Bellfast mountains (Peterhead)/The parsons fat wedder

The PARSONS FAT WEDDER

Martinmas is now come on,
⁠and Chriſtmas is drawing near;
And we have nothing in the ⟨houſe⟩,
⁠for to make good Chriſtmas cheer.
The little we boy he's ſtanding by,
⁠and hearing what his father did ſay,
Father, we'll kil the miniſter's wedder.

⁠and we'll have mutton without delay.
The prieſt he has got a good fat wedder,
⁠as ever was fed on corn or graſs;
I've got ſome crumbs of bread in my pocket
⁠I'li wyle the wedder into the houſe.
We will put on the mucklę kettle,
⁠and ſticks below't to make it boil:
And we will kill the minister's Wedder,
⁠and well lave mutton without any toil.

The little wee boy goes to the wood,
⁠and ay ſo merrily as he ſang:
My father has killed the miniſter's wedder,
⁠I would not tell this to any man.
The miniſter being in the wood,
⁠leaning his back againſt an oak;
If you'll ſing me that ſong in the church,
⁠I'll give you a crown and a new coat.

The morrow it being Chriſtmas day,
⁠the miniſter he muſt be there;
The people all flocked to the church,
⁠juſt as they'd been going to a fair,
The miniſter's gone to the church,
⁠the congregation for to view,
There'll be a boy here in a little,
⁠will ſing a ſong, which will be true.

Tho little we boy came to the church,
⁠and ay ſo merrily he ſang
I catch'd the prieſt in bed with my mother
⁠I would not tell this to any ⟨man.⟩
You are a liar ſay the prieſt,
⁠as ſure in the pulpit I do ſtand,
I never was in bed with your mother,
⁠nor yet ſo nigh as touch her hand.

Then you are a liar ſays the boy,
⁠as ſures in the pulpit you do kneels:
I catched you in bed with my mother,
⁠and your breeches hanging to your heel
The miniſter being quite a aſhamed,
⁠the people gave a loud huzza:
Running like mad out of the church,
⁠crying ſuch a prieſt we never ſaw.

But you would have laugh'd if you'd ſeen
⁠how the little wee boy kept up the joke
Running out after the miniſter, crying,
⁠give me my crown, and my new coat
The parſon hes quite out of the pariſh,
⁠left him behind his church and wealth,
The boy and's mother fed on the wedder,
⁠and every ⟨drank⟩ his health.