The Widows Rant, Or a Wedding-Song, upon Widow Jackson in Borthuicks-Closs.  Composed by one of her own SEXES. 

1.  
ALL ye Wives in this Town  
That's moved for your Men,  
And ye that puts on Mourning deep  
When they are dead for them;   

2.  
And cryeth O my dear  
Since thou art from me gone,  
To no Man else I'll Wedded be  
But live single alone.   

3.  
Detain yourselves from sobs,  
And barken to my call,  
I'll tell you of a chaste Widow  
The Honour of you all;   

4.  
It doth not much exceed  
A Month or five week's space,  
Since she put on her mourning Weed  
And fiegned her face;   

5.  
And so her Neighbour said,  
When she was Mourning sore,  
Ye are a Widow now indeed  
And woe is us therefore.   

6.  
Said she hold ye your peace  
And be not troubled sore,  
For though my man be freely dead;  
I am even as before;   

7.  
For when he was alive  
Although he lay me near,  
Nevertheless a Widow I  
Have been more than ten year.   

8.  
But Notwith standing she  
For him hath ta'en such care,  
That sleep and rest is freely gone  
From her both late and air.   

9  
For which she did complain  
Unro the Pastor then,  
Because that for her Husband's death  
She was grieved with pain.   

10.  
But yet her Neighbours dreads  
That she herself did fain,  
And says it was but Tamburlaine auld's Fleas  
That made her seek the Men.   

11.  
It's likewise said by some,  
That her Man's 'gan again,  
And others say that by his Grips  
They are sting to the Bayne.   

12.  
But whither it's because  
That she hath him forgot.  
That he is going through the Closs,  
This truly I know not.   

13.  
Or if it be because,  
That she hath her Bed Clothed,  
With courings, and with other things,  
Which he hath wholly loathed.   

14.  
Or if it be indeed,  
Because that she doth spend,  
The Money on Beads, Calls, and Rings,  
By which his Son should send.   

15.  
Or if in fine it be,  
That Ale raising their Brain,  
Makes them see three, where there is but two  
Determine if ye can.   

16.  
Nevertheless she hath  
A remedy procured,  
By which she may be freed from Fleas,  
And of their sting procured.   

17.  
By finding out a Man,  
That of such things had Skill,  
As killing Fleas, and healing stings,  
Which tempted her most ill.   

18.  
But as some one's doth Judge  
He plasters did apply,  
Before that he was Graduate,  
Fearing that she should die.   

19  
But least that ye should doubt  
Of whom I have thus Rhymed  
I'll tell you Name, and Surname both,  
That I may ease your mind.   

20.  
She is a Lusty Wife,  
and thinks herself no dross,  
Her Name's called Nansie Cruck shanks,  
She lives in Borthuicks-Closs.   
FINIS.