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Of fleſh and meal butter and cheeſe,
they thought it a their due,
Such things did well the tradeſmen pleaſe,
when my old hat was new.
But now their hearts they are ſo full,
of pride and vanity now,
Tradſemen they're had in no account,
ſince my old hat was new.
Their wages they have ſo impair'd.
they ſcarce can get their due.
Which makes their wives and children ſad,
ſince my old hat was new.
At ev'ry merry wedding day,
the pipers were the ring,
And all the lads and laſſes they,
right wantonly they fling,
They cried, play up the lads of Dunſe,
and danced through and through,
O what a jovial crew were we,
when my old hat was new.
But now the caſe is altered quite,
the pipers they are ſcant,
The fiddlers are increaſed much.
which makes them for to vaunt,
But in former days it was not ſo,
for this was a' their due,
To take ſuch ſprings the piper play'd.
when my old hat was new.
But the times are changed much.
and what more can we ſay,
