Lyr Add: Bold Archie Drowned

Subject: Lyr Add: Bold Archie Drowned
From: *#1 PEASANT*
Date: 13 Jun 04 - 02:49 PM

Bold Archy Drowned
Tune- "The Bold Dragoon."

Awile for me yor lugs keep clear, maw spoke aw'll briefly bray,
Aw've been see blind wi' blarin that aw scarce ken what to say,-
A motley crew aw lately met, my feelins fine had sairly wounded,
By axin if aw'd heer'd the news, or if aw'd seen Bold Archy drownded.

The tyel like wildfire through the toon suin cut a dowly track,
An'seem'd to wander up an' doon wi' Sangate on its back;
Bullrug was there- Golightly's Will- ti croon the whole, an'd Nelly Marchy,
Whee as they roond the Deed-house thrang'd whing'd oot in praise ofv honest Archy/

Waes! Archy lang was hale an' rank, the king o' laddies braw-
His wrist was like an anchor- shank, his fist was like the claw-
His yellow waistcoat flowered se fine, myed tyeliors lang for cabbage-cutting;
It myed the bairns to glower amain, an' cry "Ni, ni, what bonny buttons!'

His breeches an' his jacket clad a body rasher straight-
A bunch o' ribbons at his knees- his shoes an' buckles bright;
His dashing stockins, true sky-blue, his gud shag hat, although a biggin,
When cock'd upon his bonny head, luiked like a pea upon a middin.

The last was he to myek a row, yet foremost in the fight,
The first was he to right the wrang'd, the last to wrang the right;
They said sic deeds, where'er he'd gyen, cud not but meet a noble station;
Cull-Billy fear'd that a' such hopes were built upon a bad foundashin.

For Captain Starkey word was sent to come without delay-
The Captain begged to be excused, and come another day,
When spirits strong and nappy beer, with bread and cheese might make him able
to bear up such a load of grief, and do the honours of the table.

Another group was then sent off, an' browt Blind Willie doon,
Whee suen began a simfinee wi' fiddle oot o' tune:-
"Here archy lies, his country's pride, oh! San'gate, thou wilt sairly miss him,
Stiff Drownded I' the ragiin tide, powl'd off at last-eehoo! 'od bliss him!"

While thus they mourn'd byeth wives an' bairns, young cheps and au'd men grey,
Whee shud there cum but Archy's sel', to see about the fray.-
Aw gav a skrike, for weel ye ken a set like this wad be a shocker,
'"Od smash! here's Archy back agyen, - slipped oot, by gox, frae Davy's locker."

Aboot him they a' thrang'd an' ax'd what news frae the underground?
Each tell'd aboot their blarin, when they ken'd that he was drown'd/
"Hoots!" Archy moung'd, "its nowt but lees,- to the Barley Mow let's e'en be joggin,
'Aw'll tyek my oath it wasn't me, because aw hear it's Archy Loggan.

To see bold Archy thus restor'd, they ga sic round hurraws,
As myed the very skies to splet, an' deav'd a flight o' craws;
To the Barley Mow for swipes o' yell, they yen an' a' went gaily joggin,
Rejoiced to hear the drownded man was nobbit little Archy Loggan.

-Robert Gilchrist

Notes:
Cull-Billy- William Scott was an inmate of St. John's poor-house; a very harmless creature, and once much pestered by the wantonness of the boys in the streets of Newcastle. He was very good-natured. When I was a schoolboy I used to stop and ask him to spell any hard word, and it is a singular truth that I never once found him in the wrong. Numberous anecdotes are recorded of William's wit and presence of mind which would have done credit to many of greater eminence. July 30, 1829. Robert Gilchrist.