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Then James, wha had as good a guessOf what was in the house, as Bess,With pawky smile, this plea to end,To please himsel and ease his friend,First open'd, with a slee oration,His won'rous skill in conjuration.Said he, "By this fell art I'm ableTo whop aff any great man's tableWhate'er I like to make a mail of,Either in part, or yet the hail of,—And if ye please I'll shaw my art,—Cries Halbert, 'Faith with all my heart!'Bess fain'd herself,—cry'd, 'Lord be here!'And near hand fell a swoon for fear.James leugh, and bade her naithing dread,Syne to his conjuring went with speed:And first he draws a circle round,Then utters mony a magic soundOf words part Latin, Greek and Dutch,Enow to fright a very witch:That done, he says, 'Now, now 'tis come,And in the boal beside the lum;Now set the board; good wife gae ben,Bring frae yon boal a roasted hen'She wadna gang but Haby ventur'd;And soon as he the ambrie enter'd,It smell'd sae wiel he short time sought it,And won'ring, 'tween his hands he brought it.He view'd it round and thrice he smell'd it,Syne with a gentle touch he felt it.Thus ilka sense he did convene,Lest glamour had beguil'd his e'en;They all in an united body,Declar'd it a fine fat how towdy.'Nae mair about it," quoth the miller,'The fowl looks wiel, and we'll fa' till her.'Sae be't says James; and in a doup,They snapt her up baith stoup and roup.
