IN winter, when the rain rain'd cauld, And frost and snaw on ilka hill, And Boreas wi' his blasts sae bauld Was threat'ning a' our kye to kill; Then Bell my wife, wha lo'es nae strife, She said to me richt hastilie, Get up, gudeman, save Crummie's life, And tak' your auld cleak about ye. My Crummie is a usefu' cow, ; And she is come of a good kin The sun shines frae the lift sae hie His trews they cost but half-a-croun, Sae tak' your auld cloak about ye. Ilk kind o' corn has its ain hool; As they are girded gallantlie, I'll hae a new cloak about me. Of lads and bonnie lasses ten; Bell my wife she lo'es nae strife, I aft maun yield, though I'm gudeman, And tak' my auld cloak about me. This is one of the most ancient Scottish songs extant. That it was known to Shakspeare in its English garb is evident from his having quoted the antepenultimate stanza in the second act of "Othello." The English version appears in Percy's "Reliques." It differs from the Scottish in some respects, but not materially; and Percy evidently inclines to admit that the Scottish is the original version. Scottish version appears to have been first published in a complete form by Allan Ramsay, in the "Tea-Table Miscellany." The WIDOW, ARE YE WAUKIN? ALLAN RAMSAY. From the "Tea-Table Miscellany." "O widow, wilt thou let me in? “Daft carle, ye may dicht your mouth; Or gentle-born ye be, bot youth, "Then, widow, let these guineas speak, That powerfully plead clinkan; "These court indeed, I maun confess; HOW, WANTON WIDOW! "How, wanton widow, Are ye waukin yet?" Quoth the widow to the man, "I maun think awhile; Ye hae spoken o'er rash, For me first to tell; But if ye be kindly, We yet may agree.” Quoth the man to the widow, This song, somewhat similar in character to the one preceding, has been recovered from tradition, and preserved in the manuscript copy of the ancient songs of the north of Scotland collected by the late Peter Buchan. JOCKEY FOU, JENNY FAIN. From the "Tea-Table Miscellany," 1724. Air-"Jockey fou." JOCKEY fou, Jenny fain, Jenny was na ill to gain ; She was couthie, he was kind, And thus the wooer tell'd his mind: Jenny, I'll nae mair be nice, Gi'e me love at ony price; I winna prig for red or white- N Others seek they kenna what, Let love sparkle in her ee, Colours mingled unco fine, Until my fancy first approve. Allan Ramsay inserted this song in his "Miscellany "with the signature Q, to signify that it was old, with additions by himself. The air is also very ancient. |