( 131 )
Hunter, a hearty willing brither,
Weel skilled in dead and livin' leather.
Without preamble, less or mair said,
We—body politic—aforesaid,
For sake o' them for whom and wherefore[1]
We are appointed here to care for,
Shall punish contravening truants,
At instance of our constituents,
And under proper regulation
Amend the lists of fornication.[2]
Whereas our fiscal, by petition,
Informs us there is strong suspicion
That Coachman Dow and Clockie Brown,
Baith residenters in this toun—
In ither words, you, Jock and Sandy,
Hae been at warks o' houghmagandie;
And noo when facts are brought tae light,
Thae facts ye baith deny outright.[3]
First, Clockie Brown, there's witness borne,
And affidavit made and sworn,
That ye hae wrought a hurly-burly,[4]
In Jeanie Mitchell's turlie-whurlie,
And graizl'd[5] at her regulator,
Till a' her wheels gang clitter-clatter;[6]
And, further still, you cruel Vandal—
A tale might e'en in hell be scandal—
That ye hae made repeated trials,[7]
Wi' drogs and draps in doctors' vials,
Mixed, as ye thought, in fell infusion,
Your ain begotten wean to poosion;
- ↑ With legal due whereas and wherefore.—Eg. Ver.
- ↑ There is a slight variation of this quartette in the Egerton Version.
- ↑ The matter ye deny outright.—Eg. Ver.
- ↑ That ye hae raised.—Eg. Ver. That ye hae bred.—Add. MS.
- ↑ "Bloostr'd" in some printed copies.
- ↑ This couplet is found in S. D.'s version alone.
- ↑ Ye've made repeated wicked trials.—Eg. Ver.
