The Book of Scottish Song/The Breist-knots

The Breist-knots.

[This is an abridged version of a long song which appears in the third volume of Johnson's Museum, in the broad Buchan dialect, by an anonymous correspondent. Breist-knots formed at one time an important ornament of female attire. Mr. Sinclair, the well-known vocalist, was instrumental in bringing the present version of the song into public repute.]

Hey the bonnie, how the bonnie,
Hey the bonnie breist-knots!
Tight and bonnie were they a',
When they got on their breist-knots.

There was a bridal in this town,
And till't the lasses a' were boun',
Wi' mankie facings on their gowns,
And some o' them had breist-knots.

At nine o'clock the lads convene,
Some clad in blue, some clad in green,
Wi' glancin' buckles in their shoon,
And flowers upon their waistcoats.

Forth cam' the wives a' wi' a phrase,
And wished the lassie happy days;
And meikle thocht they o' her claes,
And 'specially the briest-knots.

---