The Braw Wooer

  the braw wooer
  tune—“the lothian lassie.”
  last may, a braw wooer cam doun the lang glen,
  and sair wi' his love he did deave me;
  i said, there was naething i hated like men—
  the deuce gae wi'm, to believe me, believe me;
  the deuce gae wi'm to believe me.
  he spak o' the darts in my bonie black e'en,
  and vow'd for my love he was diein,
  i said, he might die when he liked for jean—
  the lord forgie me for liein, for liein;
  the lord forgie me for liein!
  a weel-stocked mailen, himsel' for the laird,
  and marriage aff-hand, were his proffers;
  i never loot on that i kenn'd it, or car'd;
  but thought i might hae waur offers, waur offers;
  but thought i might hae waur offers.
  but what wad ye think?—in a fortnight or less—
  the deil tak his taste to gae near her!
  he up the gate-slack to my black cousin, bess—
  guess ye how, the jad! i could bear her, could bear her;
  guess ye how, the jad! i could bear her.
  but a' the niest week, as i petted wi' care,
  i gaed to the tryst o' dalgarnock;
  but wha but my fine fickle wooer was there,
  i glowr'd as i'd seen a warlock, a warlock,
  i glowr'd as i'd seen a warlock.
  but owre my left shouther i gae him a blink,
  lest neibours might say i was saucy;
  my wooer he caper'd as he'd been in drink,
  and vow'd i was his dear lassie, dear lassie,
  and vow'd i was his dear lassie.
  i spier'd for my cousin fu' couthy and sweet,
  gin she had recover'd her hearin',
  and how her new shoon fit her auld schachl't feet,
  but heavens! how he fell a swearin, a swearin,
  but heavens! how he fell a swearin.
  he begged, for gudesake, i wad be his wife,
  or else i wad kill him wi' sorrow;
  so e'en to preserve the poor body in life,
  i think i maun wed him to-morrow, to-morrow;
  i think i maun wed him to-morrow.