But as reluctantly we Punish,

An rather, mildly would admonish:

Since Better Punishment prevented,

Than Obstinacy sair repented. –

Then, for that ancient Secret’s sake,

You have the honor to partake;

An for that noble Badge you wear,

You, Sandie Dow, our Brother dear,

We give you as a Man an Mason,

This private, sober, friendly lesson. –

Your Crime, a manly deed we view it,

As Man alone, can only do it;

But, in denial persevering,

Is to a Scoundrel’s name adhering.

The best o men, hae been surpris’d;

The best o women been advis’d:

Nay cleverest Lads hae haen a trick o’t,

An, bonniest Lasses taen a lick o’t. –

Then Brother Dow, if you’re asham’d

In such a Quorum to be nam’d,

Your conduct much is to be blam’d.

See, ev’n himsel – there’s godly Bryan,

That auld whatreck he has been tryin;

When such as he put to their han’,

What man on character need stan?

Then Brother dear, lift up your brow,

And, like yoursel, the truth avow;

Erect a dauntless face upon it,

An say, ‘I am the man has done it;

I Sandie Dow gat Meg wi wean,

An’s fit to do as much again.’

Ne’er mind their solemn rev’rend faces,

Had they – in proper times an places,

But seen an fun’ – I mukle dread it,

They just would done as you an we did.

To tell the truth’s a manly lesson,

An doubly proper in a Mason. –

You Monsieur Brown, as it is proven,

Jean Mitchel’s wame by you was hoven;

Without you by a quick repentance

Acknowledge Jean’s an your acquaintance,

Depend on’t, this shall be your sentence:

Our beadles to the Cross shall take you,

And there shall mither naked make you;

Some canie grip near by your middle,

They shall it bind as tight’s a fiddle;

The raep they round the pump shall tak

An tye your han’s behint your back;

Wi just an ell o string allow’d

To jink an hide you frae the croud:

There ye shall stan’, a legal seizure,

In during Jeanie Mitchel’s pleasure;

So be, her pleasure dinna pass

Seven turnings of a half-hour glass:

Nor shall it in her pleasure be

To louse you out in less than three. –

This, our futurum esse Decreet,

We mean it not to keep a secret;

But in our summons here insert it,

And whoso dares, may controvert it. –

This, mark’d before the date and place is,

Sigillum est, per,

Burns the Preses.

This Summons and the signet mark,

Extractum est, per,

Richmond, Clerk,

At Mauchline, idem date of June,

’Tween six and seven, the afternoon,

You twa, in propria personae,

Within design’d, Sandy and Johny,

This Summons legally have got,

As vide witness underwrote:

Within the house of John Dow, vinter,

Nunc facio hoc,

Gullelmus Hunter.

CA’ THE YOWES TO THE KNOWES

CHORUS

Ca’ the yowes to the knowes,

Ca’ them where the heather grows,

Ca’ them where the burnie rowes,