Chapter 32

Then that curst carmagnole, auld Satan, Watches like baudrons by a ratton Our sinfu’ saul to get a claut on, Wi’felon ire; Syne, whip! his tail ye’ll ne’er cast saut on, He’s aff like fire.

Ah Nick! ah Nick! it is na fair, First showing us the tempting ware, Bright wines, and bonie lasses rare, To put us daft Syne weave, unseen, thy spider snare O hell’s damned waft.

Poor Man, the flie, aft bizzes by, And aft, as chance he comes thee nigh, Thy damn’d auld elbow yeuks wi’joy And hellish pleasure! Already in thy fancy’s eye, Thy sicker treasure.

Soon, heels o’er gowdie, in he gangs, And, like a sheep-head on a tangs, Thy girning laugh enjoys his pangs, And murdering wrestle, As, dangling in the wind, he hangs, A gibbet’s tassel.

But lest you think I am uncivil To plague you with this draunting drivel, Abjuring a’ intentions evil, I quat my pen, The Lord preserve us frae the devil! Amen! Amen!

A Lass Wi’ A Tocher

Tune—“Ballinamona Ora.”

Awa’ wi’ your witchcraft o’ Beauty’s alarms, The slender bit Beauty you grasp in your arms, O, gie me the lass that has acres o’ charms, O, gie me the lass wi’ the weel-stockit farms.

Chorus—Then hey, for a lass wi’ a tocher, Then hey, for a lass wi’ a tocher; Then hey, for a lass wi’ a tocher; The nice yellow guineas for me.

Your Beauty’s a flower in the morning that blows, And withers the faster, the faster it grows: But the rapturous charm o’ the bonie green knowes, Ilk spring they’re new deckit wi’ bonie white yowes. Then hey, for a lass, &c.

And e’en when this Beauty your bosom hath blest The brightest o’ Beauty may cloy when possess’d; But the sweet, yellow darlings wi’ Geordie impress’d, The langer ye hae them, the mair they’re carest. Then hey, for a lass, &c.

Heron Election Ballad, No. IV.

The Trogger. Tune—“Buy Broom Besoms.”

Wha will buy my troggin, fine election ware, Broken trade o’ Broughton, a’ in high repair?

Chorus—Buy braw troggin frae the banks o’ Dee; Wha wants troggin let him come to me.

There’s a noble Earl’s fame and high renown, For an auld sang—it’s thought the gudes were stown— Buy braw troggin, &c.

Here’s the worth o’ Broughton in a needle’s e’e; Here’s a reputation tint by Balmaghie. Buy braw troggin, &c.

Here’s its stuff and lining, Cardoness’ head, Fine for a soger, a’ the wale o’ lead. Buy braw troggin, &c.

Here’s a little wadset, Buittle’s scrap o’ truth, Pawn’d in a gin-shop, quenching holy drouth. Buy braw troggin, &c.

Here’s an honest conscience might a prince adorn; Frae the downs o’ Tinwald, so was never worn. Buy braw troggin, &c.

Here’s armorial bearings frae the manse o’ Urr; The crest, a sour crab-apple, rotten at the core. Buy braw troggin, &c.

Here’s the worth and wisdom Collieston can boast; By a thievish midge they had been nearly lost. Buy braw troggin, &c.

Here is Satan’s picture, like a bizzard gled, Pouncing poor Redcastle, sprawlin’ like a taed. Buy braw troggin, &c.

Here’s the font where Douglas stane and mortar names; Lately used at Caily christening Murray’s crimes. Buy braw troggin, &c.

Here is Murray’s fragments o’ the ten commands; Gifted by black Jock to get them aff his hands. Buy braw troggin, &c.

Saw ye e’er sic troggin? if to buy ye’re slack, Hornie’s turnin chapman—he’ll buy a’ the pack. Buy braw troggin, &c.

Complimentary Versicles To Jessie Lewars

The Toast

Fill me with the rosy wine, Call a toast, a toast divine: Giveth me Poet’s darling flame, Lovely Jessie be her name; Then thou mayest freely boast, Thou hast given a peerless toast.

The Menagerie

Talk not to me of savages, From Afric’s burning sun; No savage e’er could rend my heart, As Jessie, thou hast done: But Jessie’s lovely hand in mine, A mutual faith to plight, Not even to view the heavenly choir, Would be so blest a sight.

Jessie’s illness

Say, sages, what’s the charm on earth Can turn Death’s dart aside! It is not purity and worth, Else Jessie had not died.

On Her Recovery

But rarely seen since Nature’s birth, The natives of the sky; Yet still one seraph’s left on earth, For Jessie did not die.

O Lay Thy Loof In Mine, Lass

Chorus—O lay thy loof in mine, lass, In mine, lass, in mine, lass; And swear on thy white hand, lass, That thou wilt be my ain.

A slave to Love’s unbounded sway, He aft has wrought me meikle wae; But now he is my deadly fae, Unless thou be my ain. O lay thy loof, &c.

There’s mony a lass has broke my rest, That for a blink I hae lo’ed best; But thou art Queen within my breast, For ever to remain. O lay thy loof, &c.

A Health To Ane I Loe Dear

Chorus—Here’s a health to ane I loe dear, Here’s a health to ane I loe dear; Thou art sweet as the smile when fond lovers meet, And soft as their parting tear—Jessy.

Altho’ thou maun never be mine, Altho’ even hope is denied; ’Tis sweeter for thee despairing, Than ought in the world beside—Jessy. Here’s a health, &c.

I mourn thro’ the gay, gaudy day, As hopeless I muse on thy charms; But welcome the dream o’ sweet slumber, For then I am lockt in thine arms—Jessy. Here’s a health, &c.

I guess by the dear angel smile, I guess by the love-rolling e’e; But why urge the tender confession, ’Gainst Fortune’s fell, cruel decree?—Jessy. Here’s a health, &c.

O Wert Thou In The Cauld Blast

O wert thou in the cauld blast, On yonder lea, on yonder lea, My plaidie to the angry airt, I’d shelter thee, I’d shelter thee; Or did Misfortune’s bitter storms Around thee blaw, around thee blaw, Thy bield should be my bosom, To share it a’, to share it a’.

Or were I in the wildest waste, Sae black and bare, sae black and bare, The desert were a Paradise, If thou wert there, if thou wert there; Or were I Monarch o’ the globe, Wi’ thee to reign, wi’ thee to reign, The brightest jewel in my Crown Wad be my Queen, wad be my Queen.

Inscription To Miss Jessy Lewars

On a copy of the Scots Musical Museum, in four volumes, presented to her by Burns. ^1

Thine be the volumes, Jessy fair, And with them take the Poet’s prayer, That Fate may, in her fairest page, With ev’ry kindliest, best presage Of future bliss, enroll thy name: With native worth and spotless fame, And wakeful caution, still aware Of ill—but chief, Man’s felon snare;

All blameless joys on earth we find, And all the treasures of the mind— These be thy guardian and reward; So prays thy faithful friend, the Bard.

Dumfries, June 26, 1769.

[Footnote 1: Written for music played by Miss Lewars, who nursed him in his last illness.]

Fairest Maid On Devon Banks

Tune—“Rothiemurchie.”

Chorus—Fairest maid on Devon banks, Crystal Devon, winding Devon, Wilt thou lay that frown aside, And smile as thou wert wont to do?

Full well thou know’st I love thee dear, Couldst thou to malice lend an ear! O did not Love exclaim: “Forbear, Nor use a faithful lover so.” Fairest maid, &c.

Then come, thou fairest of the fair, Those wonted smiles, O let me share; And by thy beauteous self I swear, No love but thine my heart shall know. Fairest maid, &c.

Glossary

A’, all. A-back, behind, away. Abiegh, aloof, off. Ablins, v. aiblins. Aboon, above up. Abread, abroad. Abreed, in breadth. Ae, one. Aff, off. Aff-hand, at once. Aff-loof, offhand. A-fiel, afield. Afore, before. Aft, oft. Aften, often. Agley, awry. Ahin, behind. Aiblins, perhaps. Aidle, foul water. Aik, oak. Aiken, oaken. Ain, own. Air, early. Airle, earnest money. Airn, iron. Airt, direction. Airt, to direct. Aith, oath. Aits, oats. Aiver, an old horse. Aizle, a cinder. A-jee, ajar; to one side. Alake, alas. Alane, alone. Alang, along. Amaist, almost. Amang, among. An, if. An’, and. Ance, once. Ane, one. Aneath, beneath. Anes, ones. Anither, another. Aqua-fontis, spring water. Aqua-vitae, whiskey. Arle, v. airle. Ase, ashes. Asklent, askew, askance. Aspar, aspread. Asteer, astir. A’thegither, altogether. Athort, athwart. Atweel, in truth. Atween, between. Aught, eight. Aught, possessed of. Aughten, eighteen. Aughtlins, at all. Auld, old. Auldfarran, auldfarrant, shrewd, old-fashioned, sagacious. Auld Reekie, Edinburgh. Auld-warld, old-world. Aumous, alms. Ava, at all. Awa, away. Awald, backways and doubled up. Awauk, awake. Awauken, awaken. Awe, owe. Awkart, awkward. Awnie, bearded. Ayont, beyond.

Ba’, a ball. Backet, bucket, box. Backit, backed. Backlins-comin, coming back. Back-yett, gate at the back. Bade, endured. Bade, asked. Baggie, stomach. Baig’nets, bayonets. Baillie, magistrate of a Scots burgh. Bainie, bony. Bairn, child. Bairntime, brood. Baith, both. Bakes, biscuits. Ballats, ballads. Balou, lullaby. Ban, swear. Ban’, band (of the Presbyterian clergyman). Bane, bone. Bang, an effort; a blow; a large number. Bang, to thump. Banie, v. bainie. Bannet, bonnet. Bannock, bonnock, a thick oatmeal cake. Bardie, dim. of bard. Barefit, barefooted. Barket, barked. Barley-brie, or bree, barley-brew-ale or whiskey. Barm, yeast. Barmie, yeasty. Barn-yard, stackyard. Bartie, the Devil. Bashing, abashing. Batch, a number. Batts, the botts; the colic. Bauckie-bird, the bat. Baudrons, Baudrans, the cat. Bauk, cross-beam. Bauk, v. bawk. Bauk-en’, beam-end. Bauld, bold. Bauldest, boldest. Bauldly, boldly. Baumy, balmy. Bawbee, a half-penny. Bawdrons, v. baudrons. Bawk, a field path. Baws’nt, white-streaked. Bear, barley. Beas’, beasts, vermin. Beastie, dim. of beast. Beck, a curtsy. Beet, feed, kindle. Beild, v. biel. Belang, belong. Beld, bald. Bellum, assault. Bellys, bellows. Belyve, by and by. Ben, a parlor (i.e., the inner apartment); into the parlor. Benmost, inmost. Be-north, to the northward of. Be-south, to the southward of. Bethankit, grace after meat. Beuk, a book: devil’s pictur’d beuks-playing-cards. Bicker, a wooden cup. Bicker, a short run. Bicker, to flow swiftly and with a slight noise. Bickerin, noisy contention. Bickering, hurrying. Bid, to ask, to wish, to offer. Bide, abide, endure. Biel, bield, a shelter; a sheltered spot. Biel, comfortable. Bien, comfortable. Bien, bienly, comfortably. Big, to build. Biggin, building. Bike, v. byke. Bill, the bull. Billie, fellow, comrade, brother. Bings, heaps. Birdie, dim. of bird; also maidens. Birk, the birch. Birken, birchen. Birkie, a fellow. Birr, force, vigor. Birring, whirring. Birses, bristles. Birth, berth. Bit, small (e.g., bit lassie). Bit, nick of time. Bitch-fou, completely drunk. Bizz, a flurry. Bizz, buzz. Bizzard, the buzzard. Bizzie, busy. Black-bonnet, the Presbyterian elder. Black-nebbit, black-beaked. Blad, v. blaud. Blae, blue, livid. Blastet, blastit, blasted. Blastie, a blasted (i.e., damned) creature; a little wretch. Blate, modest, bashful. Blather, bladder. Blaud, a large quantity. Blaud, to slap, pelt. Blaw, blow. Blaw, to brag. Blawing, blowing. Blawn, blown. Bleer, to blear. Bleer’t, bleared. Bleeze, blaze. Blellum, a babbler; a railer; a blusterer. Blether, blethers, nonsense. Blether, to talk nonsense. Bletherin’, talking nonsense. Blin’, blind. Blink, a glance, a moment. Blink, to glance, to shine. Blinkers, spies, oglers. Blinkin, smirking, leering. Blin’t, blinded. Blitter, the snipe. Blue-gown, the livery of the licensed beggar. Bluid, blood. Bluidy, bloody. Blume, to bloom. Bluntie, a stupid. Blypes, shreds. Bobbed, curtsied. Bocked, vomited. Boddle, a farthing. Bode, look for. Bodkin, tailor’s needle. Body, bodie, a person. Boggie, dim. of bog. Bogle, a bogie, a hobgoblin. Bole, a hole, or small recess in the wall. Bonie, bonnie, pretty, beautiful. Bonilie, prettily. Bonnock, v. Bannock. ’Boon, above. Boord, board, surface. Boord-en’, board-end. Boortress, elders. Boost, must needs. Boot, payment to the bargain. Bore, a chink, recess. Botch, an angry tumor. Bouk, a human trunk; bulk. Bountith, bounty. ’Bout, about. Bow-hough’d, bandy-thighed. Bow-kail, cabbage. Bow’t, bent. Brachens, ferns. Brae, the slope of a hill. Braid, broad. Broad-claith, broad-cloth. Braik, a harrow. Braing’t, plunged. Brak, broke. Brak’s, broke his. Brankie, gay, fine. Branks, a wooden curb, a bridle. Bran’y, brandy. Brash, short attack. Brats, small pieces, rags. Brats, small children. Brattle, a scamper. Brattle, noisy onset. Braw, handsome, fine, gaily dressed. Brawlie, finely, perfectly, heartily. Braxies, sheep that have died of braxie (a disease). Breastie, dim. of breast. Breastit, sprang forward. Brechan, ferns. Breeks, breeches. Breer, brier. Brent, brand. Brent, straight, steep (i.e., not sloping from baldness). Brie, v. barley-brie. Brief, writ. Brier, briar. Brig, bridge. Brisket, breast. Brither, brother. Brock, a badger. Brogue, a trick. Broo, soup, broth, water; liquid in which anything is cooked. Brooses, wedding races from the church to the home of the bride. Brose, a thick mixture of meal and warm water; also a synonym for porridge. Browster wives, ale wives. Brugh, a burgh. Brulzie, brulyie, a brawl. Brunstane, brimstone. Brunt, burned. Brust, burst. Buckie, dim. of buck; a smart younker. Buckle, a curl. Buckskin, Virginian: the buckskin kye, negroes. Budget, tinker’s bag of tools. Buff, to bang, to thump. Bughtin, folding. Buirdly, stalwart. Bum, the buttocks. Bum, to hum. Bum-clock, beetle, cockchafer, Junebug. Bummle, a drone, a useless fellow. Bunker, a seat. Bunters, harlots. Burdies, dim. of bird or burd (a lady); maidens. Bure, bore. Burn, a rivulet. Burnewin, the blacksmith (i.e., burn the wind). Burnie, dim. of burn, a rivulet. Burr-thistle, spear-thistle. Busk, to dress; to garb; to dress up; to adorn. Buss, a bush. Bussle, bustle. But, without. But, butt, in the kitchen (i.e., the outer apartment). By, past, aside. By, beside. By himsel, beside himself. Bye attour (i.e., by and attour), beside and at a distance. Byke, a bees’ nest; a hive; a swarm; a crowd. Byre, a cow-house.

Ca’, call, knock, drive. Cadger, a hawker (especially of fish). Cadie, caddie, a fellow. Caff, chaff. Caird, a tinker. Calf-ward, grazing plot for calves (i.e., churchyard). Callan, callant, a stripling. Caller, cool, refreshing. Callet, a trull. Cam, came. Canie, cannie, gentle, tractable, quiet, prudent, careful. Cankrie, crabbed. Canna, can not. Canniest, quietest. Cannilie, cannily, quietly, prudently, cautiously. Cantie, cheerful, lively, jolly, merry. Cantraip, magic, witching. Cants, merry stories, canters or sprees or merry doings. Cape-stanc, copestone. Capon-castrate. Care na by, do not care. Carl, carle, a man, an old man. Carl-hemp, male-hemp. Carlie, a manikin. Carlin, carline a middle-aged, or old, woman; a beldam, a witch. Carmagnole, a violent Jacobin. Cartes, playing-cards. Cartie, dim. of cart. Catch-the-plack, the hunt for money. Caudron, a caldron. Cauf, calf. Cauf-leather, calf-leather. Cauk, chalk. Cauld, cold. Cauldron, caldron. Caup, a wooden drinking vessel. Causey-cleaners, causeway-cleaners. Cavie, a hen-coop. Chamer, chaumer, chamber. Change-house, tavern. Chanter, bagpipes; the pipe of the bag-pipes which produces the melody; song. Chap, a fellow, a young fellow. Chap, to strike. Chapman, a pedler. Chaup, chap, a stroke, a blow. Chear, cheer. Chearfu’, cheerful. Chearless, cheerless. Cheary, cheery. Cheek-for-chow, cheek-by-jowl (i.e. close beside). Cheep, peep, squeak. Chiel, chield (i. e., child), a fellow, a young fellow. Chimla, chimney. Chittering, shivering. Chows, chews. Chuck, a hen, a dear. Chuckie, dim. of chuck, but usually signifies mother hen, an old dear. Chuffie, fat-faced. Chuse, to choose. Cit, the civet. Cit, a citizen, a merchant. Clachan, a small village about a church. Claeding, clothing. Claes, claise, clothes. Claith, cloth. Claithing, clothing. Clankie, a severe knock. Clap, the clapper of a mill. Clark, a clerk. Clark, clerkly, scholarly. Clarkit, clerked, wrote. Clarty, dirty. Clash, an idle tale; gossip. Clash, to tattle. Clatter, noise, tattle, talk, disputation, babble. Clatter, to make a noise by striking; to babble; to prattle. Claught, clutched, seized. Claughtin, clutching, grasping. Claut, a clutch, a handful. Claut, to scrape. Claver, clover. Clavers, gossip, nonsense. Claw, a scratch, a blow. Claw, to scratch, to strike. Clay-cauld, clay-cold. Claymore, a two-handed Highland sword. Cleckin, a brood. Cleed, to clothe. Cleek, to snatch. Cleekit, linked arms. Cleg, gadfly. Clink, a sharp stroke; jingle. Clink, money, coin. Clink, to chink. Clink, to rhyme. Clinkin, with a smart motion. Clinkum, clinkumbell, the beadle, the bellman. Clips, shears. Clish-ma-claver, gossip, taletelling; non-sense. Clockin-time, clucking- (i. e., hatching-) time. Cloot, the hoof. Clootie, cloots, hoofie, hoofs (a nickname of the Devil). Clour, a bump or swelling after a blow. Clout, a cloth, a patch. Clout, to patch. Clud, a cloud. Clunk, to make a hollow sound. Coble, a broad and flat boat. Cock, the mark (in curling). Cockie, dim. of cock (applied to an old man). Cocks, fellows, good fellows. Cod, a pillow. Coft, bought. Cog, a wooden drinking vessel, a porridge dish, a corn measure for horses. Coggie, dim. of cog, a little dish. Coil, Coila, Kyle (one of the ancient districts of Ayrshire). Collieshangie, a squabble. Cood, cud. Coof, v. cuif. Cookit, hid. Coor, cover. Cooser, a courser, a stallion. Coost (i. e., cast), looped, threw off, tossed, chucked. Cootie, a small pail. Cootie, leg-plumed. Corbies, ravens, crows. Core, corps. Corn mou, corn heap. Corn’t, fed with corn. Corse, corpse. Corss, cross. Cou’dna, couldna, couldn’t. Countra, country. Coup, to capsize. Couthie, couthy, loving, affable, cosy, comfortable. Cowe, to scare, to daunt. Cowe, to lop. Crack, tale; a chat; talk. Crack, to chat, to talk. Craft, croft. Craft-rig, croft-ridge. Craig, the throat. Craig, a crag. Craigie, dim. of craig, the throat. Craigy, craggy. Craik, the corn-crake, the land-rail. Crambo-clink, rhyme. Crambo-jingle, rhyming. Cran, the support for a pot or kettle. Crankous, fretful. Cranks, creakings. Cranreuch, hoar-frost. Crap, crop, top. Craw, crow. Creel, an osier basket. Creepie-chair, stool of repentance. Creeshie, greasy. Crocks, old ewes. Cronie, intimate friend. Crooded, cooed. Croods, coos. Croon, moan, low. Croon, to toll. Crooning, humming. Croose, crouse, cocksure, set, proud, cheerful. Crouchie, hunchbacked. Crousely, confidently. Crowdie, meal and cold water, meal and milk, porridge. Crowdie-time, porridge-time (i. e., breakfast-time). Crowlin, crawling. Crummie, a horned cow. Crummock, cummock, a cudgel, a crooked staff. Crump, crisp. Crunt, a blow. Cuddle, to fondle. Cuif, coof, a dolt, a ninny; a dastard. Cummock, v. crummock. Curch, a kerchief for the head. Curchie, a curtsy. Curler, one who plays at curling. Curmurring, commotion. Curpin, the crupper of a horse. Curple, the crupper (i. e., buttocks). Cushat, the wood pigeon. Custock, the pith of the colewort. Cutes, feet, ankles. Cutty, short. Cutty-stools, stools of repentance.