Madge. He get her! flaverin doof! it fets him weel To yoke a plough where Patrick thought to teil! Gif I were Meg, I'd let young mafter fee
Maufe. Ye'd be as dorty in your choice as he: And fo wad I: but, whifht! here Bauldy comes.
Jocky faid to Jenny: Jenny wilt thou do't?
Ne'er a fit, quoth Jenny, for my tocher-good;
For my tocher-good, I winna marry thee,
E'en's ye like, quoth Jockey, ye may let it be.
Madge. Weel liltit, Bauldy, that's a dainty fang.
Bauldy. I'll gie ye't a', 'tis better than 'tis lang.
[Sings again.
I hae gowd and gear, I hae land enough,
I have feven good owfen ganging in a pleugh;
Ganging in a pleugh, and linkan o'er the lee,
And gin ye
winna tak me, I can let ye be.
I hae a good ha' house, a barn and a byer.
A peatftack 'fore the door, we'll mak a rantin fire;
I'll mik a rantin fire, and merry fall we be,
And gin ye winna tak me, I can let ye be.
Jenny faid to Jockey, Gin ye winna tell,
Ye fhall be the lad, I'll be the lafs myfel;
Ye're a bonny lad, and I'm a laffie free:
Ye're welcomer to tak me, than to let me be.
I trow fae, -laffes will come to at last,
Tho' for a while they maun their fnaw-ba's caft.
Maufe. Weel, Bauldy, how gaes a' ?
Bauldy.- Faith unco right:
I hope we'll a' fleep found, but ane, this night.
Madge. And wha's the unlucky ane? If we may ask.
Bauldy. To find out that, is nae difficult task.
Poor bonny Peggy, wha maun think nae mair
On Pate turn'd Patrick, and Sir William's heir.
Now, now, good Madge, and honeft Maufe, ftand be,
While Meg's in dumps, put in a word for me,
I'll be as kind as ever Pate cou'd prove;
Lefs wilfu', and ay conftant in my love.
Madge. As Neps can witnefs, and the bushy thorn,
Where mony a time to her your heart was fworn.
Fy, Bauldy, blufh, and vows of love regard;
What ither lafs will throw a manfworn herd?
The curfe of Heaven hings ay aboon their heads,
That's ever guilty of fic finfu' deeds.
I'll ne'er advise my niece fo gray a gate,
Nor will she be advis'd, fu' weel I wate.
Bauldy. Sae gray a gate! manfworn! and a' the reft; Ye leed, auld roudes, and in faith had best
Eat in your words, else I shall gar you ftand
Wi' a het face afore the haly band.
Madge. Ye'll gar me ftand? ye fheveling-gabit brock,
Speak that again, and trembling dread my rock,
And ten sharp nails, that, when my hands are in,
Can flyp the skin o' ye'r cheeks out-o❜er your chin.
Bauldy I tak ye witness, Maufe, ye heard her say,
That I'm manfworn,I winna let it gae.
Madge. Ye're witnefs too he ca'd me bonny names, And fhou'd be ferv'd as his good breeding claims. Ye filthy dog![Flees to his hair like a fury Aftout battle-Maufe endeavours to redd them. Maufe. Let gang your grips; fy, Madge! how't, Bauldy, leen
I wadna wish this tuilzie had been seen,
[Bauldy gets out of Madge's clutches with a bleeding nofe.] Madge. 'Tis dafter-like to thole
An Ether-cap like him, to blaw the coal.
It fets him wi' a vile unscrapit tongue
To caft up whether I be auld or young.
They're aulder yet than I have marry'd been,
And, or they died, their bairns bairns have seen.
Maufe. That's true; and, Bauldy, ye was far to
To ca' Madge ought but her ain chriften'd rame. Bauldy. My lugs, my nofe, and noddle finds the
Madge. Auld roudes! filthy fallow, I fhall auld ye.
Maufe. Howt, no;-ye'll e'en be friends wi' honeft
Come, come, fhake hands; this maun nae farther gae : Ye maun forgi'e 'ni: I fee the lad looks wae.
Bauldy. In troth now, Mause, I hae at Madge nae spite; But the abufing first was a' the wyte
Of what has happen'd, and should therefore crave
My pardon first, and fhall acquitance have.
Madge. I crave your pardon! Gallows-face, gae greet,
And own your faut to her that ye wad cheat.
Gae, or be blafted in your health and gear,
Till ye learn to perform as weel as swear.
Vow and lowp back-was e'er the like heard tell?
Swith tak him deel, he's o'er lang out of hell.
Bauldy. [Running off.] His prefence be about us!
Curft were he,
That were condemn'd for life to live with thee.
[Exit Bauldy. Madge. [Laughing.] I think I hae towzled his harigalds a wee;
He'll no foon grein to tell his love to me.
He's but a rafcal that wad mint to serve
A laffie fae, he does but ill deferve.
Maufe. Ye towz'd him tightly-I commend ye for't,
His blooding fnout gae me nae little sport:
For this forenoon he had that scant of grace,
And breeding baith, to tell me to my face,
He hop'd I was a witch, and wadna stand
To lend him in this cafe my helping hand.
Madge. A witch ! -how had ye patience this to bear, And leave him een to fee, or lugs to hear?
Maufe. Auld wither'd hands, and feeble joints like
Obliges folk refentment to decline,
Till aft 'tis feen, when vigour fails, then we
With cunning can the lack of pith fupplie;
Thus I put aff revenge till it was dark,
Syne bad him come, and we should gang to wark ;
I'm fure he'll keep his tryft; and I came here
To feek your help, that we the fool fear.
my
Madge. And fpecial fport we'll hae, as I proteft :
Ye'll be the witch, and I fhall play the ghaiit.
A linen fheet wound round me like ane dead,
I'll cawk my face, and grane
We'll fleg him fae, he'll mint nae mair to gang
A conjuring to do a laffie wrang.
Maufe. Then let us gae, for fee, 'tis hard on night, The westlin cloud fhines with a fetting light.
When birds begin to nod upon the bough,
And the green-faird grows damp with falling dew,
While good Sir William is to reft retir'd,
The Gentle Shepherd, tenderly infpir'd,
Walks throw the broom with Roger ever leel,
To meet, to comfort Meg, and tak fareweel.
Roger. Wow! but I'm cadgie, and my heart lowps light!
O, maister Patrick, ay your thoughts were right::
Sure gentle-fowk are farrer feen than we,
That naithing hae to brag of pedigree.
My Jenny now, wha brak my heart this morn,
Is perfect yielding, fweet, and nae mair fcorn.
I fpak my mind, fhe heard, I fpak again,
She fmil'd-I kifs'd-I woo'd, nor woo'd in vain.
Patic. I'm glad to hear't-But O my change this day
Heaves up my joy, and yet I'm fometimes wae.
I've found a father, gently kind as brave,
And an estate that lifts me boon the lave.
With looks a' kindness, words that love confest,
He a' the father to my foul exprest,
While close he held me to his manly breast:
Such were the eyes, he faid, thus fmil'd the mouth
Of thy lov'd mother, bleffing o' my youth!
Who fet too foon! And while he praise bestow'd,
Adown his gracefu' cheeks a torrent flow'd.
My new-born joys, and this his tender tale,
Did, mingled thus, o'er a' my thoughts prevail;
That fpeechlefs lang, my late-ken'd fire I view'd,
While gufhing tears my panting breast bedew'd.
Unusual transports made my head turn round,
Whilft I myself with rifing raptures found,
The happy fon of ane fae much renown'd.
But he has heard-too faithfu' Symon's fear
Has brought my love for Peggy to his ear,
Which he forbids-ah! this confounds my peace,
While thus to beat my heart shall fooner cease.
Roger. How to advise ye, troth I'm at a stand:
But were't my cafe, ye'd clar it up aff hand.
Patie. Duty, and haften reafon plead his cause :
But what cares love for reafon, rules and laws?
Still in my heart my shepherdess excels,
And part of my new happiness repels.
SANG XVI. Tune, Kirk wad let me be.
Duty and
Plead ftrong on the parent's fide,
Which love fo fuperior calls treafon;
The strongest must be obey'd:
For now tho' I'm ane of the gentrỳ,
My conftancy falfhood repels :
For change in my heart has no entry,
Still there my dear Peggy excels.
Roger. Enjoy them baith-Sir William will be won: Your Peggy's bonny-you're his only fon.
Patie. She's mine by vows, and stronger ties of love, And fra thefe bonds nae fate my mind fhall move. 'I'll wed nane elfe, thro' life I will be true,
But still obedience is a parent's due.
Roger. Is not our mafter and yoursel to stay
Amang us here-or are ye gawn away
To London court, or ither far aff parts,
To leave your ain poor us with broken hearts,
Patie. To Edenburgh straight to-morrow we ad-
To London neift, and afterwards to France,
Where I must stay fome years, and learn to dance,
An twa three ither monkey-tricks-that done,
I come hame ftrutting in my red-heel'd fhoon.
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