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.