The Scottish Works of Alexander Ross ... Consisting of Helenore, or The Fortunate Shepherdess; Songs; The Fortunate Shepherd, or The Orphan: Edited, with notes, glossary and life by Margaret Wattie |
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TO THE BEGGING WE WILL GO. |
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 | The Scottish Works of Alexander Ross |  |
TO THE BEGGING WE WILL GO.
Of a' the trades that ever was,
The begging is the best;
When I am tyr'd begging,
I will ly down and rest.
The begging is the best;
When I am tyr'd begging,
I will ly down and rest.
To the begging we will go, will go, will go,
To the begging we will go.
To the begging we will go.
148
An' first I'll have a meal-pock,
Of good aum'd leather made,
To had at least a firlot,
An' room for beef and bread.
Of good aum'd leather made,
To had at least a firlot,
An' room for beef and bread.
To the begging, &c.
I'll next unto the turner,
An' cause him turn a dish,
To had at least three chopins,
For less I wad na wish.
An' cause him turn a dish,
To had at least three chopins,
For less I wad na wish.
To the begging, &c.
I'll then unto the cobler,
An' cause him sole my shoon
An inch thick i' the boddom,
An' clouted well aboon.
An' cause him sole my shoon
An inch thick i' the boddom,
An' clouted well aboon.
To the begging, &c.
I'll carry to the taylor
A web of hoding gray,
That he may mak a clock of it,
To hap me night and day.
A web of hoding gray,
That he may mak a clock of it,
To hap me night and day.
To the begging, &c.
Then I'll unto some greasy cook,
An' buy frae him a hat,
That is baith stiff and weather-proof,
An' glitt'ring o'er wi' fatt.
An' buy frae him a hat,
That is baith stiff and weather-proof,
An' glitt'ring o'er wi' fatt.
To the begging, &c.
Then with a pike-staff i' my hand,
To close my begging stock,
I'll go unto some lucky wife,
To hansel my new pock.
To close my begging stock,
I'll go unto some lucky wife,
To hansel my new pock.
To the begging, &c.
149
But yet ere I begin my trade,
I'll let my beard grow strang,
Nor pair my nails for year and day,
For beggars use them lang.
I'll let my beard grow strang,
Nor pair my nails for year and day,
For beggars use them lang.
To the begging, &c.
I'll put no water o' my hands,
As little o' my face,
For still the lowner like I am,
The more my trade I'll grace.
As little o' my face,
For still the lowner like I am,
The more my trade I'll grace.
To the begging, &c.
When I the men at work espie,
I'll hirple to the house;
If nane be in but the goodwife,
Then I'll crack wondrous crouse.
I'll hirple to the house;
If nane be in but the goodwife,
Then I'll crack wondrous crouse.
To the begging, &c.
I'll seek frae her my lodging,
Tho' it be far frae night,
Then to let me be trudging,
She'll sair me right an' tight.
Tho' it be far frae night,
Then to let me be trudging,
She'll sair me right an' tight.
To the begging, &c.
At ilka house I'll play the same,
Till it be growing mark,
And the goodman be sitten down,
And come in frae his wark.
Till it be growing mark,
And the goodman be sitten down,
And come in frae his wark.
To the begging, &c.
Then saftly leaning o'er my staff,
I'll say wi' hat in hand,
“Will the poor man get lodging here?
Alas! I dow na stand.”
I'll say wi' hat in hand,
“Will the poor man get lodging here?
Alas! I dow na stand.”
To the begging, &c.
150
Then lucky happily will say,
“Poor man, we hae na room:
Ere a' our fouks be set about,
We wadna had your thumb.”
“Poor man, we hae na room:
Ere a' our fouks be set about,
We wadna had your thumb.”
To the begging, &c.
“Then well-I-wat, goodwife,” I'll say,
“I's no seek near the fire;
Let me but rest my weary banes,
Behind backs at the spire.
“I's no seek near the fire;
Let me but rest my weary banes,
Behind backs at the spire.
To the begging, &c.
I'll seek but bree out of the pot,
Frae 'mang your boiling kail,
To be my supper brose, for I
My sell hae cap an' meal.”
Frae 'mang your boiling kail,
To be my supper brose, for I
My sell hae cap an' meal.”
To the begging, &c.
“Hout ay, poor man, come ben your wa',”
The gossip syne will say;
“We'll ca' a wedge to make you room;
'T'as been a cauldriff day.”
The gossip syne will say;
“We'll ca' a wedge to make you room;
'T'as been a cauldriff day.”
To the begging, &c.
When at the fire I'm set a wee,
Then I'll begin and sing,
An' do my best to make them gauf
All round about the ring.
Then I'll begin and sing,
An' do my best to make them gauf
All round about the ring.
To the begging, &c.
I'll pick up a' the merry tales,
That I hear anywhere;
An' all the news of town and land,
And O! I'll tell them clare.
That I hear anywhere;
An' all the news of town and land,
And O! I'll tell them clare.
To the begging, &c.
151
When the goodwife begins to rise,
And ready make the kail,
Then I'll bang out my beggar dish,
An' stap it fou o' meal.
And ready make the kail,
Then I'll bang out my beggar dish,
An' stap it fou o' meal.
To the begging, &c.
Then may be the goodwife will say,
“Poor man, let be your meal.
Ye're welcome to your brose the night,
And to your bread an' kail.”
“Poor man, let be your meal.
Ye're welcome to your brose the night,
And to your bread an' kail.”
To the begging, &c.
And then I will be sure to pray,
To had them a' their heal,
And wish that never they nor theirs
Want either milk or meal.
To had them a' their heal,
And wish that never they nor theirs
Want either milk or meal.
To the begging, &c.
But then I'll never mind when the
Goodman to labour cries;
The thivel on the pottage pan,
Shall strick my hour to rise.
Goodman to labour cries;
The thivel on the pottage pan,
Shall strick my hour to rise.
To the begging, &c.
And when I'm tursing at my pocks,
If the goodwife shall say,
“Stay still, an' get your morning meal;
What maks your haste away?”
If the goodwife shall say,
“Stay still, an' get your morning meal;
What maks your haste away?”
To the begging, &c.
O then, what bony words I'll gee!
And roose her out of wit,
And pray, as lang as I do gang,
That still she there may sit.
And roose her out of wit,
And pray, as lang as I do gang,
That still she there may sit.
To the begging, &c.
152
When I of any weddings hear,
I'll cast me to be there;
And pray my hearty benison
Unto the winsome pair.
I'll cast me to be there;
And pray my hearty benison
Unto the winsome pair.
To the begging, &c.
Then with my cap into my hand,
My hat into the other,
Wherever fouk are drinking bauld,
Then I'll come bobbing thither.
My hat into the other,
Wherever fouk are drinking bauld,
Then I'll come bobbing thither.
To the begging, &c.
Then I will to the minstrel say—
For they are never scant—
“Wi' leave o' the good company,
Play me the beggar's rant.”
For they are never scant—
“Wi' leave o' the good company,
Play me the beggar's rant.”
To the begging, &c.
Then will I wallop out a dance,
Or tell some merry tale,
Till some good fellow in my dish
Turn o'er the stoup and ale.
Or tell some merry tale,
Till some good fellow in my dish
Turn o'er the stoup and ale.
To the begging, &c.
Then I will drink their healths about,
And wish them a' good heal;
And pray they never want enough,
Nor yet a heart to deal.
And wish them a' good heal;
And pray they never want enough,
Nor yet a heart to deal.
To the begging, &c.
But I am o'er lang frae my trade,
If things shall answer sae;
'Tis time that I were at the gate,
An' tursing up the brae.
If things shall answer sae;
'Tis time that I were at the gate,
An' tursing up the brae.
To the begging, &c.
153
If things shall answer to my scheme,
I's come again and tell;
But if I hae mistane my trade,
I's keep it to my sell.
I's come again and tell;
But if I hae mistane my trade,
I's keep it to my sell.
To the begging, &c.
| The Scottish Works of Alexander Ross | |