The Madden copy is close to that posted by MMario, but lacks two stanzas. Published by "John Harkness, Printer, Preston," it dates, to judge from its position, from within a year or two of 1850 (I neglected to note the catalogue number). Here it is anyway, for comparison.

LITTLE PIGS

A GLEE

Our little pigs lie on very good straw,
Straw, straw, shan diddle daw !
             Our little pigs, &c.
Lillipuleri, my dad was a bonnie wee man !

Our little pigs eat the best of pratees,
Pratees, pratees, shan diddle datees !
             Our little pigs, &c.

Our little pigs made the best of bacon,
Bacon, bacon, shan diddle daken !
             Our little pigs, &c.

And there's an end to our little song,
Song, song, dan diddle dong !
             And there's an end, &c.


A "glee," of course, is a part song, sung unaccompanied by three or more voices. One wishes one had the melody for one of these early versions ! If they were sung straight-faced as three- or more part glees with pig noises added - as seems probable - the overall effect must have been hilarious.

The word "Lillipuleri" appears to have been inspired by the well-known "lillibulero," and with a little adjustment the stanzaic words can be fit to the first half of that tune. The refrain is another story, though.

Gwilym, I doubt we have met. I'll PM you when I'm back at my own computer.