The Book of Scottish Song/Dainty Davie
Dainty Davie.
[The following song, which Burns sent to Thomson's collection, was merely an improvement and extension of a song which he had previously contributed to Johnson's Museum, called "The Gardener wi' his paidle." "Dainty Davie," says Allan Cunningham, "is the name of an old merry sang from which Burns has borrowed nothing save the title and the measure. It relates the adventure of David Williamson, a preacher of the days of the covenant: he was pursued by Dalzell's dragoons, and seeking a refuge in the house of Cherrytrees, the devout lady put the man of God into a bed beside her daughter, to hide him from the men of Belial. The return which the reverend gentleman made for this is set forth very graphically in the old verses. The young lady sings—
'Being pursued by a dragoon,
Within my bed he was laid down,
And weel I wat he was worth his room,
My douce, my dainty Davie!'"
"The tune of Dainty Davie," says Mr. Stenhouse, "is inserted in Playford's Dancing Master, first published in 1657. It is clear, therefore, that there was a song under this title, long before the well-known story about the Rev. David Williamson and the daughter of the laird of Cherrytrees."]
Now rosy May comes in wi' flowers,
To deck her gay green birken bowers,
And now come in my happy hours,
To wander wi' my Davie.
Meet me on the warlock knowe,
Dainty Davie, dainty Davie;
There I'll spend the day wi' you,
My ain dear dainty Davie.
The crystal waters round us fa',
The merry birds are lovers a',
The scented breezes round us blaw,
A-wandering wi' my Davie.
When purple morning starts the hare,
To steal upon her early fare,
Then through the dews I will repair,
To meet my faithfu' Davie.
When day, expiring in the west,
The curtain draws o' Nature's rest,
I'll flee to his arms I lo'e best,
And that's my dainty Davie.