The way how aw ken—when aw was at the toon,
Aw met Dicky Wise near the Rose and the Croon;
And as Dicky reads papers, and talks aboot Kings,
Wey he's like to ken weel about Gutters and things;
So he talk'd owre the Gutter, &c.
He then a lang story began for to tell,
And said that it often was ca'd a Can-nell;
But he thowt, by a Gutter, aw wad understand,
That's it's cutten reet through a' the Gentlemen's land.
Now that's caw'd a Gutter, &c.
Now, whether the sea's owre big at the West,
Or scanty at Sheels—wey, ye mebby ken best;
For he says they can team, aye, without any bother,
A sup out o' yen, a' the way to the tother,
By the great lang Gutter, &c.
Besides, there'll be bridges, and locks, and lairge keys,
And shippies, to trade wiv eggs, butter, and cheese:
And if they'll not sail weel, for want o' mair force,
They'll myek ne mair fuss, but yoke in a strang horse,
To pull through the Gutter, &c.
Ye ken there's a deal that's lang wanted a myel,
When they start wi' the Gutter 'twill thicken their kyell:
Let wages be high, or be just what they may,
It will certainly help to drive hunger away,
While they work at the Gutter, &c.
There's wor Tyne sammun tee 'ill not ken what's the matter,
When they get a gobful o' briny saut watter;
But if they should gan off, it's cum'd into my nob,
For to myek some amends we mun catch a' the cod,
That sweems down the Gutter, &c.
So come money and friends support Willy Armstrang,
In vent'rin a thoosan ye canna get wrang;
While we get wor breed by the sweet o' wor brow,
Success to the Gutter! and prosper the Plough!
The great lang Gutter, &c.
THE LOCAL MILITIA-MAN.
Tune—"Madam Fag's Gala."