Broadside ballad entitled 'Things I'd like to see'

Transcription

THINGS

I'd like to see.

Come all you good people wherever you be
Or high and low station and every degree,
If you'll pay attention and listen to me?
I'll tell you a few things I'd like to see;
I should like to see these hard times get a change,
For the poor I am sure are nearly deranged,
For work it is slack, and provisions so high,
Poor people they cannot get money to buy.

CHORUS.

You may think as you will, but I think as I please,
I should like to see people hare happier days,
If you'll pay attention and listen to me,
I'll tell you some things I should like to see.

Now the ports are thrown open. I'd like for to see
The duty all taken off coffee and tea,
I should like to see bread at a penny a pound,
And beef twopence-halfpenny the country round.
I should like for to see trade now flourish once more,
Thro' England & Ireland & round the Scotch shore.
And all the old women I should like to see
Enjoying themselves with fat cakes and strong tea.

I should like to see C?n and V------s and B-----t
Giving bread to the poor from morning till night,
I should like to see M--------r flourishing in style,
And the country all round it for many a long mile.
I should like to see N------y along with the Q-----n
Dancing the tune they call " Do it again,"
I should like to see A------t here cutting a swell,
Making sausages for the poor at the Royal Hotel.

I should like to see tradesmen, believe what say,
Earning five shillings and sixpence a day,
I'd like to see people with hearty good will,
Get plenty of victuals their bellies to fill.
And good sound potatoes at fourpenee a score,
If you go to the parish, O lank what a group!
They relieve you with nothing but a ticket for soup.

I'd like to see all the poor getting relief,
With lots of plum pudding and stunning fat beef,
For beef's been so dear, it is truth what I tell
It's quite out of date, for we can't get a smell.
I'd like to see N------y without grub for a week,
And R------l also till be scarcely could speak,      
If thay'd serve all the members the same, I am sure
They very soon would become good to the poor.

I should like to see R-----l and Sir R------t P------1
The poor people's interest begin for to feel,
I'd like to see B-----k with his head in a lamb,
And I'd like to see R------k crying out lamb,
I'd like to see A-----r with his Waterloo nose,
I'd like to see S-------without shirt and hat,
I'd like to see C---------n crying 'tatoes all hot.

I'd like to see jaws that so long have stood still,
Get plenty of grub now their bellies to fill,
I'd like to see flour, believe what I say,
Coming five times an hour upon the railway,
I should like to see Carver, Piekford, and Horne,
Bringing five million tons of American corn,
I should very well like to see it all ground,
And sold to the poor at a penny a pound.

I'd like to see each man at work at his trade,
I'd like to see men for their labour well paid,
I'd like to see B------m without stockings and boots,
I'd like to see G-----m eating cabbage roots,
I'd like to see cotton lords drest like Turks,
With a large blacksmith's hammer begin for to work,
I'd like to see I,-------n crying kettles to mend,
But a deal sooner are these had times at an end.

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