"And what brings the Laird at sic a like time?"
She put aff her apron, and on her silk gown,
Her mutch wi' red ribbons, and gaed awa' down.

And when she cam' ben, he bowed fu' low,
And what was his errand he soon let her know;
Amazed was the Laird when the lady said "Na;"
And wi' a laigh curtsie she turned awa'.

Dumbfounder'd he was, nae sigh did he gie;
He mounted his mare--he rade cannily;
And aften he thought, as he gaed through the glen,
She 's daft to refuse the Laird o' Cockpen.

And now that the Laird his exit had made,
Mistress Jean she reflected on what she had said;
"Oh! for ane I 'll get better, it 's waur I 'll get ten,
I was daft to refuse the Laird o' Cockpen."

Next time that the Laird and the Lady were seen,
They were gaun arm-in-arm to the kirk on the green;
Now she sits in the ha' like a weel-tappit hen,
But as yet there 's nae chickens appear'd at Cockpen.

[50] This humorous and highly popular song was composed by Lady Nairn
towards the close of the last century, in place of the older words
connected with the air, "When she came ben, she bobbit." The older
version, which is entitled "Cockpen," is exceptional on the score of
refinement, but was formerly sung on account of the excellence of the
air. It is generally believed to be a composition of the reign of
Charles II.; and the hero of the piece, "the Laird of Cockpen," is said
to have been the companion in arms and attached friend of his sovereign.
Of this personage an anecdote is recorded in some of the Collections.
Having been engaged with his countrymen at the battle of Worcester, in
the cause of Charles, he accompanied the unfortunate monarch to Holland,
and, forming one of the little court at the Hague, amused his royal
master by his humour, and especially by his skill in Scottish music. In
playing the tune, "Brose and Butter," he particularly excelled; it
became the favourite of the exiled monarch, and Cockpen had pleasure in
gratifying the royal wish, that he might be lulled to sleep at night,
and awakened in the morning by this enchanting air. At the Restoration,
Cockpen found that his estate had been confiscated for his attachment to
the king, and had the deep mortification to discover that he had
suffered on behalf of an ungrateful prince, who gave no response to his
many petitions and entreaties for the restoration of his possessions.
Visiting London, he