Wit & humour > Gentle shepherd

The GENTLE SHEPHERD. 2*
M A U S E her lane.
Hard luck, alake! when poverty and eild,
Weeds out of faftiion, and a lanely bield :
Wi’ a fma* caft of wiles, (hould in a twitch,
G:’ ane the hatefu* name a wrinkled witch !
This fool imagines, at do mony fie,
That I’m a wretch in compact wi’ Auld Nic ;
Becaufe by education I was taught
To fpeak and aft aboon their common thought.
Their grofs millake lhall quickly now appear ;
Soon fhall they ken what brought, what keeps me here^
Nane kens but me ;—and if the morn were come
I’ll tell them tales will gar them a’ fing dumb.
Exit.
SCENE IV.
Behind a tree, upon the plain,
¥ ate and his P t G G v met;
In love, without a viciousJlain,
The bonny lafs and chearfu? fwain.
Change vows and kijfcs fvuset.
PAT IE and P E G G T.
Peg. Patie, let me gang, I mauna ftay,
V-/ We’re baith cry’d bame, and Jenny (he's
away.
Pat. I’m laith to part fae foon ; now we’re alane,
And Roger he’s awa wi’ Jenny gane :
And he’s awa wi’ Jenny gane :
There as content, for ought I hear or fee,
.To be alane themfeves, I judge, as we.
Here, where primrofes thickelt paint the green,
Hard by this little burnie let us lean.
Hark how the lav’rocks chant aboon our heads !
“How faft the weftlin winds foOgh liiro’ the reeds !
Peg. The feented meadows, birds, andhealthy breeze.
For ought I ken, may mair than Peggy plt'afe.
Pat. Ye wrang me fair, to doubt my being kind ;
In fpeaking fae, ye ca’ me dull and blind;
Gif I could fancy ought fae fweet or fair
As my dear Meg, or worthy of my care.