The Book of Scottish Song/When John and me

by Robert Tannahill

For other versions of this work, see When John and me were married.

When John and me.

[Tannahill.—Air, "Clean pease strae."]

When John and me were married,
Our hadding was but sma',
For my minnie, canker'd carline,
Wad gi'e us nocht ava.
I wair't my fee wi' cannie care,
As far as it wad gae;
But, weel I wat, our bridal bed
Was clean pease strae.

Wi' working late and early,
We're come to what you see;
For fortune thrave aneath our hands,
Sae eydent aye were we.
The lowe o' love made labour light;
I'm sure you'll find it sae,
When kind ye cuddle down at e'en
'Mang clean pease strae.

The rose blooms gay on cairny brae
As weel's in birken shaw,
And love will live in cottage low,
As weel's in lofty ha'.
Sae, lassie, take the lad ye like,
Whate'er your minnie say,
Though ye should mak' your bridal bed
O' clean pease strae.

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