Bob Cranky's Adieu
On going with the Volunteer Association from Gateshead to Newcastle, on permanent Duty

Fareweel, farweel, ma comely pet!
Aw's doon for parm'ent duty set,
O dinna let it grieve thee!
Ma hinny! wipe them e'en sae breet,
That mine wi'love did dazzle;
When thy heart's sad can mine be leet!
Come, ho'way get a jill o' beer,
Thy heart to cheer;
An' when thou sees me mairch away,
Whiles in, whiles out
O' step, nae doot,
Bob Cranky's gane--thou'lt sobbing say,
A sougering to Newcassel!

Come, dinna, dinna whinge and whipe,
Like yammering Isbel Macky;
Cheer up, ma hinny! leet thy pipe,
An take a blast o' backy!
It's but for yen and twenty days,
The foulk's een aw'll dazzle,--
Prood, swagg'ring i' my fine reed claes:
Odds heft! my pit claes- dist thou hear?
Are waurse o' wear;
Mind cloot them weel, when aw's away;
An' a posie grown
Aw'll buy thee soon,
An' thou's drink thy tea--aye, twice a-day,
When aw come frae Newcassel.

Becrike! aw's up tiv every rig,
Sae dinna doot, ma hinny!
But at the Blue stane o' the Brig
Aw'll ha'e ma mairching Ginny.
A Ginny! wuks! sae strange a seet
Ma een wi' joy will dazzle;
But aw'll hed spent that verra neet--
For money, hinny! owre neet to keep,
Wad brick ma sleep;
Sae, smash! aw thinks't a wiser way,
Wi' flesh and beer
Mysel' to cheer,
The lang three weeks that aw've to stay,
A sougering at Newcassel.

But whisht! the sairgent's tongue aw hear,
Fa' in! fa' in! he's yelpin:
The fifes are whusslin' lood an' clear,
An' sair the drums they're skelpin.
Fareweel, ma comely! aw mun gang,
The Gen'ral's een to dazzle;
But, hinny! if the time seems lang,
And thoiu freets about me neet an'day;
Then come away,
Seek out the yell-house where aw stay,
An' we'll kiss and cuddle;
An' mony a fuddle
Sall drive the langsome hours away,
When sougering at Newcassel.

-John Shield, of Newcastle, in Bell