O steer her up, and be na blate,
An' gin she take it ill, jo,
Then lea'e the lassie till her fate,
And time nae longer spill, jo:
Ne'er break your heart for ae rebute,
But think upon it still, jo;
Then gin the lassie winna do't,
Ye'll fin' anither will, jo.
O, WHARE DID YE GET.
TUNE-" BONNIE DUNDEE."
O, WHARE did ye get that hauver-meal' bannock?
O silly blind body, O dinna ye see?
I gat it frae a brisk young sodger laddie,
Between Saint Johnston and bonnie Dundee.
O gin I saw the laddie that gae me't!
Aft has he doodled me up on his knee;
May Heaven protect my bonnie Scots laddie,
And send him safe hame to his babie and me!
My blessin's upon thy sweet wee lippie,
My blessin's upon thy bonnie e'e brie!
Thy smiles are sae like my blythe sodger laddie,
Thou's ay be dearer and dearer to me!
But I'll big a bower on yon bonnie banks,
Where Tay rins wimplin' by sae clear;
And I'll cleed' thee in the tartan sae fine,
And mak thee a man like thy daddie dear.
THE FÊTE CHAMPÊTRE.3
TUNE-" KILLIECRANKIE."
O WHA will to Saint Stephen's house,
To do our errands there, man?
O wha will to Saint Stephen's house,
O' th' merry lads of Âyr, man?
Or will we send a man-o'-law ?
Or will we send a sodger?
Or him wha led o'er Scotland a'
The meikle Ursa-Major?
3 Given by Mr. Cunningham, of Enterkin.
Come, will ye court a noble lord,
Or buy a score o' lairds, man?
For worth and honour pawn their word,
Their vote shall be Glencaird's, man?
Ane gies them coin, ane gies them wine,
Anither gies them clatter;
Anbank,' wha guess'd the ladies' taste,
He gies a Fête Champêtre.
When Love and Beauty heard the news
The gay green-woods amang, man ;
Where gathering flowers and busking bowers,
They heard the blackbird's sang, man ;
A vow, they seal'd it with a kiss,
Sir Politics to fetter
As theirs alone, the patent-bliss,
To hold a Fête Champêtre.
Then mounted Mirth, on gleesome wing
O'er hill and dale she flew, man;
Ilk wimpling burn, ilk crystal spring,
Ilk glen and shaw she knew, man:
She summon'd every social sprite,
That sports by wood or water,
On th' bonny banks of Ayr to meet,
And keep this Fête Champêtre.
Cauld Boreas, wi' his boisterous crew,
Were bound to stakes like kye, man;
And Cynthia's car, o' silver fu’,
Clamb up the starry sky, man :
Reflected beams dwell in the streams,
Or down the current shatter;
The western breeze steals through the trees,
To view this Fête Champêtre.
How many a robe sae gaily floats!
What sparkling jewels glance, man!
To Harmony's enchanting notes,
As moves the mazy dance, man.
The echoing wood, the winding flood,
Like Paradise did glitter,
When angels met, at Adam's yett,2
To hold their Fête Champêtre.
1 A place belonging to Mr. Cunningham, and which, after the Scottish custom, bestows a name on the Laird.
When Politics came there, to mix
And make his ether-stane,' man!
He circled round the magic ground,
But entrance found he nane, man:
He blush'd for shame, he quat his name,
Foreswore it, every letter,
Wi' humble prayer to join and share
This festive Fête Champêtre.
SIMMER'S A PLEASANT TIME.
TUNE-"AY WAUKIN O."
SIMMER'S a pleasant time,
Flow'rs of ev'ry colour;
The water rins o'er the heugh,3
And I long for my true lover.
Ay waukin O,
Waukin still and wearie:
Sleep I can get nane
For thinking on my dearie.
Vuen I sleep I dream,
When I wauk I'm eerie ;
Sleep I can get nane
For thinking on my dearie.
Lanely night comes on,
A' the lave are sleeping;
I think on my bonnie lad,
And I bleer my een with greetin'.
Ay waukin O,
Waukin still and wearie;
Sleep I can get nane
For thinking on my dearie.
THE BLUDE-RED ROSE AT YULE MAY BLAW.
TUNE "TO DAUNTON ME."
THE blude red rose at Yule may blaw,
The Simmer lilies bloom in snaw,
The frost may freeze the deepest sea;
But an auld man shall never daunton me.
To daunton me, and me sae young,
Wi' his fause heart and flatt'ring tongue,
That is the thing you
ne'er shall see;
For an auld man shall never daunton me.
For a' his meal and a' his maut,
For a' his fresh beef and his saut,
For a' his gold and white monie,
An auld man shall never daunton me.
His gear may buy him kye and yowes,
His gear may buy him glens and knowes;
But me he shall not buy nor fee,
For an auld man shall never daunton me.
He hirples twa-fauld as he dow,
Wi' his teethless gab and his auld beld pow,
And the rain rains down frae his red bleer'd e'eThat auld man shall never daunton me.
To daunton me, and me sae young,
Wi' his fause heart and flatt'ring tongue,
That is the thing you ne'er shall see;
For an auld man shall never daunton me.
TUNE-" IF THOU'LT PLAY ME FAIR PLAY,'
THE bonniest lad that e'er I saw,
Bonnie laddie, Highland laddie,
Wore a plaid and was fu' braw,
Bonnie Highland laddie.
On his head a bonnet blue,
Bonnie laddie, Highland laddie,
His loyal heart was firm and true,
Bonnie Highland laddie.
Trumpets sound and cannons roar,
Bonnie lassie, Lawland lassie,
And a' the hills wi' echoes roar,
Bonnie Lawland lassie.
Glory, Honour, now invite,
Bonnie lassie, Lawland lassie,
For freedom and my King to fight,
Bonnie Lawland lassie.
The sun a backward course shall take,
Bonnie laddie, Highland laddie,
Ere aught thy manly courage shake;
Bonnie Highland laddie.
Go, for yoursel procure renown,
Bonnie laddie, Highland laddie,
And for your lawful King his crown;
Bonnie Highland laddie!
THE COOPER O' CUDDIE.
TUNE-" BOB AT THE BOWSTER."
THE Cooper o' Cuddie cam' here awa,
And ca'd the girrs out owre us a'-
And our gude-wife has gotten a ca'
That anger'd the silly guid-man, O.
We'll hide the cooper behind the door,
Behind the door, behind the door;
We'll hide the cooper behind the door,
And cover him under a mawn,1 O.
He sought them out, he sought them in,
Wi', Deil hae her! and, Deil hae him!
But the body was sae doited and blin',2
He wist na where he was gaun, O.
They cooper'd at e'en, they cooper'd at morn,
Till our guid-man has gotten the scorn;
On ilka brow she's planted a horn,
And swears that they shall stan', O.
We'll hide the cooper behind the door,
Behind the door, behind the door;
We'll hide the cooper behind the door,
And cover him under a mawn, O.
NITHSDALE'S WELCOME HAME.
THE noble Maxwells and their powers
Are coming o'er the border,
And they'll gae bigg3 Terreagle's towers,
An' set them a' in order,
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