Alexander Ross
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Wooed and Married and A'
¶THE bride cam' out o' the byre,And O, as she dighted 1 her cheeks,'Sirs, I'm to be married the-night,And ha'e neither blankets nor sheets—Ha'e neither blankets nor sheets,Nor scarce a coverlet too;The bride that has a' thing to borrow,Has e'en right meikle 2 ado!'
¶Wooed and married and a'!Married and wooed and a'!And was she na very weel affThat was wooed and married and a'?
¶Out spake the bride's fatherAs he cam' in frae the pleugh,'O haud your tongue, my dochter,And ye'se 3 get gear 4 eneugh.The stirk 5 stands i' the tether,And our braw bawsint yade 6Will carry hame your corn:—What wad ye be at, ye jade?'
¶Out spake the bride's mither:'What, deil, needs a' this pride?I hadna a plack 7 in my pouchThat night I was a bride.My gown was linsey-wolsey,And ne'er a sark 8 ava;And ye ha'e ribbons and buskin's 9Mae 1 0 than ane or twa.'[568]Out spake the bride's britherAs he cam' in wi' the kye: 1 1'Puir Willie wad ne'er ha'e ta'en yeHad he kent ye as weel as I.For ye're baith proud and saucy,And no for a puir man's wife;Gin 1 21 canna get a betterI'se ne'er tak' ane i' my life I*