BALLAD OF THE BUDGET
YEAR 1909
'Ees a-going down to London town, my lord as lives on the 'ill,
And 'e leaves to-day, the folks do say, to vote 'gainst the
Budget Bill.
It be now a score of years or more since 'es left 'is
'igh-walled seat,
But 'es going away, for 'ells to pay and the Welshman must be beat.
It do seem queer 'is leavin' 'ere, and I'm doctorin' for the gout,
For 'tween countin' rents and pounds and pence 'es never gone
much about.
It's the Welshman's scheme that spoiled his dream, it's
something about the land,
So 'es off, my lord, to protect his 'oard from the bloomin'
hupstart's 'and.
They be askin' gold for the fleet, I'm told, and they only ask
what's fair,
But 'im up there with 'is lordly air and wantin' to pay 'is share.
Well, I don't think much about law and such, but this I 'as to say,
If the people's right, and it comes to a fight, 'is lordship
will 'ave to pay.
Lor' bless the fleet, she's 'ard to beat, and she allus has been
our pride,
An' I'd shout for joy like a Devon boy, if I could but see her ride
Out o'er the sea as she used to be, the queen of the worldwide main,
With her cheerin' tars, and her bristlin' spars, and honour
without a stain.
It's twenty years since the 'Ouse of Peers 'as seen 'im, and is
it right
That the people's will 'is kind can kill, and do it all in a night?
'E ain't been stirred like this, we 'eard, since the days of
Gladstone's bill,
But I'll bet my forge 'im they calls George will win, and I 'opes
'e will.