The Book of Scottish Song/Corn Rigs

Corn Rigs.

[This is one of "Peggy's" songs in Ramsay's "Gentle Shepherd." There were older words than Ramsay's to the tune of "Corn Rigs," the chorus of which was—

"O, corn rigs, and rye rigs.
And corn rigs are bonnie.
And gin ye meet a bonnie lass,
Prin up her cockemony."

Gay selected the tune for one of his songs in the opera entitled "Polly," printed in 1729.]

My Patie is a lover gay;
His mind is never muddy;
His breath is sweeter than new hay;
His face is fair and ruddy.
His shape is handsome middle size;
He's stately in his walking;
The shining of his een surprise;
'Tis heaven to hear him talking.

Last night I met him on a bauk,
Where yellow corn was growins;
There mony a kindly word he spake,
That set my heart a-glowing.
He kiss'd, and vow'd he wad be mine,
And lo'ed me best of ony;
That gars me like to sing sinsyne,
O corn-rigs are bonny.

Let maidens of a silly mind
Refuse what maist they're wanting;
Since we for yielding are design'd,
We chastely should be granting.
Then I'll comply and mairy Pate;
And syne my cockernony
He's free to touzle air or late,
When corn-rigs are bonny.

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