The poems and literary prose of Alexander Wilson ... for the first time fully collected and compared with the original and early editions ... edited ... by the Rev. Alexander B. Grosart ... with portrait, illustrations, &c |
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WATTY AND MEG, OR THE WIFE REFORMED.
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 | The poems and literary prose of Alexander Wilson |  |
3
WATTY AND MEG, OR THE WIFE REFORMED.
A TALE.
“We dream in courtship, but in wedlock wake.”
—Pope.
Keen the frosty winds were blawing,
Deep the snaw had wreath'd the ploughs;
Watty, weary'd a' day sawing,
Daunert down to Mungo Blue's.
Deep the snaw had wreath'd the ploughs;
Watty, weary'd a' day sawing,
Daunert down to Mungo Blue's.
Dryster Jock was sitting cracky,
Wi' Pate Tamson o' the Hill;
“Come awa',” quo' Johnny, “Watty!
Haith we'se hae anither gill.”
Wi' Pate Tamson o' the Hill;
“Come awa',” quo' Johnny, “Watty!
Haith we'se hae anither gill.”
Watty glad to see Jock Jabos,
And sae mony neibours roun',
Kicket frae his shoon the snawbas,
Syne ayont the fire sat down.
And sae mony neibours roun',
Kicket frae his shoon the snawbas,
Syne ayont the fire sat down.
Owre a broad wi' bannocks heapet,
Cheese, and stoups, and glasses stood;
Some were roaring, ithers sleepit,
Ithers quietly chewt their cude.
Cheese, and stoups, and glasses stood;
Some were roaring, ithers sleepit,
Ithers quietly chewt their cude.
4
Jock was selling Pate some tallow,
A' the rest a racket hel',
A' but Watty, wha, poor fallow!
Sat and smoket by himsel'.
A' the rest a racket hel',
A' but Watty, wha, poor fallow!
Sat and smoket by himsel'.
Mungo fill'd him up a toothfu',
Drank his health and Meg's in ane;
Watty, puffing out a mouthfu',
Pledged him wi' a dreary grane.
Drank his health and Meg's in ane;
Watty, puffing out a mouthfu',
Pledged him wi' a dreary grane.
“What's the matter, Watty, wi' you?
“Trouth your chafts are fa'ing in!
“Something's wrang—I'm vex'd to see you—
“Gudesake! but ye're desp'rate thin!”
“Trouth your chafts are fa'ing in!
“Something's wrang—I'm vex'd to see you—
“Gudesake! but ye're desp'rate thin!”
“Ay,” quo' Watty, “things are alter'd,
“But it's past redemption now;
“Lord! I wish I had been halter'd
“When I marry'd Maggy Howe!”
“But it's past redemption now;
“Lord! I wish I had been halter'd
“When I marry'd Maggy Howe!”
“I've been poor, and vex'd, and raggy,
“Try'd wi' troubles no that sma';
“Them I bore—but marrying Maggy
“Laid the cap-stane o' them a'.”
“Try'd wi' troubles no that sma';
“Them I bore—but marrying Maggy
“Laid the cap-stane o' them a'.”
“Night and day she's ever yelping,
“With the weans she ne'er can gree;
“When she's tired with perfect skelping,
“Then she flees like fire on me.”
“With the weans she ne'er can gree;
“When she's tired with perfect skelping,
“Then she flees like fire on me.”
“See ye, Mungo! when she'll clash on
“With her everlasting clack,
“Whiles I've had my neive, in passion,
“Liftet up to break her back!”
“With her everlasting clack,
“Whiles I've had my neive, in passion,
“Liftet up to break her back!”
5
“O, for gudesake, keep frae cuffets!”
Mungo shook his head and said:
“Weel I ken what sort of life it's;
“Ken ye, Watty, how I did?—”
Mungo shook his head and said:
“Weel I ken what sort of life it's;
“Ken ye, Watty, how I did?—”
“After Bess and I were kippled,
“Soon she grew like ony bear;
“Brak' my shins, and, when I tippled,
“Harl't out my very hair!”
“Soon she grew like ony bear;
“Brak' my shins, and, when I tippled,
“Harl't out my very hair!”
“For a wee I quietly knuckled,
“But whan naething would prevail,
“Up my claes and cash I buckled,
“Bess, for ever fare-ye-weel—”
“But whan naething would prevail,
“Up my claes and cash I buckled,
“Bess, for ever fare-ye-weel—”
“Then her din grew less and less aye,
“Haith I gart her change her tune;
“Now a better wife than Bessy
“Never stept in leather shoon.”
“Haith I gart her change her tune;
“Now a better wife than Bessy
“Never stept in leather shoon.”
“Try this, Watty—When ye see her
“Raging like a roaring flood,
“Swear that moment that ye'll lea' her;
“That's the way to keep her good.”
“Raging like a roaring flood,
“Swear that moment that ye'll lea' her;
“That's the way to keep her good.”
Laughing, sangs, and lasses' skirls,
Echo'd now out-thro' the roof;
“Done?” quo Pate, and syne his erls
Nail'd the Dryster's waukèd loof.
Echo'd now out-thro' the roof;
“Done?” quo Pate, and syne his erls
Nail'd the Dryster's waukèd loof.
In the thrang of stories telling,
Shaking hauns, and ither cheer;
Swith! a chap comes on the hallan,
“Mungo, is our Watty here?”
Shaking hauns, and ither cheer;
Swith! a chap comes on the hallan,
“Mungo, is our Watty here?”
6
Maggy's well-kent tongue and hurry,
Darted thro' him like a knife;
Up the door flew—like a Fury
In came Watty's scawling wife.
Darted thro' him like a knife;
Up the door flew—like a Fury
In came Watty's scawling wife.
“Nasty, gude-for-naething being!
“O ye snuffy, drucken sow!
“Bringing wife and weans to ruin,
“Drinking here wi' sic a crew!”
“O ye snuffy, drucken sow!
“Bringing wife and weans to ruin,
“Drinking here wi' sic a crew!”
“Devil, nor your legs were broken!
“Sic a life nae flesh endures;
“Toiling like a slave to sloken
“You, ye dyvor, and your 'hores!”
“Sic a life nae flesh endures;
“Toiling like a slave to sloken
“You, ye dyvor, and your 'hores!”
“Rise, ye drucken beast o' Bethel!
“Drink's your night and day's desire;
“Rise, this precious hour! or faith, I'll
“Fling your whiskey i' the fire!”
“Drink's your night and day's desire;
“Rise, this precious hour! or faith, I'll
“Fling your whiskey i' the fire!”
Watty, heard her tongue unhallow'd,
Pay'd his groat wi' little din;
Left the house, while Maggy fallow'd,
Flytin' a' the road behin'.
Pay'd his groat wi' little din;
Left the house, while Maggy fallow'd,
Flytin' a' the road behin'.
Fowk frae every door came lamping;
Maggy curst them ane and a';
Clappet wi' her hands, and stamping,
Lost her bauchles i' the sna'.
Maggy curst them ane and a';
Clappet wi' her hands, and stamping,
Lost her bauchles i' the sna'.
Hame, at length she turn'd the gavel,
Wi' a face as white's a clout;
Raging like a very devil,
Kicking stools and chairs about.
Wi' a face as white's a clout;
Raging like a very devil,
Kicking stools and chairs about.
7
“Ye'll sit wi' your limmers round you!
“Hang you, sir? I'll be your death!
“Little hauds my hands, confound you,
“But I cleave you to the teeth.”
“Hang you, sir? I'll be your death!
“Little hauds my hands, confound you,
“But I cleave you to the teeth.”
Watty, wha 'midst this oration,
Ey'd her whiles, but durstna speak,
Sat like patient Resignation,
Trem'ling by the ingle cheek.
Ey'd her whiles, but durstna speak,
Sat like patient Resignation,
Trem'ling by the ingle cheek.
Sad his wee drap brose he sippet,
Maggy's tongue gaed like a bell;
Quietly to his bed he slippet,
Sighing aften to himsel';
Maggy's tongue gaed like a bell;
Quietly to his bed he slippet,
Sighing aften to himsel';
“Nane are free frae some vexation,
“Ilk ane has his ills to dree;
“But thro' a' the hale creation
“Is a mortal vexed like me!”
“Ilk ane has his ills to dree;
“But thro' a' the hale creation
“Is a mortal vexed like me!”
A' night lang he rowt and gaunted,
Sleep or rest he cou'dna' tak;
Maggy, aft wi' horror haunted,
Mum'ling, started at his back.
Sleep or rest he cou'dna' tak;
Maggy, aft wi' horror haunted,
Mum'ling, started at his back.
Soon as e'er the morning peepit,
Up raise Watty, waefu' chiel;
Kist his weanies, while they sleepet,
Wauken'd Meg, and sought fareweel.
Up raise Watty, waefu' chiel;
Kist his weanies, while they sleepet,
Wauken'd Meg, and sought fareweel.
“Farewell, Meg!—and, O, may Heaven
“Keep you aye within His care;
“Watty's heart ye've lang been grievin',
“Now he'll never fash you mair.”
“Keep you aye within His care;
“Watty's heart ye've lang been grievin',
“Now he'll never fash you mair.”
8
“Happy cou'd I been beside you,
“Happy, baith at morn and e'en;
“A' the ills that e'er betide you,
“Watty aye turn'd out your frien';
“Happy, baith at morn and e'en;
“A' the ills that e'er betide you,
“Watty aye turn'd out your frien';
“But ye ever like to see me
“Vext and sighing, late and air;
“Farewell, Meg! I've sworn to lea' thee,
“So thou'll never see me mair.”
“Vext and sighing, late and air;
“Farewell, Meg! I've sworn to lea' thee,
“So thou'll never see me mair.”
Meg, a' sabbing sae to lose him,
Sic a change had never wist;
Held his hand close to her bosom,
While her heart was like to burst.
Sic a change had never wist;
Held his hand close to her bosom,
While her heart was like to burst.
“O, my Watty, will ye lea' me,
“Frien'less, helpless, to despair?
“O! for this ae time forgi'e me:
“Never will I vex you mair.”
“Frien'less, helpless, to despair?
“O! for this ae time forgi'e me:
“Never will I vex you mair.”
“Ay! ye've aft said that, and broken
“A' your vows ten times a week;
“No, no, Meg! See, there's a token
“Glittering on my bonnet cheek.”
“A' your vows ten times a week;
“No, no, Meg! See, there's a token
“Glittering on my bonnet cheek.”
“Owre the seas I march this morning,
“Listed, tested, sworn and a';
“Forced by you confounded girning—
“Farewell, Meg! for I'm awa:”
“Listed, tested, sworn and a';
“Forced by you confounded girning—
“Farewell, Meg! for I'm awa:”
Then poor Maggy's tears and clamour
Gush afresh, and louder grew;
While the weans, wi' mournfu' yaumour,
Round their sabbing mother flew.
Gush afresh, and louder grew;
While the weans, wi' mournfu' yaumour,
Round their sabbing mother flew.
9
“Thro' the yirth I'll waunner wi' you—
“Stay, O Watty! stay at hame;
“Here upo' my knees I'll gi'e you
“Ony vow ye like to name;”
“Stay, O Watty! stay at hame;
“Here upo' my knees I'll gi'e you
“Ony vow ye like to name;”
“See your poor young lamies pleadin',
“Will ye gang and break our heart?
“No a house to put our head in!
“No a friend to take our part!”
“Will ye gang and break our heart?
“No a house to put our head in!
“No a friend to take our part!”
Ilka word came like a bullet,
Watty's heart begoud to shake;
On a kist he laid his wallet,
Dighted baith his een and spake,—
Watty's heart begoud to shake;
On a kist he laid his wallet,
Dighted baith his een and spake,—
“If ance mair I cou'd, by writing,
“Lea' the sogers, and stay still;
“Wad you swear to drop your flyting?”
“Yes, O Watty! yes, I will.”
“Lea' the sogers, and stay still;
“Wad you swear to drop your flyting?”
“Yes, O Watty! yes, I will.”
“Then,” quo Watty, “mind, be honest;
“Aye to keep your temper strive;
“Gin you break this dreadfu' promise,
“Never mair expect to thrive;”
“Aye to keep your temper strive;
“Gin you break this dreadfu' promise,
“Never mair expect to thrive;”
“Marget Howe! this hour ye solemn
“Swear by everything that's gude,
“Ne'er again your spouse to scal' him,
“While life warms your heart and blood;”
“Swear by everything that's gude,
“Ne'er again your spouse to scal' him,
“While life warms your heart and blood;”
“That you'll ne'er in Mungo's seek me;
“Ne'er put drucken to my name:
“Never out at e'ening steek me;
“Never gloom when I come hame;”
“Ne'er put drucken to my name:
“Never out at e'ening steek me;
“Never gloom when I come hame;”
10
“That ye'll ne'er like Bessy Miller,
“Kick my shins, or rug my hair;
“Lastly, I'm to keep the siller;
“This upo' your saul you swear?”
“Kick my shins, or rug my hair;
“Lastly, I'm to keep the siller;
“This upo' your saul you swear?”
“O—h!” quo' Meg; “aweel,” quo' Watty,
“Farewell! faith, I'll try the seas:”
“O stand still,” quo Meg, and grat aye;
“Ony, ony way ye please.”
“Farewell! faith, I'll try the seas:”
“O stand still,” quo Meg, and grat aye;
“Ony, ony way ye please.”
Maggy syne, because he prest her,
Swore to a' thing owre again;
Watty lap, and danc'd, and kist her;
Wow! but he was won'rous fain.
Swore to a' thing owre again;
Watty lap, and danc'd, and kist her;
Wow! but he was won'rous fain.
Down he threw his staff, victorious;
Aff gaed bonnet, claes, and shoon;
Syne below the blankets, glorious,
Held anither Hinnymoon!
Aff gaed bonnet, claes, and shoon;
Syne below the blankets, glorious,
Held anither Hinnymoon!
| The poems and literary prose of Alexander Wilson | |