Part 137

But rarely seen since Nature’s birth, The natives of the sky; Yet still one seraph’s left on earth, For Jessie did not die.

O Lay Thy Loof In Mine, Lass

Chorus—O lay thy loof in mine, lass, In mine, lass, in mine, lass; And swear on thy white hand, lass, That thou wilt be my ain.

A slave to Love’s unbounded sway, He aft has wrought me meikle wae; But now he is my deadly fae, Unless thou be my ain. O lay thy loof, &c.

There’s mony a lass has broke my rest, That for a blink I hae lo’ed best; But thou art Queen within my breast, For ever to remain. O lay thy loof, &c.

A Health To Ane I Loe Dear

Chorus—Here’s a health to ane I loe dear, Here’s a health to ane I loe dear; Thou art sweet as the smile when fond lovers meet, And soft as their parting tear—Jessy.

Altho’ thou maun never be mine, Altho’ even hope is denied; ’Tis sweeter for thee despairing, Than ought in the world beside—Jessy. Here’s a health, &c.

I mourn thro’ the gay, gaudy day, As hopeless I muse on thy charms; But welcome the dream o’ sweet slumber, For then I am lockt in thine arms—Jessy. Here’s a health, &c.

I guess by the dear angel smile, I guess by the love-rolling e’e; But why urge the tender confession, ’Gainst Fortune’s fell, cruel decree?—Jessy. Here’s a health, &c.

O Wert Thou In The Cauld Blast

O wert thou in the cauld blast, On yonder lea, on yonder lea, My plaidie to the angry airt, I’d shelter thee, I’d shelter thee; Or did Misfortune’s bitter storms Around thee blaw, around thee blaw, Thy bield should be my bosom, To share it a’, to share it a’.

Or were I in the wildest waste, Sae black and bare, sae black and bare, The desert were a Paradise, If thou wert there, if thou wert there; Or were I Monarch o’ the globe, Wi’ thee to reign, wi’ thee to reign, The brightest jewel in my Crown Wad be my Queen, wad be my Queen.

Inscription To Miss Jessy Lewars

On a copy of the Scots Musical Museum, in four volumes, presented to her by Burns. ^1

Thine be the volumes, Jessy fair, And with them take the Poet’s prayer, That Fate may, in her fairest page, With ev’ry kindliest, best presage Of future bliss, enroll thy name: With native worth and spotless fame, And wakeful caution, still aware Of ill—but chief, Man’s felon snare;

All blameless joys on earth we find, And all the treasures of the mind— These be thy guardian and reward; So prays thy faithful friend, the Bard.

Dumfries, June 26, 1769.

Fairest Maid On Devon Banks

Tune—“Rothiemurchie.”

Chorus—Fairest maid on Devon banks, Crystal Devon, winding Devon, Wilt thou lay that frown aside, And smile as thou wert wont to do?

Full well thou know’st I love thee dear, Couldst thou to malice lend an ear! O did not Love exclaim: “Forbear, Nor use a faithful lover so.” Fairest maid, &c.

Then come, thou fairest of the fair, Those wonted smiles, O let me share; And by thy beauteous self I swear, No love but thine my heart shall know. Fairest maid, &c.

Glossary

A’, all. A-back, behind, away. Abiegh, aloof, off. Ablins, v. aiblins. Aboon, above up. Abread, abroad. Abreed, in breadth. Ae, one. Aff, off. Aff-hand, at once. Aff-loof, offhand. A-fiel, afield. Afore, before. Aft, oft. Aften, often. Agley, awry. Ahin, behind. Aiblins, perhaps. Aidle, foul water. Aik, oak. Aiken, oaken. Ain, own. Air, early. Airle, earnest money. Airn, iron. Airt, direction. Airt, to direct. Aith, oath. Aits, oats. Aiver, an old horse. Aizle, a cinder. A-jee, ajar; to one side. Alake, alas. Alane, alone. Alang, along. Amaist, almost. Amang, among. An, if. An’, and. Ance, once. Ane, one. Aneath, beneath. Anes, ones. Anither, another. Aqua-fontis, spring water. Aqua-vitae, whiskey. Arle, v. airle. Ase, ashes. Asklent, askew, askance. Aspar, aspread. Asteer, astir. A’thegither, altogether. Athort, athwart. Atweel, in truth. Atween, between. Aught, eight. Aught, possessed of. Aughten, eighteen. Aughtlins, at all. Auld, old. Auldfarran, auldfarrant, shrewd, old-fashioned, sagacious. Auld Reekie, Edinburgh. Auld-warld, old-world. Aumous, alms. Ava, at all. Awa, away. Awald, backways and doubled up. Awauk, awake. Awauken, awaken. Awe, owe. Awkart, awkward. Awnie, bearded. Ayont, beyond.

Ba’, a ball. Backet, bucket, box. Backit, backed. Backlins-comin, coming back. Back-yett, gate at the back. Bade, endured. Bade, asked. Baggie, stomach. Baig’nets, bayonets. Baillie, magistrate of a Scots burgh. Bainie, bony. Bairn, child. Bairntime, brood. Baith, both. Bakes, biscuits. Ballats, ballads. Balou, lullaby. Ban, swear. Ban’, band (of the Presbyterian clergyman). Bane, bone. Bang, an effort; a blow; a large number. Bang, to thump. Banie, v. bainie. Bannet, bonnet. Bannock, bonnock, a thick oatmeal cake. Bardie, dim. of bard. Barefit, barefooted. Barket, barked. Barley-brie, or bree, barley-brew-ale or whiskey. Barm, yeast. Barmie, yeasty. Barn-yard, stackyard. Bartie, the Devil. Bashing, abashing. Batch, a number. Batts, the botts; the colic. Bauckie-bird, the bat. Baudrons, Baudrans, the cat. Bauk, cross-beam. Bauk, v. bawk. Bauk-en’, beam-end. Bauld, bold. Bauldest, boldest. Bauldly, boldly. Baumy, balmy. Bawbee, a half-penny. Bawdrons, v. baudrons. Bawk, a field path. Baws’nt, white-streaked. Bear, barley. Beas’, beasts, vermin. Beastie, dim. of beast. Beck, a curtsy. Beet, feed, kindle. Beild, v. biel. Belang, belong. Beld, bald. Bellum, assault. Bellys, bellows. Belyve, by and by. Ben, a parlor (i.e., the inner apartment); into the parlor. Benmost, inmost. Be-north, to the northward of. Be-south, to the southward of. Bethankit, grace after meat. Beuk, a book: devil’s pictur’d beuks-playing-cards. Bicker, a wooden cup. Bicker, a short run. Bicker, to flow swiftly and with a slight noise. Bickerin, noisy contention. Bickering, hurrying. Bid, to ask, to wish, to offer. Bide, abide, endure. Biel, bield, a shelter; a sheltered spot. Biel, comfortable. Bien, comfortable. Bien, bienly, comfortably. Big, to build. Biggin, building. Bike, v. byke. Bill, the bull. Billie, fellow, comrade, brother. Bings, heaps. Birdie, dim. of bird; also maidens. Birk, the birch. Birken, birchen. Birkie, a fellow. Birr, force, vigor. Birring, whirring. Birses, bristles. Birth, berth. Bit, small (e.g., bit lassie). Bit, nick of time. Bitch-fou, completely drunk. Bizz, a flurry. Bizz, buzz. Bizzard, the buzzard. Bizzie, busy. Black-bonnet, the Presbyterian elder. Black-nebbit, black-beaked. Blad, v. blaud. Blae, blue, livid. Blastet, blastit, blasted. Blastie, a blasted (i.e., damned) creature; a little wretch. Blate, modest, bashful. Blather, bladder. Blaud, a large quantity. Blaud, to slap, pelt. Blaw, blow. Blaw, to brag. Blawing, blowing. Blawn, blown. Bleer, to blear. Bleer’t, bleared. Bleeze, blaze. Blellum, a babbler; a railer; a blusterer. Blether, blethers, nonsense. Blether, to talk nonsense. Bletherin’, talking nonsense. Blin’, blind. Blink, a glance, a moment. Blink, to glance, to shine. Blinkers, spies, oglers. Blinkin, smirking, leering. Blin’t, blinded. Blitter, the snipe. Blue-gown, the livery of the licensed beggar. Bluid, blood. Bluidy, bloody. Blume, to bloom. Bluntie, a stupid. Blypes, shreds. Bobbed, curtsied. Bocked, vomited. Boddle, a farthing. Bode, look for. Bodkin, tailor’s needle. Body, bodie, a person. Boggie, dim. of bog. Bogle, a bogie, a hobgoblin. Bole, a hole, or small recess in the wall. Bonie, bonnie, pretty, beautiful. Bonilie, prettily. Bonnock, v. Bannock. ’Boon, above. Boord, board, surface. Boord-en’, board-end. Boortress, elders. Boost, must needs. Boot, payment to the bargain. Bore, a chink, recess. Botch, an angry tumor. Bouk, a human trunk; bulk. Bountith, bounty. ’Bout, about. Bow-hough’d, bandy-thighed. Bow-kail, cabbage. Bow’t, bent. Brachens, ferns. Brae, the slope of a hill. Braid, broad. Broad-claith, broad-cloth. Braik, a harrow. Braing’t, plunged. Brak, broke. Brak’s, broke his. Brankie, gay, fine. Branks, a wooden curb, a bridle. Bran’y, brandy. Brash, short attack. Brats, small pieces, rags. Brats, small children. Brattle, a scamper. Brattle, noisy onset. Braw, handsome, fine, gaily dressed. Brawlie, finely, perfectly, heartily. Braxies, sheep that have died of braxie (a disease). Breastie, dim. of breast. Breastit, sprang forward. Brechan, ferns. Breeks, breeches. Breer, brier. Brent, brand. Brent, straight, steep (i.e., not sloping from baldness). Brie, v. barley-brie. Brief, writ. Brier, briar. Brig, bridge. Brisket, breast. Brither, brother. Brock, a badger. Brogue, a trick. Broo, soup, broth, water; liquid in which anything is cooked. Brooses, wedding races from the church to the home of the bride. Brose, a thick mixture of meal and warm water; also a synonym for porridge. Browster wives, ale wives. Brugh, a burgh. Brulzie, brulyie, a brawl. Brunstane, brimstone. Brunt, burned. Brust, burst. Buckie, dim. of buck; a smart younker. Buckle, a curl. Buckskin, Virginian: the buckskin kye, negroes. Budget, tinker’s bag of tools. Buff, to bang, to thump. Bughtin, folding. Buirdly, stalwart. Bum, the buttocks. Bum, to hum. Bum-clock, beetle, cockchafer, Junebug. Bummle, a drone, a useless fellow. Bunker, a seat. Bunters, harlots. Burdies, dim. of bird or burd (a lady); maidens. Bure, bore. Burn, a rivulet. Burnewin, the blacksmith (i.e., burn the wind). Burnie, dim. of burn, a rivulet. Burr-thistle, spear-thistle. Busk, to dress; to garb; to dress up; to adorn. Buss, a bush. Bussle, bustle. But, without. But, butt, in the kitchen (i.e., the outer apartment). By, past, aside. By, beside. By himsel, beside himself. Bye attour (i.e., by and attour), beside and at a distance. Byke, a bees’ nest; a hive; a swarm; a crowd. Byre, a cow-house.

Ca’, call, knock, drive. Cadger, a hawker (especially of fish). Cadie, caddie, a fellow. Caff, chaff. Caird, a tinker. Calf-ward, grazing plot for calves (i.e., churchyard). Callan, callant, a stripling. Caller, cool, refreshing. Callet, a trull. Cam, came. Canie, cannie, gentle, tractable, quiet, prudent, careful. Cankrie, crabbed. Canna, can not. Canniest, quietest. Cannilie, cannily, quietly, prudently, cautiously. Cantie, cheerful, lively, jolly, merry. Cantraip, magic, witching. Cants, merry stories, canters or sprees or merry doings. Cape-stanc, copestone. Capon-castrate. Care na by, do not care. Carl, carle, a man, an old man. Carl-hemp, male-hemp. Carlie, a manikin. Carlin, carline a middle-aged, or old, woman; a beldam, a witch. Carmagnole, a violent Jacobin. Cartes, playing-cards. Cartie, dim. of cart. Catch-the-plack, the hunt for money. Caudron, a caldron. Cauf, calf. Cauf-leather, calf-leather. Cauk, chalk. Cauld, cold. Cauldron, caldron. Caup, a wooden drinking vessel. Causey-cleaners, causeway-cleaners. Cavie, a hen-coop. Chamer, chaumer, chamber. Change-house, tavern. Chanter, bagpipes; the pipe of the bag-pipes which produces the melody; song. Chap, a fellow, a young fellow. Chap, to strike. Chapman, a pedler. Chaup, chap, a stroke, a blow. Chear, cheer. Chearfu’, cheerful. Chearless, cheerless. Cheary, cheery. Cheek-for-chow, cheek-by-jowl (i.e. close beside). Cheep, peep, squeak. Chiel, chield (i. e., child), a fellow, a young fellow. Chimla, chimney. Chittering, shivering. Chows, chews. Chuck, a hen, a dear. Chuckie, dim. of chuck, but usually signifies mother hen, an old dear. Chuffie, fat-faced. Chuse, to choose. Cit, the civet. Cit, a citizen, a merchant. Clachan, a small village about a church. Claeding, clothing. Claes, claise, clothes. Claith, cloth. Claithing, clothing. Clankie, a severe knock. Clap, the clapper of a mill. Clark, a clerk. Clark, clerkly, scholarly. Clarkit, clerked, wrote. Clarty, dirty. Clash, an idle tale; gossip. Clash, to tattle. Clatter, noise, tattle, talk, disputation, babble. Clatter, to make a noise by striking; to babble; to prattle. Claught, clutched, seized. Claughtin, clutching, grasping. Claut, a clutch, a handful. Claut, to scrape. Claver, clover. Clavers, gossip, nonsense. Claw, a scratch, a blow. Claw, to scratch, to strike. Clay-cauld, clay-cold. Claymore, a two-handed Highland sword. Cleckin, a brood. Cleed, to clothe. Cleek, to snatch. Cleekit, linked arms. Cleg, gadfly. Clink, a sharp stroke; jingle. Clink, money, coin. Clink, to chink. Clink, to rhyme. Clinkin, with a smart motion. Clinkum, clinkumbell, the beadle, the bellman. Clips, shears. Clish-ma-claver, gossip, taletelling; non-sense. Clockin-time, clucking- (i. e., hatching-) time. Cloot, the hoof. Clootie, cloots, hoofie, hoofs (a nickname of the Devil). Clour, a bump or swelling after a blow. Clout, a cloth, a patch. Clout, to patch. Clud, a cloud. Clunk, to make a hollow sound. Coble, a broad and flat boat. Cock, the mark (in curling). Cockie, dim. of cock (applied to an old man). Cocks, fellows, good fellows. Cod, a pillow. Coft, bought. Cog, a wooden drinking vessel, a porridge dish, a corn measure for horses. Coggie, dim. of cog, a little dish. Coil, Coila, Kyle (one of the ancient districts of Ayrshire). Collieshangie, a squabble. Cood, cud. Coof, v. cuif. Cookit, hid. Coor, cover. Cooser, a courser, a stallion. Coost (i. e., cast), looped, threw off, tossed, chucked. Cootie, a small pail. Cootie, leg-plumed. Corbies, ravens, crows. Core, corps. Corn mou, corn heap. Corn’t, fed with corn. Corse, corpse. Corss, cross. Cou’dna, couldna, couldn’t. Countra, country. Coup, to capsize. Couthie, couthy, loving, affable, cosy, comfortable. Cowe, to scare, to daunt. Cowe, to lop. Crack, tale; a chat; talk. Crack, to chat, to talk. Craft, croft. Craft-rig, croft-ridge. Craig, the throat. Craig, a crag. Craigie, dim. of craig, the throat. Craigy, craggy. Craik, the corn-crake, the land-rail. Crambo-clink, rhyme. Crambo-jingle, rhyming. Cran, the support for a pot or kettle. Crankous, fretful. Cranks, creakings. Cranreuch, hoar-frost. Crap, crop, top. Craw, crow. Creel, an osier basket. Creepie-chair, stool of repentance. Creeshie, greasy. Crocks, old ewes. Cronie, intimate friend. Crooded, cooed. Croods, coos. Croon, moan, low. Croon, to toll. Crooning, humming. Croose, crouse, cocksure, set, proud, cheerful. Crouchie, hunchbacked. Crousely, confidently. Crowdie, meal and cold water, meal and milk, porridge. Crowdie-time, porridge-time (i. e., breakfast-time). Crowlin, crawling. Crummie, a horned cow. Crummock, cummock, a cudgel, a crooked staff. Crump, crisp. Crunt, a blow. Cuddle, to fondle. Cuif, coof, a dolt, a ninny; a dastard. Cummock, v. crummock. Curch, a kerchief for the head. Curchie, a curtsy. Curler, one who plays at curling. Curmurring, commotion. Curpin, the crupper of a horse. Curple, the crupper (i. e., buttocks). Cushat, the wood pigeon. Custock, the pith of the colewort. Cutes, feet, ankles. Cutty, short. Cutty-stools, stools of repentance.

Dad, daddie, father. Daez’t, dazed. Daffin, larking, fun. Daft, mad, foolish. Dails, planks. Daimen icker, an odd ear of corn. Dam, pent-up water, urine. Damie, dim. of dame. Dang, pret. of ding. Danton, v. daunton. Darena, dare not. Darg, labor, task, a day’s work. Darklins, in the dark. Daud, a large piece. Daud, to pelt. Daunder, saunter. Daunton, to daunt. Daur, dare. Daurna, dare not. Daur’t, dared. Daut, dawte, to fondle. Daviely, spiritless. Daw, to dawn. Dawds, lumps. Dawtingly, prettily, caressingly. Dead, death. Dead-sweer, extremely reluctant. Deave, to deafen. Deil, devil. Deil-haet, nothing (Devil have it). Deil-ma-care, Devil may care. Deleeret, delirious, mad. Delvin, digging. Dern’d, hid. Descrive, to describe. Deuk, duck. Devel, a stunning blow. Diddle, to move quickly. Dight, to wipe. Dight, winnowed, sifted. Din, dun, muddy of complexion. Ding, to beat, to surpass. Dink, trim. Dinna, do not. Dirl, to vibrate, to ring. Diz’n, dizzen, dozen. Dochter, daughter. Doited, muddled, doting; stupid, bewildered. Donsie, vicious, bad-tempered; restive; testy. Dool, wo, sorrow. Doolfu’, doleful, woful. Dorty, pettish. Douce, douse, sedate, sober, prudent. Douce, doucely, dousely, sedately, prudently. Doudl’d, dandled. Dought (pret. of dow), could. Douked, ducked. Doup, the bottom. Doup-skelper, bottom-smacker. Dour-doure, stubborn, obstinate; cutting. Dow, dowe, am (is or are) able, can. Dow, a dove. Dowf, dowff, dull. Dowie, drooping, mournful. Dowilie, drooping. Downa, can not. Downa-do (can not do), lack of power. Doylt, stupid, stupefied. Doytin, doddering., Dozen’d, torpid. Dozin, torpid. Draigl’t, draggled. Drant, prosing. Drap, drop. Draunting, tedious. Dree, endure, suffer. Dreigh, v. dreight. Dribble, drizzle. Driddle, to toddle. Dreigh, tedious, dull. Droddum, the breech. Drone, part of the bagpipe. Droop-rumpl’t, short-rumped. Drouk, to wet, to drench. Droukit, wetted. Drouth, thirst. Drouthy, thirsty. Druken, drucken, drunken. Drumlie, muddy, turbid. Drummock, raw meal and cold water. Drunt, the huff. Dry, thirsty. Dub, puddle, slush. Duddie, ragged. Duddies, dim. of duds, rags. Duds, rags, clothes. Dung, v. dang. Dunted, throbbed, beat. Dunts, blows. Durk, dirk. Dusht, pushed or thrown down violently. Dwalling, dwelling. Dwalt, dwelt. Dyke, a fence (of stone or turf), a wall. Dyvor, a bankrupt.