| |
| I ’LL 1 sing you a good old song, | |
| Made by a good old pate, | |
| Of a fine old English gentleman | |
| Who had an old estate, | |
| And who kept up his old mansion | 5 |
| At a bountiful old rate; | |
| With a good old porter to relieve | |
| The old poor at his gate, | |
| Like a fine old English gentleman | |
| All of the olden time. | 10 |
| |
| His hall so old was hung around | |
| With pikes and guns and bows, | |
| And swords, and good old bucklers, | |
| That had stood some tough old blows; | |
| ’T was there “his worship” held his state | 15 |
| In doublet and trunk hose, | |
| And quaffed his cup of good old sack, | |
To warm his good old nose,
Like a fine, etc. | |
| |
| When winter’s cold brought frost and snow, | |
| He opened house to all; | 20 |
| And though threescore and ten his years, | |
| He featly led the ball; | |
| Nor was the houseless wanderer | |
| E’er driven from his hall; | |
| For while he feasted all the great, | 25 |
He ne’er forgot the small;
Like a fine, etc. | |
| |
| But time, though old, is strong in flight, | |
| And years rolled swiftly by; | |
| And Autumn’s falling leaves proclaimed | |
| This good old man must die! | 30 |
| He laid him down right tranquilly, | |
| Gave up life’s latest sigh; | |
| And mournful stillness reigned around, | |
And tears bedewed each eye,
For this good, etc. | |
| |
| Now surely this is better far | 35 |
| Than all the new parade | |
| Of theatres and fancy balls, | |
| “At home” and masquerade: | |
| And much more economical, | |
| For all his bills were paid. | 40 |
| Then leave your new vagaries quite, | |
| And take up the old trade | |
| Of a fine old English gentleman, | |
| All of the olden time. | |
