At The Maybole Fair

Chorus: A’ body that wis there, gathered at the Maybole Fair,

Saw the young Burnes and Agnes, as they began their love affair.

1. At the Maybole market fair it was the highlight o’ the year,
   Young men old men womenfolks, and bairnies gathered there,
   There wis noise and there wis laughter, and sometimes a tear or twa,
   At the Maybole Fair young Agnes, stole her William’s heart awa’

2. Though her years were younger than her man, she didnae gie a jot,
   Will Nelson he had broke her heart, he wis a richt bad lot,
   He had taen her heart, deceived her, and left her feelin’ sma’
   But at the Maybole Fair young Agnes stole her William’s heart awa’

3. He wis wise beyond his years, and a man o’ fair few words,
   Said the lilt of her sweet voice, wis like a bonny singing bird,
   He asked her if she’d be his wife, and bide wi him in Allowa’
   Cos at the Maybole Fair young Agnes stole her William’s heart awa’

4. Afore the year wis oot they’d tae’en their vows doon at the Kirk,
   But William had ambitions, wanted farms that he could work,
   At Allowa’ he laboured hard, until his hands were raw,
   For at the Maybole Fair young Agnes stole her William’s heart awa’

5. Twa years had since passed by, and they baith worked hard and lang,
   She milked the kye tae mak her cheese, as she sang her favourite sangs
   But William had ambition, tae mak things better for them a’
   For at the Maybole Fair young Agnes stole her William’s heart awa’

6. As a gardener he did tie himself, tae Provost Ferguson’s estate,
   Worked every hour that God would send, frae early until late,
   Tae build a home, nae jist a hoose, tae keep his Agnes braw,
   For at the Maybole Fair young Agnes stole her William’s heart awa’

7. In the year o’ seventeen fifty – nine, their union it was blessed,
   Wi’ a bairn born in a cotter hoose, there wis still nae time tae rest,
   On the 25t h of Januar, wi’ the wind blawin, through the sna,
   At the Maybole Fair young Agnes stole her William’s heart awa’

8. William was a loyal husband, good and strong and wise,
   And on the 26thJanuar, the minister he baptised
   The bairn that they ca’d Robert who tae’en baith their hearts awa’
   Like the Maybole Fair where Agnes stole her William’s heart awa’

   9. The wind blew loud and it blew hard against yon gable wa’, Despite his careful biggin, the gable it did fa’
   For safety Agnes and the bairn, he whisked them baith awa’ Like the Maybole Fair when Agnes stole her William’s heart awa’

10. Now he biggit stanes, repaired the hoose, he worked sae lang and hard,
Tae rebuild his hoose wherein they cared, for the bairn wha wid be Bard,
In years tae come old Edimburgh toon, would whisk his son awa’
Like the Maybole Fair when Agnes stole her William’s heart awa’

11.The years wid pass, his ferms he’d work, wi honest toil and sweat,
His Agnes she wid bear him, six mair bonnie bairnies yet,
Mount Oliphant and Lochlie, they damned near sapped his life awa’
Unlike the Maybole Fair where Agnes stole her William’s heart awa’

12.Frae sic humble poor beginnings, the ploughman poet came to be,
Lauded and respected, by the high society,
And through his ain short life, he had his ain heart stole awa’
Like the Maybole Fair where Agnes stole her William’s heart awa’

13.So wir tale now told is at a close, and the story is weel kent,
As William lay on his deathbed, Agnes saw a hard life spent
Wi’ his family gaithered roond him, he’d worked hard tae raise them a’
Since the Maybole Fair where Agnes stole her William’s heart awa’

14.I wonder whit the story, could hae been away back then,
If William he had stayed at hame, back up here in the Mearns,
If the Bard came frae Kincardineshire would that hae no been braw,
But at the Maybole Fair young Agnes, stole her William’s heart awa’

Chorus: A’ body that wis there, gathered at the Maybole Fair, Saw the young Burnes and Agnes, as they began their love affair.

Ramsay © 15th September 2009 Amended © 23r d January 2010

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