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.