These brave lads around us, their tools will lay down, And fight for their country, their king, and his crown! But the Frenchmen destroy’d, or drove back to the main, They’ll take up the Pick-axe and shovel again. Fal lal de ral la. In union thus ever be commerce and arms, When a tyrant’s ambition creates it alarms; And secure in their courage, let Britons still sing, Britannia triumphant, and God save the king! Fal lal de ral la. Your glasses now fill to the lord of the mine, And drink him long life in a goblet of wine: On this joyous day let no bosom be sad, But bumper it round to “the bonny pit lad.” Fal lal de ral la. A SOUTH SHIELDS SONG _ON THE SAILORS._ The sailors are all at the bar, They cannot get up to Newcastle; The sailors are all at the bar, They cannot get up to Newcastle. Up with smoky Shields, And hey for bonny Newcastle; Up with smoky Shields, And hey for bonny Newcastle. A NORTH SHIELDS SONG. We’ll all away to the Lowlights, And there we’ll see the sailors come in; We’ll all away to the Lowlights, And there we’ll see the sailors come in. There clap your hands and give a shout, And you’ll see the sailors go out; Clap your hands and dance and sing, And you’ll see your laddie come in. MONKSEATON RACES. _July 1st, 1812._ BY A SPECTATOR. Six centuries since, some say, a son of South Seaton[79], Was mulct for a monk he to mummy had beaten; The prior there pilfer’d the prow of a pig, And Delaval drub’d well the pillaging prig! In commemoration of that great event, Each anniversary in eclat is spent: Though landlords liege-legates are bound to obey, That country carousal’s kept up to this day. A sum by subscription was quickly collected, As none to contribute their quota objected; Half-guineas the highest, the lowest a shilling; And seamen and landmen were equally willing: Hence hand-bills were pasted up in public places, To state both the time and the term of these races; Explaining the prizes, and pastoral plays, Prolonging these pastimes the space of three days. The stewards instructed the cash to collect, Kept debtor and creditor scrolls quite correct; To purchase such prizes as were preconcerted, The coin was with consummate caution converted; To furnish out fun for friends, strangers, and neighbours, These gents to gymnastics gave gratis their labours; Lest fair play, by precepts, might not be promoted, From the racing calendar cases they quoted.