 | The Dramatic and Poetical Works of Joanna Baillie |  |
THE MERRY BACHELOR
Willie was a wanton wag,
The blithest lad that e'er I saw;
Of field and floor he was the brag,
And carried a' the gree awa'.
The blithest lad that e'er I saw;
Of field and floor he was the brag,
And carried a' the gree awa'.
And was na' Willie stark and keen,
When he gaed to the wappen-schaw;
He won the prizes on the green,
And cheer'd the feasters in the ha'.
When he gaed to the wappen-schaw;
He won the prizes on the green,
And cheer'd the feasters in the ha'.
His head was wise, his heart was leal,
His truth was fair without a flaw;
And aye by every honest chiel
His word was holden as a law.
His truth was fair without a flaw;
And aye by every honest chiel
His word was holden as a law.
And was na' Willie still our pride
When, in his gallant gear array'd,
He wan the broose and kiss'd the bride,
While pipes the wedding welcome play'd.
When, in his gallant gear array'd,
He wan the broose and kiss'd the bride,
While pipes the wedding welcome play'd.
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And aye he led the foremost dance,
Wi' winsome maidens buskit braw,
And gave to each a merry glance
That stole, awhile, her heart awa'.
Wi' winsome maidens buskit braw,
And gave to each a merry glance
That stole, awhile, her heart awa'.
The bride forgot her simple groom,
And every lass her trysted Jo;
Yet nae man's brow on Will could gloom,
They liked his rousing blitheness so.
And every lass her trysted Jo;
Yet nae man's brow on Will could gloom,
They liked his rousing blitheness so.
Our good Mess John laugh'd wi' the lave;
The dominie for a' his lere
Could scarcely like himsell behave,
While a' was glee and revel there.
The dominie for a' his lere
Could scarcely like himsell behave,
While a' was glee and revel there.
A joyous sight was Willie's face,
Baith far and near in ilka spot;
In ha' received wi' kindly grace,
And welcomed to the lowly cot.
Baith far and near in ilka spot;
In ha' received wi' kindly grace,
And welcomed to the lowly cot.
The carline left her housewife's wark,
The bairnies shouted Willie's name;
The colley too would fidge and bark
And wag his tail when Willie came.
The bairnies shouted Willie's name;
The colley too would fidge and bark
And wag his tail when Willie came.
But Willie now has cross'd the main,
And he has been sae lang awa'!
Oh! would he were return'd again
To drive the dowffness frae us a'!
And he has been sae lang awa'!
Oh! would he were return'd again
To drive the dowffness frae us a'!
| The Dramatic and Poetical Works of Joanna Baillie | |