THE COLLY'S LAST SPEECH.
DRAW near each true and trusty cur,
And hear what I'm convicted for,
Though I'm condemned by dint o' law,
Devised by men I never saw,
Yet I declare ⟨the⟩ truth to you,
The crime is what I never knew,
My days I spent them kind and free,
And now has nought to do but die.
Draw near my ⟨honest⟩ neighbour tikes,
With whom I ⟨swiftly⟩ loupt the dykes,
And ranted money a merry ⟨day⟩,
Yet parted a’ in game. and play;
Monie’s the night we met on guard,
To watch the ⟨poultry⟩ and the yard;
And ⟨in⟩ invasion did appear,
We set the ⟨garrison asteer⟩;
When the first ⟨sentinel⟩ discharg'd a bark,
Our muster'd guards though e'er so dark
Would rally forth their warlike lore,
An set ⟨the⟩ town in an uproar;
But ⟨now⟩ frae either we must part,
Or else fu' dearly pay the sin it.
For though we’re o' the meaner sort
Our names were lately ⟨call'd⟩ in court,
When we were tried by course o' law,