Broadside ballad entitled 'The Last Speech of the Town's Officers'

Transcription

THE LAST SPEECH

OF THE

TOWN'S OFFICERS,   

(TAKEN FROM THE ORIGINAL)

Signed by Themselves,

AND MAY BE   SEEN BY   APPLYING TO THE   PROPER AUTHORITY.

TUNE?There's nae Luck about the House.

NOW CLERK* count o'er the Council Board,
They're a met here bit twa,?
And-we maun sign our sying Speech,
Our Cash is now awa
Let G* * * dy   S* * * l and a his gang, ?
Tak warnin by our Fa,
For fan the Siller haves the House,
The luck flees a' awa.
For there's nae luck about the Town,
There's nae luck ava                        
There's nae luck about this House,
Our Sillers a' awa.

II.
Fan we look down to thae fishwives,
Wi' a' their " Parton Claws," §
Nae wonder that our Borough thrives,
" They've suffer'd" in its cause:
We have na' left a Penny Piece,
Nae drap o' drink hae we,
And we must soon depart in peace,
O! sad ca-la-mi-ty.
For there's nae luck, &c.

III.                  

'Repentant Sinners here we prove,
Wi' qualified regret,
It seems our Projects to remove,
Increase the Chamber Debt :
Vexation and distress ensue,
Our des-ti-nies foretell,
To those who fill our slippery shoe,
A skaith that nane can tell
For there's nae luck &c.

IV.

We're habit and repute they say,
And if we swore 'twas true,
That black was white, or green was grey,
'T 'wou'd be believed by few
It 's hard that a' our Plots and Plans,      
The public should pervert,
Far they maun Ken that cleans our hands,
They wish to break our heart.
For there's nae luck , &c.

V.

We loudly here re-it-e-rate,
Proclaim it " ye Elect,"
In management of Town's Affairs,
There's radical defect;
A system of concealment too,
If one were so inclined;
He'd keep a best intentioned few,   
Like little moles, stone-blind.
For there's nae 'luck, &c.

VI.

We therefore humbly here propose
Altho' it may seem, strange,
Don't think It odd to come from those.
Who never dream't of change :
Now we think it just and fair,
T'' effectually controul,
And fairly we'd concede a share,
We canna keep the whole.
Na-There's nae Cash about the House,
There's nae luck ava, &c.

VII.

Fan Governents in times of old,
Sic salutary checks!
Pat hempen Tows in place of Gold,
Round a' the Baillies necks :¶
If ours had been bit weel tarr'd twine,
'Tis plain to a' mankind,
Our Funds had been afore the wind,
Instead o' far behind.
For there's nae luck, &c.

VIII.

The System solely is to blame.
For with regard to those,
We shanna mention ony name,
But let you a' suppose:
His motives were so very pure,
That we must all over,
His Lordship thought hims; cocksure,
A Provost coudna crr.
For there's nae luck, &c.

IX.

But hark! we hear the Council Bell,
One duty to perform
Is left for us, our Tools we tell,
That they must all Refrom:
'Tis needless then to preach.
An empty Purse will farther go,
Than a' our Dying Speech.
For there's nae luck, &c.

x.

Now, hand in with "'One Accord,"
Let's in the circle draw,
We must retire from this sad Board,
Hark! hear the mob huzza!
Let G* * *dv- S* * * l and a' his gang,
Tak warnin by our Fa,
For fan the Siller leaves the House,
The luck flees a' awa.
Exeunt omnes-
Without singing the Chorus.

Notanda for the Benefit of Country Gentlemen and others.            

The Words in Italics are literally from the original Prose, and the Reader will perceive enough almost to
puzzle a Poet Laureat.                        

In Days of Yore, denominated Chief Scribe ; but now, Town Clerk : has no Vote at the Council and when he
speaks the Provost frowns?but it is well known, the Clerk tall frown again.                                          

? The Council consists of..................    ....... 19
from which substract.............:                ..........2 absent,                                 
                                                                         ----
                                                                   and 17 retnain, who signed the famous Manifeste

? Supposed to be the Preses of the Burgees Committee, a Set of m ad hot-headed Fellows, who wish; to introduce.
Anarchy and Confusion, and then to become Members of Parliament, and Ministers of State.                              '

S The Platform or Board covered with Green Cloth. commands an extensive View of the Morning Fish Market,
where there is Abundance of those savoury Shell Fish by Naturalists named Crabs, but by Baillies of this Burgh
Partons. The Toe (or by the Baillics versification Claw) of this Fish   is strong enough to lead the oldest of them

|| An old Chamber, with a' new System of Commerce, lately som   Browing and Selling carried on ; but, for ob-   
vious Reasons, now neither Buying, Selling. Borrowing. nor Lending.,

The Baillies wear singlo Chains of Go ld the provost's Cravet is Double, probably from his Weight at the
Platform.

Printed for J.Booth , Jun chroniele street Aberdeen.

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