The collected writings of Dougal Graham "Skellat" Bellman of Glasgow: edited with notes: Together with a Biographical and Bibliographical Introduction, and a Sketch of the Chap Literature of Scotland: by George MacGregor: In two volumes |
 | I. |
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JOHN HIGHLANDMAN'S REMARKS ON GLASGOW.
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| II. |
 | The collected writings of Dougal Graham |  |
255
JOHN HIGHLANDMAN'S REMARKS ON GLASGOW.
257
Her nainsel into Glasgow went,
An errand there to see't,
And she never saw a bonnier town
Standing on her feet.
An errand there to see't,
And she never saw a bonnier town
Standing on her feet.
For a' the houses that be tere
Was theekit wi' blue stane,
And a stane ladder to gang up,
No fa' to break her banes.
Was theekit wi' blue stane,
And a stane ladder to gang up,
No fa' to break her banes.
I gang upon a stany road,
A street they do him ca',
And when me seek the chapman's house,
His name be on the wa'.
A street they do him ca',
And when me seek the chapman's house,
His name be on the wa'.
I gang to buy a snish tamback,
And standing at the corse,
And tere I see a dead man,
Was riding on his horse.
And standing at the corse,
And tere I see a dead man,
Was riding on his horse.
And O! he be a poor man,
And no hae muny claes,
Te brogues be worn aff his feet,
And me see a' his taes.
And no hae muny claes,
Te brogues be worn aff his feet,
And me see a' his taes.
Te horse had up his muckle fit
For to gie me a shap,
And gaping wi' his great mouth
To grip me by the tap.
For to gie me a shap,
And gaping wi' his great mouth
To grip me by the tap.
258
He had a staff into his hand,
To fight me an' he coud,
But hersel be rin awa frae him,
His horse be unco proud.
To fight me an' he coud,
But hersel be rin awa frae him,
His horse be unco proud.
But I be rin around about,
And stand about the guard,
Where I see the deil chap the hours,
Tan me grew unco feared.
And stand about the guard,
Where I see the deil chap the hours,
Tan me grew unco feared.
Ohon! Ohon! her nainsel said,
And whare will me go rin?
For yonder be the black man
That burns the fouk for sin.
And whare will me go rin?
For yonder be the black man
That burns the fouk for sin.
I'll no pe stay nae langer tere,
But fast me rin awa,
And see the man thrawin te rapes
Aside te Broomielaw.
But fast me rin awa,
And see the man thrawin te rapes
Aside te Broomielaw.
An' O she pe a lang tedder,
I spier't what they'll do wi't,
He said to hang the Highlandmen
For stealing o' their meat.
I spier't what they'll do wi't,
He said to hang the Highlandmen
For stealing o' their meat.
Hout, hersel's an honest shentleman,
I never yet did steal,
But when I meet a muckle purse,
I like it unco weel.
I never yet did steal,
But when I meet a muckle purse,
I like it unco weel.
Tan fare ye weel ye saucy fellow,
I fain your skin wad pay;
I cam to your toun the morn but,
An' I'll gang out yesterday.
I fain your skin wad pay;
I cam to your toun the morn but,
An' I'll gang out yesterday.
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Fan I gang to my quarter-house,
The door was unco braw,
For here they had a cow's husband,
Was pricked on the wa'.
The door was unco braw,
For here they had a cow's husband,
Was pricked on the wa'.
O tere me got a shapin ale,
An' ten me got a supper,
A filthy choud o' chappit meat
Boiled amang a butter.
An' ten me got a supper,
A filthy choud o' chappit meat
Boiled amang a butter.
It was a filthy dirt o' beef,
His banes was like te horn,
She was a calf wanting the skin,
Before that she was born.
His banes was like te horn,
She was a calf wanting the skin,
Before that she was born.
I gang awa into the kirk
To hear a Lawland preach,
And mony a bonny sang they sing,
Tere books they did them teach.
To hear a Lawland preach,
And mony a bonny sang they sing,
Tere books they did them teach.
And tere I saw a bonny mattam,
Wi' feathers on her waim,
I wonder an' she be gaun to flee,
Or what be in her myn.
Wi' feathers on her waim,
I wonder an' she be gaun to flee,
Or what be in her myn.
Another mattams follow her,
Wha's arse was round like cogs!
And clitter clatter cries her feet—
She had on iron brogues.
Wha's arse was round like cogs!
And clitter clatter cries her feet—
She had on iron brogues.
And tere I saw another mattam
Into a tarry seck,
And twa mans pe carry her,
Wi' rapes about hims neck.
Into a tarry seck,
And twa mans pe carry her,
Wi' rapes about hims neck.
260
She pe sae fou o' vanity,
As no gang on the grun,
But twa poor mans pe carry her
In a barrow covert aboon.
As no gang on the grun,
But twa poor mans pe carry her
In a barrow covert aboon.
Some had a fish-tail to their mouth,
And some pe had a ponnet,
But my Janet and Donald's wife
Wad rather hae a bannock.
And some pe had a ponnet,
But my Janet and Donald's wife
Wad rather hae a bannock.
| The collected writings of Dougal Graham | |