I've a sweetheart comes now upo' Setterday neeghts, An' he swears 'at he'll mak' me his wife, My mam grows se stingy, she scaulds and she flytes, An' twitters me out o' my life. But she may leuk sour, an' cansait hersen wise, An' preach again likin young men; Sen I'se grown a woman, her clack I'll despise, An' I'se--marry!--tak' care o' mysen. COLONEL THOMPSON'S VOLUNTEERS.[257] As we march'd down to Scarbro' on the fourteenth of June, The weather it was warm, and the soldiers in full bloom; There it was my good fortune to meet my dearest dear, For my heart was stole away by colonel Thompson's volunteer. My father and my mother confined me in my room, When I jump'd out of the window, and ran into the town, Where it was my good fortune, to meet my dearest dear, The man that stole my heart was colonel Thompson's volunteer. Then in came George Etherington all with his bugle horn, He said he'd seen the prettiest girl that ever sun shone on, Her cheeks they were like roses, she is beautiful and fair, And she says she'll march with none but colonel Thompson's volunteer. Then in came captain Carter, and unto them did say, That he had seen the prettiest girl, of any there to-day, Her eyes were black as jet, and her hair it hung so tight, And she says she'll march with none but colonel Thompson's men this night. Our officers are loyal, they are men of courage bold, Their clothing is of scarlet and turned up with gold, It's I could wash the linen to please my dearest dear, When I was in the field with colonel Thompson's volunteer. Our ladies they love music, our captain gives command, They play the prettiest marches of all the royal bands, They play the sweetest music that ever my ears did hear, For my heart was stole away by colonel Thompson's volunteer. I'll bid adieu to father, likewise to mother too, I'll never forsake my soldier but unto him prove true, And I'll range the country over with the lad that I love dear, Since I'm bound in wedlock's bonds to colonel Thompson's volunteer. FOOTNOTE: [Footnote 257: From a broadside _penes me_, printed by Forth, Pocklington.] THE SLEDMERE POACHERS.[258] Come, all you gallant poaching lads, and gan alang with me, And let's away to Sledmere woods, some game for to see; It's far and near, and what they say it's more to feel than see, So come, my gallant poaching lads, and gan alang with me. CHORUS. We are all brave poaching lads, our names we dare not tell, And if we meet the keeper, boys, we'll make his head to swell. On the fifth of November last, it being a star-light night, The time it was appointed, boys, that we were all to meet, When at twelve o'clock at midnight, boys, we all did fire a gun, And soon, my lads, it's we did hear, old hares begin to run.