Anniversary Address, 



171 



F. Walker, J. Nicholson, W. and R. Weatherhead. After 

 breakfast, the Secretary made some remarks on the signifi- 

 cation of the word " Foulden," which, by reference to the 

 orthography in the early charters, appears to have been 

 named " Fugeldean," or the dean of birds. On enquiry being 

 made about the history of " Tibbie Fowler," whose classic 

 locality formed part of the day's programme, he quoted 

 some of the stanzas in which that over-attended damsel is 

 graphically commemorated ; and it was suggested that the 

 entire song should be inserted in our records*. It appeared 

 first in its present shape in " Johnson's Museum " in 1787, 

 but a fragment had been published previously in " Herd's 

 Collection" of 1776, and it is supposed to be of eighteenth 

 century origin. Mr. Robert Chambers, however, from find- 

 ing that a certain Isabella Fowler was married to a son of 

 Logan of Restalrig in the sixteenth century, concludes 

 thereby that it refers to her, and makes the song two 

 centuries older. After visiting and inspecting some old 

 tomb-stones in the burial-ground attached to Foulden 

 Church — which is celebrated as having been the meeting 

 place of the Commissioners sent by Queen Elizabeth to vin- 

 dicate the execution of Mary, — the party proceeded through 

 the beautiful grounds of Mr. Wilkie to the Whitadder, 

 which here runs between remarkably acclivitous banks, 

 rising from one-hundred-and-twenty to one-hundred-and- 



; TIBBIE FOWLER. 



Tibbie Fowler o' the Glen, 



There' s ower mony wooing at her ; 

 Wooin' at her, puin' at her, 



Courtin' her and canna get her. ; 

 Filthy elf, it' s for her pelf 



That a' the lads are wooin' at her. 



Ten cam' east and ten cam' west ; 



Ten cam' rowin' ower the water ; 

 Two cam' doon the lang dyke-side : 



There' s twa-and- thirty wooin' at her 



There's seven but, and seven ben, 

 Seven in the pantry wi' her ; 



Twenty head about the door : 



There' s ane-and-f orty wooin' at her. 



She's got pendles in her lugs, 

 Cockle shells wad set her better ! 



High-heeled shoon and siller tags : 

 And a' the lads are wooin' at her. 



Be a lassie e'er sae black, 



Gin she hae the name o' siller, 



Set her up on Tintock Tap, 



The wind will blaw a man till her. 



Be a lassie e'er sae fair, 



An' she want the penny siller, 

 A flee may fell her i' the air 



Before a man be even' d till her.' 

 W 



