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 Canto III. ON THE GREEN. 17

They drank a' night, e'en tho' Auld Nick Shou'd tempt their wives to ſcald 184 Them for't neiſt day.

Was ne'er in Scotland heard and ſeen Sic banqueting and drinkin, Sic reveling and battles keen, Sic dancing, and fic jinkin, 188 And unco wark that fell at e'en When laſſes were haſſ winkin, They loſt their feet and baith their een, And maiden-heads gaed lipkin 192 Aff a' that day.

CANTO III.

Now frae eaſt nook of Fife the dawn Speel'd weſtlins up the lift, Carles who heard the cock had crawn, Begoud to tax an rift: 4 And greedy wives, wi girning thrawn, Cry'a laſſes up to thrift: Dogs barked, and the lads frae hand Bang'd to their breeks like drift, 8 By break of day.

But ſome who had been fou yeſtreen, Sic as the Letter-gae,

Curious to know how may bridal folks would look next day after the marriage, I attempted this third Canto, which opens with a deſcription of the morning. Then the friends come and preſent their gifts to the new married couple. A view is taken of one girl (Kirſh) who bad come fairly off and of Mauſe, who had ſtumbled with the laird. Next a new ſcene of drinking is repreſented, and the young goodman is creel'd. Then the cha- racter of the ill-natured Shrew is drawn, which leads in the de- ſcription of riding the fang. Next Maggy Murdy has an exam- plary character of a good wife wife. Deep drinking and blood- leſs quarrels, make an end of an old-tale. 1. Eaſt nook of Fife.) Where day muſt break upon my com- pany; if, as I have obſerved, the ſcene' is at Leſly church.