We drank, and drew, and fill'd again,
O wow! but we were blyth and fain,
When ony had their count mistain:
O it was nice

To hear us a' cry, " Pike ye'r bain
"And spell ye'r dice."

Fou

throws them out: the number he cafts up points out the person that must drink; he who threw beginning at himself number one, and fo round till the number of the person agree with that of the dice (which may fall upon himself, if the number be within twelve); then he fets the dice to him, or bids him take them. He on whom they fall is obliged to drink, or pay a small forfeiture in money; then throws, and so on: but if he forgets to cry hy-jinks, he pays a forfeiture into the bank. Now he on whom it falls to drink, if there be any thing in bank worth drawing, gets all if he drinks; then with a great deal of caution he empties his cup, fweeps up the money, and orders the cup to be filled again, and then throws: for if he err in the articles, he lofes the privilege of drawing the money. The articles are, 1. drink; 2. draw; 3. fill; 4. cry hy-jinks; 5. count juft; 6. chufe your doublet-man; viz. when two equal numbers of the dice are thrown, the person whom you choose muft pay a double of the common forfeiture, and so muft you when the dice are in his hand. A rare project this! and no bubble I can affure you; for a covetous fellow may fave money, and get himself as drunk as he can defire in lefs than an hour's time.

* Is a cant phrafe: when one leaves a little in the cup, he is advised to "pick his bone," i. e. drink it clean out.

Fou clofs we us'd to drink and rant,

Until we baith did glow'r and gaunt,

And pish, and spew, and yesk, and maunt,
Right swash I true;

Then of auld ftories we did cant,
When we were fou.

When we were weary'd at the gowff,
Then Maggy Johnstoun's was our howff;
Now a' our gamesters may fit dowff,
Wi' hearts like lead;

Death wi' his rung rax'd her a yowff*,
And fae fhe died.

Maun we be forc'd thy skill to tine,
For which we will right fair repine?
Or haft thou left to bairns of thine
The pawky knack

Of brewing ale amaist like wine,
That gar'd us crack.

Sae brawly did a pease-scon toast
Biz i' the queff, and flie the froft † ;
There we got fou wi' little cost,

And muckle speed:

Now wae worth death! our sport 's a' loft,
Since Maggy's dead.

*Reached her a blow.

Or fright the froft or coldnefs out of it.

Ae

Ae fummer night I was fae fou,
Amang the riggs I gaed to spew;

Syne down on a green bawk, I trow,
I took a nap,

And foucht a night balillilow,
As found 's a tap.

And when the dawn begoud to glow,
I hirfl'd up my dizzy pow,

Frae 'mang the corn like wirrycow,
Wi' bains fae fair,

And ken'd nae mair than if a yow
How I came there.

Some faid it was the pith of broom
That she stow'd in her masking-loom,
Which in our heads rais'd fic a foom;
Or fome wild feed,

Which aft the chaping ftoup did toom,
But fill'd our head.

*The two following ftanzas are a true narrative :

On that flid place where I 'maift brake my bains,
To be a warning I fet up twa ftains,

That nane may venture there as I hae done,

Unless wi' frofted nails he clink'd his fhoon.

But

But now fince 'tis fae that we must
Not in the best ale put our trust,
But whan we 're auld return to duft
Without remead,

Why should we tak it in disgust
That Maggy's dead?

Of warldly comforts fhe was rife,
And liv'd a lang and hearty life,
Right free of care, or toil, or ftrife,
Till fhe was ftale,

And ken'd to be a kanny wife
At brewing ale.

Then farewell, Maggy, douce and fell,
Of brewers a' thou beur the bell ;
Let a' thy goffies yelp and yell,
And without feed,

Guess whether ye 're in heav'n or hell,
They 're fure ye 're dead.

EPITAPH.

◊ RARE MAGGY JOHNSTOUN!

I

AN ELEGY

ON JOHN COWPER*.

WARN ye a' to greet and drone; John Cowper 's dead-Ohon! Ohon! To fill his post alake there's none

That

* It is neceffary, for the illuftration of this elegy to ftrangers, to let them a little into the history of the kirktreasurer and his man. The treasurer is chosen every year, a citizen refpected for riches and honefty: he is vefted with an absolute power to seize and imprison the girls that are too impatient to have on their green gown before it be hemmed. Them he ftrictly examines, but no liberty is to be granted till a fair account be given of those persons they have obliged: it muft be fo: a lift is frequently given, fometimes of a dozen or thereby, of married or unmarried unfair traders, whom they fecretly affifted in running their goods: these his lordship makes pay to fome purpose, according to their ability, for the use of the poor. If the lads be obftreperous, the kirk-feffions, and worst of all, the ftool of repentance, are threatened, a punishment which few of any fpirit can bear. The treasurer, being changed every year, never comes to be perfectly acquainted with the affair; but their general fervant, continuing for a long time, is more expert at difcovering such persons, and the places of their refort, which makes him capable to do himself and cuftomers both a good or ill turn. John Cowper maintained this poft with activity, and good fuccefs, for feveral years.