University of Virginia Library

SCENE IV.

Behind a Tree, upon the Plain,
Pate and his Peggy meet;
In Love, without a vicious Stain,
The bonny Lass and chearfu' Swain
Change Vows and Kisses sweet.

PATIE and PEGGY.
Peg.
O Patie, let me gang, I mauna stay,
We're baith cry'd hame, and Jenny she's away.

Pat.
I'm laith to part sae soon; now we're alane,
And Roger he's awa with Jenny gane:
They're as content, for ought I hear or see,
To be alane themsells, I judge, as we.
Here, where Primroses thickest paint the Green,
Hard by this little Burnie let us lean.
Hark how the Lavrocks chant aboon our Heads,
How saft the Westlin Winds sough thro' the Reeds.

Peg.
The scented Meadows,—Birds,—and healthy Breeze,
For ought I ken, may mair than Peggy please.

Pat.
Ye wrang me sair, to doubt my being kind;
In speaking sae, ye ca' me dull and blind.
Gif I could fancy ought's sae sweet or fair
As my dear Meg, or worthy of my Care.
Thy Breath is sweeter than the sweetest Brier,
Thy Cheek and Breast the finest Flowers appear.
Thy Words excel the maist delightfu' Notes,
That warble through the Merl or Mavis' Throats.
With thee I tent nae Flowers that busk the Field,
Or ripest Berries that our Mountains yield.
The sweetest Fruits that hing upon the Tree,
Are far inferior to a Kiss of thee.

Peg.
But Patrick, for some wicked End, may fleech,
And Lambs should tremble when the Foxes preach.
I dare na stay—ye Joker, let me gang,
Anither Lass may gar ye change your Sang;
Your Thoughts may flit, and I may thole the Wrang.

Pat.
Sooner a Mother shall her Fondness drap,
And wrang the Bairn sits smiling on her Lap;
The Sun shall change, the Moon to change shall cease,
The Gaits to clim,—the Sheep to yield the Fleece,
Ere ought by me be either said or done,
Shall skaith our Love; I swear by all aboon.

Peg.
Then keep your Aith:—But mony Lads will swear,
And be mansworn to twa in haff a Year.
Now I believe ye like me wonder well;
But if a fairer Face your Heart shou'd steal,
Your Meg forsaken, bootless might relate,
How she was dauted anes by faithless Pate.

Pat.
I'm sure I canna change, ye needna fear;
Tho' we're but young, I've loo'd you mony a Year.
I mind it well, when thou coud'st hardly gang,
Or lisp out Words, I choos'd ye frae the thrang
Of a' the Bairns, and led thee by the Hand,
Aft to the Tansy-know, or Rashy strand.
Thou smiling by my Side,—I took Delite,
To pou the Rashes green, with Roots sae white,
Of which, as well as my young Fancy cou'd,
For thee I plet the flowry Belt and Snood.

Peg.
When first thou gade with Shepherds to the Hill,
And I to milk the Ews first try'd my Skill;
To bear a Leglen was nae toil to me,
When at the Bught at E'en I met with thee.

Pat.
When Corns grew yellow, and the Hether-bells
Bloom'd bonny on the Moor and rising Fells,
Nae Birns, or Briers, or Whins e'er troubled me,
Gif I cou'd find blae Berries ripe for thee.

Peg.
When thou didst wrestle, run, or putt the Stane,
And wan the Day, my Heart was flightering fain:
At all these Sports thou still gave Joy to me;
For nane can wrestle, run, or putt with thee.

Pat.
Jenny sings saft the Broom of Cowden-knows,
And Rosie lilts the Milking of the Ews;
There's nane like Nansie, Jenny Nettles sings;
At Turns in Maggy Lauder, Marion dings:
But when my Peggy sings, with sweeter Skill,
The Boat-man, or the Lass of Patie's Mill;
It is a thousand times mair sweet to me:
Tho' they sing well, they canna sing like thee.

Peg.
How eith can Lasses trow what they desire!
And roos'd by them we love, blaws up that Fire:
But wha loves best, let Time and Carriage try;
Be constant, and my Love shall Time defy.
Be still as now, and a' my Care shall be,
How to contrive what pleasant is for thee.

Pat.
Wert thou a giglit Gawky like the lave,
That little better than our Nowt behave;
At nought they'll ferly;—senseless Tales believe;
Be blyth for silly Heghts, for Trifles grieve:—
Sic ne'er cou'd win my Heart, that kenna how,
Either to keep a Prize, or yet prove true.
But thou, in better Sense, without a Flaw,
As in thy Beauty far excells them a',
Continue kind; and a' my Care shall be,
How to contrive what pleasing is for thee.

Peg.
Agreed;—but harken, yon's auld Aunty's Cry;
I ken they'll wonder what can make us stay.

Pat.
And let them ferly.—Now, a kindly Kiss,
Or fivescore good anes wad not be amiss;
And syne we'll sing the Sang with tunefu' Glee,
That I made up last Owk on you and me.

Peg.
Sing first, syne claim your Hire.—

Pat.
—Well, I agree.

Patie
sings.
By the delicious Warmness of thy Mouth,
And rowing Eyes that smiling tell the Truth,
I guess, my Lassie, that as well as I,
You're made for Love; and why should ye deny?

Peggy
sings.
But ken ye, Lad, gin we confess o'er soon,
Ye think us cheap, and syne the Wooing's done?
The Maiden that o'er quickly tines her Power,
Like unripe Fruit, will taste but hard and sowr.

Patie
sings.
But gin they hing o'er lang upon the Tree,
Their Sweetness they may tine; and sae may ye.
Red cheeked you completely ripe appear;
And I have thol'd and woo'd a lang haff Year.

Peggy
singing, falls into Patie's Arms.
Then dinna pu' me, gently thus I fa'
Into my Patie's Arms, for good and a'.
But stint your Wishes to this kind Embrace;
And mint nae farther till we've got the Grace.

Patie
with his left Hand about her Waste.
O charming Armfu', hence ye Cares away,
I'll kiss my Treasure a' the live lang Day;
All Night I'll dream my Kisses o'er again,
Till that Day come that ye'll be a' my ain.

Sung by both.
Sun, gallop down the Westlin Skies,
Gang soon to bed, and quickly rise;
O lash your Steeds, post Time away,
And haste about our Bridal Day:
And if ye're wearied, honest Light,
Sleep, gin ye like, a Week that Night.