"Welcome and plenty, there they found 'em,
"The ribs of beef grew light;
"And puddings—till the boys got round 'em,
"And then they vanish'd quite!
"Now all the guests, with Farmer Crouder,
"Began to prate of corn;
"And we found out they talk'd the louder,
"The oftner pass'd the Horn.
"Out came the nuts; we set a cracking;
"The ale came round our way;
"By gom we women fell a clacking
"As loud again as they.
"John sung 'Old Benbow' loud and strong,
"And I, 'The Constant Swain,'
"'Cheer up my Lads,' was Simon's song,
"'We'll conquer them again.'
"Now twelve o'clock was drawing nigh,
"And all in merry cue;
"I knock'd the cask, 'O, ho!' said I,
"'We've almost conquer'd you.'
"My Lord[Footnote: The leader of the reapers.] begg'd round, and held
his hat,
"Says Farmer Gruff, says he,
"There's many a Lord, Sam, I know that,
"Has begg'd as well as thee.'
"Bump in his hat the shillings tumbl'd
"All round among the folks;
"'Laugh if you wool,' said Sam, and mumbl'd,
"'You pay for all your jokes.'
"Joint stock you know among the men,
"To drink at their own charges;
"So up they got full drive, and then
"Went out to halloo largess.[Footnote: See advertisement.]
"And sure enough the noise they made!!—
—"But let me mind my tale;
"We follow'd them, we wor'nt afraid,
"We'ad all been drinking ale.
"As they stood hallooing back to back,
"We, lightly as a feather,
"Went sideling round, and in a crack
"Had pinn'd their coats together.