O may ye firm support each leg, or much, O much I fear,
Poor Rowland may o’erstretch himself in striding ’cross the Wear!
A patent quickly issue out, lest some more bold than he,
Should put on larger iron boots, and stride across the sea!
Then let us pray for speedy peace, lest Frenchmen should come over,
And, fol’wing Burdon’s iron plan, from Calais stride to Dover.
ELSIE MARLEY,
An Alewife at Picktree, near Chester-le-Street.
To its own Tune.
Elsie Marley is grown so fine,