Poems and Lancashire Songs :: :: University of Virginia Library

The dule's i' this bonnet o' mine;
My ribbins'll never be reet;
Here, Mally, aw'm like to be fine,
For Jamie'll be comin' to-neet;
He met me i'th lone tother day,—
Aw're gooin' for wayter to th' well,—
An' he begged that aw'd wed him i' May;—
Bi' th mass, iv he'll let me, aw will.

190

II

When he took my two honds into his,
Good Lord, heaw they trembled between;
An' aw durstn't look up in his face,
Becose on him seein' my e'en;
My cheek went as red as a rose;—
There's never a mortal can tell
Heaw happy aw felt; for, thea knows,
Aw couldn't ha' axed him mysel'.

III

But th' tale wur at th' end o' my tung,—
To let it eawt wouldn't be reet,—
For aw thought to seem forrud wur wrong;
So aw towd him aw'd tell him to-neet;
But, Mally, thae knows very weel,—
Though it isn't a thing one should own,—

191

If aw'd th' pikein' o'th world to mysel',
Aw'd oather ha' Jamie or noan.

IV

Neaw, Mally, aw've towd tho my mind;
What wouldto do iv 'twur thee?
“Aw'd tak him just while he're inclined,
An' a farrantly bargain he'd be;
For Jamie's as gradely a lad
As ever stept eawt into th' sun;—
So, jump at thy chance, an' get wed,
An' do th' best tho con, when it's done!”

V

Eh, dear, but it's time to be gwon,—
Aw should'nt like Jamie to wait,—
Aw connut for shame be to soon,
An' aw wouldn't for th' world be to late;

192

Aw'm o' ov a tremble to th' heel,—
Dost think at my bonnet'll do?—
“Be off, lass,—thae looks very weel;—
He wants noan o'th bonnet, thae foo!”

Lone, lane.

Wayter, water.

Bi'th mass, by the mass; an expression brought down from Catholic times.

Becose, because.

Axed, asked.

Forrud, forward.

Pikein', picking, choosing.

Oather, either.

A farrantly bargain, a decent bargain, a good bargain.

Gradely, proper, right.