Tim Bobbin’s Grave
by Samuel Bamford
Aw stoode beside Tim Bobbin’s grave
‘At looks o’er Ratchda’ teawn,
An’ th’ owd lad woke within’ his yerth,
An’ sed "where arto’ beawn?"
"Awm gooin’ into th’ Packer street,
As far as th’ Gowden Bell,
To taste o’ Daniel’s Kesmus ale."
Tim – "I cud like a saup myself."
"An’ by this hont o’ my reet arm,
If fro’ that hole theaw’ll reawk
Theaws’t have a saup o’ th’ best breawn ale
‘At ever lips did seawk."
The greawnd it sturr’d beneath my feet,
An’ then I yerd a groan,
He shook the dust fro’ off his skull,
An’ rowlt away the stone.
I brought him op a deep breawn jug,
‘At a gallon did contain,
An’ he took it at one blessed draught,
An’ laid him deawn again.
Explanations:
Yearth - earth
Beawn - going (bound)
Kesmus - Christmas
Saup - sup
Reawk - gather together (probably 'come out')
Seawk - soak, sup