The Mavis (1819, Falkirk)/The Bonny Lad

I’ll ſing of my lover all night and all day,
He’s ever good-natur’d, and frolic, and gay;
His voice is as ſweet as the nightingale’s lay,
And well on his bagpipe my ſhepherd can play.
And a bonny young lad is my Jocky,
And a bonny young lad is my Jocky.

He ſays that he loves me, I’m witty and fair,
And praiſes my eyes, my lips, and my hair;
Roſe, violet, nor lily, with me can compare:
If this be to flatter, ’tis pretty, I ſwear.
And a bonny. &c.

He kneel’d at my feet, and with many a ſigh,
He cry’d, O my dear, will you never comply?
If you mean to deſtroy me, why do it, I’ll die,
I trembled all over and anſwer’d, Not I.
And a bonny, &c.

​Around the tall Mary-pale be dances ſo neat,
And ſonnets of love the dear boy can repeat:
He’s conſtant, he’s valiant, he’s wiſe and diſcreet,
His looks are ſo kind and his kiſſes ſo ſweet.
And a bonny, &c.

At eve’, when the ſun ſinks repos’d in the weſt,
And Mary’s tuneful choriſt all ſkim to their neſt,
When I meet on the green the man I love beſt,
My heart is juſt ready to burſt in my breaſt.
And a bonny, &c.

But ſee how the meadows are moiſten’d with dew,
Then come, my dear ſhepherd, I wait but for you;
Let us live for each other both conſtant and true,
And taſte the ſweet raptures no monarch e’er knew.
And a bonny young lad is my Jocky,
And a bonny young lad is my Jocky.