Part 42 (1/2)

I hae a but, and I hae a ben-- La.s.s, gin ye lo'e me, tell me now; A penny to keep, and a penny to spen', And I canna come ilka day to woo:

I hae a hen wi' a happitie leg-- La.s.s, gin ye lo'e me, tell me now; That ilka day lays me an egg, And I canna come ilka day to woo:

I hae a cheese upon my skelf-- La.s.s, gin ye lo'e me, tell me now; And soon wi' mites 'twill rin itself, And I canna come ilka day to woo.

_James Tytler._

THE CLOWN'S COURTs.h.i.+P

Quoth John to Joan, will thou have me; I prithee now, wilt? and I'll marry thee, My cow, my calf, my house, my rents, And all my lands and tenements: Oh, say, my Joan, will not that do?

I cannot come every day to woo.

I've corn and hay in the barn hardby, And three fat hogs pent up in the sty, I have a mare and she is coal black, I ride on her tail to save my back.

Then say, etc.

I have a cheese upon the shelf, And I cannot eat it all myself; I've three good marks that lie in a rag, In a nook of the chimney, instead of a bag.

Then say, etc.

To marry I would have thy consent, But faith I never could compliment; I can say nought but ”Hoy, gee ho!”

Words that belong to the cart and the plough.

So say, my Joan, will not that do, I cannot come every day to woo.

_Unknown._

OUT UPON IT

Out upon it, I have loved Three whole days together; And am like to love three more, If it prove fair weather.

Time shall moult away his wings, Ere he shall discover In the whole wide world again Such a constant Lover.

But the spite on't is, no praise Is due at all to me: Love with me had made no stays, Had it any been but she.

Had it any been but she, And that very face, There had been at least ere this A dozen dozen in her place.

_Sir John Suckling._

LOVE IS LIKE A DIZZINESS

I lately lived in quiet case, An' ne'er wish'd to marry, O!

But when I saw my Peggy's face, I felt a sad quandary, O!

Though wild as ony Athol deer, She has trepann'd me fairly, O!

Her cherry cheeks an' een sae clear Torment me late an' early O!

O, love, love, love!

Love is like a dizziness; It winna let a poor body Gang about his biziness!

To tell my feats this single week Wad mak a daft-like diary, O!