Drink success to this bell—ding, dong—
That'll wake the folks in country and town,
And their maids to milk their cows in the morn,
The great bell of Saint Nicholas.
Lord, how the people they did run,
When they heard the small bells ring like fun,
Shouting, there's something to be done
At the old church of Saint Nicholas.
The shopkeepers out of their doors did stare
At such a thing, so great and rare,
And the flags were waving in the air,
O'er the great bell of Saint Nicholas.
(Spoken.)—Well, I suppose they will christen it—Hout, man, they christened it yesterday at the foundery, down at Hawks'.—Well, then, they'll have to consecrate it now.—Ay, horses and all—What! consecrate horses, you foolish man! Ay, then they'll be most fit for hearses and mourning coaches.
Drink success to this bell, &c.
And after all the noisy storm,
We've liv'd to see real church reform—
Six horses standing snug and warm,
In the old church of Saint Nicholas.
You should have been at the church,
To have seen the horses in the porch,—
The devil will say—I'm in the lurch,
No use for me at Saint Nicholas.
(Spoken.)—I say, Geordy, did you ever see such a great thing as that before?—Where is it gan' te?—Why, to the church; it's the great bell that was bequeathed by Major Anderson, to flay away the rooks and craws frae the town—to hinder them from building either on churches or exchanges. Ay, ay, but I think it wad ha'e been far better if they'd myed it to flay away poverty frae wor doors, and cast it as a boiler for soup. What say you, Geordy?—It wad, as ye say—but I'll
Drink success, &c.
A drunken cobbler made a vow,
In the Major he would make a shoe,—
And he work'd away till all was blue
In the great bell of Saint Nicholas.
The shoe being made, to the man of leather
The people cried—Well done! O clever,—
You should have a grant to work for ever
In the great bell of Saint Nicholas.
Drink success to this bell, &c.