In winter, when the rain rain'd cauld, And Boreas wi' his blasts sae bauld Was threat'nin' a' our kye to kill; Then Bell my wife, wha lo'es nae strife, My Crummie is a usefu' cow, And I am laith that she should tyne : Get up, gudeman, it is fu' time, The sun shines frae the lift sae hie; Sloth never made a gracious end,— Gae, tak' your auld cloak about ye. My cloak was ance a gude grey cloak, When it was fitting for my wear; But now it's scantly worth a groat, For I hae worn't this thretty year: Let's spend the gear that we hae won, We little ken the day we'll dee; Then I'll be proud, since I hae sworn To hae a new cloak about me. In days when our king Robert rang, His trews they cost but half-a-croun, He said they were a groat ower dear, And ca'd the tailor thief and loon. He was the king that wore the croun, And thou the man of laigh degree: It's pride puts a' the country doun, Sae tak' your auld cloak about ye. Ilka land has its ain lauch, Ilk kind o' corn has its ain hool; I think the warld has a' gane wrang, When ilka wife her man wad rule. Do ye no see Rob, Jock, and Hab, As they are girded gallantlie, While I sit huyklin i' the asse ?— I'll hae a new cloak about me. Gudeman, I wat it's thretty year 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 ante-penultimate 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. The Scottish version appears to have been first published in a complete form by Allan Ramsay, in the " Tea-Table Miscellany." WIDOW, ARE YE WAUKIN? ALLAN RAMSAY. From the "Tea-Table Miscellany." "Он, wha's that at my chamber-door?" "O widow, wilt thou let me in? Or gentle-born ye be, bot youth, In love you're but a gawky." "Then, widow, let these guineas speak, "These court indeed, I maun confess; 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 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; |