Five Excellent New Songs (1783)/The Ladies Breast-Knots

The Ladies Breast-Knots.

There was a bridal in this town.
And till't the lasses a’ was boun’,
With mankie facings on their gown,
and some of them had breast-knots.

O the bonny, O the bonny,
O the bonny breast-knots!
Tight and bonny were they a’,
when they got on their breast-knots.

And there was mony lusty lad.
As ever handled grape and goad;
I wat their manhood well they show'd,
at rushing the breast-knots.
O the bonny, &c.

At nine o'clock they did conveen.
Some clad in blue, some clad in green,
Wi’ glancing buckles in their sheen,
and flowers upon their waistcoat.
O the bonuy, &c.

The bride by this time was right sain,
When that she saw sae light a train,
She pray’d the day might keep frae rain
for spoiling of their breast knots,
O the bonny, &c.

Forth came the wives a’ wi’ a phrase,
And wish’d the lass happy days,
And muckle made they of her clais,
and ’specially the breast knots.
O the bonny, &c.

Forth spake the mither, fain she saw,
The bride and maidens a’ sae bra’,
Wi’ cakling clouts black be their fa’
they have made a bonuy feast o’t.
O the bonny, &c.

Next down their breakfast it was set,
Some barely lippes of mil and meat,
It leiped them it was sae het,
as soon as they did taste o’t,
O the bonny, &c.

Till some srae them the spoons they threw,
And swore that they had burnt their mu’;
And some unto their cutty blew,
I wat their will they mist not.
O the bonny, &c.

When ilka ane had claw’d his plate,
The piper lad he looked blate,
Altho’ they laid that he should eat,
I true he lost the best o’t,
O the bonny, &c.

Syne forth they got a’ wi’ a loup,
O'er creels and a’ did coup,
The Piper said, wi’ them d—l scoup,
he d made a hungry feast o’t.
O the bonny, &c.

Syne off they got a’ wi’ a fling,
Each lass until her lad did hing
And a’ cry’d for a diff’rent spring.
the bride she sought the breast-knot.
O the bonny, &c.

Fan they ty’d up the marriage band,
At the bridegroom’s they neist did land
Forth came auld Madge wi’ her spilt mu,
and bread and cheese a fist o’t.
O the bonny, &c.

She took a quarter and a third,
On the bride’s head she gart a’gird.
Till sarle flew athort the eard,
and parted round the rest o’t
O the bonny, &c.

The lass that by the hand he took,
Twice, thrice, they led her round the crook
Some said, good-wife, well mate ye brook
and some great count they cast not.
O the bonny, &c.

All ran to killens and barns in banks,
Some sat on deals, and some on planks
The Piper lad stood on his shanks;
and dirled up the breast-knot.
O the bonny, &c.