I saw they were resolvèd a’

On my oppression.

[The person to whom this poem is addressed was Thomas Walker, a tailor resident at Pool, near the village of Ochiltree. He was rather an eccentric character, and could string rhymes together fluently. Here is a sample taken from Tom's own MS. collection :

"Had I a night o' thee or twa,

An' guid tobacco for to blaw,
Atho' it was baith frost and

snaw,
I wadna weary;

The crack thou could sae brawly ca',

An' keep me cheery.

Or could we meet some Mauchline Fair

I sometimes tak a bottle there

Thou'd be as welcome to a share

As thou could'st be;

Wae worth the purse that wadna spare

A drink to thee !]

INDEX TO FIRST LINES.

A guid new year I wish thee, Maggie:

PAGE

160

258

256

56

223
134

8

226

6

As I was a-wand'ring ae morning in spring

9

As Mailie an' her lambs thegither

31

As Tam the chapman on a day

55

Auld neibor,-I'm three times doubly o'er your debtor

108

Farewell, dear friend! may gude luck hit you
Farewell, old Scotia's bleak domains

250

Ha! whaur ye gaun, ye crowlin ferlie ?
He who of Rankine sang, lies stiff and dead
Her flowing locks, the raven's wing

Here Holy Willie's sair worn clay
Here lies Johnie Pigeon

I dream'd I lay where flowers were springing

I gat your letter, winsome Willie

I hold it, sir, my bounden duty

I lang hae thought, my youthfu' friend

I once was a maid

If ye gae up to yon hill-tap

I'm three times doubly o'er your debtor

103

In Mauchline there dwells six proper young belles
In Tarbolton, ye ken, there are proper young men

Is there a whim-inspired fool

It was upon a Lammas night

Kilmarnock wabsters, fidge and claw

261

36

179

Know thou, O stranger to the fame

262

Lament him, Mauchline husbands a'
Lament in rhyme, lament in prose
Let me ryke up to dight that tear
Let other heroes boast their scars

Let other poets raise a fracas

Long life, my lord, an' health be yours

My bonie lass, I work in brass

My father was a farmer upon the Carrick border

My girl she's airy, she's buxom and gay

My lov'd, my honor'd, much respected friend!

Nae gentle dames, tho' ne'er sae fair

PAGK

126

34

136

217

155

243

137

26

No churchman am I for to rail and to write

25

O Death, had'st thou but spar'd his life

O Gowdie, terror o' the whigs

O leave novels, ye Mauchline belles

O Mary, at thy window be

O Thou, the first, the greatest friend
O Thou unknown, Almighty cause
O Thou! whatever title suit thee
O Thou, who in the heavens does dwell

T

209

99

37

60

55
100

52

17

143

I

24
48

19

227

21

O ye wha are sae guid yoursel

O ye whose cheek the tear of pity stains

Of all the numerous ills that hurt our peace
On Cessnock banks a lassie dwells
Once fondly lov'd, and still remember'd dear
One night as I did wander

One Queen Artemisa, as old stories tell
Oppress'd with grief, oppress'd with care

Right, sir! your text I'll prove it true

204

43

42

13

266

97

55

230

270

The Catrine Woods were yellow seen
The man, in life wherever plac'd
The poor man weeps-here Gavin sleeps
The simple Bard, unbroke by rules of art
The sun had clos'd the winter day
The sun he is sunk in the west
The wintry west extends his blast
There's nought but care on every hand
There was a lad was born in Kyle
There was three Kings into the east
Tho' cruel fate should bid us part
Tho' women's minds, like winter winds

112

20

263

265

190

5

206

210

132

234

74