Skipper's Account of the Mechanics' Procession

Cried Mally, Come, Jacky, get ready--
The morning is looking se fine, man;
The bells i' the town are a' ringing,
And the sun it se bonny does shine, man;
The lads and the lasses are runnin',
To se the Mechanics so gay, man,--
To meet the Procession, wi' Mally,
Aw suen cut my stick, and away, man.
Rom ti iddity, &c.

We reach'd the Tyne Brig in a crack,
'Mang croods, like worsels, out o' breeth, man--
The splendor aw cannot describe,
Nor forget till the day o' my deeth, man:
A fine silken banner appear'd,
As big as wor Geordy's keel-sails, man,
A' cover'd wi' doves, ark, and croons,
An' greet hairy men without tails, man.
Rom ti iddity, &c.

A chep like a Duke follow'd next,
Surrounded wi' Nobles se fine, man,
Weel dress'd up in silk robes an' tassels,
An' goold that did glitter and shine, man--
Says aw, that's Prince Albert, aw'll sweer--
An' was just gawn to give him three chears, man,
When Mally cried--De'il stop yor din!--
Becrike! it's the Dey of Algiers, man.
Rom ti iddity, &c.

The members were toss'd off in stile,
In colours of pink, white, and blue, man,--
A tight little chep frae the ranks,
Cried, Jack, hinny, how d'ye do, man?--
What, Newton! says aw, now, what cheer!
Aw thowt ye some 'Squire makin' fun, man,--
There's Armstrang, as trig as a Peer,
But how's my awd friend, Bobby Nunn, man?
Rom ti iddity, &c.

The Hawk, the Northumberland Star,
An' the Magdalen's banners wav'd sweet, man;
But the Chieftain astonish'd them all,
With his braw Highland lads dress'd sae neat, man;
The Nelson appear'd in true blue,
(There canny host Simpson belangs, man,)
An' Petrie walk'd close alangside
O' the chep that writes Newcassel Sangs, man.
Rom ti iddity, &c.

To describe the Flags, Music, an' Stars,
Wad take me to doomsday for sartin;
Let Foresters brag as they like,
But it's all in my eye, Betty Martin.
Wor lads were se pleas'd wi' the seet,
Mechanics they'll be before lang, man,--
So aw's gannin to Simpson's to-neet,
To sing them this canny bit sang, man.