Bell my wife she lo’es nae strife, I aft maun yield, though I'm gudeman. And tak' my auld cloak about me. This is one of the most ancient Scottish songs extant. That it was known to Shakspeare in its English garb is evident from his having quoted the antepenultimate stanza in the second act of "Othello." The English version appears in Percy's "Reliques." It differs from the Scottish in some respects, but not materially; and Percy evidently inclines to admit that the Scottish is the original version. Scottish version appears to have been first published in a complete form by Allan Ramsay, in the "Tea-Table Miscellany." The WIDOW, ARE YE WAUKIN ? ALLAN RAMSAY. From the "Tea-Table Miscellany." "O widow, wilt thou let me in? "Daft carle, ye may dicht your mouth; What signifies how pawky Or gentle-born ye be, bot youth, "Then, widow, let these guineas speak, That powerfully plead clinkan; "These court indeed, I maun confess; HOW, WANTON WIDOW! "How, wanton widow, "Ye may come in an' see.” Quoth the widow to the man, Ye hae spoken o'er rash, For me first to tell; We yet may agree." Quoth the man to the widow, "Ye maun marry me." This song, somewhat similar in character to the one preceding, has been recovered from tradition, and preserved in the manuscript copy of the ancient songs of the north of Scotland collected by the late Peter Buchan. JOCKEY FOU, JENNY FAIN. From the "Tea-Table Miscellany," 1724. Air-"Jockey fou." JOCKEY fou, Jenny fain, Jenny was na ill to gain; She was couthie, he was kind, And thus the wooer tell'd his mind: Jenny, I'll nae mair be nice, Gi'e me love at ony price; N Others seek they kenna what, Let love sparkle in her ee, Colours mingled unco fine, Until my fancy first approve. Allan Ramsay inserted this song in his "Miscellany " with the signature Q, to signify that it was old, with additions by himself. The air is also very ancient. In the mornin' sune, when I cam' doun, But mony a sad and sour look, And aye her head she'd shake. I'll never do the like again, If you'll ne'er tak' the gee.” When that she heard, she ran, she flang I'll lay my life, I'll be the wife THE MILLER. SIR JOHN CLERK, of Pennycuick, Bart.; born about the year 1680, died 1755. From the Charmer," Edinburgh, 1751. MERRY may the maid be That marries the miller, He's aye bringing till her ; For dinner and for supper; When Jamie first did woo me, I spier'd what was his calling : And that his house was warm and couth, Behind the door a bag of meal, Of good hard cakes his mither bakes, Was standin' in the byre; Whilst lazy puss, with mealy mous, Good signs are these, my mither says, And bids me tak' the miller; For foul day and fair day He's aye bringing till her: For meal and malt she does na want, In winter, when the wind and rain With nut-brown ale he tells his tale, Who'd be a king-a petty thing, When a miller lives so happy? This song originally appeared in the "Charmer" without the concluding stanza. It was afterwards added by the author, at that time one of the Scottish judges. ARGYLL IS MY NAME. JOHN Duke of Argyll and Greenwich, born 1680, died 1743. ARGYLL is my name, and you may think it strange A' falsehood and flattery I do disdain, In my secret thoughts nae guile does remain. |