,
For thor issent a thing i' the hoose but beer,
Throo wor Geordey wi' lossin the Licence!

"This used te be a peaceful port,
But noo life's bitter here,
Me temper once wes sweet an' mild,
But noo aw cannet beer
The thowts that myek us w(h)ine a' day,
Me sporrits thor se law,
The Rector cannot keep the hoose,
An' the baccy is ne draw.

"The beer 'iIllike the trade turn flat,
Wor nearly sure te fail,
We'll need sum good supporters,
As we heh nowt else but ale,'
The glasses they'll a' gan tepot,
Then bottled up we'll be,
Aw find aw'm not near half as stoot,
It's ne sham pain wi' me !

"The sellors nearly empy noo,
An' buyers very rare,
It's rum te think such changes cum,
Such dull times issent fair
An' Geordey, like the sheep he is,
He's gyen upon the spree,
Aw'll punch his heed te think he'd leeve
An ail-in wife like me.

"It's true they fined him once or twice,
Or twice or thrice or mair,
Ye'd thowt twad been a cawshun,
But wor Geordey diddent care;
An'throo a quairt 0' penny beer,
Wor trade an' Licence's gyen,
He diddent treat the Bobbies wee!,
Or they'd lettin him alyen !


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