From The Local Historian's Table Book, of Remarkable Occurences ..., Volume 2 by M. A. Richardson (Newcastle-upon-Tyne: M. A. Richardson, 1844), page 329:

THE BAILLIE OF BERWICK;
or,
THERE WAS AN OLD MAN CAME OVER THE LEA.

An Old North Country Song.

Communicated by J. H. Dixon, Esq.

This curious and humourous song is from a copy taken down some years since, from the singing of Mrs. Mason, an elderly lady, with whom I resided when a boy, at Gaw-Flatt, near Skipton in Craven, and who died about two years ago, an octogenarian. She was the widow of a clergyman, and the respectability of her character, and the pleasant situation of the little farm house where she resided, induced many to place their children under her roof. The old farm house is now numbered with the things that were, and its scite occupied by a gentleman's seat. A year ago I passed the spot, and changed as it was, there was still enough remaining, to call to my remembrance "the solitary grange," the boys, the long winter nights, and the tales, the legends, the nursery rhymes, and the old songs of Mrs. Mason. In many of our ancient ditties, there are passages which in these times, are not "quite the thing !" Whenever these occurred, the good old person would alter the verse, but the alteration would be sure to be made in so unpoetical a manner, as to induce the boys to supply the hiatus, and give the true reading ! This would please her amazingly; she would remove her spectacles, laugh heartily and say "But you know, young gentlemen, I did not say so!"

A garbled version is to be found, in a rather scarce work called "The Sky Lark," published in London at the close of the last century, and where it is called a "Scotch song, sung at Ranelagh." Version is the proper term to apply to the four-verse song in the Sky Lark, for it cannot be called a copy, being in a different metre to the following, which I have no doubt, is the original. A version is also to be found in "The Robin," a work published in London, in the year 1749, and commencing thus:—

"The auld carle cam o'er the croft
Wi' his beard new shaven."

The air to which Mrs. Mason gave it, is an English tune of a simple nature, but original, exceedingly characteristic, and stamped with undoubted antiquity. I have sometimes thought that this witty and quaint song suggested to Burns, the idea of his "Duncan Grey," and his "Last night a braw woer." Could this be proved, it would enhance its value, and render its publication in the Table Book doubly interesting.

THERE was an old man came over the lea,
    Heigho! but I wont have him—
        Came over the lea
        A-courtin to me,
Wi' his old grey beard just newly shaven.*  [* Pronounced 'shavven'

My mother bid me go ask him his name,
    Heigho! but I wont have him—
        Ballie Greig was his name,
        And from Berwick he came,
Wi' his old grey beard just newly shaven.

My mother bid me go ask him to stay,
    Heigho! but I wont have him—
        I asked him to stay,
        But I wished him away,
Wi' his old grey beard just newly shaven.

My mother bid me go fetch him a stool,
    Heigho! but I wont have him—
        I fetched him a stool,
        And he sat like a fool,
Wi' his old grey beard just newly shaven.

My mother bid me go fetch him a chair,
    Heigho! but I wont have him—
        I fetched him a chair,
        And he did girn and stare,
Wi' his old grey beard just newly shaven.

My mother bid me go spread him the cloth,
    Heigho! but I wont have him—
        I spread him the cloth
        And he kissed me—the Goth !
Wi' his old grey beard just newly shaven.

My mother bid me go fetch him some pie,
    Heigho! but I wont have him—
        I fetched him some pie,
        And he cut it awrye,
Wi' his old grey beard just newly shaven.

My mother bid me go fetch him some tart,
    Heigho! but I wont have him—
        I fetched him some tart,
        * * * * * * [Ellipsis in the original]
Wi' his old grey beard just newly shaven.

My mother bid me go fetch him some bread,
    Heigho! but I wont have him—
        I fetched him some bread,
        And he waggled his head,
Wi' his old grey beard just newly shaven.

My mother bid me go draw him some ale,
    Heigho! but I wont have him—
        I drew him some ale,
        And he supped like a whale,
Wi' his old grey beard just newly shaven.

My mother bid me go get him a light,
    Heigho! but I wont have him—
        I got him a light,
        But he could not walk straight,
Wi' his old grey beard just newly shaven.

My mother bid me go shew him to bed,
    Heigho! but I wont have him—
        I shewed him to bed,
        And he asked me to wed,
Wi' his old grey beard just newly shaven.

My mother tells me he has plenty of brass,
    Heigho! but I wont have him—
        Old Nick take his brass,
        I will neer be his lass,
Wi' his old grey beard just newly shaven.