[A composite volume : containing The ballads and songs of Ayrshire ...

;
THE AYRSHIRE LADDIE.
Now, lads, gif thair's onie amang ye,
Wad fain juist upon me to caw,
Yese get me na ill to be courtit,
For fykefacks—I cuist thaim awa.
And gin ye soud want a bit wyfie,
Ye ken to what quarter to draw
And ein soud we na mak a bargain,
;
Yese, at leist, win a kissie or twa.
iSa to be marreit, &c.
The Editor of " The Book of Scottish Song" says— " This humorous
ditty was composed, about the year 1826 or 1827, by a young pi-obationer
of the Church of Scotland, a native of Ayrshire, who is now
settled as minister of a parish in Aberdeenshire." This statement
was correct, in so far, some years ago.
The author left the Establishment
at the disruption, and is, consequently, not now a parish minister.
He is still, however, settled in Aberdeenshire. The song first
appeared in a small weekly publication in Kilmarnock in 1827. It
was subsequently copied into Chambers's Edinburgh Journal, with
some account of the author. Latterly it appeared in The Booh of
Scottish Song. We now give it, considerably altered in language,
Dr A. Craufurd of Lochwinnoch haA^ng rendered it into more classical
Scots.
Wiit ^grsj^tu Hatitric.
My Jamie is a bonnie lad.
He often comes a comting ;
The sicht o' him aye maks me glad.
But oh, when we were sporting !
84