Bonny Mally Stewart (1823)/Tak your auld cloak about ye

TAK YOUR AULD CLOAK ABOUT YE.

In winter when the rain rain'd cauld,
⁠And frost and snaw on ilka hill,
And Boreas wi' his blast sae bauld.
⁠Was threat'ning a' our kye to kill,
Then Bell my wife wha lo'es nae strife.
⁠She said to me right hastily,
Get up gudeman save Crummy's life,
⁠And tak your auld clock about ye.

My crummy is a useful cow
⁠And she is come of a guid kin;
Aft has she wet the bairn's mou',
⁠And I am laith that she should tine;
Get up gudeman it is full time,
⁠The sun shines in the lift sae hie,
Sloth never made a gracious end,
⁠Gae tak your auld cloak about ye.

My cloak was ance a gude gray cloak,
⁠When it was fitting for my wear;
But now its scarcely worth a groat,
⁠For I have worn it this thretty year,
Let's spend the gear that we hae won,
⁠We little ken the day we'll die;
Then I'll be proud, since I hae sworn,
⁠To have a new cloak about me.

In days when our king Robert rang.
⁠His trews they cost but half-a-crown
He said they were a groat o'er dear.
⁠And ca'd the tailor thief and lown,
He was the king that wore a crown,
⁠And thou a man of laigh degree;
'Tis pride puts a the country down,
⁠Sae tak your auld cloak about ye.

Every land has its ain laugh,
⁠Ilk kind of corn has it's ain hole;
I think the warld is a' run wrang,
⁠When ilka wife her man wad rule,
Do you not see Pab. Jack and Hab,
⁠How they are girded gallantly?
While I sit hurklin in the ase—
⁠I'll have a new cloak about me.

Gudeman I wat 'tis thretty years,
⁠Sin' we did ane anither ken;
And we have had, between us twa,
⁠Of lads and bonny lassies ten:
Now they are women grown and men,
⁠I wish and pray weel may they be,
And if you prove a good husband,
⁠E'en tak your auld cloak about ye.

Bell my wife, she lo'es nae strife;
⁠Bnt she wad guide me if she can;
And to maintain an easy life,
⁠I aft maun yield, tho' I’m gudeman,
Nought's to be won at woman's hand,
⁠Unless ye gie her a' the plea,
Then I'll leave aff where I began,
⁠And tak your auld cloak about ye.

FINIS.