THE LAIRD O’ COCKPEN.[50]

    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 favour wi’ wooin’ was fashious to seek.

    Down by the dyke-side a lady did dwell,
    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.

    His wig was weel pouther’d, and as gude as new;
    His waistcoat was white, his coat it was blue;
    He put on a ring, a sword, and cock’d hat,
    And wha’ could refuse the Laird wi’ a’ that?

    He took the gray mare, and rade cannily—­
    And rapp’d at the yett o’ Claverse-ha’ Lee;
    “Gae tell Mistress Jean to come speedily ben,
    She ‘s wanted to speak to the Laird o’ Cockpen.”

    Mistress Jean 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.

    And when she cam’ ben, he bowed 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 turned awa’.

    Dumbfounder’d he was, nae sigh did he gie;
    He mounted his mare—­he rade cannily;
    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;
    “Oh! for ane I ’ll get better, it ’s waur I ’ll get ten,
    I was daft to refuse the Laird o’ Cockpen.”

    Next time that the Laird and the Lady were seen,
    They were gaun arm-in-arm to the kirk on the green;
    Now she sits in the ha’ like a weel-tappit hen,
    But as yet there ’s nae chickens appear’d at Cockpen.

[50] This humorous and highly popular song was composed by Lady Nairn towards the close of the last century, in place of the older words connected with the air, “When she came ben, she bobbit.”  The older version, which is entitled “Cockpen,” is exceptional on the score of refinement, but was formerly sung on account of the excellence of the air.  It is generally believed to be a composition of the reign of Charles II.; and the hero of the piece, “the Laird of Cockpen,” is said to have been the companion in arms and attached friend of his sovereign.  Of this personage an anecdote is recorded in some of the Collections.  Having been engaged with his countrymen at the battle of Worcester, in the cause of Charles, he accompanied the unfortunate monarch to Holland, and, forming one of the little court at the Hague, amused his royal master by his humour, and especially by his skill in Scottish music.