The poetical works of William Nicholson With a memoir by Malcolm M'L. Harper ... Fourth edition |
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JOHNNY GILL:
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 | The poetical works of William Nicholson |  |
JOHNNY GILL:
A Tale.
Kenned ye e'er a social chiel,
A sober lad, that means nane ill;
But Hymen hooked him in his noose,
And soured content wi' Johnny Gill.
A sober lad, that means nane ill;
But Hymen hooked him in his noose,
And soured content wi' Johnny Gill.
Nane raise mair cheerfu' to their wark,
Peace hovered round his bosom lang;
Wi' routh o' health his heart was light,
And blythe he owre the lee-rig sang.
Peace hovered round his bosom lang;
Wi' routh o' health his heart was light,
And blythe he owre the lee-rig sang.
113
Wha wi' him a fur could streekit,
Or borne a meal sack to his size?
For thrice he banged the miller's man,
And thrice he won the ploughing prize.
Or borne a meal sack to his size?
For thrice he banged the miller's man,
And thrice he won the ploughing prize.
Ruddy was his face, and gracefu',
When first he hirëd wi' Laird Mane,
But ere the winds o' ware were blawn,
Part o's peace and health were gane.
When first he hirëd wi' Laird Mane,
But ere the winds o' ware were blawn,
Part o's peace and health were gane.
Sally Sloan, baith fair and pauky,
That made the bed and cleaned the room,
Soon twined him o' his manly heart,
And left poor Johnny's bosom toom.
That made the bed and cleaned the room,
Soon twined him o' his manly heart,
And left poor Johnny's bosom toom.
Gay she spread her curls daily,
Aye she twinkled wi' her een,
Aye she busked her bosom dinkly;
Whyles a tapered leg was seen.
Aye she twinkled wi' her een,
Aye she busked her bosom dinkly;
Whyles a tapered leg was seen.
Soon she saw the lad was dinted,
Weel it suited wi' her plan;
Hadna she her views extended,
To draw in baith laird and man.
Weel it suited wi' her plan;
Hadna she her views extended,
To draw in baith laird and man.
Lang he fear't his mind to mint it,
Sally seemed baith proud and braw;
Sae fierce his love was the first fortnight,
Fient a wink he slept ava.
Sally seemed baith proud and braw;
Sae fierce his love was the first fortnight,
Fient a wink he slept ava.
Sober was the simmer e'enin',
Mildly beamed the setting sun,
Glistening on the cottar's window;
Rowin' reek towered frae the lum.
Mildly beamed the setting sun,
Glistening on the cottar's window;
Rowin' reek towered frae the lum.
114
Down a wimplin' burnie trotted,
By a smooth and daisied green;
Here lay sarks, and sheets, and mutches,
Gowns and ruffles bleaching clean.
By a smooth and daisied green;
Here lay sarks, and sheets, and mutches,
Gowns and ruffles bleaching clean.
On its banks a bower was biggit,
Theekit owre wi' birken leaves;
There gloamin' brought the lads and lasses,
Baith to court and watch the thieves.
Theekit owre wi' birken leaves;
There gloamin' brought the lads and lasses,
Baith to court and watch the thieves.
Happy bower, that aft has shielded
Blushes o' the bashfu' maid;
Though whyles beneath thee ha'e been happed
Nymphs that needed nae sic aid.
Blushes o' the bashfu' maid;
Though whyles beneath thee ha'e been happed
Nymphs that needed nae sic aid.
Here first Fortune favoured Johnny
To breathe out his lowin' flame;
A' the lave were soundly sleepin':
Wha were happier now than them?
To breathe out his lowin' flame;
A' the lave were soundly sleepin':
Wha were happier now than them?
Lang they talked o' lads and lasses,
Dresses seen at kirk or fair;
Syne o' courting and convoying:
Lang ere he durst mention mair.
Dresses seen at kirk or fair;
Syne o' courting and convoying:
Lang ere he durst mention mair.
Sally spak o' lads bein' faithless;
How it was an awsome sin;
How she seldom saw them happy,
Matches that hang lang i' win'.
How it was an awsome sin;
How she seldom saw them happy,
Matches that hang lang i' win'.
Johnny joined, and syne drew near her;
Need I tell what mair they'd say,
Seeing now the ice was broken,
Hope paved out the after way.
Need I tell what mair they'd say,
Seeing now the ice was broken,
Hope paved out the after way.
115
Nae doubt sighs, and vows, and kisses,
Claps and squeezes o' the han',
Thawed through time her snawy bosom;
Wha can sic a siege withstan'?
Claps and squeezes o' the han',
Thawed through time her snawy bosom;
Wha can sic a siege withstan'?
True it is, they soon were buckled—
Soon flew by the hinny moon;
But ere sax months slippet slowly,
Sall brought him a wally son.
Soon flew by the hinny moon;
But ere sax months slippet slowly,
Sall brought him a wally son.
Thankless frien's by nods and whispers,
Wi' strange fancies filled his head;
Some said he had preed the dainties
Ere the haly grace was said.
Wi' strange fancies filled his head;
Some said he had preed the dainties
Ere the haly grace was said.
Vexed and crossed, yet kentna weel how;
Aye he thought his conscience clear:
Sally's mither saw him swithering,
Whispered saftly in his ear,
Aye he thought his conscience clear:
Sally's mither saw him swithering,
Whispered saftly in his ear,
That the first was seldom sicker—
He maun for a truth receiv't;
The laird he spak o' learnèd causes;
But John himsel' could scarce believ't.
He maun for a truth receiv't;
The laird he spak o' learnèd causes;
But John himsel' could scarce believ't.
Ance the carlin kept an alehouse;
Young anes whyles will kiss the cup;
And daimen wives, when cankers cross them,
Pree't to keep their courage up.
Young anes whyles will kiss the cup;
And daimen wives, when cankers cross them,
Pree't to keep their courage up.
Sally, gay, and used wi' dautin'
By frien's or sweethearts a' her life,
Now fand but few o' nights or days
Her thoughts had pictured for a wife.
By frien's or sweethearts a' her life,
Now fand but few o' nights or days
Her thoughts had pictured for a wife.
116
Johnny's glee has now a sameness,
His hamely fare's no' worth a flee;
But weel she lo'ed a tasty nei'bour,
Owre a social cup o' tea.
His hamely fare's no' worth a flee;
But weel she lo'ed a tasty nei'bour,
Owre a social cup o' tea.
He toils, while she maun ha'e a servant
To do her drudgery out and in;
Her gentle han's were never made
To wash his ploughman hose, or spin.
To do her drudgery out and in;
Her gentle han's were never made
To wash his ploughman hose, or spin.
His meal or mart were seldom lastin';
Kimmers cam and bore't awa;
The beds turned bare and without bo'sters;
The milk was suppet, taps and a'.
Kimmers cam and bore't awa;
The beds turned bare and without bo'sters;
The milk was suppet, taps and a'.
Sall, as bairns turned thick and thicker,
A' her beauties changed their hue;
The laird as nowte grew dear and dearer,
Turned he wouldna grass the cow.
A' her beauties changed their hue;
The laird as nowte grew dear and dearer,
Turned he wouldna grass the cow.
Meal was dear and scant the kitchen;
Bairns were sma' and ill to rear;
John's locks wore thin but aye he laboured,
Hoped aye better year to year.
Bairns were sma' and ill to rear;
John's locks wore thin but aye he laboured,
Hoped aye better year to year.
Thus he warsles wi' the warld;
Sally's tongue's baith dreich and fell;
Age and poortith sairly shore him,
Ere the bairns can fend themsel'.
Sally's tongue's baith dreich and fell;
Age and poortith sairly shore him,
Ere the bairns can fend themsel'.
Should ye, lads, a wife that's wanting,
See some fair lass o'er a gill,
Gif her smirking looks entice you,
Mind the fate o' Johnny Gill.
See some fair lass o'er a gill,
Gif her smirking looks entice you,
Mind the fate o' Johnny Gill.
117
Beauty seldom proves a blessing;
The stealing fairy robs the min',
Spreads a lure for knaves and flattery—
Source o' meikle dool and pine.
The stealing fairy robs the min',
Spreads a lure for knaves and flattery—
Source o' meikle dool and pine.
Hymen's love's baith sweet and lasting,
If frien'ly prudence beets the lowe;
But selfish pride, and careless habits,
Damp the strings o' Cupid's bow.
If frien'ly prudence beets the lowe;
But selfish pride, and careless habits,
Damp the strings o' Cupid's bow.
| The poetical works of William Nicholson | |