The Book of Scottish Song/Jocky said to Jenny

Jocky said to Jenny.

[This was an old song even in Ramsay's days, as it was marked with a Z in the first volume of ia Miscellany. The title there given to it is "For the love of Jean," which must have some relation to another song to the same tune. "Jocky and Jenny," says Mr. Robert Chambers, "were names which, for a long period previous to the early part of the last century, acted as general titles for every Scottish pair in humble life. The male name, in particular, was then invariably used by the English as appropriate to the personified idea of a Scotsman—exactly as Sandy is used at the present day."]

Jocky said to Jenny, Jenny wilt thou wed?
Ne'er a fit, quo' Jenny, for my tocher-gude;
For my tocher-gude, I winna marry thee.
E'en 's ye like, quo' Johnnie; ye may let it be!

I ha'e gowd and gear; I ha'e land eneuch;
I ha'e seven good owsen gangin' in a pleuch;
Gangin' in a pleuch, and linkin' ower the lea:
And gin ye winna tak' me, I can let ye be.

I ha'e a gude ha' house, a barn, and a byre,
A stack afore the door; I'll mak' a rantin fire:
I'll mak' a rantin fire, and merry shall we be:
And, gin ye winna tak' me, I can let ye be.

Jenny said to Jocky, Gin ye winna tell,
Ye shall be the lad; I'll be the lass mysell:
Ye're a bonnie lad, and I'm a lassie free:
Ye're welcomer to tak' me than to let me be.

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