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his elbows were supple as an eel, ⟨and⟩ his fingers dabbed at the jigging ⟨end⟩ like a hungry hen picking barley: ⟨I⟩ seldom or ever saw him drunk, ⟨and⟩ keep him from whisky, or whisky ⟨from⟩ him; except that night he trysted ⟨the⟩ free-stone pair of breeches from Joseph the mason: and now, my ⟨dear⟩ Beyssy, he's got them, he's got them for a free-stane covers his body, hold him down, and will do; and now, no (illegible text) my dainty thing, match for matrimony, come tak me now or tell me now I'm in danger, I'll wait nae langer; say be clever, either now or never, it (illegible text) a rapture of love which does me move. I'll have a wife, or by my life, if she should be blind and cripple; I'll se(illegible text) my wind for her meat and sun, the like ne'er gaed down her thrapple so now Bessy I love you, my love lies upon you; and if you love me not again, some ill chance come upon you as I am flyting free, I am both in love and banter, or may your rumpl rust for me; I have sworn it by my chanter.
FINIS.
