The Jolly Beggar
There was a jolly beggar, and a-begging he was boun1062,
And he took up his quarters in-to a land’art town1063,
And we’ll gang nae mair a roving
Sae late in-to the night;
And we’ll gang nae mair a roving, boys,
Let the moon shine ne’er so bright.
He wad neither ly in barn, nor yet wad he in byre;
But in ahint1064 the ha’ door, or else afore the fire.
And we’ll gang nae mair, &c.
The beggar’s bed was made at e’en wi’ good clean straw and hay,
And in ahint the ha’ door, and there the beggar lay.
And we’ll gang nae mair, &c.
Up raise the goodman’s dochter and for to bar the door,
And there she saw the beggar standin’ i’ the floor.
And we’ll gang nae mair, &c.
He took the lassie in his arms, and to the bed he ran,
O hooly1065, hooly wi’ me, sir, ye’ll waken our goodman.
And we’ll gang nae mair, &c.
The beggar was a cunnin’ loon, and ne’er a word he spake
Until he got his turn done, syne he began to crack1066.
And we’ll gang nae mair, &c.
“Is there ony dogs into this toun? maiden, tell me true.”
“And what wad ye do wi’ them, my hinny and my dow1067?”
And we’ll gang nae mair, &c.
“They’ll rive a’ my meal pocks, and do me meikle wrang.”1068
“O dool1069 for the doing o’t! are ye the poor man?”
And we’ll gang nae mair, &c.
Then she took up the meal pocks, and flang them o’er the wa’;
“The deil gae wi’ the meal pocks, my maidenhead, and a’!”
And we’ll gang nae mair, &c.
“I took ye for some gentleman, at least the laird of Brodie;
O dool for the doing o’t! are ye the poor bodie?”
And we’ll gang nae mair, &c.
He took the lassie in his arms, and gae her kisses three,
And four and twenty hunder merk1070 to pay the nurice-fee1071.
And we’ll gang nae mair, &c.
He took a horn frae his side, and blew baith loud and shrill,
And four and twenty belted knights came skipping o’er the hill.
And we’ll gang nae mair, &c.
And he took out his little knife, loot a’ his duddies1072 fa’;
And he was the brawest gentleman that was amang them a’.
And we’ll gang nae mair, &c.
The beggar was a cliver loon, and he lap shoulder height:
“O, ay for sicken1073 quarters as I gat yesternight!”
And we’ll gang nae mair, &c.