Traditional Scottish Songs
- 'Twas Within a Mile o' Edinburgh Town
Unlike a number of ballads about the unsuccessful wooing of a young lass, this song by Thomas d'Urfey reaches a successful conclusion! The tune to which it is sung is by James Hook.
'Twas Within a Mile o' Edinburgh Town
'Twas within a mile o' Edinburgh town,
In the rosy time of the year;
Sweet flowers bloom'd and the grass was down,
And each shepherd woo'd his dear -
Bonnie Jockie, blythe and gay,
Kiss'd sweet Jenny making hay;
The lassie blush'd and frowning cried,
"Na, na, it winna dae; I canna, canna, winna, winna, mauna buckle tae!"Young Jockie was a wag, that never wadded,
Though lang he had follow'd the lass,
Contented she earn'd and ate her brown bread,
And merrily turned up the grass -
Bonnie Jockie, blythe and free,
Won her heart right merrily;
Yet still she blush'd and frowning cried,
"Na, na, it winna dae; I canna, canna, winna, winna, mauna buckle tae!"But when he vow'd he wad make her his bride,
Though his flocks and herds were not few,
She gie'd him her hand and a kiss beside,
And vow'd she'd forever be true -
Bonnie Jockie, blythe and free,
Won her heart right merrily;
At kirk sh no more frowning cried,
"Na, na, it winna dae; I canna, canna, winna, winna, mauna buckle tae!"Meaning of unusual words:
winna dae=will not do
mauna=must not
wadded=married
Where else would you like to go in Scotland?
