The Mavis (1819, Falkirk)/Patie's Wedding

As Patie come up frae the glen,
drivin’ his wedders before him,
He met bonny Meg ganging hame,
her beauty was like for to ſmore him.
O dinna you ken, bonny Meg,
that you and I’s gaun to be marry’d?
I rather had broken my leg
before ſae a bargain miſcarry’d.

Na Patie— O wha’s tell’d you that?
I think that of new they’ve been ſcanty,
That I ſhould be married ſae ſoon,
or yet ſhould ha’e been ſae ſlantly;
I winna be married the year.
ſuppoſe I were courted by twenty:
Sae Patie, ye need nae mair ſpear,
for weel a wat I dinna want ye.

Now Maggie, what maks ye ſae ſweer?
is’t cauſe that I hinna a maillin?
The lad that has plenty o’ gear.
need ne’er want a heifer or a hail ane;
​My dad has a good grey mare,
and yours has twa cows and a filly,
And that will be pleaty o’ gear;
ſae Maggie be na ſae ill-willy.

Indeed Patie, I dinna ken,
but firſt ye maun fpeir at my daddy,
You’re as weel born as Ben,
and I canna ſay but I’m ready:
There’s plenty of yarn in clues.
To make me a coat and a jimpy,
And plaiden enough to be traws,
Gif ye get it, I ſhanna ſcrimp ye.

Now fair fa’ ye, my bonny Meg,
l’ſe let a wee ſmacky ſa’ on you;
May my neek be as lang as my leg,
if I be an ill huſband unto you,
Sae gang your way hame (illegible text)ow.
make ready ’gain this day fifteen days,
And tell your father the news,
that I’ll be his ſon in great kindneſs.

It was na lang after that,
wha cam’ to our bigging but Patie?
Weel dreſt in a braw new coat.
and wow but he thought himſelf pretty!
His bonnet was little frae new
in it was a loop and a (illegible text)y,
To tie in a ribbon fae blue
to bab at the neck of his coaty.

​Then Patie came in wi’ a ſtend,
Said, Peace be here to the bigging.
You’re welcome, quo’ William, come ben,
Or I wiſh it may rive to the rigging.
Now draw in your ſeat and ſit down,
and tell’s a’ your news in hurry,
And haſte ye Meg and be down,
and hing on the pap wi’ the berry.

Quoth Patie, my news is nae thrang,
yeſtreen I was wi’ his honour;
I’ve ta’en three rigs of braw land,
and ha’e bound myſell under a bonour:
And now my errand to you
is for Meggy to help me to labour;
I think you maun gie a the beſt cow,
becauſe that our ⟨biddin’s⟩ but ſober.

Well, now for to help you through,
I’ll be at the coſt of the bridal,
I’ſe cut the craig of the ewe
that had amaiſt died of the ſide-ill,
And that’ll be plenty o’ bree,
fae lang as our well is nae reiſted,
To all our good neighbours and we,
and I think we’ll no be ill-feaſted.

Quoth Patie, O that’ll do weel,
and I’ll gi’e you broſe in the morning,
O’ kail that was made yeſtreen,
for I like them beſt in the forenoon.
​Sae Tam the piper did play,
and ilka ane danc’d that was willing,
And a’ the lave they ranked through,
and they held the ſtoupy ay filling.

The auld wives ſat and they chew’d.
and when that the carles grew nappy,
They danc’d as weel as they dow’d.
wi’ a crack o’ their thumbs and a kappie.
The lad that were the white band,
I think they ca’d Jamie Mather,
And he took the bride by the hand,
and cry’d to play up Maggy Lauder.