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

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I HAD A HOESE AND I HAD NAE MAIR.
I wrote a letter, and thus began,
Madame, be not offended,
I'm o'er the lugs in love wi' you.
And care not tho' ye kend it
For I get little frae the laird,
And far less frae my daddy,
And I would blythely be the man
Would strive to please my lady.
She read my letter, and she leugh
Ye needna been sae blate, man.
Ye might ha'e come to me yoursel',
And tauld me o' your state, man
You might ha'e come to me yoursel'
Outwitten o' ony body,
And made John Gowkston o' the laird,
And kiss'd his bonnie lady.
Then she put siller in my purse,
We drank wine in a cogie
She fee'd a man to rub my horse.
And wow but I was vogie.
But I gat ne'er sae sair a fleg.
Since I cam' frae my daddy.
The laird cam', rap, rap, to the yett,
When I was wi' his lady.
Then she pat me below a chair,
And happ'd me wi' a plaidie ;
But I was like to swarf wi' fear,
And wish'd me wi' my daddy.
The laird gaed out, he saw na me,
I gaed when I was ready
I promised, but I ne'er ga'ed back.
To kiss his bonnie lady.
This is
one of the very best specimens of the comic muse of Scotland.
34 m