Woo'd And Married And A'
The bride came out of the byre,
And O as she dighted her cheeks!
Sirs, I’m to be married the night,
And has neither blankets, nor sheets,
Has neither blankets, nor sheets,
Nor scarce a coverlet too.
The bride that has a’thing to borrow,
Has e’en right mickle ado.
Woo’d and married and a’,
Woo’d and married and a’
And was nae she very weel aff,
That was woo’d and married and a’.
Out spake the bride’s father,
As he came in frae the plough,
O haud ye’re tongue, my doughter,
And ye’s get gear enough;
The sturk that stands i’ th’ tether,
And our bra’ basin’d yade
Will carry ye hame your corn;
What wad ye be at, ye jade?
Woo’d and married &c.
Out spake the bride’s mither,
What d_l needs a’ this pride!
I had nae a plack in my pouch
That night I was a bride;
My gown was linsy-woolsy,
And ne’er a sark ava;
And ye hae ribbons and buskins,
Mae than ane or twa.
Woo’d and married, &c.
What’s the matter, quo’ Willie,
Tho’ we be scant o’ claiths,
We’ll creep the nearer thegither,
And we’ll smore a’ the fleas;
Simmer is coming on,
And we’ll get teats of woo;
And we’ll het a lass o’ our ain,
And she’ll spin claiths anew.
Woo’d and married, &c.
Out spake the bride’s brither,
As he came in wi’ the kie,
Poor Willie had ne’er a tane ye,
Had he kent ye as well as I;
For you’re baith proud and saucy,
And nae for a poor man’s wife;
Gin I canna get a better,
I’se never tak ane i’ my life.
Woo’d and married, &c.
Out spake the bride’s sister,
As she came in frae the byre,
O gin I were but married!
It’s a’ that I desire:
But we poor folk maun live single,
And do the best we can;
I dinna care what I shou’d want,
If I cou’d get but a man.
Woo’d and married, &c.
This song, as it appeared in
The Scots Musical Museum
, Volume 1, of 1787,
was written by Alexander Ross (1699–1784),
the author of “The Rock And The Week Pickle Tow” and other songs.
There are many other versions.
William Stenhouse stated that even before Ross’ song there was an ancient one
which was very popular in the Border country and, also, with ballad singers.
Mrs Scott of Dumbartonshire wrote another version,
a rather lenghty one of eight verses, of which the chorus is:
Woo’d and married and a’
Married and woo’d and awa’,
The dandelie toast o’ the parish,
Is woo’d and carried awa’.
Mrs Grant of Laggan, an essayist and author of a few minor songs and poems,
wrote an English parody of “Woo’d And Married And A’”
and Joanna Baillie produced yet another version which begins:
The bride she is winsome and bonnie,
Her hair it is snooded sae sleek;
And faithful and kind is her Johnnie,
Yet fast fa’ the tears on her cheek.
New pearlings are cause o’ her sorrow –
New pearlings and plenishing too;
The bride that has a’ to borrow
Has e’en right muckle ado.
Woo’d and married, and a’;
Woo’d and married, and a’;
And is na she very weel aff,
To be woo’d, and married, and a’?
From “Scotland Dances”, by Eugenia (Jeannie) Callander Sharp
(Used by permission.)