Now! Then! Dressed as a country lass, George Butler recites the West Riding dialect tragicomedy of Richard and Betty at the Theatre Royal, Ripon

Excerpt

Seea we sat an’ we sat. Betty, says he, will ta sing us another sang? Why, says ah, Richard, ah care not if ah deea. Seea ah sed ah wad, an’ah did, an’ ah sang him another, an’ this was it, an’ it was t’ last ah ivver sang poor Richard Hunt.

Sings.
I set my back again a yat,
Thinking it was a trusty tree,
But first it bent, and then it brack,
And sa was my true love to me.

Thenks ta, Betty, here’s thy health an’ sang. Seea we sat an’ we sat. Richard, says ah, its getting late, an’ah mun be gaing. Why when ta wilt, when ta wilt. Richard, ah mun be gaing. Why when ta wilt, Betty, when ta wilt. But sartainly, says ah, Richard, thou’lt set me a bit. Why, says he, Betty, ah carn’t if ah deea. Seea he sed he wad, an’ he did; an’ he set me a bit, an’ah remember varra weel he set me tot’ yat at Townend. Betty, says he, mun ah com an’ see thee a larl bit o’ Settherday neeght. Why, says ah, Richard, ah carn’t if th’deea. Seea Settherday neeght com, an’ah put a clean cap, an’ a clean apron on, an’ swept up tharthstane, an’ sat me doon to mend ma Sunday stockings; seea 6 o’clock streak, an’ neea Richard; 7 o’clock streak, neea Richard; 8 o’clock streak, an’ neea Richard; 9 – 10 – 11 – 12 o’clock streak, an’ neea Richard. Seea ah went to bed, an’ t first thing that ah heard was that poor Richard Hunt was ta’en varra badly; seea ah went to see him, an’ he was varra badly. Seea ah went tiv his bed-side, an’ says ah, Richard, says ah, is ta’ poorly? Hey, Betty, says he, I’se badly, varra badly indeed, Betty; ah believe I’s boon to dee. Poh, says ah, thou’s worth twenty dead fouks yet, a warrant tha; keep up thy heart. Seea ah wish’d him better, ah wish’d him a good neeght, ah went heame an’ gat to bed, an’ first news ah heard next moorning, was that poor Richard Hunt was deead. Seea ah bought mysel a black gown, an’ went tiv his burying, an’ noo ah nivver gang ower Hickleton churchyard but ah drop a tear to the memory of POOR RICHARD!

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To facilitate reading, the spelling and punctuation of elderly excerpts have generally been modernised, and distracting excision scars concealed. My selections, translations, and editions are copyright.

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Original

RICHARD AND BETTY, at Hickleton Fair.

A TALE FOUNDED ON FACT.

As recited by Mr. George Butler (in character of a country girl), at the Theatre Royal, Ripon, April 18th, 1812, being his benefit, and at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, in London, in 1819, with great applause.

As ah was gaing to town ya Settherday neeght, for hauf a pund o’ treakle, whea sud ah meet but ma awd sweetheart Richard Hunt. Betty, says he, is that thee? Hey, Richard, says ah, it’s all at’s left omma. Betty, says he, ista gaing to Hickleton fair o’ Munday. Ah knaw not, Richard, says ah, may be ah ma. Howsomivver Hickleton fair day com, ah slipt on ma clog shun (for leight ins, you mun knaw, were oot o’ fashion then), and away ah went, clinkety clankety, clinkety clankety, all the way to Hickleton fair; when ah gat to Hickleton town, the first thing ah saw was Richard Hunt, standing at a public hoose deer, with a lass hung in outher airm. Betty, says he, is that thee? Hey, says ah, Richard, disont thee knaw me? Come, Betty, says he, will ta gang in and ha’ a latle wee drop o’ summit to drink? Why, says ah, Richard, i’se rather warm wi’ walking, an’ah deant care if ah deea. Seea we sat an’ we sat. Betty, says he, will ta sing us a sang? Why, says ah, Richard, I’se na singer, but ah’le try; seea ah sed ah wad, an’ah did, an’ah sang him a sang; and ah remember it was t’ first sang ah ivver sang poor Richard Hunt.

(Sings.)
True love is hot, and true love is cawd,
And true love is like na other thing,
It maks monny a lad and lass
To live in love and die in sin.

Thenks ta, Betty, says he; thenks ta. Seea we sat an’ we sat. Betty, says he, will ta sing us another sang? Why, says ah, Richard, ah care not if ah deea. Seea ah sed ah wad, an’ah did, an’ ah sang him another, an’ this was it, an’ it was t’ last ah ivver sang poor Richard Hunt.

(Sings.)
I set my back again a yat,
Thinking it was a trusty tree,
But first it bent, and then it brack,
And sa was my true love to me.

Thenks ta, Betty, here’s thy health an’ sang. Seea we sat an’ we sat. Richard, says ah, its getting late, an’ah mun be gaing. Why when ta wilt, when ta wilt. Richard, ah mun be gaing. Why when ta wilt, Betty, when ta wilt. But sartainly, says ah, Richard, thou’lt set me a bit. Why, says he, Betty, ah carn’t if ah deea. Seea he sed he wad, an’ he did; an’ he set me a bit, an’ah remember varra weel he set me tot’ yat at Townend. Betty, says he, mun ah com an’ see thee a larl bit o’ Settherday neeght. Why, says ah, Richard, ah carn’t if th’deea. Seea Settherday neeght com, an’ah put a clean cap, an’ a clean apron on, an’ swept up tharthstane, an’ sat me doon to mend ma Sunday stockings; seea 6 o’clock streak, an’ neea Richard; 7 o’clock streak, neea Richard; 8 o’clock streak, an’ neea Richard; 9 – 10 – 11 – 12 o’clock streak, an’ neea Richard. Seea ah went to bed, an’ t first thing that ah heard was that poor Richard Hunt was ta’en varra badly; seea ah went to see him, an’ he was varra badly. Seea ah went tiv his bed-side, an’ says ah, Richard, says ah, is ta’ poorly? Hey, Betty, says he, I’se badly, varra badly indeed, Betty; ah believe I’s boon to dee. Poh, says ah, thou’s worth twenty dead fouks yet, a warrant tha; keep up thy heart. Seea ah wish’d him better, ah wish’d him a good neeght, ah went heame an’ gat to bed, an’ first news ah heard next moorning, was that poor Richard Hunt was deead. Seea ah bought mysel a black gown, an’ went tiv his burying, an’ noo ah nivver gang ower Hickleton churchyard but ah drop a tear to the memory of POOR RICHARD!

740 words.