The Bonny LASS of Branksome.
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AS I came in by Tiviot side
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and by the braes of Branksome
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There met I with a pretty Lass,
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that was both neat and handsome:
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If that her mother say me nay
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then with the Daughter will I play,
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Whether that she will or nay
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have at the bonny Lassie
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Dame gar fill to us more Beer
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for lo here is more Money
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And for our reckoning do not fear
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so long as we have any.
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Gar fill the Cup gar fill the Can
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Here is a Health to our Good-Man,
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We shall be merry e'er we gang
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have at the bonny Lassie.
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I dream'd before it came to pass
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that I would find her willing,
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But yet I knew not what she was,
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though she and I were Wooing,
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My Thought my Mind and mine Intent
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To seek that Lass was ready beat:
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At last by order we were sent;
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to quarter up at Branksome.
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Her hastily I did espy,
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though I was but a stranger,
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A Ribband about her Arm I did ty,
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and told her of her Danger.
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Sweet Heart I have sought many Place
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Yet never could I see thy Face,
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Take pity and relieve my Case,
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my pretty bonny Lassie.
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I need not to conceal my Name
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I'm Born within this Nation:
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Bred in great Honour Wealth and Fame
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and of high Estimation.
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Great Nobles were my Cousins near,
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And I a Noble Man of weir
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Therfore be Merry and make good Chear
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my pretty bonny Lassie.
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Then did she say my only joy,
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I will give you Contentment,
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If you will be my Venus Boy:
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and give me no Affrontment.
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credit me and all my Kin,
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If I your Love and Favour win,
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My happiness shall then begin
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when you my Fancy pleasure.
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My Father and Mother will be glad,
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to you they have Relation;
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Because you are a bonny Lad,
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and well Born in this Nation-
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You shall dispose of half their Gear,
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And Money get to spend by Year,
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Both Meal and Malt Corn and Bear,
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for your sweet bonny Lassie.
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He says I court you not for Wealth
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for I have Gold and Money,
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But I had rather have thy self,
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for thou art neat and bonny:
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Sweet Heart I'le be content of you,
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if that they give me but a Cow,
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And I to you do make a Vow,
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to be thy Venus servant.
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It is not for thy Fathers Gear,
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nor for thy worldly Riches,
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That I am come a Suiter here,
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that we Two may be matches.
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For I may have a Lady fair,
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Whose Friends would gladly give me Gear
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She hath Five Hundred Merks a Year
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beside my just Proportion.
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The Lass with smileing Lips then said
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this is a true Narration,
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That many a gallant lusty Lad,
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to me bears such Relation:
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Yea many an able pretty Man
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Would gladly give to me their Hand,
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And bow and be at my Command,
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but fortune now doth cross them.
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Now well's me of my pretty Lass,
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that has so soon consented,
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I was but short while in that Place,
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while she grew loving hearted.
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My gallant proper handsom Dove,
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That was not strange and ill to Woo,
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But presently did yield and bow,
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and granted me my asking:
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Sweet Sir I could not say you hay,
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you are so well accounted,
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My Maidenhead bad me give way,
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when I saw you so mounted,
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With Horse and harness, Spear and Shield
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And Venus caused me to yield,
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'Mongst all my Woers I you weild,
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because you were so Gentle.
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There's many Suiters came to me
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before your Love began Sir,
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And bore me frequent Company,
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but they no Favour wan Sir,
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Now are they almost gone astray,
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With many shout and wall away,
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That ever they should have seen this Day
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and what you do unto them.
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I do Disdain no Gentleman
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that's Born within this Nation,
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For I'm a Woman of the same,
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and of high Estimation,
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My Mother says I am right sib
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To the House of Branksome being Rib
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You will be gallant Weft to Weft,
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i' justly put together.
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At length into the North I went
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to visit Friends and Father:
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When I came back, some Days being spent
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her Mother thought me braver.
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She to her Daughter says Go Down,
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Thy Lover now is come to Town,
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Be kind to him, and I a Gown,
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will give thee for thy Pains Jo,
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To go with him I will be glad
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or do him any pleasure.
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Let us first Wed then go to Bed,
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where it will wait his leasure
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Ye do me Wrong to bid me Hast,
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For I will Run as he me chast:
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When Shirt is clean and Cloaths unlac'd
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from Cold I'le strive to keep him.
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Her Mothers bidding she obey'd,
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and went into the Chamber;
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Where he discours'd with her and plaid
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without Noise or Clamour,
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He said, my Dove thou hast some Skill
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And bearest Company with Good will
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I wish I might remain here still,
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it's neither Cold nor Frosty:
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This is the Place which I do love:
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and is well kept in Order:
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And no Man this will disapprove,
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that lives in Southern border
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Where nothing is of Iron or Brass,
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Then freely will I let you pass,
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And hold you for a pretty Lass,
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for keeping all so cleanly.
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Your Uncle is no Friend to me,
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I have him at Envy:
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He said I laid my Love too high,
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before some Company.
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But what ado had he think ye;
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To meddle with my Love and me
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For Love is laid in each Degree
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have at the bonny Lassie.
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Sweet Sir I was once sore afraid
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you had delay'd your coming,
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Your tarrying made me sore afraid,
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I weary was with mourning.
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But now I neither tire nor irk,
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To bear you Compn'y in the Mirk,
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Then gar proclaim us in the Kirk,
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and we shall wed together.
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Each one said you would not return
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nor come into this Nation:
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Which daily made me for to mourn
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with grievous lamentation,
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But seeing you'r come back again
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Of your coming I'm right fain,
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And altogether free of Pain
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ye shall ly in my Bosom
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When ye into the Country came
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o then but ye were bonny,
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My Mother took you in her Arms,
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and said you were her honey,
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Then unto Hawick did we gang
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And of the Way we thought not Long,
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Of us composed was the Song
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My pretty bonny Lassie.
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