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| THE LAIRD o’ Cockpen he ’s proud and he ’s great, | |
| His mind is ta’en up with the things o’ the state; | |
| He wanted a wife his braw house to keep, | |
| But favor wi’ wooin’ was fashious to seek. | |
| |
| Doun by the dyke-side a lady did dwell, | 5 |
| At his table-head he thought she ’d look well; | |
| M’Clish’s ae daughter o’ Claverse-ha’ Lee, | |
| A penniless lass wi’ a lang pedigree. | |
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| His wig was weel pouthered, and guid as when new; | |
| His waistcoat was white, his coat it was blue; | 10 |
| He put on a ring, a sword, and cocked hat,— | |
| And wha could refuse the Laird wi’ a’ that? | |
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| He took the gray mare, and rade cannilie,— | |
| And rapped at the yett o’ Claverse-ha’ Lee; | |
| “Gae tell Mistress Jean to come speedily ben: | 15 |
| She ’s wanted to speak wi’ the Laird o’ Cockpen.” | |
| |
| Mistress Jean she was makin’ the elder-flower wine; | |
| “And what brings the Laird at sic a like time?” | |
| She put aff her apron, and on her silk gown, | |
| Her mutch wi’ red ribbons, and gaed awa’ down. | 20 |
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| And when she cam’ ben, he boued fu’ low, | |
| And what was his errand he soon let her know. | |
| Amazed was the Laird when the lady said, Na, | |
| And wi’ a laigh curtsie she turnèd awa’. | |
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| Dumfoundered he was, but nae sigh did he gi’e; | 25 |
| He mounted his mare, and rade cannilie, | |
| And aften he thought, as he gaed through the glen, | |
| “She ’s daft to refuse the Laird o’ Cockpen.” | |
| |
| And now that the Laird his exit had made, | |
| Mistress Jean she reflected on what she had said; | 30 |
| “O, for ane I ’ll get better, it ’s waur I ’ll get ten; | |
| I was daft to refuse the Laird o’ Cockpen.” | |
| |
| Neist time that the Laird and the lady were seen, | |
| They were gaun arm and arm to the kirk on the green; | |
| Now she sits in the ha’ like a weel-tappit hen, | 35 |
| But as yet there ’s nae chickens appeared at Cockpen. | |
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