The Laird o Roslin's dochter walked through the woods her lane
And met wi Captain Wedderburn, a servant tae the King.
Says he untae his servin man, "Were't nae against the law
I'd tak her tae my ain bed and lay her at the waa."
"I'm walking here my lane," she said, "amang my faither's trees
And you maun let me walk my lane, kind sir, now if you please.
The supper bell it will be rung, and I'll be missed awa
So I'll no lie intae yer bed at either stock or waa."
Says he, "My bonnie lady, I pray gie me yer hand
And you'll hae drums and trumpets always at your command
And fifty men tae guard ye wi, that weel their swords can draw,
So we'll baith lie in ae bed, and ye'll lie at the waa."
"Oh haud awa fae me, kind sir, I pray let go my hand.
The supper bell it will be rung, I maun nae langer stand.
My faither will nae supper tak if I am missed awa
So I'll no lie intae yer bed at either stock or waa."
"My name is Captain Wedderburn, my name I'll ne'er deny
And I command ten thousand men upon yon mountain high.
If yer faither and his men were here, o them I'd stand nae awe
But I'd tak ye tae my ain bed, and lay ye at the waa."
Then he lap off his milk-white steed and set the lady on
And aa the way he gae'd on fute and held her by the hand.
He held her by the middle jimp for fear that she would faa
Sayin, "I'll tak ye tae my ain bed, and lay ye at the waa."
He's ta'en her tae his lodgin-hoose, the landlady looked ben
Sayin, "Mony's a pretty lady in Edinburgh I've seen,
But sicna bonnie lady is nae intae it at aa
So mak for her a fine down bed and lay her at the waa."
"Oh haud awa fae me, kind sir, I pray ye lat me be
For I'll no lie intae yer bed till I get dishes three.
It's dishes three ye maun dress me, gin I should eat them aa
Afore I'll lie intae yer bed at either stock or waa.
"For my supper I maun hae a chicken withoot a bane,
An for my supper I maun hae a cherry withoot a stane,
An for my supper I maun hae a bird withoot a gaw
Afore I'll lie intae yer bed at either stock or waa."
"When the chicken's in the shell, I'm shair it has nae bane,
And when the cherry's in the bloom, I wat it has nae stane.
The doo she is a genty bird, and flees withoot a gaw,
So we'll baith lie in ae bed, and ye'll be at the waa."
"Oh haud awa fae me, kind sir, I pray ye gie me ower
For I'll no lie intae yer bed till I get presents fower.
It's presents fower ye maun gie me, and that is twa an twa
Afore I'll lie intae yer bed at either stock or waa.
"I maun hae some winter fruit that in December grew,
And I maun hae a silken goon that waft gaed never through,
A sparrow's horn, a priest unborn this nicht tae jine us twa
Afore I'll lie intae yer bed at either stock or waa."
"My faither has some winter fruit that in December grew,
My mither has a silken goon that waft gaed never through.
A sparrow's horn ye sune would fund - there's ane on ilka claw
An twa upon the gavel sit, and ye shall hae them aa.
"The priest he stauns withoot the yett just ready tae come in,
Nae man can say that he was born, nae man unless he sin,
For he was hale cut frae his mither's side and fae the same lat faa,
So we'll baith lie in ae bed, and ye'll lie at the waa."
Oh little did that lady think that morning whan she rase
That this was for tae be the last o aa her maiden days,
But noo there's no within the realm tae be found a blyther twa
For noo she's Mistress Wedderburn, and she lies at the waa.
The bird withoot a gaw is the dove, because according to Medieval bestiaries, it had no gall bladder, hence no bile, hence its gentleness.
In a box-bed, the stock is "The outer edge ... the wooden rail at the front over which one climbs into bed ..." (The Scottish National Dictionary, s.v. stock n1 sense 4 http://www.dsl.ac.uk/dsl/). Capt. Wedderburn is offering the lady the more comfortable, less draughty, position against the wall.
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