AH! they wer times, when Nanny Gill

Went so'jerèn ageänst her will, soldiering

Back when the King come down to view

His ho'se an’ voot, in red an’ blue, horse

An’ they did march in rows,

An’ wheel in lines an’ bows, curves

Below the King's own nose;

An’ guns did pwoint, an’ swords did gleäre,

A-fightèn foes that werden there. weren't

Poor Nanny Gill did goo to zell

In town her glitt'rèn macarel, mackerel

A-pack'd wi’ ceäre, in even lots,

A-ho'seback in a peäir o’ pots.

An’ zoo when she did ride so

Between her panniers wide,

Red-cloked in all her pride,

Why, who but she, an’ who but broke

The road avore her scarlet cloke!

But Nanny's ho'se that she did ride,

Woonce carr'd a sword ageän his zide, once carried

An’ had, to prick en into rank, him

A so'jer's spurs ageän his flank; soldier's

An’ zoo, when he got zight

O’ swords a-gleamèn bright,

An’ men agwaïn to fight, going

He set his eyes athirt the ground, across

An’ prick'd his ears to catch the sound.

Then Nanny gi'ed his zide a kick, gave

An’ het en wi’ her limber stick; hit him, pliant

But suddenly a horn did sound,

An’ zend the ho'semen on vull bound;

An’ her ho'se at the zight

Went after em, vull flight,

Wi’ Nanny in a fright,

A-pullèn, wi’ a scream an’ grin,

Her wold brown raïns to hold en in. old, reins, him

But no! he went away vull bound,

As vast as he could tear the ground, fast

An’ took, in line, a so'jer's pleäce,

Vor Nanny's cloke an’ frighten'd feäce;

While vo'k did laugh an’ shout folk

To zee her cloke stream out,

As she did wheel about,

A-cryèn, ―Oh! la! dear!” in fright,

The while her ho'se did plaÿ sham fight.