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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| APPENDIX. |
 | The Scottish Works of Alexander Ross |  |
161
APPENDIX.
164
WOO'D AND MARRIED AND A'.
1
The bride came out of the byre,And O as she dighted her cheeks!
Sirs, I'm to be married the night,
And has neither blankets, nor sheets,
Has neither blankets, nor sheets,
Nor scarce a coverlet too.
The bride that has a'thing to borrow,
Has e'en right meikle ado.
Woo'd and married and a',
Woo'd and married and a',
And was nae she very weel aff,
That was woo'd and married and a'?
2
Out spake the bride's father,As he came in frae the plough,
O had ye're tongue, my doughter,
And ye's get gear enough;
The stirk that stands i'th' tether,
And our bra' basin'd yade
Will carry ye hame your corn;
What wad ye be at, ye jade?
Woo'd and married, &c.
3
Out spake the bride's mither,What d---l needs a' this pride!
I had nae a plack in my pooch
That night I was a bride;
My gown was linsy-woolsy,
And ne'er a sark ava;
And ye hae ribbons and buskins,
Mae than ane or twa.
Woo'd and married, &c.
165
4
What's the matter? quo' Willie,Tho' we be scant o' claiths,
We'll creep the nearer the gither,
And we'll smore a' the fleas:
Simmer is coming on,
And we'll get teats of woo;
And we'll get a lass o' our ain,
And she'll spin claiths anew.
Woo'd and married, &c.
5
Out spake the bride's brither,As he came in wi' the kie,
Poor Willie had ne'er a tane ye,
Had he kent ye as well as I;
For you're baith proud and saucy,
And nae for a poor man's wife;
Gin I canna get a better,
Ile never tak ane i' my life.
Woo'd and married, &c.
6
Out spake the bride's sister,As she came in frae the byre,
O gin I were but married!
It's a' that I desire:
But we poor folk maun live single,
And do the best we can;
I dinna care what I shou'd want,
If I cou'd get but a man.
Woo'd and married, &c.
166
THE BREAST-KNOTS.
Hey the bonny, hey the bonny,
O the bonny breast-knots;
Tight and bonny were they a',
When they got on their breast-knots.
O the bonny breast-knots;
Tight and bonny were they a',
When they got on their breast-knots.
1
There was a bridal in this town,And till't the lasses a' were boun',
With mankie facings on their gown,
And some of them had breast-knots.
Hey the bonny, &c.
2
And there was mony a lusty lad,As ever handled grape and gaud,
I wat their manhood well they shaw'd
At ruffling of the breast-knot.
Hey the bonny, &c.
3
At nine o'clock they did conveen,Some clad in blue, some clad in green,
Wi' glancing buckles in their sheen,
And flowers upon their waist-coat.
Hey the bonny, &c.
4
The bride by this time was right fain,When that she saw sae light a train,
She pray'd the day might keep frae rain,
For spoiling of their breast-knots.
Hey the bonny, &c.
5
Forth came the wives a' wi' a phrase,And wish'd the lassie happy days,
And muckle thought they of her claiths,
And specially the breast-knots.
Hey the bonny, &c.
167
6
Forth spake the mither, fan she saw,The bride and maidens a' sae bra',
Wi' cackling clouts, black be their fa',
They have made a bonny cast o't.
Hey the bonny, &c.
7
Next down their breakfast it was set,Some barley lippies of milk meat,
It leiped them it was sae het,
As soon as they did taste o't.
Hey the bonny, &c.
8
Till some frae them the spoons they threw,And swore that they had burnt their mou
And some into their cutty blew,
I wat their will they mist not.
Hey the bonny, &c.
9
When ilka ane had claw'd their plate,The piper lad he looked blate
Altho' they said that he should eat,
I trow he lost the best o't.
Hey the bonny, &c.
10
Syne forth they got a' wi' a loup,O'er creels and deals and a' did coup,
The piper said, wi' them d---l scoup,
He'd make a hungry feast o't.
Hey the bonny, &c.
11
Syne off they got a' wi' a fling,Each lass unto her lad did cling,
And a' cry'd for a different spring,
The bride she sought the breast-knot.
Hey the bonny, &c.
168
12
Fan they ty'd up their marriage band,At the bridegroom's they neist did land,
Forth came auld Madge wi' her split mawn
And bread and cheese a hist o't.
Hey the bonny, &c.
13
She took a quarter and a third,On the bride's head she gae a gird,
Till farls flew athort the yird,
And parted round the rest o't.
Hey the bonny, &c.
14
The bride then by the hand they tookTwice, thrice they led her round ye crook,
Some said goodwife well mat ye brook,
And some great count they cast not.
Hey the bonny, &c.
15
All ran to kilns and barns in ranks,Some sat on deals, and some on planks,
The piper lad stood on his shanks,
And dirled up the breast knot.
Hey the bonny, hey the bonny,
O the bonny breast knots;
Tight and bonny were they a',
When they got on their breast knots.
O the bonny breast knots;
Tight and bonny were they a',
When they got on their breast knots.
169
THE BRIDAL O'T.
1
They say that Jockey'll speed weel o't,They say that Jockey'll speed weel o't,
For he grows brawer ilka day;
I hope we'll hae a bridal o't.
For yesternight nae farder gane,
The backhouse at the sidewa' o't
He there wi' Meg was mirden seen,
I hope we'll hae a bridal o't.
2
An we had but a bridal o't,An we had but a bridal o't,
We'd leave the rest unto gude luck
Altho' there should betide ill o't;
For bridal days are merry times
And young folks like the coming o't,
And Scribblers they bang up their rhymes
And Pipers they the bumming o't.
3
The lasses like a bridal o't,The lasses like a bridal o't,
Their braws maun be in rank and file
Altho' that they should guide ill o't:
The boddom o' the kist is then
Turn'd up unto the immost o't,
The end that held the keeks sae clean
Is now become the teemest o't.
4
The bangster at the threshing o't,The bangster at the threshing o't,
Afore it comes is fidgin fain
And ilka day's a clashing o't;
He'll sell his jerkin for a groat,
His linder for anither o't,
And ere he want to clear his shot,
His sark'll pay the tither o't.
170
5
The Pipers and the Fiddlers o't,The Pipers and the Fiddlers o't,
Can smell a bridal unco far
And like to be the middlers o't:
Fan thick and threefald they convene
Ilk ane envies the tither o't,
And wishes nane but him alane
May ever see anither o't.
6
Fan they hae done wi' eating o't,Fan they hae done wi' eating o't,
For dancing they gae to the green,
And aiblins to the beating o't:
He dances best that dances fast,
And loups at ilka reesing o't,
And claps his hands frae hough to hough,
And furls about the feezings o't.
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