Lady Grisel Baillie[1665-1746]Werena My Heart Licht I Wad Dee
¶THERE ance was a may, 1 and she lo'ed na men;She biggit 2 her bonnie bow'r doun in yon glen;[399]But now she cries, Dool and well-a-day!Come doun the green gait 3 and come here away!
p. 399¶When bonnie young Johnnie cam owre 4 the sea,He said he saw naething sae lovely as me;He hecht 5 me baith rings and mony braw things—And werena my heart licht, I wad dee.
¶He had a wee titty 6 that lo'ed na me,Because I was twice as bonnie as she;She raised sic a pother 'twixt him and his motherThat werena my heart's licht, I wad dee.
¶The day it was set, and the bridal to be:The wife took a d w am 7 and lay doun to dee;She maned 8 and she graned 9 out o' dolour and pain,Till he vow'd he never wad see me again.
¶His kin was for ane of a higher degree,Said — What had he do wi' the likes of me ?A p pose 1 0 I was bonnie, I wasna for Johnnie—And werena my heart licht, I wad dee.
¶They said I had neither cow nor calf,Nor dribbles o' drink rins thro' the draff, 1 1Nor pickles 1 2 o' meal rins thro' the mill-e'e—And werena my heart licht, I wad dee.
¶His titty she was baith wylie and slee: 1 3She spied me as I cam owre the lea;And then she ran in and made a loud d in —Believe your ain e'en, an ye trow not me.
¶His bonnet stood ay fu' round on his brow,His auld ane look'd ay as well as some's new :But now he lets't wear ony gait it will hing,And casts himsel dowie 1 4 upon the corn bing. 1 5
¶And now he gaes daund'ring about the dykes, 1 6And a' he do w do is to hund the tykes: 1 7The live-lang nicht he ne'er steeks 1 8 his e'e—And werena my heart licht, I wad dee.[400]Were I but young for thee, as I hae been,We should hae been gallopin' doun in yon green,And linkin''' it owre the lily-white lea—And wow, gin I were but young for thee!