Said Jone to his wife one hot summer's day,
“I'm resolved in Grinfilt no longer I'll stay,
For I'll goo up to Oudham as fast as I can,
So fare thee weel Grinfilt and fare thee weel Nan;
For a sojer I'll be and brave Oudham I'll see
And I'll have a battle wi' French.”

Said Joan to his wife one hot summer's day,
“I'm resolved that in Grinfield no longer I'll stay,
So I'll go to Oudham as fast as I can,
and it's fare thee well Grinfield an' fare thee well Nan,
For a soldier I'll be, brave Oudham I'll see,
And I'll go and have battle wi' French.”

“Dear Jone,” said Nan and her bitterly cried,
“Does intend t' be on foot or dost mean for t' ride?”
“Odds lass I'll ride either an ass or a mule,
Ere I'll cower in Grinfilt as black as the du'el,
Both clamming and starving and never a farthing
Ecod, 'twould mak' any mon mad.”

“Dear John,” said our Nan and too bitterly cried,
“Willst be one on foot or them for to ride?”
“By god, I'll ride either an ass or a mule,
Than I'll cower in Grinfield as black as the Dule,
Both clemming and starving with never a farthing
It's enough to drive any man mad.”

“Aye Jone, sin we've come into Grinfilt t'dwell,
We'n had mony a bare meal, I can very weel tell.”
“Bare meal, ecod lass that I very weel know,
There's bin two days this week we'n had nowt t'ate at a'
I'm very near sided, afore I'll abide it,
And I'll fight either Spanish or French.”

“Aye Joan since we've coming to' Grinfield to dwell,
We've had many a bare meal I can very well tell.”
“Bare meal, egod aye! That I very well know,
There's been two days this week that we've had nowt at all,
And I'm very near sided, that before I'll abide it,
I'll go and have battle wi' French.”

Then says me Nont Margit, “Ah Jone th'art so 'ot
I'd neer goo t' Oudham but in England I'd stop.”
“It matters not Madge for t'Oudham I'll goo,
I'll not clem t'death less some bugger s'all know;
Fust French I find, I'll tell him me mind
And he wont feight he can run.”

So I've come down to brew for I lived at the top,
I swore I'd reach Oudham before ere I'd stop,
Egod how they stared when I got to the Mumps,
With my hat in my hand and my clogs full of stumps,
But I very soon told them that I were going to Oudham
And I'd have a battle wi' French.

So down the ould road into Oudham I went;
I asked a recruit if they'd med up their keawnt,
“Nay me honest young lad,” man he talked like a king.
“Go wi' me through't street and thee I s'll bring
T'where if thou art willing, thou shall have the shilling.”
Ecod, I thought that were rare news.

He brought me t' a place where they measure yer height,
And if thee been length, there's nowt said about height.
So I stretched me and retched me and never did flinch,
Says he, “Lad th'art me mon to an inch.”
I thought this'll I'll have guineas enoo,
Ecod Oudham, brave Oudham for me.

So they took me to the place where they're measuring their height,
And if there’s been height there’s nowt said about weight.
They retched me and stretched me and never did flinch,
Says the man, “I believe that me lad to an inch.”
And I thought this'll do, I'll have a new guinea coat,
And it's! Oudham, brave Oudham for me!

So fare thee weel Grinfilt, a sodjer I'm made
I'ver getten new shoon and a fancy cockade;
I'll feight for Oud England as hard as I can
Either French, Dutch, or Germans t'me they's all one.
And I'll mek 'em to stare like a new started hare
When I'll tell 'em fe Oudham I'm come.

So fare thee well Grinfield, a soldier I'm made,
I'm getting new shoen and a red cockade,
I'll fight for old England as hard as I can,
Either Dutch, French or Spanish, to me it's all one,
And I'll make 'em to stare like a new started hare,
And I'll tell 'em from Oudham I've come.