AN war ye at Duntocher burn ?[1]
An did ye see them a, man ?
An how's my wifie an the bairns ?
I hae been lang awa, man.
This hedger [2] wark's a weary trade,
It doesna suit ava man ;
Wi lanely house an lanely bed
My comforts are but sma, man.
An how's wee Sandy, Pate, an Tam ?
Sit doun an tak your blaw, man ;
Fey, lassie, rin, fetch in a dram,
Tae treat my frien, John Lamon ;
For ilka plack ye've gien tae mine,
Your callans shall get twa, man ;
O were my heels as licht's my heart,
I sune wad see them a, man.
My blessing on her kindly heart,
She likes tae see me braw, man ;
She's darnt my hose, an bleacht my sarks
As white's the driven snaw, man.
An ere the win's o Martinmas
Sough thro the scroggie shaw, man,
I'll lift my weel hain't penny fee,
An gang an see them a, man.
Note by Ramsay.—“This is one of the pieces of which only the first stanza was understood to have been preserved. The remainder of the above, however, has fortunately been recovered from a letter to King, 9th May, 1809, in which the Author says— ‘The above is written on a real occurrence, which fell under my observation, but I doubt the subject is not well suited for a song ; therefore I am the more anxious to have your mind on it,—not in that loose, vague way, which goes for little or nothing, but in I have shown you a pattern in my last.’ ”
[1] Is situated in Old or West Kilpatrick Parish, Dumbartonshire. Flax and cotton spinning was commenced in Duntocher in the year 1807, and shortly thereafter Mr. William Dunn purchased the Duntocher Mill, about 1808. Water was the driving power of machinery in those days, and streams with waterfalls were coveted sites for the erection of mills for the spinning of wool and cotton.—Ed. [return]
[2] The first stanza or fragment of this song, printed in the Harp of Renfrewshire, in 1819, contained the words “This hedger wark's,” and in Ramsay's edition, in 1838, it is printed—“That cotton wark's.” There is no way of testing which of the two is correct; but we think it must have been hedger work. At the time this song was printed, the north side of the Towing-path of the Glasgow, Paisley, and Johnstone Canal, was in the course of planting, with a thorn hedge; and several estates around Paisley were being planted with similar hedges. Tannahill has said the song is founded on fact, but to discover “John Lamon” from Duntocher burn will be a very difficult matter. It would seem John Lamon's friend, whether he had been a hedger or cotton-spinner, had been under the necessity of leaving Duntocher burn for work in another place, and had left his wife and children at Duntocher burn, for whom he was making affectionate enquiries at John Lamon.—Ed.[return]
[Semple 128]