[7]
Of every thing was in the houſe,
he always got a ſhare,
Of fleſh and meal, butter and cheeſe,
they thought it a' their due,
Such things did well the tradeſmen pleaſe,
when my old hat was new.
But now their hearts they are ſo full
of pride and vanity,
Tradſemen they're had in no account,
as you may plainly ſee.
Their wages they have ſo impair'd,
they ſcarce can get their due,
Which makes their wives & children ſad,
ſince my old hat was new.
At ev'ry merry wedding day,
the pipers were the ring,
And all the lads and laſſes they,
right wantonly did fling;
They cry'd play up the lads of Dunce,
and danced it thro' and thro',
O what a jovial crew were we,
when my old hat was new.
But now the caſe is altered,
the pipers they are ſcant,
The fidlers are increaſed much,
which makes them for to vaunt;
But in former times it was not ſo,
for this was a' their due,
To take ſuch ſprings the piper play'd,
when my old hat was new.
