I had a horse (1820)/I had a horse

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I HAD A HORSE.

I Had a horse, and I had nae mair,
⁠I gat him frae my daddy,
My purse was light, and my heart was sair,
⁠But my wit it was fu' ready.
And sae I thought me on a time,
⁠Outwittens o' my daddy.
To see myself to a lawland laird,
⁠Wha had a bonny lady.

I wrote a letter, and thus began,
⁠"Madam, be not offended,
"I'm o'er the Iugs in love wi' you,
⁠"And carena though ye kend it;
"For I get little frae the laird,
⁠"and far less frae my daddy,
"And I would blithely be the man,
⁠"Wad strive to please my lady.

She read the letter, and she leugh,
⁠Ye needna been sae blate man,
You might hae come to me your el',
⁠And tald me o' your state man,
You might have come to me yoursel,
⁠Outwittens of ony body,
And made John Goukstone o' the laird,
⁠And kiss'd his bonny lady,

Then she put siller in my purse,
⁠We drank wine in a cegie
She see'd a man to rub mp horse,
⁠And wow but I was vogie.
But I gat ne'er sae sair a fleg,
⁠Since I came frae my daddy,
The laird came rap rap to the yet,
⁠When I was wi' his lady.

Then she pat me behind a chair
⁠And happ'd me wi' a plaidie,
But I was like to swarf with fear,
⁠And wish'd me wi' my daddy.
The laird gaed out he saw na me,
⁠I gaed when I was ready,
I promis'd but I ne'er gaed back,
⁠To see his bonny lady.