Robert Burns (1759–1796). Poems and Songs.
The Harvard Classics. 1909–14.

525 . Song—Had I the wyte, she bade me

HAD I the wyte, had I the wyte,

Had I the wyte? she bade me;

She watch’d me by the hie-gate side,

And up the loan she shaw’d me.

And when I wadna venture in,

A coward loon she ca’d me:

Had Kirk an’ State been in the gate,

I’d lighted when she bade me.

Sae craftilie she took me ben,

And bade me mak nae clatter;

“For our ramgunshoch, glum gudeman

Is o’er ayont the water.”

Whae’er shall say I wanted grace,

When I did kiss and dawte her,

Let him be planted in my place,

Syne say, I was the fautor.

Could I for shame, could I for shame,

Could I for shame refus’d her;

And wadna manhood been to blame,

Had I unkindly used her!

He claw’d her wi’ the ripplin-kame,

And blae and bluidy bruis’d her;

When sic a husband was frae hame,

What wife but wad excus’d her!

I dighted aye her e’en sae blue,

An’ bann’d the cruel randy,

And weel I wat, her willin’ mou

Was sweet as sugar-candie.

At gloamin-shot, it was I wot,

I lighted on the Monday;

But I cam thro’ the Tyseday’s dew,

To wanton Willie’s brandy.