James Maidment found a version of "Cauld Kail of Aberdeen" in a manuscript in the Advocates Library in Edinburgh and published it in 'Ane Pleasant Garland', 1835, and it was reprinted from that in J. S. Farmer's 'Merry Songs and Ballads'. The manuscript (now NLS MS Adv. 19.1.13) is a collection of sheets from many sources bound together, and it's not posible to put a precise date on much in it. Some pieces are of the 17th century, and near the end are some printed broadside sheets, one of which is as late as 1756. The handwritten contents seem to me to range from c 1680 - 1730.

David Herd gave a version of the song in his 'Scots Songs', 1776, II, p. 205, which differs slightly from the MS copy. There is a longer (purified and padded) version in 'Scots Musical Museum', II, #162, where the tune first appeared. There isn't a version in the original 1799 edition of 'The Merry Muses of Caledonian', but a version under the title "The Reels of Bogie" appeared in the c 1827 edition.

[A few of my readings in the MS copy, as given below, differ from Maidment's, but usually agree with Herd's text.] [Dancing, like 'kissing', is a common euphemism; Dancing- Reel of Bogie, Reel of Stumpy, the Dirry-dan, the Shaking of the Sheets.]

The Cald kail of Aberdene
Is warming at Strathbogie
I fear twile tine the heat oer soon
and ne'er fall up the Bogie
The Lasses about Bogingicht
There Leems they are baith dear tight
And if they are but girded right
They'll dance the Reell of Bogie

Wow Aberdeen what did ye mean
sae young a Lass to woo man
I'm leer to take her it is nae mows
Tat e'er it be to you man
But Women now are nae sae blate
But they ken auld Folks out of date
And better play things they can get
Than Castocks in Strabogie.

[There are a few other songs from this MS on my website. There is more than one tune called "The Reel of Bogie", but the only one I have doesn't fit this song.]