Peterborough the proud of their ancient See,
Thorney the flower of many a fair tree,
Crowland the courteous of their meat and drink,
Spalding the gluttons as all men do think,
Sawtry by the way, that old Abbaye,
Gave more in one day than all they.

Peterborough poor and proud.

Another version gives Peterborough:

Famous for pride and Stamford for poor.

The next two belong exclusively to Peterborough, and the first I have
only just obtained from a lady who remembers the verses, as they were
repeated early in the 19th Century:

When the Clock of the Abbey strikes three minutes fast,
There will be a gay wedding before the month's past;
When the Clock of the Abbey strikes three minutes slow,
The river's bright waters will soon overflow;
When the Church Clock and Abbey Clock strike both together,
There will soon be a death or a change of the weather.

The Abbey or Cathedral is dedicated to St. Peter, and the Parish Church
to St. John. The Head Verger of the Cathedral until recently had charge
of both clocks, and St. John's Clock was always kept slightly faster
than the Cathedral Clock. Canon Jones, when Vicar of St. John's, one day
met the late Verger, (Mr. H. Plowman, Senr.) and asked him why St John's
Clock was always faster than the Cathedral Clock, and the Verger