The Gauger

There was a sailor brisk and neat
A bonnie lassie he did entreat
A bonnie lassie he did entreat
For to wed wi' him, a sailor.

"Oh", says the bonnie lassie,"but that won't do
For my mother she'd be in an awful stew
My mother she'd be in an awful stew
If I went and married a sailor."

"Then what contrivance can we make,
Or what contrivance can we take?
What contrivance can we make?
For to beguile your mammy?"

"Oh you'll cast off your trousers blue
And you'll on wi' the garb o' the gauger true
You'll on wi' the garb o' the gauger true
And you'll come tae oor town a gauger."

And when you come into our town
Blythe and merry come you in
Saying "Have you any malt or gin?
For here am I, the gauger".

He's cast off his claes of blue
And he's on wi' the garb o' the gauger true
He's on wi' the garb o' the gauger true
And he's come to the town as a gauger.

And when he came into their town
Blythe and merry went he in
Saying "Have you any malt or gin?
For here am I, the gauger".

"Oh", says the lassie, "come awa'
Maybe we have a cask or twa.
Maybe we have a cask or twa.
Gin ye be the new-come gauger."

Yes he's searched but and he's searched ben
He's searched out and he's searched in
But ne'er a drop o' the gin could he find
[The rhyme would be better with this line changed to "... could he find o' the gin"]
For he hadnae the wiles of a gauger.

"Come awa', lassie, and let me see
Where that cask o' gin may be
If I don't get the gin, lassie, I'll get thee
For the guiling o' the gauger."

"Oh", says the old wife, "and that's well done
For she's always ready with anyone
She's always ready with anyone
And most with the new-come gauger."

But long ere before a month was done
The gauger and the lass were one;
He's married her and off she's gone;
She's away wi' the roving sailor!