This must be the song that is referred to as "Head Man at Mrs. Grundy's." Its tune was used for BETSY BAKER. Unfortunately, I still don't have the tune.

Lyrics from Ashburner's New Vocal and Poetic Repository, (Ulverston: George Ashburner, 1807), page 201:


MON AT MESTER GRUNDY'S.

1. Good law, how things are alter'd now!
I'm grown as fine as fippence;
But when I'd use to follow th' plough,
I ne'er could mester thrippence!
But now, why who's so spruce as I,
When going to church o' Sundays?
I'm not poor Will o' th' yate, by guy!
But th' mon at Mester Grundy's.

2. I'd use to stride about i' clogs,
As thick as sides o' bacon;
But now my clogs, as well as hogs,
I've totally forsaken:
And little Peg, I lik'd so well,
And walk'd so with o' Sundays,
I've left, and now 'tis cook-maid Nell,
And th' mon at Mester Grundy's.

3. One day I met my cousin Ralph,
Says he, "How art ta, Willy?"
"Begone," says I, "thou clumsy oaf,
And do not be so silly."
"Why does t' forget since constant we
To market trudg'd o' Mundays?"
Says I, "Good lad, don't talk to me.
I'm th' mon at Mester Grundy's."

4. "Gadzooks!" says Ralph. "Who art ta now?
I thowt no harm i' speaking.
I've seen th' day thou wert at plough
Was glad my hand t' be shaking;
But now, ecod, thou struts about,
So very fine o' Sundays."
"Why aye," says I. "You clod, get out!
I'm th' mon at Mester Grundy's."

5. On nice thick porrage and sweet milk,
At whoam I liv'd i' clover;
And wish'd such feasting, while I liv'd,
No never might be over:
But, zounds, did yo' but see me now,
Sat down to dine o' Sundays,
Ecod, you'd stare like ony thing,
At th' mon at Mester Grundy's.

6. Now I'm advan'd fro' th' tail o' th' plough
Like many a peer o' th' nation,
I finds 'tis easy knowing how
T' forget one's former station:
Who knows but I may strut a 'squire,
Wi' powder'd wig o' Sundays,
Though now content to be no higher,
Than th' mon at Mester Grundy's.


The Bodleian Library has several copies of the broadside. As the songs are in the Lancashire(?) dialect, the spelling of the title varies somewhat:

MON AT MESTER GRUNDY'S ("Good law how things altered now ...")
MON AT MR. GRUNDY'S ("Good law a things are autert na ...")
TH' MON AT MESTER GRUNDY'S ("Good law, how things are alter'd now ...")
TH' MON AT MR. GRUNDYS ("Good law, how things are alter'd now ...")
THE MON AT MESTER GRUNDY'S ("Good law! how things are alter'd now ...")