"Dear Jone," said eawr Nan, un hoo bitterly cried, "Wilt be one o th foote, or theaw means for t ride?"
wench awll ride oather ass or a mule, Ere awll keawr i Grinfilt os black os th owd dule Booath clemmin, un starvin, un never a fardin, It ud welly drive ony mon mad."
"Ay, Jone, sin we coom i Grinfilt for t dwell, Weyn had mony a bare meal, aw con vara weel tell."
heaw they staret when aw getten to th Mumps, Meh owd hat i my hont, unmeh clogs full o stumps; Boh aw soon towd um, awre gooin to Owdham Un awd hae a battle wi th French.
So fare thee weel, Grinfilt, a soger awm made: Awve getten new shoon, un a rare nice cockade; Awll feight for Owd Englond os hard os aw con, Oather French, Dutch, or Spanish, to me its o one; Awll mak em to stare, like a new started hare, Un awll tell em fro Owdham aw coom.
Says John to his wife on a hot summer's day, "I'm resolved in Greenfield no longer to stay; For I'll go to Oldham as fast as I can, So fare thee well Greenfield, and fare thee well Nan; For a soldier I'll be, and brave Oldham I'll see, And I'll have a battle with the French."
Wench I'll ride either ass or a mule, Ere I'll cower in Greenfield as black as th' old devil Both freezing and starving, and never a farthing, It would really drive any man mad."
"It matters not, Madge, for to Oldham I'll go, I'm nearly starved to death, but somebody shall know: First Frenchman I find, I'll tell him my mind, And if he'll not fight, he shall run."
How they stared when I got to the Mumps, My old hat in my hand, and my clogs full of stamps; But I soon told them, I'm going to Oldham And I'd have a battle with the French.
So fare thee well, Greenfield, a soldier I'm made: I've got new shoes, and a very nice cockade; I'll fight for Old England as hard as I can, Either French, Dutch, or Spanish, to me it's all one; I'll make them stare, like a new started hare, And I'll tell them from Oldham I've come.