Vicar of Bray/The Way for to Woo

THE WAY FOR TO WOO.

"Come tell me, my bonny sweet lassie,
O tell me the way for to woo:
Come tell me, my bonny sweet lassie,
O tell me the way for to woo.
Say maun I rouse your red checks like the mor-
ning,

Lips like the rose when moisten'd with dew;
Say maun, rouse your son’s pauky scorning,
Come tell me dear lassie, the way for to woo:

Sae far ha’e wander'd dear lassie;
To see thee I have sail'd the sea;
I’ve travelled over moorlands and mountains,
And, houseless, rain could on the lea:
I never yet try'd for to make love to ony,
Never lov'd ony ti ance loved you;

Now were alane in the greenwood ae bonny;
Come tell me dear lassie, the way for to woo.

"What care for your wanderings, laddie.
Or yet for your sailing the sea;
It was nae for nought ye of Peggy,
My tocher it brought you to me.
But say have e got goud for to busk me ay gaudy,
With ribbons, and pearls, and breast-knots anew,
A house that is canty, wi' plenishing plenty,
Without them ye needna come here for to woo”

"I haena got goud for to busk you ay gaudy,
Wi’ ribbons, and pearls, & breast-knots anew;
I brag nae o’ my house, nor my plenty;
But still I’ve a heart that is true.
I carena for tocher, I ne'er heard o’ ony,
Never lov’d Peggy, nor yet brack my vow;
Poor fool! I ha’e wander’d for a fause floe sae bonny,
I little thought this was the way for to woo."

Yet sae as yo’ve rous'd my red chooka like the morning,
And praised my cherry red mou,
Ye have come over the seas, and moorlands, and mountains
What mair Johnny need ye to woo.
An' far ha’e ye wander’d, I ken my dear laddie,
Now ye have fand me, there's nae cause for me;
Wi’ health: we’ll have plenty, I never gang gandy,
I wish for nae mair than a heart that is true."

She hid her fair face in his bosom,
The tears stood in each lovers e'e,

They sat on the banks of the bonnie,
While the mavis sag sweet on the tree,
He kiss'd her, and press'd her and call'd her his honey
He look'd in her face, with a heart real and true,
While oft times she sign'd, and she said "Och dear Johnny,
Nane needs to tell thee the way for to woo."