Edited by WE Henley and TF Henderson With Etching
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Transcript of Edited by WE Henley and TF Henderson With Etching
Edited by
W. E. HENLEY AND T . F. HENDERSON
With E tching: byW I L L I A M H OLE , R . S. A .
”r. c. A ND E. C. JA CK
C A U S E WAY S I D E
C ONT EN T S
YOUNG PEGGY
BONIE DUNDEE
TO THE WEAVER’
s GIN YE GO
WHISTLE AN’
I’
DL COME To YOU, MY LAD
I’
M O’
ER YOUNG To MARRY YET
THE BIRKS OF ABERFELDIE
M‘PHERSON
’
S FAREWELL
MY HIGHLAND LASSIE, O
THO’
CRUEL FATE
STAY MY CHARMER
STRATHALLAN’
S LAMENT
MY HOGGIE
JUMPIN JOHN
UP IN THE MORNING EARLY
THE YOUNG HIGHLAND ROVER
THE DUSTY MILLER‘
I DREAM’
D I LAY
DUNCAN DAVISON
THENIEL MENZIES’ BONIE MARY
LADY ONLIE,HONEST LUCKY
THE BANKS OF THE DEVON
DUNCAN GRAY (FIRST SET)
CON TE N TS
THE PLOUGHMAN
LANDLADY, COUNT THE LAWIN
RAVING WINDS AROUND HER BLOWING
HOW LANG AND DREARY IS THE NIGHT
MUSING ON THE ROARING OCEAN
BLYTHE WAS SHE
To DAUNTON ME
O’
ER THE WATER TO CHARLIE
A ROSE-BUD,BY MY EARLY WALK
AND I’
LL KISS THEE YET
RATTLIN, ROARIN WILLIE
WHERE,BRAVING ANGRY WINTER’ S STORMS
O TIBBIE, I HAE SEEN THE DAY
CLARINDA, MISTRESS OF MY SOUL
THE WINTER IT Is PAST
I LOVE MY LOVE IN SECRET
SWEET TIBBIE DUNBAR
H IGHLAND HARRY
THE TAILOR FELL THRo’
THE BED
AY WAUKIN o
BEWARE O’
BONIE ANN
LADDIE, LIE NEAR ME
THE GARD’
NER WI'
H IS PAIDLE
ON A BANK OF FLOWERS
THE DAY RETURNS
MY LOVE,SHE
’
S BUT A LASSIE YET
JAMIE, COME TRY METHE SILVER TASSIETHE LAZY MIST
CO N TE N TS
THE CAPTAIN ’
S LADY
OF A’
THE AIRTS
CARL, AN THE KING COME
WHISTLE O’
ER THE LAVE o’
T
o, WERE I ON PARNASSUS H ILL
THE CAPTIVE RIBBAND
THERE ’
S A YOUTH IN TH IS CITY
MY HEART ’
s IN THE H IGHLANDS
JOHN ANDERSON MY JO
AWA, WH IGS, AWA
CA’
THE YOWES To THE KNOWES (FIRST SET)0, MERRY HAE I BEEN
A MOTHER’S LAMENT
THE WHITE COCKADE
THE BRAES O ’
BALLOCHMYLE
THE BANTIN DOG, THE DADDIE O’
T
THOU LING’
RING STAR
EPPIE ADAIR
THE BATTLE OF SHERRAMUIR
YOUNG JOCKIE WAS THE BLYTHEST LAD
A WAUKRIFE MINNIE
THO’
WOMEN’S MINDS
WILLIE BREW’
D A PECK O’
MAUT
KILLIECRANKIE
THE BLUE-EYED LASSIE
THE BANKS OF NITH
TAM GLEN
CRAIGIEBURN WOOD
FRAE THE FRIENDS AND LAND I LOVE
C O N TE N T S
0 JOHN, COME KISS ME Now
COCK UP YOUR BEAVER
MY TOCHER ’
s THE JEWEL
GUIDWIFE, COUNT THE LAWIN
THERE ’
LL NEVER BE PEACE TILL JAMIE COMES
HAME
WHAT CAN A YOUNG LASSIE
THE BONIE LAD THAT ’
S FAR AWA
I Do CONFESS THOU ART SAE FAIR
SENSIBILITY HOW CHARMING
YON WILD MOSSY MOUNTAINS
I HAE BEEN AT CROOKIEDEN
IT IS NA, JEAN, THY BONIE FACE
MY EPPIE MACNAB
WHA IS THAT AT MY BOWER DOOR
BONIE WEE TH ING
THE TITHER MORN
AE FOND K ISS
LOVELY DAVIES
THE WEARY PUND O’
Tow
I HAE A WIFE 0’
MY AIN
WHEN SHE CAM BEN, SHE BOBBED
0, FOR ANE-AND-TWENTY, TAM
O, KENMURE
’
s ON AND AWA, WILLIE
O,LEEZE ME ON MY SPINNIN—WHEEL
MY COLLIER LADDIE
NITHSDALE’
S WELCOME HAME
IN SIMMER WHEN THE HAY WAS MAWN
FAIR ELIZA
C O N TE N T S
YE JACOBITES BY NAME
THE FOSIE
THE BANKS O’ DOON
WILLIE WASTLE
LADY MARY ANN
SUCH A PARCEL OF ROGUES IN A NATION
KELLYBURN BRAES
THE SLAVE’S LAMENT
THE SONG OF DEATH
SWEET AFTON
BONIE BELL
THE GALLANT WEAVER
HEY,CA
’ THRO’
O, CAN YE LABOUR LEA
THE DEUK ’
S DANG o’
ER MY DADDIE
SHE’
s FAIR AND FAUSE
THE DEIL ’S AWA WI’ TH’
EXCISEMAN
THE LOVELY LASS OF INVERNESS
A RED,RED ROSE
AS I STOOD BY YON ROOFLESS TOWER
0,AN YE WERE DEAD, GUIDMAN
AULD LANG SYNE
LOUIS, WHAT RECK I BY THEE
HAD I THE WYTE ?
COMIN THRO’
THE RYE
YOUNG JAMIE
OUT OVER THE FORTH
WANTONNESS FOR EVERMAIR
CHARLIE HE’
S MY DARLING
C O N T E N T S
THE LASS o ’
ECCLEFECHAN
THE COOPER O’
CUDDY
FOR THE SAKE O’ SOMEBODY
THE CARDIN O’
T
THERE ’
S THREE TRUE GUID FELLOWS
SAE FLAXEN WERE HER RINGLETS
THE LASS THAT MADE THE BED
SAE FAR AWA
THE REEL O’
STUMPIE
I’
LL AY CA’
IN BY YON TOWN
o, WAT YE WHA
’
S IN YON TOWN
WHEREFORE SIGHING ART THOU, PHYLLIS ?
0 MAY,THY MORN
AS I CAME O’
ER THE CAIRNEY MOUNT
H IGHLAND LADDIE
WILT THOU BE MY DEARIE
LOVELY POLLY STEWART
THE H IGHLAND BALOU
BANNOCKS o ’
BEAR MEAL
WAE IS MY HEART
HERE’
s H IS HEALTH IN WATER
THE WINTER OF LIFE
THE TAILOR
THERE GROWS A BONIE BRIER-BUSH
HERE ’
S TO THY HEALTH
IT WAS A’
FOR OUR RIGHTFU’ KING
THE H IGHLAND WIDOW’S LAMENT
THOU GLOOMY DECEMBER
MY PEGGY’S FACE, MY PEGGY’S FORM
C O N TE N T S
‘
0, STEER HER UP, AN’
HAUD HER GAUN
WEE WILLIE GRAY
WE’
RE A’
NODDIN
O AY MY WIFE SHE DANG ME
0, GUID ALE COMES
ROBIN SHURE IN HAIRST
DOES HAUGHTY GAUL INVASION THREAT ?
O,ONCE I LOV
’
D A BONIE LASS
MY LORD A-HUNTING
SWEETEST MAY
MEG 0’
THE MILL
JOCKIE’
S TA’
EN THE PARTING KISS
O , LAY THY LOOF IN MINE, LASS
CAULD IS THE E’
ENIN BLAST
THERE WAS A BONIE LASS
THERE ’
s NEWS, LASSES, NEWS
0,THAT I HAD NE
’
ER BEEN MARRIED
MALLY ’
s MEEK, MALLY’
S SWEET
WANDERING WILLIE
BRAw LADS o ’
GALLA WATER
AULD ROB MORRIS
OPEN THE DOOR To ME, 0
WHEN WILD WAR’S DEADLY BLAST
DUNCAN GRAY (SECOND SET)DELUDED SWAIN, THE PLEASURE
HERE IS THE GLEN
LET NOT WOMEN E'
ER COMPLAIN
LORD GREGORY
C O N TE N TS
0 POORTITH CAULD
O, STAY, SWEET WARBLING WOOD-LARK
SAW YE BONIE LESLEY
SWEET FA’
s THE EVE
YOUNG JESSIE
ADOWN WINDING NITH
A LASS WI’ A TOCHER
BLYTHE HAE I BEEN ON YON HILL
BY ALLAN STREAM
CANST THOU LEAVE ME
COME, LET ME TAKE THEE
CONTENTED WI’ LITTLE
FAREWELL, THOU STREAM
HAD I A CAVE
HERE ’
S A HEALTH
HOW CRUEL ARE THE PARENTS
HUSBAND, HUSBAND, CEASE YOUR STRIFE
IT WAS THE CHARMING MONTH
LAST MAY A BRAW WOOER
MY NANIE’
s AWA
Now ROSY MAY
Now SPRING HAS CLAD
0, THIS IS NO MY AIN LASSIE
o, WAT YE WHA THAT LO’
ES ME
SCOTS, WHA HAE
THEIR GROVES 0’ SWEET MYRTLE
TH INE AM I
THOU HAST LEFT ME EVER, JAMIE
HIGHLAND MARY
CO N TE N T S
MY CHLORIS, MARK
FAIREST MAID ON DEVON BANKS
LASSIE WI’ THE LINT-WHITE LOCKS
LONG, LONG THE NIGHT
LOGAN WATER
YON ROSY BRIER
WHERE ARE THE JOYS
BEHOLD THE HOUR
FORLORN MY LOVE
CA’
THE YOWES To THE KNOWES (SECOND SET)HOW CAN MY POOR HEART
Is THERE FOR HONEST POVERTY
MARK YONDER POMP
o,LET ME IN TH IS AE NIGHT
O PHILLY,HAPPY BE THAT DAY
0, WERE MY LOVE
SLEEP’
ST THOU
THERE WAS A LASS
THE LEA-RIG
MY WIFE’
S A WINSOME WEE THINGMARY MORISON
BIBLIOGRAPHICAL
YOUNG PEGGY
BONIE DUNDEE
TO THE WEAVER’S GIN YE GO
WHISTLE AN’
I’
LL COME TO YOU, MY LAD
CO N TE N T S
NOTES z—Continued.
I’
M o’
ER YOUNG To MARRY YET
THE BIRKS OF ABERFELDIE
M‘PHERSON
’
S FAREWELL
MY HIGHLAND LASSIE, O
THo’
CRUEL FATE
STAY MY CHARMER
STRATHALLAN’
S LAMENT
MY HOGGIE
JUMPIN JOHN
UP IN THE MORNING EARLY
THE YOUNG H IGHLAND ROVER
THE DUSTY MILLER
I DREAM’
D I LAY
DUNCAN DAVISON
THENIEL MENs s’
BONIE MARY
LADY ONLIE, HONEST LUCKY
THE BANKS OF THE DEVON
DUNCAN GRAY (FIRST SET)THE PLOUGHMAN
LANDLADY, COUNT THE LAWIN
RAVING WINDS AROUND HER BLOWING
HOW LANG AND DREARY Is THE NIGHT
MUSING ON THE ROARING OCEAN
BLYTHE WAS SHE
To DAUNTON ME
O’
ER THE WATER To CHARLIE
A ROSE-BUD, BY MY EARLY WALK
AND I’
LL KISS THEE YET
CO N T EN T S
NOTES —Continued.
RATTLIN, ROARIN WILLIE
WHERE, BRAVING ANGRY WINTER ’S STORMS
O TIBBIE, I HAE SEEN THE DAY
CLARINDA, MISTRESS OF MY SOUL
THE WINTER IT IS PAST
I LOVE MY LOVE IN SECRET
SWEET TIBBIE DUNBAR
HIGHLAND HARRY
THE TAILOR FELL THRo’
THE RED
AY WAUKIN O
BEWARE O’
BONIE ANN
LADDIE,LIE NEAR ME
THE GARD ’
NER WI’
HIS PAIDLE
ON A BANK OF FLOWERS
THE DAY RETURNS
MY LOVE, SHE’S BUT A LASS IE YET
JAMIE, COME TRY ME
THE SILVER TASSIE
THE LAZY MIST
THE CAPTAIN’S LADY
OF A’
THE AIRTS
CARL, AN THE K ING COME
WHISTLE O’
ER THE LAVE o’
T
O, WERE I ON PARNASSUS HILL
THE CAPTIVE RIBBAND
THERE ’
S A YOUTH IN TH IS CITYMY HEART ’S IN THE H IGHLANDS
JOHN ANDERSON MY Jo
CO N TE N T S
NOTES z—Continued.
AWA, WH IGs, AWA
CA’
THE YOWES To THE KNOWES (FIRST SET)0,MERRY HAE I BEEN
A MOTHER’S LAMENT
THE WHITE COCKADE
THE BRAES O’
BALLOCHMYLE
THE BANTIN DOG,THE DADDIE O
’
T
THOU LING’
RING STAR
EPPIE ADAIR
THE BATTLE OF SHERRAMUIR
YOUNG JOCKIE WAS THE BLYTHEST LAD
A WAUKRIFE MINNIE
THo’
WOMEN’S MINDS
WILLIE BREW’
D A PECK O’
MAUT
KILLIECRANK IE
THE BLUE-EYED LASSIE
THE BANKS OF NITH
TAM GLEN
CRAIGIEBURN WOOD
FRAE THE FRIENDS AND LAND I LOVE
0 JOHN, COME KISS ME NOW
COCK UP YOUR BEAVER
MY TOCHER ’
S THE JEWEL
GUIDWIFE, COUNT THE LAWIN
THERE ’
LL NEVER BE PEACE TILL JAMIE COMES
HAME
WHAT CAN A YOUNG LASSIE
THE BONIE LAD THAT ’
S FAR AWA
CO N TEN T S
NOTES z—Continued.
THE SLAVE’S LAMENT
THE SONG OF DEATH
SWEET AFTON
BONIE BELL
THE GALLANT WEAVER
HEY, CA
’ THRO’
O, CAN YE LABOUR LEA
THE DEUK’
S DANG O’
ER MY DADDIE
SHE’
S FAIR AND FAUSE
THE DEIL’
S AWA WI’
TH’
EXCISEMAN
THE LOVELY LASS OF INVERNESS
A RED, RED ROSE
As I STOOD BY YON ROOFLESS TOWER
0,AN YE WERE DEAD, GUIDMAN
AULD LANG SYNE
LOUIS,WHAT RECK I BY THEE
HAD I THE WYTE ?
COMIN THRo’
THE RYE
YOUNG JAMIE
OUT OVER THE FORTH
WANTONNESS FOR EVERMAIR
CHARLIE, HE’
S MY DARLING
THE LASS o ’
ECCLEFECHAN
THE COOPER O’
CUDDY
FOR THE SAKE O’ SOMEBODY
THE CARDIN O’
T
THERE ’
S THREE TRUE GUID FELLOWS
SAE FLAKEN WERE HER RINGLETS
CO N TE N T S
THE LASS THAT MADE THE BED
SAE FAR AWA
THE REEL o’
STUMPIE
I’
LL AY CA’
IN BY YON TOWN
O, WAT YE WHA
’
S IN YON TOWN
WHEREFORE SIGHING ART THOU, PHYLLIS
0 MAY, THY MORN
AS I CAME O’
ER THE CAIRNEY MOUNT
HIGHLAND LADDIE
WILT THOU BE MY DEARIE
LOVELY POLLY STEWART
THE H IGHLAND BALOU
BANNOCKS o ’
BEAR MEAL
WAE IS MY HEART
HERE ’
S H IS HEALTH IN WATER
THE WINTER OF LIFE
THE TAILOR
THERE GROWS A BONIE BRIER-BUSH
HERE ’ S To THY HEALTH
IT WAS A’
FOR OUR RIGHTFU’
KING
THE HIGHLAND WIDOW’S LAMENT
THOU GLOOMY DECEMBER
MY PEGGY’ S FACE, MY PEGGY
’S FORM
0, STEER HER UP,AN
’
HAUD HER GAUN
WEE WILLIE GRAY
WE’
RE A’
NODDIN
O,AY MY WIFE SHE DANG ME
SCROGGAM
C O N TE N T S
NOTES —Continued.
0, GUID ALE COMES
ROBIN SHURE IN HAIRST
DOES HAUGHTY GAUL INVASION THREAT ?
O,ONCE I LOV
’
D A BONIE LASS
MY LORD A-HUNTING
SWEETEST MAY
MEG 0’
THE MILL
JOCKIE’
S TA’
EN THE PARTING KISS
O,LAY THY LOOF IN MINE, LASS
CAULD IS THE E’
ENIN BLAST
THERE WAS A BONIE LASS
THERE ’
S NEWS, LASSES, NEWS
O,THAT I HAD NE
’
ER BEEN MARRIED
MALLY ’
S MEEK, MALLY’
S SWEET
WANDERING WILLIE
BRAW LADS O’
GALLA WATER
AULD ROB MORRIS
OPEN THE DOOR To ME, 0
WHEN WILD WAR’ S DEADLY BLAST
DUNCAN GRAY (SECOND SET)DELUDED SWAIN, THE PLEASURE
HERE Is THE GLEN
LET NOT WOMEN E’
ER COMPLAIN
LORD GREGORY
o POORTITH CAULD
O,STAY, SWEET WARBLING WOOD-LARK
SAW YE BONIE LESLEY
SWEET FA’
s THE EVE
C O N T E N T S
NOTES z—C’ontinued.
YOUNG JESSIEPAGE
ADOWN WINDING NITH
A LASS WI’ A TOCHER
BLYTHE HAE I BEEN ON YON HILL
BY ALLAN STREAM
CANST THOU LEAVE ME THUS, MY KATIE
COME, LET ME TAKE THEE TO MY BREAST
CONTENTED WI’ LITTLE
FAREWELL, THOU STREAM
HAD I A CAVE
HERE ’
S A HEALTH
HOW CRUEL ARE THE PARENTS
HUSBAND,HUSBAND, CEASE YOUR STRIFE
IT WAS THE CHARMING MONTH OF MAY
LAST MAY A BRAW WOOER
MY NANIE’
s AWA
NOW ROSY MAY
Now SPRING HAS CLAD
0,THIS Is NO MY AIN LASSIE
O, WAT YE WHA THAT LO
’
ES ME
SCOTS,WHA HAE
THEIR GROVES 0’ SWEET MYRTLE
THINE AM I
THOU HAST LEFT ME EVER, JAMIE
H IGHLAND MARY
MY CHLORIS, MARK
FAIREST MAID ON DEVON BANKS
LASSIE WI’ THE LINT-WHITE LOCKS
xxu CO N TE N TS
NOTES z—C'ontinued.
LONG, LONG THE NIGHT
LOGAN WATER
YON ROSY BRIER
WHERE ARE THE JOY
BEHOLD THE HOUR
FORLORN MY LOVE
CA’
THE YOWES TO THE KNOWES (SECOND
HOW CAN MY POOR HEART
IS THERE FOR HONEST POVERTY
MARK YONDER POMP
O, LET ME IN THIS AE NIGHT
O PHILLY, HAPPY BE THAT DAY
O, WERE MY LOVE
SLEEP’
ST THOU
THERE WAS A LASS
THE LEA-RIG
MY WIFE’
S A WINSOME WEE TH ING
MARY MORISON
INDEX OF TITLES
I L L U S TR A T I ON S
ETCHINGS BYWILLIAM HOLE,
WHERE STINCHAR FLOWS
JOHN ANDERSON MY Jo Atpage 63
BURNS AND HIGHLAND MARY
THE SOLDIER’S RETURN
DUNCAN GRAY
LINCLUDEN
FACSIMILIA
DOES HAUGHTY GAUL INVASION THREAT ?
SCOTS, WHA HAE
BO N I E D U N D E E
B O N I E D U N D E E
O, WHAR gat ye that hauver—meal bannock ?’
O s illy bl ind b ody, 0,dinna ye see ?
I gat it frae a young, brisk sodger laddie
Perth Betwe en Saint Johnston and bonie Dundee .
Were Fortune love ly Peggy’s foe,
Such swe etne ss would re lent h erAs blooming Springunb ends the b row
Of surly, savage Winter.
Detraction’ s eye no aim can gain
H er Winn ingpowers to le ssen,And fretful Envy grins in vain
Th e poison’
d tooth to fasten .
Ye Pow’
rs ofHonour, Love , and Truth ,
From e v’ry ill defend h er !
Inspire th e h igh ly-favour’
d youth
Th e de stin ie s intend h er !
Still fan th e swee t connub ial flame
Responsive in each bosom,
And b le ss th e dear parental name
With many a filial b lossom
TO T H E WE A V E R’
S G I N YE G O 3
O, gin I saw the laddie that gae me
’
t ! would that
Aft has h e doudl’
d me up on h is knee dandled
May Heaven protect my bon ie Scots laddie ,And send h im hame to h is bab ie and me
My b le ssin’
s upon thy swe e t, we e l ippie
My b l e ssin’
s upon thy bon ie e’
e brie eyebrow
Thy smile s are sae like my b lyth e sodger laddie
Thou’
S ay th e dearer and dearer to me
But I ’
11 b iga bow’
r on you bon ie banks, build
Whare Tay rins wimpl in by sae clear ; meanderingAnd I ’ ll cle ed th e e in th e tartan sae fine , clothe
And mak th e e a man l ike thy daddie dear.
’
TO THE WEAVER’
S GIN YE GO should
Chorus
To the weave r’
s gi n ye go, fair
To the weaver’s gin ye go,I rede
, you righ t, gangne’
e r at
To th e weaver’
s gin ye go .
MY h eart was ance as b lyth e and free once
As simmer days were lang;But a b on ie , we stlin weaver lad western
Has gart me change my sang. made
4 TO TH E WE A V ER’
S G IN YE G O
My mither sent me to th e town,
(Notes) To Warp a plaiden wab
But th e weary, weary warpin o’
t
Has gart me sigh and sab .
A bon ie, we stlin weaver lad
Sat workingat h is loom
H e took my h eart, as WI a ne t,
In e very knot and thrum .
I sat b eside my warpin-whee l,
drove And ay I ca’
d it roun’
And eve ry shot and every knock,My h eart it gae a stoun .
Th e moon was sinkingin the we st
W1 visage pale and wan,
As my bon ie , we stlin weaver lad
Convoy’
d me thro’
the glen.
But what was sa id,or what was done
,
b efal l ; if Shame fa’
me gin I te ll ;country But O l I fear th e kintra soon
Will ken as wee l ’s myse l !
O,WH ISTLE AN’
I’
LL COME TO YE 5
Chorus
To th e weaver’
s gin ye go, fair maids,To the weave r
’ s gin ye go,I rede you righ t, gangne
’
er at n igh t,To the weaver’s gi n ye go.
0,WH ISTLE AN’
I’
LL COME TO YE ,
MY LAD
Chorus
0,wh istle an
’ I ’
11 come to ye , my lad
O,Wh istle an
’ I ’ll come to ye , my lad !
Tho’
fath er an’ moth er an
’
a’ should gae
O,wh istle an
’ I ’
11 come to ye , my lad
BUT warily tent wh en ye come to court me ,
And come nae unless th e back-yett b e a-j ee ;Syn e up th e b ack-style , and le t naebody se e ,
And come as ye were na comin to me,
And come as ye were na comin to me !
At kirk, or at marke t, Wh ene’
er ye me e t me ,
Gangby me as tho’ that ye car
’
d Il a a flie
But steal me a b link 0’ your bon ie b lack e
’
e ,
Ye t look as ye we re na lookin to me ,
Ye t look as ye were na lookin to me
6 I’
M O’
ER YOUNG TO MARRY YET
entice
O,wh istle an
’ I ’ ll come to ye, my lad !
O, wh istle an’ I ’
11 come to ye, my lad
Tho’
father an’ moth er an
’
a’
shoul d gae mad,
0, wh istle an’ I ’
11 come to ye , my lad
I’M O
’
ER YOUNG TO MARRY YET
Chorus
I ’m o’
er young, I’
m o’
er young,I ’
m o’
er young to marry ye t
I ’m o’
er young,’
twad b e a Sin
To tak me frae my mammie ye t.
only child I AM my mammie ’
s ae ba irn,strange Wi’ unco folk I weary
,Sir,
And lyingin a man’
s b ed,
I ’m fley’
d it make me e erie, Sir.
Ay Vow and prote st that ye care na for me ,
And whyle s ye may ligh tly my b eauty a we e ;
But court na an ith er tho’
jokin ye b e ,For fear that sh e wyle your fancy frae me ,
For fear that she wyle your fan cy frae me !
TH E B I R K S O F A B E RFE LD I E 7
Hallowmass is come and game ,
Th e n igh ts are langin Winter, Sir,And you an
’ I in ae b ed
In trowth, I dare na venture , Sir
Fu’ loud and shrill the frosty wind
Blaws thro’
the leafless timmer, Sir, woods
But if ye come th is gate again,
I ’ll aulder b e gin Simmer, Sir.
Chorus
I ’
m o’
er young, I’m o
’
er young,I ’
m o’
er youngto marry yet !
I ’
m o’
er young,’
twad be a sin
To tak me frae my mammie yet .
T H E B IR K S OF A B E RFE LD I E
Chorus
Bon ie lass ie, will ye go,VV
‘
Il l ye go, w ill ye go ?
Bon ie lassie , will ye go
To th e b irks ofAb erfe ldi e ?
8 T H E B I RK S O F A B E RF E LD I E
NOW simmer b links on flow’
ry brae s,And o
’
er th e crystal streamlets plays,Come , l et us spend the l igh tsome days
In th e b irks of Ab erfeldi e
The l ittle b irdie s b lyth e ly sing,Wh ile o
’
er th e ir h eads the haze ls h ing,Or ligh tly fl it on wanton wing
In th e b irks ofAb erfe ldie .
Th e brae s ascend like lofty wa’
s,
Th e foamingstream,deep
-roaring, fa’
s
woods O’
er hungwith fragrant-spreadingshaws,Th e b irks of Ab erfeldie .
The hoary cl ifl'
s are crown’
d wi’ flowers,
Whi te o’
er the linn s the bum ie pours,And
,rising, we ets Wi
’ misty showers
The b irks of Ab erfe ldie .
Let Fortune’s gifts at random flee ,
They ne’
er Shall draw a wish frae me ,Supreme ly b lest wi’ love and th ee
In the b irks of Aberfe ldie .
1 0 MY H I G H LA N D LA S S I E, O
trouble I ’
ve liv’
d a life of sturt and strife
I die by treacherie
It burn s my h eart I must depart,And not avenged b e .
round
MY H I G H L A ND LA S S I E, O
Above ; rushy
No highborn
V
Now farewe ll l igh t, thou sunsh ine bright,And all b eneath th e sky
May coward shame distain h is name,The wre tch that dare not die !
Chorus
Sae rantingly, sae wanton ly,Sae dauntingly gaed h e,
He play’
d a spring, and danc’
d
Below th e gallows-tree .
Chorus
With in the glen sae bushy, O,
Aboon th e plain sae rashy, O,
I set me down WI righ t guid will
To singmy H igh land lassie, O
I
NAE gentle dame s, tho’
ne’
er sae fair,Shall ever b e my Muse
’ s care
The ir title s a’
are empty show
G ie me my High land lassie, O’
MY H I G H LA N D LA S S I E, O 1 1
0,were you h ills and vallie s mine ,
Yon palace and you gardens fine ,
The world then the love Should know
I b ear my H igh land lassie , O
But fickle Fortune frowns on me ,
And I maun cross th e ragingsea ; must
But Wh ile my crimson currents flow
I ’
11 love my H igh land lassie, O .
Altho’ thro’
fore ign clime s I range ,I know h er h eart w il l never change
For h er bosom burns with honour’s glow,
My fa ithful H igh land lassie, O .
For h er I ’
l l dare th e b illows’ roar,For h er I ’ll trace a distan t Shore ,That Indian wealth may lustre throw
Around my H igh land lassie, 0.
She has my heart, She h as my hand,My secre t troth and honour
’s band’
Till the mortal stroke shall lay me low,
I ’
m th ine, my H igh land lassie, O !
S TA Y, MY CH A RMER
T H O’
C R U E L FAT E
ST A Y , MY CH A RME R
Chorus
Farewe ll th e glen sae bushy,O
Farewe ll th e plain sae rashy, O
To other lands I now must go
To s ingmy H igh land lassie , O .
THO’ crue l fate should b id us part
Far as th e pole and line ,Her dear idea round my h eart
Should tenderly entwine .
Tho’ mountains rise , and de serts howl,And oceans roar b etwe en ,
Ye t dearer than my death le ss soul
I still would love my Jean .
STAY, my charmer, can you leave me ?
Crue l, crue l to dece ive me
We ll you know how much you grieve me
Crue l charmer,can you go ?
Crue l charmer, can you go?
S TRA TH A LLA N’
S LAME N T 1 3
Bymy love so ill-re quited,By th e faith you fondly pligh ted,By the pangs of lovers Sligh ted,
Do not, do not leave me so
Do not, do not leave me so !
S T RA T H A LLA N’
S LAME N T
THICKEST n igh t, surround my dwe lling!
Howl ingtempests, o’
er me rave !
Turb id torrents wintry-swe ll ing,Roaringby my lone ly cave
Crystal streamle ts gently flowing,Busy haunts of base mankind
,
We stern bre e ze s softly b lowing,Suit not my distracted mind.
In the cause of Righ t engaged,WI'ongs injurious to redre ss ,
Honour’
s war we strongly waged,But th e h eavens deny
’
d succe ss .
Ruin’s wh e e l has driven o’
er us
Not a hope that dare attend,Th e w ide world is al l b efore us
,
But a world w ithout a friend.
JUM P IN JO H N
MY H O G G I E
should
no more
dawn
JUM P I N J O H N
WHAT will I do gin my h oggie die ?
My joy, my pride , my hoggie !My on ly b east
,I had nae mae,
And vow but I was vogie
The l ee-langn igh t we watched the fauld,Me and my faithfu’
doggie ;We h eard noch t but th e roaringlinn
Amangthe brae s sae scroggie .
II
But th e houle t cry’
d frae the castle wa’
,
Th e b litter frae th e boggie ,Th e tod reply
’
d upon th e h ill
I tremb led for my hoggie .
Wh en day did daw ,and cocks did craw
,
Th e morn ing i t was foggie ,An unco tyke lap o
’
e r th e dyke ,And maist has kill ’d my hoggie !
Chorus
The langlad th ey ca’
Jumpin John
Beguil’
d th e bon ie lassie
The langlad th ey ca’
Jumpin John
Beguil’
d th e bon ie lassie
UP I N'
TH E M O RN I N G E A RLY 1 5
HER daddie forbad, h er minni e forbad
Forb idden sh e wadna b e
Sh e wadn a trow’
t,th e browst she brew’
d
Wad taste sae b itterl ie
A cow and a cauf, a yowe and a hauf, ewe ; bal
And thretty guid sh il l ins and three
A vera guid tocher a cotte r-man’s doch te r,
The lass with the bon ie b lack e’
e
Chorus
Th e langlad they ca’
Jumpin John
Beguil’
d the bon ie lassie
The langlad th ey ca’
Jumpin John
Beguil’
d the bon ie lassie
UP I N THE MORN ING E ARLY
Up in the morn ing’
s no for me,
Up in the morn ingearly
Wh en a’
th e h ills are covered WI snaw,
I ’
m sure it ’
s winter fairly !
1 6 THE YOUNG H IGHLAND ROVER
CAULD b laws the w ind frae east to we st,The drift is drivingsairly,
Sae loud and shrill ’s I hear th e b last
I’
m sure it ’
s w inter fa irly
The b irds sit ch itteringin the thorn,
A ’
day they fare but spare ly
And lang’s the n igh t frae e
’
en to mom
I ’m sure it ’
S Winter fairly.
Chor us
Up in the morning’ s no for me ,
Up in th e morningearly !
Wh en a’
the h ills are cover’
d wi’ snaw,
I ’m sure it ’
s Winter fairly
THE YOUNG H I GHLA ND ROVER
LOUD b law the frosty breeze s,Th e snaws the mountain s cover.
Like w inter on me se ize s,Since my youngH igh land rover
Far wanders nations over.
I D REAM’
D I LAY
I D R E AM ’
D I LAY
turbid
Such was my life ’
s de ce itful morn ing,Such th e pleasures I enjoy
’
d
But langor noon loud tempe sts, storming,A’ my flowery b liss de stroy
’
d.
Hey th e dusty miller
And h is dusty sack
Le e z e me on th e callingFills the dusty pe ck
Fills the dusty pe ck,
Brings the dusty s iller !
I wad gie my coatie
For th e dusty miller !
I DREAM’
D I lay where flowers were springingGaily in th e sunny b eam,
List’
ningto th e wild b irds singing,By a fallingcrystal stream
Straigh t the skygrew b lack and daring,Thro
’
th e woods th e wh irlwinds rave,Tree s with aged arms were warringO
’
er the swe lling, drumlie wave .
D U N CA N D A V I S O N
Tho’ fickle Fortune has de ce iv’
d me
(Sh e promi s’
d fair, and pe rform’
d but ill)Ofmon ie a joy and hope b ereav
’
d me ,
I bear a h ea rt shal l support me still .
D U N C A N D A V I S O N
THERE was a lass,th ey ca
’
d h er Meg,
And sh e h e ld o’
er th e moors to Spin
There was a lad th at fol low’
d her,
Th ey ca’
d h im Duncan Dav ison .
Th e moor was dre igh , and Megwas ske igh , dull ; s.titt
H er favour Dun can could na Win
For wi’
the rock sh e wad h im kn ock,And ay she Shook th e tempe r-pin .
As o’
e r th e moor they ligh tly foor,A burn was clear, a glen was gre en
Upon the banks th ey eas’
d the ir shanks
And ay sh e se t th e wh ee l b e tween
But Duncan swoor a haly a ith, holy oath
That Megshould b e a b ride th e morn to-morrow
Th en Megtook up h er Spinn in-gra ith ,
And flangthem a’
out o’
e r the burn .
20 TH EN IEL MENZIES’
BON IE MARY
THENIEL MENZ IES’ BON IE M AR Y
Then ie l Menzie s’ bon ie Mary,Then ie l Menzie s’ bon ie Mary
,
Charlie Grigor tint h is plaidie ,Kissin Then ie l ’s bon ie Mary
wh ile
dawning
H er e en sae brigh t, h er brow sae wh ite ,H er b afl
’
e t locks as brown ’
s a b erry,And ay th ey dimpl
’
t w i’
a smile,Th e rosy ch eeks o’
bon ie Mary.
We will b iga w ee, we e house,
And we will live like kingand que en,
Sae b lyth e and merry ’
s w e w il l b e,Wh en ye se t by th e Wh e e l at e
’
en !
A man may drink, and no b e drunk ;
A man may figh t, and no b e slain ;A man may kiss a bon ie lass,And ay b e we lcome back again
I
IN comin by th e brigo’
Dye ,
At Darle t we a b l ink did tarry
As day was dawin in th e sky,
We drank a h ealth to b on ie Mary.
L'
A D Y O N L I E, H O N E S T L U C K Y 2 1
We lap an’
danc’
d th e l ee- langday,Till piper-lads were wae and weary
But Charlie gat th e springto pay,For kissin Th enie l ’s bonie Mary.
Chorus
Th eniel Menzie s’ bon ie Mary,Th enie l Menzie s’ b on ie Mary,
Charlie Grigor tint h is plaidie ,Kissin Thenie l ’s bon ie Mary
LA D Y ONLIE,HONEST LUCK Y
Chorus
Lady On lie,hone st lucky,
Brews guid al e at shore o’
Bucky
I wish h er sale for h er guid ale ,
The b e st on a’
the shore o’
Bucky !
A"
THE lads o ’
Thorniebank,
Wh en th ey gae to th e shore o’
Bucky,Th ey ’
l l step in an’
tak a pin t
Wi’ Lady On lie,hone st lucky.
22 TH E B A N KS O F TH E D E V O N
Her house sae b ien, her curch sae cleanI wat she is a dainty chuckie ,
And ch e ery b links the ingle-gle ede0
’
Lady Onl ie, hone st lucky
T H E B A N K S OF T H E D E V O N
O,spare th e dear b lossom, ye orien t bre e ze s
,
With ch ill,hoary wingas ye usher th e dawn
And far b e thou distant, thou reptile that se ize s
The verdure and pride of the garden or lawn
Chorus
Lady Onlie, honest lucky,Brews guid ale at shore o
’
Bucky
I wish h er sale for h er guid ale,
The b e st on a’
th e shore o’
Bucky !
How pleasan t th e b anks of th e clearwindingDevon,With green spreadingbush e s and flow
’
rs b loomingfair
But the bon iest flow ’
r on th e banks of th e Devon
Was once a swe e t bud on the b rae s of th e Ayr.
Mild b e th e sun on th is swe e t b lush ingflower,In th e gay rosy morn
,as it bath es in the dew
And gentle th e fall of the soft vernal shower,That steals on th e even ingeach leaf to renew
D U N CA N GRA Y
Le t Bourbon e xult in h is gay gilded l ilie s,And England triumphan t display h er proud rose
A fa irer than e ith er adorns th e gre en vall ie s,Wh ere Devon, swee t Devon, meanderingflows.
D U N C A N G R A Y
WEARY fa’
you, Duncan Gray Woe befa ll
(Ha,ha
,th e girdin o
’
t girthingWae gae by you, Duncan Gray Woe go wil
(Ha,ha
,the girdin o
’
t
Wh en a’
th e lave gae to th e ir play,Th en I maun sit th e l ee -langday,And j e egthe cradle WI my tae ,And a
’
for the girdin o’
t
Bon ie was th e Lammas moon
(Ha,ha, th e girdin o
’
t I),Glowrin a
’
th e h ill s aboon above
(Ha,h a
,th e girdin O
’
t D.
The girdin brak, the b east cam down
I tin t my curch and baith my shoon,
And,Dun can
, ye’
re an unco loun
Wae on th e bad girdin o’
t !
TH E P L O U G H MA N
if oath
damage
T H E P L O U G H M A N
THE ploughman, h e
’
s a bon ie lad,His mind is ever true , jo
H is garters kn it b e low h is knee ,H is bonne t it i s b lue, jo.
I hae b e en east, I hae b een we st,
Perth I hae b een at St . Johnston ;
Th e b onie st sigh t that e’
er I saw
Was the ploughman laddie dancin .
But Duncan, gin ye’
ll ke ep your a ith
(Ha, ha, the girdin O’
t l),I ’
se b le ss you wi’ my h indmost breath
(Ha,ha, th e girdin o
’
t
Duncan, gin ye’
l l keep your a ith,The b east again can b ear us baith,And auld Me ss John wil l mend th e Skaith
And clout th e bad girdin o’
t .
Chorus
Th en upWI t a’
,my ploughman lad,
And h ey, my merry ploughman
Of a’
th e trades that I do ken,Commend me to th e ploughman
26 RAVING WINDS AROUND HER BLOWING
Stoup ; full Cog, an ye were ay fou,Cog, an ye were ay fou,
I wad sit and singto you,If ye were ay fou
Wee l may ye a’
be
Ill may ye never see
God b le ss th e kingAnd th e compan ie
RAVINGWINDS AROUND HER BLOWING
RAVING winds around h er b lowing,Ye llow leave s the woodlands strowing,By a river hoarse ly roaring,I sab e lla stray
’
d deploringFarewe ll hours that late did measure
Sunsh ine days Of joy and pleasure
Hail,thou gloomy n igh t of sorrow
Che erle ss n igh t that knows no morrow !
H OW LA N G A N D DRE A RY
II
O’
er th e Past too fondly wande ring,On the hope le ss Future pondering,Ch illy Grief my life -b lood fre ezes,Fe ll De spair my fancy se ize s .
Life,thou soul of eve ry b le ssing,
Load to Misery most distre ssing,Gladly how would I re sign thee ,And to dark Ob livion join the e
HOW LA NG A N D DRE ARY IS
THE N I GHT
Chorus
For 0,h er lane ly n ights are lang,
And 0,h er dreams are e erie , full offear
And 0,h er widow
’
d heart is sair,
That’
s ab sent frae h e r dearie
How langand dreary is the n igh t,Wh en I am frae my dearie
I re stle ss l ie frae e’
en to mom,
Tho’ I were ne
’
er sae weary.
II
Wh en I th ink on the l ightsome days
I Spen t w i’ th e e , my dearie ,
And now what seas b e twe en us roar,How can I b e but e erie ?
28 MUSING ON THE ROARING ‘
OCEAN
How slow ye move, ye h eavy hours !
Th e joyle ss day how dreary
sparkled I t was na sae ye glinted by,When I was Wi’ my dearie
MUSING ON THE ROARING OCEAN
MUSING on the roaringocean,
Wh ich divide s my love and me,
Wearyingh eav’
n in warm devotion
welfare For h is weal wh ere ’
er h e b e
Hope and Fear ’
s alternate b illow
Yieldinglate to Nature’ s law
,
Wh isperingSpirits round my pillow,
[Notes] Talk of h im that ’s far awa .
Ye whom sorrow never wounded,Ye who neve r sh ed a tear,
Chorus
For 0,her lane ly nigh ts are lang,
And O,her dreams are e erie
,
And 0,h er widow
’
d h eart is sair,
That ’s absent frae her dearie
B LY TH E WA S S H E
Care-untroub led, j oy-surrounded,Gaudy day to you is dear
Gentle nigh t, do thou b efriend me !
Downy sleep, th e curta in draw
Spirits kind, again attend me ,
Talk of h im that ’
s far awa
B L Y T H E WA S SH E
Chorus
Blythe,b lyth e and merry was she ,
Blyth e was She butt and b en,
Blyth e by the b anks of Earn,
And b lythe in Glenturit glen
BY Ough tertyre grows the aik,
On Yarrow banks th e b irken Shaw b ircb wood
But Ph emie was a bon ier lass
Than brae s O ’ Yarrow ever saw . heights
H er looks were like a flow’
r in May,
Her smile was like a Simme r morn .
She tripped by th e banks 0’
Earn
AS ligh t’
s a b ird upon a thorn . light as
T O D A U N TO N ME
H er bon ie face it was a s me ek
AS on ie lamb upon a lea.
Th e even ingsun was ne’
er sae swe e t
As was th e b link o’
Phemi e ’s e ’
e .
The H igh land h ills I’
ve wander’
d wide,As o
’
er th e Lawlands I hae b e en,
But Ph emie was the b lythe st lass
That ever trod th e dewy gre en .
conquer T O D A U N T O N ME
Chorus
To daunton me,to daunton me ,
An auld man Shall never daunton me
THE b lude-red rose at Yule may b law,
Th e s immer lilie s b loom in snaw,
Th e frost may fre eze th e de epest sea,But an auld man Shall never daunton me .
Chor us
Blythe, b lyth e and me rry was she,
Blyth e was sh e butt and b en,Blythe by th e banks of Earn ,
And b lyth e in Glenturit Glen !
TO D A U N TO N M E
To daunton me,and me sae young,
Wi ’ h is fause h eart and flatt ’ringtongue
That is th e th ingyou ne’
e r shall se e ,For an auld man shall never daunton me .
For a’
h is meal and a’
h is maut,For a
’
h is fre sh beef and h is saut,For a
’
h is gold and wh ite monie ,
An auld man shall never daunton me.
H is gearmay buy h im kye and yowe s,His gear may buy h im glens and knowe s ;But me h e shall not buy nor fe e ,
For an auld man Shall never daunton me .
H e h irple s twa—fauld as he dow,
Wi’ h is te e th le ss gab and h is auld b e ld pow,
And the rain rain s down frae h is red b lear’
d
e’
e
That auld man Shall never daunton me
Chorus
To daunton me,to daunton me
,
An auld man Shall never daunton me
32 O’
ER TH E WATER TO CH ARL I E
O’
ER THE WATER TO CH ARL IE
Chorus
We’ ll o ’
e r th e water, we’
11 o’
er the sea,
We’
11 o’
er th e water to Charlie
Come weal, come woe we’
11 gath er and go,
And live and die WI Charlie
COME b oat me o’
er, come row me o’
er,
Come boat me o’
er to Charlie
I ’
ll gie John Ross anoth er bawb ee
To boat me o’
er to Charlie .
I lo’
e we e l my Charlie ’s name ,
Tho’ some th ere b e abhor h im
But O, to se e Aul d Nick gaun hame,
And Charlie ’s fae s b efore h im
I swear and vow by moon and stars
And sun that sh ine s so e arly,If I had twenty thousand l ive s,I
’
d die as aft for Charlie
34 A N D I’
L L K I S S TH E E YET
guards
A ND I’
LL K I S S T H E E YE T
WHEN in my arms,w i
’
a’
thy charms,I clasp my countle ss treasure , O,
I se ek nae mair o’
Heav’
n to share
Than sic a moment’s pleasure , O
And by thy e en sae bon ie b lue
I swe ar I ’
m th ine for ever,0
And on thy lips I seal my vow,
And b reak it shall I never, 0
III
So thou,dear b ird, youngJcany fair,
On tremb lingstringor vocal air
Shall sweetly pay th e tende r care
That tents thy early morn ingSo thou, swee t rose-bud, youngand gay,
Shalt b eauteous b laze upon th e day,
And b le ss th e paren t’s even ingray
That watch’
d thy early morn ing!
Chorus
And I ’
ll kiss the e yet, ye t,And I ’
ll kiss the e o’
er again,And I ’
l l kiss thee yet, ye t,My bonie Peggy Alison .
RA TTL I N,RO AR I N W I LL I E 35
Chorus
And I ’
l l kiss th e e ye t, ye t,And I ’
l l kiss th e e o’
er again,And I ’
l l kiss th ee ye t, ye t,My bon ie Peggy Alison .
R A T T L I N,R O A R I N W I LL I E
O,RATTLIN
,roarin Willie
,
0,h e h e ld to the fair,
An’
for to se ll hi s fiddle
And buy some oth er ware ;But partingWI h is fiddle ,The saut tear b lin’t h is c’c
And, rattlin, roarin Willie ,Ye
’
re we lcome hame to me !
O Willie , come se ll your fiddle,O,
se ll your fiddle sae fine
O Willie come se ll your fiddle
And buy a pint 0’
w ine
If I should se ll my fiddle ,Th e warld would th ink I was mad
For mon ie a rant in day merry
My fiddle and I hae had.
’
36 BRAVING ANGRY WINTER’
S STORMS
WHERE, BRAVING ANGRY WINTER’
S
STORMS
Ble st b e the wild, seque ster’
d glade,And b lest th e day and hour
,
Wh ere Peggy’
s charms I first survey’
d,
When first I fe lt th e ir pow’
r !
AS I cam by Crochal lan,
I cann ily ke ekit b en,
Rattlin,roarinWillie
Was Sittingat yon b oord-en
’
Sittingat yon b oord-eu
’
,
And amangguid compan ie
Rattlin,roarin Willie
,
Ye’
re we lcome hame to me .
WHERE, bravingangry w inter
’
s storms,
Th e lofty Och ils rise,
Far in th e ir shade my Peggy’
s charms
First b le st my wondering eye s
As on e who by some savage stream
A lon e ly gem surveys,Aston ish
’
d doub ly,marks it b eam
With art’s most polish’
d b laze .
O T IBB IE,I HAE SEEN THE DAY 37
Th e tyran t Death with grim control
May se ize my fle e tingbreath,But tearingPeggy from my soul
Must b e a stronger death .
0 T IBBIE,I HAE SEEN THE DAY
Chorus
0 Tibb ie, I hae se en th e day,
Ye '
wadna b een sae Shy
For la ik o’
gear ye l igh tly me ,
But,trowth
,I care na by.
YESTREEN I me t you on th e moor,
Ye spak na, but gaed by like stoure
Ye ge ck at me b e cause I ’
m poor
But fient a ha ir care I
Wh en comin h ame on Sunday last,
Upon th e road as I cam past,Ye snufl
’
t an’
gae your h ead a cast gave
But,trowth
,I care ’t na by ! cared
III
I doub t na,lass
,but ye may th ink,
Be cause ye hae th e name 0’
clink, wealth
That ye can please me at a wink,Whene ’
er ye like to try .
direction
makes
38 O TIBB IE, I HAE SEEN THE DAY
But if h e hae the name 0’
gear,Ye ’ ll fasten to h im like a brier,Tho
’
hardly h e for sense or lear
Be b etter than the kye .
But, Tibb ie, lass, tak my advice
Your daddie ’s gear maks you sae n ice,The De il a ane wad Spier your price,Were ye as poor as I .
There live s a lass b e side yon park,I ’
d rath er hae h er in h er sark
Than you w i’
a’ your thousand mark,
That gars you look sae h igh .
But sorrow tak h im that ’ s sae mean,Altho’ h is pouch 0
’ coin were clean,
Wha follows on ie saucy quean,
That looks sae proud and h igh
Altho’
a lad were e’
er sae smart,
If that h e want th e ye llow dirt,
Ye’
l l cast your h ead an ith er airt,
And answer h im fu’
dry.
CLARINDA, MISTRESS OF MY SOUL 39
Chorus
0 Tibb ie , I hae seen th e day,Ye wadna b e en sae Shy
For laik o’
gear ye lightly me ,
But, trowth , I care na by.
CLARINDA ,MISTRESS OF MY SOUL
CLARINDA, mistre ss ofmy soul,Th e measur
’
d t ime is run
The wre tch b eneath th e dreary pole
So marks h is late st sun .
To what dark cave of frozen n igh t
Shall poor Sylvander h ie ,Depriv
’
d of th ee , h is l ife and light,The sun of al l h is joy
We part—but, by th e se pre cious drops
That fill thy lovely eye s,No other ligh t shall guide my steps
Till thy b righ t b eams arise
40 TH E W I NT E R IT I S P A S T
Sh e , th e fair sun of al l h er sex,
Has b le st myglorious dayAnd Shall a glimme ringplane t fix
My worsh ip to its ray ?
T H E W I N T E R IT I S P A ST
THE Winter it is past, and the simmer come s at last,And th e small b irds s ingon ev
’
ry tre e
Th e h earts of th e se are glad, but mine is very sad,
For my love is parted from me .
My love is like th e sun in th e firmament does run
Forever is constan t and true ;But h is is like th e moon
,th at wanders up and down,
And every month it is new .
The rose upon th e brier by th e waters runn ingc lear
May have ch arms for th e l inne t or th e b ee
Th e ir l ittle love s are b le st, and th e ir l ittle h earts at
re st,
But my love r is parted from me .
SWEET T I B B I E D U N B AR
SW E E T T I B B I E D U N B A R
O,WILT thou go wi
’
me,swe e t Tibb ie Dunbar ?
O,wilt thou go WI me , swe e t Tibb ie Dunbar ?
Wilt thou ride on a horse,or b e drawn in a car
,
Or walk by my side , 0 swee t Tibb ie Dunbar ?
WOI’SC
H I G H L A N D H A R R Y
Chorus
My Sandy O,my Sandy 0,
My bon ie, bonie Sandy O
Tho’
the love that I ow e
To thee I dare na Show,
Ye t I love my love in secre t,My Sandy O
II
I care na thy daddie, h is lands and h is money
I care na thy kin, sae h igh and sae lordly ;But say that thou
’
lt hae me for b etter or waur,And come in thy coatie , swe et Tibb ie Dunbar.
Chorus
0, for h im back again
O,for h im back again
I wad gie a’
Knockhaspie’
s land
For H igh land Harry back again .
H I G H LA N D H ARRY
MY Harry was a gallant gay,Fu
’
state ly strade h e on the plain, strode
But now h e’
s b anish’
d far away
I ’
l l never see h im back again .
When a’
the lave gae to the ir b ed, rest ; go
I Wander dowie up th e glen ,drooping
I set me down,and gre e t my fill, weep
And ay I wish him back again .
0, were some villains hangit h igh,And ilka body had the ir ain
,every ; own
Then I migh t see the joyfu’
sigh t,My H igh land Harry back again
Chorus
0,for h im back again
O,for h im back again !
I wad gie a’
Knockhaspie’
s land,For High land Harry back again .
[Notes]
droopingglad
44 THE TAILOR FELL THRO’
THE BED
THE TAILOR FELL THRO’
THE BED
were
The sleepy b it lassie, sh e dreaded nae ill,Th e sleepy b it lassie, She dreaded nae ill
Th e weath e r was cauld,and th e lassie lay still
She though t that a ta ilor coul d do her nae ill
Gie me th e groat again, cann ie youngman
Gie me th e groat aga in, cann ie youngman
Th e day it i s short, and th e nigh t it is langThe deare st s iller that ever I wan !
Th ere’
S someb ody weary w i’ lyingh er lane,Th ere
’
s somebody weary Wi’ lyingh er lane !
Th ere’ s some that are dowie, I trow wad b e fain
To se e th e b it tai lor come skippin again .
tailor fe ll thro’
the b ed, th imb le an’
a’
,
ta ilor fe ll thro’
th e b ed, th imb le an’
a’
b lanke ts were th in,and th e She e ts they
sma’
tailor fe ll th ro’
th e b ed, th imb le an’
a’
AY WA UK IN, O
AY WA U K I N, O awake
Chorus
Ay waukin, O,
Waukin still and weary
Sleep I can ge t nane
For th inkingon my dearie .
SIMMER’
S a pleasant time
Flowers of e very colour,The wate r rins owre the h eugh ,
And I longfor my true lover.
II
Wh en I Sle ep I dream,
Wh en I wauk I ’
m e erie, apprehensive
Sleep I can ge t nane
For th inkin on my dearie .
Lane ly n igh t come s on ,
A’
th e lave are sleepin,
I th ink on my bon ie lad
And I b le er my e en WI gre etin .
Chorus
Ay waukin,O
,
Waukin still and weary
Sle ep I can ge t nane
For th inkingon my dearie .
BEWARE O’
B O N I E A N N
B EW A R E O’
B O N I E A N N
YE gallants brigh t, I rede you righ t,Beware o
’
bon ie Ann
Her comely face sae fu’
o’
grace ,Your h eart She will trepan .
Her e en sae brigh t like stars by n igh t,Her skin is l ike the swan .
Sae Jimply lac’
d her genty waist
That swe etly ye migh t span .
Youth,Grace , and Love attendant move,
And Pleasure leads the van
In a’ th e ir charms
,and conqueringarms
,
They wa it on bon ie Ann .
Th e capt ive bands may cha in the hands,But Love enslave s the man
Ye gallants braw,I rede you a
’
,
Beware o’
bon ie Ann
LA D D I E, L I E N E A R ME
L A D D I E,LIE N E A R ME
Chorus
Near me, near me,
Laddie, l ie near me
Langhae I lain my lane
Laddie, lie near me
LANG hae we parted been,Laddie, my dearie ;
Now we are me t again
Laddie , lie near me !
A’
that I hae endur’
d,
Laddie, my dearie,Here in thy arms is cur’dLaddie, l ie near me
Chorus
Near me , near me,
Laddie, lie near me !
Langhae I lain my laneLaddie, l ie near me !
48 TH E GARD ’ NER WI’ H IS PA I DLE
THE GARD’NER WI’ HIS PAIDLE
WHEN rosy May come s in WI flowers
To deck h er gay, green -spreadingb owers,Th en b usy, b usy are h is hours
,
The gard’
ner wi’
h is paidle .
The crystal waters gently fa’
,
The merry b irds are lovers a’
,
Th e scented b re eze s round h im b law
Th e gard’
n er wi’
h is paidle .
When purple morn ingstarts th e hare
To steal upon h er e arly fare,must Th en thro
’
th e dew h e maun repair
Th e gard’
ner Wi’
h is pa idle .
When Day, expiringin th e we st,Th e curtain draws o
’ Nature ’ s rest,He fli e s to h er arms h e lo’
e s b e st,Th e gard
’
n er w i’
h is paidle .
TH E D A Y RE T U RN S
T H E D A Y R E T U R N S
THE day returns, my bosom burn s,Th e b lissful day w e twa did mee t
Tho’ winter w ild in tempest toil
’
d,
Ne’
er summer sun was half sae swe e t .
Her rob e s, l igh t-wavingin the breeze,Her tender limb s embrace
He r love ly form,h er native ease,
All harmony and grace .
Tumultuous tide s h is pulse s roll,A faltering, ardent kiss h e stole
H e gaz’
d,h e wish
’
d,
He fear’
d,h e b lush
’
d,
And sigh’
d h is very soul.
As fl ie s the partridge from the b rake
On fear- inspired wings,So Ne lly starting, half-awake ,Away afl
'
righted springs.
But Will ie fol low ’
d— as h e Should ;He overtook h er in th e wood
He vow’
d,h e pray
’
d,
H e found th e maid
Forgivingal l,and good.
MY LOVE, SHE’
S BUT A LASSIE YET 5 1
Than a’
th e pride that loads th e t ide ,And crosse s o ’
er th e sultry line ,Than kingly rob e s, than crowns and globe s,Heav
’
n gave me more—it made th ee mine
Wh ile day and n igh t can bringde ligh t,Or Nature augh t of pleasure give ,Wh ile joys above my mind can move ,For th e e, and th ee alone, I l ive
Wh en that grim foe ofLife b e low
Come s in b etween to make us part,The iron hand that breaks our band
,
I t b reaks my b li ss, it breaks my h eart !
MY LOVE,SHE
’
S BUT A LASSIE YET
Chor us
My love, sh e’
s but a lassie ye t,My love, sh e
’
s but a lassie ye t
We’
11 le t h er stand a year or twa,
Sh e’
11 no b e half sae saucy ye t
I RUE the day I sough t her, 0 !I rue the day I sough t h er, 0Wha gets h er ne ed na say he
’
s woo’
d,
But he may say h e has bough t h er, 0.
JAM I E, C OME T RY ME
Come draw a drap o’
th e b est o’
t ye t,
Come draw a drap o’
th e b e st o’
t ye t !
Gae se ek for pleasure whare ye will,But here I never missed it yet .
We’re a
’
dry WI drinkin o’
t,
We’
re a’
dry WI drinkin o’
t !
Th e minister kiss’t th e fiddle r’s wife
He could na preach for thinkin o’
t
Chorus
My love, Sh e’
s but a lassie ye t,My love , sh e
’
s but a lassie ye t
We’
11 le t h er stand a year or twa,
Sh e’
11 no b e half sae saucy ye t !
J AM I E,COM E T RY ME
Chorus
Jamie,come try me,
Jamie, come tryme
If thou would Win my love,
Jamie, come try me
TH E S I L V ER TA S S I E
IF thou should ask my love,Could I deny the e ?
If thou would Win my love ,Jamie, come try me !
If thou should kiss me , love ,Wha could e spy th ee ?
If thou wad b e my love ,Jamie, come try me !
Chorus
Jamie , come tryme ,Jamie , come try me !
If thou woul d w in my love ,Jamie , come try me
T H E S I LVE R T A S S I E
Go,fe tch to me a pint 0
’
wine,And fill it in a silver tassie ,
That I may drink b efore I go
A service to my b on ie lassie !
Th e boat rocks at th e pier o’
Le ith ,Fu
’ loud th e w ind b laws frae th e Ferry,The Sh ip ride s by th e Berwick-Law,
And I maun leave my bon ie Mary.
TH E L A ZY M I S T
T H E L A Z Y M I S T
THE lazy mist hangs from the brow of the h ill ,Concealingthe course of the dark Windingrill.
How languid the scene s, late so sprigh tly, appear,As Autumn to Winter resigns the pale year !
Th e fore sts are leafle ss, the meadows are brown,And al l the gay foppery of summer i s flown .
Apart l e t me wander, apart le t me muse,
How quick Time is flying, how ke en Fate pursue s !
How long I have l iv’
d, but how much l iv’
d in vain
How little of life ’s scanty Span may remain
What aspects old Time in h is progre ss has worn !What tie s crue l Fate in my bosom has torn
The trumpe ts sound, th e banners fly,The glitteringspears are ranked ready,
Th e shouts 0’
war are heard afar,
The battle close s de ep and b loody.
I t ’s not th e roar 0’
sea or Shore
Wad mak me langer wish to tarry,Nor shouts 0’
war that ’
s h eard afar :
It ’
s leavingth e e , my bon ie Mary
TH E C A P TA I N ’
S LA D Y
How foolish , or worse, till our summit is gain’
d
And downward, how weaken’
d, hOW darken’
d, how
pain’
d
Life is not worth havingw ith all it can give
For someth ingb eyond it poor man, sure, must l ive.
TH E C A P T A I N ’S LA D Y
Chorus
0, mount and go,Mount and make you ready
O,mount and go,And b e the Captain
’s Lady
WHEN th e drums do b eat,And th e cannons rattle
,
Thou sh alt sit in state ,And see thy love in battle
Wh en th e vanquish’
d foe
Sue s for peace and quiet,To the shade s we ’
11 go,
And in love enjoy it.
O F A’
TH E A I RT S
directions OF A ’
T H E A I RT S
reminds
Chorus
0,mount and go,Mount and make you
O,mount and go,And b e the Captai n
’s
OF a’
th e airts th e wind can b law
I dearly like th e we st,For th ere the bon ie lassie live s,The lassie I lo’
e b e st.
Th ere wild woods grow, and rivers row,
And mon ie a h ill b e tween
But day and n igh t my fancy S fl igh t
Is ever wi’ my Jean.
I see h er in th e dewy flowers
I se e h er sweet and fair.
I h ear he r in the tunefu’
b irds
I h ear h er charm th e air.
There’
s not a bon ie flower that springs
By fountain, Shaw,or green,
Th ere’
S not a bon ie b ird that sings,But minds me o
’ my Jean .
58 WH I STLE O’
ER THE LAVE O’
T
rest of it WH I STLE O’
ER THE LAVE O’
T
care nothing
Chorus
Carl,an th e Kingcome,
Carl, an the Kingcome,
Thou shalt dance , and I will
Carl, an the King come
FIRST when Maggie was my care ,Heav
’
n, I though t, was in h er air ;Now we
’
re married, Spier nae mair,
But—wh istle o’
er th e lave O’
t !
Megwas meek,and Megwas mild,
Swee t and harmle ss as a ch ild
Wiser men than me’
S b eguiled
Wh istle o’
e r the lave o’
t !
How we live , my Megand me ,
How we love , and how we gre e ,
I care na by how few may se e
Wh istle o’
er th e lave o’
t
Wha I wish were maggots’ meat,
Dish’
d up in h er Winding-sh eet,I could write (but Megwad see
’
t)Wh istle o
’
er th e lave o’
t
O,WERE I ON PARNASSUS H ILL 59
O,WERE I ON PARNASSUS H ILL
0, WERE I on Parnassus h ill,Or had 0
’
He licon my fill, [Notes ]That I might catch poe tic skill
To singhow dear I love thee
But Nith maun b e my Muse s’ we ll, must
My Muse maun b e thy b on ie se l’
,
On Corsincon I ’ll glowr and spell,And write how dear I love thee .
Then come, swee t Muse,inspire my lay
For a’
the l ee-lang simmer’
s day liva long
I coul dna sing, I coul dna say
How much, how dear I love th ee .
I se e thee dancingo’
er the green,
Thy waist sae j imp, thy l imb s sae clean,
Thy tempting lips, thy roguish e en
By Heaven and Earth I love thee
By n igh t, by day, a-field, at hame,The though ts 0
’ the e my breast inflame,And ay I muse and singthy name
I only live to love thee .
TH E CA PT I V E R I B BA N D
Tho’ I were doom’
d to wander on,
Beyond th e sea, b eyond th e sun,
Till my last weary sand was run ,
Till then—and then—I ’
d love thee
T H E C A P T IVE R I B BA N D
MYRA,the captive ribb and ’
s mine’
Twas all my faithful love could gain,And would you ask me to resign
The sole reward that crowns my pain ?
Go, b id th e hero, who h as run
Thro’ fie lds of death to gath er fame
Go,b id h im lay h is laure ls down,
And all h is we ll-earn’
d praise disclaim
The ribband shall its freedom lose
Lose al l th e b li ss it had with you
And share th e fate I would impose
On th ee, wert thou my captive too .
THERE’
S A YOUTH IN TH IS CITY 6 1
It Shall upon my bosom live,Or claspme in a close emb race ;
And at its fortune if you grieve ,Re trieve its doom,
and take its place .
THERE ’
S A YOUTH IN THIS CITY
THERE’ S a youth in th is city, it were a great pity
That h e from our lasse s should wander awa’
For he’
s b on ie and braw, we e l-favor’
d witha ’
,
An’
h is hai r has a natural buckle an’
a’
.
H is coat i s the hue 0’
h is bonne t sae b lue,H is fe cke t is wh ite as the new-driven snaw,
waistcoat
H is hose th ey are b lae , and his Shoon l ike the slae b lue ; sloe
And h is clear siller buckle s, they dazzle us a’
.
For b eauty and fortune the laddie "
8 b een courtin
We e l-featur’d,wee l-tocher
’
d,wee l-mounted, an
’
-dowered
b raw,
But ch iefly the siller that gars h im gang till h er
The penny’
s th e jewe l that b eautifie s a’
62 MY HEART ’
S I N TH E H IGHLAND S
almost
MY HEART ’
S IN THE H IGHLANDS
FAREWELL to the H igh lands, farewe ll to the North ,
Th e b irthplace of valour,the country of worth
Wh erever I wander, wh erever I rove,Th e h ills of th e H igh lands for ever I love .
Farewe ll to th e mounta ins h igh cover’
d w ith snow,
Farewe ll to th e strath s and green valleys b e low,
Farewe ll to th e forests and wild-hangingwoods,Farewe ll to th e torrents and loud-pouringfloods !
Th ere’
s Megw i’
th e mailen, that fain wad a haen
h im,
And Susie, wha’
s daddie was laird of th e Ha’
,
There’ s lang-toch er
’
d Nancy ma ist fe tters h is
fancy
But th e laddie ’
s dear se l h e loe s deare st of a’
Chorus
Myh eart’
s in th e H igh lands, my h eart is not h ere ,My h eart
’s in th e H igh lands a-chasingth e de er,A-chasingth e wild de er and followingthe roe
My h eart’
s in the H igh lands, wherever I go
JO H N A N D E R S O N MY JO 63
Chorus
Myheart’
s in the H igh lands, my h eart is not here,My h eart
’
s in the H ighlands a-chasingth e dee r,A-chas ingthe Wild deer and follow ingth e roe
My heart’
S in th e H igh lands, wherever I go
JOH N A N D E R S O N MY JO
JOHN Anderson my jo, John,
When we were first acquent, acquainted
Your locks were like th e raven,
Your bonie brow was b rent ; straight
But now your brow is b e ld, John,
Your locks are l ike th e snaw,
But b le ssings on your frosty pow,
John Anderson my jo
John Anderson my jo, John,
We clamb th e h ill thegither,And mon ie a cantie day, John ,
We’
ve h ad W1 ane an ith er
Now we maun totter down, John, must
And hand in hand we’
11 go,
And Sle ep th egith er at th e foot,John Ande rson my jo
AWA’
,w H I G S, AWA’
thistles
Our ancient crown s fa’
n in th e dust
dust-whirl De il b lin’ th em WI th e stoure o’
t,
An’ write the ir name s in h is b lack b euk,
Wha gae the Wh igs the power o’
t !
describing
awake
AWA’
, W H I G S, AWA’
Chorus
Awa’
,Wh igs, awa
’
Awa’
,Wh igs, awa
’
Ye’
re but a pack 0’ traitor louns
,
Ye’
ll do nae guid at a’
.
I
OUR thrissles flourish’
d fre sh and fair,And bon ie b loom’
d our roses
But Wh igs cam l ike a frost in June,An
’
wither’d a’
our posie s.
III
Our sad de cay in church and state
Surpasse s my de scriving.
The Wh igs cam o’
er us for a curse,And we hae done WI thriving.
IV
Grim Vengeance langhas taen a nap,
But we may see h im waukin
Gude h elp the day wh en Royal h eads
Are hunted l ike a maukin
CA’
THE YOWES TO THE KNOWES 65
Chorus
Awa’
,Wh igs, awa
’
Awa’
,Wh igs, awa
’
Ye’
re but a pack 0’ traitor
Ye’
l l do nae guid at a’
.
THE YOWES TO THE KNOWES fififi‘
s
‘w es
Chorus
Ca’
the yowe s to th e knowe s,Ca
’
th em where the h eath er grows,Ca
’ them where the burnie rowe s,My bonie dearie
I
As I gaed down th e water-side, went
There I me t my shepherd lad
He t ow’
d Ine swe e tly in h is plaid, wrapped
And h e ca’
d me h is dearie . called
‘Will ye gangdown th e water-Side,And se e th e wave s sae swe e tly glide
Beneath th e haze ls spreadingwide ?
The moon it sh ine s fu’ clearly .
’
I was b red up in nae Sic school,My sh eph erd lad, to play the fool,An
’
a’
th e day to sit in dool,An
’
naeb ody to se e me .
’
VOL. III.
66 O,ME RRY H A E I B EE N
Ye sall get gown s and ribbons me et,Cauf-leath er Shoon upon your fe e t,And in my arms thou ’
l t l ie and sleep,An
’
ye sall b e my dearie .
’
o, ME RR Y H A E I B E E N
O,MERRY hae I b e en tee th in a h e ckle,An
’ merry hae I b een Shapin a spoon !
patching O,merry hae I b e en cloutin a ke ttle ,An
’
kissin my Katie wh en a’
was done !
v
If ye’
11 but stand to what ye’
ve said,
I ’
Se gangwi’
you,my sh eph erd lad,
And ye may row me in your plaid,And I sall b e your dearie .
’
‘Wh ile Waters wimple to the sea,
Wh ile day b links in the l ift sae h ie,Till clay-cauld death sall b lin my c
’c,
Ye sall b e my dearie .
’
Chorus
Ca’
th e yowe s to th e knowe s,Ca
’ th em wh ere th e h eath er grows,Ca
’ th em wh ere th e burn ie rowe s,My b on ie dearie
A M O T H E R’
S LAME N T
O,a’
th e langday I ca’
at my h ammer, knock
An’
a’
th e langday I wh istle an’ Sing
O,a
’
th e langn igh t I cuddle my kimmer, mistress
An’
a’
the langn igh t as happy’
S a king
Bitter in dool,I l ickit my w innins
O’ marryingBe ss, to gie h er a slave .
Ble st b e th e hour Sh e cool’
d in h er linens,And b lythe b e the b ird that sings on h ergrave !
Come to my arms , my Katie, my Katie ,An
’ come to my arms and kiss me again
Drucken or sob er,h ere 5 to th e e, Katie,
And b le st b e th e day I did it again
A M O T H E R ’
S L AME N T
FATE gave th e word—th e arrow sped,And pierc
’
d my darling’s h eart
,
And with h im al l th e joys are fled
Life can to me impart.
By crue l hands th e saplingdrops,In dust dish onor
’
d la id
So fe ll the pride of al l my hope s,My age
’ s future Shade .
rollicking
distafi'
flax
TH E WH I TE C O C K A D E
T H E WH I T E C O C K A D E
Cockade
MY love was born in Ab erde en,Th e bon ie st lad that e ’
er was se en
But now h e make s our h earts fu’
sad
H e take s the fie ld Wi’ h is Wh ite Cockade .
I ’ll se ll my rock,my reel, my tow ,
Myguid gray mare and hawkit cow,
To buy myse l a tartan plaid,To follow th e boy wi
'
th e Wh ite Cockade .
The mother linne t in th e b rake
Bewails h e r ravish ’
d youngSo I for my lost darling
’
s sake
Lament th e live-day long.
Death , oft IWe fear’
d thy fatal b low
Now fond I bare my bre ast
0,do thou kindly lay me low,
With h im I love at re st
Chorus
0, h e’
S a ranting, rovinglad
He is a b risk an’
a bon ie lad
Betide what may, I will b e wed,And follow th e b oy w i
’
th e Wh ite
70 THE BANTIN DOG,THE DADDIE O
’
T
rollicking THE BANTIN DOG, THE DADDIE O’T
~clothes O, WHA my bab ie -clouts will buy ?
attend to O,wha will ten t me when I cry ?
Wha will kiss me wh ere I lie ?
The ran tin dog, th e daddie o’
t !
O,wha wil l own h e did the faut ?
O,wha will buy th e groan in maut ?
O,wha w ill te ll me how to ca
’
t
The rant in dog, the daddie o’
t !
[Notes] When I mount the creepie-chair,Wha will sit b e side me there ?
G ie me Rob , I’
ll seek nae mair
The rantin dog, th e daddie o’
t !
talk ; alone Wha will crack to me my lane
[Notes] Wha will mak me fidgin fain ?
Wha w ill kiss me o’
er again
Th e rantin dog, th e daddi e o’
t
TH O U L I N G ER I N G S TAR 7 1
T H O U L I N GE R I N G ST A R
THOU l ing’
ringstar with l ess’
n ingray,
That lov’
st to gre e t th e early morn,
Again thou usher’
st in th e day
MyMary from my soul was tom .
0 Mary,dear departed shade
Wh ere is thy place of b lissful re st ?
See’
st thou thy lover lowly laid
Hear’st thou the groan s that rend his breast ?
That sacred hour can I forge t,Can I forge t the hallow
’
d grove,Wh ere, by the windingAyr, we met
To l ive one day ofparting love
Etern ity cannot cfl’
ace
Those records dear of transports past,Thy image at our last embrace
Ah little though t we’twas our last !
Ayr, gurgling, kiss’
d his pebb led Shore ,O
’
erhungw ith wild woods th ickeninggreen
The fragrant b irch and hawthorn hoar’
Twin’
d amorous round the raptur’
d scene ;
E P P I E A D A I R
The flowers sprangwanton to b e prest,The b irds sang love on every Spray,
Till too, too soon, the glowingwe st
Proclaim’
d the speed of winged day.
E P P I E AD A I R
C horus
An’
0 my Eppie ,My j ewe l, my Eppie !
wouldn't Wha wadna b e happyWi’ Eppie Adair ?
BY love and by b eauty,By law and by duty,I swear to b e true to
My Eppie Ada ir
Still o ’
er th e se scene s mymem’
ry wake s,And fondly b roods with miser—care .
Time but th’ impre ssion stronger makes,
As streams the ir channe ls de eper wear.
0 Mary,dear departed shade
Wh ere is thyplace of b lissful rest ?
See’
st thou thy lover lowly laid ?
Hear’st thou the groans that rend h is breast ?
74 THE BATTLE OF SHERRAMUIR
not slow
bayonets
pigeons
how theDev il 0,how De il Tam
,can that b e true ?
went The chase gaed frae th e north, man
I saw mysel, th ey did pursue
The horseman back to Forth , man ;
The red-coat lads WI b lack cockauds
To mee t them were na slaw,man
They rush ’
d and push’
d and b luid outgush’
d,
And mon ie a bouk did fa’
,man
The great Argyle led on h is file s,
I wat they glanc’
d for twenty mile s
Th ey hough’
d th e clan s like n ine -pin kyles,They hack’
d and hash’
d,wh ile braid-swords
clash’
d,
And thro’ th ey dash ’
d, and h ew’
d and smash’
d,
Till fey men died awa, man .
III
But had ye se en th e ph ilib egs
And skyrin tartan trews, man,
Wh en in th e tee th they daur’d ourWh igsAnd Covenant trueb lue s
,man !
In line s e xtended langand large,When baig
’
ne ts o’
erpower’
d th e targe ,And thousands hasten
’
d to th e charge ,Wi’ H igh land wrath they frae th e Sh eathDrew b lade s 0’
death , till out o’
breath
They fled like frigh ted dows, man
THE BATTLE OF SHERRAMUIR 75
And at Dunb lane , in my ain sight,They took th e b rigWI a
’ th e ir migh t,And straugh t to Stirlingwing
’
d the ir fl igh t
But, cursed lot ! th e gate s were shut,And mon ie a buntit poor red-coat,For fear ama ist did swarf, man
‘My sister Kate cam up the gate
WI crowdie unto me , man :
Sh e swoor Sh e saw some reb e ls run
To Perth and to Dundee , man !
Th e ir left-hand general had nae skill ;The Angus lads had nae good will
That day th e ir ne ebors’
b luid to spil l ;For fear by foe s that they should loseThe ir cogs O
’
b rose, th ey scar’
d at b lows,And hameward fast did flee, man .
They ’ve lost some gallan t gentlemen,Amangthe H igh land clans, man
I fear my Lord Panmure is slain,
Or in h is en’
mie s’
hands, man .
Now wad ye Sing th is doub le fl igh t,Some fe ll for wrang, and some for right,But mon ie b ade th e world guid-n igh t :
Say, pe ll and me ll, W1 muske ts’
kne ll
How Torie s fe ll, andWh igs to H e ll
Flew off in frigh ted bands, man
round about
goad [Notes]
praised eyes
mouth
Y O U N G JO CK I E
Y OUNG JOOK IE WA S THE
BLYTHE ST LAD
YOUNG Jockie was the b lythest lad,In a
’
our town or h ere awa
Fu’
b lythe h e wh istled at the gaud,
Fu’ ligh tly danc
’
d h e in the ha’
.
He roos’
d my e en sae boni e b lue ,He roos
’
d my waist sae genty sma’
An’
ay my h eart cam to my mou’
,
Wh en ne’
er a body h eard or saw .
My Jockie toils upon th e plain
Thro’ wind and we et, thro’
frost and snaw ;And o
’
er th e l ea I leuk fu’
fain,
Wh en Jockie ’
s owsen hameward ca’
.
An’
ay the n igh t come s round again,Wh en in h is arms h e taks me a
’
,
An’
ay h e vows h e’ll be my ain
AS lang’
s h e h as a breath to draw.
T H O’ WOM E N ’
S M I N D S
wot ; rose An angry wife I wat sh e raise
And o’
er th e b ed sh e brough t h er,big; -cudgel And WI a me ikle haze l-rungwe ll-thrashed She made h er a we e l-pay
’
d dochter.
O,fare—th e e-we e l, my b on ie lass
O,fare-the e-wee l, my h innie
Thou art a gay and a bon ie lass,But thou has a waukrife minn ie
T H O’ W OM E N ’
S M I N D S
Chorus
For a’ that
,an
’
a’ that,
much as And twice as me ikle ’
S a’
that,
The bon ie lass that I loe b e st,She
’
ll b e my ain for a’
that
THo’ women’s minds l ike Winter Winds
May sh ift, and turn, an’
a’
that,
most The nob le st b reast adore s them maist
A conse quence, I draw that.
TH O’ WOME N ’
S M I N D S
Great love I b ear to a’
th e fa ir,Th e ir humb le slave
,an
’
a’
that ;But lordly will, I hold it stil l
A mortal sin to thraw that. contradict
In rapture swe e t th is hour we mee t,Wi’ mutual love an
’
a’ that
,
But for how langth e flie may stang, fly ; sting
Let inclination law that !
Th e ir tricks an ’ craft hae put me daft,They ’
Ve taen me in an’
a’ that
,
But clear your de cks, and h ere’
S The Sex !’
I like the jads for a’ that !
Chorus
For a’ that
,an
’
a’ that
,
And twice as me ikle ’
S a’ that
,
The bon ie lass that I loe b e st,Sh e
’
l l b e my ain for a’ that !
80 WILL IE BREW’
D A PECK O’
MAUT
WILLIE BREW’D A PECK O
’ MAUT
Chorus
We are na fou, w e’
re nae that fou,But just a drappie in our e
’
e
crow ; dawn Th e cock may craw,th e daymay daw,
.brew And ay we’
11 taste th e barley-bree !
O,WILLIE brewed a pe ck o
’ maut,And Rob and Allan cam to se e .
Thre e b lyth er h earts that lee-langn ight
Ye wad na found in Christendie .
[Notes] Here are w e me t thre e merry boys,Three merry boys I trow are we ;
And mon ie a n igh t we’
ve merry b e en,
more And mon ie mae we hope to b e
I t is th e moon,I ken h er horn,
That ’
s b l inkin in th e l ift sae h ie
Sh e sh ine s sae bright to wyle us hame,
But, by my sooth, she’
l l wait a we e
82 TH E BLU E -E Y E D LA S S I E
I faugh t at land, I faugh t at sea,At hame I faugh t my auntie
, 0
But I me t th e Devil and Dunde e
On th e brae s o’ Killie crankie, O .
Th e bauld Pitcur fe ll in a furr,furrow
knock An’
Clavers gat a clankie , O,
Else ; hawk Or I h ad fed an Athole gled
On th e brae s o’ Killie crankie, O !’
Chorus
An ye had b e en whare I hae b e en,Ye wad na b een sae cantie, O
An ye had seen What I hae seen
On th e brae s o’ Killiecrankie, O
T H E B L U E -E Y E D L A S S I E
I GAED a waefu’
gate ye stre en,
A gate I fear I’
l l dearly rue
I gat my death frae twa swe e t e en,
Twa love ly e en O’
bon ie b lue
'
TH E B A N K S O F N I TH
’
Twas not h er golden ringle ts brigh t,Her lips like rose s wat w i
’
dew ,
H er heavingbosom lily-wh ite
It was h er e en sae b on ie b lue .
She talk’
d, Sh e smil
’
d,my heart sh e wyl’d,
Sh e charm’
d my soul I w ist na how
And ay th e stound,th e deadly wound
,
Cam frae h er e en sae b on ie b lue .
But spare to Speak,and spare to speed
’
Sh e’
l l a ib lins l isten to my VOW
Should sh e refuse,I ’
l l l ay my dead dea th
To h er twa e en sae bon ie b lue .
T H E B A N K S OF N I T H
THE Thame s flows proudly to th e sea,
Wh e re royal citie s state ly stand
But swe e te r flows th e Nith to me,
Wh ere Cummins ance had h igh command. [Notes]Wh en Shall I se e that honor’d land
,
That windingstre am I love so dear ?
Must wayward Fortune ’
s adve rse hand
For ever—ever ke epme h ere ?
mu5t not
money
TAM G LE N
How love ly,Nith
,thy fruitful vale s,
Wh ere boundinghawthorn s gaily b loom,
And swe e tly spre’ad thy slopingdale s,
Wh ere lambkins wanton thro’
the broom
Tho’
wanderingnow must b e my doom
Far from thy bon ie banks and brae s,May there my latest hours consume
Amangmy friends of early days !
TAM GLE N
MY heart is a-breaking, dear titti e
Some counse l unto me come len
To anger th em a’
is a pity,But what will I do WI Tam Glen ?
I ’
m th inking, WI sic a braw fe llow
In poortith I migh t mak a fen’
.
What care I in riches to wallow,
If I mauna marry Tam Glen ?
Th ere’
S Lowrie th e laird o’
Dumel ler
Guid day to you,’
brute h e come s ben .
He brags and h e b laws 0’
h is siller,But when will h e dance like Tam G len
CRA I G I E B URN WO O D
CR A I G I E B U R N WOOD
Chorus
Beyond th ee , dearie, b eyond th e e , dearie ,And 0, to b e lyingb eyond th ee
O, swe etly, soundly, wee l may h e sle epThat ’
s la id in th e b ed b eyond the e
a
SWEET close s th e ev’
n ingon Craigi eburn Wood
And b lyth ely awaukens th e morrow
But the pride 0’
the spring on th e Craigieburn
Wood
Can yie ld me naugh t but sorrow .
I se e th e Spreading leave s and flowers,I h ear th e wild b irds singing;
But pleasure th ey hae nane for me,
Wh ile care my h eart is wringing.
must I can na te ll, I maun na te ll,I daur na for your anger ;
But se cre t love will break my h eart,If I conce al it langer.
C RA I G I E B U RN WOO D
I see thee gracefu’
,straigh t, and tall,
I see th e e swe e t and bon ie
But 0,what will my torment b e,
If thou refuse thy Johnie
To see th ee in another’s arms
In love to l ie and languish,’
Twad b e my dead, that will b e seen death
My h eart wad burst w i’
anguish
But, Jeani e , say thou w i lt b e mine,Say thou lo
’
e s nane b efore me ,
And a’ my days 0’ life to come
I ’ll grateful ly adore thee .
Chorus
Beyond th e e, dearie , b eyond th ee , dearie,And 0
,to b e lyingb eyond th ee
O,sweetly, soundly, we e l may h e sleepThat ’s laid in th e b ed b eyond thee !
88 0 JOHN, COME K I SS ME NOW
FRAE THE FRIENDS AND LAND I LOVE
re lentless
gloomy
every
I
FRAE the friends and land I loveDriv
’
n by Fortune’s fe lly spite ,
Frae my b e st b elov ’
d I rove,Never mair to taste de ligh t
Never mair maun hope to find
Ease frae toil, re l ief frae care .
Wh en remembrance wracks the mind,Pleasure s but unve il despair.
II
Brigh te st climes sh all mirk appear,
Desert ilka b looming Shore,Til l th e Fate s, nae ma ir seve re ,Friendsh ip, love , and peace re store
Till Revenge w i’
l aure l l’
d head
Bringour banish’
d hame again,And ilk loyal
,bonie lad
Cross th e seas, and win h is ain
JOH N,COME K I SS ME NOW
Chorus
0 John,come kiss me now,
now,now
0 John ,my love, come kiss me now !
0 John, come kiss me by and by,
For we e l ye ken th e way to woo !
90 MY TO C H ER ’
S TH E
spruce
dowry’
s MY T O CH E R ’
S T H E
much
much money
hanse l
timber
JEWEL
JEWE L
Cock up your b eave r, and cock it fu’ sprush
We’
11 ove r th e b order and gie th em a brush
There ’
s somebody there we’
ll teach b etter
haviour
Hey, brave John ie lad, cock up your b eaver !
O, MEIKLE th inks my luve o’ my b eauty,
And me ikle th inks my luve o’ my kin ;
But little th inks my luve I ken brawlie
My tocher’ s th e j ewe l has charms for h im.
I t ’s a’
for the apple h e’ ll nourish th e tree,
I t ’ s a ’
for th e h iney h e ’ll cherish the b e e
My laddie’
S sae me ikle in lave Wi’ the siller,He canna hae luve to spare for me
Your profl’
er o’ lave ’
s an airle-penny,My toch er
’s the bargain ye wad buy ;
But an ye b e crafty, I am cunnin,
Sae ye wi’
an ith er your fortune may try.
Ye’
re l ike to the t immer o’
yon rotten wood,Ye ’
re like to the bark 0’
you rotten tre e
Ye’
l l Slip frae me like a knotle ss thread,An
’ ye ’l l crack ye ’
re credit w i’ mair nor me !
GU I DWI FE,COUNT THE LAWI N 9 1
GU IDWIFE, COUNT THE LAWIN
Chorus
Then, guidwife , count the lawin,
The lawin, the lawin
Then, guidwife , count th e law in ,
And bringa coggie mair [Notes]
GANE is th e day, and mirk’
s the nigh t, Gone ; dark
But we’
l l ne’
er stray for faut 0’ ligh t, want
For ale and brandy ’
s stars and moon,
And b lude-red wine ’
s th e risin sun .
There’
s wealth and ease for gentlemen,
And semple folk maun fech t and fen’
But h ere we ’
re a’
in ae accord
For ilka man that ’
S drunk’s a lord.
every
My coggie i s a haly pool stoup ; hol ]That h eals th e wounds 0 care and dool
,sorrow
And Pleasure is a wanton trout
An ye drink it a’
, ye’
l l find h im out
weep earth
92 TH E RE’
LL N E V E R BE P E A CE
Chorus
Then, guidwife , coun t the lawin,
Th e lawin,th e lawin
Then, guidwife , count th e lawin,
And bringa coggie mair
THERE ’LL NEVER BE PEACE TILL
JAMIE COMES HAME
BY yon castle wa’
at th e close of the day,
I h eard a man sing, tho’
h is h ead it was grey,And as he was singing, th e tears doon came
‘Th ere’
11 never b e peace till Jamie come s hame
The Church i s in ruin s, th e State is in jars,De lusions, oppre ssions, and murderous wars,We dare na wee l say
’
t, but weken wha
’
s to b lame
Th ere ’
ll neve r b e peace till Jamie come s hame !
My seven b raw sons for Jamie drew sword,But now I gree t round th e irgre en b eds in th e yerd
I t brak th e swe e t h eart 0’ my faithfu’
auld dame
There ’
11 never b e peace till Jamie come s hame !
WOC
go fine
94 THE BONIE LAD THAT ’
S FAR AWA
He hums and h e b ankers,He frets and h e cankers,I never can please h im
Do a’ that I can .
He’
s peevish an’ j e alous
Of a’
th e youngfe llows
O,dool on the dayI me t WI an auld man
My auld auntie Katie
Upon me taks pity,I ’
11 do my endeavour
To follow h er plan
I ’
l l cross h im an’ wrack h im
Until I h eartbreak h im,
And then h is auld brass
Will buy me a new pan .
THE BONIE LAD THAT ’
S FAR AWA
0, How can I b e b lyth e and glad,Or how can I gangbrisk and b raw
,
When the bon ie lad that I lo’
e b e st
IS o’
er the h ills and far awa ?
THE BONIE LAD THAT ’
S FAR AWA 95
It ’s no the frosty Winter wind,It
’
s no th e drivingdrift and snaw
But ay th e tear come s in my e’
e
To th ink on him that ’
s far awa.
My fath er pat me frae h is door,
My friends th ey hae disown’
d me a’
But I hae ane will tak my part
The b on ie lad that ’ s far awa.
A pair 0’
glooves he bough t to me,
And silken snoods he gae me twa, fillets ; gav
And I will wear them for his sake,
The bon ie lad that ’
s far awa .
O,weary Winter soon wi ll pass,And Springwil l cle ed th e b irken Shaw,
And my Swee t bab ie will b e born ,
And he’ll b e hame that ’s far awa !
96 S EN S I B I L I TY H OW CH A RM I N G
I DO CONFESS THOU ART SAE FAIR
would haveears
muve .
every
soon loses
S E N S I B I L I T Y H OW CH A RM I N G
I Do confess thou art sae fa ir,
I wad b e en o’
er th e lugs in luve ,Had I na found the sligh te st prayer
That l ips could speak thy heart could
I do confe ss th ee swe et, but find
Thou art so thriftle ss o’
thy swee ts,Thy favours are the Silly wind
That kisse s ilka th ing it mee ts .
See yonder rosebud rich in dew,
Amangits native b riers sae coy,
How sune it tine s its scent and hue,Wh en pu
’
d and worn a common toy
Sic fate ere langShall thee b e tide,Tho
’ thou may gaily b loom awh ile ,And sune thou shalt b e thrown aside,Like on ie common we ed, an
’
vile .
I
SENSIBILITY how charming,Thou, my friend, can
’st truly te ll
But Distre ss w ith horrors armingThou alas hast known too we ll
98 YON WILD MOSSY MOUNTA INS
Not Gowrie ’
s rich vall ey nor Forth’
s sunny Shores
To me hae th e charms o’
yon Wild, mossy moors ;For there , by a lane ly, se que stered stream,
Re side s a swee t lassie, my though t and my dream.
She is not the faire st, altho’
she is fair
0’
n ice education but sma’ is h er share
H er parentage humb le as humb le can b e
But I lo’
e the dear lassie b ecause sh e lo’
e s me .
Amang thae wild mountains Shall still be my
path ,Ilk stream foaming down its ain green, narrow
strath
For there WI my lassie the langday I rove ,Wh ile o
’
er us unheeded flie the swift hours 0’ love .
To Beauty What man but maun yield him a
prize,In h er armour ofglan ce s, and b lush e s, and sigh s
And wh en Wit an d Refinemen t hae polish’
d h er
darts,
They dazzle our e en,as they flie to our h earts .
I HAE BEEN AT CROOKIEDEN 99
But kindness, swe e t kindne ss, in the fond-sparklinge’
e
Has lustre outsh in ingth e diamond to me,
And the h eart beating love as I ’m clasp’
d in her
arms,0, these are my lassie
’ s all-conqueringcharms
I HAE BEEN AT CROOKIEDEN Hell
I HAE b een at Crookieden
My bonie laddie, H ighl and laddie
ViewingWil lie and h is men
My bon ie laddie , H igh land laddie
There our foe s that burnt and Slew
My b on ie laddie , H igh land laddie
There at last th ey gat the ir due
My boni e laddie, H igh land laddie
Satan Sits in h is b lack neuk comer
My bonie laddie, H igh land laddie !
Breakingsticks to roast the Duke
My bon ie laddie , H ighland laddie
1 00 IT IS NA, JEAN,THY BONIE FACE
The b loody monster gae a yell
My b on ie laddie, H igh land laddi e
And loud the laugh gaed round a’
He ll
My bon ie laddie , Highland laddie
IT IS NA ,JEAN, THY BONIE FACE
every
IT i s na, Jean, thy b on ie face
Nor shape that I admire ,Altho’
thy b eauty and thygraceMigh t wee l awauk de sire .
Someth ingin ilka part 0’
th ee
To praise , to love, I find
But, dear as is thy form to me,
Still dearer i s thy mind.
Nae mair ungen’
rous wish I hae,Nor stronger in my breast,
Th an,if I canna mak th e e sae,
At least to see th e e b lest
Content am I, if H eaven shal l give
But happiness to th e e,And, as wi
’
th e e I wish to live,For th ee I ’
d bear to dee .
102 WHA IS THAT AT MY BOWER DOOR
WHA IS THAT AT MY BOWER DOOR
awake
Here th is n igh t ifye remain ’
I ’
l l rema in quo’ Findlay
‘ I dread ye ’ ll learn th e gate again ?’
‘ Indeed will I quo’ Findlay.
WHA is that at my bower door ? ’
O,wha is it but Findlay
‘Then gae your gate, ye’
se nae b e here .
’
Indeed maun I quo’ Findlay.
What mak ye , sae like a th ief ? ’
0,come and see !
’
quo’ Findlay.
‘Before the morn ye’
l l work mischief ? ’
‘ Indeed will I quo’ Findlay.
Gif I rise and let you in’
Le t me in quo’ Findlay
‘Ye’
l l keepme wauken Wi’ your din ?
Inde ed will I ! ’ quo’ Findlay.
In my bower if ye should stay
Le t me stay ! ’ quo’ Findlay
I fear ye ’ ll b ide t ill break 0’
day ?’
Indeed w ill I quo’ Findlay.
BO N I E WE E TH I N G
‘What may pass with in th is bower’
(‘Le t it pass !
’
quo’ Findlay ! )
Ye maun conceal till your last hour
Indeed will I quo’ Findlay.
BON I E WE E TH IN G
Chorus
Bonie wee th ing, cannie wee thing,Love ly w ee th ing, wert thou mine,
I wad wear th e e in my bosom
Le st my jewe l it Should t ine .
WISHFULLY I look and languish
In that bonie face 0’
th ine,And my heart it stounds Wi’ anguish ,Le st my wee th ingb e na mine .
Wit and Grace and Love and Beauty
In ae conste l lation Sh ine
To adore th ee is my duty,Godde ss 0’ th is soul 0’ mine
a little ago
TH E T I TH E R MORN
Chorus
Bon ie wee th ing, cann ie we e th ing,Love ly we e th ing, wert thou mine ,
I wad wear the e in my bosom
Le st my jewe l it Should t ine .
T H E T IT H E R M OR N
THE tither morn, wh en I forlorn
An eath an aik sat moan ing,I did na trow I ’
d see my jo
Beside me gin the gloaming.
But h e sae triglap o’
er the rig,
And dawtingly did ch eer me ,
Wh en I,What re ck, did least expeck
To see my lad sae near me
His bonne t he a though t aj ee
Cock’
d spunk wh en first h e clasp’
dme
And I, I wat, wi’
fainne ss grat,Wh ile in h is grips h e pre ss
’
d me .
De i l tak the war I late and air
Hae wish’
d s ince Jock departed ;But now as glad I
’
m wi’ my lad
As short syne broken-hearted.
LO V ELY D AV I E S
Had we never lov’
d sae kindly,Had we neve r lov’
d sae b lindly,Neve r me t—or never parted
We had ne’
er b e en broken-h earted.
every
L OV E L Y D A V I E S
Fare-thee-wee l, thou first and fairest
Fare-th ee-we e l, thou b est and deare st
Th ine b e i lka j oy and treasure ,Peace, Enjoyment, Love and Pleasure !
Ao fond kiss, and th en we sever
Ae farewe ll, alas, for ever
Deep in h eart-wrungtears I’
l l pledge the e,Warring sigh s and groan s I
’
l l wage th ee .
0 HOW shall I, unskilfu’
, try
The Poe t’s occupation ?
Th e tunefu’
Powers, in h appy hours
That wh isper inspiration,Even th ey maun dare an e ffort mair
Than augh t th ey ever gave us,
Ere they reh earse in e qual verse
The ch arms o’ love ly Davie s.
LO V ELY D AV I E S
Each eye , it cheers, when she appears,Like Phcebus in th e morning,Wh en past the Shower, and eve ry flower
The garden is adorn ing!
As th e wretch looks o’
er S ib eria’s shore,Wh en winter-bound th e wave i s,
Sae droops our h eart, when we maun part
Frae charming, love ly Davie s.
H er smile ’
s a gift frae’
boon th e lift,That maks us mair than prince s .
A sceptred hand, a king’s command,
Is in her dartingglance s.
The man in arms ’
gainst female charms,Even b e her Willingslave is
He hugs h is cha in , and own s the re ign
Of conque ringlove ly Davie s .
My Muse to dream of such a theme
Her fe eb le powers surrenders
Th e eagle’s gaze alone surveys
The sun’ s meridian Splendours.
I wad in va in e ssay the strain
The de ed too daringbrave is
I ’
l l drap th e lyre , and, mute , admire
The charms o’ lovely Davie s.
1 08 TH E WE ARY PUN D O’
TOW
pound ; THE WE ARY FU ND O,
TOW
Chorus
The weary pund, the weary pund,The weary pund o
’
tow !
I th ink my Wife will end h er life
Before She spin her tow .
stone ; flax I BOUGHT my wife a stane o’ lint
As guid as e’
e r did grow,And a
’ that sh e has made 0’ that
one poor IS ae puir pund o’
tow .
There sat a bottle in a bole
Beyont th e ingle low
And ay she took th e tither souk
To drouk the stourie tow .
Quoth I For shame, ye dirty dame,bunch Gae Spin your tap o
’
tow
distafl’
Sh e took th e rock, and WI a knock
She brake it o’
er my pow.
1 10 WHEN SHE CAM BEN, SHE BOBBED
I am naebody’
s lord,
I ’
l l b e slave to naebody.
I hae a guid braid sword,I ’
ll tak dunts frae naebody.
I’
ll b e merry and free,
I ’
l l b e sad for naebody.
[Notes] Naebody care s for me,I care for naebody .
WHEN SHE CAM BEN, SHE BOBBED
O, WHEN sh e cam b en, She bobbéd fu’
law
0,when she cam b en, she bobbed fu
’
law
And wh en sh e cam’
b en, she kiss’
d Cockpen,
then ; at al l And syne sh e deny’
d sh e did it at a’
And was na Cockpen right saucy witha’
And was na Cockpen righ t saucy witha’
,
In leavingthe doch ter o’
a lord,
And kissin a collier lassie an’
a’
0, FOR ANE-AND -TWENTY , TAM 1 1 1
0,never look down, my lassie , at a
’
0,never look down, my lassie, at a
’
Thy lips are as swe e t, and thy figure complete ,As the fine st dame in castle or ha
’
.
‘Tho’ thou hast nae silk, and holland sae sma
’
, fine
Tho’ thou hast nae silk, and holland sae sma
’
,
Thy coat and thy sark are thy ain handywark,
And Lady Jean was never sae braw.
’
0, FOR ANE AND-TWENTY, TAM One
Chorus
An’
0,for ane-and-twenty
, Tam !
And h ey, swe e t ane-and-twenty,Tam !
I ’
11 learn my kin a rattlin sangAn I saw ane-and-twenty, Tam.
THEY snool me sa ir, and hand me down,And gar me look like b luntie
,Tam ;
But three short years will soon wh e e l roun’
And th en come s ane-and-twenty, Tam
1 1 2 O,KENMURE
’
S ON AND AWA,WILLIE
A gle ib o’
lan’
,a claut o’
gear
Was left me by my auntie , Tam.
Of ; ask At kith or kin I needna Spier,An I saw ane-and-twenty, Tam.
Th ey ’ll hae me wed a wealthy coof,Tho
’ I myse l hae plenty, Tam
But hear’
st thou,laddie— th ere ’
S my loof
I ’m th ine at ane-and-twenty,Tam
Chorus
An’
0, for ane-and-twenty, Tam
And h ey, swee t ane-and-twenty, Tam
I ’
11 learn my kin a rattlin sangAn I saw ane-and-twenty, Tam.
O,KENMURE ’
S ON AND AWA, WILLIE
O,KENMURE
’
S on and awa,Will ie
,
O,Kenmure
’
S on and awa
An’
Kenmure’
s lord ’
S the brave st lord
That ever Galloway saw !
1 1 4 O,LEEZE ME ON MY SPINNIN-WHEEL
blessings O, LEEZE ME ON MY SPINNIN-WHEEL
On lofty aiks the cushats wail,And Echo cons th e doolfu’ tale .
The l intwh ite s in th e haze l brae s,De ligh ted, rival ither
’
s lays.
O,LEEZE me on my spinnin
-wh e e l !
And lee z e me on my rock and re e l,Frae tap to tae that cleeds me b ien,And haps me fie l and warm at e
’
en
I ’
ll set me down, and Singand Spin,Wh ile laigh de scends th e summer sun ,
Ble st wi’ content, and milk and meal
0,lee z e me on my spinn in
-whe e l
On ilka hand th e burn ie s trot,And mee t b e low my th e ekit cot .
The scented b irk and hawthorn wh ite
Across th e pool th e ir arms un ite,Alike to scre en th e b irdie ’s ne st
And little fish es’ caller rest.
The sun b links kindly in the b ie l,Where b lyth e I turn my spinnin
-whee l.
MY CO LL I E R LA D D I E
The craik amangthe claver hay,The paitrick wh irrin o
’
er the ley,
Th e swallow j lnkin round my sh ie l, cottageAmuse me at my spinnin
-whee l .
WI sma to se ll and le ss to buy,Aboon distre ss, be low envy,O,
wha wad leave th is humb le state
For a’
th e pride of a’
the great ?
Amid th e ir flaring, idle toys,Amid th e ir cumbrous, dinsome joys,Can th ey the peace and pleasure fee l
Of Be ssy at her Spinnin-Whee l ?
MY C OLL I E R L A D D IE
O,WHARE live ye, my bon ie lass,
And te ll me how th ey ca’
ye
My name,
’
Sh e says,
‘ is Mistre ss Jean,
And I follow th e collier laddie .
’
0, see you not yon h ills and dale s
The sun sh ine s on sae b rawlie ?
Th ey a’
are mine, and th ey shall b e th ine ,G in ye
’
l l leave your collier laddie
1 1 6 MY C O LL I E R LA D D I E
adorned
corner
good befall
An’
ye Shall gangin gay attire,Wee l buskit up sae gaudy,
And ane to wa it on eve ry hand,Gin ye
’
l l leave your collier laddie
‘Tho’
ye had a’
th e sun sh ine s on,And the earth conceals sae lowly,
I wad turn my back on you and it a’
And embrace my collier laddie .
I can win my five penn ie s in a day,
An’ Spend it at n igh t fu
’
brawlie,And make my b ed in the collier’s neuk
And l ie down w i’ my collie r laddie .
Loove for loove is th e bargain for me,Tho
’
th e we e cot-house should hand me ,
And th e warld b efore me to win my bread
And fair fa’
my collier laddie
1 1 8 I N S IMMER,WHEN THE HAY
Blythe Bessie in the milkingsh ie l
Says I ’
l l be wed, come o’
t what w ill ! ’
Out spake a dame in wrinkled e ild
O’
guid advisement come s nae ill.
many a one
crops kine
glance eye
O though tle ss lassie, life’s a faugh t
The cann iest gate, the strife is sair.
But ay fu’-han
’t is fechtin b e st
A hungry care’
S an unco care .
I t ’s ye hae wooers mon ie ane ,
And lassie , ye’
re but young, ye ken !
Then wait a wee , and cann ie wale
A routh ie butt, a routh ie b en .
Th ere Johnie o’
th e Buskie—Glen,Fu’
is h is barn, fu’ is h is byre .
Tak th is frae me, my bon ie h en
I t ’s plenty b ee ts the luver’
s fire
For John ie o’
th e Buskie-Glen
I dinna care a single flie
He lo’
e s sae wee l h is craps and kye,He has nae love to spare for me .
But b lyth e ’
S the b link o’
Rob ie’
s
And we e l I wat he lo’
e s me dear
Ae b link O’
h im I wad na gie
For Buskie-Glen and a’
h is gear .
’
FA I R E L I ZA
But some will spend, and some will Spare ,An
’
w ilfu’
folk maun hae the ir will. must
Syne as ye brew,my maiden fa ir,
Keep mind that ye maun drink the yill
O, gear will buyme rigs 0
’ land,And gear Will buyme sheep and kye
But th e tender h eart 0’ leesome loove
The gowd and sil ler canna buyWe may b e poor, Rob ie and I
Ligh t i s th e burden luve lays on
Content and loove b rings peace and j oyWhat mair hae Queens upon a throne ? ’
F A I R E L I ZA
TURN again , thou fai r El iza
Ae kind b link b efore we part !
Rew on thy de spa iringlover
Canst thou break h is faithfu’
heart ?
Turn again, thou fair Eliza !
If to love thy h eart den ies,For pity h ide the crue l sentence
Under friendsh ip’s kind disguise !
1 20 YE JA CO B I TE S BY N AME
ewny
sunny
YE JACOB ITES BY NAME
YE Jacob ites by name,G ive an ear, give an e ar !
Ye Jacob ite s by name,G ive an ear
The e, dear maid,hae I ofl
’
ended
The offence is lovingthe e .
Canst thou wreck h is peace for ever,Wha for th ine wad gladly die ?Wh ile th e life b eats in my bosom,
Thou Shalt mix in ilka throe .
Turn again, thou lovely maiden,
Ae sweet smile on me b e stow !
Not th e b ee upon th e b lossom
In the pride 0’
sinny noon,
Not the l ittle Sportingfairy
All b eneath th e Simmer moon,Not th e Poe t in th e moment
Fancy ligh tens in h is e’
e,
Ken s th e pleasure , fe e ls the rapture,That thy presence gie s to me .
TH E F O S I E
Th en let your scheme s alone,
Adore th e risingsun,
And leave a man undone
To h is fate
TH E P OS IE
O, LUYE will venture in where it daur na wee l b e
se en
O, luve will venture in, wh ere wisdom ance hath
b e en !
But I will doun yon river rove amang th e wood sae
green,
And a’
to pu’
a posie to my aimdear May
The primrose I will pu’
,th e firstlingo
’
the year,And I will pu
’
the pink, the emb lem o’ my dear,
For she’
s th e pink 0’ womankind, and b looms w ith
out a peer
And a’
to b e a posic to my ain dear May
I ’ ll pu’
the budding rose when Phoebus peeps in
View,
For it ’
S l ike a baumy kiss 0’
h er swee t, bon ie mou .
The hyacinth ’
s forconstancywi’ its unchangingb lue
And a’
to b e a posic to my ain dear May
TH E P O S I E
The lily it is pure, and the lily it i s fair,And in h er love ly bosom I ’
11 place the lily there .
The daisy ’s for simplicity and unaffe cted air
And a’
to be a posie to my ain dear May
The hawthorn I will pu’
,wi
’ its locks o’ siller gray,Wh ere , l ike an aged man
,it stands at break 0
’
day
But th e songster’s ne st with in the bush I winna tak
away
And a’
to b e a posie to my ain dear May !
The woodb ine I will pu’ when th e e
’
eningstar i s
near,
And th e diamond draps o’
dew shal l b e h er e en sae
clear !
The violet ’
s for mode sty, wh ich wee l She fa’
s to
wear
And a’
to b e a posie to my ain dear May !
I ’
ll tie th e posie round WI the silken band 0’
luve,
And I ’
11 place it in h er breast, and I’
l l swear by a’
That to my late st draugh t 0’ life th e band shal l
ne’
er remove,
And th is will b e a posic to my ain dear May
Will not
TH E B A N K S O’ D OO N
T H E B A N K S O’
DOO N
every
plucked
YE banks and brae s o ’
b onie Doon,
HOW can ye b loom sae fre sh and fair ?
How can ye chant, ye little b irds,And I sae weary fu’
0’ care !
Thou’
11 b reak my h eart, thou warb lingb ird,That wantons thro’
the floweringthorn
Thou minds me o’
departed joys,Departed never to re turn .
Aft hae I rov ’
d by bon ie Doon
To se e th e rose and woodb ine twine,And ilka b ird sang0 Its luve ,
And fondly sae did I o’ mine .
Wi’ ligh tsome h eart I pu’
d a rose ,Fu
’ swe e t upon its thorny tree
And my fause luver staw my rose
But ah h e left th e thorn WI me .
LA D Y MARY A N N
She has a hump upon h er breast,shoulder The twin 0
’ that upon her shouth er
Sic a wife as Wil lie had,I wad na gie a button for h er.
L A D Y MA R Y A N N
O, LADY Mary Ann looks o’
er th e Castle wa’
,
She saw thre e bon ie boys playingat the b a’
,
The younge st h e was the flower amangthem a’
My bonie laddie’s young, but h e
’
s grow in yet !
O fath er, O fath er, an ye th ink it fit,We
’
11 send h im a year to the college ye tWe
’
11 sew a gre en ribbon romid about h is hat,And that will let them ken he
’
s to marry yet !’
Auld b audran s by the ingle sits,An
’
wi’
h er loof h er face a-wash in
But Willie ’s wife is nae sae trig,
Sh e digh ts h er grunzie wi’
a hush ion
Her wal ie n ieve s like midden-cree ls,Her face wad fyle the Logan Water
Sic a wife as Willi e had,I wad na gie a button for h er.
S U CH A P A RC E L O F RO G U E S 1 27
Lady Mary Ann was a flower in th e dew,
Swee t was its sme ll and bon ie was its hue ,And th e longer it b lossom
’
d th e sweeter it grew,
For th e lily in th e bud will b e b on ier yet.
YoungCharli e Cochran was th e sprout of an aik
Bon ie and b lOomin and strauch t was its make
Th e sun took de ligh t to sh ine for its sake ,And it w ill b e the brago
’
the forest ye t .
The simmer is gane when th e leave s they were green,And the days are awa that we hae seen
But far b e tter days I trust w ill come again,For mybon ie laddie
’
s young, but h e’
s growin yet
SUCH A P ARCEL OF ROG UE S
I N A N AT ION
FAREWEEL to a’
our Scottish fame,
Farew e e l our ancient glory !
Fareweel ev’
n to th e Scottish name .
Sae famed in martial story !
1 28 S U CH A P A RCEL O F RO G U E S
Now Sark rins over Solway sands,
An’
Twe ed rins to th e ocean,
To mark wh ere England’
s province
stands
Such a parce l of rogue s in a nation !
What force or guile could not subdue
Thro’ many warl ike age s
Is wrough t now by a coward few
For h ire lingtraitor’ s wage s.
The English stee l we could disdain,
Secure in valour’s station
But English gold has b een our bane
Such a parce l of rogue s in a nation
0,would, or I had seen the dayThat Treason thus could se ll us,
My auld grey head had lien in clay
Wi’ Bruce and loyal Wallace
But pith and power, till my last hour
I ’
l l mak th is de claration
We’
re bough t and sold for English
gold’
Such a parce l of rogue s in a nation
WOYSC
KE LLYBURN BRA E S
O welcome most kindly ! ’ the b lythe carl sa id
(Hey and th e rue grows bonie Wi’ thyme
But if ye can match h er ye’
re waur than ye ’re ca’
d
(And th e thyme it is with er’d, and rue is in
prime
The Devi l has got th e auld Wife on h is back
(Hey and the rue grows bon ie w i’ thyme
And like a poor pedlar h e’
s carried h is pack
(And th e thyme i t is wither’d, and rue
prime
He’
s carried her hame to h is ain hallan-door
(Hey and th e rue grows bon ie wi’ thyme
Syne bade h er gae in for a b itch and a whore
(And the thyme it is wither’
d,and rue
prime
Th en straigh t he make s fifty, th e pick 0’
h is band
(Hey and the rue grows bonie wi’ thyme
Turn out on h er guard in the clap O’
a hand
(And th e thyme it is wither’d, and rue is in
prime
KEL LYBURN B RA E S
The carlin gaed thro’ them like oni e wud bear be ldam imat
(Hey and the rue grows bon ie wi’ thyme
Whae ’
er She gat h ands on cam ne’
er h er nae mair
(And the thyme it is With er’d, and rue is in
prime
A re ekit wee deevil looks over the wa smoky small
(Hey and the rue grows bon ie WI thyme !)0 h e lp, ma ister, h e lp, or sh e
’
11 ruin us a’
(And the thyme it i s wither’d, and rue is In
prime
The Devil he swore by the edge 0’
his kn ife
(Hey and the rue grows bon ie Wi’ thyme
He pitied the man that was tied to a wife
(And th e thyme it i s with er’d, and rue is In
prime
Th e Devi l h e swore by the kirk and the be ll
(Hey and th e rue grows bon ie wi’ thyme
He was not in wedlock,thank Heav
’
n, but in
(And th e thyme it is w ither’d, and rue
prime
TH E S LAV E ’
S LAME NT
most
TH E S L A V E ’
S L AME N T
All on that charmingcoast
Is no b itter snow and frost,Like the lands of Virginia, -ginia, O
Th en Satan has trave l l’
d again WI h is pack
(Hey and th e rue grows bonie w i’ thyme
And to her auld husband he ’
s carried h er back
(And the thyme it is w ither’d, and rue is
prime
I hae b een a Devil the feck o’ my life
(Hey and the rue grows bonie wi’ thyme
But ne’
er was in He ll till I me t WI a Wife
(And the thyme it is wither’d, and rue
prime
IT was in sweet Senegal
That my foe s did me enthral
For th e lands of Virgin ia, -gin ia, O
Torn from that love ly shore ,And must never se e it more,
And alas I am weary, weary, O
SWE ET A F TO N
SWE E T A FT O N
Thou stock dove Whose e cho re sounds thro’
th e glen,Ye wi ld wh istlingb lackb irds in yon thorny den,
Thou gre en-cre sted lapwing, thyscreamingforb ear
I Charge you, disturb not my Slumb eringfa ir !
How lofty, swe e t Afton, thy ne ighbouringh ills,Far mark
’
d with the course s of clear, Windingril ls
Thou strik’
st th e dull peasant—he Sinks in th e dark,
Nor save s e ’
en the wre ck of a name !
Thou strik’
st th e youngh ero—a glorious mark,
He falls in th e b laze of h is fame
In the fie ld ofproud honour, our swords in our hands,
Our kingand’
our country to save ,Wh ile victory shine s on Life ’
s last ebb ingsands,0,
who would not die with the brave ?
FLOW gently, swee t Afton, amongthygreen braes
Flow gently, I’
l l singthee a songin thy praise
My Mary’s asleep by thy murmuringstream
Flow gently, swee t Afton,disturb not her dream !
B O N I E B E LL
There da ily I wander, as noon rises h igh ,My flocks and my Mary’s sweet cot in my eye .
How pleasant thy banks and green vallie s b e low,
Wh e re wild in th e woodlands th e primrose s b lowTh ere oft , as mild Bv
’
ningwe eps over th e lea,Th e swe e t-scented b irk shade s my Mary and me.
Thy crysta l stream,Afton
,how love ly it glide s,
And winds by the cot wh ere my Mary re side s
HOW wanton thy waters h er snowy fee t lave,
As, gath ering swee t flowere ts, She stems thy clear
wave
Flow gen tly, swee t Afton, amongthygreen braes
Flow gently, swee t river, the th eme ofmy lays
My Mary ’s asleep by thy murmuring stream
Flow gently, sweet Afton, disturb not her dream
B O N I E B E L L
THE smilingSpringcome s in rejoicing,And surly Winter grimly fl ie s.
Now crystal clear are th e fall ingwate rs,And bon ie b lue are the sunny skie s .
1 36 TH E G A L LA N T WE AV E R
Fre sh o’
er the mounta ins breaks forth th e morn ing,The ev
’
ninggi lds th e ocean ’s swe ll
All creature s joy in th e sun’
s return ing,And I rejoice in my bon ie Bell.
T H E G A L L A N T WE A V E R
The flowery Springleads sunny summer,The ye llow Autumn pre sse s near
Th en in h is turn come s gloomy Winter,Till smilingSpringagain appear.
Thus season s dancing, l ife advancing,Old Time and Nature th e ir change s te ll ;
But never ranging, still unchanging,I adore my bon ie Be ll .
WHERE Cart rins rowin to the sea
By mon ie a flower and spreadingtree ,There l ive s a lad, the lad for me
H e is a gallan t weaver
O,I had wooers augh t or n ine,
They gied me rings and ribbon s fine,And I was fe ar
’
d my h eart wad tine ,And I gied it to the weaver.
O, CA N YE LA B O UR LEA
We’
11 live a’
our days,
And them that come s b eh in’
,
Let th em do the like,
wealth And spend the gear they win
O, CAN YE LABOUR LEA
Chorus
[Notes] 0, can ye labour lea, youngman,0, can ye lab our l ea ?
Gae back the gate ye came again
Ye’
se never scorn me
I FEE’D a man at Martinmas
hanse l Wi’ ai rle-penn ie s thre e
But a’
th e faut I had to h im
He couldna labour lea
Chorus
Hey, ca’ thro
’
, ca’ thro
’
,
For we hae mickle ado
Hey, ca’ thro’
, ca’ thro
’
,
For we hae mickle ado
THE DEUK’
S DANG O’
ER MY DADDIE 1 39
O, clappin’
s guid in Febarwar, stroking
An’
kissin’
s swee t in May ;
But what sign ifie s a youngman’s love,
An’
t dinna last for ayIf it do no
0,kissin i s the key 0
’ love
An’
clappin is the lock
An’ makin of
’
s th e b e st th ing [Notes]
That e’
er a young th inggot !
Chorus
0,can ye labour lea, youngman,0, can ye labour lea ?
Gae back the gate ye came again
Ye’
se never scorn me
THE DEUK ’S DANG O
’
ER MY DADDIE “ C“hasknocked
THE bairn s gat out WI an unco shout
The deuk’
s dango’
er my daddie , OTh e fien—ma-care ,
’
quo’
the fe irrie auld wife, lus ty
He was but a paidl in body, 0 ma cs] ;creature
1 40 S H E’
S FA I R A N D FA U S E
[Notes] He pa idle s out, and h e paidle s in,An
’
lie paidle s late and early, 0
Th is seven langyears I hae l ien by hi s side ,sap’ess °’d An
’
h e is but a fusionle ss carlie, O
[Notes]
S H E’
S F A I R A N D F A U S E
much long
0,hand your tongue, my fe irrie aul d Wife ,
O,hand your tongue, now Nansie, O
IWe seen the day, and sae hae ye ,
Ye wad na b een sae donsie,O.
I ’
ve seen th e day ye butter’
d my b rose ,And cuddl
’
d me late and early, 0
But downa-do ’
S come o’
er me now,
And och , I find it sairly, O
SHE’S fair and fause that cause s my smart ;I lo’
ed h er me ikle and lang;Sh e
’
S broken h er vow, sh e’
s broken my heart
And I may e’
en gae hang.
A coof cam in WI routh o’
gear,
And I hae tin t my dearest dear ;But Woman is but warld
’
s ge ar,
Sae let th e bonie lass gang
1 42 THE LOVELY LASS OF INVERNESS
Th ere’
s three some ree ls, there’
s foursome ree ls,There
’
S hornpipe s and strathspeys, man,
one But th e ae b e st dance ere cam to theland
Was The Deil’
s Awa 7m ih’
Exciseman.
THE LOVELY LASS OF INVERNESS
THE love ly lass of Inverne ss,Nae joy nor pleasure can She see ;
For e’
en to mom she crie s Alas
And ay th e saut tear b lin’s h er e ’
e
‘Drumossie moor, Drumossie day
A waefu’
day it was to me !
For there I lost my father dear,My father dear and bre th ren three .
Chorus
The De il ’s awa, th e De il ’s awa,
The De i l ’s awa Wi’ th ’
Exc iseman
He’
S danc’
d awa,h e
’
s dunc’
d awa,
He’
s danc’
d awa w i’
th’
Exciseman !
A RED,RE D RO S E
The ir Winding-Shee t th e b luidy clay,The ir grave s are growin green to see,
And by th em lie s th e deare st lad
That ever b le st a woman’ s e ’
e .
Now wae to thee, thou crue l lord,A b luidy man I trow thou be ,
For mon ie a h eart thou hast made sair sore
That ne’
e r did wrangto th ine or the e
A R E D, RED R O S E
0, MY luve i s like a red, red rose,That ’ s newly sprungin June .
O,my luve is like the me lodie,That ’ s sweetly play
’
d in tune .
As fair art thou, my bon ie lass,So de ep in luve am I,
And I will luve the e still, my dear,Til l a’
the seas gangdry.
1 44 AS I STOOD ’
BY YON ROOFLESS TOWER
Till a’
the seasgangdry, my dear;And th e rocks me lt w i’ the sun !
And I w ill luve thee still,my dear,
Wh ile th e sands 0’ life Shall run.
And fare the e wee l, my only luve,And fare th ee we e l a wh ile !
And I wi ll come again,my lave ,
Tho’ it were ten thousand mile !
AS I STOOD BY YON ROOFLESS TOWER
Chorus
must
AS I stood by yon roofless tower,Wh ere th e wa’
flow’
r scents th e dewy air,
Where th e h oule t mourns in h er ivy bower,And te lls th e midn igh t moon h er care
A lassie all alone was makingher moan,
Lamentingour lads b eyond th e sea
In th e b luidy wars they fa’
, and our honor’s
gane an’
a’
,
And broken-hearted we maun die .
’
1 46 0,AN YE WERE DEAD
,GUIDMAN
He sangw i’
joy h is former day,
He, we eping, wail’
d h is latter time s
But What he said— it was nae playwill not I winna ventur
’
t in my rhymes .
Chorus
if ; husband 0,AN YE WERE DEAD, GU IDMAN
0,AN ye were dead, guidman
,
A gre en turf on your h ead, guidman !
I wad b e stow my widowhood
roistering Upon a rantin H igh landman
A lassie al l alone was makingh er moan,
Lamentingour lads b eyond th e sea
In the b luidy wars th ey fa’
, and our honor’
s
gane an’
a’
,
And broken-hearted we maun die .
’
Chorus
Sing, roundabout th e fire WI a rungshe ran,
An’
roundabout the fireWI a rungshe ran
Your horns shall t ie you to the staw,
An’ I shall bangyour h ide , guidman
A U L D LA N G S Y N E
There’
s sax eggs in th e pan, guidman,Th ere
’
s sax eggs in th e pan, guidman
Th ere’
s ane to you, and twa to me,
And thre e to our John H igh landman !
A she ep-head’
s in th e pot, guidman,
A sheep-h ead
’s in the pot, guidman
The fle sh to h im, th e broo to me ,
AD’
the horns be come your brow, guidman
Chorus
Sing, round about th e fire WI a rungShe ran,
An’
round about th e fireWI a rungsh e ran‘Your horns shall tie you to the staw,
An’ I shall bangyour h ide, guidman
A U L D L A N G S Y N E Old longago
Chorus
For auld langsyne , my dear,For auld langsyne ,We
’ ll tak a cup 0’
kindness yet [Notes]For auld langsyne !
broad
chum
give me
[Notes]
A U L D LA N G S Y N E
SHOULD auld acquaintan ce b e forgot,And never brough t to mind ?
Should auld acquaintance b e forgot,And auld lang syne
And sure ly ye’
ll b e your pint-stowp,And sure ly I ’
l l b e mine,And we
’ ll tak a cup 0’
kindness ye t
For auld lang syne
We twa hae run about th e b raes,And pou
’
d th e gowans fine ,But w e
’
Ve wander’
d mon ie a weary fit
Sin’
auld langsyne .
We twa hae paidl’
d in th e burn
Frae morn ingsun till dine ,But seas b e twe en us bra id hae roar
’
d
Sin’
auld lang syn e .
And there ’
s a hand,my trusty fiere,
And gie’
s a hand 0’ th ine,
And w e’
l l tak a righ t guid-willie waugh t
For auld langsyn e
1 50 H AD I TH E WY T E ?
would not And wh en I wadna venture in,
A coward loon she ca’
d me
Had Kirk and State b een in the gate ,I ’
d l igh ted when she bade me .
ledme in
fondle
have refused
wool-comb
would have
I digh ted ay her e en sae b lue ,An
’
baun’
d th e crue l randy,And, wee l I wat, h er willin mou
’
Was swee t as sugarcandie .
Sae craft ilie she took me b en
And bade me mak nae clatter
For our ramgunshoch, glum guidman
IS o’
er ayont the water.
’
Whae ’
er shall say I wanted graceWh en I did kiss and dawte h er,
Let h im be planted in my place ,Syne say I was th e fautor !
Could I for shame , could I for shame,
Could I for shame refus’
d h er ?
And wadna manhood b een to b lame
Had I unkindly used h er ?
He claw’
d her w i’
th e ripplin-kame,
And b lae and b luidy b ruis’d her
Wh en sic a husband was frae h ame ,
What w ife but wad excus’
d her !
COM I N TH RO’
T H E RYE 1 5 1
At gloamin-shot, it was, I wot, sunset
I ligh ted— on th e Monday,
But I cam th ro’
the Tyseday’
s dew Tuesday’
s
To wanton Will ie ’s brandy. [Notes ]
COM I -N T H R O’
T H E RYE
Chorus
0, Jenny’s a’ we et, poor body, we t ; creature
Jenny ’
s se ldom dry :
She draigl’
t a’
h er pe tticoatie, draggled
Comin thro’
the rye !
COMIN thro’
th e rye , poor body,Comin thro
’
th e rye ,
Sh e draigl’
t a’
her petticoatie,
Cormn thro’
th e rye
Gin a b ody mee t a body Should
Comin thro’
the rye ,
Gin a body kiss a body,Ne ed a body cry ?
YO UN G JAM I E
Gin a body me e t a body
Comin thro’
th e glen ,
Gin a body kiss a body,
Ne ed th e warld ken ?
Chorus
0, Jenny’
s a’ wee t, poor body,
Jenny ’s se ldom dry :
Sh e draigl’
t a’
h er pe tticoatie
Comin thro’
the rye
Y OUN G J AM I E
YOUNG Jamie , pride of a’
th e pla in,
Sae gallan t and sae gay a swain,Thro
’
a’
our lasses h e did rove ,And re ign
’
d re sistle ss Kingof Love .
But now, wi’ sigh s and startingtears,
briars He strays amangthe woods and bre ers ;
Or in th e glens and rocky cave smournfully H is sad complain ingdowie rave s
1 54 CH A RL I E H E’
S MY D A RL I N G
WA NTONNESS FOR EVERMA IR
Golden
CH ARL IE HE’
S MY D ARL I NG
’
TwAs on a Monday morn ingRigh t early in the year,
That Charlie came to our town
Th e YoungChevalier
WANTONNESS for evermair,
Wantonne ss has b e en my ruin.
Ye t for a’ my dool and care
It ’ s wantonne ss for evermair.
I hae lo’
ed th e Black,th e Brown ;
I hae lo’
ed th e Fair, th e Gowden
A’
th e colours in the town
I hae won th e ir wanton favour.
Chorus
An’
Charlie he ’
s my darling,My darling, my darling,Charlie h e ’
s my darlingThe YoungCheval ier
CH A RL I E H E’
S MY D A RL I N G 1 55
As he was walkingup the street
The city for to view
0,th ere h e spied a bon ie lass
The window lookingthro’
1
Sae ligh t’ s he Jimpéd up the stair,
And t irl’
d at the pin ; [Notes]
And wha sae ready as herse l’
To l e t the laddie in
He se t h is Jenny on h is kne e ,
Al l in h is H igh land dre ss
For brawlie we e l h e kend th e way finelywe ll
To please a b on ie lass.
It ’s up yon h eath ery mountain
And down yon scroggy glen,
We daurna ganga-milkingFor Charlie and h is men !
Chorus
An’
Charlie h e ’
s my darl ing,My darling, my darling,Charlie h e ’
s my darlingThe youngCh evalier !
1 56 TH E LA S S O’
E C CLE F E C H A N
THE LASS O’ECCLEFECH AN
grave
direct
GAT ye me, O, gat ye me ,
Gat ye me W1 naeth ing?
Rock an’
ree l, an’
spinningwhee l,A mickle quarter basin
Bye attour, mygutch er h as
A h e ich house and a la ich ane ,
A’
forbye my bon ie se l,
The toss o’
Ecclefechan
O, haud your tongue now,Lucky Lang,
0,haud your tongue and jaun er
I he ld th e gate t ill you I me t,
Syne I b egan to wander
I tint my wh istle and my sang,I tint my peace and pleasure
But your green grafi'
,now Lucky Lang,
Wad a irt me to my treasure .
’
1 58 FOR TH E SAKE O’
SOMEBODY
Chorus
We’
11 h ide th e cooper b eh int th e door,Beh int th e door
, b eh int th e door,We
’ll h ide th e cooper b eh int th e door
And cover h im under a mawn, 0.
FOR THE SA KE O’
SOMEBOD Y
sore MY heart i s sair—I dare na te llMy h eart i s sair for Someb ody
I could wake a winte r n igh t
For th e sake o’
Somebody.
O-hon ! for Someb ody !
O-hey ! for Somebody !
I could range th e world around
For th e sake o’
Somebody.
Ye Powers that smile on virtuous love,
0, swe e tly smile on Somebody !
Frae i lka danger ke ep h im free ,And send me safe my Someb ody
O-hon ! for Somebody !
O-h ey ! for Somebody !
I wad do—what wad I not ?
For th e sake o’
Somebody
TH E C A RD I N O’
T
T H E C A R D I N O’
T
Chorus
The cardin o’
t,th e spinnin o
’
t,
The warpin o’
t, th e winmin o’
t
When ilka e ll cost me a groat,The tailor staw th e lyn in o
’
t .
I com a stane o’
haslock woo,To mak a wab to John ie o
’
t,
For John ie is my on ly jo
I lo’
e h im b e st of on ie ye t !
For tho’
h is locks b e lyart gray,And tho
’
h is b row b e b e ld aboon,
Ye t I hae se en h im on a day
The pride of a’
the parish en .
Chorus
Th e cardin o’
t,th e spinnin o
’
t,
Th e warpin o’
t, the w inmin o’
t !
Wh en ilka e l l cost me a groat,Th e tailor staw th e lynin o
’
t .
1 60 SAE FLAXEN WERE HER RINGLETS
THERE ’
S THREE TRUE
GU I D FELLOWS
THERE ’
s three true guid fe ll ows,There
’
s thre e true guid fe llows,Th ere
’
s thre e true guid fe llows,beyond Down ayon t yon glen !
I t ’
s now the day is daw in,But or n ight do fa
’
in,
Whase cock ’
s b e st at crawin,
Will ie, thou sall ken
FLA! EN WERE HER RINGLETS
SAE flaxen were h er ringle ts,Her eyeb rows of a darker hue ,
Bewitch ingly o’
e r-arch ingTwa laugh inge en o
’
bon ie b lue .
1 62 THE LASS THAT MADE TH E BED
w indingbrook wood
TH E L A S S T H A T M A D E
T H E B E D
darksome
I how’
d fu’
low unto th is maid,And thank
’
d h er for h er courtesie ;
I b ow ’
d fu’ low unto th is ma id,An
’
b ade h er mak a b ed .to me .
Fa ir b e aming, and streamingHer silver ligh t the bough s amang,
Wh ile falling, recalling,The amorous thrush conclude s h is sang
Th ere , deare st Ch loris, wilt thou rove
By wimplingburn and leafy shaw,
And h ear my vows o’ truth and love ,
And say thou lo’
e s me b est of a’
WHEN Jamuar’ wind was b lawin cauld,
As to th e North I took my way,
The mirksome n igh t did me enfauld,
I knew na where to lodge t ill day.
By my guid luck a maid I met
Just in the middle 0’
my care ,And kindly sh e did me invite
To walk into a chamb er fair.
THE LASS THAT MADE THE BED 1 63
Sh e made th e b ed baith large and wide ,Wi’ twa wh ite hands sh e spread it down ,
She put the cup to her rosy lips,And drank Youngman
, now sleep ye
She snatch’
d th e candle in her hand,
And frae my chamb er went wi’ speed,But I cal l ’d h er quickly back again
To lay some mair b elow my head more
A cod sh e laid b e low my head,
And served me with due re speck,
And, to salute h er wi’ a kiss,I put my arms ab out h er n eck.
Haud afl’ your hands, young man
,
’
sa id,
And dinna sae uncivil b e do not
Gif ye h ae oni e luve for me,
O,wrangna my virgin itie
Her ha ir was like th e links 0’
gowd,Her te e th were like the ivorie
,
H er che eks l ike l ilie s dipt in wine,The lass that made the b ed to me
1 64 TH E LASS THAT MADE THE BED
rose
shirts
handsome
Her bosom was the driven snaw,
Twa drifted h eaps sae fair to see
Her limb s the pol ish’
d marb le stane ,Th e lass that made th e b ed to me
I kiss’d h er o’
er and o’
er again,And ay she wist na what to say.
I laid h er ’
twe en me an’
the wa’
Th e lassie thoch t na langtill day.
Upon th e morrow,when w e raise
,
I thank’
d h e r for h er courte sie,
But ay sh e b lush’
d,and ay sh e sigh
’
d,
And said ‘Alas, ye
’
ve ruin’
d me
I clasp’
d h er wa ist, and kiss’
d h er syne ,Wh ile th e tear stood twinklin in h er e ’
e .
I said My lassie, dinna cry,
For ye ay shall mak the b ed to me .
’
Sh e took h er mither’s holland sh ee ts,An
’ made them a 1D sarks to me .
Blyth e and me rry may sh e b e,
The lass that made th e b ed to me
Th e bon ie lass made th e b ed to me,
Th e braw lass made th e b ed to me
I ’
l l ne’
er forge t till the day I die,The lass that made th e b ed to me .
1 66 I’
LL AY CA’ I N BY YON TOWN
THE REEL O’
STUMP IE
wrap ; roll WAP and rowe , wap and rowe,little feet Wap and rowe th e fee tie o
’
t
I though t I was a maiden fair,its little cry Til l I h eard the gree tie o
’
t
My daddie was a fiddl er fine,My minn ie she made mantic, 0,
And I myse lf a thumpin quine ,And danc
’
d the Ree l 0’
Stumpie , 0.
[Notes] I’LL AY CA
’ IN BY YON TOWN
Chorus
I ’
ll ay ca’
in by yon town
And by you garden gre en again !
I ’
l l ay ca’
in by yon town,And se e my boni e Jean again.
THERE’
s nane shall ken, there’
s nane can guess
same way What brings me back th e gate again,But sh e, my faire st faithfu
’ lass,by stealth And stow’
nl ins we sall mee t aga in .
O,WAT YE WHA ’
S I N YON TOWN 1 67
She’
ll wander by th e aiken tree , oaken
Wh en trystin time draws near again ; meeting
And wh en h er love ly form I see ,0 haith she ’s doub ly dear aga in.
Chorus
I ’l l ay ca
’
in by yon town
And by you garden gre en again
I ’
l l ay ca’
in by yon town ,
And see my bonie Jean again .
0, WAT YE WHA ’
S IN YON
Chorus
0,wat ye wha
’
s in yon town
Ye se e th e e’
en in sun upon ?
Th e dearest ma id ’s in yon town
That e ’
enin sun is sh in ingon
Now haply down yon gaygreen shaw
Sh e wanders by you spreadingtree .
How b le st ye flowers that round her b law !Ye catch the glance s 0
’
h er e’
e .
1 68 O,WAT YE WHA ’
S I N YON TOWN
How b le st ye b irds that round her sing,And we lcome in the b loomingyear !
And doub ly we lcome b e th e Spring,Th e season to my Jeanie dear
Th e sun b links b lythe in yon town,Amongth e b roomy brae s sae green ;
But my deligh t in yon town,And deare st pleasure, is my Jean .
Without my Love , not a’
th e charms
0’
Paradise could yie ld me j oy ;But gie me Jean ie in my arms
,
And we lcome Lapland’s dreary sky !
My cave wad b e a lover’s bower,Tho
’
ragingWinter rent the air,
And she a love ly little flower,
That I wad tent and shelter there .
0,swe e t is sh e in yon town
The sinkin sun’ s gane down upon
A fairer than ’
s in you town
H is settingb eam ne’
er shone upon .
0 H an TH Y MORN
Know,thy form was once a treasure
Th en it was thy hour of scorn !
Now’
tis fit thinthou shoul d’ st mourn.
0 MA Y, T H Y M OR N
0 MAY, thy mom was ne’
er sae swee t
As th e mirk nigh t 0’ De cembe r !
For sparklingwas th e rosy wine,And private was th e chamb er,
And dear was sh e I dare na name,But I will ay remember.
And h ere ’
s to them that, l ike ourse l,
Can push about the jorum !
And h ere’
s to th em that wi sh us wee l
May a’ that ’
s guid watch o’
e r’
em
And h ere ’s to them w e dare na te ll ,
Th e deare st o’
the quorum !
A S I C AME O’
E R
A S I CAME O’
ER THE
C A IRNE Y MOU NT
Chorus
Wha wad mind th e wind and rain
Sae wee l row ’
d in his tartan plaidie ! wrapped
As I came o’
e r th e Cairn ey mount
An d down amongth e b looming h ea th er,Kindly stood the milking-shi e l
To sh e lte r frae th e stormy weather.
Now t hus blinkit on the bent,And o
’
er the knowe s the lambs we reBut h e wan my h eart’s consen t
To be hi s ain at the neist meeting.
O, my bonie H igh land lad
My Winsome , wee l-faur’
d H ighland laddi e !
Wha wad mind th e wind and rain
Sae wee l row ’
d in his tartan pla idie
1 72 H I G H LA N D LA D D I E
H I G H L A N D L A D D I E
Lowland
Th e sun a b ackward course shall take ,Bon ie laddie , H igh land laddie
Ere augh t thy man ly courage shake ,Bon ie H igh land laddie
THE bonn ie st lad that e ’
er I saw
Bon ie laddie , H igh land laddieWore a pla id and was fu
’
braw
Bon ie H igh land laddieOn h is h ead a bonne t b lueBon ie laddie, H igh land laddie !
H is royal h eart was firm and true
Bon ie H igh land laddie
Trumpe ts sound and cannon s roar,Bonie lassie, Lawland lassie
And a’
th e h ills W1 e choe s roar,Bon ie Lawland lassie
G lory,Honour, now invite
Bon ie lassie, Lawland lassie
For fre edom and my Kingto figh t,Bon ie Lawland lassie
1 74 LO V E LY P O LLY S TEWART
LOVEL Y POLLY STEWART
THE flower it b laws, it fade s, it fa’
s,
And art can ne’
er renew i t
But Worth and Truth e ternal youth
Will gie to Polly Stewart
enfold May h e whase arms shall fauld thy charms
Possess a leal and true h eart
To h im b e given to ken th e h eaven
He grasps in Polly Stewart
Chorus
0 love ly Polly Stewart,0 charmingPolly Stewart,
Th ere’
s ne’
er a flower that b looms in
That ’s half so fa ir as thou art
Chorus
O love ly Polly Stewart,O charmingPolly Stewart,
Th ere’
s ne’
er a flower that b looms
That ’ s half so fair as thou art
BA N N O C K S O’
B EAR ME A L 1 75
T H E H I GH L A N D B A LO U
HEE balou, my swe e t wee Donald,Picture 0
’
the great Clanronald
Brawlie ken s our wanton Ch ief
Wha gat my youngH ighland th ief.
Le cze me on thy bon ie craigie !
An thou live , thou’
l l steal a naigie ,Trave l the country thro’
and thro’
,
And b ringhame a Carlisle cow
Thro’
th e Lawlands, o’
er the Border,We e l, my b ab ie , may thou furder,Herry the loun s o '
th e laigh Coun trie,Syne to the H igh lands hame to me
BANNOCKS o*
BEAR MEAL
Chorus
Bannocks o’
b ear meal,Bannocks o
’
barley,
Here’
s to the H igh landman’s
Bannocks o’
barley !
WA E I S MY H E A RT
brangle WHA in a brulyie
Will first cry a parley
Neve r th e lads
Wi’ th e bannocks o’
barley !
woful Wha,in h is wae days
,
Were loyal to Charlie ?
Wha but th e ladsW1 th e bannocks o ’
barley !
Chorus
Bannocks o’
b ear meal,
Bannocks o’
barley,
Here’
s to th e H ighlandman’s
Bannocks o’
b arley
WA E I S MY H E A RT
WAE is my h eart, and th e tear’
s in my c’c
Lang, langjoy’
s b e en a stranger to me
Forsaken and friendless my burden I b ear,And th e swee t voice 0
’
pity ne’
er sounds in my ear.
poll thaw
1 78 TH E W I N TE R O F L I F E
TH E W I N TE R OF L I FE
BUT late ly se en in gladsome gre en,
Th e woods rejoiced th e dayThro
’
gentle showers th e laugh ingflowers
l n doub le pride were gayBut now our joys are fled
On w inter b lasts awa,Ye t maiden May in rich array
Again shall bringthem a’
.
But my wh ite pow— nae kindly thowe
Shall me lt the snaws of Age
My trunk Of e ild, b ut buss and b ie ld,
S inks in Time’
s wintry rage .
0,Age has weary days
And n igh ts 0’
sle eple ss pa in !
Thou golden time 0’
youthfu’
prime,Why come s thou not aga in ?
TH E TA I LO R
T H E T A I L O R
THE ta ilor h e cam h ere to sew,
And we e l h e kend th e way to woo
For ay h e pree’
d th e lassie ’s mou’
,
As h e gaed but and b en, O .
For we e l h e kend th e way, O,
Th e way, 0,the way, 0
For we e l h e kend th e way, O,
The lassie ’
s h eart to win, 0
The tailor rase and shook h is duds,
rose : clothes
Th e flae s th ey flew awa in cluds fleas ; clouds
And th em that stay’
d gat fearfu’ thuds
The Ta ilor prov’
d a man, 0
For now it was the gloamin,
The gloamin,the gloamin !
For now it was th e gloamin,Wh en a
’
the re st are gaun, O
1 80 THERE GROWS A BONIE BRIER-BUSH
THERE GROWS A -BONIE BRIER-BUSH
Will ye go to th e dan cin in Carlyle’
s ha’
Will ye go to the dancin in Carlyle’
s ha’
,
Wh ere Sandy and Nancy I ’
m sure wil l dingthem a’
?
will not go I winna gangto th e dance in Carlyle -ha’
What will I do for a lad wh en Sandie gangs awa !
What w il l I do for a lad wh en Sandie gangs awa !earn ; hire I wi ll awa to Edinburgh , and w in a penn ie fe e,
And see an on ie lad will fancy me .
THERE grows a bon ie brier-bush in our kail-yard,Th ere grows a bon ie brier-bush in our ka il-yard
And b e low th e boni e brier-bush th ere ’
s a lassie and
a lad,
And th ey ’
re busy, busy court ingin our kail-yard.
We’ll court nae mair b e low th e buss in our kail-yard
,
We’ ll court nae mair b e low th e buss in our kail-yard
We’
l l awa to Athole’
s green ,and th ere we
’
11 no b e
se en,
Where th e tree s and th e branche s will b e our safe
guard.
1 82 IT WAS A’
FOR OUR RIGHTFU’ KING
twelve
IT WAS A ’
FOR OUR RIGHTFU’ KING
I ken they scorn my lowe state,But that doe s never grieve me ,
For I ’
m as fre e as any h e
Sma’ sille r will re lieve me
I ’
11 count my h ealth my greate st wealth
Sae langas I ’
l l enjoy it.
I ’
l l fear nae scant, I’
l l bode nae want
As lang’s I get employment.
But far off fowls hae feathers fair,
And,ay unt il ye try them,
Tho’
they seem fair, still have a care
Th ey may prove as bad as I am
But at twe l at n igh t,wh en th e moon sh ine s brigh t,My dear, I
’
11 come and se e th e e,For th e man that love s h is mistre ss we e l,Nae trave l make s h im weary.
IT was a’
for our rightfu’
kingWe left fair Scotland’
s strand
I t was a’
for our righ tfu’
king,
We e’
er saw Irish land,My de
We e’
er saw Irish land.
IT WAS A ’FOR OUR RIGHTFU
’ KING 1 83
1 1
Now a’ is done that men can do,
And a’ is don e in vain,
My Love and Native Land fareweel ,For I maun cross th e main
,must
My dear
For I maun cross th e main.
He turu’
d h im righ t and round about
Upon th e Irish shore,
And gae h is bridle re ins a shake,With adieu for e vermore ,
My dear
And adieu for e vermore !
IV
The soger frae the wars returns,Th e sa ilor frae th e main
,
But I hae parted frae my love
Never to me e t again,My dear
Never to me e t again .
Wh en day is gane , and n igh t is come,And a
’
folk b ound to sle ep,I th ink on h im that ’
s far awa
Th e lee—langn igh t, and weep, live-long
My dear
The le e-langnigh t and weep.
1 84 THE H IGHLAND WIDOW’
S LAMENT
THE H IGHLAND WIDOW’
S LAMENT
not so It was na sae in th e H igh land h ills
Och on,och on
,ochrie
Nae woman in th e country wide
Sae h appy was as me .
For th en I had a score 0’
kye
Ochon, ochon,ochrie
Feedingon yon h ill sae h igh
And givingmilk to me .
CWCS
knofls
I was th e happie st of a’
the clan
Sair, sa ir may I repine
For Donald was th e brawe st man,
And Donald h e was mine .
1
O,I AM come to th e low countrieOchon
,ochon
,ochrie
Without a penny in my purseTo buy a meal to me .
rv
And there I had thre e score 0’ yowe s
Ochon, ochon , ochrie
Skippingon yon bon ie knowe s
And castingwoo’
to me .
1 86 MY PEGGY’
S FACE, MY PEGGY’
S FORM
Fond lovers ’ partingis swee t, painful pleasure,Hope b eamingmild on the soft partinghour ;
But th e dire fee ling, 0 farewe ll for ever !
Anguish unmingled and agony pure
Wild as the win ter now tearingth e fore st,Till th e last leaf 0’
the summer is flown
Such i s th e tempe st has shaken my bosom,
Til l my last hope and last comfort is gone
Sti ll as I hail thee, thou gloomy Decemb er,Still shall I ha il th e e wi’ sorrow and care ;
For sad was th e partingthou make s me rememb er
Partingw i’ Nancy
,0,
ne’
e r to mee t mair !
PEGGY’
S FACE , MY PEGGY’
S FORM
MY Peggy’s face, my Peggy
’s form
The frost of h ermit Age migh t warm.
My Peggy’
s worth,my Peggy
’
s mind
Migh t charm the first of human kind.
O, STEER H E R U P
I love my Peggy’ s ange l air,
Her face so truly h eavenly fair,Her native grace so void of art ;
But I adore my Peggy’
s heart.
The lily’s hue, th e rose’ s dye ,
Th e kindling lustre of an eye
Wh o but owns th e ir magic sway ?
Wh o but knows they al l decay ?
The tender thrill, the pityingtear,Th e generous purpose nob ly dear,The gentle look that rage disarms
These are al l immortal charms.
STEER HER UP, AN’
HAUD
HER GA U N
O, STEER her up, an’
haud h er gaun
H er mither ’
s at th e mill, jo,
An’
gin sh e winna tak a man,
E’
en let h er tak her wil l, jo.
if will m
WEE W I LL I E GRAY
threaten First shore her W1 agentle kiss,call for And ca
’
an ith er gill, jO,should she An
’
gin sh e tak the th ingamiss,
E’
en le t her flyte her fill, jo.
not bashful
waste
one rebuff
WE E W I LL I E GR A Y
Wee Willie Gray and h is leath er walle t,shirt ; cravat Twice a lily-flower will b e h im sark and gravat
Feath ers of a flie wad feath er up h is bonne t
Feath ers Of a flie wad feather up h is bonne t !
O, ste er h er up, an’
b e na b late,An
’
gin sh e tak it ill, jo,
Then leave th e lassie till h er fate,And t ime nae langer spill, jo !
Ne ’
er break your h eart for ae rebute,But th ink upon it still, jo,
That gin th e lassie winna do’
t,
Ye’
l l fin’
an ither will, jo.
WEEWill ie Gray an’
h is leath er walle t,
Pe e l a willow-wand to b e h im boots and jacke t
The rose upon the b rier will b e h im trouse
doub le t
The rose upon th e brier will b e h im trouse
doub le t !
in truth
WE’
RE A’ N O D D I N
How’
s a’
W1 you, kimmer ?
And how do ye th rive ?
How mon ie haim s hae ye
Q uo’
kimmer, I hae five .
’
Are th ey a’
Johnie’
s
Eh atwee l na
Twa o’
th em were gotten
Wh en Johnie was awa
Cats like milk,And dogs like b roo
Lads like lasse s we e l,And lasse s lads too .
Chorus
We’
re a’
noddin ,
Nid n id noddin,We
’
re a’
noddinAt our house at hame !
O, AY MY WIFE SH E DANG ME 1 9 1
O, AY MY WIFE SHE DANG ME beat
Chorus
O,ay my wife sh e dangme ,
An’
aft my wife sh e b ang’
d me
If ye gie a woman a’
h e r will,Guid fa ith sh e
’
11 soon o’
er-gang
ON peace an’
re st my mind was b ent.And, fool I was ! I married ;
But never hone st man’s intent
Sae cursedly miscarried.
Some sairie comfort at th e last, so" ,
When a’
th ir days are done , man
My pa ins 0’
he l l ’ on earth is past,I ’
m sure 0’
b liss aboon,man . above
Chorus
0,ay my Wife sh e dangme ,
An’
aft my w ife sh e bang’
cl me
Ifye gie a woman a’
h er will,
Guid faith she’
11 soon O’
ergang
S C RO G G A M
S CR OG GAM
dwe lt
daughter
together
one other
THERE was a wife wonn’
d in Cockpen,
Scroggam
She brew’
d guid ale for gentlemen
S ingAul d Cowl, lay you down by me
Scroggam, my dearie ,rufl
'
um
The guidw ife’
s doch ter fe ll in a fever,Scroggam
The prie st O’
th e parish fe ll in an ith er
SingAuld Cowl , lay you down by me
Scroggam,my dearie, rufl
’
um
They laid th e twa 1 th e b ed th egith er,Scroggam
That th e h eat 0’
the tane migh t cool the tith er
SingAuld Cowl, lay you down byme
Scroggam,my dearie , rufl
’
um
Wasn’t ; bold
1 94 RO B I N S H U RE I N H A I RS T
ROBIN SHURE IN HA IRST
I GAED up to Bunse
To warp a wab O’
plaiden
At h is daddie ’
s ye tt
Wha me t me but Rob in
Was na Rob in bauld,
Tho’ I was a cottar ?
Play’
dme sic a trick,
An’
me th e Eller’s doch ter !
Rob in promis’
d me
A’
my w inter vittle
Fien t hae t he had but thre e
Guse feath ers and a wh ittle
Chorus
Rob in shure in hairst,I sh ure w i’ h im
Fient a heuk had I,Ye t I stack by h im.
D OE S H A U G H TY G A U L 1 95
Chorus
Rob in shure in hairst,I shure W1 h im
Fient a h e uk had I,Ye t I stack by h im.
DOES H A UGHT Y GA UL I NVA S ION
THRE AT ?
DoEs haugh ty Gaul invasion threat ?
Then l e t th e loons b eware, Sir
There’
s wooden walls upon our seas
And volunteers on shore, Sir
Th e Nith sh all run to Corsincon,
And Crifl’
e l s ink in Solway,Ere w e perm it a fore ign foe
On British ground to rally
0,l e t us not
,like snarl ingtyke s,
In wranglingb e divided,Till
,slap come in an unco loun
,
And W1 a rungde cide it
tinker
1 96 D O E S H A U G H TY G A U L
Be Britain still to Britain true,
Amangourse ls uni ted
For neve r but by British hands
Maun British wrangs b e righted
Th e ke ttle O’
th e Kirk and State,
Perhaps a clout may fail in’
t ;
But De il a fore ign tinkler loon
Shall e ver ca’
a nai l in ’
t
Our fath ers’
b lude th e ke ttle b ought,And wha wad dare to spoil it,
By H eav’
ns th e sacrilegious dogShall fue l b e to boi l i t !
The wretch that would a tyrant own,
And th e wre tch,h is true-sworn broth er,
Who woul d se t the mob above the throne,May they b e damn
’
d toge ther
Who wi ll not singGod save the King
Shall hangas h igh’
s th e ste eple
But wh ile we singGod save the King,
We’
11 ne’
er forge t th e People !
slashes
golden
MY LO RD A -H U N T I N G
She dre sse s ay sae clean and neat,Both de cent and gentee l ;
And th en there’
s some th ingin h er gait
Gars on ie dre ss look we e l .
A gaudy dre ss and gentle air
May sligh tly touch th e h eart ;But it ’
s innocence and mode sty
That polishe s the dart.
’
Tis th is in Ne lly please s me,’Tis th is enchants my soul
For ab solute ly in my breast
She re ign s without controul.
MY LOR D A H U NT I N G
Chorus
My lady’s gown, th e re
’
s gairs upon’
t,
And gowden flowe rs sae rare upon’
t ;
But Jenny’s j imps and j i rkin e t,My lord th inks me ikle mair upon
’
t
MY LORD A -H U N T I N G
MY lord a-huntingh e is gane ,But hounds or hawks W1 h im are nane ;
By Colin’s cottage lie s h is game ,
If Colin’
s Jenny b e at hame .
My lady’
s wh ite, my lady’
s red,
And kith and kin o’
Cassil lis’
b lude
But her ten-
pund lands o’ toch er guid
Were a’
the charms h is lordsh ip lo’
ed.
Out o’
er yon muir, out o’
er yon moss,
Whare gor-cocks thro’
the heather pass,There wons auld Colin’s boni e lass
, dwe lls
A lily in a Wilderne ss.
Sae swe e tly move her genty limb s,Like music note s 0’ lovers’ hymns !
Th e diamond-dew in her e en sae b lueWhere laughinglove sae wanton swims
My lady’s dink, my lady
’
s dre st,Th e flower and fan cy O
’
th e we st
But th e lassie that a man lo’
e s b e st,0, that
’s th e lass to mak h im b lest
horse rat
ME G 0’
TH E M I LL
SW E E T E S T M A Y
SWEETEST May, l e t Love inspire th e eTake a h eart wh ich h e de sign s the e
As thy constant slave regard it,For its faith and truth reward it.
Proof 0’
shot to b irth or money,Not th e wealthy but th e b on ie,Not th e h igh-born
’
but nob le—minded,In love ’s silken band can b ind it.
ME G 0’
TH E M I LL
O ,KEN ye What MegO
’
th e Mill has gotten ?
An’
ken ye what MegO’
th e Mill has gotten ?
A braw new na igW1 th e tail 0’
a rottan,And that ’
s what MegO’
th e Mill has gotten
Chorus
My lady’s gown , th ere
’
s gairs upon’
t,
And gowden flowers sae rare upon’
t ;
But Jenny’
s j imps and j l rkine t,My lord th inks me ikle mair upon
’
t !
202 O,LAY THY LOOF IN MINE, LASS
Spare my lave , ye winds that b law,
Plashy slee ts and beatingrain !
Spare my luve , thou feathe ry snaw,
Driftingo’
er the frozen plain !
When the shade s of even ingcreepO
’
er the day’s fair gladsome e’
e,
Sound and safe ly may h e sleep,awakening Swee tly b lyth e h is waukeningb e
He will th ink on her he love s,Fondly h e ’
11 repeat h er name
For wh ere ’
er h e distant rove s,
Jockie’
s heart is sti ll at hame .
O,LAY THY LOOF IN MINE, LASS
own
Chorus
O,lay thy loof in mine, lass,
In mine, lass, in mine , lass,And swear on thy Wh ite hand,That thou wilt b e my ain !
CAULD IS THE B’
EN IN BLAST 203
A SLAVE to Love ’s unbounded sway,
He aft has wrough t me me ikle wae ;
But now h e is my deadly fae ,Unle ss thou b e my ain .
There ’
s monie a lass has broke my re st,That for a b l ink I h ae lo
’
ed be st ;
But thou art queen with in my breast,For ever to remain .
Chorus
O,lay thy loof in min e , lass,
In min e , lass, in mine , lass,And swear on thy wh ite hand,That thou Wilt b e my ain
CA ULD IS THE E’
ENIN BLAST
CAULD is th e e’
enin b last
O’
Boreas o ’
er th e pool
An’
dawin,it i s dre ary,
Wh en b irks are bare at Yul e .
nought
204 TH E RE WA S A B O N I E LA S S
O,cauld b laws the e
’
enin b last,
When b itter b ite s the frost,
And in the mirk and dreary drift
Th e h ills and glen s are lost
Ne ’
er sae murky b lew th e n igh t
That drifted o’
er th e h ill,But bon ie Peg-a-Ramsay
Gat grist to h er mill.
TH E RE WA S A B O N I E L A S S
THERE was a bon ie lass, and a bonie, bon ie lass,And sh e loed h er b on ie laddie dear,
Till War’
s loud alarms tore h er laddie frae h er arms
Wi’ mon ie a sigh and a tear.
Over sea, over shore, wh ere the cannons loudly roar,H e still was a stranger to fear,
And noch t could h im quail, or h is bosom assai l,
But th e bon ie lass he loed sae dear.
206 0,THAT I HAD NE’
ER BEEN MARRIED
0, TH A T I H A D NE’
E R B E EN
M A R R I E D
0,THAT I had n e
’
er b e en married
I wad n ever had nae care
children Now I ’
ve gotten Wife an’
b airns,
An’ they cry Crowdie evermair.
scare Waefu’ Want and Hunger fley me,
Glowrin by th e hallan en’
Sair I fe ch t th em at th e door,
But ay I’
m e erie th ey come b en .
Chorus
Ance crowdie, twice crowdie ,Thre e time s crowdie in a day !
Gin ye crowdie on ie mair,
Ye’
ll crowdie a’
my meal away.
Chorus
Ance crowdie , twice crowdie ,Three times crowdie in a day !
Gi n ye crowdi e on ie mair,
Ye ’ ll crowdie a’ my meal away.
MALLY’
S MEEK,MALLY
’
S SWEET 207
MALLY ’
S MEEK, MALLY’
S SWEET Mollie '
s
Chorus
Mal ly’
s me ek,Mally ’
s swee t,Mally ’
s mode st and discreet,Mally ’
s rare , Mally ’
s fair,
Mally ’
s ev’
ry way comple te .
As I was walkingup the stre et,A barefit maid I chanc ’
d to me e t
But O,th e road was very h ard
For that fair maiden ’s tender fee t !
It were mair me e t that those fine fee t
Were we e l laced up in silken Shoon !
An’ ’twere more fit that sh e Should sit
With in yon chariot gilt aboon above
Chorus
Mally’
s me ek,Mal ly
’
s sw eet,Mally ’
s mode st and discre e t,Mally ’
S rare,Mally ’
s fair,
Mally’
s ev’
ry way comple te .
WA N D E R I N G W I LL I E
W A N D E R I N G W I LL I E
HERE awa, th ere awa, wanderingWillie ,
H ere awa,th ere awa
,haud awa hame !
one Come to my b osom,my ae on ly dearie
,
And te ll me thou bring’stme myWillie the same .
Loud tho’
th e Winter b lew cauld at our parting,’
Twas na th e b last b rough t th e tear in my e’
e
Summer We lcome now Simmer,and we lcome myWillie ,
Th e Simmer to Nature,my Willie to me
Re st, ye Wild storms in th e cave 0’ your slumbers
How your Wild howlinga lover alarms
Awake ; roll Wauken, ye bre e ze s, row gently, ye b illows,And waft my dear laddie ance mair to my arms .
But 0,if he
’
S fa ith le ss, and minds na h is Nann ie,Flow still b e twe en us, thou Wide-roaringmain
May I never se e it, may I never trow it,But, dying, b e lieve that my Willie
’
s my ain !
dwells
one pet
garden
mustn’t
death
alone ghost
would have
describing
A U LD RO B MO RR I S
A U L D R OB M ORR I S
1
THERE’
s Auld Rob Morri s that wons in yon glen,
He’
s th e king0’
guid fe llows and wale of auldmen
He has gowd in h is coffers, h e has owsen and kine,And ae bon ie lassie , h is dautie and mine .
Sh e’
s fre sh as th e morn ingth e fa ire st in May,
Sh e’
s swe e t as th e ev’
ningamangth e new hay,
As b lyth e and as artle ss as the lamb s on th e lea,
And dear to my h eart as th e l igh t to my e’
e .
But 0, sh e’
s an h e ire ss, auld Rob in’
s a laird,And my daddie has noch t but a cot—house and yard !
A wooer like me maunna hope to come spe ed
Th e wounds I must h ide that Will soon be my dead.
Th e day come s to me , but de ligh t b rings me nane ;
Th e n igh t come s to me,but my rest it is gane ;
I wander my lane l ike a n igh t-troub led ghaist,And I sigh as my h eart it wad burst in my breast.
v
O, had sh e but b e en of a low er degree ,I th en migh t hae hop
’
d she wad smil’
d upon me
0,how past de scrivinghad then b e en my b liss,
As now my distraction no words can expre ss
O P E N TH E D O O R TO ME, 0 2 1 1
OPEN THE DOOR TO ME 0
O,OPEN th e door some pity to shew,
If love it may na b e , 0
Tho’ thou hast b e en false , I
’
l l ever prove true
0,open the door to me , O
Cauld is th e b last upon my pale ch eek,But caulder thy love for me
,O
Th e frost, that freeze s the life at my h eart,Is nough t to my pains frae thee, O
The w an moon se ts b eh ind the wh ite wave ,And Time is se ttingWith me
,0
False friends, false love , farewe ll for mair
I ’ ll ne ’
er troub le th em nor the e, O
Sh e has open’
d th e door, sh e has open’
d it
Sh e se e s th e pale corse on th e plain, O
My true love sh e cried,and sank down
Side
Ne ver to rise again,O
2 1 2 WHEN WILD WAR’
S DEADLY BLAST
WHEN WILD WAR’
S DEADLY BLAST
remembered
At length I reach’
d th e b on ie glen,
Where early life I sported.
I pass’
d the mill and trystingthorn,Where Nancy aft I courted.
WHEN wildWar’ s deadly b last was b lawn
,
And gentle Peace return ing,Wi’ mon ie a swe e t bab e fath erle ss
And mon ie a widow mourn ing,I left th e l ine s and tented fie ld
,
Wh ere langI’
d b een a lodger,My humb le knapsack a
’
my wealth ,A poor and hone st sodger.
A leal, ligh t h eart was in my breast,My hand unstain
’
d wi’
plunder,And for fair Scotia, hame again ,
I ch eery on did wander
I though t upon th e banks 0’
Coil,
I though t upon my Nancy,And ay I mind
’
t the Witch ingsmile
That caugh t my youthful fancy.
figh t heart was in my breast,3 ; hand unstain
’
d v i’
plunder,
I obeery on did wmdt t ;
When Nancy aft
W '
m e rweet babe atbeam
M monie a widow mm niag,
i fieh the lincs and tcnted fielvd,
Where lang l'
d been a u glcr,
asym me knapaeek a'
mywealth.
21 4 WHEN WILD WAR’
S DEADLY BLAST
By Him who made you sun and Sky,
By whom true love ’
s regarded,
I am the man And thus may still
True lovers b e rewarded
wealthwe
’
l i
The wars are o’
er and I ’
m come hame,And find th ee still true-h earted.
Tho’
poor in gear, we’
re rich in love,And mair, we
’
se ne’
er b e parted.
’
Q uo’
she Mygrandsire left me gowd,A ma ilen plenish
’
d fairly
And come,my faithfu’ sodger lad,
Thou’
rt we lcome to it dearly
For gold the merchant plough s the main ,
Th e farmer ploughs th e manor ;
But glory is the sodger’
s prize,The sodger
’
s wealth is honour
Th e brave poor sodger ne’
er de spise ,Nor count h im as a stranger
Rememb er h e ’
s h is coun try’
s stayIn day and hour of danger.
D U N C A N GRAY
D U N C A N G R A Y
DUNCAN GRAY cam h ere to woo
(Ha,ha, th e wooingo
’
t
On b lyth e Yule -Nigh t wh en we were
(Ha,h a, th e wooingo
’
t
Maggie coost h er h ead fu’
h igh ,Look
’
d asklent and unco ske igh ,Gart poor Duncan stand abe igh
Ha,ha
, the wooingo’
t !
Duncan fle e ch ’
d,and Duncan pray
’
d wheedled
(Ha,ha
,th e wooingo
’
t
Megwas deaf as Ailsa craig [Note s]
(Ha,ha
,th e wooingo
’
t
Duncan sigh’
d b aith out and in,
Grat h is e en baith b l e er’t an’
b lin ’
,
Spak o’ lo in o
’
er a linn—e
Ha,ha
,th e wooingo
’
t
Time and Chance are but a tide
(Ha,ha
, the wooingo’
t
Sligh ted love is sair to b ide
(Ha,ha
,the wooingo
’
t
2 1 6 D U N CA N G RAY
‘ Shall I l ike a fool,
’ quoth he ,For a haugh ty h izzie die ?
She maygae to—France for me
Ha,ha, th e wooingo
’
t
eyes such
smothered
proud j olly
How it comes, le t doctors te ll
(Ha, ha, th e wooingo
’
t
Meggrew sick, as h e grew hale
(Ha,h a
,th e wooingo
’
t
Someth ingin h er bosom wrings,For re lief a sigh sh e b rings,And O h er e en th ey Spak s ic th ings
Ha, ha, th e wooingo’
t !
Dun can was a lad o’
grace
(Ha,ha, the wooingo
’
t
Maggie’
s was a piteous case
(Ha,ha
,th e wooingo
’
t
Duncan could na b e her death ,Swe llingpity smoor
’
d h is wrath
Now th ey ’
re crouse and canty baith
Ha, ha, th e wooingo
’
t
H E RE I S TH E G LE N
H E R E I S T H E GLE N
HERE is th e glen,and h ere the bower
All underneath the b irch en sh ade,
Th e village-b e ll has tol l’
d th e h our
0,wh at can stay my love ly ma id ?
’
Tis not Maria’ s wh isperingcall’
Tis b ut th e balmy—b reath inggale,Mixed with some warb ler’s dyingfall
The dewy star of eve to bail
It is Maria 5 voice I h ear
So calls th e woodlark in the grove
His l ittle faithful mate to ch e er
At once ’
tis music and’
tis love
And art thou come And art thou true ?
0,we lcome
,dear, to love and me,
And l e t us al l our vows ren ew
Alongthe flowery banks of Cree
LET NOT WOMEN E’
ER COMPLAIN 2 1 9
LET NOT WOMEN E’
ER COMPLAIN
LET not women e’
er complain
Of inconstancy in love
Le t not women e’
e r complain
Fickle man is apt to rove
Look abroad thro’ Nature ’s range ,
Nature ’s migh ty law i s change
Ladies, would it not b e strange
Man should th en a monster prove ?
Mark the winds, and mark th e skies,Ocean’ s ebb and ocean’s flow .
Sun and moon but set to rise .
Round and round th e seasons go.
Why then,ask of s illy man
To oppose great Nature’s plan ?
We’
11 b e constant, wh ile we can
You can b e no more, you know !
rememb ’rest
LO RD GREG ORY
LOR D G RE G ORY
O,MIRK, mirk i s th is midnigh t bhur,And loud the tempe st
’s roar
A waefu’ wanderer seeks thy tower
Lord Gregory, ope thy door.
An exile frae h er fath er’s ha’
,
And a’
for sake o’
th ee,
At least some pity on me Shaw,
If love it may 11 a b e .
Lord Gregory mind’
st thou not th e grove
By bon ie Irw ine side ,Wh ere first I own ’
d that vi rgin love
I lang, langhad den ied ?
How aften didst thou pledge and vow,
Thou wad for ay b e mine
And my fond h eart, itse l’
sae true,It ne ’
ermistrusted th ine .
hobgoblins
O P O O RT I T H C A U LD
Th e warld’
s wealth wh en I th ink on,
Its pride and a’
the lave o’
t
My curse on Silly coward man,
That h e should b e the slave o’
t !
Her e en sae b on ie b lue b e tray
How sh e repays my passion
But prudence is h er o’
erword ay
She talks 0’
rank and fash ion .
0, wha can prudence th ink upon,
And sic a lassie by h im
O,Wha can prudence th ink upon,
And sae in love as I am ?
How b le st th e wild-wood Indian ’
s fate !
He woos h is artle ss dearie
The Silly bogles, Wealth and State,Can neve r make h im e erie .
Chorus
O,why should Fate sic pleasure have,Life ’
s deare st b ands untwin ingOr Why sae swe e t a flowe r as love
Depend on Fortune ’s sh in ing?
STAY, SWEET WARBLING WOOD-LARK 223
O, STA Y ,SWEET WARBLI NG
WOOD -LARK
O,STAY
, swe e t warb lingwood-lark, stay,Nor quit for me th e tremb ling Spray
A haple ss lover courts thy lay,Thy sooth ing, fond complain ing.
Aga in, again that tender part,That I may catch thy me ltingart
For sure ly th at wad touch h er h eart,Wha kills me w 1 disdain ing.
Say, was thy l ittle mate unkind,
And heard the e as th e care less Wind ?
0,noch t but love and sorrow j oin
’
d
Sic note s 0’
woe could wauken !Thou te lls o
’
never-endingcare,
O’
spe e ch le ss grief and dark de spair
For pity’ s sake
,swe e t b ird, nae mair,
Or my poor h eart is broken
224 S AW YE B O N I E L E S LE Y
SAW YE B O N I E LE S LE Y
O, SAW ye bon ie Le sley,went As Sh e gaed o
’
er th e Border ?
She’ s gane, like Alexander,
To spread her conque sts farth er
To see her is to love h er,And love but h er for e ver
For Nature made h er What sh e is,
And never made anither !
Thou art a que en, fa ir Lesley
Thy subj ects, we b efore th ee
Thou art divine,fair Le sley
The h earts 0’
men adore th e e .
harm Th e De il h e could na Skaith th ee ,
be longto Or augh t that wad b e langth e e
He’
d look into thy b on ie face ,And say I canna wrangth e e
Y O U N G JE S S I E
Fain, fain would I my griefs impart,Ye t dare na for your anger
But se cre t love will break my h eart,If I concea l it langer.
If thou refuse to pity me,If thou Shalt love anoth er,Wh en yon gre en leave s fade frae th e tree ,Around my grave th ey
’
11 w ith er.
Y O U N G JE S S I E
TRUE h earted was he, the sad swain o’
the
Yarrow,
And fair are th e maids on the banks of the
Ayr ;But by the swee t side 0
’
th e Nith’
s Windingriver
Are lovers as faithful and ma idens as fair
To e qual youngJe ssie se ek Scotia all over
To e qual youngJe ssie you se ek it in va in
Grace, b eauty, and e legance fe tter her lover,And maidenly modesty fixe s th e chain .
A D OWN W I N D I N G N I TH 227
Fre sh is th e rose in th e gay, dewy morn ing,And swe e t is th e lily at even ingclose
But in the fair pre sence 0’ love ly youngJe ssie
Unseen is th e lily, unh eeded th e rose .
Love sits in h er smi le, a wizard ensnaringEnthron
’
d in h er e en h e de livers h is law
And stil l to h er charms sh e alone i s a stranger
Her mode st demeanour ’s th e j ewe l of a ’
.
A D OW N W I N D I N G N I T H
Chorus
Awa W1 your b e lle s and your b eautie s
Th ey never w i’ h er can compareWhaever hae me t W1 my Ph illis
Has met W1 the Queen 0’
the Fair '
ADOWN w indingNith I did wander
To mark th e sweet flowers as they spring.
Adown windingNith I did wander
Of Ph illis to muse and to sing.
The Daisy amus’d my fond fancy,So artle ss
,so simple , so wild
‘Thou emb lem,
’
said I, o’
my Ph ill is’
For she is S implicity’
s ch ild.
228 A D OWN WI N D I N G N I TH
The rose-bud’
s the blush 0’ my charmer,
Her swee t balmy l ip when’
l is pre st.
How fa ir and how pure is the l ily l
But faire r and pure r he r breast.
Yon kno t ofgay flowers in the arbour,They ne ’
er Wi’ my Phillis can vie
Her b reath is the b reath of the Woodb ine ,Its dew-drop 0
'
diamond her eye .
Her voice is the song0’
the morning,That wake s thro '
the gre en-spreadinggrove ,When l’hebus pe eps ove r the mountains
On music, and pleasure, and love .
But Beauty, how frail and how fle e ting!
The b loom of a fine summe r's day 1
Wh ile Worth il l the mind O' my l ’h illis
Wil l flourish without a decay.
Awa Wi’ your b e lles and your be autie s
They neve r Wi'
he r can compare
Whacve r hue me t w i'
my l’h ill is
Has me t wi'
the Queen o'
the Fair !
230 BLYTHE HAE I BEEN ON YON HILL
BLYTHE HAE I BEEN ON YON HILL
every
must
Chorus
Th en hey for a lass W1 a tocher,Then hey for a lass W1 a toch er,Then h ey for a lass W1 a toch er,T he n ice ye l low guineas for me
BLYTHE hae I b een on yon h ill
As th e lamb s b efore me,
Care le ss ilka though t, and fre e
As th e bree ze flew o’
er me .
Now nae langer sport and play,Mirth or sangcan please me
Le sley is sae fair and coy,
Care and anguish se ize me .
Heavy, heavy is th e task,
Hope less love de claringTremb ling, I dow noch t but glow
’
r,
Sigh ing, dumb de spairingIf sh e w inna ease th e thraws
In my bosom swe lling,Unde rn eath th e grass-gre en sod
Soon maun b e my dwe lling.
BY A LLA N S TREAM
BY A LLA N ST R E AM
BY Allan stream I chano’
d to rove ,Wh ile Ph ebus sank b eyond Ben ledi ;
The winds we re wh isperingthro’
the grove,Th e ye llow corn was wavingready ;
I listen’
d to a lover’s sang,An
’
though t on youthfu’
pleasure s mon ie,And ay the wild-wood e choe s rang
O,my love Anni e
’
s very b on ie !
0,happy b e the woodb ine b ower,
Nae n igh tly bogle make it e erie !Nor eve r sorrow stain th e hour,The place and time I me t my dearie
Her h ead upon my throbb ingbreast,She , s inking, said I
’
m th ine for ever !
Wh ile mon ie a kiss th e seal impre st
Th e sacred vow w e ne’
er sh ould sever.
’
The haunt o’
Spring’ s th e primrose-brae .
-bank
The Summer joys th e flocks to follow.
How ch e ery thro’
h er short’
ningday
Is Autumn in her we eds 0’ ye llow
232 CA N S T TH O U LEA V E ME
But can they me lt th e glowingh eart,Or chain th e soul in spe e ch le ss pleasure,
Or thro’
each nerve th e rapture dart,Like mee tingh er, our bosom
’s treasure
Farewe ll ! And ne’
er such sorrows tear
That fickle h eart of th ine, my Katie
Thou may’
st find those will love th ee dear,But not a love like mine, my Katie .
C A N S T TH O U LEA VE ME
Chorus
Canst thou leave me thus,my Katie !
Can st thou leave me thus, my Katie
Wel l thou know ’
st my ach ingheart,And canst thou leave me thus for pity ?
1
Is th is thy pligh ted, fond regard
Thus crue lly to part, my Katie ?
Is th is thy fa ithful swain’s reward
An ach ingbroken h eart, my Katie ?
Chorus
Canst thou leave me thus, my Katie
Canst thou leave me thus, my Katie
We ll thou know’
st my ach ingh eart,And canst thou leave me thus for pity ?
snuuflc
vvorst
234 C O N TE N T E D WI’
L I TTLE
C O N T E N T E D W I’
L I T TLE
CONTENTED Wi’ little and canti c W1 mair,
Whene ’
er I forgather Wi’
Sorrow and Care ,
I gie th em a ske lp, as th ey’
re creepin alang,Wi’ a cogo
’
guid swats and an auld Scottish sang.
A towmond o’ troub le , should that b e my fa
’
,
A n igh t 0’
guid fe llowsh ip sowthers it a’
Wh en at the b lyth e end 0’
our journey at last,Wha the De il e ver th inks o’
the road h e has past ?
Blind Chance, le t h er snapper and stoyt e on her way,Be
’
t to me , b e’
t frae me, e’
en let th e jade gae !
Come Ease or come Travail, come Pleasure or Pain,
Mywarst word is We lcome, and we lcome again !’
I whyles claw the e lbow o’ troub lesome Thought ;
But Man is a soger, and Life is a faugh t.
My mirth and guid humour are coin in my pouch,And my Freedom
’
s my lairdsh ip nae monarch daur
touch .
F A REWE LL, TH O U S T REAM 235
FA REWE LL, TH O U ST R E AM
FAREWELL, thou stream that WindingAround Eliza’
s dwe lling!
O Mem’
ry, spare the crue l throe s
With in my b osom swe llingCondemn
’
d to draga hope le ss cha in
And ye t in secre t languish ,To fe e l a fire in every ve in
Nor dare disclose my anguish !
Love’s verie st wretch , unseen ,
unknown,I fa in mygriefs would cover
Th e burstingsigh, th’
unwe e tinggroan unconsc
Be tray the haple ss lover.
I know thou doom’
st me to de spair,Nor wilt
,nor canst re lieve me
But, O Eliz a, h ear on e prayer
F01; pity’
s sake forgive me !
Th e music of thy voice I h eard,Nor wist Wh ile it en slav’
d me
I saw th ine eye s, ye t noth ingfear’
d,
Till fears no more had sav’
d me
H AD I A C A V E
Th’
unwary sailor thus, aghast
Th e Wh e e lingtorrent viewing,’
Mid circlinghorrors sinks at last
In overwhe lmingruin.
HA D I A C AVE
HAD I a cave
On some Wild distant shore ,Wh ere the w inds howlTo the wave
’s dash ingroar,
There would I we epmy woe s,Th ere seek my lost repose ,Till griefmy eye s should close,
Ne’
e r to wake more !
False st of womankind,Can
’
st thou de clare
All thy fond, pligh ted vows
Flee tingas air ?
To thy new lover h ie,Laugh o
’
er thy perjury,Th en in thy b osom try
Wh at peace is there !
238 HOW CRUEL ARE THE PARENTS
Chorus
Here’
s a h ealth to ane I loe dear !
Here’
s a h ealth to ane I loe dear
Thou art swee t as th e smile when fond lovers
mee t,And soft as the ir partingtear,
Je ssy
And soft as the ir partingtear !
HOW CRUEL ARE THE PARENTS
How crue l are th e parents
Who riche s only prize,And to th e wealthy booby
Poor Woman sacrifice
Meanwh ile th e haple ss daughter
Has but a choice of strife :
To shun a tyran t fath er’s hate
Be come a wre tch ed Wife
Th e raven inghawk pursuing,Th e tremb lingdove thus flie s
To shun impendingru in
Awh ile h er pin ion trie s,
HUSBAND,CEASE YOUR STRI FE 239
Till, of e scape de spamng,
No sh e lter or re treat,
Sh e trusts th e ruth le ss falconer,And drops b eneath h is fe e t.
H U SB A N D,H U SB A ND, CE ASE
YOUR STRIFE
HUSBAND, husband, cease your
Nor longer idly rave,sir
Tho’
I am your wedded wife,Ye t I am not your slave, sir.
On e of two must still obey,Nancy
,Nancy
Is it Man orWoman,say,
My spouse Nancy
If’tis still th e lordly word,Service and ob edience,
I ’ll dese rt my sov’
re ign lord,And so goodbye, allegiance !
’
Sad will I b e so b ereft,
Nancy,Nancy !
Ye t I’
11 try to make a shift,My spouse Nancy !
’
IT WAS THE CHARM I NG MONTH
IT WAS THE CHARMING MONTH
My poor h eart, th en break it must,My last hour I amnear it
When you lay me in th e dust,
Th ink,how W ill you b ear i t
I wil l hope and trust in Heaven,
Nancy, Nancy
Strength to b ear it W ill b e given,
My spouse Nancy.
’
‘We ll, sir, from th e silent dead,
Still I’
11 try to daunt you
Ever round your midn igh t b ed
Horrid sprite s shall haunt you‘ I ’
l l w ed another like my dear,Nancy
,Nan cy
Th en al l H e ll W i ll fly for fear,My spouse Nancy
Chorus
Love ly was sh e by the dawn,
Youthful Ch loe , charmingCh loe ,Trippingo
’
er th e pearly lawn ,
The youthful, charmingCh loe
242 LA S T MAY A B RAW WO O E R
LA ST MAY A BRAW WOOER
deafen
He spak o‘
the darts in my bon ie b lack e en,
And vow’
d for my love h e was die in .
I said, h e migh t die wh en h e l ike t for Jean
Th e Lord forgie me for l icin, for l ie in
The Lord forgie me for licin !
worse offers
LAST May a braw wooer cam down th e langglen,And sair w i’ h is
.
love h e did deave me .
I said there was nae th ing I hated like men
Th e deuce gae Wi’
m to b e l ieve me , b e lieve me
The deuce gae W1 m to b e lieve me
A we e l-stocke t mailen, h imse l for th e la ird,And marriage aif-hand were h is proffe rs :
I neve r loot on that I kenn ’
d it,or car
’
d,
But though t I migh t hae waur offe rs, waur
But though t I migh t hae waur offers.
IV
But What wad ye th ink ? In a fortn igh t or le ss
(Th e De il tak hi s taste to gae near h er
He up the Gate-Slack to my b lack cousin,Be ss !
Guess ye how, th e j ad ! I could hear her, could
b ear h er
Gue ss ye how,th e j ad ! I could b ear h er.
LA S T MAY A B RA IN WO O ER 243
But a’
the n ie st week, as I petted W1 care , next
I gaed to th e tryste o’
Dalgarnock,cattle-i
And Wha but my fine fickle lover was th ere ?
I glowr’
d as I’
d seen a warlock, a warlock stared
I glowr’
d as I’
d seen a warlock.
But ,owre my left shouther I gae h im a b link,Le st neeb ours migh t say I was saucy .
My wooer h e caper’
d as h e’
d b e en in drink,
And vow’
d I was h is dear lassie , dear lassieAnd vow
’
d I was h is dear lassie
I spier’
d for my cousin fu’ couthy and swe e t
Gin sh e had recover’
d her h earin
And how h er new shoon fit h er aul d, shach l’
d fee t ?
But h eavens ! how h e fe ll a swearin, a swearin
But h eavens how h e fe ll a swearin
He b egged, for gude sake , I wad b e h is wife ,Or e lse I wad kill h im w i
’ sorrow
So e’
en to pre serve th e poor body in life ,I th ink I maun w ed h im to-morrow
, to-morrow must
I th ink I maun w ed h im to-morrow
MY N A N I E’
S AWA
M Y NA N I E’
S AWA
Now in h er green mantle b lyth e Nature arrays,
heights And listen s th e lambkins that b leat o’
er the brae s,every ; woodWh ile b irds warb le we lcome s in ilka green shaw,
But to me it ’s de ligh tless—my Nanie’
s awa .
The snawdrap and primrose our woodlands adorn,
wet dew] And viole ts bath e in th e we e t o ’
th e mom .
Th ey pain my sad bosom, sae swe etly they b law
Th ey mind me o’ Nan ic—and Nanic ’
s awa
Come Autumn, sae pensive in ye llow and grey,And sooth e me W1 tidings o
’ Nature ’s decay
Th e dark, dreary Winter and wild-drivingsnawAlane can de ligh t me—now Nan ic ’
s awa.
Thou lav’rock, that springs frae th e dews of the
lawn
Th e sh epherd to warn o’
the grey-breakingdawn,And thou me llow mavis
,that hails the n igh t-fa,
G ive over for pity—my Nanie’
s awa.
246 N OW S PR I N G H A S CLA D
When day, expiringin th e west,The curtain draws o’ Nature
’s re st,
I fle e to h is arms I loe the b est
And that ’s my ain dear Davie !
NOW S P R I N G H A S CL A D
every
winding Th e trout with in you wimplingburn
Glide s swift, a silver dart,And
,safe b eneath th e shady thorn,
Defie s th e angler’
s art
Chorus
Mee t me on the Warlock Knowe,Dainty Davie, Dainty Davie
Th e re I ’
l l spend th e day w i’
you,
My ain dear Dainty Davie .
Now springhas clad th e grove in green ,
And strew’
d th e lea wi’ flowers ;
Th e furrow’
d,wavingcorn is se en
Rejo ice in fosteringshowers
Wh ile ilka th ingin nature join
Th e ir sorrows to forego,0,
why thus al l alone are mine
Th e weary steps 0’
woe !
N OW S PR I N G H A S C LA D 247
My life was ance that care le ss stream,
That wanton trout was I,
But Love Wi’ unre lentingbeam
Has scorch’
d my fountains dry.
The l ittle flowere t ’s peaceful lot,In yonder clifl
'
that grows,Wh ich
,save th e linne t’s flight, I wot, guess
Nae ruder visit knows,Was mine, till Love has o
’
er me past,And b ligh ted a
’ my b loom
And now b eneath th e witheringb last
My youth and joy consume .
Th e waken’
d lav’
rock warb lingsprings,And climb s th e early sky,
Winnowingb lythe h is dewy WingsIn Morn ing
’s rosy eye
As little reck’ t I Sorrow’s power,Until th e flowery snare
O’
Witch ingLove in luckle ss hour
Made me the th rall 0’ care
0,had my fate b e en Greenland snows
Or Afric ’
s burn ingzone ,Wi’ Man and Nature leagu
’
d my foe s,So Peggy ne
’
e r I ’
d known !
248 0, TH IS IS NO MY A I N LASS IE
The wre tch , Whose doom is ‘ hope nae mair,’
What tongue h is woe s can te ll,With in whose bosom, save De spair,Nae kinder spirits dwe ll !
0, THIS IS NO MY A IN LA SS IE
Chorus
0,th is is no my ain lassie,Fair tho’
th e lassie b e
Wee l ken I my ain lassie
Kind love is in her c’
c .
I SEE a form , I se e a face ,Ye wee l may W1 the fairest place
It wants to me th e Witch inggrace ,Th e kind love that ’
s in h er c’
c .
She’
s bonie, b looming, straigh t, and tall,And langhas had my h eart in thral l
And ay it charms my very saul,The kind love that ’ s in the c’c .
250 o . WAT YE WHA THAT LO ’
ES ME
everyExcept
O, WAT ye Wha that lo’
e s me,
And has my heart a ke eping?
0,swe e t i s she that lo’
e s me
As dews 0’ summer weeping,In tears the rosebuds steeping!
If thou shalt me e t a lassie
In grace and b eauty charming,That e
’
en thy chosen lassie ,Erewh ile thy breast sae warming,Had ne
’
er sic powe rs alarming
If thou hadst h eard her talk ing
(And thy attention ’s plighted),That ilka body talkingBut h er by th e e is sligh ted,And thou art all-de ligh ted
If thou hast met th is fair one,
Wh en frae h er thou hast parted,If every oth er fair one
But h er thou hast de serted,And thou art b roken-hearted
S CO T S, WH A H AE
Chorus
0,that
’
s th e lassie 0’ my heart,
My lassie ever dearer
0,that ’
s the que en o’
womankind,And ne
’
er a ane to pe er her
S COT S, WH A H A E
SCOTS, wha hae W1 Wallace b led,Scots, Wham Bruce has aften l ed,We lcome to your gory b ed
Or to Victorie !
Now ’s the day, and now’
s the hour
Se e th e fron t 0’
battle lour,
See approach proud Edward’
s power
Chain s and slavet ic
Wha will b e a traitor knave ?
Wha can fill a coward’
s grave
Wha sae base as b e a slave ?
Le t h im turn,and flee
252 THEIR GROVES 0’
SWEET MYRTLE
Wha ‘
for Scotland’
s Kingand Law
Freedom’s sword will strongly draw,
Freeman stand or freeman fa’
,
Let h im follow me
By Oppression’s woe s and pains,
By your sons in servile chains,We will drain our deare st ve in s
But they shall b e free !
Lay the proud usurpers low
Tyrants fall in every foe
Lib erty ’s in every b low
Let us do, or die
THEIR GROVES 0’
SWEET MYRTLE
brook
THEIR grove s 0’ swee t myrtle le t fore ign lands
reckon,
Where brigh t-b eaming summers exalt th e per
fume
Far dearer to me yon lone glen 0’
green b reckan,
Wi’ the burn stealing under th e lang, ye llow
b room ;
254 THOU HAST LEFT ME EVER, JAMIE
THOU HAST LEFT ME EVER,JAMIE
must
Thou hast me forsaken, Jamie,Thou hast me forsaken !
Thou hast me forsaken, Jamie ,Thou hast me forsaken !
Take away those rosy lips
Rich With balmy treasureTurn away th ine eye s of love
,
Le st I die with pleasureWh at is life Wh en wanting love ?
Nigh t Without a morn ingLove th e cloudle ss summer’s sun
,
Nature gay adorning.
THOU hast left me ever, Jamie ,Thou hast left me ever
Thou hast left me ever, Jamie ,Thou hast le ft me e ve r !
Aften hast thou vow’
d that De ath
On ly should us sever ;Now thou
’
st left thy lass for ayI maun se e thee never, Jamie,I ’
11 see th e e never !
H I G H LA N D MARY
Thou canst love anoth er jo,Wh ile my h eart is b reak ing
Soon my weary e en I ’
11 close ,
Never mair to waken, Jamie,Never ma ir to waken
H I G H L A N D M A R Y
YE b anks and brae s and streams around
Th e castle 0’
Montgomery,Gre en b e your woods, and fair your flowers,Your waters n eve r drumlie turbid
Th ere Summer first unfald h er rob e s, unfold
And th ere th e lange st tarry
For th ere I took th e last farew e e l
O’ my swe e t H igh land Mary !
How sweetly bloom’
d th e gay, green
How rich the hawthorn ’
s b lossom,
As underneath th e ir fragrant shadeI c lasp
’
d h er to my b osom
Th e golden hours on ange l w ings
Flew o’
e r me and my dearie :For dear to me as ligh t and lifeWas my swe e t H igh land Mary.
256 MY CH LOR I S, MARK
MY CH LOR I S, MA RK
MY Ch loris, mark how gre en the grove s,The primrose banks how fair !
The balmy gale s awake th e flowers,And wave thy flaxen hair.
W1 monie a vow and lock’
d embrace
Our partingwas fu’ tender
And, pledgingaft to me e t again,
We tore ourse ls asunder.
But O, fe ll Death’s untime ly frost,
That n ipt my flower sae early
Now green’
s the sod,and caul d ’
s the
That wraps my High land Mary
O, pale , pale now, those rosy lips
I aft hae kiss’d sae fondly
And clos’
d for ay, th e sparklingglance
That dwalt on me sae kindly
And moulderingnow in silent dust
That heart that lo’
ed me dearly
But still W ith in my bosom’s core
Shall l ive my Highland Mary.
258 FA IREST MA I D ON DEVON BANK S
FAIREST MAID ON DEVON BANKS
Chorus
Faire st ma id on Devon banks,Crystal Devon, windingDevon,Wilt thou lay that frown aside
,
And smile as thou wert wont to do ?
FULL we ll thou know ’
st I love the e dear
Couldst thou to malice lend an ear
0, did not Love excla im Forb ear,Nor use a faithful lover so
Then come , thou faire st of the fair,Those wonted smil e s, 0,
le t me share,
And by thy b eauteous se lf I swear
NO love but th ine my h eart shall know
Chorus
Fa ire st maid on Devon banks,Crystal Devon, windingDevon,
Wilt thou lay that frown aside ,And smile as thou wert wont to
LASSIE WI’ THE LINT-WH ITE LOCKS 259
LASSIE WI’ THE LINT-WHITE LOCKS
Chorus
Lassie W1 the l int-wh ite locks,Bon ie lassie, artless lassie,Wilt thou wi’ me tent the flocks
Wilt thou b e my dearie , 0 ?
Now Nature cleeds the flowe ry lea, clothes
And a’
is youngand swee t like the e ,O
,wilt thou share its joys wi’ me
,
And say thou’ lt be my dearie , O
The primrose bank, the wimplingburn,meandering
Th e cuckoo on th e milk-Wh ite thorn,
The wanton lamb s at early morn
Shall we lcome thee , my dearie, 0.
And wh en th e we lcome simmer shower
Has ch eer’
d ilk droopinglittle flower,We
’
11 to th e b reath ingwoodb ine-b ower
At sultry noon,my dearie
, O .
260 LO N G, LO N G TH E N I G H T
When Cynth ia ligh ts W1 silver rayreaper
’
s The weary shearer’s hameward way,
Thro’ yellow wavingfie lds we
’ ll stray,And talk 0
’ love, my dearie , 0.
And wh en th e bowlingwintry b last
Disturb s my lassie ’ s midn igh t re st,Enclasped to my faithfu
’
breast,I ’ll comfort th e e
,my dearie , O .
Chorus
Lassie W1 th e lint-wh ite locks,Bon ie lassie, artle ss lassie ,Wilt thou wi’ me ten t th e flocks
Wilt thou b e my dearie, O
LONG,LONG THE N IGHT
Chorus
Long, longth e n igh t,H eavy come s th e marrow
,
Wh ile my soul’s de ligh t
Is on h er bed of sorrow.
262 LO G A N WA TER
LO G A N W A T E R
must
With in yon milk-wh ite hawthorn bush,Amangh er nestlings sits the thrush
Her faithfu’ mate will share h er toil
Or Wi’
h is songh er care s b eguile .
O LOGAN, swee tly didst thou glide
That day I was myWillie’s bride,
And years sin syne hae o’
er us run
Like Logan to the simmer sun .
But now thy flowery banks appear
Like drumlie Winter, dark and drear,
Wh ile my dear lad maun face h is fae s
Far, far frae me and Logan braes.
Again the merry month ofMay
Has made our h ills and vallies gayThe b irds rejoice in leafy bowers,The b ee s hum round the breath ingflowers ;Blythe Morn ing lifts h is rosy eye ,
And Even ing’s tears are tears 0’
j oyMy soul de ligh tle ss a
’ surveys,
Wh ile Will ie ’
s far frae Logan brae s .
YO N RO S Y B R I E R
But I wi’ my swe e t nurslings h ere ,Nae mate to h e lp, nae mate to che er,Pass WidOW’
d nigh ts and joyle ss days,Wh ile Willie ’
s far frae Logan brae s.
O, wae upon you, Men O’
State ,That bre thren rouse in deadly hate
As ye make mon ie a fond h eart mourn,
Sae may it on your heads re turn
Ye mindna’
mid your crue l joys
The w idow’ s tears, the orphan’
s crie s ;But soon may peace b ringhappy days,And Willie hame to Logan brae s
Y ON R O S Y BR I E R
O BONIE was you rosy brier yonder
That b looms sae far frae haun t 0’
man,
And bonie’
sh e— and ah, how dear
It shaded frae th e e’
enin sun !
Yon rosebuds in the morn ingdew ,
HOW pure amongthe le ave s sae green
But purer was th e lover’
s VOW
Th ey w itne ssed in the ir shade ye streen . last night
winding
WH ERE A RE TH E JO Y S
All in its rude and prickly bower,That crimson rose how swee t and fair !
But love is far a swe e ter flower
Amid life ’ s thorny path 0’ care .
The path le ss wild and wimplingbur n,Wi ’ Ch loris in my arms
, b e mine,And I th e warld nor w ish nor scorn
Its joys and griefs alike re s ign
WH E RE A RE T H E JO Y S
WHERE are the joys I hae met in the morning,That daue
’
d to the lark’s early sang?
Where i s the peace that awaited my wand’
ring
At c ’eningthe wild-woods amang?
Nae mair a-w indingthe course 0’
you river
And markingswee t flowerets sae fa ir,Nae mair I trace the ligh t footsteps o
’
Pleasure ,But Sorrow and sad-sigh ingCare .
F ORLO RN MY LO V E
I ’
l l often gree t the surging swe ll,Yon distant isle wil l often ha il
E’
en here I took the last farewe ll ;There, late st mark
’
d h er vanish’
d sail. ’
F ORLORN MY LO V E
FORLORN my love , no comfort near,Far
,far from th ee I wander h e re ;
Far,far from th e e, th e fate severe,
At wh ich I most repine , love .
Alongth e solitary shore ,
Wh ile fl itt ingsea-fowl round me cry,Across the rolling, dash ingroar,
I ’ll we stward turn my w istful eye
Happy, thou Indian grove ,’ I ’ll say,
Where now my Nancy’s path may b e
Wh ile thro’
thy swe ets she love s to stray,0, te ll me, doe s she muse on me ?
’
Chorus
0, wert thou, love , but near me ,
But near, near, near me ,
How kindly thou would chee r me,
And mingle sigh s with mine, love
F ORLORN MY LO V E
Around me scowls a wintry sky,
Blastingeach bud of hope and j oy,And she lter, shade , nor home have I
Save in the se arms of th ine, love .
Cold, al ter’
d friendsh ip’s crue l part,
To poison Fortune’s ruthle ss dart
Le t me not b reak thy faithful heart,And say that fate is mine, love !
But, dreary tho’
the moments flee t,0,let me th ink we yet shall mee t !
That only ray of solace sweet
Can on thy Chloris sh ine , love
Chorus
0, wert thou, love , but near me,But near, near, near me,How kindly thou would cheer me ,And mingle sigh s with mine, love
268 CA’
THE YOWES TO THE KNOWES
Drivc i em s i CA’
THE YOWES TO THE KNOWESknolls
SE CON D SE T
Chorus
Ca’
the yowe s to the knowe s,Ca
’ th em wh ere th e h eath er grows,brooklet runs Ca
’
th em wh ere th e burn ie rowe s,My bon ie dearie .
HARK,the mavis’ e ’
eningsangSoundingClouden
’
s woods amang
[Notes] ; so Then a-fauldingle t us gang,
My bon ie dearie .
We’ll gae down by Clouden side,
Thro’
th e haze ls, spreadingwide
O’
er th e wave s that swee tly glide
TO the moon sae clearly.
Yonder Clouden ’
s silent towers
Wh ere, at moonsh ine’s midn igh t hours,
O’
er the dewy b endingflowe rs
Fairie s dance sae ch e ery .
GA'
THE YOWES TO THE
Ca'
th e yowes to $0 knowes,Ca
’ them where thp heather grows,
Hans , themavis’
c’
eningsangen
’
s woods amaug
We’ll g
’
ae dm bym
270 H OW CA N MY P O O R H EART
When in summer noon I faint,As weary flocks around me pant,Haply in th is scorch ingsun
My sailor’s thund’
ringat h is gun .
Bulle ts,spare my only joy
Bullets , spare my darlingboyFate, do w ith me what you may,Spare but h im that ’
s far away !
On the seas and far away,
On stormy seas and far away
Fate, do with me what you may,
Spare but h im that ’
s far away
At th e starle ss, midnigh t hour
When Winter rule s with boundless power,As th e storms the forests tear,And thunders rend th e howlingair
,
Listen ingto the doub lingroar
Surgingon the rocky shore,All I can— I weep and pray
For h is weal that ’s far away.
On the seas and far away,On stormy seas and far away,All I can—I we ep and pray
For h is weal that ’
s far away.
IS THERE FOR HONEST POVERTY 27 1
Peace , thy Ol ive wand extend
And b id wild War h is ravage end
Man with broth e r man to meet,And as broth er kindly gree t !
Then may Heaven with prosperous
Fill my sailor’s we lcome sails,To my arms th e ir charge convey,My dear l ad that
’
s far away
On th e seas and far away,On stormy seas and far away,To my arms th e ir charge convey,My dear lad that
’
s far away
IS THERE FOR HONEST POVERTY
Is there for hone st poverty
That h ings h is h ead, an’
a’ that ?
Th e coward slave, we pass him by
We dare b e poor for a’ that
For a’ that
,an
’
a’ that
,
Our toils Ob scure, an’
a’ that
,
Th e rank is but th e guinea’
s stamp,
The man’s the gowd for a
’ that .
272 IS THERE FOR HONEST POVERTY
coarse greywoollen
What though on hame ly fare we dine,Wear hoddin grey, an
’
a’ that ?
Gie fools the ir silks, and knave s the ir wineA man
’
s a man for a’ that.
For a’ that, an
’
a’ that
,
The ir tinse l show,an
’
a’ that
,
Th e honest man, tho
’
e’
er sae poor,
Is king0’
men for a’ that.
Ye see you b irkie ca’
d a lord,
’
Wha struts,an
’ stare s, an’
a’ that ?
Tho’
hundreds worsh ip at h is word,
H e’
s but a cuif for a’ that.
For a’
that, an’
a’
that,His ribband, star, an
’
a’ that
,
Th e man 0 independent mind,H e looks an’ laugh s at a
’ that.
A prince can mak a be lted knight,A marquis
,duke
,an
’
a’ that !
But an hone st man’
s ab oon h is migh t
Guid faith, h e manna fa’ that
For a’ that
,an
’
a’ that,
Th e ir dign itie s, an’
a’ that
,
Th e pith 0’
sense an’
pride 0’
worth
Are h igh er rank th an a’ that.
274 O, LET ME I N TH I S AE N IGHT
But did you see my dearest Ch loris
In s implicity’
s array,Love ly as yonder swee t Open ingflower is,Shrink ingfrom th e gaze of day
one 0, LET ME IN TH IS AE NIGHT
0, then, th e heart alarmingAnd al l re sistle ss charming,
In love ’
s de l igh tful fe tters she chains the
Willingsoul
Amb ition would disown
The world’s imperial crown !
Ev’
n Avarice would deny
H is worsh ipp’
d de ity,And fee l thro
'
every ve in love ’s rapture s roll
Chorus
0,l e t me in th is ae n igh t,
Th is ae, ae, ae n igh t
0,let me in th is ae n igh t,
And rise , and le t me in !
O, LET ME I N TH IS AE N IGH T 275
1
O LASSIE, are ye sleepin yet,
Or are ye waukin, I wad wit ?
For Love has bound me hand an’ fit,
And I would fain b e in, jo.
Thou h ear’
st th e winter wind an’ wee t
Nae star b l inks thro’
the drivingsle et ! shines
Tak pity on my weary fe et,And sh ie ld me frae th e rain, jo.
III
The b itter b last that round me b laws,Unhe eded howls, unh eeded fa
’
s
Th e cauldness o’
thy heart’s th e cause
Of a’ my care and pine , jo .
Chorus
0, let me in th is ae n igh t,Th is ae , ae , ae n igh t
0,l e t me in th is ae n igh t,And rise and let me in
H E R AN SW E R
Chorus
I te ll you now th is ae n igh t,Th is ae
,ae , s e n igh t,
And ance for a’ th is ae n ight,
I w inna l et ye in, jo . will not
nothing
fate own
276 I TELL YOU NOW TH IS AE NIGHT
O,TELL me i i a 0
’ wind an’
rain,Upbraid na me wi
’ cauld disdain,Gae back the gate ye cam again,I winna le t ye in, jo !
The sne lle st b last at mirke st hours,That round the pathless wand
're r pours
Is noch t to what poor she endure s,
That ’s trusted faithle ss man, jo .
The sweete st flowe r that deck’
d the mead,Now trodden l ike th e vilest we ed
Le t s imple maid the le sson read
The we ird may b e h er ain, jo.
The b ird that charm’
d h is summer day,And now the crue l fowler's prey,Let that to witless woman say
‘Th e gratefu’
heart ofman, 30
Chorus
I te ll you now th is ae night,Th is ae, ae , ae nigh t,And ance for a
’ th is ae night,I w inna let ye in, jo .
278 O PH ILLY,HAPPY BE THAT DAY
nothing
The milder sun and b luer sky,
That crown my harve st care s wi ’ joy,Were ne
’
er sae we lcome to my eye
As is a sigh t 0’
Ph illy.
The l ittle swallow’s wanton wing,Tho
’ waftingo’
er th e flowery spring,Did ne
’
e r to me sic tidi ngs bringAs meeting0
’
myWilly.
Th e b ee , that thro’
the sunny hour
Sips nectar in the op’
ningflower,Compar
’
d w i’
my de ligh t is poor
Upon the lips 0’
Ph illy.
Th e woodb ine in the dewy we e t,Wh en ev
’
ningshade s in silence meet,Is noch t sae fragrant or sae swee t
As is a ki ss 0’ Willy.
Let Fortune ’s wh ee l at random rin,
And fools may tyne , and knaves may Win
My though ts are a’
b ound up on ane ,
And th at ’ s my ain dear Ph illy .
What ’
s a’
the joys that gowd can gie?
I dinna care a single flie
Th e lad I love ’
s th e lad for me ,
And that ’
s my ain dear Wi lly.
O,WERE MY LO V E
Chorus
He and She. For a’
th e j oys that gowd can gie,
I dinna care a single flie
I love ’
s the for me,
And that’
s my ain dear
O,WE R E M Y L O VE
0,WERE my love yon lilac fair
W1 purple b lossoms to th e spring,And I a b ird to she lter th ere,Wh en wearied on my little wing,
How I wadmourn wh en it was torn
By Autumn wi ld andWinter rude
But I wad singon wanton wing,Wh en youthfu
’ May its b loom renew’
d.
O, gin my love were you red rose,
That grows upon th e castle wa’
,
And I myse l a drap O’
dew
Into h er bon ie b reast to fa ’
,
0, th ere, beyond expression b lest,I ’
d feast on b eauty a'
th e nigh t,Scal’d on her silk-saft faulds to re st, -soft ; foldsTill fley
’
d awa by Phoeb us’ l ight scared
S LEE P’
S T TH O U
SLE E P’S T T H O U
o’
ercast
SLEEP’
ST thou, or wank’st thou
,fa ire st creature ?
Rosy Morn now l ifts h is eye ,Numb ering ilka bud, wh ich NatureWaters w i’ the tears 0’
joy.
NOW to th e streamingfountain
Or up th e h eathy mountain
The hart, h ind, and roe, fre e ly, wildly-wantonstray
In twin inghaze l bowers
H is layth e linne t pours
The laverock to th e sky
AscendsWi ’ sangs 0’
joy,Wh ile th e sun and thou arise to b le ss th e day
Phoebus, gildingthe brow Of morn ing,Ban ishe s ilk darksome shade
,
Nature gladden ingand adorningSuch to me my love ly maid
When frae my Ch loris parted,Sad
, che erle ss, b roken~h earted,
Th e n igh t’
s gloomy shade s, cloudy, dark,my sky ;
handsomest
oxen kine
horses
lost stolen
not leap
glance
TH E RE WA S A LA S S
YoungRob ie was th e brawe st lad,Th e flower and pride of a
’
the glen,
And he h ad owsen,sh eep, and kye ,
And wanton naigies n ine or ten .
He gaed WI Jean ie to the tryste,H e danc
’
d Wi’
Jean ie on th e down,And, langere Witless Jean ie wist,Her h eart was tint, h er peace was stown !
As in the bosom of th e stream
The moon-b eam dwe lls at dewy e’
en,
SO, tremb l ingpure , was tender loveWith in the breast of bon ie Jean.
And now sh e works her country’s wark,
And ay sh e sigh s WI care and pain,Yet wist na what h er ail migh t b e,Or What wad make h er we e l again .
But did na Jeani e’
s heart loup light,And did na joy b link in h e r e
’
e,
As Rob ie tauld a tale 0’ love
Ae c’emin on the lily lea
TH E RE WA S A LA S S
Wh ile mon ie a b ird sang swe et 0’ love ,
And monie a flower b looms o’
er the dale ,H is ch eek to h ers h e aft did lay,
And whisper’
d thus h is tender tale
J ‘
O Jean ie fair, I lo’
e th ee dear.
O,canst thou th ink to fancy me ?
Or wilt thou leave thy mammie ’
s cot,
And learn to tent the farms Wi’ me ?
At barn or byre thou shalt na drudge , cowhouse
Or naeth inge lse to troub le th e e,But stray amangth e heath er-b e lls,And tent th e wavingcorn Wi
’
me .
’
Now what could artless Jean ie doShe had nae will to say h im na
At length sh e b lush’
d a swe e t consent,And love was ay b e twe en them twa.
[Notes]
Last night
went
the other
MA RY MO R I S O N
Chorus
Sh e is a Win some we e th ing,Sh e is a h andsome we e th ing,Sh e is a lo
’
e some w e e th ing,Th is swe e t wee wife 0
’
mine
M A R Y M OR I S O N
O MARY,at thy window b e
I t is th e Wish’
d, the trysted hour.
Those smile s and glance s le t me see ,
That make the miser’s treasure poor.
HOW blythe ly wad I b ide th e stoure ,A weary slave frae sun to sun,
Could I the rich reward se cure
Th e love ly Mary Morison
Ye stre en, when to th e tremb lingstringThe dance gaed thro
’
th e lighted ha’
,
To thee my fan cy took its wing,I sat
, but ne ith er h eard or saw
Tho’ th is was fair, and that was braw,
And yon th e toast of a’
the town,
I sigh’
d and said amang them a’
Ye are na Mary Morison
M A RY MO R I S O N
0 Mary, canst thou wreck h is peace
Wha for thy sake wad gladly die
Or canst thou break that h eart of h is
Wh ase only faut is lovingthee ?
If love for love thou wilt na gie ,At least b e pity to me shown
A though t ungentle canna b e cannot
The though t 0’
Mary Morison .
BIBLIOGRAPHICAL
THE present Volume consists of songs sent by Burns toJohnson
’
s Mus ica l Museum and Thomson’
s Scottish Airs,
and duly set forth in these coll ections. Some he sentwh ich were not used, and some were used wh ich he didnot send. These will appear in our fourth and last instalment of al l.
Burns’
s earl iest reference to th e Museum is conta inedin a letter, written as h e was leavingEdinburgh, Of the4th May 1 787. He tells Johnson that h e sends a songnever before known for h is publ ication, and that had
the acquaintance been a l ittle Older, h e would have askedthe favour of a correspondence.
’
Only two Of his songs
appeared in Johnson’
s First Volume, the Preface to wh ichis dated 2z udMay 1 787 and it is possible to Observe indetail ne i ther the growth of h is acquaintance with Johnson himself nor that of h is interest in Johnson’
s venture .
He seems, however, to have made special arrangementswith Johnson duringh is visit to Edinburgh in the autumn :at any rate, there are indications that he has resolvedentirely as a labour of love—to do h is best for both theman and th e book. On the 2oth October he informs Mr.
Hoy, Chamberlain to the Duke Of Gordon, that, to ‘the
utmost of h is smal l power,’
h e assists ‘ in coll ecting th eOld poetry, or sometimes for a fine air makes ‘
a stanz awhen it has no words on th e 25th he confides to
Skinner, the parson poet, that h e has‘ been absolutely
craz ed about ’ the project, and is col lectingold stanz as,and every information respecting the ir origin, authors,
’
etc. and in November he is found asking h is friend291
B I B L I O GRA PH I CA L
James Candlish to send him ‘Pompey
’a Ghost, words
and music,’
and confessing that h e has already col
looted, begged, borrowed, and stolen all the songs’
he
could. Al l th is is in the -beginning; and of itself itwere enough to show that, even had h e done no more,still Johnson’
s debt to h im had been considerable.
But there is evidence in plenty that h e was verysoon a great deal more than a mere contributor, howeverunwearied and unselfish . Johnson—an engraver, whocould neither write grammatically nor even spel l
—wasquite incompetent himsel f to edit th e Museum ; and at
first he was helped by the elder Tytler. But that Burnswas virtual ly editor of th e work from the autumn of
1 787 until h is health began to fail, is proved (1 ) by whatis left of h is correspondence with Johnson ; (2) by hisannotations on the Hastie MSS. (British Museum) ; and
(3) by certain draft-plans Of vol umes, l ists of songs, and
other ms. scraps now in the library Of Mr. George Gray,Glasgow, which we have been privileged to consult for th isEdition. Thus, in November 1 788, he tel ls Johnson that hehas prepared a
‘ flamingpreface’
forVol . iii. The tone of
it is not exactly that of the Preface to Vol . II . but Burnswas a creature of moods, and h e may very well havewritten both . If h e did, h e ends th e earlier thusIgnorance and Prejudice may perhaps affect to sneer at
the simpl icity of the poetry or music of some of thosepieces, but the ir having been for ages the favourites ofNature’s j udges, th e Common People, was to the Editor 3sufficient test Of their merit. ’ Th e next is less humbleand more cynical as regards the Van: Papuli.
‘As thisis not
,
’ it runs,
one of those many Publ ications whichare hourly ushered into th e World merely to catch theeye of Fashion in h er frenzy of a day, the Editor haslittle to hope or fear from the herd of readers. Con
sciousness of the wel l-known merit Of our Scotish Music,and the natural fondness of a Scotchman for the productions Of h is own country, are at once the Editor’s motive
B I BL I O GRA PH I CA L
Thomson returns h is warmest acknowledgement for theenthusiasm with wh ich ’
Burns has entered into our
undertaking’
but as h e says noth ingof Burns’
s admir
able generosity, it is reasonable to infer that the ideaof payment woul d have been unwelcome to h is mind .
Even so, it is fair to add that the best of time had
passed for Burns ere h is connex ion with Th omson began .
Misfortunes, hardships, foll ies, excesses in fact and sentiment, success itself, so barren of lastingprofit to h imal l th ese had done some part of their work and alreadyh is way of life was fall ing into th e sere and yel low l eaf.Though few, th e years had been ful l exceedingly; and
his inspiration was its old rapturous, irresistible sel f nolonger. Moreover
,h e had to content Thomson as wel l
as to satisfy h imself ; and Thomson,a kind of poetaster,
whose taste in verse was merely academic, persuaded h im
to wr ite more Engli sh than was good for h im ; be ing inth is matter whol ly of his time, h e could find nothing to‘ fire h is vocal rage
’ but the amatory effusions of one
of th e least lyrical schools in letters ; and the cousequences were disastrous to h is art . The Thomson songs,indeed, some dist inguished and del ightful exceptions tothe contrary, are not in h is happier vein. Th ey havenot the fresh sweetness and th e unflagging spirit of h isMuseum numbers. Theyare less distinctively Scots thanthese
,for one thing; and for another, they are often
vapid in sentiment and artificial in effect. Now,his work
for the Museum consisted largely in the adaptation of
old rhymes and folk-songs to modern uses. Some he
arranged, some he condensed, some h e enlargedh some
h e reconstructed and rewrote. Stray snatches, phrases,
l ines,thin echoes from a vanished past—nothing came
amiss to h im,nor was there anything he could not turn
to good account. His appreciation was instant and
inevitable, h is touch unerring. Under h is hand a patchwork of catch-words became a l iving song. He wouldtake you two fragments of different epoch s, select the
B I B L I O GRA PH I C A L 295
best from each, and treat the matter of his choice in sucha style that it is hard to know where its components endand begin : so that noth ing is certain about h is result
f except that here is a piece of art. Or he would cap~
ture a wandering old refrain, adjust it to h is own con
ditions, and so renew its lyr ical interest and significancethat it seems to live its true life for the first time on h islips. Here
,in fact
,is h is ch ief claim to perennial accept
ance . He passed the folk-songof h is nation through the
mint of h is mind, and h e reproduced it stamped withh is image and lettered with his superscription : so thatfor the world at large it ex ists, and will go on ex isting,not as he found but as h e left it. Certain critics havecavilled at the assertion (in our Preface to Vol . i. ) that,‘
genius apart,’
Burns was ‘ultimus Scotorum, the last
expression of th e old Scots world .
’
If that statementerr, it is not by excess. Burns
’
s knowledge of the olderminstre lsywas un ique h e was saturate with its tradition,
as h e was absolute master of its emotions and effects no
such artist in folk-songas he (so in other words SirWaltersaid) has ever worked in literature . But a hundred for
gotten singers went to the making of his ach ievementand h imself. He did not whol ly originate those masterqual ities -of fresh and taking simplicity, of vigour and
directness and happy and humorous case, wh ich havecome to be regarded as distinctive of h is verse ; for al l
these th ings, together with much of the thought, theromance, and the sentiment for which we read and loveh im
, were included in the estate which h e inherited fromh is nameless forebears ; and he so assimilated them thatwhat is actual ly those forebears
’ legacy to h im has come tobe regarded as h is gift to them. Those forebears aiding,h e stands forth as the sole great poet of the old Scotsworld ; and h e thus is national as no poet has everbeen, and as no poet ever will, or ever can be, again .
Thus,too, it is that, be ing the
‘satirist and s inger of a
parish —a fact wh ich only th e Common Burnsite could
B I B L I O GRA PH I CA L
be crazy enough, or pigheaded enough , to deny—he isat the same time the least paroch ial—th e most broadlyandgenuinely human—amongthe lyrists of his race.
In our Notes to individual songs we have done our
best to trace h is connexion with the past. Th is is now
the more difficult because (1 ) much of the material hecollected (includingthe origins of the publ ication knownas The MerryMuses and a good deal else) has been destroyed- by h is relations, or by Currie, or by laterowners—in the interests partly ofScottish morals, part lyof that cheap decorous chromo-l ithograph (as it were)wh ich b ids fair to supplant the true Burns—ardent
,
impulsive, generous ; but hypochondriacal, passionate,imperfect—in the minds of h is countrymen ; (2) ownersare shy of so much as acknowledging the ex istence of
certain holograph letters and verses ; and (3) manyso-called ms. collect ions of traditional songs, made in
the first hal f of the century, partake, whether con
sciously or not,of the character of forgeries, and do
not so much enlighten as betray. Al l the same, in
use ,broadsides
,chaps, rare song-books there does
exist a considerable body of stuff which,being carefully
sifted,is found to be
,directly or indirectly, of no small
illustrative value. As regards unpublished material, wemight speak in no measured terms of the Herd ms.
(British Museum) -
given byHerd toArch ibald Constable—wh ich has hitherto escaped the notice of Burns’s Editors ; wh ich includes al l the songs, ball ads, and scrapsthat David Herd—the most indefatigable and the mostconscientious of the old Scots col lectors—had pickedtogether ; and wh ich distinguish es between numbersunprinted and numbers printed in Herd’s own 1 769 and
1 776 Editions, or elsewhere . Burns may of course haveh ad other knowledge of some of the matter h ere sequestered ; but that he had access to the ms. wh il e it was inHerd
’
s hands—! the probabil ity is that it was submittedto him in the autumn of 1 787) -andmade
B I B L I O GRA PH I CA L
that TomD’
Urfey and those other English song-writers,who caricatured th e Scot in love in such grotesques as
Bonnie Dundee and The Liggan Waters,as Katherine Ogis
and the rest, were never guilty of imitatingor parodyinga Scots original ? [Of course it doesn
’t fol low that theydid so whenever they touched on Scottish themes
,or
tried to poke fun at the Scot by pretending to expressthemselves in h is barbarous northern dialect ] Be thisas it may,manyRestoration Engl ish broadsides—whethersuggested by Scots originals or not—were gathered (withmodifications) into song-books byRamsayand other Scotsmen
,and had no smal l influence on popular song in
Scotland . So that derivatives from them,or corruptions
of them—in some instances ofgreat variety —were widelycirculated in those garlands and stal l ballads wh ich
,
particularly in the latter half of the e ighteenth century,began to dispute the pre—eminence of the psalms ofDavidas th e poetic l iterature of the Scottish peasant : at th e
same time that they did the ir part in preparing the
ground for the evolution in Britain of the greatRomanticMovement.Al l students of broadside l iterature are indebted to
the publ ications of the Ballad Society, especial ly thoseproduced under the learned editorsh ip ofMr . Ebsworth,
to whom our thanks are due for the early sheets,and an unique copy of the bal lad of Mol ly Stewart.
Among Col lections, publi c and private, the first placemust be assigned to those in the British Museum
,
wh ich, in addition to the Roxburghe, Bagford, OsterlyPark
,and oth er famous sets of blackl etter broadsides
,
possesses an immense assortment of wh iteletter sh eetsand garlands, as wel l as an unrivalled gathering of
sheet-music and old song-books. We have further toacknowledge th e extraordinary kindness of the Earl of
Crawford in sendingus a world of ballads and broadsidesfrom Haigh Hall , and to express our obligations to theEarl of Rosebery for permission to inspect the collect ion
NOTE S
of Scots broadsides formed by the late David Laing to
Mrs . Mansfield, Edinburgh , for access to the Pitcairnms. to Mr. A. Huth
,Princes Gate
,London
,for access
to the Huth broadsides ; and to Mr. Peskett, Librarianof Magdal ene College, Cambridge, for the run of the
admirable Pepys Collection. Divers other gatheringshave been consulted, including th e Euing Col lectionin the University of Glasgow. Also we are indebted toMr. George Gray, Glasgow, for placing at our disposalhis extensive assortment of Scots chaps and song-books ;to Mr. Alexander Fowl ie of Inverury for the com
munication of several chaps ; to Mr. Wm. MacMath,
Edinburgh, for information to Dr. Furnivall,London,
for early copies of some Bal lad Society’
s Publ ications ;and to Mr. Andrew Lang for information embodied in
certain of our Notes.
Most of the u s. songs wh ich Burns sent to Johnson are
included in the Hastie Col lection in the BritishMuseumthose h e sent toThomson in th e Thomson Correspondenceat Brech in Castle
,where we were able to inspect them.
But we have further to express our acknowledgments tothe Committee of the Burns Exhibition, Glasgow, forpermission to collate several mss. The mss. of diversnumbers are al so included in Collections denoted in
foregoing volumes. Thus,those—and they are very
many—wh ich were sent to Mrs . Dunlop are in the
Loch ryan u se ; wh ile those sent to Maria Riddel lare in the col lection of h er descendant
,Dr . De Noe
Walker,ofLondon : to whom
,as to ColonelWal lace
,we
have pleasure in tenderingour pecul iar thanks.
YOUNG PEGGY
No. 78 in Johnson (Vol . i.‘ByBurns.
’
Margaret, daughter ofRobert Kennedy, ofDaljarroch,Ayrshire
,and n iece of Mr. Gavin Hamilton, was born
3td November 1 766 ; fell in love with (and final lysuc
N O TES
STANZA 1 . LINE 2 .
‘S lze’.c blur/l ing like the morning,
Stewart. 4. With earlypearls adorning,’Stewart.
STANZAm. LINE 4. Ofsavage surly winter,’Stewart.
cumbed to) Captain, afterwards Colonel,AndrewM‘Doual
Sculdudd’
ryM‘Doual
’
of the second Heron Ballad : see
Vol . ii. p. 1 97) in 1 784 bore h im a daughter in January1 794 ; raised an action for ( l ) declarator of marriage,or (2) damages for seduction ; and died in February1 795, before the case was decided. Meanwh ileM‘Doual
,
who denied patern ity as well as marriage, had weddedanother lady ; but in 1 798 the Consistorial Courtdeclared against him on both issues ; and the Court ofSess ion, having set aside its judgment as regards the
marriage, ordered h im to provide for h is ch ild in the
sum of £3000.
Burns often met Miss Kennedy at Gavin Hamilton ’
s.
His songwas enclosed to h er in an undated letter Ihave in these verses attempted some faint sketches of
your portrait in the unembel lished simple manner of
descriptive truth .
’
This,and not The Banks 0
’
Doon,
(p. which it is usual, but erroneous, to suppose
was suggested by th e lady’
s amour,must have been
the song‘on Miss Peggy Kennedy,
’ wh ich,with The
Lass o’
Ballochmyle, th e‘j ury of l iterati ’ in Edinburgh
found defamatory libels against the fastidious powers ofPoesy and Taste .
’ Forbidden to print it—(no doubt forthe same reason as h e was forbidden to print The Lass o
’
Bal lochmyle), and not because it is not better than ninetenths of the Ramsay songs, of wh ich it is an imitation)-in the Edinburgh Edition, the writer sent it to John
son, where it appears as alternative words to the tune,Loch Errochs ide. With a few variations it was pub lishedin one of th e tracts ‘
printed for and sold by Stewartand Meikle ’
; and it is included in Stewart’s Edition
(Glasgow but not in Stewart’s Poems Ascribed toRobert Burns (Glasgow
N O TE S
0 whar get you that bonny blue bonnet0 silly bl ind body, canny ye see ?
I gat it frae a bon y Scots callan N
Atween St. Johnson’s and bonny Dundee.
’
In an additional stanz a are these four verses
My heart has nae roomwhen I think on my dawtyHis dear rosy hafi
'
ets bringtears in my e’
e
But now he’
s awa and I dinna ken where h e ’s .
Gin we could anse meet, we '
s ne’er part till we die.
’
Morren’
s set is substantiall y the same as that in The Harpof Caledonia referred to in HoggandMotherwell ,where the additions are declared to be ‘
obviously fromthe pen ofBurns.
’
There is yet another set (old) in The
Ye cOOpers and hoopers attend tomy dittyI singof a cooper wha dwe lt in Dundee .
Thi s youngman, h e was baith am’rous and witty,
Wh ich pleased th e fairmaidens 0’ sweet Dundee.
’
STANZA I. LINE 1 .
‘Hauver-meal bannock ’ —A synonym
(common in the North of England and some parts ofScotland)for the oaten cake, the staple bread ofold Scotland.
said to have been current in the north of Scotland, arequoted in Hogg and Motherwel l A fragment inHerd (1 769) has a finer taste of antiquity
0, have I burnt, or have I slain,Or have I done aught injury ‘
2
I ’ve gotten a bon y younglassie wi’ bairnTh e baill ie’s daughter of bonny Dundee :Bonny Dundee and bonny Dundas,Where shall I see sac bonny a lass ?Open your ports, and let us gangfreeI maun stay nae langer in bonny Dundee
Another version, in an undated chap publ ished by J.
Morren, Edinburgh (c. introduces a‘ bonny blue
bonnet (afterwards useful, it may be, to Scott)
N O TE S
TO THE WEAVER’
S GIN YE GO
No. 103 in Johnson (Vol . 1 1 . Signed X.
’ ‘The
chorus of th is song is old, the rest is mine . Here once
for all let me apologise for many silly compos itions of
mine in th is work. Many beautiful airs wanted words,and in the hurry of other avocations, if I could string a
parce l of rhymes together, anyth ing nearly tolerable, Iwas fain to let them pass. He must be an excellent poetindeed whose every performance is excel lent ’ (R. B. in
Interleaved Copy).Some hold the song to refer to Armour’s visit to
Paisley after the quarrel, and to her supposed flirtationwith a. weaver named Wilson. But if the story wereauthenticated (as it is not), and if Paisley lay west fromMauch l ine (which it does not), it would be admittedby everybody but the Common Burnsite—sentimental,ignorant, uncritical—that
,not to take account of the
fact that Armour was far gone in pregnancy when she
went to Paisley, is to discredit, and very seriously, (I)the general repute of the Paisley weaver ; (2) Armour’sidea of delicacy ; (3) the habit and tradition of the Scottishmale and female peasant ; (4) th e poet
’
s own sense of
fairn ess and (5) even the poet’
s own theory of commondecency.
An ‘old
’
song, parts of which were sent to Hogg and
Motherwel l (1 834) by Peter Buchan—who ‘never saw it
in print —has no sort of claim to consideration. Here,however, is the chorus
,such as it is
To the weaver gin ye go,To th e weaver gin ye go,
You ’11 need somebody w i’ you,
To the weaver gin ye go.
’
A ballad in the ‘Laing Broadsides,’
entitled, A Seasom
able Advice to all who intend togo Pirrating, is to the tune
N O TE S
TO THE of To the Weavers if You Go, and is probably a parody.
wmvaa'
s It beginsem YE
There is a curious English derivative from some Scotsoriginal, entitledWhistle My Love and I
’ll Come Down, of
which a stall copy (sold by Potts, Printer, andWholesale
‘My countrymen who do intendOn pirratingtogo,
Be sure whate’er yemay pretend,Th e certain end is we .
‘I know ’
t by sad experience ,The bettermay I tell :
I thoughtmyself in sure defence,But suddenly I fel l . ’
STANZA u . LINE 2 . To warp a plaiden wab’x to
threads into a warp for a web of coarse wool len.
WHISTLE AN’
I’
LL COME TO YOU, MY LAD
We adopt the set elaborated by Burns for Thomson’
s
Scottish Airs (Vol . ii. Here is the one sent toJohnson- No. 106 (Vol . ii .
‘Written for th iswork by Robert Burns
O,Whistle an’ I ’ll come to you, my lad !O,Whistle an’ I ’
11 come to you, my lad !Though father andmither should baith gae mad,0, \Vh istle an
’I’11 come to you, my lad !
Come down th e back stairs when ye come to courtmeCome down the back stairs, and l et naebody see
And come as ye were na comingto me,And come as ye were us.comingtome.
’
The song has hitherto been held pure Burns. But
he found h is chorus in the Herd ms.
Whistle and I ’ll cum to ye, my lad !
Whistle and I ’ll cum to ye, my lad !
Gin father andmither and a’ should gae mad,WVh istle and I ’ll cum to ye, my lad
N OTE S
‘Myminnie coftme a new gown,The Kirkmaun has the gracingo
'
t
Were I to l ie wi’
you, kind sir,I’mfear’dyou
’d spoil the lacingo
’t.’
This statement seems borrowed—and mutilated—fromCromek (Scotish Songs, i. who introduces the stanzaas a stray characteristic verse -(e ith er h e got it from a
Burns ms. or was indebted for it to the playful fancy of‘ honest Allan wh ich ought to be restored.
’
STANZA 1 . LINE 4. Eerie ’= apprehensive ofghosts, but theword is used here in a humorous sense. Perhaps the nearestEnglish equivalent is creepy.
’
THE BIRKS OF ABERFELDIE
No. 1 1 3 in Johnson (Vol . ii.‘Written for th is
work by R. Burns ’
Signed‘B.
’
Set to the tune of TheBirks QfAbergeldie.
‘ I composed these stanzas standingunder the Fall s of Moness at or near Aberfeldy
’
(R. B.
in Interleaved Copy).‘Aberfeldy described in rhyme
’
(R. B . Journal, 30th August).Two stanzas of the older set (Herd, 1 769) are printed
as alternative words. A much longer set , from a broad
side once in th e possession of Arch ibal d Constable, isprinted in Maidment
’
s Scottish Songs The set in
Herd is plainly a corruption of th is broadsideO bonny lassie, wilt thou go ?Wilt thou go, wilt thou go ?0 bonny lassie, wilt thou goTo the Birks ofAbergeldie ?
My Dear Sir, I dare not gang,I dare not gang, I dare not gangFor fear that you betrayme.
’
But wh ile Burns paints the Aberfeldy b irches'
in theirh igh midsummer pomp, the Abergeldie of the balladmonger is pure winter
Abergeldie B irks are very cold,Are very cold, are very cold
N OTES
The weather very frostie.
”
My dear, I ’l l hugthee inmy arms,In my arms, inmy arms ;And wrap thee in my pladie.”
The broadside has a Second PartBessy, ismy bedmade,My bedmade, my bedmade,Or is my supper ready ? ” etc.
M‘PHERSON’
S FAREWELL
No. 1 1 4 in Johnson (Vol . 1 1 . Signed‘Z
’
; and
entered in th e table of contents as‘ by Burns.
’
M‘Pherson, a daring robber in the beginning of th iscentury, was condemned to be hanged at th e ass izes of
Inverness. He is said,when under sentence of death
,
to have composed this tune, which h e call s h is own
Lament or Farewel l ’ (R. B . in Interleaved Copy).The reputed son of agipsy, JamesM
‘Pherson,a cateran
of notable strength and prowess, was apprehended forrobbery by the Laird of Braco, at Keith Market ; and,be ing haled before the Sherifi of Banfi
'
on l st November1 700, was hanged at th e Cross of Banfi
'
on the l oth .
The tradition that h e played the Lament on h is violinon th e way to the tree, or at the foot of it, is absurd.
It has, further, been pointed out that h is legend mayderive from an Irish story : of a tune call ed M Pherson,
with wh ich its composer is said to have played h imse lfto the gal lows on th e pipes.
There is a set in Herd but it is plainly a cor
ruption of the old broadside—The Last Words of JamesMackpherson, Murder-H f wh ich there is an originalcopy, embellished with a rude engraving of Macpherson
with bow and arrow—in the LaingCollection at Dal
meny. It agrees with the sheet reprinted in Maidment(Scottish Songs, That it is excellent drama hasbred the ridiculous tradition—devoutly accepted by cer
N OTE S
u‘pHER tain Editors—that the hero wrote it. Also, the copySoN
’
s communicated by Peter Buchan to Hoggand Motherwel lFAREWELL from th e recital of ‘
a very ol d person, and saidto have been the real composition of the unfortunateM‘Pherson himsel f, when in jail,
’
is a clumsy vampfrom Burns and h is broadside origi nal . This original(which seems in part an imitation of Captain Johnston
’
s
Farewell : h e was hanged at Tyburn in 1 690: in the
Pepys Collection, v. 523) Opens thus :
I spentmy time in rioting,Debauched my heal th and strengthI pillaged, plundered, murdered,But now, alas ! at l engthI’m brought to punishment condignPale death draws near tome :Th e end I ever did project,To hangupon a tree .
’
The most notable l ines, however, are the four last
Then wantonly and rantinglyI am resolved to die ;
And with undaunted courage IShal l mount this fatal tree ’
wh ich are the germ of Burns’
s refrain. But Burns,while preserving throughout the spirit of h is original ,has expressed it in the noblest terms.
A ms. in th e British Museum agrees substantially withth e copy in Johnson.
MY HIGHLAND LASSIE, o
No. 1 1 7 in Johnson (Vol . ii. S igned ‘X.
’
Th iswas a composition ofmine in veryearlyl ife, beforeIwas known at al l in the world. My Highland Lassiewas a warm-h earted
,charming young creature as ever
blessed a man with generous love . After a pretty longtract of the most ardent reciprocal attachment we met by
N O TE S
MY Burns. Further, it is forgotten that Mary Campbell’
s
HIGHLAND death revealed her to her Poet in a new and hallowedLASSl E, 0 aspect. Whatever the date—whether 1 786 or an earlier
year : whether, that is to say, sh e preceded Armour inBurns
’
s regard, or consoled h im episodically after
Armour’s repudiation of h im—assigned to the famousfarewel l on the banks ofAyr, the underhandedness of theengagement, with the extreme discretion of, not merelyh is references to it but, the references of h is relatives andh ers, leaves room for much conjecture . Here Burns, for
once in his life, was reticent. Yet, what reason had b e
for reticence if, as is hotly contended by the more ardentamong the Mariolaters, the affair belonged to 1 784, or
earlier ? And why, in 1 784, when h e had no particularreputation, good or bad, shoul dMary
’
s kinsfolk (or Maryherself ) have conceived so arrant a grudge against himthat it impel led them (or her) to obl iterate the famousInscription in h is Bible, with its solemn scriptural oaths(which were unusual under the circumstances, and wh ich,as beingrecorded for the girl
’
s comfort,tend to show that
those circumstances were pecul iar) —and to destroy h isevery scrap of writing to her ? It were less difi cul t to
explain th e position if the amour belonged to 1 786 ; forthen the Armour business was notorious. But then, too,Burns
’
s constancy in cryingout for Jean must of necessity impeach th e worth of h is professions to Mary. In
any case, it is a remarkable circumstance that the latterheroine left h er s ituation with th e vaguest possible out
look on marriage ; for, though Burns does say that she
went to make arrangements for their union, there is noscrap of proof that immediate espousal s were designed.
Indeed,no progress at al l appears to have been made
in such arrangements in all the five months precedingher death ; and assuredly Burns did not intend to takeher with h im to Jamaica in 1 786. Finally, there is the
guarded, the oflicial , statement of Currie that‘the banks
ofAyr formed the scene ofyouthful passions,’
the h istory
N O TE S
of wh ich it would be improper to reveal were it even in MY
one’
s power, and the traces of wh ich will soon be dis HIGHLAND
coverable only in those strains of nature and sensibility LAssm, o
to wh ich they gave b irth .
’
On the whole, it is a verypretty tangle ; but the one th ing in it worth acknowledgment and perfectlyplain is that the HighlandMaryof the Mariolater is but a devout imagination.
’
A part of the Highland Lassie, 0 is reminiscent of thechorus of Ramsay’
s MyNannie 0, wh ich it may here bestated (as a SupplementaryNote toMy Nanie 0, Vol . i .p. traces back to a b lackletter in the Pepys Coll ec
tion (iii. 1 69)‘There is a lass whom I adore,And here I will set forth her name,
”fi s she that canmy joys restore,And pretty Katy is h er name .
For Katy, Katy, Katy O,
The love I bear to Katy 0Al l the world shall never knowThe love I bear to Katy O.
’
Another ballad (Crawford, Pepys, and Roxburghe Col
lections), The Scotch Wooingof Willy and Nanic, has the
same chorus, with Nanie for Katy,’
and with th is oneBurns was probably as well acquainted as Ramsay h im
self. There is also an Answer toNaniewith Willie in the
chorus (Crawford and Roxburghe Collections) ; and thereis, furth er, a curious and rare broadside on the death of
Queen Anne (British Museum)
‘My Nan she was good,my Nan sh e was just,My Nann ie 0, Queen Anie OAnd all the world shall never knowThe love that I bear tomy Nanic O.
’
The old song, Highland Lassie, suggested to Burns scarcemore than h is title ; but it faintly resembles The Highland Queen.
N O TE S
THO’
CRUEL FATE
No. 1 1 8 in Johnson (Vol . 1 1 . where it appears onthe opposite page to My Highland Lassie 0: set to the
tune of The Northern Lass : described as ‘written for th iswork byRobert Burns
’
and signed R.
’
The ms. is in
the Hastie Collection . In the ms. in the possession of
Mr. Nelson, Edinburgh, the tune given is She Rose andLoot Me In. The song closely resembles the first stanzaof From Thee, Eliz a (Vol . i . p.
LINE 2 .
‘ As far’s the pole and line,’ Mr. Ne lson
’s MS .
5. Tho’mountainsfrown and deserts howl,’ Mr. Nelson
’s MS.
STAY MY CHARMER
No. 1 29 in Johnson (Vol . 1 1 .‘Written for th is
work by R. Burns.
’
Set to the tune An Gilleadh Dubh,or The B lack-ha ir
’
d Lad ; and signed‘ B .
’ A ms. is in
the Hastie Collection.
The idea is found in a fragment in the Herdms
Can ye l eave me so, ladie,Can ye leave me so ?
Can ye l eave me comfortl essTo take another jo ‘
l
STRATHALLAN’
S LAMENT
No. 1 32 in Johnson (Vol . i i.‘Written for th is
work byRobert Burns,’
and signed‘B .
’ Included, too,in Thomson
’
s Scottish Airs (Vol .‘ This air is
th e composition of the worthiest and best-hearted manl iving, Allan Masterton, schoolmaster in Edinburgh .
As h e and I were both sprouts of Jacobitism,we agreed
to dedicate our words and air to the cause. But to tel lthe matter of fact ; except when mypassions were h eatedby some accidental ' cause, myJacob itism was merely byway of vive la bagatelle (R. B. in Interleaved Copy).
N O TE S
Coxton has but s e hoggie,Ae hoggie, ae hoggie,Coxton has but ae hoggie ;0
’ it he is right vogie.
’
And here is h is last stanza‘But there came a ram frae Deveron-side,Frae Devorou-side, frae Deveron-side,But there came a ram frae Deveron-side,
And stown awamy hoggie.
’
through Liddesdale stopped at a hamlet consistingof a
few houses, called Mosspaul (in Ewesdale), when theywere struck with th is tune, wh ich an old woman, spinningon a rock at her door
,was singing. All she could
tell concern ing it was, that she was taught it when a
ch ild, and itwas called What will I do gin myHoggiedie ? N0person, except a few females atMosspaul, knewthis fine old tune, wh ich in all probability would havebeen lost had not one of the gentlemen who happened tohave a flute with h im taken it down (R. B . in Interleaved Copy).Stenhouse states that it was Stephen Clarke who
took down the tune. Burne’
s ms. is in the Hastie Collection, and in h is note h e seems to imply that h ewrote his songfromthe old first l ine . Nevertheless, PeterBuchan professed, as usual, to have found an original(North of Scotland) in a bal lad in celebration of Sir
James Innes (a Ram), who carried offMargaret Brodie ofCoxton (th e Hoggie, or young sheep) to make her h is
wife. Buchan’
s doggerel , prefaced with this statement,
is reprinted as an Appendix to Sharpe’
s Bal lad Book (ed.
Laing, 1 880) —‘evidently obtained,
’
says Laing,‘ through
a northern col lector.
’
Buchan vouchsafes no furtherinformation, and, so far as we can discover, h is story isuncorroborated by the Innes family-tree . In any case
his ‘original
’
scarce deserves the name of ballad. Here
is the chorus
N O T E S
JUMPIN JOHN
No. 1 38 in Johnson (Vol . 1 1 . Unsigned.
Stenhouse states that the stanz as were communicatedby Burns, and that they
‘are a fragment of the old
humorous ballad, with some verbal corrections.
’ Where‘the old humorous ballad ’
was to be found he did not
say, nor can we. Sharpe affi rmed that th is fragment wasBurns
’
s ground-work‘Her daddy forbad, h erminnie forbad,Forbidden sh e wadna be :
Th e langlad they ca’Jumpin John
Beguil’d our bonnie Bessie .
’
But Sharpe said not where h e got it. In any case Burnsknew the songMy Dady Forbad in The Tea-Table Mis
cellany, wh ich, according to Stenhouse (he probab ly didbut express an opin ion), Ramsay
‘ wrote as a substitutefor the indelicate old Scots Song
’
When I think on my ladI sigh and am sad,
For now he is far fromme
and in wh ich there is th is stanz aTho
’my Dady forbad,AndmyMinny forbad,
Forbidden I will not be ;For since thou aloneMy favour hast won
Nane else shall e’er get it for me .
’
UP IN THE MORNING EARLY
No. 1 40 in Johnson (Vol . ii. Signed‘Z .
’ ‘The
chorus of th is song is old ; the two stanzas are mine '
(R. B. in Interleaved Copy).Sir John Hawkins re lates of the old ballad and tune
t hat they were favourites with Mary,Queen of William
ofOrange, who on one occasion, after l isteningto diversPurce lls, asked Mrs. Hunt to sing the Scots ballad of
N O TE S
UP IN THE Cold and Raw. Th e origi nal broadside (Euing, Huth,MORNING Roxburghe, and other Col lections) is entitled
‘A Northern
EARLY Ditty, or the Scotchman Outwitted by the Country Damsell.
To an Excellent New Scotch tune of Cold and Raw the
North did Blow, a Song Much in Request at Court."
Bearingthe imprimatur , R. P. and beginningthus
Cold and Raw the North did blawBl eak in th e morningearly
All the trees were h id with snowCover
’d withWinter’s yearly
it relates an adventure with a farmer’s daughter, on
th e road to market betimes to sel l h er father’s barley.
Later sets have many verbal differences. The authorshiphas been attributed—plausibly enough—to Tom D
’
Urfeybut a set in a Collection of Old Ballads (London 1 723) isdescribed as
‘said to have been written in the time of
James (1 st of England) and in any case D’
Urfey mighthave had a Scots original. Th ere are also b lackl etterAnswers toCold andRaw. In HoggandMotherwel l (1 834)it is suggested that Burn s
’
s set may have been a briefrifaccimento of a wel l-known song
’
Cauld blaws the win’ frae north to south,And drift is drivingsairly,
The sheep are couringi’ th e cleughO sirs it
’s winter fairly
Now up in th e morning’s no for me,
Up in the morn ingearlyI’d rather gangsupperless tomy bedThan rise in the morningearly,’ etc.
But th is is simply a vamp from Burns, done by th e same
John Hamilton to whom we owe the‘neat and clean
’
additions to Of A’
the Airts. Peter Buchan comes forward with a special Aberdeenshire set, of wh ich the
two last lines of the chorus are these
Frae morningtill night our squires they sat
And drank the price 0’ the barl ey.
’
N O TE S
THE YOUNG HIGHLAND ROVER
No. 1 43 in Johnson (Vol . 1 1 .‘Written for th is
work byRobert Burns,’
and signed‘B .
’
Intended to commemorate his visit to Castl e Gordonin 1 787, and made, seemingly, after the discovery thatCastle Gordon (Vol . ii. p. 60) did not fit the tune Moray.
To the same tune h e also wrote 0, Wat ye who that Lo’
cs
Me (p. The ‘rover ’
was probably the YoungChevalier.
The ms. in the Hastie Collection corresponds withJohnson
’
s text.
THE DUSTY MILLER
No. 1 44 in Johnson (Vol . 1 1 . Unsigned, butBurns
’
s holograph copy is in the British Museum.
Stenhouse says vaguely that the verses are a fragmentof the old bal lad with a few verbal alterations by Burnsand Sharpe gives a vers ion of the ‘
original withoutsaying where he got it. It difi'ers comparatively littlefrom the fragment (Herd ms. ) upon which Burns basedh is song:
O,the DustyMill er, 0 the Dusty Mill er !
Dusty was his coat, Dusty was h is cullour,Dusty was th e kiss I got frae the Miller !0, the DustyMill er with the dusty coat,He wil l spend a sh il l ingere he win a groat.O, the Dusty Mil ler.
’
I DREAM’
D I LAY
No. 1 46 in Johnson (Vol . iv. 1 788) Signed‘ X.
’ ‘These
two stanzas I composed when I was seventeen ; they are
among the oldest of myprinted pieces’
(R. B. in Interleaved Copy).Scott Douglas has noted that th is feeble performance
is largely a canto of expressions and ideas selected from
N OTES
Mrs. Cockburn’s Flowers of the Forest. But a plagiary of r
seventeen is scarce worth distinguish ing: even thoughh is name be Robert Burns.
The last four lines of h is last stanza were taken fromthe fragment, Tho
’
Fickle Fortune has Deceived Me (seeVol . The ms. is in the Hastie Collection.
Sranz a n . LINE 4. A’ my flowery hope; destroy
’d,
’de
leted readingin MS.
DUNCAN DAVISON
No. 1 49 in Johnson’
s Museum (VOL1 1 . Signed Z.
’
Stenhouse affirms that th is song is byBurns, althoughhe didnot choose to avow it ; also that he (Stenhouse) had‘recovered h is (Burns
’
s) original manuscript, wh ich isthe same as that inserted in the Museum.
’
No doubtStenhouse is right ; but Burns did but act according tohis wont in signing ‘ Z
,
’
for not only was h is DuncanDavison suggested bya songwith th e same title and somethingof the same motive preserved in The MerryMuses(from wh ich h is first, second, and fourth lines are liftedbodily) -but it is, as regards h is last stanza at least,a th ing of shreds and patches ; while the last halfof th is said stanza, containing a very irrelevant moral,is merely ‘ conveyed from a fragnwnt, here first printed,in the Herd us.
I can drink and no be drunk,I can fight and no be slain ;
I can kiss a.bonie lassAnd ay be welcome back again.
’
STANZA 1 . LINE 8.
‘Temper-pin’:—The pin which regu
lated the motion of the spinning-wheel. Cf. Al lan Ramsay’s
To keep the temper-pin in tiffEmploys right aft my hand.Sir.
’
N OTE S
THENIEL MENZIES' BONIE MARY
No. 1 56 in Johnson (Vol . 1 1 . Signed Z.
’
Tune,Rufi an
’
s Rant.
Buchan (the ingenious and obl iging)‘remembers to
have seen manyyears ago a copyof this songin a very oldAberdeen magazine, said to be by a gentleman of thatcity.
’
He also suppl ies a set which he describes as the‘oldest on record,
’
at the same time stating that it is‘ from recitation, and never in print
’
In Scotland braid and far awa,Where lasses painted, busk sae braw,
A bonnier lass I never sawThan Thenie Menz ies’ bonny Mary.
Thenie Menz ies’ bonny Mary,
Thenic Menz ies’ bonnyMaryA
’th e warld woul d I gie
For a kiss 0’ Thenie’s bonnyMary ! ’
LADY ONLIE, HONEST LUCKY
PRINTED in Johnson as al ternative words for The Rufi an’
s
Rant : Signed‘ Z.
’
Burns probably picked up the
chorus duringh is northern tour .
CHORUS. LINE 1 . Honest Lucky Lucky is a common
designation for alewives. See furth er Vol . ii. p. 364, Note toToMaj or Logan, Stanz a xru . Line 2 .
THE BANKS OF THE DEVON
No. 1 57 in Johnson (Vol . 1 1 . 1 788) Written for thiswork byBurns.
’
Tune, Phanneraoh dhon na chri. SignedB .
’
Included in Thomson’
s Scottish Airs,Vol . 1 1 1 . The
ms. in the Hastie Col lection, as another in th e GlenriddellBook, corresponds with th e text. These verses were com
N O TE S
Burns’
s
but the story is quite other, and, with th e humour and
picturesque circumstance of the lyric, is Burns’
s own .
Burns sent a second set to Thomson (p. as to wh ichsee Prefatory Note (post, p.
THE PLOUGHMAN
No. 1 65 in Johnson (Vol . ii. Uns igned .
Founded on a. bawdy old song, preserved in The Merry
Muses,to which Burns is indebted for h is Chorus , h is
Stanz a L ,and the structural idea (at least) of h is
Stanza u .
I has ploughed east, I hae ploughed westIn weather foul or fair, Jo,
But th e sairest ploughinge’er I ploughed,
Was,‘
etc.
and ofwh ich h e has not even tried to abol ish th e flavour-far from it. A milder version is quoted in Herdtwo stanzas of wh ich are included in the Museum set
Th e ploughman he’s a bon y lad
And a’
h is wark ’s at leisure,
And when that he comes hame at e’en,He kisses me wi
’
pleasure,’ etc.
A blackletter set of a similar English ditty is publishedin an Appendix to The Roxburghe Ballads, ed. Ebsworth,
Vol . vii. It is entitl ed the Country Maid’
s Delight, or the
Husband/man’s Honour made known, Being a Delightful
Songin Praise of a P lowman
(with some variations, wh ich are probably due tohand) in The Merry Muses, wh ich begins thus
‘Can ye play wi
’
Duncan Gray(Hey, h ey th e girdin o
’t)
O’er th e hill s and far awayHey, hey the girdin o
’t’
N O TE S
You youngmen andmaids that in country doth dwel lLend attention if time spare you can,
I’ll s ingyou a songthat will please you full wel l,In praise of the honest Plowman.
Then heyfor the P lowman that’s ua liamt and stout,
’etc.
Another is The Northern Ladd or The Fair Maid’
s Choice
Who Refuses All for a Plowman, of wh ich there are
blackletter broadsides in the Crawford, Huth and Rox
burghe Collections.
LANDLADY, COUNT THE LAWIN
No. 1 70 in Johnson (Vol . ii. Unsigned. Set to
the tune, Hey Tutti Taiti.‘ I have met '
the traditionuniversally over Scotland, and particularly in the neighbourhood of th e scene, that th is air was Robert Bruce ’smarch to Bannockburn ’
(R. B . in Interleaved Copy).He afterwards wrote Scots Wha Hae (p. 251 ) to it.Buchan supplies (more suo) the original words of Tutti
Taiti but it were waste of ink and space to quote them.
Burns’
s ms. is in the Hastie Collection .
The present song is, not an original but, a patchworkof assorted scraps, with some few verbal changes. The
first stanza is a variation on th e chorus of the old songwh ich Burns utilised in Guidwife, Count the Lawin (p. 91 )the second is vamped from a stanza in Carl
,An the King
Come (p. 57) the th ird is the first of a Jacobite song to
the same tune, of wh ich the second isHere
’s to the King,
Ye ken wha I mean,And to ilka honest boyThat wil l do it again.
’
STANZA 1 . LINE 4.
‘And l’
mj ol ly fou,’MS.
RAVING WINDS AROUND HER BLOWING
No. 1 73 in Johnson (Vol . ii.‘Written for th is
'
work by R. Burns .
’
Signed‘ B .
’
Tune : M‘Gregor of
N O TE S
Roro’
s Lament. ‘ l composed these verses on Miss IsabellaMacleod of Rasa, alluding to her feelings on the
death of her sister, and the stil l more melancholy deathof her sister’s husband, the late Earl of Loudoun, who
shot h imself out of sheer heart-break at some mortifica
tions he suffered owing to the deranged state of h is
finances (R. B . in Interleaved Copy).For Miss Isabella M‘Leod see PrefatoryNote to On the
Death of John M‘Leod, Esq. (Vol . i . p. and To Miss
Isabella M‘Leod (Vol . ii . p. The songis reminiscent
of a once famous Gay (1 685-1 732, quoted in The Charmerand other books)
’Twas when the seas were roaring1Vith hollow blasts of wind,
A damsel lay deploring,All on a rock recl in
’d,
’etc.
Writingto Mrs . Dunlop, l 6th August 1 788, Burns notesthat th e songhad lately been sungat a party at Dalswin
ton. Mrs. Miller, he goes on ,asked me whose were the
words Mine, Madam—they are indeed my very bestverses. Sacre Dieu
,sh e took not the smal lest notice of
them,
’
Manners apart, who in these days can blame her ?
STANZA II. LINE 7. 0 howgladly I’d resign thee,’ Currie .
HOW LANG AND DREARY IS THE NIGHT
No. 1 75 in Johnson (Vol . 1 1 . Unsigned. Set to a
Gaelic Air . We have adopted the version sent to Thomson (Vol . i. when the chorus was added.
‘ I met
with some such words in a coll ection of songs somewhere,which I altered and enlarged and to please you, and tosuit your favourite air of Cauld Kail
,I have taken a
stride or two across my room,and have arranged it anew,
as you will find on the other page (R. B . to Thomson ,
OctoberHow Lang and Dreary reads l ike a version of Ag
N O TE S
MUSING ‘I composed these verses out of compl iment to 8 Mrs.
oN THE M‘Lach lan, whose husband is an officer in the EastROARING Indies ’
(R. B . in Interleaved Copy).OCEAN They are reminiscent of divers Jacobitisms.
STANZA II. LINE 4. C] : the Jacobite song Lewz'
e
Gordon‘Altho'
his back be at the wa’
,
Here'
5 to h im that ’s far awa
which, however, is borrowed from an older Song org the
Birthday of K'
z'
rzg j ames the VI II , Ioth j une 1 709 (Rox
burghe Bal lads, ed. Ebsworth , Vol . viii.
BLYTHE WAS SHE
‘Blythe, blythe, blythe was she,B lythe was she butt and ben ;
And weel sh e lo’ed a Hawick gill,And l eugh to see a tappit h en.
’
CHORUS. LINE 2 .
‘ Butt and ben ’ —See Vol . i. p. 334,
Note to The Holy Fair, Stanz a XVIII. Line I .
No. 1 80in Johnson (Vol . 1 1 . Written byR. Burns,
’
and signed B .
’ Al so included in Thomson’
s Scottish
Airs (Vol.‘ I composed these verses whil e I stayed
at Ochtertyre with Sir Will iamMurray; The lady, who
was also at Ochtertyre at th e same time, was a well—knowntoast,Miss EuphemiaMurrayof Lintrose, who was cal l ed,
and very j ustly,“the flower of Strathmore.
”She mar
r ied Mr. Smyth e of Methven, who became one of th e
j udges of th e Court of Session.
The chorus is model led on that of the old songAndrew
and his Cutty Gun—(which Burn s regarded as
‘the work
of a master,’
and a set of which, perhaps the original,is found in The MerryMuses)—given as alternat ive wordsin Johnson
N OT E S
TO DAUNTON ME
No. 1 82 in Johnson : Unsigned. Th e ms. in the HastieCollection difi'
ers sl ightly from the printed copy. The
chorus in Johnson is Stanz a i i. of the us. and the chorusin the MS. is simply
To Daunton me, to Daunton me,An auldman shal l never daunton me .
’
‘ The two following old stanzas to this tune have some
merit ’
(R. B .—according to Gromek—in Interleaved
Copy).The stanzas quoted are found in a collection of Loya l
Songs, 1 750. Th e bal lad begins‘
To dauntonme, to daunton meDo you ken the things that would daunton me .
It consists of three stanzas. But a broadside of six,
To Daunton Me and to Wanton Me, is given in Stevenson
’
s Ballads Th is is the first
NVhen I was wanton, youngand freeI thought nothingcoul d daunton meBut the e ighty-eight and e ighty-nine,And al l the dreary years since syne,Presbytery, cess, and pole-monieHave done enough to daunton me .
’
Other sets in Coll ections are merely corrupted from the se.
Stenhouse affirms that, with the exception of some linesof the chorus of this ballad, the songin the Museum was
‘ wholly composed by Burns in and Editors of
Burns have accepted his statement. Clearly, however,th e Burns set is abridged and greatly improved from a
song in a very old (undated) chap,‘entered according
to order,’
in the Motherwell Col lection, wh ich is, ap
pat ently, a disguised Jacob itism
I was forc’d to wed againstmymind,
To an oldman neither lovingnor kind
N O TE S
O’
ER THE WATER TO CHARLIE
No. 1 87 in Johnson (Vol . 1 1 . Unsigned ; but itsJacob ite sentiments account for that. The ms. is in the
Hastie Collect ion. The air,with the title 0’er the Water
to Charlie, is in Oswald’
s Pocket Companion.
The ‘ verses,’
Stenhouse says, were‘revised and im
proved byBurns and,he adds
,
‘amore complete version
of this songmaybe seen in Hogg’
s Jacobite Reliques (sic).Many versions of th is song
—thus Buchan in a note inHoggand Motherwel l, Part v. (1 834) have appeared inprint. There is one in Hogg
’
s Jacobite Relics, and one in
the Ancient Ballads and Songs of the North of Scotland,from which latter copy I infer that the original had beenwritten anterior to the days of Prince Charles, commonlycal led the Pretender, and the time ofCharles the Second
’
s
restoration.
’
But Hogg’
s set is merely Ayrshire Bardplus Ettrick Shepherd, and it were hard to say how much
Peter Buchan’
s,
‘ taken down from recitation,’
is indebtedto Peter Buchan—especial ly as internal evidence showsthat, as he gi ves it, it did not al l exist before h is own
days. No printed copy of any such bal lad anterior tothe Burns is quoted by Buchan. Nor do we know more
Neither lovingnor kind, nor yet seems to be,But an oldman ne
’er shal l daunton me
To daunton me, and I so young,To daunton me it would be too soonContrary to him still I ’ll be ,And an old Carl shal l ne’er daunton me 1
At fifteen [1 71 5] I should been wedUnto a brisk youngHighland lad ;Although h e ’
s far beyond the sea,Yet an oldman shal l ne’er daunton me
I lov’d him better in h is Highland dress,
Than an oldman with al l h is brassFor al l h is brass and al l h is whi te moneyFor an oldman ne
’er shal l daunton me.
’
N O TE S
A ROSE is the “ Davie to whom 1 address my printed poeticalBUD BY epist le in the measure of The Cherry and the Slae
’
(R. B.
MY EARLY in Interleaved Copy).WALK See Prefatory Note to To Miss Cruickshanlc (Vol . i .
p. The ms. is in the Hastie Collection.
STANZA LINE 7.
‘And fianging'
rich the dewy head ,’
deleted readingin Ms.
AND I’
LL KISS THEE YET
No. 1 93 in Johnson (Vol . 1 1 . 1 788) Signed Z.
’
The
chorus, probably, is old.
Some suppose the h eroine to have been MaryCampbell(see ante,p. 308,PrefatoryNote toMyHighland Lassie, 0)others El ison Begbie (see On Cessnock Banks, Vol .
For another set, sent to Thomson, see Come, LetMe Take
Thee, p. 233.
The ms. sent to Johnson is in the Hastie Collection.
Another ms. has a th ird stanza
Ilk care and fear, when thou art near,I ever mair defy them, 0
Youngkings upon their hansel throneAre no sae blest as I am, 0
RATTLIN,ROARIN WILLIE
No. 1 94 in Johnson (Vol . 1 1 . Signed‘ Z.
’ ‘The
last stanza of th is song is mine ; it was composed out of
compl iment to one of the worthiest fel lows in the world,Will iamDunbar
,Esq. Writer to the S ignet, Edinburgh,
and Colone l of the Crochal lan Corps, a club of wits whotook that title at the time of raising the fencible regiments (R. B . in Interleaved Copy).Dunbar, who became Inspector-General ofStampDuties
in Scotland, died 1 8th February 1 807. He presentedBurns in 1 787 with a copy of Spenser, and is oftenalluded to or addressed in terms of warm regard.
N OTE S
In a note to the Lag(iv. 34) SirWalter tell s the storyof an ‘
antient border minstrel called from his bullyingdisposition
’
) by the name of Burns’
s hero, who, havingslain a brother hard in single combat, was hanged at Jcd
burgh,‘ bequeath ingh is name to the beautiful Scott ish
air,’
etc. He also quotes some stanzas of the balladcommemorative
‘
Now Willie ’s gene to Jeddart,
And he’s for the mod-day,
But Stobs and youngFalnashThey fol lowed h im a
’th e way
They fol lowed h im a’th e way,
They sought h im up and down,
In the l inks of Ousenam-waterThey fand h im sleepingsound.
’
Here is noth ing ofWillie the fiddl er, but Cunninghamhas a version beginningthus
OurWill ie ’s away to Jeddart
To dance on th e mod-day,
A sharp sword by hi s side ,A fiddl e to cheer h is way,’ etc .
It is , however, impossible to accept anything as an
antique on Cunningham’s sole testimony ; and in any
case the stanzas Burns incorporated have no connexionwith the Border bal lad. Theymay derive from it, butthey apparentlyrelate to a piece of tyrannyon the part ofthe kirk-sess ion. Th is at least is the subject of an old
set given in Notes and Queries (2md series, v. whosemerits are symptomatic of authenticity. The first verse ,OWillie, you
’
ll sel l your fiddle,’
close ly resemb les thatin Johnson. Here are the chorus and the last stanza :
O rattlin, roarinWill ie,Ye
’se ay fu
’ welcome tomeO rattl in, roarin \Vill ie,Ye ’
se ay fu’ welcome to me
Ye’se ay fu
’ welcome to me
For a’th e ill they ’
ve said
N O T E S
Halliwell
WHERE, BRAVING ANGRY WINTER’
S STORMS
No. 1 95 in Johnson (Vol . 1 1 . Written byRobertBurns,
’
and signed R.
’
Tune : Neil Gow’
s Lamentation.
The heroine was Margaret, daughter of John Chalmersof Fingland, and a cousin of Charlotte Hamilton, h erparticular friend. Burns met her in Edinburgh duringh is first visit, and also in October 1 787 at Harvieston.
She married in 1 788 Mr . Lewis Hay, of Forbes and Co.
’
s
Bank ; and died in 1 843. Thomas Campbell affirmedthat
, according to Mrs. Hay, Burns had asked her in ‘
marriage ; but this scarce accords with the tone of his
letters to her. Stil l, h e had a particular regard for the
lady ; and she always cal led out the best in h im. His
compl iments in verse—or rath er h is proposal to publ ishthemé -somewhat alarmed h er : h er main objection being,presumably, not to the song in the text but
,to My
P eggy’
s Face,MyPeggy’
s Form (p. Theyare neitherof them,
’
he wrote to h er, 6th November 1 787, ‘so par
ticular as to point you out to the world at large ; and
the circle ofyour acquaintance wil l al low al l I have said.
’
A ms. is in the Hastie Col lection.
For monie a cantie nichtMyWill ie and I has had.
Foul fa’ the ir Kirks and their SessionsThey ’
re ay sae fond o’mischiefThey ’
ll ca’ me into their sess ions,
They ’11 ca
’me worse than a thief.They ’
11 ca’me worse than a thief,
And they ’11 makme curse an’
ban
They ’ll bragme ay with the ir laws
But Deil brak my l egs gin I ’ll gang.
’
gives a vers ion in h is Nursery RhymesJocky, come give me thy fiddle,If ever thou mean to thriveNay I
’ll not give my fiddl e
To anyman al ive, etc.
N O T E S
TIBBIE, I STANZA vri . LINE 1 .
‘0 Tibbie , ye’re o
’er fu
’o’spice,
’
HAE SEEN Brash and Reid. 2 .
‘Your daddie’s gear maks youfou nice ,’
THE DAY Brash and Reid ‘
fathe/ s for daddie’s,’ First Common P laceBook.
STANZA VIII. is not inJohnson. In Brash and Reid it readsthus
For thee. wi'
a'
thy thousan'
markYe needna look sae high.
’
‘There l ives a lass inyonder park,
I wadna gie her in her sarkFor you and a
'
yourfifty mark.
Thatgars you look sae shy.
’
Currie has the same reading of Lines I -2 ; but reads 34thus
CLARINDA, MISTRESS OF MY SOUL
No. 1 96 in Johnson (Vol . 1 1 . Included in Thomson
’
s Scottish Airs, Vol . with several unauthorisedchanges byThomson : Line 1 of Stanz a 1 . beingmade toread z—‘Farewell, dear mistress of my soul
’
and Line 2of Stanz a II Shall your poor wanderer h ie .
’
Th is songwas written when Burns was about to leaveEdinburgh. A MS. correspondingwith th e text and the
version in Johnson is at Lochryan .
‘ I am sick of
writingwhere my bosom is not st rongly interested. Tell
me what you think of the fol lowing. There the bosomwas perhaps a little interested ’
(R. B. to Mrs. Dunlopin Lochryan muss ).
THE WINTER IT IS PAST
No. 200 in Johnson (Vol . ii. Unsigned.
The first two stanzas were publ ished in Cromek’
s
Reliques . The song itsel f is largely and generouslyadapted from a songcalled The Curragh of Kildare. The
vers ions in th e stall copies vary. The set used byBurnsseems to have been that in the Herd MS. Only Stanza n .
is whol ly h is own.
N O TE S
I LOVE MY LOVE IN SECRET
No. 204 in Johnson (Vol . iii. Unsigned.
Stenhouse afiirms that the old songwas slightlyalteredbyBurns, because it was rather inadmissible in its originalstate but apparently he spoke by guesswork. There
is no doubt that Burn s got h is original- here printed forthe first time—in the Herd ms.
‘My Sandy O, my Sandy 0,
My bonie, bonie Sandy OTho
’th e love that I owe,
To th ee I dare nae show,
Yet I love my love in secret,My Sandie O.
My Sandy gied to me a ringI’vas a
’beset wi’ diamonds fine ;
But I gied to him a far better thingI gied to h immy heart to keepIn pledge of h is ring.
’
It wil l be seen that al l h e did was to add a stanza tothe original set, or what was left of it.
SWEET TIBBIE DUNBAR
No. 207 in Johnson (Vol . iii.‘Written for th is
work by Robert Bum s.’
Tune : Johny M‘Gi ll .‘Th is
tune is said to be the composition of John M‘Gil l,fiddl er
in Girvan. He called it by h is own name’
(R. B. in
Interleaved Copy).The ms. is in the Hastie Collection.
HIGHLAND HARRY
No. 209 in Johnson (Vol . iii. 1 790) Unsigned. Tune
The Highlander’
s Lament. ‘The oldest title I ever heardto this air was The Highland Watch
’
s Farewel l to Ireland .
The chorus I picked up from an old woman in Dunblane .
The rest of the songis mine (R. B. in Interleaved Copy).
N OTE S
HIGHLAND Al lan Cunningham notes that ‘
part of the farm of
HARRY Mossgiel is cal led But Buchan,
it need scarce be said, found an original (in Aberdeensh ire ) in a long, long rigmarole,
‘ known for ages,’ but
‘never before in print.
’
The primordial h ero (thusBuchan) was a Highland chieftain, who came to courta certain Jeanie Gordon, daughter of the laird of Knockhespock, Aberdeensh ire . The second last verse of the
Buchan resembles Burns’s chorusO,for him back again !
0, for him back againI wadgie a
’Knockhespock
’
s land,For ae shake 0’my Harry’s hand
A ms ,not in Burns
’
s hand,in th e Hastie Collection,
contains two additional stan z as,wh ich are plain ly not
Burns, but are printed in Hogg’
s Relies. The present setappears to have suggested Will Ye No Come Back Again ?
to LadyNairne.
THE TAILOR FELL THRO’
THE BED
N0. 21 2 in Johnson : Unsigned. This air is th e marchof the Corporation of Tailors. The second and fourthstanz as are mine ’
(R. B . in Interleaved Copy).The original of the third stanza is in Burns’s holograph
in the Hastie Collection
Gie me my groat again, canny youngman,Gie me my groat again,
canny youngman ;The night it is short, and the day it is lang,It is a dear won Sixpence to be wi’ a man .
’
Buchan gives what he says is the old song. It consistsof the chorus
,with an Aberdeenshire variation, and the
fol lowingsil ly stanza (also pure Aberdeen)Th e beddie was tied frae head to feet“Ti
’ropes 0
’bay, that were wondrous sweet,
And by came the calfie and ate them awa’
,
Deal hooly, my laddie, the heddie will
N O TE S
There is, in fact, no evidence of the antiquity of the
Chambers, Stenhouse, and Sharpe sets. Probably the
true original is a fragment in the Herdms.
O wat, wat,
O wat and wearySleep I can get nane
For thinkingon my Deary.
A’the night I wake,A
’the day I weary,
Sleep I can get nane
For thinkingon my Deary.
’
For a kindred song—which reads like another ofishoot of
the same scrap—also in the Herd ms , see ante, p. 325,
Prefatory Note to How Langand Dreary is the Night.
BEWARE O’
BONIE ANN
No. 21 5 in Johnson (Vol . 1 1 1 . Signed‘ X.
’ Icomposed this song out of compl iment to Miss AnnMasterton, the daughter of my friend, Allan Masterton,the author of the air Strathallan
’
s Lament ; and two or
three others in this work (R. B . in Interleaved Copy).The lady married Dr. Derbyshire, physician, of Bath
and London, and died in August 1 834.
LADDIE,LIE NEAR ME
No. 21 8 in Johnson (Vol . 1 1 1 .
Al ternative words to the tune Laddie, Lie Near Me.
They are described as‘old
’
; but there can he never a
doubt that Burns at least amended and condensed an
original. True, being asked byThomson to write words
for Laddie,Lie Near Me
,h e repl ied I do not know the
air and until I am complete master of a tune in myownsinging, such as it is
,I never
_can compose for it.
’
But to
vamp existing words was a very different matter from
N O T E S
writingnew ones. Ritson,in h is North Country C
'horister, LADDIE,1 802
, gives what h e holds to be the folk-original. Here LIE NEARis the first stanz a
‘
Down in yon val ley, soft shaded bymountains,Heard I a lad an’
lass makingacqua intance ;Makingacquaintance and s ingingso clearly
Langhave I lain my lane, laddie lie nearme .
But the true one is certam a blackletter broadside,The Loving Shepherdess, or Lady (i .e. Laddie) Lie NearMe
,to the tune of Lady, Lie Near Me
, or The Green
Garter (Pepys Col lection, iii. 59)All in th e month ofMay
When al l things blossom,
As in my bed I lay,
Sl eep itgrew loathsomeUp I rose anddid walkOver yon mountains,
Through mountains , through doles,Over rocks, over fountains
I heard a voice to saySweet heart, come che erme,
Thou hast been longaway,Lady, lye near me .
”
THE GARD’
NER WI’ HIS PAIDLE
No. 220 in Johnson (Vol . iii. Signed‘ Z.
’ ‘The
titl e of the song only is old th e rest is mine (R. B. in
Interleaved Copy).The ms. is in th e Hastie Collection. Burns sent another
set to Thomson,Now Rosy May, p. 245.
ON A BANK OF FL OWERS
No. 223 in Johnson (Vol . iii. ‘Written for th iswork by Robert Burns .
’ Included also in Thomson
(Vol . Th e original was writt en by Theobald, set
ME
N O T E S
ON a BANK by Gal l iard, and sung by Mr. Park in The Lady’
sOF
FLOWERS ‘On a Bank of FlowersIn a summer’s day,Invitingand undrest,In her bloom of youth bright Cel ia layWith love and sl eep opprest,When a youthful swain with adoringeyesWish’d h e dared the fair maid surprise,With a fa la la,
But fear’d approachingspies.
’
Burns rather bungles his inspiration, and certainlydivert s h is motive to a more l iberal conclusion. Both
original and derivative belong to a type of pastoralin high favour after the Restoration
, good examplesbe ingDryden
’
s Chloe Found Amyntas Lying and Beneath
a Myrtle Shade. Older and less farded, less artificial andimmodest, are As at Noon Dulcina Rested (long attri
buted to Raleigh ) and that charming ditty, The Matchless Maid, in th e Second Westminster Drollery
THE DAY RETURNS
No. 224 in Johnson (Vol . 1 1 1 . 1 790) Written for thiswork by Robert Burns,
’
and signed‘R.
’
Tune Seventh
of November. Included in Thomson (Vol .‘ I com
posed this songout of compl iment to one of the happiestandworthiest couples in theworld RobertRiddell , Esq. of
Glenriddel l,andh is lady. At their fireside I have enjoyed
more pleasant even ings than at al l the houses offashionablepeople in this country put together ; and to their kindness and hospitality I am indebted formany ofthe happiesthours ofmy l ife (R. B . in Interleaved Copy).For Captain Riddell, see Vol . i i. p. 374, Prefatory
Note to To Captain Riddell. The songwas sent h im in a
letter (unpublished) dated Tuesday evening (i .e. 9th Sep
tember 1 788) As I was busy behind my harvest folks
N OTE S
‘Jenny come tye me
,
Jenny come tye me,Jenny come tye my bonny cravat
‘Why is my love unkind ?Why does h e l eave me
‘
2’etc.
For a copy of Burns’
s holograph we are indebted toMr. Ellsworth of Chicago.
JAMIE, COME TRY ME
No. 229 in Johnson (Vol . 1 1 1 . 1 790) Uns igned. The tuneand title are in Oswald’s Pocket Companion .
Stenhouse aflirms that the thing is by Burns, and thathe had never met with older words. The original was
probably related to a blackletter (Huth, Roxburghe,and other Collections) entitled The New Scotch Jig
or the Bonny Cravat, to the tune of Jenny, Come Tye
Me
where cravat may have, and probably has, an equivocalsense, as in a song preserved in the Merry Mus es .
There is al so a Reply in blackl etter. See also a songin
The Lark (1 740)
She.
‘Did you not promise me when you lay by me ,
That you woul d marry me, can you deny me ?
He. If I did promise thee, ’twas but to try thee,Cal l up yourWitnesses, e lse I defie thee
itsel f founded on a blackletter bal lad (Euing and
Roi burghe Col lections), The Deluded Lass’
s Lamenta
tion.
The stanz a of the Burns is identical with that ofLaddie,Lie Near Me (p. yet another instance being The
Lady’
s Tragedy, to the tune ofRingthe Gold (Pepys Coll ection, v. 31 1 )
N OTE S
THE SILVER TASSIE
No. 231 in Johnson (Vol. iii . 1 790) Unsigned. This airis Oswald’s the first half stanza
Go fetch tome a pint 0’wine,And fil l it in a silver tassie,
That I may drink before I goA service tomy bonie lassie
is old the rest is mine (R. B. in Interleaved Copy).Neverthel ess, on 1 7th December 1 788 he wrote to Mrs .
Dunlop thus Now I am on my hobby horse, I cannothelp inserting two other old stanzas which please me
mightily.
’
A MS.—MS. (A)—wanting the first hal f of
Stanz a 1 . is in the possession ofMr. Lennox, Dumfries.
Buchan suppl ied Hogg and Motherwel l (1 834) with an
idiotic piece composed (he said) in the year 1 636 byAl exander Lesley of Edinburgh, in which th e old hal fstanza is introduced as the second last verse . A ballad, 0Errol
,it
’
s a Bonny P lace, in Sharpe’
s Ballad Book ( 1 823)begins thus
Go fetch tome a pint of wine,Go fill it to the brim
That I may drink mygude Lord’s health,Tho
’Errol be h is name .
’
And Burns may have had little more than some suchsuggestion for h is bril l iant and romantic first quatrain .
Currie publ ished th e version sent to Mrs . Dunlop and
the MS. sent to Johnson—MS. (B)—is in the Hastie Coll ection . Burns there directs it to be sungto the tune of
The Secret Kiss.
STANZA I. LINE 7.
‘ The Berwick-Law —North BerwickLaw, a conspicuous height in Haddingtonshire overlookingthe
.Firth ; ot orth. 8 .
‘And I maun le’ae my bonie Mary,’
‘STANZAf
IIEQLINE 4.
‘The battle closes thick and bloody,’
5. But it ’s not the roar 0’ sea or shore,’
N O TE S
Sure if we die, we shal l die in honourFightingfor Love and our Prince’s Banner.
In heart, in hand, we ’l l through theWorld together,
Till Death us part, there ’s nothingshal l us sunder.
I’l l moun t, etc.
’
THE LAZY MIST
No. 232 in Johnson (Vol . iii. ‘Written for thiswork by Robert Burns,
’
and signed B .
’
The air and the title are in Oswal d’s Caledonian PocketCompanion. Burns sent a copy to Dr. Blacklock, 1 5thNovember 1 788 ; and it is assigned to Blacklock in
Thomson’
s Scottish Airs (Vol . i.
THE CAPTAIN ’
S LADY
No. 233 in Johnson (Vol . iii. 1 7 UnsignedStenhouse gives th is sample of th e old set
I will away, and I wil l not tarry,I will away, and be a captain’
s ladyA captain’
s lady is a dame of honour,Sh e has h ermaids to wait upon herTo wait upon h er, andget all things readyI will away, and be a captain'
s lady.
’
But the true original was an old broadside, The LiggarLady, or the Ladie
’
s Love to a Soldier, to the tune of
Mount the Baggage, of wh ich a copy is in the LaingCol lection at Dahneny. It consists of e ight stanzas, ofwhichhere are the first two and the last
I will away, and I will not tarryI will away with a soger laddyI’11 mountmy baggage andmake it ready,
I will away with a soger laddy.
I’l l mountmy baggage and make it ready
Come wel l, come woe, I’ll be a soger
’s lady.
In Camps, or Duels, Fights, I will be ready,On behind, and be his Liggar Lady ;In cold nights, I ’l l layme down beside him,
And I’11 make my Petticoat a Tent to hide h im.
I’l l mount, etc.
or A’
THE
AIRTS
N OTE S
STANZA II. LINES 2-4 in Stewart read thus
Sac lovely, sweet and fairI hear her voice in i lka birdWi ’music charm the air.
’
7. Nor yet a bonie bird that sings,’Later Stewart.
WHISTLE O’
ER THE LAVE O’
T
No. 249 in Johnson (Vol . iii. Signed ‘X.
’ Al soin Thomson (Vol . iv. )The repeat is borrowed from the old song, Whistle 0
’
er
the Lave O’
t. See Prefatory Note to The Jolly Beggars,Vol . ii. p. 303.
STANZA I . LINE 6.
‘Bom’
e Ill egr was Nature’s child,’
Aldine Edition
O,WERE I ON PARNASSUS HILL
No. 255 in Johnson (Vol . iii.‘Writt en for th is
work by R. Burns ’
: Signed R.
’ Included in Thomson
The form of the stanz a and the repeat derive fromKind Robin Lo
’
es Me, the oldest set of wh ich exists in
blackl etter in the Roxburghe Coll ection (see PrefatoryNote to The Jolly Beggars , Vol . ii. p. Burns may
CARL, AN THE KING COME
No. 239 in Johnson (Vol . 1 1 1 . 1 790) Entitled Old Words,
and given as alternative words to Ramsay’
s Peggy, Now
the King’
s Come (in The Gentle Shepherd), the tune beingCarl
,an the KingCome.
Hogg’
s version in th e Jacobite Relics is mainly com
pounded of Hogg and Burns ; and no other printed setis known to exist. Th e Burns itself is but a cento of
Jacobite catchwords .
N O T E S
have taken for h is model ( 1 ) the later set of this song in
Herd (1 776)‘Robiu ismy only Joe,For Robin has the art to woo,So to his suit I mean to bow,
Because I ken he loo’es me
or (2) a Jacob ite songin a clandestine and rare volume,The True Loyalist (1 779)
‘Divinely led thou need’st to be,Else you had ne
'
er come o’er the sea
With those few friends who favour’d thee,And dearly they do love thee ’
perhaps a parody of one wh ich,under the title of ‘An
Old Scots Song,’
is included in a Collection of English
Songs, London 1 796
Of Race divin e, thou needs must be,S ince nothingearthly equals theeJean
, for Heaven ’
s sake favour me ,Who whil e I l ive must love thee
or (3) a songofDibdin’
s in The Charmer (1 782) and otherbooks
Ah dearMarcella maid divineNomore wil l I at fate repine,If I this day behold thee mine ,For dearly I do love thee .
’
The true origi nal of the refrain, however, is probablya quotation in The Two Fervent Lovers (Roxburghe Collection)
‘Th is time a lad h is darl inghad
My sweet,
”said h e, once prove me ,
And thou shalt find,in heart andminde
,
How dearly I doe love thee
wh ich refrain is repeated throughout with variations.
STANZA I. LINE 2 . He licon ’: -See Vol . 1 1 . p. 31 3, Note
to The j olly Beggars, SongV II. Stanz a II. Line 4. 6 .
‘ Cor
o, WEREI ON
PARNASsus HILL
N O TE S
sincon —Corsancone, a hill inNew Cumnock parish,Ayrshire(visible from Ellisland), where the Bard (not quite correctly)placed the sources of the Nith.
THE CAPTIVE RIBBAND
No. 257 in Johnson (Vol . iii. Unsigned.
‘Th isair is called Robie donna gorach
’
(R. B . in InterleavedCopy).Stenhouse assigns t his poor performance to Burns ; and
we have found it nowhere save in the Museum.
THERE’
S A YOUTH IN THIS CITY
No. 258 in Johnson (Vol . iii. Signed Z.
’
Set to
a Gae licAir. The air is claimed byNe il Gow,who cal ls
it h is Lament for h is brother. The first hal f stanza of
the songis old ; the rest is mine ’
(R. B. in InterleavedCopy). Note—It will be proper to omit the name of
the tune altogether—only say Gael ic air’
(R. B . in MS.
copy in the Hastie Coll ection).Burns was never above vampingfrom himsel f ; and the
present piece is strongly remin iscent of The Mauchline
Belles (Vol . ii. p. The us. is in the Hastie Collection.
MY HEART ’
S IN THE HIGHLANDS
No. 259 in Johnson (Vol . iii. Signed‘ Z.
’ ‘Th e
first half stanza of this song is old ; the rest is mine ’
(R. B . in Interleaved Copy).Burns apparently refers to the first half stanza of the
chorus. Sharpe (Additional Notes to Johnson’
sMuseum)quotes
‘ from a stall copy The Strong Walls of Derry,one stanza in wh ich is almost identical with the Burnschorus.
N O T E S
STANZA 1 . LINE 5. But nowyour brow’s tamed beld,John,
’
unauthorised version. 7.
‘Yet blessings on your frosty pow,
’
unauthorised version.
CA’
THE YOWES TO THE KNOWES
No. 264 in Johnson (Vol . iii. 1 790) Unsigned.
‘ Th isbeautiful songis in th e true old Scotch taste,yet I do not
‘
AWA,WHIGS
,AWA
No. 263 in Johnson (Vol . iii. 1 7 Unsigned.
Th e Jacobite songthus named in Hogg’
s Jacobite Songs
is ch ieflyHogg’
s. In a confused note Stenhouse describes"the Museum songas a fragment of a Jacobite song, Awa,Whigs, Awa,
‘with two additional stan z as, namely, thesecond and fourth
,written by Burns
’
; but he gives no
further information . Not even a fragment has been discovered in print before the publ ication of Burns
’
s set in
Johnson’
s Museum ; and of that set Burns most certainlyfound the germ in the Herdms.
‘
And when they came by Gorgie Mil lsThey l icked a’ th e mouter
,
The bannocks lay about thereLike bandel iers and powder ;Awa, Whigs, awaAwa, Whigs, awa
Ye ’re but a pack 0’ laz y loons,Ye
’11 do nae good ava
In the old ballad of Killiechrankie the words ‘FurichWh igs, Awa
’
,then,
’
are used as h er nain sel’
s battlecry. A corruption of them forms the titl e of a spuriousJacobite bal lad
,Whirry Whigs,A rea
,which Hoggprinted
in h is Relics,while admitting that th e sets on which it is
founded had visibly been composed at different periods,and by different hands .
’
Buchan ,on no evidence what
ever,fathered it on George Halkett (d. school
master at Rathen,Aberdeenshire .
N O T E S
know that e ither the air or words were in print before(R. B. in Interl eaved Copy).In sendinga new vers ion (p. 268) to Thomson in Sep
tember 1 794 h e wrote I am flattered at'
your adoptingCa
’
the Yowes to the Knowes, as it was owingto me thatever it saw the light. About seven years ago, I waswel l acquainted with a worthy l ittle fel low, a Mr. Clun ie
[Rev . John Clunie,minister of Ewes
,Dumfriesshire,
author of I Loe Na a Laddie but Ane], who sangit charmingly and
,at my request, Mr. Clarke took it down from
h is singing. When I gave it to Johnson I added some
stanzas to the song and mended others ; but still it willnot do for you.
’
Stenhouse gives th e old words, presumably those taken down from Glunie
’
s singing. Itcan scarce be affirmed that Burns has improved them.
The two last stanz as are h is ; h is two first are expandedfrom Glunie
’
s first ; while h is two middles, where theydiffer from Clunie, differ for the worse .
David Laing, in Additional Notes to Johnson’
s Museum,
cites an Ayrshire tradition which assigns the songto one
Isabel Pagan, keeper of a hedge-tavern near Muirkirk.
But had she been the authoress, Burns must have knownit ; and that sh e was not th e authoress is evident from thesample doggerel given in Laing
’
s note .
Burns’
s ms. is in th e Hastie Col lection.
0,MERRY HAE I BEEN
No. 270 in Johnson (Vol . iii.The tune was cal led The Bob 0’ Dumblane and a song
with this title appears in Ramsay’
s Tea-Table Miscellany
( 1 727)Lassie, l end me your braw hemp-heckl e,And I
’II lend youmy thrippling-kame !
For fainn ess,dearie , I ’IIgar ye keckl e,
Gin ye go dance th e Bob 0’ Dumblane,’ etc.
Ramsay, as usual,has moderniz ed this song. The
N O T E S
original , which I l earned on the spot, from the
hostess in the principal Inn there , is
Lassie, lendme your braw hemp-heckle,And I
’l l l end youmy thripplin kame .
”
My heckle is broken, it canna be gotten,And we
’11 gae dance the Bob 0’ Dumblane.
Twa gaed to the wood, to the wood, to th e wood,Twa gaed to th e wood—three came hame ;
An it be na weel bobbit, weel bobbit, weel bobbit,And it be na weel bobbit we ’
11 bob it again .
’
I insert this song to introduce the following anecdote,which I have heard wel l authenticated . In the eveningof the day of the battle of Dunblane (Sh eriffmuir),when th e action was over, a Scots offi cer in Argyle
’
s
army observed to h is Grace,that he was afraid the rebel s
would give out to the world that they had gotten the
victory. Weel, weel,”answered his grace, alludingto
th e foregoingbal lad,“ if they think it nae weel bobbit,
we’
11 bob it again (R. B . in Interleaved Copy).In th e original and in Ramsay hemp-heckle,
’ thrippl ing—kaim,
’ ‘ bob,
’
and Bob ofDumblane,’ have an inde
cent slangsense al l four. That the Burns was original lywritten for The Jolly Beggars is an unwarrantablesurmise .
A MOTHER’
S LAMENT
No. 271 in Johnson (Vol . Il l .‘Written for this
work by R. Burns,’
and signed‘B .
’
Tune : FinlaystonHouse.
‘This most beautiful tune is,I think, the
happiest composition of that bard-born genius John
Riddel l, of the familyofGlengarnock in Ayr. The wordswere composed to commemorate the much lamented andpremature death of James Ferguson,
Esq. Junior of
Craigdarroch (R. B . in Interleaved Copy).Plainly the verses were suggested by the initial stanz a
of The Tears and Triumph of Parnassus,‘An Ode, set to
THE
N O TE S
the verses on the amiable and excellent family of WhiteBRAES o ’
foord’
s l eavingBall ochmyle, when Sir John’
s misfortunesBALLOCH had obl iged h im to sel l the estate (R. B. in InterleavedMYLE Copy). See Prefatory Note to Lines Sent to Sir John
Whitef‘
oord, Bart. (Vol . i . p.
Reprinted in Thomson (Vol . and, with some few
differences, in Stewart’
s Edition It is to notethat wh ile Stanz a 1 . consists of two quatrains on fourrhymes
,th e structure of Stanza n . is that of the three
rhymed bal lade octave .
STANZA I. LINE 1 . The CatrineWoods —Catrine wasthe residence ofProfessor Dugald Stewart (see Vol. i . p. 354,Note to The Vision, Duan I. Stanz a ! ! I. Line 5. Mariasang
—Mary Anne Whitefoord, th e eldest daughter, whomarried HenryKerrCranstoun,grandson ofWilliam, fifth LordCranstoun.
STANZA n . LINES 5-6 in Stewart readNae j oys a lasfor me are hereNaepleasuresfi nd I in this soil .
’
—The stool of
THE BANTIN DOG, THE DADDIE O’
T
No. 277 in Johnson (Vol . 1 1 1 . Tune : East Neuk
o’
Fife. Sign ed Z.
’ I composed this songpretty earlyin l ife, and sent it to a younggirl, a veryparticular ac
quaintance ofmine, who was at the time under a cloud(R. B . in Interl eaved Copy).The younggirl
’
may have been e itherEl iz abeth Paton(see The Poet
’
s Welcome, Vol . ii . p. 37) or Jean Armour.
It matters not which.
STANZA II. LINE 2 .
‘O, wha will buy my groanin maut,’
variation in Scott Douglas . The groanin maut was th e ale
for the midwife and her gossips. For the epithet, ‘
groaningis good Engl ish for a lying-ih . Cf. Hamlet, iii. 2 , 476 It
would cost you a groaningto take my edge off.’
STANZA m . LINE 1 . The creepie-chair
N O T E S
repentance . See Vol . 1 1 . p. 343, Note to Address to the\
Toothache, Stanz a IV . Line I .
STANZA IV . LINE 2 . Pidgin fain’=ting1ingwith fondness.
Cf. Tamo’Shan ter, Vol . i. p. 285
Even Satan glowr’d, and fidg’
d tu’ fain
and the old songMaggie Lauder
Maggie ."
quoth h e . and bymy bagsI
'
m fidgin fain to see thee .
”
THOU LING’
RING STAR
No. 279 in Johnson (Vol . iii. Written for th is workby R. Burns.
’
Tune : Captain Cook’
s Death,composed
by Miss Lucy Johnson, who afterwards married Mr.
Oswald ofAuchencruive . Included inThomson (Vol .Enclosing this very famous lament— hypochondriacal
and remorseful , yet riddled with adjectives, specificallyamatorious, yet woful ly lacking in genuine inspirationin a letter to Mrs. Dunlop, 8th November 1 789, Burnsdescribed it as
‘made th e other day.
’
He al so asked
her opinion of it,as he was too much interested in
th e subject to be ‘a critic in the composition.
’
For
Mary Campbel l see ante, pp. 308-1 0, Prefatory Note toMy Highland Lassie, 0. Ne ither Cromek’
s story of the
composition of Thou Ling’
ring Star nor h is descriptionof th e Stream-and—Bible episode is worth serious con
sideration. To Mrs. Dunlop on 1 3th December Burns,
groaning‘ under the miseries of a diseased nervous
system,
’
refers with longing to a future l ife There
should I, with speechl ess agony of rapture, again wel
come my lost, my ever dear Mary, whose bosom was
fraught with truth, honor, constancy, and love :
myMary, dear departed shade,’ etc.
Currie states that a copy found amongBurns’
s papers
was headed To Mary in Heaven ; but only see ing is
N O TE S
THOU bel ieving. The Lochryan MS.,entitled A Song, agrees
LING’
RING with th e text. Another was before th e Al dine EditorSTAR
STANZA I. LINE 6. Where is thy place of heaven ly rest,’Aldine MS. Similarly Stanz a IV . Line 6.
STANZA II. LINE 5.
‘ Eternity w i ll not efface,’Currie .
STANZA IV . LINE 3. Time but the impression deepermakes,’
Aldine Edition.
EPPIE ADAIR
No. 281 in Johnson (Vol . 1 1 1 . Unsigned. The MS.
is in th e Hastie Collection .
A song, How,My Eppie, quoted by Buchan as The Earl
of Ki lmarnoclc’
s Farewell to his Wife, bears l ittl e or no
resemblance to th e Burns set, even if it be genuine.
THE BATTLE OF SHERRAMUIR
No. 282 in Johnson (Vol . 1 1 1 .‘Written for th is
work by Robt. Burn s.
’
Tune : Cameronian’
s Rant.
This song, in which th e idiosyncrasies of the fight aresummarised with excel lent discrimination, is condensedfrom a bal lad by the Rev . John Barclay (1 734-1 798 ,Berean minister at Edinburgh) z The Dialogue Betwixt
_William Luckladle and Thomas Cleancogue, Who wereFeedingtheir Sheep upon the Ochil Hil ls
,1 3th Novem
b er,1 71 5. Being th e day the Battle of Sh erifl
’
muir was
Fought. To th e tune of The Cameron Men
W. Pray came you here th e fight to shunOr keep the sheepwith me, man ?
Or was you at the Sh erifimuir,
And did the battl e see, man ?
Pray tel l which of the Parties won,For weel I wat I saw them run
Both south and north, when they beganTo pel l andmel l and kil l and fell ,W' ith muskets’ knel l and pistols’ snel l ,And some for hel l did flee man .
’
N O T E S
THE STANZA V I. LINE 4. Or fallen in wh iggish hands, man,’
BATTLE OF Currie . For Lines 8-1 0 these four lines are given in CurrieSHERRA Thenye may tel l , howpel l and mel l ,MUIR By real claymores and muskets
’
knel l ,
Wi ' dyingyel l , the Toriesfizl l ,And Wh igs to he l l didj lee, man .
’
A WAUKRIFE MINNIE
No. 288 in Johnson (Vol . i ii .‘ I picked up the
old song and tune from a countrygirl in Nithsdal e . Inever met with it elsewhere in Scotland (R. B . in Interleaved Copy).
YOUNG JOOKIE WAS THE BLYTHEST LAD
No. 287 in Johnson (Vol . 1 1 1 . 1 790) Signed Z.
’
The tune is found in Oswald’s Caledonian Pocket Com
panion, under th e title Jacky was the B lythest Lad in A’
Our Town. Stenhouse remarks that the whole song, ex
ceptingthree or four l ines, is th e production of Burnsbut he does not condescend to particulars. Th ere are
divers sets, but the earl iest extant is that in Playford’
s
Choice Ayres, 1 659
O,Wil ly was so blythe a lad,Ne
’an like was in the town
AtWake andWassail Willy hadFor dancingchief renown .
He pitch’d th e bar and hurl
’d the steam
Ne’a man coul d him outgang;
And if h e strave with anyman,
He gar’d him l igalang
the original of Willie was a Wanton Wag (ascribed toHamilton of Gil bertfield), on which the Burns set is
closelymode ll ed .
STANZA I. LINE 3. Gaud ’z—The plough-oxen were driven
with a goad.
N O TE S
The vamp—if vamp it be ; and we have nowhere foundan original—is in Butus
’
e happiest and most folkish ’
vein .
THO’ WOMEN ’
S MINDS
No. 290 in Johnson (Vol . iii.‘Written for th is
work by R. Burns,’
and signed X.
’
Thi s songis mine,al l except th e chorus (R. B . in Interleaved Copy).A new set of th e Bard’s song in The Jolly Beggars,
Vol . i i. p. 1 5. In a ms . in th e Kilmarnock MonumentMuseum,
as in one belongingtoMr. Robert Hutch inson,a readingin the Cantata set is adopted
My dearest bluid to do themguid,’ etc.
See further, Prefatory Note to The Jolly Beggars, Vol . 1 1 .p. 304, andpost, p. 489, Prefatory Note to Is There ForHonest Poverty ?
WILLIE BREW’
D A PECK O’
MAUT
No. 291 in Johnson (Vol . iii.‘Written for th is
work by Robert Burns.’ ‘Th e air is Masterton
’
s ; the
song mine . The occasion of it was this —Mr. Wm:Nicol of the High School , Edinburgh, during the
autumn vacation beingat Moffat,honest Allan (who was
at that time on a visit to Dalswinton) and I went to payNicol a visit. We had such a j oyous meeting that Mr.
Masterton and I agreed, each in our own way, that weshoul d celebrate the business ’
(R. B . in InterleavedCOPY)The meeting took place in th e autumn of 1 789. The
song—(a littl e masterpiece of drunken fancy) —is included
in Thomson (V01 . For Will iam Nicol see Vol . ii.p. 452
,Prefatory Note to Epitaph For William N icol.
Allan Masterton was appointed writing-master to Edinburgh High School, l oth October 1 789. He died in 1 799.
N O T E S
Now since we ’
t e met let'
5 merrymerry be ,In spite of al l our foes,
And he that wil l not merry b eWe
'
11 pull h im by the nose .
’
Cf. Shakespeare, Twelfth N ight My lady’s a Cataian, we
are politicians, Malvolio ’s a Peg-a-Ramsey, and Three merry
men be we.
’Staunton notes that th e song is mentioned in
Peele’s Old Wives’ Tale, 1 595, thus
Burning
The wise men were but seven,
Ne’
ermore shall be forme ,
STANZA I. LINE 2 . Cam to pree,’ vulgar and unauthorised
amendment.STANZA IV . LINE 3. Wha first beside his chair shal l fa’
Writingto Captain Riddel l, Ioth October 1 789, on theWhistleday, Burns quotes two stanz as, and in quotingLine 3 changesfirst to last
’ but that he ital icises the word shows that hemade the change to suit the special circumstances of the con
te st. First,’ too, is found in Johnson, in th e earl ier Editions of Currie, and in a quotation of the stanz a in a letter toAlexander Cunningham (MS. in the possession of Mr. T. G .
Arthur, Ayr). There is, therefore, no warrant for th e supposition that it is e ither misprint or clerical error.
STANZA II. LINES 5and 6. An old song, TheMerry Fel lows,
has this chorus
Three merrie men,and three merrie men
,
And three merrie men b e wee
I in the wood , and thou on the ground,And Jack sleeps in the tree.
’
Cf. too Beaumont and Fletcher, The Kn ight of thePestle, iii. 2
Three merrymen , and three merry men,
And three merrymen b e weAs ever did singin a hempen stringAll under the gal lows tree
and a rhyme in Sir Will iam Mure’s Lute Booh (MS.LaingCol lection, University of Edinburgh)
N O T E S
My Lord Dundee the best 0’
ye
Into the fie lds did fa’ thenAnd great Pitcur fell in a furrWha could not win awa
' then.
’
THE BLUE-EYED LASSIE
No. 294 in Johnson (Vol . 1 1 1 .‘Written for this
work by Robert Burns.
’ Included in Thomson (Vol .Enclosed in a l ett er to Mrs. Dunlop, z ud October
1 788 : How do you l ike the fol lowing song, designedfor and composed by a friend of mine, and which h e haschristened The B lue-eyed Lassie
’
(Lochryan Th e
friend was Captain Robert Riddel l , and th e ms . sent toh im is in the possession ofDr. De NoeWalker. For the
copy of another ms. we are indebted to Mr. Howat,
Castleview,Stirl ing. A set with some variations was
publ ished in a tract ‘
printed by Chapman and Lang for
Stewart and Me ikle,
’
and is included in Stewart’s Edition( 1 802)The blue-eyed lassie was Jean, daughter of the Rev.
Andrew Jefl’rey, of Lochmaben. She married a Mr.
Renwick,ofNew York, and died in October 1 850.
STANZA 1 . LINE 2 . A gate I fear 1 cl early rue,’MSS .
STANZA II. LINE 2 . She charm’
d my soul, I ma! na how,
’
Stewart. 5.
‘But spare l’a’speak and spare I
’a’speed,
’
Stewart—apparently a misprint. The expression in th e text isproverbial . 7. Should she refuse I ’l l laymy deed,
’Stewart.
8. To her twa een o’bonny blue,’ Stewart.
THE BANKS OF NITH
No. 295 in Johnson (Vol . 1 1 1 . Signed‘B .
’
‘Written for this work by R. Burns .
’
Tune : Robie
donna Gomch.
An early draft was sent to Mrs. Dunlop, 21 st August1 789 (Lochryan mss.
N O T E S
STANZA I . LINE 4.
‘Where Cummins ance had high command Mylandlord Mil lar is buildinga house on the banksof the Nith, just on the ruins of the Comyn
’s Castle ’
(NotebyR. B. in Lochryan MS. 5. When sha ll I see that distan tland, ’ Lochryan MS. 7. Must cruel Fortune’s adverse hand,’
Lochryan MS.
STANZA 1 1 . LINES r-4 in the Lochryan MS. read
Fa z'
r spread, 0 N ith, thyfl ow'
ringda les,Where row t/zeflocks amongtire broom,
And sweetly wave t/zyfruz'
tfnl wa les,S urrounded by the Hawtborn bloom.
’
3.
‘How sweetly w ind thy sloping dales,’
Currie .
the Lochryan MS. read thus
T/z ere may my latest hours consumeWi l l: there my friends of early days .
’
TAM GLEN
No. 296 in Johnson (Vol . iii.‘Written for this
work byRobert Burns.
’
This del ightful piece of wit and character and fun
appeared in The Edinburgh Magaz ine of November 1 789,signed T. S. and in The Edinburgh Evening Courant of
22md December 1 789, without signature, as Tam Glen,
a Scots bal lad.
’ It is also included in Thomson (Vol .Exceptingfor some orthographical difl
'
erences these ver
sions correspond with the Museum copy.
STANZA V II. See Vol . i. p. 360, Notes to H alloween, Stanz axx iv. Line 7.
CRAIGIEBURN WOOD
No. 301 in Johnson (Vol . iv. 1 792) ‘Written for thiswork byRobert Burns,
’
and signed B .
’ It is remarkable of this air, that it is the confine of that countrywherethe greatest part of our lowland music (so far as from the
N O T E S
CRAIGIE titl e, words, etc. ,we can local ize it) has been composed.
BURN From Craigieburn, near Mofl‘
at, until one reaches theWOOD West Highlands, we have scarcely one slow air of
antiquity. The song was composed on a passion whicha Mr. Gillespie, a particular friend of mine, had for a
Miss Lorimer, afterwards a Mrs. Whepdale . The youngladywas born in Craigi eburn Wood . Th e chorus is partof an old fool ish bal lad ’
(R. B . in Interleaved Copy).Probably the
‘old foolish bal lad ’
was a fragment inHerd (1 776)
O my bonny, bonnyMay,Wil l ye not rue upon me
A sound, sound sl eep I ’11 never getUntil I l ie ayont thee .’ etc.
Craigieburn Wood is about two miles from Mofl'
at. For
Jean Lorirner seepost, p. 482, PrefatoryNote toLassieWe
the Lint-white Locks .
There are two use. at Al loway Cottage, one inscribedin the Afi on Lodge Book ; and the ms. sent to Johnsonis in the Hastie Col lection .
CHORUS. LINES 3-4 in the Hastie MS. read
O sweetly, soundly, weel wad I sleepWere I laid in the bed beyond thee .
’
STANZA I. LINE 4.
‘ Can yield me nothing but sorrow,
’
Johnson.
FRAE THE FRIENDS AND LAND I LOVE
No. 302 in Johnson (Vol . iv. Unsigned (no doubton account of its Jacob ite sentiments).
‘ I added thefour last lines by way of giving a turn to the theme of
the poem, such as it is (R. B . in Interleaved Copy).We have not found the first lines elsewhere . The ms.
is in the Hastie Collection.
N O T E S
0 JOHN, In another blackletter, Adieu Sweete Harte, is found thisCOME K ISS chorusME Now
GUIDWIFE, COUNT THE LAWIN
No. 31 3 in Johnson (Vol . iii. Signed‘B .
’ ‘The
chorus of this is part of an old song, one stanza of whichI recol lect
Once again come kysse me,
Syth I so longmustmys theeMy will inge harte shall wyshe thee,To ease me of my smarte .
’
STANZA 1 . LINE 3.
‘Mak o , probab lyz pet or fondle .
See Note to 0, Can Ye Labo ur Lea, Stanz a III. Line 3.
COCK UP YOUR BEAVER
No. 309 in Johnson (Vol . iv. 1 792) UnsignedStenhouse had Burns’s holograph .
Redacted from the older set in Herd (1 769)When firstmy dear Johny came to this town,
He had a blue bonn et, it wanted th e crownBut now h e has gotten a hat and a fea ther
,
Hey, my Johny lad, cook up your beaverCock up your beaver, cook up your beaver,Hey, my Johny lad, cock up your beaverCock up your beaver, and cock it nae wrang,We
’ll a
’to England, ere it be lang
MY TOCHER’
S THE JEWEL
No. 31 2 in Johnson (Vol . 1 1 1 .‘Written for this
work by Robert Burns,’
and signed ‘B .
’ Included inThomson (Vol .The last hal f of Stanza 1 1 according to Gromek, was
found in Burns’
s holograph as part of an Old song
(Scotish Songs, Vol . ii. p.
N O TE S
Every day my wife tells me
That al e and brandy wil l ruin me ;But if gude l iquor be my dead,This shall b e written on my head
Landlady, count the lawin,” etc.
(R. B . in Interleaved Copy).
In the ms. in the Hastie Collection Landlady’
occursfor
‘Gudewife .
’
CHORUS. LINE 4. Coggie’
:—See Vol . i. p. 323, Note toScotch Drz
'
nh, Stanz a Ix. Line 4.
STANZA I II. was inscribed by Burns on a window-pane of
the Globe Tavern, Dumfries (see Vol . ii. p.
THERE’
LL NEVER BE PEACE TILL JAMIE
COMES HAME
No. 31 5 in Johnson (Vol . iv. Unsigned.
‘Thistune is sometimes cal led There are Few Gude Fellows whenWillie ’
s Awa. But I have never been able to meet inwith anything e lse of the song than the title ’
(R. B . in
Interleaved Copy).He enclosed a copy a songof my late composition
to Al exander Cunningham, 1 1 th March 1 791 —‘Youmust know a beautiful Jacobite air— There
’
ll N ever be
Peace til l Jamie Comes Hams. When pol itical combustionceases to be th e object of Princes and Patriots it then,you know,
becomes the lawful prey of Historians and
Poets ’
(R. No doubt there was an old Jacobitesong with this title but the air and th e title were al l
that Burns knew,and no authentic copy of the thing
itse lf is known to survive.
The ms. sent to Cunningham [in th e possession of hi s
descendants] substantial ly agrees with that in the HastieCollection .
N O TE S
\VHAT CAN A YOUNG LASSIE
No. 31 6 in Johnson (Vol . iv. 1 792) Written for thiswork by Robt. Burns.
’
Signed R.
’
Stanz a Iv . is influenced by the set ofAuld RobMorris
in Ramsay’
s Tea-Table MiscellanyRob Morris
,I grant, is an elderlyman,
But then h is aul d brass, it wil l buy a new pm ;
Sae dochter, ye shouldna be fashious to shoe,And Auld Rob Morris is th e man ye maun lo’e .
’
The song itself may wel l have been suggested by th e
title, What Shall a YoungWoman do with an Old Man ?
quoted in Pills to Purge Melancholy, 1 703—3. book Burnsknew. Mr. Ebsworth (Roxburghe Ballads, Vol . viii. p.
673) prints a probably unique broadside,’ datingbefore
1 664 The YoungWoman’
s Complaint, Or a Caveat toal l Maids to have a Care How They be Married to OldMen. The tune is What Should a YoungWoman do with
an Old Man,or The Tyrant.
’
The only copy known tous is that in the EuingCollection
Come al l you youngdamsels both beauteous and free,I’l l summon you al l to l isten tome
A songofmisguidingconcerningmymarriage.
Sorrow ’s th e cause of th is my ill carri age
A maiden of fifteen, as itmay appear,
She married an OldMan of seventy-two yearAnd by h er misfortune well prove it I canThat she is sore troubled with an OldMan
,
’etc.
A derivative, The Old Man Kil led with the Cough, is one
of Six Excell ent New Songs forming a chap in theMotherwel l Collection
‘You girls that are witty in country and city,I pray now come pity a sorrowful maid,
That daily is vexed andmighty perplexedAl l with an old husband ; I Wish h e were dead.
’
Th is derivative Burns seems to have known ,and to
have borrowed its rhythmus as well as its general toneand sentiment.For a songprinted in an appendix to Sharpe
’
s Ballad
THE
N O T E S
This is itself a derivative from a blackletter in the BagBONIE LAD ford
,Crawford, and Buing Col lections—The Unconstant
THAT ’SFAR AWA
Shepherd, or The Forsaken Lasses Lamentation
0,how can I be merry or gladOr in mymind contented be,’ etc.
Songs with the refrain ‘ O’
er th e H il ls and Far Awa’
abound in the books. Th ey seem to derive from th e
old bal lad of The Elfin Knight, of which the earl iestprinte d set is a blackletter in th e Library of Magdal eneCol lege, Cambridge, bound up with a copy of Bl in dHarry
’
s Wa llace (first referred to in Pinkerton,Ancient
Scottish Poems , Vol . ii. p. The Wind Hath Blawn
My P laid Awa. It beginsTh e Elphin Knight sits on yon hil lBa ba ba, l il l i ba
He blows h is horn both lowd and shil lTh e wind hath blown my plaid awa
and has this burdenMy plaid awa, my plaid awa,And o
’er th e hill s and far awa,
And far awa to Norrowa
My plaid shal l not b e blawn awa
Perhaps the earl iest derivative is Jockey’
s Lamentation,
publ ished in P ills to P urgeMelancholy and reprintedwith variations in Ramsay
’
s Tea-Table Miscellany with th etitle, O
’
er the Hills and Far Away :‘Jocky met with Jenny fair,Aft by the dawningof th e day,’ etc.
A capital set is sung by Captain Plume in Farquhar’
s
RecruitingOfl icer and a Songon the B irth-day ofKingJames the VIII . l 0th June 1 709 (printed in Box
burghe Ballads,
ed. Ebsworth, Vol viii . from
Robert Mylne’
s u s ,has this refrain
He’s over seas and far awa,
He’s over seas and far awa
Of noman we wil l stand in awe,
To drink his health that ’s far awa
N O T E S
There is also a broadside in the Laing Col lection at THE
Dalmeny, entitled, An Excellent New Ballad, He’
s o’
re BONIE LAD
the Hi lls and Far Away, to its own proper tune.
’ It THAT ’
s
begins FAR AWA
I must o'
re land and seas repass,
Face summer’s suns and winter’s glass,’ etc.
And in a MS. col lection of Loyal Songs (1 71 4-1 6, Add .
ness ,British Museum
,No. 29, 98 1 ) there is a Jacob ite
songbeginningthus
Bringme a bowl , I ’l l toast a health
To one that ’s robbed 0’ land and wealth.
The bonni est lad that e’er I sawIs o
’er th e hill s and far awa .
’
The ms. of Burns’
s set is in the Hastie Col lection .
Another, which was before Gromek, may have been thatnow in the possession ofMr. A. M. Munster. Stanz a 1 1 .
is not in Johnson,and was publ ished byGromek. Thom
son (Vol . v. ) included th e song, but omitte d Stanz a Iv .
It is supposed to refer to oldArmour’
s extrusion of h is
daughter in the winter of 1 788 Jean I found banishedlike a martyr, forlorn, destitute and friendless—all for
the good old cause (R. B . to Ainsl ie,3rd March
STANZA v . LINE 3.
‘And my young babie,’Hastie MS.
and Johnson ; ‘And a’ my tears be tears of j oy,
’Thomson,
frommotives of delicacy. 4.
‘And he’
11 come hame,’ MunsterMS.
I DO CONFESS THOU ART SAE FAIR
No. 321 in Johnson : Signed‘ Z.
’ ‘This song is alteredfrom a poem by Sir Robert Ayton, private secretary to
Mary and Anne, Queens of Scotland. The poem is to
be found in Watson’
s Collection of Scots Poems, th e
earl iest col lection publ ished in Scotland . 1 think that Ihave improved the simpl icity of the sentiments bygivingthem a Scots dress (R. B . in Interl eaved Copy).
N O T E S
I DO Th e original (Ayton’
s authorship of which is more thanCONFESS doubtful), found in P layford
’
s Select Ayres, 1 659, is
THOU ART cal led To Hi s Forsaken MistressSAE FAIR I do confess thou ’
rt smooth and fair,
And I might have gone near to love thee,Had I not found th e sl ightest prayerThat l ip coul dmove, had power to move thee ;
But I can let thee now alone
As worthy to be loved by none .
‘I do confess thou ’rt sweet, but findThee such an unthrift of thy sweets
Thy favours are but l ike the windWhich kisseth ev
’ryth ingitmeets ;
And since thou canst with more than one
Thou ’
rt worthy to b e kiss’d by none .
’
It is not at all in Burns’
s l ine , and he had done vastlybetter had h e left it alone .
SENSIBILITY HOW CHARMING
No. 329 in Johnson (Vol . iv.‘Written for this
work by Robt. Burns.
’ Included also in Thomson
(Vol . iii . )Burns wrote to Mrs. Dunlop, 29th July 1 790 (Loch
ryan mss. ) There is sometimes a conjuncture of cir
cumstances which looks l ike ominous ; when I rece ivedyour letter I was j ust finishing the fol lowing stanz a,“ Envy n ot the hidden treasure .
”etc. [h e quotes]. I
immediately and almost extempore added th e fol lowing,too al lusive to poor Mrs. Henr i : Fairest flower
,behold
the lily”
[th e remainder of the stan z a is quoted]. He
afterwards sent a complete copyto his‘ dear and honoured
friend ’
Mrs. Dunlop, which was printed in Currie, andanother to Clarinda
,which is in th e Watson Col lection
ms.
Th is balderdash,which reads like the efl
’
ect of a fit ofserious admiration for a certain Song by a Person Qf
N O T E S
I HAE BEEN AT CROOKIEDEN
No. 332 in Johnson (Vol . iv. 1 792) Unsigned . Foundedon an old Jacobite rhyme. A comparativelymild set is
in the Pitcairn ms. Another, which incorporates muchof th e Burns, may be partly old and partlymodern. The
MS. is in th e Hastie Col lection .
Of the Highland Laddie airs Burns wrote (InterleavedCopy) That which I take to b e the ol dest is to be
found in thisMuseum beginning I hae been at Crookie
den .
”One reason formy thinkingso is that Oswald has it
in his Col lection by the name oftheAuldHighlandLaddie.
’
STANZA I. LINE 3. There I saw somefolk I hen,
’ deletedreadingin th e MS.
IT IS NA, JEAN,THY BONIE FACE
No. 333 in Johnson (Vol . iv. 1 792) Written for thiswork by Robert Burns.
’
Original ly Engl ish verses I
gave them the ir Scots dress (R. B . in Interleaved Copy).The MS. is in th e Hastie Col lection .
Those ‘Engl ish verses’
are not to be found. But It Is
Na,Jean
,reads like an odd but triumphing blend of a
famous songby Thomas Carew ( 1 589-1 639)He that loves a rosy cheekOr a coral lip admires
But a smooth and steadfastmindGentl e thoughts and calm desiresWhere these are not I despiseLovely cheeks, or l ips, or eyes
and th e initial stanz a of a certain broadside (LaingCol lection
,Dalmeny) entitled Bonie Jean, or Jeanie
’
s the
Sweetest and Dearest toMe
O, Jeanie is th e sweetest of all womankindO, Jeanie is compleat in body andmind !Of beauty and bountie, of carriage and grace,With a prety proportion and fairness of face
,
With al l things excel lent as woman shoul d b e,0, Jeanie is the sweetest Whose servant I ’l l b e.
’
For something, too, it may be indebted to the Je no Srai
N O TE S
Quoi, a songwhich we have found in A Choice Collection
of Scotch and English Songs of which the secondstanza begins thus
’Tis not h er face wh ich love creates,’ etc.
MY EPPIE MACNAB
No. 336 in Johnson (Vol . iv . Signed X.
’ ‘Th e
old song with this title has more wit than decency(R. B . in Interleaved Copy).Stenhouse remarked ofBurns’s statement He j ustly
observes but the chances are that Stenhouse spoke
without book. Hogg, in the Hogg and Motherwel lEdition, says that, so far as h e remembers this song, itwas not indelicate .
’
He also quotes a stanza resembl ingthe fragment in the Herd MS . AndBurnsmayhave knownsomethingmore of th e old songthan th e fragment in theHerd MS. which contains the germ (and someth ingmore )of the present piece. Thus it runs
0,saw ye Eppie M
‘
Nab th e day?
0,saw ye Eppie M
‘Nab th e day
?
Sh e’s down in th e yaird,
Sh e’s kissingth e laird
She winna cum hame th e day, the day0, see to Eppie M
‘Nab
,as sh e goes
0,see to Eppie M
‘Nab , as sh e goes
With her cockéd heel shoon,And h er cockets aboon,
0, see to Eppie M‘Nab as she goes
Burns remodell ed h is set for Thomson, but Thomsondidn’t accept it (See Saw Ye My Phely, Vol . iv.
The MS. is in the Hastie Col lection.
WHA IS THAT AT MY BOWER DOOR
No. 337 in Johnson (Vol . iv.
‘Written for thiswork by Robert Burns.
’
The tune is also known by
the name of Lass an I Come Near Thee. Th e words are
mine (R. B . in Interl eaved Copy).
N O TE S
WHA IS
is plainly a modern counterfe it, and is supposed to bethe work of Lady Dick. But without any manner of
doubt,Burns
’
s original was Who But I, Quoth Finlay, Anew song,much in request, sungwith its own proper tune,
’
The chorus of this old song, says Stenhouse, was‘Lass, an I come near thee,Lass, an I come near thee,I’ll gar a
’
your ribbons reel,Lass, an I come near thee .
’
Gromek states that, accordingto Gil bert Burn s, Robert’
s
model was The Auld Man’
s Best Argument in Ramsay’
s
Tea-Table Miscellany wh ich an old widow, JeanWilson, ofTarbolton, used to sing
O, wha’s that at my chamber-door
Fair Widow,are ye wanking
Auld carl e, your suitgive o’er,Your love lyes a’ in tawking, etc.
A similar song (Engl ish, no doubt), Roger’
s Courtship,
is also in th e Misce llany
YoungRoger came tappingAt Dol ly
’s window ;
Tumputy, tumputy, tumpHe begg’d for admittance, sh e answer’d h im no
Glumputy, glumputy, glump
Anoth er in The Lark but verymuch older than TheLark, begins thus
‘Arise, arise, my Juser. my PussyArise, get up, my dear ;
Th e night is cold,It bloweth , it snoweth ,I must be lodgéd here.
’
A set quoted in Sharpe’
s Ballad Book,1 823
Wha ’s that at my chamber door ? ”
It is I, my dear,” quo’ Borlan ;Come in,
”quo
’sh e,
“lat
’s chat awhil e
,
Ye strapping, sturdy Norlan”
N O T E S
WHA 1 8 (Crawford, Euing, Huth, Pepys, and Roxburghe CollecTHAT AT tions) :MYBOWER Come open the Door, Sweet Betty,DOOR For
’tis a cold winter night.’
The ms. is in th e Hastie Collection. Th e songappears,exactly as in the text, in The MerryMuses.
STANZA II . LINE 7.
‘ I fear ye’ll stay till break 0
’day,
’
deleted readingin the Ms.
BONIE WEE THING
(See further, under 0 Open the Door, post, p. And
al l trace back no doubt to the lost lyric (the air of
which is in Queen El iz abeth ’
s Virginal Book) parodied inThe Gude and Godly Ballats, 1 578
0,who is at my window, who, who ?
Goe frommy windo, goe goeQuba cal ls there, so l ike ane stranger,Goe frommy windows , goe,’ etc.
No. 341 in Johnson (Vol . iv.‘Written for this
work by Robert Burns,’
and signed R.
’
Composed onmy l ittle idol the charminglovelyDavies (R. B. in
Interl eaved Copy).Adapted to th e tune, The Bonie Wee Thing, in Oswald
’
s
Pocket Companion, th e song is sl ightly reminiscent of
O,Wert Thou. My A in Thing. Miss Debora Davies,
daughter of Dr. Davies of Tenby, Pembrokeshire, and a
relative of Captain Riddell , was j ilted by one CaptainDelany, and died of a decl ine. See further, Vol . i i.p. 437, Prefatory Note to Epigram On Miss Davies, and
the songLovely Davies, p. 1 06.
A Ms. is in th e Hastie Collection .
CHORUS. LINE 2 .
‘ Lovely wee thing, was thou mine,’
Johnson. 4. Lest my Jewel I should tine,’ Johnson.
N O T E S
THE TITHER MORN
No. 345 in Johnson (Vol . iv. Unsigned.
‘Th istune is original ly from the Highlands. I have heard aGael ic song to it , which I was told was very cl ever, butnot by any means a lady
’
s song’
(R. B . in InterleavedCOPY).Words and music were sent by Burns to the Museum ;
and the words suggest h is passage .
STANZA II. LINE 5. Deil tak the war —l the old song
Deil tak the wars,that hurried Billy from me .
’
AE FOND KISS
No. 347 in Johnson (Vol . iv.
‘Written for th iswork byRobert Burns.
’
Tune RoryDali’
s Port signedX.
’
Sent to Clarinda 27th December 1 791 (see Vol . 1 1 .
p. 368, Prefatory Note to Sylvander to Clarinda) Ihave j ust ten minutes before the post goes, and these Ishal l employ in sendingyou some songs I have j ust beencomposingto difl
’
erent tunes for th e Collection of Songs,of which you have three volumes, and of which you shal lhave the fourth ,
’
etc. Th e germ ofAeFondKiss is foundin The Parting Kiss, by Robert Dodsley (1 703wh ich was set by Oswald
One fond kiss before we part,Drop a Tear and bid adi eu ;
Tho’we sever, my fond Heart
Til l we meet shal l pant for you,’ etc.
It finishes with a repeat of the two first l ines.The copy sent to Clarinda is in theWatson Col lection,
Edinburgh .
N O TE S
LOVELY DAVIES
No. 349 in Johnson (Vol . iv. 1 7 Unsigned.
For Miss Davies see ante, p. 378, Prefatory Note to
Bonie Wee Thing. The Ms. is in th e Hastie Col lection.
STANZA II. LINE 1 .
‘ l lh ane she cheers when she appears,’
deleted readingin the MS.
STANZA III . LINE 6 . Even he her humble slave is,’ deletedreadingin th e MS.
THE WEARY PUND O’
TOW
No. 350 in Johnson (Vol . 1 1 . Title and tune are
in Oswald’s Pocket Companion.
Buchan furn ished Hoggand Motherwel l with severalstan z as of a ‘ very ol d songwhich perhaps Burns had inview when h e composed th e above .
’
AS it repeats theBurns chorus verbatim,
Burns most certainly must haveh ad it in view, if it b e th e very old song which Buchansaid it was . But h e said nothingas to where h e gotit ; and it is plainly patchwork. Burns, however, mustassuredly have known this ditty in The Charmer (1 782)and other books
I bought my woman andmy wife half a pund of tow,
I think ’twill serve them a’ their l ife to Spin as fast ’s they dow
I thought it had been ended when scarce it was begun,And I bel ieve mywife sal l end h er l ife and l eave the tow un spun .
I l ooked tomy yarn knagg, and it grew nevermair ;I looked to my meal -kist, my heart grew wondrous sair ;I looked to my sour-milk boat, and it would never sour ;For they supped at, and staiked at, and never span an hour
,
’etc.
Th e MS. is in th e Hastie Col lection .
S’
I‘
ANZA II. LINE 3.
‘And ay she took the tither such,’
de leted readingin the MS.
N O TE S
The others are pure Burns. The two sets appear to
be responsibl e, between them, for LadyNairne’
s Laird o’
0,FOR ANE-AND—TWENTY, TAM
No. 355 in Johnson (Vol . iv. 1 792) Written for thiswork by Robert Burns .
’
Signed‘B .
’
and perhaps sug
gested by a songin The P rettyMaiden’
s Amusement, andother undated song-books
I am a brisk and l ively lass,And scarcely turned of twenty,’ etc.
or one in The Lark (1 740)I am a lusty l ively lad,Now come to one and twenty,
’
etc.
the original of which is a blackletter bal lad, The Prodigal’
s
Resolution (Crawford, Huth, Pepys, Roxburghe, and
other col lections) .STANZA II. LINE I . A gleib 0
’Ian —The common
meaningofgleib [i .e. glebe ] in Scotland is church land—thatis, th e land possessed by the parish minister. Here it probablymeans a portion of land about the average siz e of a kirk glebe-thirty acres or thereby.
o,KENMURE
’
S ON AND AWA,WILLIE
No. 359 in Johnson (Vol . iv. Unsigned. Both songand tune were communicated by Burns, and are not to
be found in any earl ier col lection . The stanz as added inCromek
’
s so-call ed Remains of N ithsdale and Galloway
Songare probably ofAl lan Cunningham’
s concocting.
Wil l iam Gordon, sixth Viscount Kenmure , took up
the Jacobite cause in 1 71 5—mainly through the per
suasion of h is wife Mary, daughter of Robert Dalyel l ,sixth Earl of Carnwath n and got Mar
’
s commission to
command th e forces in the south . After divers ineffective moves h e passed into England, and, be ing taken
prisoner at Preston on 1 4th November, was beheaded onTowerhil l on 24th February 1 71 6.
N O TE S
0,LEEZE ME ON MY SPINNIN-WHEEL
No. 360 in Johnson (Vol . iv. ‘Written for th iswork by Robert Burns.
’
One of the best and the most Burnsian of Burne’svamps, this charming song was no doubt suggested byThe Loving Lass and Spinning-wheel in Ramsay
’
s Tea
Table Miscellany, which Ramsaymust have imitated froman old blackletter broadside (Pepys Col lection),
‘TheBonny
Scott and the YieldingLass, to an excel lent new Tune
As I sate at my spinn ing-wheelA bonny lad there passéd by,
I keen’d h im round and I l ik’d himweel ,
Goud faith h e had a bony eye :
My heart new panting’
gan to feel ,But stil l I turned my spinning-wheel ,’ etc.
In the Crawford Collection there is An Answer to the
Bonny Scot : or the Sorrowful Complaint of the YieldingLass
,to the tune of The SpinningWheel .
Burns’
s Ms. is in the Hastie Collection .
STANZA Iv . LINE 6.
‘Amid their cumbrous, empty joys,deleted readingin the MS.
MY COLLIER LADDIE
No. 36 1 in Johnson (Vol . iv. Unsigned .
‘ I donot know a blyther old song than this
’
(R. B . in Interleaved Copy).Buchan contributed to Hogg and Motherwel l (1 834)
what he declared to be the original , but didn’t pretend
that it was ever in print.Burns
’
s holograph—Ms. (A)—is in the Hastie Col lection
,and another MS.
—Ms. (B) —is in the Liverpool FreeLibrary.
STANZA 1 . LINE I .
‘ The ‘O’is omitted in Ms. (A), as it is
'
N O T E S
MY in the case of Line I of Stanza I I . 2 .
‘And tell me whatCOLLIER they ca’ ye,
’MS. (A).
LADDIE STANz A 1 1 1 . LINE 1 . The ‘An’is omitted in MS. (A).
An’
ye shall gangin rich attire ,’ Ms. (B). 4.
‘ If’for Gin
in MS . (B).
NITHSDALE’
S WELCOME HAME
No. 364 in Johnson (Vol. iv. ‘Written for thiswork by R. Burns,
’
and signed‘R.
’
The MS. is in th e
Hastie Coll ection .
Lady Win ifred Maxwell Constable (1 735-1 801 ) wassole-surviving child of Will iam Lord Maxwel l, son of
Will iam, fifth Earl of Nithsdal e,who was sentenced
to decapitation on Towerhil l,24th February 1 71 6, for
h is share in the Fifteen, but escaped th e n ight beforethe execution . Sh e married Wil l iam Haggerston Con
stable of Everinghame, and began rebuilding the old
familymansion, Terreagles, or Terregles, Kirkcudbrightshire
,in 1 789. Burns has stated, for the sake of vive la
bagatelle,’ that h is Jacobitism was mostlymatter of sport.
But,in a l etter of th e 1 6th D ecember 1 789, h e, as Sir
Wal ter put it, plays‘ high Jacobite to that .
singular oldcurmudgeon LadyWinifred Constable
’
: roun dly asserting that they were
‘common sufl
’
erers in a cause whereeven to b e unfortunate is glorious, the cause of heroicloyalty
’
; and that h is forefathers, l ike h er own, had
shaken ‘ hands with ruin for what they esteemed the
cause of their Kingand country.
’
IN SIMMER WHEN THE HAY WAS MAWN
No. 366 in Johnson (Vol . iv. Written for th iswork byRobert Burns,
’
and signed R.
’
Th e stanz a is modified from the bal lade octave . The
MS.-Ms. (B )— sent to Johnson is in th e Hastie Col l ec
tion. For permission to examine another on Excise
N O TE S
STANz A 1 . LINE 1 .
‘Turn again thou fair Robina,’ Ms. 7.
0h , inpity hide the sentence,’ Ms.STANZA II. LINE 1 . Thee sweet maid hae I ofl'
ended,’MS.
2 .
‘My offence is loving thee,’ Ms. 7.
‘Turn again thoufair Robina,
’MS.
STANZA III. LINE 5.
‘Not the minstrel in the moment,’Ms.
YE JACOBITES BY NAME
No. 371 in Johnson (Vol . iv. Unsigned. The Ms.
is in the Hastie Col lection . Up, Black-nebs by Name,
al ias Ye Jacobites by Name’
(R. B . in scrol l l ist in the
possession of Mr. George Gray). Black-neb (i. e. black
beak)= a Scottish sympathiser with the aims and objectsof the French Revolution . Scott
,The Antiquary, i .
6 ‘Take care, Monkbarns, we Shall set you downamong the black-nebs by and bye .
’
No,Sir Arthur
, a
tame grumbler I ! N i quito Rey, ni pongo Rey—I
neither make kingnor mar king, as Sancho says,’
etc.
THE POSIE
No. 373 in Johnson (Vol . iv.
‘Written for th isWork by Robert Burns,
’
and signed B.
’
The Posic in
the Museum is my composition th e air was taken downfrom Mrs. Burns
’
s voice . It is wel l known in the westcountry but the oldwords are trash (Burns toThomson,1 9th ,
October ‘ It appears evident to me thatOswald composed h is Ros lin Castle on the modulation of
this air. The old verses to which it was sung, whenI took down the notes from a country girl
’
s voice, hadno great merit. The followingis a specimen
There was a pretty May, and a milkin sh e went,Wi’ h er red rosy cheeks, and her coal -black hair ;
(And she had met a youngman comin o
’er th e bent,
With a double and adiew to the fair etc.
N O T E S
A nd SO on for four other stanz as (R. B. in InterleavedCOPY)No doubt the old songgave Burns h is rhythmus, but
h e seems to have borrowed his idea, either directly or
through some derivative,from a blackletter broadside
,
cal led ‘A Pasie of Rare Flowers Gathered by a YoungMan
for His Mistress, To a pleasant new tune ’
(Crawford,Huth
,Pepys, Roxburghe, and other Coll ections). It
consists of eighteen stanz as. Here are the firstthree
The summer’s o’er heating,With in an Arbour sittingUnder a marble shade ;
For my true l ove th e fairest,And of al l flowers th e rarest,A posis thus I made
The first and last for trustingIS cal led Everlasting,I pul led from th e Bay.
Th e bl ew and crimson Columbine,Th e Daz y, and theWoodbine,And eke the bloomingMay.
Th e sweetest flowers for pos ies,Pinks , Gil l -flowers, and Roses,I gathered in their prime .
The flower ofMusk-mil l ions,Come blow me down Sweet-Wi ll iams,With Rosemary and Time .
’
The MS. sent to Johnson—Ms. (C) —is in the HastieCol lection . A MS. sent to Mrs . Dunlop—MS. (A)— is at
Lochryan ; and for permission to coll ate a third—MS. (B )—ou Excise paper, we are indebted to Mr. Richardson,of Messrs. Kerr and Richardson, Queen Street, Glasgow.
STANZA I . LINE 2 . O Luve wil l venture in, where wisdomance has been,’ Ms. (A).
N O TE S
THE STANZA II. LINE 3. For sh e is the pink 0’ womankind,
POSIE Ms. (B).
STANZA III. LINE 1 . I’ll pu
’
the morning rose,’MS. (B).
3. The hyacinth is constancy,’Ms. (B) .
STANZA IV . LINE 2 . And on her lovely bosom,
’MS . (B).
STANZA VII. LINE 4. And that will b e a posic,’Ms. (A).
THE BANKS O’
DOON
No. 874 in Johnson (Vol . iv.‘Written for this
work byRobert Burns,’
and signed B.
’
AnAyrshire legend,’
accordingtoAl lan Cunningham,
‘says the heroine of th is affectingsongwas PeggKennedyof Daljarroch ’
and Chambers also supposed th e balladto be an al legory of the same ‘ unhappy love-tal e .
’'
See
ante, p. 299,PrefatoryNote to YoungPeggy,
but eveni f th e ‘ love-tale ’ were then known,
i t was not thenunhappy.
’
For other sets,Ye Flowery Banks 0
’
Bonie Doon, and
Sweet are the Banks, the Banks 0’
Doon,see Vol . iv. The
song appeared in the Musical Repository for 1 799 ; butthe variations there set forth were probably not sanct ioned by anyms ,
and are in no respect improvements.A ms . is in the Hastie Collection .
WILLIE WASTLE
No. 376 in Johnson (Vol . iv.
‘Written for thiswork by Robert Burns,
’
and signed‘B .
’ Included inThomson (Vol .
The heroine is said to have been the wife of a farmerwho l ived near El l island. A cottage in Peebl esshire,wh ich stood where a muirland burn, the Logan Water,joins the Tweed,was known by the name ofLinkumdoddie,but probably it was so named after Burns wrote h is song.
The earliest authenticated appearance of Wil l ie Wastl e
N O TE S
Motherwell further suppl ies a copy of the bal lad as tra
ditional ly preserved in th e west of Scotland .
’
Th is isthe first stanz a
North C’ountrz‘
eGarland Maidment’
s is the balladof the Scott ms. Here is a handful of th e rubbish
Daughter, said he, I have done you no wrang,For I have married you on a heritor of landHe
’s l ikewise possess’d ofmany a bil l and band,And he ’
l l be daily growing.
Growing, deary, growing, growing,Growing, said the bon ymaid,Slowly my bonny love ’
8 growing.
’
The trees they are ivied, the l eaves they are green,
The days are a’ awa that I has seenOn the cauld winter nights I ha’e to l ie my lane,For my bonnie laddie ’
s lango’
growing.
’
Maidment, again, is at pains to supply an‘ historical
note on a youngUrquhart of Craigston (Aberdeenshire),the supposed h ero, who was in all l ikel ihood simplygrafted on the Burns bal lad by some not very ingen iousAberdeenshire artist.The fact is, Burns got the germ of his song
—not from
any of these sets nor from a lady during h is northerntour, but—from a fragment in the Herd ms. , the more
characteristic points in which (it is worth noting) are notincorporated in e ither the northern or the western sets :
She Iook’d o
’er th e castle wa’,
She saw three lads play at the ba’
0 th e youngest is th e flower of a’But my love is lango’growing.
0 father, gin ye th ink it fit,
We’l l send him to th e col l ege ye t
And tye a Ribban round h is hat,And, father, I ’ll gangwi’ him.
’
‘ Lady Mary Ann’
and ‘Young Charl ie Cochrane’
are
his own, as are th e last three stanz as of the bal lad.
N O T E S
SUCH A PARCEL OF ROGUES IN A NATION
No. 378 in Johnson (Vol . iv. Unsigned. Th e ms.
is in the Hastie Col lection.
The refrain is borrowed from the name of the old air to
wh ich it is adapted, A Parcel of Rogues in the Nation, to
which Gay has set a song in The Beggar’
s Opera. It is
possible also that Burns knew th e song on the Uni on of
Scotland and England, republ ished as one of th e LockhartPapers and thus introduced The fol lowingsonghas no date aflixed to it but from a memorandumit appears to have been printed soon after the accessionofK ingGeorge the First.
’ It beginsShame fa’my een
If e’
er I have seen
Such a parcel of rogues in a nation,
’etc.
It is included in Hogg’
s Relics as The Awkward Squad.
KELLYBURN BRAES
No. 379 in Johnson (Vol . iv.‘Written for th is
work by Robert Burns.
’
Th e set publ ished in Cromek’
s Remains of N ithsdale
and Galloway Song was no doubt concocted by AllanCunningham. The Kel ly burn (i.e. brook) forms thenorthern boundary of Ayrshir e, and the ballad has no
connexion wi th Nithsdale or Gal l oway.
Burns’
s ms. is in th e Hastie Col lection. Another set
of h is ball ad (holograph) was sold by Messrs. Sothebyin 1 892, and again in 1 895. Th is was publ ished in the
Aldine Poets (Ed. Aitken, It has th e refrain,Singfal de lal,
’
etc. after every l ineThere was an auld man, and h e had a bad wife,And she was a plague a
’th e days 0’ h er l ife .
Ae day this auldman was haudin the pl eugh,By came th e Devi l , says How 6.
’
ye do? ”
one holding
N O TE S
WOI'SC
most part
O vera wel l, Sir, but I ’ve got a bad wife,And sh e
’s been a plague a’ the days 0’ h er life .
It’s neither your stot, nor you staigI do crave,
But that same bad wife it ’s h er I must have .
”
0 welcome most kindly,” th e auldman h e said,But if ye can match h er—ye ’
re waur than ye ’re ca
’d.
”
The Devil has got th e guid wife on h is back,And l ike an old Pedlar h e ’
s carried h is pack ;He
’s carried her hame to hi s ain reeky door,
And h e bade h ergo in for a bitch and a whore .
Then Satan makes fifty, the pick 0’ his band,Turn out on h er guard in the clap o
’a hand.
The wife sh e gaed through them e’en l ike a wud bear,
Whae’er she laid hands on, cam near h er nae mair.
A frighted wee devil looks over th e wa’ -1
0 help, master, help or she ’l l ruin us a
’1”
Then Satan h e swore by the edge 0’ h is knifeHe pitied the man that was tied to a wifeThen Satan h e swore by the kirk and th e bel lHe was not in wedlock, thank Heaven, but in Hel l
Th e Devil has travel l ’d again wi ’ h is packAnd to h er old husband he ’
s carried h er backI’ve l ived in Hel l th e feck 0
’my l ife,But never was damn’
d til l I met Wi’
your wife .
There is, however, an Engl ish original in blackletter(Roxburghe Collection), TheDevil and the Scold, fromwhichderives a later ballad, The Farmer
’
s Old Wife
There was an old farmer in Sussex did dwell,And h e had a bad wife as many know wel l ;Then Satan came to th e oldman at th e plough,One of your family I must have now,
’etc.
Th is, no doubt, was Burns’
s material .
THE SLAVE’
S LAMENT
No. 384 in Johnson (Vol . iv. Unsigned ; but thems. is in the Hastie Col lection .
Sharpe opines that Burn s took the idea of his versesfrom The Betrayed Maid
,
’
of which h e gives a transcriptfrom a
‘stal l copy.
’
It begins as fol lows
N O TE S
THE SONG OF DEATH
No. 385 in Johnson (Vol . iv. ‘Written for thiswork by Robert Burns.
’ Adapted to a Gael ic melody,Oran an Aoig, in Macdonal d’s Collection of Highland Airs .
I have j ust finished the fol lowingsong, which to a lady,the descendant of many heroes of her truly il lustriousl ine, and herself th e mother of several soldiers
,needs
neither preface nor apology (R. B . in Lochryan
Th is notwithstanding, Currie prefixed a kind of introduction, held hitherto to be Burns
’
s own . Not knowingthat th e song hati been publ ished in Johnson, he beganby writing thus to Mrs. Dunlop (Lochryan mss .) The
Song of Death, or as perhaps it shoul d be cal led, TheSong of the Dying, is superlative . It ranks with the
Address of Bruce to his troops, and with the first orderofproductions of human genius. We must make muchof it. A little prefatory explanation wil l heighten the
efl‘
ect Scene, a field of battle . Time of the day, evening. The sun sett ingin th e west. Th e wounded and the
dyingof the victorious army are supposed by the poet tojoin in the following subl ime Th is pleasinggloss we have taken leave to suppress .
A ms. is in the possession ofDr. JamesAdams, Glasgow,who published a facsimile in his Burns’s ChlorisIt agrees with the text in Johnson.
STANZA 1 . LINE 2 . Now gay with the hn’
ght settingsun,
’Currie . LINE 5. Grim KingofTerrors -The phrase ,
of course, is biblical . Stil l it is worth noting that Death istwice addressed as MightyKingof Terrors in The Desperate
Lover, a songby Thomas Flatman ( 1 637STANZA II . LINE 8. 0 who would not rest with the brave,’
Currie .
SWEET AFTON
No. 386 in Johnson (Vol .‘Written for th is
work by Robert Burns,’
and signed‘B
There has been no l ittle discussion as to the date,
"
the
N O TE S
heroine, and the scene . Currie in h is Th ird Editionrelates that ‘Afton water ’
was‘the stream on which
standsAfton Lodge , to which Mrs. Stewart removed fromStair.
’
It is probable that Mrs. Stewart hersel f was h isinformant, and it may wel l be that Burns sent her thesong. His brother G ilbert, in reply to George Thomson,
is positive that Currie was misinformed, and that Robert’
s
heroine was Mary Campbel l ; but Currie‘must not
b e contradicted .
’
He gives no reasons for h is faith ;but in 1 856 Chambers declares al l doubt to be set at
rest ‘ by a daughter of Mrs. Dunlop, who afl‘irms thatsh e remembers Burns say it was written upon th e
Coil sfield dairymaid .
’
He therefore infers that the
name “ Afton was adopted pro euphonics gratid, sug
gested to h im probably by the name of Afton Lodge,in the neighbourhood of Coil sfield.
’
Chambers knewnot that Afton Lodge was built as late as 1 790 but
,with
a view to maintain ing the association of Mary Campbel lwith the song, the theory has been started that th e nameAfton ’
was suggestedbyGlen Afton, near New Cumnock,and adopted
‘euphoniwgratid instead ofAyr.
’
There has
also been a verygreat waste of speculation as to whetherthe songwas written in 1 786 or at a later date ; but Chambers assign s it to 1 786, and Scott Douglas to 1 791 . We are
abl e to put a term to this ‘
pleasingstate of uncertainty.
’
F low Gently, Sweet Afton was sent to Mrs. Dunlop 5thFebruary 1 789 (Lochryan m s ), and in the enclosingletter Burns expl icitly declares that it was written for
Johnson ’
s Musical Museum,as a
‘compl iment
’
to the
smal l river Afton that flows into Nith, near New Cumnock
, which has some charming wild romantic sceneryon its banks
,
’
etc. It seems certain, therefore, that, notth e name Afton but
, the name Mary was introducedeuphoniee gratid, or at least that th e heroine—if heroinethere were—was another than Mary Campbel l . Al so, thesong was clearly suggested by one of David Garrick’
s,
to the Avon, which Burns saw in A Select Collection
SWEET
N OTE S
BONIE BELL
No. 387 in Johnson (Vol . iv.‘Written for th is
work by Robert Burns,’
and signed‘B .
’ Nothing isknown of the heroine . A ms. copy in th e hand of an
amanuensis is in the Hastie Col lection . Th e songis at
least reminiscent of Fergusson’
s favourite ditty, The
Th e smil ingmorn,the breathingspring
Invite th e tuneful birds to sing,And whi le they warbl e from each spray,
Love melts th e universal lay,’ etc.
of English Songs, London, 1 763 (see Vol . i. p.
41 7)Thou soft-flowingAvon,
by thy silver streamOf thingsmore than mortal sweet Shakespeare would dreamFlow on
,silver Avon, in songever fiow
,
’etc.
The copy at Lochryan—ms. (A) —gives some interesting
variations. Th e songis also inscribed in the Afton LodgeBook—ms. (B).
STANZA I. LINES 1 -2 in MS. (A ) read thusFlow gently, clear Afton amongthygreen braes ,Andgratey
'
ul,I
‘
11 singthee a songin thypraise .
’
Clear,’too—not sweet —is the epithet throughout.
STANZA II . LINE 2 . Ye blackbirds that sing in you wild
thorny den,’Ms. (A). 3. Thou green-crested play er thy
screamingforbear,’MSS. (A and B ).
STANZA v. LINE 4. As, gathering sweet flowerets, she
stems thypure wave,’MS. (A).
THE GALLANT WEAVER
No. 389 in Johnson (Vol . iv.‘Written for th is
work by Robert Burns,’
and signed‘ R.
’
Included inThomson (Vol . i. with the substitution of ‘
sailor ’
for‘weaver.
’
Supposed by some to refer to Armour’s visit to Paisley
N O T E S
It'
sfee na bountith can us twin
Gin ye can labour lea .
’
STANZA II. LINES 3-4 in the Hastie MS. read
But my del ight'
s the P loughman lad
That wel l can labour lea.
’
STANZA III. LINE 3. H ere makin of’is probably not to
be understood in the l iteral English sense, but : fondling or
petting.
’
Th e nine-pint bicker ’s fa
’n off the bink
,
And broken th e ten-pint cannie ;The wife and h er kimmers sat down to drink
,
But ne’er a drapgae the gude mannie .
O,canna ye labour lea, younglad,O, canna ye labour lea ?Indeed,” quo’ h e, “ my hand ’
s out,
And up h is graith packed h e .
’
But the fact is that the original, not merely of th isstan z a but , of the whole song, is preserved in The MerryMuses ; and no doubt ‘ honest Al lan
,
’ here as elsewhere,was what is cal l ed ‘
pul l ing a l eg.
’
Th e first stanz a and
th e chorus are wel l-nigh word for word from th e Merry
Muses set, which, however, may have been reto'
uchedbyBurns . Th e rest appears to b e h is own ; though inone of h is l etters he describes h is Stanz a III. as a
favourite song 0’
h is mither’s.
’
CHORUS. LINE 1 . Labour lea ’= plough pasture-land butthe phrase is used in an equivocal sense . 3
—4 in the Hastie MS.
read
THE DEUK’
S DANG O’
ER MY DADDIE
No. 396 in Johnson (Vol . iv. 1 792)‘Written for this
work byRobert Burns,’
and signed B .
’
Sharpe suppl ied to Stenhouse’
s Illustrations‘the
original words from a 4to MS. Col lection of Old Songs’
in h is possession
N O TE S
The bairns they a’
set up the cry“Th e deuks hae dungo
’ermy daddy.
That ’s nomuckle matter,” quo’ the gudewife,“For h e was but a daidlingbody.
”
The ms. is in the Hastie Col lection.
STANZA I. LINE 4.
‘ Paidlin —A weak action inwalking,an effect ofmuscularweakness.
STANZA II. LINE 5. Butteredmybrose —CfI the songForA
’
That in The Merry Muses -‘ Put butter in myDonald’
s
brose.
’
Also, in the same collection the old song, Brose and
O, gie my love brose , lasses,G ie my love brose and butter,’ etc.
STANZA II. LINE 7. But downa-do,’ etc.—This line is
found in She ’s [ 1 07/edMe Out of Lauderd
'
ale, a songpreservedin The Merry Muses.
SHE’
S FAIR AND FAUSE
No. 398 in Johnson (Vol . iv.
‘Written for thiswork by Robert Burns,
’
and signed‘ R.
’ Included inThomson (Vol . i .)The general al lusion is to the gi rl who Ji lted Alex
ander Cunningham (see Vol . i . p. 447, PrefatoryNote toAnna ; andVol . II . p. 371 , PrefatoryNote to ToA lexanderCunningham).Th e ms . is in the Hastie Coll ection.
THE DEIL’
S AWA WI’ TH’
EXCISEMAN
No. 399 in Johnson (Vol . iv.
‘Written for thiswork by Robert Burns.
’
A ms. corresponding with th e text is in ArbroathMuseum. A slightly different set was publ ished in th etract s ‘
printed for and sold by Stewart and Me ikle,’
and is included in Stewart’s Poems Ascribed, etc. (Glasgowand in Stewart’s Edition (Glasgow where
N O TE S
3 it is entitled SongWritten and Sungat a General Meeting
g“
the Excise Ofi cers in Scotland.
Gromek,who publ ish ed th e same set, says that
‘at a
meeting of h is brother Excisemen in Dumfries, Burns,beingcal led upon for a song, handed these verses extempore to the President, written on the back of a l etter.
’
Burns himsel f al so states that h e composed and sangitat an Excise dinner in Dumfries ; but Lockhart, on th e
authority of Joseph Train, aflirms that h e made it, 27thFebruary 1 792, whil e he was waiting for a party of
dragoons to help h im to board a smuggler, which hadrun aground in the Solway Firth .
In the Poetical Works of Thomas Whittell (a Northumbrian rhymer, who died at Cambo in Februaryedited byWil l iam Robson
,and printed fromWhittell
’
s
manuscript, Newcastle, 1 8 1 5, there is this songDid you not hear of a new found danceThat lately was devis’d on,
And how th e devil was tired outWith dancingwith an exciseman ?
He toes, h e trips, h e skips, h e l eaps,As if h e would bruise h is thighs, man ;
Sometimes the devil made th e better dance,And sometimes th e exciseman,
’
etc.
Some ofWhittel l ’s songs are said to have been popularin the country districts before their publ ication from
his manuscript, and it is possible that Burns got a copy
of this one during h is tour in Northumberland in 1 787.
A suggestion may al so have come to h im from the old
rhyme, Some Say the Deil’
s Dead, which in the Herdms.
ends thus‘And some say h e
’s risen, and ran
Awa wi’th e Highland laddie .
’
In Stewart, eta , STANZA II. We’11 mak our
forms th e chorus, the other chorus beinglacking.
STANZA I. LINES 3-4 in Stewart, eta , readAnd ilk aula
’wife ety’
a'auld Mahoun
We wish you luck 0'
the priz e , man.
’
N O TE S
A RED,RED ROSE
Her cheeks are l ike the RosesThat blossom fresh in June,
0,sh e
’s l ike a new-str ung instrument
That ’s newly put in tune .
’
No . 402 in Johnson (Vol . v. 1 796)‘Written for this work
by Robert Burns,’
and signed‘ R.
’
To the Preface toVol . v. Johnson added this note The songs in th e fourprecedingvolumes marked B R ! and Z
,and the authors’
names cannot be inserted in this Index, as the Editor doesnot know the name of those gentlemen who have favouredthe Publ ic and him with the ir Productions . There are a
number marked B and R,which the Editor is certain are
Burns’
s composition.
’
The meaning of this hopel esssentence seems to be that, Burns being dead , Johnsonwas unabl e to sign some songs, as h e didn ’t know whotheir authors were, but that as for those signed B and R,
h e was sure they belonged to Burns .
Had the poet l ived, this notable lyric would probablyhave been signed Z inasmuch as its every singlestanz a- exquisite exampl es ofh is art though al l four beis borrowed. Mr. Ebsworth (Roxburghe Ballads, V 1 ] . 369)has pointed out th e resemblance of the first to one in a
certain blackletter, The Wanton Wife of Castle Gate (Crawford
,Euing, and Roxburghe Col lections)
And Burns was largely indebted to a predecessor for eachof the other three . According to Buchan
,this was one
LieutenantHinches but the Buchan ism thus fathered isonlya sorry hash of some chap-book set . They al l derivefrom a blackl etter
,The Unkind Parents, or The Languish
ingLamentation of Two Loyal Lovers, of which there are
copies in the Osterly Park (British Museum) and
Pepys (Cambridge) Col lections, and which is of further
N O T E S
interest in connex ion with It Was A’
For
King, for which see post, p. 432
Now fare thee wel l my Dearest Dear,And fare thee wel l awhile
,
Altho’ I go I ’ll come againIf I go ten thousandmile,
Dear Love,
If I go ten thousand mil e.
‘Ten thousand mile is far, dear Love,For you to come to me
,
Yet I could ful l ten times more ,To have thy company,
’etc.
‘Altho’ I may in deserts range,My heart is l inked fast ;
Therefore my mind shal l never changeSo longas l ife does last,’ etc.
Mountains and rocks on wings shal l flyAnd roaringbill ows burn
Ere I wil l act disloyal lyThen wait for my return,
’etc.
Th is Unkind Parents is closely al l ied to another commonblackl etter, The Sailor
’
s Departure fromHis Dearest Love
(Crawford, Euing, Pepys, and Roxburghe Col lections), ofwh ich the burden is
Remember me on shore, as I thee on the mainSo keepmy love in store til l I return again
and of which here is a stanz a
The fish shal l seem to fly,
Th e birds to fishes turn ,
The sea be ever dryAnd fire surcease to burn.
Wh en I turn false to theeShal l these things come to pass ;
But that wil l never beNor yet so ever was.
N O TE S
Setting aside the Buchan rubbish,we have found three
several derivatives, and’
tis possible that Burns knew themal l . Two are in th e Motherwel l Col lection of chap-books.
One is the first of Six Excel lentNew Songs,’ formingThe
Hornfair Garland, undated, but probably before 1 780.
[The chap itsel f is of especial interest from th e fact that,in ink now verymuch faded and in a boyish hand, thereis written at the beginn ing, Robine Burnes aught thisbuik and no other,
’ while at th e end there is th e signature—now almost obl iterated RobertBurnes but it isimpossib le now to determine that e ither inscription isauthentic.
—It is entitl ed The Loyal Lover’
s Faithful
Promise to his Sweetheart at his goinga longJourney
Altho’ I go a thousandmilesI vow thy face to see,
Altho’ I go ten thousandmilesI’11 come again to thee, dear Love,
I’l l come again to thee.
“The crow that is so black, dear Love ,Shall change h is collourWh ite ;
Before I do prove false to theeTh e Day shal l turn to Night, dear Love,
The Day shal l turn to Night.
The Day shal l turn to Night, dear Love,And the Rocks melt with th e Sun,
Before that I prove false to thee,Before my Life be gone, dear Love,
Before my Life be gone.
’
The oth er Motherwel l is No. 1 1 1 . of Six Excellent
New Songs, and is cal led The YoungMan’
s Farewell to
His Love. It begins somewhat after the manner of theBuchan corruption
Farewel, my dearest Dear,No longer can I stay ;
For when the Drums and trumpets soundThen we mustmarch away, my dear,
Then we mustmarch away.
’
N OTE S
And if I prove false to thee, my Dear,Th e Rocks shal l melt in the Sun
,
And th e Fire shal l freez e l ike Ice,Love,
And the Sea shall rage and burn .
’
It is a poor th ing enough b ut it helps to show that, inone form or another, th e idea of Burns
’
s songwas in the
air longbefore Burns’
s songwas written .
AS I STOOD BY YON ROOFLESS TOWER
No. 405 in Johnson (Vol . v.
‘Recitative Writtenby Robert Burns signed
‘B.
’
Th e ms. is in th e HastieCol lection.
Currie printed a slightly different set of this ‘noble
bal lad ’
(Scott Douglas) as The Vision. We are indebtedtoMr. W. R. Smith
,Cincinnati
,U. S.A. for a fragment,
in photography e ither an early sketch, or the ol d fragment itsel f which suggested Burns
’
s chorus. Th e roofl ess tower ’
was part of th e ruins of Lincluden Abbey,situate at th e j unction of the Cluden with the Nith .
See Vol . ii . p. 458, PrefatoryNote to Epitaph On Griz z elGrimme.
The CHORUS in the MS. fragment reads thusA lassie by her lane, w ith a sigh and a grane,
Lamen tea’ the lads beyond the sea ;In the bluidywars they ta
'
, and the w ives are widows
Ana’maidens we may l ive and die .
‘
STANZA III. in Currie readsThe stream adown its haz elly pathWas rushingby th e rain
’d wa'
s
Toj oin yon river on the S trath ,
Whase distant roaringswel ls andj a s.
Instead ofStanz a V . , these two appear in CurrieBy heea
’less chance I turned my eyes,
And,by the moonheam, shooh to see
A stem and stalwartghaist ar ise,
A ttir’
a'
as Minstrels wont to he.
N O T E S
Had I statue been 0'
stane
H is dar ing [ooh had daunted me
And on h is bonnetgrav'
d waspla in ,
The sacredposy Libertie .
”
0,AN YE WERE DEAD
,GUIDMAN
No. 409 in Johnson (Vol . v. 1 796) Unsigned. The ms. is
in th e Hastie Col l ection .
Revised and shortened (by two stanz as) from th e old
set in Herd . As regards this original —Burns’
s chorusdiffers very sl ightly ; h is first stanz a is almost identicalh is second differs considerably only h is third is new.
Sharpe gives a traditional ending,’ vaguely said to be
‘ from recitationThen round about the fire wi’ a rungsh e ran,
Then round about th e fire wi’ a rungsh e ran,Then round about th e fire wi’ a rungshe ran
,
Saying Haud awa your blue breeks frae me, gudeman .
But the true prototype is no doubt the lost songparodiedin one of the Gude and Godly Ba lats
Till our gudeman,til l our gudeman,
Keepfaith and love til l our gudemanFor our gudeman in Heven does reigneIn gloir and bl iss without ending,
’
etc.
STANZA u . LINES 3—4 in the MS . readYour horns may be a quarter long,
I wat they'
re bravely sprung,gudeman .
’
AULD LANG SYNE
No. 41 3 in Johnson (Vol . v. signed‘ Z.
’
In
cluded in Thomson (Vol . from a ms . in th e Editor’s
posse ssion .
Sent toMrs. Dunlop, 1 7th December 1 788 zis not the Scotch phrase Auld Langsyne exceedinglyexpressive ? There is an old song and tune which hasoften thril led through my soul
,
’
etc. To Thomson hewrote One songmore and I have done Auld Lang
N O T E S
Syne. The air is but mediocre but the fol lowingsong—the old song of th e olden times
,and which has never
been in print, nor even in manuscript, until I took itdown from an old man
’
s singing, is enough to recom
mend any air.
’
Thomson in Scottish Airs expressedth e Opinion that Burns thus wrote
‘mere ly in a playfulhumour.
’
It may also be that the story was a deviceto make sure that h e (Thomson) would accept a piecewhich th e writer was far too modest to describe as h is
own improvement on the earl ier sets,th e one publ ished
inWatson the other credited to Al l an Ramsay.
But,after al l
,it is by no means impossible that he real ly
got the germ of h is set as h e says h e did. The oldest, asgiven inWatson
,is in two parts
Shoul d old acquaintance be forgotAnd never thought upon,
Th e Flames ofLove extinguishedAnd freely past and gone ?
Is thy kind Heart now grown so coldIn that LovingBreast of thine
That thou can’st never once reflect
On Ol d-long-syne? ’ etc.
It is usual ly attributed to Francis Sempil l but the
broadside from wh ich Watson got it, and of whichthere is a copy (probably unique) in th e LaingCol lectionat Dalmeny, is headed thus : ‘An Excel lent and propernew bal lad, entitled Old Long Sync. Newly correctedand amended
,with a large and new edition of several
excel lent love l ines.
’
Th e title is important, as indicatingthe existence of an older set and that Burns e itherknew th e set
,or had seen this said broadside, is cl ear
,
since, instead of the mere refrain of old long-syne ,’
as
in Watson, it has th is burdenOn old longsyne,
011 old longsyne, my jo,On old longsyne
That thou canst never once reflectOn old longsyne .
’
AULDLANG
SYNE
N O TE S
was known to George Lockhart (1 673 and was
publ ished in The Lockhart Papers Th ere is,besides, a Jacobite ballad on similar l ines (and sl ightlyBacchanal ian, l ike th e Burns set), in The True Loyalist
(1 779)Should old gay mirth and cheerfulnessBe dashed for evermore etc.
Scott Douglas mentions a parody by BurnsShould aul d acquaintance b e forgotAnd never thought upon ?
Let ’s has a waught o’MalagaFor auld langsyne.
’
In the Thomson version—ms. at Brechin Castl eStanza II. of our text, and Johnson
’
s,comes last.
CHORUS. LINE 1 . Thomson inserted myj o for mydear.
’
3. A cup’:—Some sing ‘ hiss in place of cup (Note in
Johnson, probably by R.
STANZA 1 . LINE 4. And days 0’langsyne ,
’Thomson MS.
STANZA V . LINE 3. Guid-willie waught’
:—There has beensome unnecessary discussion as to the meaning of this phrase .
It is of course analogous to that of ‘cup of kindness ’
in the
Chorus. The accent of the later andmore popular tune (whichis byShield), is probably responsible for a common (but fatuous)reading A richt, guid willie-waught.
’
LOUIS,WHAT RECK I BY THEE
No. 41 4 in Johnson (Vol . v.‘Written for this
work by Robert Burns,’
and signed R.
’
Probablymade soon after his marriage, and certainlybefore the Revolution of 1 795.
HAD I THE WYTE ?
No. 41 5 in Johnson (Vol . v. 1 796) Signed ‘ Z.
’
The ms.
is in the Hastie Collection .
The air,which in Oswald’s Pocket Oompanion is de
scribed as Had I the Wyte, She Bad Me, was first known ,
N O T E S
as Come Kiss with Me, Come Clap with Me. Burns’
s
original was certainly a fragment in th e Herd MS.
Had I th e wyte ? had I th e wyte ?Had I th e wyte ? sh e badme
And ay sh e gae me cheese and breadTo kiss me when she hadme .
For sh e was stewart in th e house,And I was footman ladie
And ay sh e gave me cheese and breadTo kiss me when sh e hadme .
’
Another set in The Merry Muses is described by ScottDouglas, in a MS. note
,
‘as old
,with retouches (i c. by
Burns). But Scott Douglas was guided by probabilitiesalone and the MerryMuses set is so completely finishedand so ful l of circumstance as to read l ike a derivativefrom this same fragment . Thus it runs
‘Had I th e wyte ? Had I the wyte ?Had I th e wyte ? She hadme
,
For sh e was stewart in the house,And I was fitman laddie
An’ when I wadna do ’
t againA silly cow sh e ca
’
d me,’etc.
Th e inference, in fact, is irresistible : that th e fragmentin th e Herd ms. suggested two songs to Burns : one for
publication, the other—not.
STANZA IV . LINE 8.
‘Wanton Willie ’:—Hami1ton of Gil
bertfie ld sometimes so signed himself ; but there is a certain‘WantonWillie ’
referred to in the Poems of Alexander TaitAs Tait made both Burns and Sil lar subjects of h is
satire, it may b e that Burns here refers to the same ‘Willie,’
whoever he may have been.
COMIN THRO’
THE RYE
No; 41 7‘
in Johnson (Vol . v.
‘Written for th iswork by Robert Burns,
’
and signed ‘B.
’
It is also
marked first sett ’
a‘second sett ’
(anonymous ; at
N O TE S
comm parody of the first) beinggiven on the oth er side of th eTnno
’
rnn leaf.RYE A song in a London pantomime—th e music adapted
‘ by J. Sanderson, the words byMr. Cross —entered inStationers’ Hal l, 29th June 1 796, begins thus
If a bodymeet a bodyGoingto the fare ;
If a body kiss a bodyNeed a body care.
’
In Notes and Queries, 5th Series, Vol . v . , p. 1 1 6, Chappel l
holds this to be th e original of th e Burns. But Burnsdied some three weeks after the pantomime verses wereentered ’
so that, for one thing, h e could not possiblyhave known them, and for another, if Chappell
’
s argument held good, Johnson, in ascribing th e Museum set
to Burns,woul d have grossly swindled h is patrons at the
same time that h e seriouslywronged his poet. Also diversfragments—not producible in this place—e xist in Burn s’shandwr iting; and a set says Scott Douglas, no
doubt without direct evidence, in a MS. note, ‘ withBurns
’
s revision -is preserved in The Merr Muses.
Th e set in the Museum only differs from it in t e changeof a word here and there, th e suppression of certainstanz as, and the substitution of a chorus which can be
sungin drawing-rooms for a chorus which cannot. Stenhouse notes that the ‘ first sett ’
was publ ished as a‘single
sheet song before it was copied into th e Museum’
; but
gives, as is his wont, no further details. In any case,
00min thro’
the Rye is related to a song, The Bob-tail
’
a
Lass, privately printed in Ane P leasant Garland of Sweet
scented F lowers ( 1 835)—for a copy of the book we are
indebted to Dr. Furnival l, London—from a ms. in the
Advocates’ Library, Edinburgh . It is there included inA Coll ection of Poems chieflymade in th e earl ier part
of the last Century, found among the papers of Murrayof Stanhope in Heriot’s Hospital .
’
Here are two
stanz as
N O TE S
CHARLIE,HE
’
S MY DARLING
No. 428 in Johnson (Vol . v. 1 796) Unsigned. The ms
a superb example, is in the Hastie Col l ection.
The song was probably suggested by some Jacobitefragment. There is another set by LadyNairne .
STANZA I II. In th e bal lad of Burd E l len there is a similarstanz a
For al l the difference in sentiment and style, the
thought may very wel l have been suggested by a fragment in the Herd ms
0 when I look east my heart is sair,But when I look west it ’s mair andmair ;For then I see the braes ofYarrow,And there I lost for ay my marrow.
’
WANTONNESS FOR EVERMAIR
No. 422 in Johnson : Unsigned.
The title is quoted in the Answers to Scotch P resbyterianEloquence Displayed but we have found no other set
than that in theMuseum. For th e rest, th e triol et is notuncommon in old Scots verse and Wantonness For Ever
mair, as passed through Burns, has an odd look of a
triol et—once upon a time—which has been viol entlycarried away from the grace of its first state by a ravisherwho knew nothingof the form.
When he cam'
to the porter'
s yettHe tirled at the pin
And wha sae ready as the bauld porterTo open and let him in P
'
But these versions were taken down from recitation after th epublication of the song and the stanz a does not appear in the
original Ch ilde Waters. LINE 2 . Tirl’d at the pin
’
sounded the rasping-pin,’ which was a notched rod of iron,
with a ringattached.
N OTE S
THE LASS O’
ECCLEFECHAN
No. 430 in Johnson (Vol . v. 1 796) Unsigned . Th e ms.
is in the Hastie Col lection.
Duringthe Poet’
s first visit to Annandale,’
says Cun
ningham (informed, it may b e, merely by h is beautifulimagin ation),
‘an old songcal led The Lass of Ecclefechan
was sungto h im,with which h e was so amused that h e
noted it down,and
,at a l eisure moment, rendered the
language more del icate and the sentiments less warm,
and sent it to The Musical Museum.
’
In effect, a capitalset is preserved in TheMerryMuses ; and if Burns got itas Cunningham says h e did, which is hard to bel ievethen only the last five lines of Stanz a I . in the textbelongto h im.
As for Ecclefechau— the Entepfuh l of Sartor Resartus—Burns
,in the course of h is ‘ duty as supervisor,
’
was
accustomed to ‘visit this unfortunate wicked l ittle vil lage,’
and slept in it on 7th February 1 795 (R. B . to Thomson),about two months after the b irth ofThomas Carlyle . Itwas long a favourite resort of such vagabonds as are
pictured in The Jol ly Beggars which may—or may not
account in some measure for Carlyle’
s affection for thatadmirabl e piece . Thus
,in The Trogger, a bal lad in The
Merry Muses, which may very wel l be from Burns, thehero and heroine, the ir business done, proceed to
Tak th e gate,An
’in by Eccl efechan,
WVh ere th e brandy stoup we gart it cl ink,An
’the strongbeer ream the quaich in.
’
STANZA 1 . LINE 4. Quarter basin —For holdingmeal. C] :the song, Woo
’d andMarried and A Ye
’11 hae l ittle to put
in the bassie .
’6.
‘A heich house and a laich ane a housewith a porch, or it may b e pantry, attached . C] : the old
songHe keepit ay a gude kale-yaird,A ha
' house and a pantry.
’
N O T E S
FOR THE SAKE O’
SOMEBODY
No. 436 in Johnson (Vol . v.
‘Written for th iswork byRobert Burn s,
’
and signed‘ B .
’
The ms. is in
the Hastie Coll ection .
It is evident that the idea of this charminglyr ic came
to Burns through Al lan Ramsay and The Tea-Table
STANZA I I. LINE 1 . Lucky Lang’:—For Lucky,’ see
Vol . ii. p. 364, Note to ToMaj or Logan , Stanz a XIII. Line 3.
5. I tint my whistle and my sang z—CfI I Rede You B eware,em , Stanz a II . Lines 3-4
Tho'
music be pleasure , inmusic take measure,Or ye maywant wind in your wh istle , youngman
’
in The MerryMuses .
THE COOPER O’
CUDDY
No. 431 in John son (Vol . v. Unsigned. In the
MS. (Hastie Col lection) Bur ns directs it to be sungto the
tune,Bab at the Bowster, which h e states ‘ is to b e met
with everywhere .
’
A set, with some few differences, called Caddy the
Cooper, is in The Merry Muses .
For the sake o’
Somebody,
For the sake o’Somebody,
I could wake a winter nightFor th e sake o
’Somebody.
’
This set is probably related to an Engl ish blacklettermentioned by Ritson in h is Scottish Songs (1 794)
0,when shal l I be marriedHogh, be marri ed
My beauty begins to decay,
’Tis time to find out somebodyHogh, somebody
B efore it is quite gone away
which is also th e original of My Father has Forty Good
N O T E S
Vol. -II. p. I ), Lyart leaves,’ where lyart clearly=
‘old,
’
‘faded,’or withered.
’Cf. , too, Lyart Time,’ in Fergusson
’s
Ode to the Bee.
THREE TRUE GUID FELLOWS
No. 442 in Johnson (Vol . v. Unsigned.
The tune with this titl e formingthe chorus is in Mac
gibbon’
s -F irstCollection QfScots Tunes . The stan z a fol lowingwas, says Stenhouse, hastily penned byBurns at th erequest of the publ isher,
’
to enable h im to include it.
STANZA II. LINE 2 .
‘But or night tofain,’ misprint in
Johnson.
SAE FLAXEN WERE HER RINGLETS
No. 447 in Johnson (Vol . v.
‘Written for thiswork byRobert Burns,
’
and signed‘B .
’ Included al so inThomson, Vol . iv.
‘Do you know,my dear sir, a blackguard Irish
song cal led Oonagh’
s Waterfall ? Our friend Cunningham sings it delightful ly. The air is charming,and I have often regretted the want of decent verses toit. It is too much, at least for my humbl e , rustic muse,to expect that every effort of hers must have merit ; stillI think that it is better to have mediocre verses to a
favourite air,than none at all . On this principle I have
al l alongproceeded in the Scots Musical Museum ; and,as that publ ication is at its last volume, I intend thefollowing song, to th e air above-mentioned, for thatwork ’
(R. B. to Thomson, September In effect,even to the use of a refrain
,the stanz a of She Says She
Loes Me—at first glance remin iscent of The Cherry and
the Slae—is exactlymodel led on that of Oonagh’
s Water
Sweet Oonagh was the tightest,Genteel est of the vil lage dames
Her eyes they were th e brightestThat e ’er set youthful hearts in flames.
N O TE S
Her lover, to move h er,By every art in vain assayed
In ditty, for pity,Thi s lovely maid, h e often prayed,
But she, perverse, his suit deniedSly Darby, beingenraged at this,
Resolv'
d, when next theymet, to seiz eThe lock,
’etc.
Thomson decided to accept the song. For Ch loris,see past, p. 482, Prefatory Note to Lassie Wi
’
the I/ lut
white Locks. The copy sent to Johnson—ms. (B)—is inthe Hastie Col lection, and that sent to Thomson
ms. (A)—at Brechin Castle .
STANZA I. LINE 4. Twa laughing een o’lovely blue,
’
MS. (A). 1 0. When first her bonie face I saw,
’MS. (B).
STANZA II. LINES 9-1 2 were inscribed on a window-pane ofthe Globe tavern, Dumfries, now in the possession ofMr.WilliamNe lson, Edinburgh. I I .
‘And still my Chloris’ dearest charm,
’
Ms. (A)‘But
’for And,
’Globe inscription.
THE LASS THAT MADE THE BED
No. 448 in Johnson (Vol . v. Written for thiswork by Robert Burns .
’
The Bonie Lass made the Bed toMe was composed on
an amour of Charles II. when skul king in the Northabout Aberdeen, in the time of th e Usurpation . He
formed une petite afi aire with a daughter of the House ofPort Letham,
who was the lass thatmade the bed to h im.
’
‘Two verses of it ’—adds e itherBurns orCromek are
‘I kiss
’d her l ips sae rosy red,
Whi le th e tear stood bl inken in her c’c.
I said My lassie dinna cry,For ye ay shal l mak th e bed to me.
Sh e took h ermither’s winding sheet,And o
’t she made a sark to me
Blythe andmerrymay she b e,
The lass thatmade the b ed to me.
’
N O T E S
The set referred to is that in Wit and Mirth, 1 700; butStenhouse quotes two stanz as of another of wh ich—hesays—it is a corruption
‘There was a lass dwelt in the north,A bonie lass of high degree
There was a lass whose name was Nel l ,
A blyther lass you ne’er did see .
0,th e b ed tome
,th e b ed tome,
The lass that made th e bed tome,
Blythe and bonie and fair was sh e,The lass thatmade th e bed to me .
’
Not content with e ither Cromek [er Burns] or Stenhouse,Peter Buchan is (as ever) to the fore, in Motherwell
’
s
Edition, with a version described as th e original song,wh ich I am proud of beingabl e to submit to the readersof Burns
The night it was baith caul d and wet,As I was comingowre th e l ea,When there I met wi
’a bonie younglass,
Who said she ’dmake up a bed forme.
O th e bed forme, O th e bed for me,
The lass thatmade th e bed tome,I might hae l ien upo
’th e lea
Gin the bonie lassie hadna made a bed forme.
’
But in any case the oldest printed set is an un ique blackletter in the Pepys Col lection entitled Cumberland Nelly,
or the North Count ry Lovers‘There was a Lass in Cumberland,A bonny Lass ofhigh degree ;
There was a Lass, h er name was Nel l ,
Th e bl ithest Lass that ere you see .
Oh to bed to me, to bed tome,The lass that comes to bed to me
How bl ith and bonnymay she b e,
Th e lass that comes to b ed with me,’etc.
It is to the tun e of The Lass that Made the Bed toMe,so that there was probably an earlier bal lad, e ither a
playhouse ditty, as Mr. Ebsworth supposes (RoxburgheBallads
,vii. or an older folk-song.
N O TE S
SAE FAR AWA
No. 449 in Johnson (Vol . v.
‘Written for th iswork byRobert Burn s,
’
and signed‘B .
’
The ms. is in
the Hastie Col lection.
THE REEL O’
STUMPIE
No. 457 in Johnson (Vol . v. Unsigned.
A set of the old song, The Reel of Stumpie, described(ScottDouglas, in MS. ) as
‘Old—with revision,
’
is preservedin The MerryMuses. The fragment in Johnson is simplythe first stanz a and the chorus of that set transposed.
It is like enough that Scott Douglas, as usual,did but
mean to express an Opinion ; and it is certain that,in
a Note to This Is NoMy A in House (Interleaved Copy),Burns quotes this as old
“This is no my ain wean,My ain wean, my ain wean,This is nomy ain wean,I ken by th e greetie o
’t.
I’ll tak the curch ie aft my head,
Affmy head, affmy head,I’ll tak th e curch ie affmy head,And row
’t aboot th e feetie o’t.’
But h is exact share in The Reel of Stumpie—which, as
printed in The Merry Muses,is three stanz as long—is not
now to be determined. For the rest, th e ‘Reel ofStumpie’
is,l ike the Bob of Dumblane and th e
‘Reel ofBogie,’
a piece of Scots venereal slang.
Chambers (Scottish Songs, 1 829) and, fol lowing h im,
Scott Douglas Kilmarnock’
Burns , ii. 24) credit a set
toWil l iam CreechWap and rowe
,wap and rowe,
Wap and rowe the feetie o’tTo nurse a.wean ’
s a weary jobI douna bide the greetie o’t. ’
N OTE S
But there is no evidence that Creech acknowledged it, THE REELand it is not incl uded in h is Fugitive P ieces O
’
STUMPIE
Hogg(b. 1 770) asserts,without any reference to Creech,
that a simil ar set was an old Border song, wh ich he hadknown al l h is l ife long. Hogg
’
s set difi'
ers but a verylittle from a
‘New Song in a chap, published by‘J. Morren
,Edinburgh, 1 799We
’11 hap and rowe
,hap and rowe,
Hap and rowe the feetie o’t.It
’s a wee bit weary thingI downa bide th e greetie o’t. ’
And the Chambers and Scott Douglas set—whetherCreech
’
s or not —is later than this,and is corrupted from
it. It is to note that the equivocal phrase occurs innone of th e three .
STANZA I I. LINE 2 .
‘Made mantie ’- ‘Manty
’
(from Fr.
mantean ) is Scots for a gown, and ‘Mantymaker’Scots for
dressmaker. This seems to b e the meaninghere, unless theword be re lated to mantic =prophetic), and the meaningbethat she told fortunes.
I’
LL AY CA’
IN BY YON TOWN
No. 458 in Johnson (Vol . v. 1 796) Unsigned. The MS.
is in th e Hastie Col lection .
‘This tune is evidently th e old air We’
l l Gang Nae
Mair to Yon Town, and I suspect is not th e best set ofthe air but in Bowes and other col lections th e old tuneis to be found
, and you can correct this by these othercopies
’
(R. B . to Johnson in the Hastie ms ). The old
bal lad,accordingto Stenhouse, begins
I’l l gangnae mair to yon town,
0,never a’my l ife again ;
I’ll ne
’
er gae back to yon townTo seek anither wife again.
’
‘Town ’
in Scots is commonly applied to a set of farmbuildings .
N O TE S
0,WAT YE WHA ’
S IN YON TOWN
ALTERNATIVE verses to No. 458 in Johnson (Vol . v. 1 7
to the tune We’
ll GangNae Mair to Yon Town : Writtenfor th is work byRobertBurns,
’
and signed‘B .
’ Includedin Thomson
’
s Scottish Airs, Vol . ii.Begun at Ecclefechan , where Burns was storm-stayed,
7th February 1 795.
‘Do you know an air— I am sure
you must know it We’
ll GangNae Mair to Yon Town.
I think, in slowish time, it would make an excel lentsong. I am highly del ighted with it and if you shouldthink it worthy of your attention, I have a fair dame inmy eye to whom I would consecrate it ; try with thisdoggrel until I give you a better.
’
The‘ doggrel,
’
of
which th e original copy—ms. (A) -(written when the
Bard,as h e states
,and as th e ms. bears witness
,was
‘ very drunk,’ ‘
at’
Thomson’
s‘service is at Brechin
Castle, consists in th e chorus and one stanz a ; but some
time afterwards Burns produced a complete copy—ms. (B)—also at Brechin Castle. Another copy—MS. (C) —sent toMaria Riddel l
,is in the possess ion ofDr. De NoeWalker.
The songwas first published in The Glasgow Magaz ine for
September 1 795 and it appeared in th e Poetry Original
and Select of Brash and Reid, probably before its publ i
cation in either Johnson or Thomson, the second volume,in wh ich it was included, beingpubl ished in March 1 797,several months after the appearance of the single chap.
A similar set appeared in The Scots Magaz ine for February1 798 in the Stewart and Meikle Tracts and in an
undated Stirl ingchap along with a Solemn Dirge on the
Death of Robert Burns .
In th e set sent to Johnson,Jeanie— e ither Jean
Armour or Jean Lorimer—is the heroine . In that sent toThomson, the name is Lucy ; and Burns, enclosing a
copy to Syme in an undated l etter, explains its history :‘Do you know that amongmuch that I admire in th e
N O TE S
0,WAT YE Johnson, Glasgow Magaz ine, Brash and Reid, etc. 3-4. Cf.
WHA’
8 IN the duet in The Beggars’
Opera :
YON TOWN Were I laid on Greenland's coast,And in my arms embraced my lass.
’
STANZA V . LINE 4. That I wad [or would’
] tend and
she lter there ,’ Glasgow Magaz ine, Brash and Reid, etc.STANZA V I. LINES 2 -
4 in The Glasgow Magaz ine, Brash and
Reid, etc. , readTh e sinkin sun
'
sgaun [or‘
gaen’
] down upon,The dearest ma id
'
s in yon townH is settingbeam e
’
er shone upon.
’
STANZA V II. LINE I.‘ If angry fate is sworn my foe,
’al l
authorities except The Glasgow Maga z ine, Brash and Reid, etc.similarly in 3, ‘ I careless quit aught else below.
’
4.
‘But
spare me, spare me, Jeany [or Lucy] dear,’Mss. (B and C),
Johnson, and Thomson, my’for me,
’Brash and Reid .
STANZA VIII. LINE I . But while l ife ’s dearest blood runswarm,
’Glasgow Magaz ine, Brash and Reid, etc. 2 .
‘Mythought from her shall ne ’er depart,
’Brash and Reid, etc.
3. For as most lovely is her form,
’Glasgow Magaz ine, etc.
WHEREFORE SIGHING ART THOU,PHILLIS ?
No. 460 in Johnson (Vol . V. 1 796) Unsigned . Set to
The B lue Bonnets.
Suggested no doubt by the old Engl ish song in Ram
say’
s Tea-Table Miscel lany beginningDo not askme, charmingPhil l is,Why I l ead you here alone,
By this bank of pinks and l il l iesAnd of roses newly blown.
’
Burns also sent, as alternative verses to the same tune ,a song beginn ing Powers Celestial, which, being an in
vocation for protection to Mary,’
was longregarded as a
sort of compan ion piece to Thou Ling’
ring Star (p.
His MS. is in the Hastie Col lection but he merely copiedthe rubbish from The Edinburgh Magaz ine
N O TE S
0 MAY, THY MORN
No. 464 in Johnson (Vol . v.
‘Written for th iswork byRobert Burns,
’
and signed B .
’
Supposed to commemorate th e partingwith Clarinda,6th December 1 791 .
Th e ms. is in the Hastie Col lection.
AS I CAME O’
ER THE CAIRNEY MOUNT
No. 467 in Johnson (Vol . v. Signed‘ Z.
’
The first two lines of Stanz a I . , together with Lines 1 ,2, and 4 of theChorus, are part of an old songsequesteredin The MerryMuses. A broadside in the LaingColleetion at Dalmeny, entitl ed
,
‘The New Way of the BonyHighland Laddie
, to its own proper tune,’
has th ischorus
‘O my bony, bony Highl and Laddie,O my bony Highland Laddie,Wh en I am sick and l ike to die,Thou ’
lt row me in thy Highland plaidie .
’
A Jacobite Highland Laddie in The True Loyalist (1 779)begins thus
Prince Charles is come o’er from France,In Scotland to proclaim h is dadi e
May th e h eav’ns power preserve and keep
That worthy P—ce in’s highl and plaidie
O my bonny, bonny highland laddieMy handsome, charminghighland laddieMay h eav
’n reward, and h im stil l guard
When surrounded with foe s in ’s highland plaidie I
’
This last chorus is almost identical with that ofRamsay’
s
Highland Laddie. See also Prefatory Note to the nextnumber in our text (p.
N O TE S
HIGHLAND LADDIE
No. 468 in Johnson (Vol . v. Unsigned. The MS .
is in the Hastie Col lection.
This is chiefly an abridgment of th e Jacobite ditty,The Highland Lad and the Highland Lass, publ ished in ACollection of Loyal Songs (1 750) and The True Loya list
( 1 77 Th e refrain is old Stanz a I . is Burns Stanz a II.is substantial ly Stanz a I . of the older set ; whil e Stanz aI II. is composed of the first halves of the older Stanzas VIII .and Ix.
WILT THOU BE MY DEARIE ?
No. 470 in Johnson (Vol . v.
‘Written for th iswork by Robert Burns,
’
and signed ‘ B .
’
Published inThe MorningChronicle, l 0th May 1 794, with an editorialnote —‘The fol lowingmorsel is so exquisitely s impl e andtender
,that it places an additional feather in the ful l
plumed bonnet of its author.
’
The MS. sent to Johnsonis in th e Hastie Col lection.
In a ms. sent to Maria Riddel l Jeanie Is substitutedfor ‘ lassie.
’
In View of the fact that Burns sent the songto Captain Mil ler
’
s journal, this change confirms the
statement that Wi lt Thou be My Dearie was made inhonour of Miss Janet Mil ler of Dalswinton . An additional stanz a (probably th e work of Hamilton
,who
supplemented Of A’
the Airts) has found its way intoprint
Fl ower of beauties, hear me,
And dinna treatme with disdainA
’the il ls I fearna’,Gin thou wad only smil e on him,
Would part Wi’ l ife to please thee .
Of Joys on earth I ’d ask nae mair
If thou wilt b e my dearie .
’
N O TE S
BANNOCKS O’
BEAR MEAL
No. 475 in Johnson (Vol . v. Unsigned. The MS.
is in the Hastie Col lection.
No doubt suggested by a songon the Duke ofArgyl l(the great Duke born 1 678, died entitled TheHighlandman Speaking of His Maggy and the Bannocks ofBarleyMeal
‘My name is Argyle, youmay think it strangeTo l eave at th e court, yet never to change ;For falsehood and bribery I always disdain,
In my secret thoughts no deceits e’er remain.
O my K ingand country’s foes I have fac’dIn battl e and place never them disgrac’dorI
’d hold any place ’
gain stmy country’s wil l ,I’d live upon bannocks of barley meal .’
Th is version, set forth in one of Five Excel lent NewSongs in an old chap, difi
'
ers sl ightly from the set in
Herd, wh ich is entitled Bannocks of Barley-meal. A
Jacob ite song in Hogg’
s Relics (said, on no evidence, tohave been written byLord Newbattle, cal led Cakes0’
Croudy, has th e refrain‘Bannocks 0
’
Bear Meal, Cakes
0’
Croudie. And the fol lowingrhyme is in theHerdmsMass DavidWill iamson
,
Chosen of twenty,
Gae’d up to th e pulpitAnd sangKi l liecran kie.
Saw ye e’er, heard ye e’er
Sickan a soudie ?
Bannocks o’ bear meal ,
Cakes 0’Croudie
WAE IS MY HEART
No. 476 in Johnson (Vol . v. Unsigned. The ms.
is in the Hastie Col lection.
The last stanz a is closely imitated (and degraded) fromthe last of LadyGriz z el Bail ie
’
s Were Na MyHeart I/ icht
I Wad Die.
N O T E S
STANZA 1 . LINE 2 . Lang, lang has j oy be en a stranger tome,
’Scott Douglas.
STANZA III. LINE 4. Wha wad soon dry the tear-drop thatclings tomy e
’e,
’Scott Douglas.
HERE’
S HIS HEALTH IN WATER
No. 480 in Johnson (Vol . v. Signed‘ Z .
’
The
MS. (with th e music) is in th e Hastie Col lection .
A set,with a second stanz a
,is included in The Merry
Muses. Burns’
s first line is l ift ed from Lewis Gordon :
To a Scots critic, the pathos of the l ine :
Tho’his back be at the wa’
must be very striking’
(R. Bl on Lewis Gordon in the
Interleaved Copy). The expression occurs, however, ina Songon the B irthdayof KingJames the VIII. l oth June1 709 (printed from Robt. Mylne
’
s MS. in Roxburghe
Ballads, ed. Ebsworth, viii. 225)Al tho’ h is back be at the wa’,\Ve
’l l drink h is health that ’8 far awa .
’
A Jacobite ditty, real or sham,with the same title begins
thus‘Al tho’ h is back be at the wa’Another was th e fautor
Altho’ h is back he at the wa’,Yet here ’
s h is health in waterHe gat the Skaith, h e gat the scorn,I lo
’e h im yet the better
Tho’in the Inuir I hide forlorn,
I’11 drink his health in water.
’
But plainly Burns knew not of this when he wrotenote on Lewie Gordon.
THE WINTER OF LIFE
No. 486 in Johnson (Vol v.
‘Written for th iswork by Robert Burns
’
signed‘ B .
’
Burns’
s MS. sent
to Johnson is in the Hastie Col lection. He sent a copy
N O TE S
Th e tail or came to clout th e claes,
Sic a braw fellow ;He fil l
’d the house a’ fou of fl eas
Daf‘
fin down, and dafi
‘in downHe fill
’d th e house a’ ton of fleas
Daffin down and di lly
to Thomson,1 9th October, under the title of The Old
Man. Th is MS,wh ich is at Brechin Castle, corresponds
with that in the Hastie Col lection. The songis includedin Thomson (Vol . iii. )Doubtless suggested bya songwith the same titl e wh ich
we have found in The Goldfinch, Edinburgh 1 777
In Spring, my dear Shepherds, your gardens are gay,They breathe al l their sweets in the sunshine ofMay
Their Flowers will dropwhen December draws nearThe winter of l ife is l ike that of the year,’ etc.
THE TAILOR
No. 490 in Johnson (Vol . v. Unsigned. The MS.
is in the Hastie Col lection.
Suggested (at least) by The Tailor in Herd’
s Collection,wh ich begins
THERE GROWS A BONIE BRIER-BUSH
No. 492 in Johnson (Vol . v. Signed Z.
’
The MS.
is in the Hastie Col lection.
Appropriated byHoggfor his so-cal led Jacobite Relics.
Stenhouse states that,with the exception of a few l ines,
which are old,
’ this songwas written by Burns for theMuseum but
,as usual
,h e says nothingas to where those
l ines are to b e found. Sharpe (Bal lad Book, 1 823) gi vesthis fragment
He’s a bony, bony lad that ’s a courtingme,
He’s a bony, bony lad that ’s a courtingme
He’s crippl e of a legand bl ind of an e
’e,
He’s a bony, bony lad that ’s a courtingme
N O TE S
nest was discovered to an admiring world, Sir Walterh imself had adopted Stanz a III. in Rokeby and The
Antiquary and e ither h e had not seen,or h e had for
gotten, th e bal lad in th e Museum,so that he had nothing
to say when Tom Sheridan ‘
pointed it out’
to h im.
Now, what Tom Sheridan ‘
pointed out’
was simply th eMuseum set ; and it was thus that the Museum set becamethat ‘
entire copy of this beautiful songwhich seemed toexpress the fortunes of some foll owers of the Stuartfamily.
’
SirWalter knew nothingofBurne’s claim for
Burne’s claim had not then.
been discussed—the first toShow that he had sent the songto Johnson being Stenhouse
Moreover, Hogg’
s statement, not only lacks the th innest shadow of corroboration but, is demonstrablyfal se ; for the song in the Museum is modell ed on th e
same originals as A Red Red Rose (see ante, p. and
th ese, as we have seen, trace back to the blackl etter Unkind Parents, published, as Mr. Ebsworth points out
(Roxburghe Ballads, vii. before Captain Ogilvie couldever have ‘
turn’
d h im right and round about Upon theIrish shore.
’
Nor is this all . Sharpe was the first tosuggest that Burns got h is Stanz a III. He turnedhim right and round about,
’
eta—from the chap-book
ball ad ofMally Stewart [hence, no doubt, SirWal termusthave l ifted it into Rokeby], wh ich is incontestably a
partial derivative from the aforesaid Unkind Parents .
Sharpe gave no information,however, as to the year of
th e stall copy on which he founded h is charge and the
earl iest dated known to us is one of 1 807. But dates inthis species of publ ication are the exception ; and Mr.
Ebsworth has informed us thatMollyStewart is includedina garland of New Songs in h isTrowbesh Collection, emb ell ishedwith a rude cut ofWill iam Duke of Cumberlandon horseback. Several numbers in th is same garland,and in yet another with the same cut, refer to currenttopics, and both indub itably date c. 1 746 . The long
N O TE S
dispute as to the origin and the authorship Of It Was
A’
for Our Rightfu’
Kingmay therefore be regarded as
finally settled.
ByMr. Ebsworth'
s permission, we give the Trowbeshset of Mally Stewart, which, of al l that we have seen
,
alone is free from manifest interpolations and corruptions
Th e coldWVinter is past andgone, and now comes in th e Spring,And I am one of the King
’s Life-guards, and must go fight for
my King,My dear,
I must go fight for my King.
’
Now since to the wars you need to go, one thing pray granttome
That I dress myself in man’s attire, andmarch alongwith thee,My dear,
To go through the world with thee
Not for ten thousand pound, my Love, shall you to danger go,The rattl ingdrums and shiningswords woul d cause you sorrow
and woe,My dear,
They woul d cause you sorrow and woe.
Yet one thingformyLove I wil l do that she cannot do formeI will wear black cuffs on my red coat sleeve, and mourn for
her till I die ,My dear,
I wil l mourn till th e day I die.
’
‘Nay, I will domore for my true Love, than he will do formeI wil l cut my hair, my snood I wil l tear, and mourn for h im
til l I die,My dear,
Andmourn till the day I die.
’
SO farewell to my father andmother, farewell and adieu toyou !And farewell , my bonny Mally Stuart, the cause of all my woe,
My dear,The cause of al l my woe .
’
IT was A’
FOR OUR
RIGHTFU’
KING
N OTE S
When we leave bonny Stirl ingtown, nomore we sleep in tent,For by theKingwe are order
’d down, and to Ireland we are sent,My dear,
To Ireland we are sent.
So farewel l bonny Stirl ingtown, from th e maids we are forc’d
to go,
And farewell , bonny Mally Stuart, the cause of al l my woeMy dear,
The cause of all my woe.
’
The trooper turn’d himself about al l on the Irish shore,
He has given the bridal -reins a shake, saying ‘Adieu for ever
more,My dear,
Adieu for evermore .
’
O was not I a weary Wight !Oh on
, O chri Oh IMaid, wife, and widow in one night,Oh on
, O chri oh ! ’
In later copies two irrelevant stanz as are usually interpolated before th is last. It Was A
’
for Our Rightfu’
Kingwas mainly inspired by th e first and last of the balladist.Burns used the last as h is own central , grouping h is
others,which are largely suggested by it, round about
it. He was also greatly influenced by the first, whichundoubtedly helped him to h is own beginn ing. For the
rest,he took the situation and the characters
,and touched
h is borrowings to issues as fine, perhaps, as the RomanticLyric has to Show.
THE HIGHLAND WIDOW’
S LAMENT
No. 498 in Johnson (Vol . V. Unsigned. The MS.
is in the Hastie Col lection.
Burns suppl ied the music, wh ich h e got from a lady inthe north of Scotland. Th e refrain is borrowed from the
old songin Johnson (No. 89, Vol . said to have been a
lament for Glencoe
N O TE S
0,STEER HER UP
,AND HAUD HER GAUN
No. 504 in Johnson (Vol . vi. ‘Written for th iswork byRobert Burns.
’
Th e first hal f stanz a is Ramsay’
s,
from a set founded on an Old, improper ditty.
WEE WILLIE GRAY
No. 51 4 in Johnson (Vol . vi. ‘ \Vritten for thiswork by R. Burns.
’ A nursery ditty for the tune Wee
Totum Fogg.
WE ’
RE A’ NODDIN
NO. 523 in Johnson (Vol . vi. ‘Corrected byBurns
,
’
and signed‘B .
’
The greater part Of the verses, however —thus Stenhouse are taken from th e Old satirical song formerlysung to the tune of John Anderson My Jo
’
: for whichSee ante
, p. 349,Prefatory Note to John Anderson My
Jo. As matter of fact, the present ditty is a medl eyof two old songs with variations and amendments, th eJohn Anderson My Jo aforesaid—which gives us Stanz asIv. and v . ,
th e best th ings in the Burns set, verbatim—and
an unpubl ished fragment in the Herd MS.
Cats l ike milk , and Dogs l ike Broo,Lads l ike lasses and lasses lads too ;And they ’
re a’nodding, ni dding, nidding, nodding,
They ’re a
’noddingat our house at hame .
Kate sits i’ th e neuk suppingh en broo,Deil take Kate if sh e does not know it too ;And they ’
re a’nodding, nidding, nidding, nodding,
They ’re a
’noddingat our house at hame .
’
To Robert Ainslie (Edinburgh, 23rd AugustBurns quoted a stanz a thus Now for a modest stanz aOf classical authority
N O TE S
The cats l ike kitchen ;The dogs like broo
The lasses l ike th e lads weelAnd th’ auld wives too.
Chorus
An’ we ’
re a’noddin ,
Nid, nid noddin,We
’re a
’noddin fou at e
’en.
wh ich may be a quotation from memorymade
after he had read the scrappreserved byHerd.
O , AY MY WIFE SHE DANG MB
No. 532 in Johnson (Vol . vi. 1 803)‘Written for
this work by Robert Burns .
’
The tune, in Oswald’sPocket Companion, has the titl e My Wi e She DangMe.
Stenh ouse states that th e old verses are unfit for modernprint, but Motherwell gives a decent enough set
I was twenty years a bachelorAnd l iv
’d a singl e life ;
But I never could contented beUntil I got a wife,
But I hadna langmarried beenTill she began to bangme
,
And near dungout my very een,
And swore she woul d gae hangme.
’
For the copy of a MS. we are indebted to Mr. J. WEllsworth , Chicago.
CHORUS. LINES 1 -3 in the Ms. read
MyWife she dangme.
My Wife she dangme,And gie a woman a
'
herwil l . ’
STANZA I. LINE 2 . And foOl I was, I marry,’MS. 4. As
cursedlymiscarry .
’
STANZA II. LINE I . Some sait ic comfort stil l at last,’ MS.
N O TE S
SCROGGAM
No. 539 in Johnson (Vol . vi. ‘Written for thiswork by Robert Burns,
’
and signed ‘ B .
’ Founded on
an Older ditty, or, it may be, garbled from more thanone . Save for the refrain (of wh ich nothing is known),the first stan z a is adapted from a song preserved inThe MerryMuses
Th ere wonned a wife in Wh istlecockpenWil l ye no, can ye no, l et me b e
She brewed guid al e for gentlemen,
And ay sh e waggit it wantonly.
’
Cockpen—(associated with another song, When She Cam
Ben She Bobbit, which Burns improved [see p. and
which suggested a famous Lady Nairne)—is the name
of a parish in Midlothian, where the ‘auld Cowl of the
text seems to have been priest.
O,GUID ALE COMES
NO. 542 in Johnson (Vol . vi . ‘ Corrected by R.
Burns.
’
Stenhouse states that only the chorus is old. AMS. is in th e possession of the Paisley Burns Club .
STANZA I I. LINE 3. See Vol . II. p. 343, Note to Address tothe Toothache, Stanz a IV . Line 2 .
ROBIN SHURE IN HAIRST
No. 543 in Johnson (Vol . vi.‘ Chorus written for
this work by R. Burns .
’
Sharpe remarks of Burne’s authorship This is probably wrong; or Burns suppressed the last stanza, to be
found in the stal l copies, besides substituting“ three
goose feathers and a whittle for the indecent line inthe third : it is likely that he only altered the song
N O TE S
for the Museum, making it applicable to h imself as
an author, by the three goose-qui l ls and the penkn ife .
The last stanz a beginsNow I
’mRobin’s bride, free frae kirk fo’ks’ bustle,Robin ’
s a’my ain, wi
’s,
”etc.
But Burns did not mean th e song to apply to h imself.He meant it to apply to Robert Ainsl ie —‘ I am stillcateringfor Johnson
’
s publ ication, and among others, Ihave brushed up the foll owingOld favourite songa l ittle,with a View to your worship. I have onlyaltered a wordhere and there ; but if you like th e humour of it
,we
shall think of a stanza or two to add to it ’ (R. B . to
Ainslie, January 6th,Letter and songas sent toAinsl ie (but with no mention
Of h im) appeared in The Scots Magaz ine for 1 801 .
DOES HAUGHTY GAUL INVASION THREAT ?
No. 546 in Johnson (Vol . vi.‘Written for this
work byRobert Burns.
’
Publ ished al so in The EdinburghCourant for May4th , 1 795 The Dumfries Journal for the
5th Of th e same month ; The Caledonian Mercury on the
7th and in Currie A MS.—MS. (A)— is at Lochryan, and another—Ms . (B)—in the possession ofMr. John
Dick of Craigengelt, Stirlingshire.
STANZA I. LINE 5.
‘ Corsincon’
-‘A high b il l at the
source of the Nith (R. B. in Conrant, 6. Criife l — ‘A
mountain at th e confluence of the Nith with th e Solway Firth(R. B. in Conrant, 7.
‘Ere we a llow a foreign foe,’
Ms. (B).
STANZA II. LINE I .
‘0, let us not l ike snarling curs,’
Johnson and MS. (B). 7. For only but byBritish hands,’Ms.
(A).
STANZA IV . LINE 2 . And the wretch h is true-born brother,’
Currie ; but there is no authority for the word. 3.
‘Whowould [or ‘Who ’
d set the mob aboon the throne,’ Currie,
N O T E S
0,ONCE I LOV
’
D A BONIE LASS
NO. 551 in Johnson (Vol. Vi. 1 803) and Currie (1 800)Unsigned. Entered in the First Common P lace Book—MS.(A) -April 1 783 The fol lowing composition was the
first ofmy performances, and done at an early period of
l ife, when my heart glowed with honest warm simpl icity;unacquainted, and uncorrupted with the ways of a wickedworld. Th e performance is, indeed, very puer ile and
silly but I am always pleased with it, as it recalls to mymind those happy days when my heart was yet honestand my tongue was sincere . The subject of it was a
young girl who really deserved al l the praises I havebestowed on h er.
’
Burns presented a copy to Mrs.
Stewart of Stair, and th is MS .—MS. (B) —is now in the pos
session Of Mr. Adam Wood, Troon.
‘The fol lowingsong,
’
h e remarks,‘ is only valuable to those who would
see th e author’s first productions in verse. It was composed when h e was a few months more than his Six teenthyear.
’
In the Autobiographical Letter to Dr. Moore,h e
states that th e younggirl was h is partner in the laborsOf harvest.’ ‘Amongher other love -inspiring qual ifications
,
’
so he further relates, ‘she sung sweetly ; and
’twas her favourite reel to which I att empted givingan
embodied veh icle in rhyme. I was not so presumptive as
to imagine that I woul d make verses like printed ones,
composed by men who had Greek and Latin ; but mygirl sung a song which was said to be composed by a
smal l country laird’
s son,on one of h is father’s maids,
with whom he was in love ; and I saw no reason why Imight not rhyme as wel l as h e, for except shearingsheepand castingpeats, h is father l iving in the moors, he hadno more scholarcraft than I had. ’
His criticism of the song (in the First Common P lace
Book) is interesting enough to reprint in ful l —‘Th e
first distic Of the first stan z a is quite too much in the
N O TE S
SWEETEST MAY
No. 559 in Johnson (Vol . vi. ‘Written for th iswork by Robert Burns.
’
An imitation, open and unabashed, of Ramsay’
s MySweetest May, Let Love Incline Thee.
MEG 0’
THE MILL
No. 566 in Johnson (Vol . vi. ‘Written for thiswork by Robert Burns.
’
Suggested doubtless by an
older ditty, which, however, has escaped us. Anotherset was sent to Thomson, which he declined (see Vol .
STANZA IV . LINE I . Among the Scots lower classes the
newlymarried pair were bedded in presence of the company.
JOCKIE’
S TA’
EN THE PARTING KISS
No. 570 in Johnson (Vol . vi. ‘Written for thiswork by Robert Burns.
’
Published by Currie
O,LAY THY LOOF IN MINE
,LASS
No. 574 in Johnson (Vol . vi.‘Written for this
work by Robert Burns.
’
STANZA I. LINE 2 . He aft has wrought me meikle waeCf. Tfie Twa Hero's, Vol . ii. p. 23, Stanz a ! II . Line 2
M ‘Gill has wrought us me ikle wae.’
CAULD IS THE E’
ENIN BLAST
No. 583 in Johnson (Vol . vi.‘Written for this
work byRobert Burns.
’
Th e old words, to the tune Peggy Ramsay, began, saysStenhouse, thus
N O T E S
‘Bonny Peggy Ramsay, as onyman may see ,
Has a bony sweet face, and a gl eggl intin e’e.
’
In effect the ballad thus beginn ing is ful ly set forth , inwhat at one time passed for Scots, in Wit and Mirth
It is amaz ingly coarse,and
,as e ither original or
derivative,was certainly known to Shakespeare (Twelfl h
Night, Act 1 1 . Scene i ii.,Sir Toby Belch loq Mal
volio’
s a Peg a Staunton,in h is notes to
Shakespeare, states, on the authority of Chappel l, that‘ there are two tunes under the name, and both as old as
Shakespeare’
s time .
’
See further Staunton’
s Shakespeare,
vol . iii. p. 1 94. Th e refrain runs on the word mil l,
’
the
sense ofwh ich , as in Burns, is not technical but equivocala sense wh ich is classic.
THERE WAS A BONIE LASS
No. 586 in Johnson (Vol . vi.‘ ByR. Burns.
’ Acento of old catchwords.
THERE’
S NEWS, LASSES, NEWS
No. 589 in Johnson (Vol . vi.‘Written for th is
work byRobert Burns.’
Th e tune in the Old Skene ms. has the title I Wanna
GangtoMyBed Till I Sud Die ; and Stenhouse states that‘the song was retouched by Burns from a very ancientone, cal l ed I Wanna GangtoMy B ed Until I Get a Man
,
’
but quotes no further. Scott Douglas, again, suspectsthat ‘
th e words were written merely to preserve the
pretty little melody which our bard recovered.
’
It is
plain, however, that‘our bard’s ’
original is a fragmentin the Herd MS.
‘
Newes, Lasses, Newes !Gude Newes I has to tell,
There ’s a boat fu’ 0’ youngmen
Come to our town to sel l .
N O TE S
MALLY’
S MEEK,MALLY ’
S SWEET
No. 597 in Johnson (Vol . vi. ‘Written for thiswork by Robert Burns.
’
‘Mither, quo’ sh e ; Father, quo’ she,Do what ye can,
For tomy Bed I wunna gaeTill I get a man .
’
STANZA III. with th e equivocal ley-crop (lea-cmp) in Line3, and till
’d
’ in 4, was probably an emendation of a stanz a insome other ancient ditty.
0,THAT I HAD NE’
ER BEEN MARRIED
No. 593 in Johnson (Vol . vi. ‘Corrected by R.
Burns,
’
and the last stanz a added by Burns.
’
Burns quotes al l that is old of this song in a l ettertoMrs. Dunl op, 1 795. His quotation includes Stanz a I .
and th e Chorus. Doubtless h e found it in th e Herd MS.
A ballad in the Crawford Col lection, Women’
s Work is
Never Done (0. 1 750-70) begins thus
0 that I had ne’er been married,Since I lead a careful l ife
Things with me are strangely carried,Now I am become a wife
,
’etc.
It is in octaves,however, and sets forth the sorrows and
trial s of a woman with a tyrant—husband.
WANDERING WILLIE
THOMSON ’S Scottish Airs,Vol. i . Part I . (May
Some hold th e song suggested by Burns’
s relationswith Maria Riddel l others, by Clarinda’
s proposal of
reconcil iation to her husband . Both theories are far
fetched ; and, in any case,if Burns wrote his verses in
th e March of 1 793, shortly before sendingthem to Thom
N O TE S
parting,’Erskine ’s amendment. 2 .
‘Fears for my l/Vil l ie
brought tears tomy e’e ,
’Erskine ’s amendment. 4.
‘As Simmerto Nature, so Will ie to me,’ Erskine’s amendment, in whichBurns did not acquiesce .
STANZA III. LINES 1 -3 in Burns’
s MS. read
Ye hurricanes rest in the cave 0’
your slumbers,0, how your wild horrors a lover alarms !
Awaken ye breez es, row gently ye billows.
’
Burns accepted Erskine’s amendments for Lines 1 4 , as adopted
in our text but in 3, for Erskine’s Blow soft’he substituted
Wauken.
STANZA IV . LINE I . But if he’s forgotten hisfa ithful lest
Nannie,’ Ms. the reading in the text is Erskine ’s. 2 . For
wide roaring,’Erskine suggested ‘
o’ark-heaving
’
; but Burnswould none of it. 4. For But, dying, believe,’ Erskine suggested While dying, I thz
'
nh’ it also was declined.
BRAW LADS O’
GALLA WATER
THOMSON’
s Scottish Airs, Vol . i. Part I . (May 1 793) (Sentto Thomson in January 1 7 Thence copied into TheScots Magaz ine (July Brash and Reid (Vol .and The Mus ical Repository (1 7Burns got h is lyrical idea from one of ‘ Five Excel
lent New Songs’
in a very old chap—(a copy is in
th e possession of Mr. George Gray, Glasgow)—printedand publ ished in Niddry
-wynd [Edinburgh]. It is included in Herd ; and it is set to music in Johnson
’
s
Second Volume, with this chorus
Braw,braw lads of GallaWater,
0,braw lads of Gal laWater !
I’l l kil tmy coats below my knee,And foll owmy love through the water.
’
In Scottish Songs (1 1 . Chambers gives what he is
pl eased to cal l‘the original,
’
as recited to him by‘a
person in that interesting district it substitutes a
N O TE S
Bonie lass for th e Braw lads .
’
(There is al so a chapbook Lass of Gallawater, one of a garland of New Songs
in the Abbotsford Col lection ; one, too, in the Motherwel l Collection, with the date 1 7 Another set, whichChambers mysteriously introduces (n . 666) as
‘
probablythe first songwritten to the tune,
’
has better claims on
the attention ; for h e found it (though h e careful ly forgets to say so) in the (vanished) Mansfield ms ,
writtenabout 1 780. It has e ight stanz as, with th e chorus
Braw, braw lads o’ Gala Water,Boni e lads o’ GalaWater
The Lothian lads maun ne’
er compare
Wi’ th e braw lads o’ GalaWater.
’
STANZA I. LINES 1 -2 in Burns’s MS. read thusThere
'
s braw, braw lads on Yarrow braes ,Tha t wander through the bloomingheather.
LINE 2 in Thomson reads, Ye wander thro etc.
STANZA II. LINE 4. Burns first wrote , ‘He’s the bonie lad,’
etc.
AULD ROB MORRIS
THOMSON’S ScottishAirs, Vol . i. Part I . (May Thence
copied into The Scots Magaz ine (July and Brashand Reid (Vol .
‘ I have partly taken your idea of
Auld Rob Morris. I have adopted the first two verses,and am going on with th e song on a new plan, which
promises pretty wel l’
(R. B . to Thomson ,4th November
Th e set was sent on 4th December 1 792, and isat Brechin Castle .
The set in Ramsay (Tea-Table Miscellany) is signed
Q’
,wh ich means an old songwith additions.
’ It is a
spirited enough piece, in th e form of a duet
Mither
Auld Rob Morris that wins in yon glenHe
’s the kingofgood fell ows, andwal e of aul dmen,
Has fourscore of black sheep, and fourscore too :Auld Bob Morris is th e man ye maun loo.
’
VOL. III.
N OTE S
Sweet,open th e door and let me come in,
For to be aWVooer I now begin,And say thy Lover I yet have been.
I’11 love thee and. nomore .
’
To open th e door, Love, that could I do,And if it were for an hour or twoBut that ifmy father or mother should know,
I should be beaten sore,’etc.
Daughter‘Ha
’
d your tongue, mither, and let that abee,For his e ild and my e ild can never agreeThey ’
ll never agree, and that wil l be seenFor h e is fourscore, and I ’m but fifteen.
’
Burns’
s ms. is at Brechin Castle.
STANZA I. LINE 3. He has gowd in h is cofi'
ers, he has
sheep, he has kine,’Thomson. 4. And ae bonie lassie , his
darl ing and mine -Thomson’
s reading, because thoughdautie ’
is a good word for a father to use, it is ‘too familiar
an expression for a humble lover, scarcely hopingfor success.
’
STANZA III. LINE 2 . Andmy daddie has nought but a cot
house and yard,’Thomson.
OPEN THE DOOR TO ME,0
THOMSON’
s Scottish Airs,Vol . i. Part I . (May Th e
ms. is at Brechin Castle .
It is doubtful how far Burns is indebted to an originalfor none has ever been found. Enclosing h is versesto Thomson h e wrote — ‘ I do not know whether thissong he real ly mended.
’ We can but conj ecture as to
whether h e referred to a piece by another hand or to an
earlier set of h is own making. In Thomson it is headedAs altered for this work by Burns
’
; and th e air is
marked as Irish . A blackletter in th e British Museumand in th e Crawford, Pepys, and Roxburghe Col lections,entitl ed The Repulsive Maid, is to the tune Open the Doorand Let Me Come In.
N O TE S
is told in the second chapter of Montaigne’
s Second
Book] in a set byAl lan RamsayBeneath a green shade I fand a fair maidWas sleepingsound and still , 0
A’Iowan wi love, my fancy did roveAround h er wi’good wil l , 0.
Her bosom I prest but, sunk in h er restShe stirr
’d na my joy to spill , 0
W hile kindly sh e sl ept, close to h er I creptAnd kissed and kissed h er, my fill , O.
’
A ms. was before th e Aldine EditorSTANZA I . LINES 3-4 were altered by Thomson to this
‘Ana’eyes again w ithpleasure heam
'
d
Tha t had been hlear’
d w ith mourning.
’
8. A poor but honest sodger,’Scots Magaz ine and Brash
and Reid.
STANZA II. LINE 5. Coil ’ :—a stream in the Kyle districtofAyrshire. 7. I thought upon the Witchingsmile,
’Thomson.
STANZA III. LINE 5. Wha spied I butmy aimdear lass,’MS.
STANZA IV. LINE I . Wi’fremit voice , quoth I, Sweet lass,’
MS.
STANZA v . LINE 2 . And lovelier looh’a’ than ever,’ MS.
‘
grew ,
’Brash and Re id.
STANZA V I. LINE 2 . Syne wal low’t l ihe a l ily,
’Ms. z—Cf.
the bal lad Geordie in Johnson’
s Museum, No . 346
But she had na read a word but twa ,
T il l she wallow'
t like a l ily.
’
STANZA V II. LINE 3.
‘Tho’wealth be srna
’
, we’t e rich in
love ,’ MS . 5. Q uo’sh e, mygrandsire left me gear,
’MS. 7.
And come my ain dear soger lad,’MS.
DUNCAN GRAY
Second Set
THOMSON (Vol . i . Part II . Th e MS. is at Brech inCastle.
The second—the drawing-room—set . Both are foundedon a songpreserved in th e Herd ms ,
and printed, with
N O TE S
variations (in all l ikel ihood by Burns), in The MerryMuses (see ante, p. 322
,PrefatoryNote to th e first set
,
which is mostly Burns’
s own). The Herd set begins
Can ye play w i’Duncan Gray
(Hey, h ey, th e girdin O’
t
O’er the h il ls and for (may
(Hey, h ey, th e girdin O’t
Duncan h e came h er to woo
On a day when we were fou’,And Megsh e swore that sh e wad spew,
If,’etc.
It is clear that Burns borrowed directly from the Herdset and not from that in The MerryMuses , for th e second
quatrain of th e latter runs thus
Duncan cam our Megto woo,
Megwas nice and wadnae do,But like an ether puffed and blewAt,
’etc.
Th e Herd and MerryMuses sets are very closely relatedto th e set in Thomson : indeed, th e story is practical lyth e same in al l . In its terms th e oldest is reminiscentof an ancient songwhich Al lan Ramsay transferred fromthe Bannatyne ms. to h is Tea-Table Miscel lany
‘Rob’s Jock came to woo our Jenny
On ae feast day when we was fouSh e busked h er and made her bonie,When she heard Jock was come to woo,
’etc.
Other derivatives are Hey, Jenny, Come Down to Jock
(Herd) a blackletter bal lad in th e Crawford Col lection,A l lfor Love, or the HappyMatch between Jochy and Jenny ;
and an Engl ish playhouse song, Jockey’
s Gone to the
Wood,in Playford
’
s Choice Ayres extended into a
blackl etter broadside (Crawford and Huth Col lections)with th e titl e
,The Scotch Wooing; or Jockey of the Lough
and Jenny of the Lee.
Enclosed,together with Auld Rob Morr is, to Thomson ,
N O TE S
4th December 1 792 The foregoingI submit, my dearSir
,to your better j udgment ; acquit them or condemn
them as seemeth good in thy sight. Duncan Gray is
that kind of l ighthorse gal lop of an air which precludessentiment. The ludicrous is its rul ingfeature.
’
STANZA I. LINE 3. On ae feast night when we were fou,’
original readingin the MS. Thomson obje cted to this readingbecause it is in the old song; and Burns substituted ‘ blythe
Yule-n icht’ but Thomson adopted On New Year’s n icht.
’
STANZA II. LINE 3.
‘Ailsa Craig’ —A rocky islet in the
Firth of Clyde , Opposite Ayr, much frequented by sea-fowl ,whose screamingit has endured for ages without remonstrance .
DELUDED SWAIN,THE PLEASURE
THOMSON (Vol . i . Part II .‘Then for The Collier’
s
Daughter take th e fol lowing old bacchanal ’
(R. B . to
Thomson).The ideas and sentiments are common enough ; so is
th e phrasing; and‘old bacchanal ’
is probably a figureof speech.
HERE IS THE GLEN
THOMSON (Vol . i . Part II . The MS. is at BrechinCastle .
‘ I know you value a composition because itis made by one of th e great ones as littl e as I do.
However,I got an air
, pretty enough, composed byLady El iz abeth Heron of Heron
,which sh e calls The
Banks of Cree. Cree is a beautiful romantic stream,
and,as her ladyship is a particular friend ofmine, I have
written th e fol lowingsongto it.’
The tune did not pl ease Thomson, who set th e versesto The Flowers of Edinburgh. That theymade a love-songfor Maria Riddel l
,as some hold, is scarce consistent
with Burns’s statement. Moreover, h e must have intended that Lady El iz abeth Heron should see them.
N O TE S
If love for love thou wilt na gieAt least be pity to me shown.
STANZA V . LINE 3. Thou dart ofHeaven that fiashest by,’
Thomson MS. 4. O, wilt thougive me rest, ’Thomson Ms.
before Burns’s death, is included in th e Cunningham MSS.
The song is al so inscribed in th e Afl on Lodge Book at
Alloway.
STANZA II. LINE 2 . And a’
for loving thee ,’
Thomson MS.
3 4. At least some pity,’etc.—Cf. 0, Open the Door, p. 2 1 I ,
Stanz a I . Lines 1 2 , and Mary Mor ison , p.
'
286, Stanz a III.
Lines 5-6
0 POORTITH CAULD
THOMSON (Vol . i. Part II . Th e MS. is at Brech inCastl e.
Gilbert Burns told Thomson that Burns’s heroine was‘a Miss Jane Blackstock, afterwards Mrs. Whittier of
Liverpool .’
But it was probably Jean Lorimer (see post,p. 482
,Prefatory Note to Lassie wi
’
the Lint-white Locks),who was then contemplating th e marriage of which she
instantly repented: OPoortith Cauld is held to refer toh er rejecting a gauger for ,
the man she married (seeante, p. 364
,Prefatory Note to Craigieburn Wood). It
was sent to Thomson in January 1 798, for the tune of
Oauld Kail in Aberdeen but Thomson thought the verseshad ‘
too much of uneasy, cold reflection for the air.
’
To
this Burns Th e Obj ections are j ust, but I cannotmakeit better. The stuff won ’t bear mending yet, for privatereasons, I shoul d like to see it in print.
’ With a new
chorus and other amendments, it was set in the end to IHad a Horse and I Had Nae Mair.
CHORUS. This in the first set readsFor weel I lo
'
e my j ean ie,I canna wan t my j ean i e
How happy I were, were she my a in ,
Tho'
1 had ne’
er aguinea .”
N O TE S
In LINE 2 of this Chorus Thomson—(with a fine Eighte enth 0Century feeling for style )—substituted ‘ I a
’oat upon
’for ‘ l
camza want.’
STANZA I . LINE 2 . Ye wreck my peace between you,
’
Thomson. 4. But tyna’
n 0’myJeanie,
’ first set.S '
I‘
ANZA II. LINE 3. Fy,fy on silly coward man —Thomson, notwithstanding that in both sets Burns retained the
reading in the text. The 0fi e’of certain Editors is mere
wantonness.
STANZA v . LINE 1 . How blest the simple cottar’
s fateThomson, whol lywithout the author’s sanction. 2 . He woosh is s imple dearie,
’ de leted readingin the Ms. 3-4 in the first
set read‘The silly bogles , Rank and StateD id nevermake t/zem ee rie .
’
O,STAY
,SWEET WARBLING WOODLARK
THOMSON (Vol . i. Part 1 1 . The MS . is at BrechinCastl e .
Scott Douglas, in h is Edinburgh Edition, printed whatse ems to be a first sketch
,from a pencil manuscript
(Burns) then in th e possession of h is publ isher, calledSongComposed on Hearing a B ird SingWhile Musingon
Chloris
S ingon, sweet songster o’ th e brier,Nae stealthy traitor-foot is nearO soothe a hapl ess lover’s ear,
And dear as l ife I ’11 priz e thee.
‘Again, again that tender part,That I may l earn thymeltingart,For surely thou would touch the heart
O.
’h er that still denies me .
Oh was thy mistress, too, unkind,And heard thee as the carel ess wind ?For nocht but Love and Sorrow join’d,
Sic notes ofwoe coul d wauken.
‘Thou tell s,’ etc.
N O TE S
SAW YE BONIE LESLEY
THOMSON (Vol . i. Part II.‘Bon ie Lesl ie ’
was Miss Lesl ie Bail l ie, daughter of
Mr. Bail l ie Of Mayfield, Ayrshire . Sh e married,in
June 1 799, Mr. Robert Cumming of Logie, and diedin July 1 843.
‘ Th e heart-struck awe,the distant
humble approach, the del ight we Shoul d have in gaz ingupon and l isten ingto a messenger Of Heaven
,appear
ing in al l the unspotted purity Of h is cel estial home,
among the coarse, pol luted, far inferior sons Of men, to
del iver to them tidings that make their h earts swim in
joy, and the ir imaginations soar in transport—such,so
del ighting and so pure were the emotions of my soul onmeeting the other day with Miss Lesley Bail l ie, yourne ighbour at Mayfield. Mr. B . ,
with his two daughters,accompanied with Mr. H . of G .
, passing through Dumfries a few days ago on the ir way to England, did me thehonour of cal l ing on me ; on which I took my horsethough God knows I could ill spare the time—and
accompanied them fourteen or fifteen miles, and dinedand Spent the day with them.
’
Twas about n ine I thinkthat I l eft them
,and ridinghome I composed the follow
ingbal lad, of which you wil l probably think you have a
dear bargain ,as it wil l cost you another groat ofpostage.
You must know that there is an Old bal lad beginningwith
My Bonie Liz z ie Baill ie , I ’l l rowe thee in my plaiddie,’
SO I parodied it as fol lows, which is l iteral ly the first copy“ unanointed
,unanneal ed,
”as Haml et says
’
(R. B . to
Mrs. Dunlop, 22md August Th e bal lad of I/iz e
Baillie—‘a new song verymuch in request —is one of
the Laing Broadsides, now in the possession of the Earl
of Rosebery. It is al so in the Herd MS. and was partlypubl ished in Johnson
’
s Museum (NO.
Burns sent two stanz as to Cunningham,l oth Septem
N O T E S
The lady was Miss Jessie Staig (daughter of ProvostStaig ofDumfries), on whose recovery from a dangerou
illness Burns afterwards wrote the epigram To Dr. Max
well (see Vol . ii. p. She married Major Wil l iamMil ler
,son of Mr. Mil ler of Dalswinton, and died at
twenty-Six in th e March of 1 801 .
Th e MS. is at Brech in Castle.
STANZA I. LINE 1 . The sad swain o’the Yarrow —It is
probable that Burns refers to the hero of the old ballad TheDowz
'
e Dem cf Yarrow
As he gaed up the Tinnies bank,I wot he gaed wi
'
sorrow,
Till , down in a den , h e spied nine armed men,
On the dowie houms ofYarrow.
’
5. To equal young Jessie seek Scotland al l over,’
Thomson.
ADOWN WINDING NITH
THOMSON (Vol . 1 1 . Another favourite air of mineis The Muckin o
’
Geordie’
s Bgre. When sung Slow, withexpression, I have wished that it had better poetry : thatI have endeavoured to supply as fol lows . Mr .
Clarke begs you to give Miss Phill is a corner in yourBook
,as she is a particular Flame of h is. She is a Miss
Phil l isM‘Murdo, s ister to th e Bonie Jean which I sentyou some time ago . They are both pupils of h is (R. B.
to Thomson, AugustPhill is M‘Murdomarried Norman Lockhart, afterwards
third baronet of Carnwath . Before this Burns had sentThomson another songon the same lady, P hillis the Fair,with which h e did not pretend to be satisfied, and whichThomson did not accept (see Vol .Th e MS . Shows a deleted Stanz a after II .
The primrose is o’er for th e season,
But mark where th e violet is blown ,
How modest it peeps from th e covert,
So modesty sure is h er own
N O T E S
A LASS WI’ A TOCHER
THOMSON (Vol . 1 1 .
‘ The other day I strung up a
kind of rhapsody to another Hibern ian melody that Iadmire much ’
(R. B . to Thomson,February The
Hibernian melody was Ba linamona Ora .
Plainly suggested (at l east) byA Lass with a Lump ofLand in The Tea-table Miscellany
Gie me a lass with a lump of land,And we for l ife shall gangthegither,
Tho’ daft or wise, I ’11 never demand,
Or black or fair itmaks na whither.
I’m affwith wit, and beauty will fade,And blood alane is no worth a. Shill ing,
But Sh e that ’s rich, h er market ’s made,For ilka charm about her is kil l ing.
’
The MS. is at Brechin Castle . Here is a Stanz a deletedbefore I I
‘I grant you, your Dearie is bonie and braw,
She’s gentle, and strappin, and stately witha’
But see you strappin oaks at th e head 0’ th e ShawYVi
’th e whack of an ax how stately they ’
ll fa’
BLYTHE HAE I BEEN ON YON HILL
THOMSON (Vol . II. Suggested byFraser the Oboist’sinterpretation of The Quaker
’
s Wi e Mr. Fraser playsit slow
,and with an expression that quite charms me .
I got such an enthusiast in it that I made a songfor it
,which I here subjoin, and enclose Fraser’s set
Of the tune. If they hit your fancy they are at yourservice ; if not, return me th e tune, and I wil l put it inJohnson ’
s Museum. I think th e songis not in my worstmanner
’
(R. B . to Thomson, June 1 7Later, in h is remarks on Thomson’
s li st, h e insertedB lythe Hae I Been on Yon Hill which
,
’
h e wrote, ‘ is
one of the finest songs ever I made in my l ife ; and is
N O TE S
BLYTHE composed on a younglady, positively th e most beautifulHAE I lovely woman in the world. As I purpose giving you
BEEN ON the name and designation of al l my heroines to appear
YON HILL in some future edition of your work, perhaps hal f acentury hence, you must certainly include the boniestlass in the world in your col lection .
’
For the‘ boniest
lass in th e world,’
see ante, p. 458, PrefatoryNote to SawYe Bonie Lesley.
The MS. is at Brechin Castle .
BY ALLAN STREAM
THOMSON (Vol . II. I walked out yesterday evening with a volume Of the Museum in my hand, when,turningupA llan Water What number Shal l myMuserepeat,
’ it appeared to me rather unworthy of so
fine an air ; and recol lecting it is on your list, I sat andraved under the shade Of an old thorn
,til l I wrote one to
suit the measure . I may b e wrong, but I think it is notin my worst style (R. B . to Thomson
,August
There are MSS . at Lochryan and at Brechin Castle .
STANZA I. LINE I .
‘ By Al lan side I chanced to rove,’
Lochryan MS . 2 .
‘ Benledi’ ‘A mountain to th e north of
Stirling’
(R. B . in Lochryan MS . )‘A mountain in Strath
allan, 3009 feet’
(R. B . in Thomson H is geography isfaulty : Strathal lan is to the north of Stirl ing [the Al lan flowsby Dunblane and Bridge of Allan into th e Forth], but BenLedi is about 20 miles west-north-west. 7. 0 dearly do I
love thee, Annz’
e,’
alternative reading—‘You must know thatin Ramsay
’s Tea Table, where the modern songfirst appeared,
the ancient name of the tune, Al lan says, is A llan Water, or
My Love Ann ie’s Very Bonie. This last has certainly been a
l ine of the original song; so I took up the idea, and, as youwill see, have introduced th e l ine in its place, which I presumeit formerly occupied ; though I l ikewise give you a choosingl ine, if it should not hit the cut of your fancy
’
(R. B. to
Thomson). It did not hit the cut’ofThomson’
s‘ fancy,
’ but
N O TE S
presides o’
er the shores of Nith, or rather my old inspir
ing dearest nymph, Coila, whispered me th e fol lowing.
I have two reasons for thinking that it was my early,
sweet Inspirer that was by my elbow, smooth-gl idingwithout step,
”andpouringth e songon myglowingfancy.
In the first place, since I l eft Coila’
s native haunts, not afragment of a Poet has arisen to cheer her sol itarymusings by catchinginspiration from her, so I more thansuspect sh e has fol lowedme h ither, or at least made mean occasional visit secondly, th e last stanz a of this songI sent you is the very words that Coila taught me many
years ago, and which I set to an old Scots reel, in Johnson
’
s Museum’
(R. B . to Thomson, August The
song referred to is And I ’
ll Kiss Thee Yet (p.
The MS. is at Brech in Castle .
CONTENTED WI’ LITTLE
THOMSON (Vol . II.‘Apropos to bacchanalian songs
in Scottish,I composed one yesterday for an air I l iked
much—Lumps o’
Pudding. If you do not rel ish th eair I will send it to Johnson ’
(R. B . to Thomson,
November 1 7 Also I have some thoughts of suggesting to you to prepare a vignette to my songContented wi
’
Little and Contie wi’
Mair,in order the
portrait of my face and th e picture of mymind maygo
down the stream of Time together’
(R. B . to Thomson,
MayTh e stanz a is that of Lumps o
’
Pudding, with whichBurns no doubt designed h is song as a whimsicalcontrast. But the sentiment seems to have been partlysuggested by a G. A. Stevens
Contented I am, and contented I ’
ll be
For what can this worldmore afford,Than a friend that will sociably tippl e with me
,
And a cellar that ’s pl entiful ly stored.
’
N O TE S
The MS. sent toThomson—MS. (B) —is at Brechin Castle,and for an Opportun ity to inspect an early draft—MS. (A)—On excise paper, we are indebted to Mr. A. P. Watt
,
London .
STANZA I. LINE 4. See Vol . i. p. 323, Note to Scotch
Drinh, Stanz a ix. Line 4.
STANZA II LINES 3-4. A deleted readingof these lines inMS. (A) is
For Wea l th 1 am merry , how can 1 hepoor ,And my Freedom
'
s my birthright not kings shal l inj ure.
’
3. My merry good-humour is coin in my pouch,’Ms. (A).
STANZA III . is omitted in MS. (A).STANZA IV. A de leted readingofLINES 3—4 in MS. (A) is
Come case , or come travail come canker or j oyApproach , you are welcome , you lea
'
e me,good-hye.
’
FAREWELL,THOU STREAM
THOMSON (Vol . 1 1 . The second set of a songwh ichoriginal ly began
‘Th e last time I came o’er the moor
And left Maria’s dwell ing.
’
This set,of which the MS .
—Ms. (A)—is at Brechin Castle,was sent to Thomson in April 1 793 z—
‘ I had scarcely
put my last l etter into the post-offi ce, when I took up the
subject of The Last Time I Came O’
er the Moor,and ere I
slept drew the outl ines of the foregoing. How far I havesucceeded I l eave you to decide .
’
The heroine was Maria Riddel l, to whom Burns senta copy
—Ms. (B)— now in the possession of Dr. De Noe
Walker. To this h e added this note (unpubl ished)On readingover the song, I see it is but a cold, inan imated composition . It wil l be absolutely necessary for
me to get in love, else I shal l never be able to make
a l ine worth reading on the subject. ’ As first written,VOL. III . 2 G
N O TE S
FAREWELL Farewell, Thou Stream,was suggested by an Al lan
THOU RamsaySTREAM
The last time I came o’er the moorAnd l eftmy love behindme
Love’s veriest wretch despairingIFa in ,fain my crime would cover
The unweetinggroan ,the burstings igh ,
Betray theguil ty lover.
itself adapted from an Older song. In January 1 794
occurred th e estrangement fromMrs. Ridde ll (see Vol . ii .p. 420, Prefatory Note to Impromptu on Mrs. Riddell
’
s
B irthday) ; and in July 1 794 Burns informed Th omsonthat h e meant to set the verses which he had sent himfor The Last Time I Came O
’
er the Moor to Nancy’
s To the
Greenwood Gane, and that he had ‘made an alteration inth e beginn ing -both which circumstancesThomson seems
to have ignored. In November Burns sent anothercopy
—MS. (C)—( now at Brechin Castle) Now for myEngl ish song to Nancy
’
s to the Greenwood Gone’
;
and Thomson answered that he thought the song an
excellent one, but‘too serious to come after Nancy
’
;
so h e set it to a melody call ed The Silver Snood.
Burns borrowed th e first l ines of h is new version fromSmol lett
’
s Adieu, Thou Stream That Smoothly Flows .
STANZA I. in MS. (A) reads
The last time I came o'
er the moor
And leftMaria’
s dwelling,Wha t throes, what torturespassingcure
Were in my bosom swelling?Condemned to see my rivals reign ,
Wh i le 1 in secret languishTo feel a fire in every vein,
Yet dare not speakmy anguish.
’
MS. (B) corresponds, except Line 5 (which agrees withand our text) and Line 6 (which has ‘And
STANZA II. in MS . (A) reads
N O TE S
HERE’
s A or probably wil l make for some time ? ’ After h is deathHEALTH an additional stanz a—not in the MS. sent to Thomson
(Brechin Castle), nor in the MS . sent to Cunningham(Watson Col lection)—was found amongh is papers. But
as there is no evidence that h e passed it, we have not
included it in th e text
I guess by th e dear angel smil e,I guess by the love -roll inge’e
But why urge the tender confession’Gainst Fortune’s fel l cruel decree ,’ etc.
HOW CRUEL ARE THE PARENTS
THOMSON (Vol . 1 1 . 1 7 Sent toThomson, 9th May 1 799,as
‘a songaltered from an old Engl ish one which old
Engl ish one is found in The Hive (London, in The
Thrush (London,and in Apollo
’
s Cabinet (London,Here it is
The heroine, Jessie Lewars, sister of John Lewars, a
fel low-exciseman,was Ofgreat service to th e Burns house
hold duringth e last il lness. She is also commemoratedin certain compl imentary verses (Vol . ii. pp. 1 41
,
and in that very beautiful song, 0, Wert Thou in the Cauld
B last (Vol . iv. ) On 3rd June 1 799 sh e marriedMr. James
Thomson, Writer in Dumfries, and Sh e died 26th May
1 855.
STANZA II. LINE 3. But we lcome the hours 0’ sweet slumber,
’Watson MS .
How cruel is that parent’s care,Who riches only priz es,When findingout some booby he ir,He thinks h e wondrous wise is .
While th e poor maid, to shun h er fate,And not to prove a wretch in state,To
’scape th e blockhead she must hate,
She weds where sh e despises.
N O TE S
Th e harmless dove thus trembl ingflies,The ravenous hawk pursuing
A whil e h er tender pinions tries,Till doom’
d to certain ruin.
Afraid h er worst of foes to meet,
No shelter near,no kind retreat,
Sh e drops beneath the faulkner’s feet,For gentle usage suing.
’
The MS. is at Brechin Castle .
STANZA I . LINE 7. To shun a cruel Father’s hate ,’ alternative readingin the MS .
HUSBAND,HUSBAND,
CEASE YOUR STRIFE
THOMSON (Vol . 1 1 . Sent to Thomson in December1 793 Tel l me if you l ike the fol lowingverses to My
The Ms. is at Brechin Castle, and what appears to be an
early draft is among the Pickering MSS. in the BritishMuseum,
copied byW. W. C.
STANZAS I. and II. Instead of these two the draft Ms. has
this oneIf the word is still obey.
Always love and fear you,
I will take myselfawayAnd never more come near
Sad wil l I be so bereft,Nancy, Nancy,
Still I ’
11 try to make a shift,My spouse Nancy.
STANZA Iv . LINE I .
‘We ll even from the silent dead,’
draft MS.
IT WAS THE CHARMING MONTH
THOMSON (Vol . ii . Meant as Engl ish words to
Dainty Davie, and abridged from a song in The Tea-Tab le
Miscellany.
‘You may think meanly of this, but take
N O TE S
IT WAS a look at the bombast original and you will be surprisedTHE that I have made so much of it ’
(R. B. to Thomson,
CHARMING NovemberMONTH Al l the same, Burns rather selected from than renewed
and re-inspired th e bombast original .’
Practicallynothingis his but the repeats and the chorus ; and even thesehave their germs in the Miscellany. The rest of h is set
is ‘ l ifted almost word for word, and simply edited and
rearranged .
LAST MAY A BRAW WOOER
THOMSON (Vol . 1 1 . Sent to Thomson 3rd July 1 795.
Th e MS .—~MS. (A)—sent to Thomson is at Brechin Castle .
Another—Ms. (B) —sent to Provost Staig, Dumfries, is inthe Kilmarnock Monument Museum. Th e song also
appeared in one of th e tracts ‘
printed by Chapman and
Lang for Stewart and Meikle.
’ A corrupt set was
publ ished in Johnson’
s Museum (Vol . vi .AS regards the Johnson set Stenhouse is both fanciful
and false . Thus Johnson did not publ ish it as
originally for his work,’ but simply as by Burns,
’
and
signed it an old lover.
’
(2) There is no evidence that itwas written for Vol . II. in 1 787. (3) That Johnson
’
s re
l igious scrupl es original ly prevented h is inserting it is asel f-evident absurdity. (4) There is no need to assertnor even to surmise— that Johnson printed it from a MS.
for—under th e title, Gud Forgie Me for LieinP —the same
set had already appeared as one of Seven Excellent Songs,
entered accordingto order, and, in fact, this Specialchap-book set, frequently reprinted, was not copied from,
but util ised by, Johnson .
STANZA I. LINE 1 .
‘ Last May a braw wooer came downfrae the glen,
’Stewart. The chap-book and Johnson set
agrees with our text, except for the substitution of ‘Ae day for‘ LastMay.
’
4.
‘But how could the gowh e’
er be lieve me,’
N O TE S
LAST MAY But the proverb was as we ll known to Burns as to ScottA BRAW Douglas and other impertinents he clearly had it in his mindWOOER when, writingwith art and discretion, he so contrived the l ine
as to make h is heroine at once flatter her swe etheart and reflecton her cousin. Moreover, to substitute ‘
auld ’ is to rob the
lady’s inquiry of a great part of its point, for there is no
contrast between ‘auld and shach l
’t.
’
4.
‘But Lord how
h e fell a-swearin,’Stewart ; ‘
Gude saf’us,
’chap-book and
Johnson.
STANZA VIII. LINE 3.
‘ So j ust to preserve the poor bodyin l ife ,’ Stewart ; ‘Andj ust,
’chap-book and Johnson. 4. I
helieve I maun wed h im to-morrow, ’ Stewart.
MY NANIE’
S AWA
THOMSON (Vol . II. 1 7 Sent to Thomson, 9th Decem
ber 1 794. The Ms. is at Brechin Castle, and another wasbefore the Aldine editor.
There is one passage in your charmingl etter. Thom
son nor Shenstone never exceeded it, nor often came up
to it. I shal l certainly steal it, and set it in some future
poetic production and get immortal fame by it.’
Tis
where you bid the scenes of Nature remind me of
Clarinda ’
(Sylvander to Clarinda, 7th FebruaryIt may b e
,as some suppose, that this smooth and
pleasant ditty represents the theft.
STANZA I. LINE I . Gay nature arrays,’Aldine Ms. 3.
While birds warble welcome,’ erroneous reading; ‘And’for
While ,’ Aldine Ms.
STANZA I I. LINE 1 .
‘ The primrose and da isy our glens
may adorn,’ Aldine MS. 3.
‘They torture my bosom,
’Aldine
MS.
STANZA III. LINE I .
‘Thou lav’rock that starts frae the
dews of the lawn, ’ alternative readingin th e Thomson MS.
STANZA IV . LINE I . In yel low array ,
’Aldine MS.
N O TE S
NOW ROSY MAY
THOMSON (Vol . 1 1 . 1 7 The Ms. is at Brechin Castl e.
A r ifaccimento of The Gard’
ner wi’
his P aidle (p.
adapted to th e tune ofDaintyDavie. The original DaintyDavie, on which the chorus is model led
,is preserved in
th e Herd MS. andTheMerryMuses . See also Vol . ii. p. 31 1 ,
Note to The Jolly Beggars, Recitativo VII . Stanz a 1 1 . Lin es8-9. The words DaintyDavie gl ide so sweetly in theair
, that to a Scots ear, any song to it, without Daviebe ing the hero, would have a lame efi
'
ect’
(R. B . to
Thomson , August 1 7
NOW SPRING HAS CLAD
THOMSON (Vol . 1 1 . Sent to Thomson in August1 795. The MS. is at Brechin Castle .
Stanz as 1 1 . -Iv. were enclosed in a l etter toMrs . Riddell ,20th January 1 796, and a facsimile of them has been
publ ished. Another copy, sent to Cunningham,was
before th e Aldine editor.
STANZA II. LINE 2 .
‘That glides a silver dart,’ BrechinCastle MS.
0,THIS IS NO MY AIN LASSIE
THOMSON (Vol . II . Set to the tune, This is NoMyAin House.
According to Burns (Interleaved Copy of Johnson’
s
Museum) , the original of Ramsay’
s set of My Ain House
begins
0,this is nomy ain hous e,My ain house, my ain house
This is no my ain houseI ken by the biggin o
’
t .
N O TE S
There ’s bread and cheese are my door cheeks,
My door cheeks, my door cheeksThere ’
s bread and cheese are my door cheeks,And pan
-cakes the riggin o’t.’
The second stanza of this same set may have suggestedh is Reel 0
’
Stumpie (see ante, p.
This is No My Ain House puz z les me a good deal ; infact I think to change the Old rhythm of the first, or
chorus part of the tune, wil l have a good effect . I wouldhave it somethingl ike the gal lopof the foll owing
’
(R. B .
to Thomson, June In the first draft of the Chorushe wrote Body for Lassie but in August h e directedThomson to substitute Lassie .
’
The MS. is at Brechin Castle.
0,WAT YE WHA THAT LO
’
ES ME
THOMSON (Vol . 1 1 .There is no evidence as to when this songwas sent
to Thomson ; but he printed it as written for this workby Burns.
’ A copy sent to Cl eghorn in January 1 796now in the Laing Col lection in the University of Edinburgh—agrees with Thomson
’
s text.
CHORUS. LINE 3.
‘ O she’s the queen o
’ womankind,’
erroneous reading.
STANZA I . LINE I . 0wha is she that lo’es me ,’ Currieevidently h is own.
SCOTS,WHA HAE
THOMSON (Vol . II.First publ ished in The Morning Chronicle, May 1 794.
Replyingto Perry’
s offer of an engagement on that print
(see B ibliographical, Vol . ii. p. Burns wroteIn the meantime they are most welcome to my Ode ;
only let them insert it as a thing they have met withby accident and unknown to me .
’ Accordingly, the Ode
N O TE S
was thus ingenuously prefaced If th e followingwarmand animatingode was not written near the times towh ich it appl ies, it is one of the most faithful imitations of the simple and beautiful style of the Scottishbards we ever read, and we know but of one livingPoetto whom to ascribe it ’ a piece of criticism which, if youreflect that in grammar, style , cast
,sentiment, diction,
and turn of phrase, the ode,though here and there its
spellingdeviates into Scots, is pure Eighteenth CenturyEngl ish, says litt l e for th e soundness ofPerry
’
s j udgment,however it may approve the kindness of h is heart. Th e
ode appeared, too, in Vol . iv. of Brash and Reid’s PoetryOriginal and Select and in No. 2 of the Gray
Tracts
Varying accounts are given of the time and circumstances of its origin. John Syme connects it with a tourwith Burns in Galloway in July 1 793 —
‘ I told you thatin the midst of the storm on the wilds of Kenmure,Burns was rapt in meditation. What do you think h ewas about ? He was charging the Engl ish army alongwith Bruce at Bannockburn. He was engaged in the
same manner on our ride from St. Mary’
s Isle, and I didnot disturb h im. Next day h e produced me the following address Of Bruce to h is troops, and gave me a copy
for Dalz ell . ’ Burns te l ls a different tale . After some
remarks to Thomson (August or September 1 793) on the
old air Hey Tutti Taiti, and on the tradition that ‘ it wasRobert Bruce ’
s march at the battle of Bannockburn,
’
he
introduces Scots Wha Hae This thought, in myyestern ight
’
s eveningwalk, roused me to a pitch of enthusiasmon the theme of l iberty and independence, which I threwinto a kind of Scots ode, fitted to the air, that one mightsuppose to be the gal lant royal Scot
’
s address to h is heroicfollowers on that eventful morning.
’
The two statementsare irreconcilable ; and we must conclude e ither thatSyme misdated the tour, and that the ‘
yesternight’
Of
Burns was the n ight of h is return to Dumfries, or that
SCOTSWHA HAE
N O TE S
Burns did not give Syme a copy until some’
time afterhis return
,and that
,l ike some other circumstances h e
was pleased to father, h is‘
yester—night’
s even ingwalkneed not be l iteral ly interpreted .
Thomson reprobated the‘ idea Of giving it a tune so
total ly devoid of interest or grandeur as Hey Tutti
Taiti,and suggested certain additions in th e fourth l ine
of each stanz a to fit it to that ofLewie Gordon. To acceptthese expletives was to ruin the effect ; but, as in the case
of Ye Flowery Banks 0’
Bonie Doon, accepted they were .
Some other suggestions Burns decl ined I have scrutiniz ed it over and over ; and to the world, some way or
other, it shal l go as it is. ’ At the same time,he seems
to have been scarce reconciled to the change to Lewie
Gordon, for says he It wil l not in the least hurt me,tho
’
you leave the songout altogether, and adhere to yourfirst idea of adoptingLogan
’
s verses.
’
But, havingagreedto it, he adopted the changes in all such copies as h e sentout in MS. ,
not even excepting that given to Mrs . GilbertBurns (now in the possession ofMrs. J. G. Burns, Knockmaroon, Dubl in) ; so that if transcripts from the earl ierset—to the tune Hey Tutti Taiti—were sent to Syme and
Dal z el l , they have not turned up. After the publ icationOf the Thomson Correspondence, general Opinion pro
nounced in favour of Hey Tutti Taiti ; and Thomson, in
Vol . iii. publ ished the ode as writt en, and set itto the air for which it was made
,and to which (as sung
by Braham and others) it owes no l ittle of its fortuneThis set—Of which the MS. is at Brechin Castle—we haveadopted as our text.In sendinga copy (now in Harvard UniversityLibrary,
U. S A. ) to Lord Buchan , Burns was moved to descant onthe battle itsel f Independently ofmy enthusiasm as a
Scotsman, I have rarely met with anything in historywhich interests my feel ings as a man equal with the storyof Bannockburn. On the one hand a crue l, but abl eusurper, leading on the finest army in Europe , to ext in
N O TE S
THEIR GROVES 0’
SWEET MYRTLE
THOMSON (Vol . 1 1 . The Irish air,Humours of
Glen, is a great favourite Ofmine, and as, except the sil ly
verses in The Poor Soldier , there are not anydecent words
burgh, made some time before 1 705) to the same tune
Fill , fill a bumper highDrain, drain your barrel s dryOut upon h im, fie, fie
That will not do ’t again .
’
See al so Landlady, Count the Lawin (p. and Carl,an
the KingCome (p.
There are no variations of any importance in th e copies ofthe second set. These are the last lines —Stanz a I .
‘Or to
glorious Victorie Stanz a II . Edward, chains and slaverie’
;
Stanz a III.‘ Traitor ! Coward, turn and Stanz a Iv .
Caledonian [Burns in his first copywrote soger hero on wi’
me ’
; Stanz a v .
‘ But they shal l, they shal l b e free and
Stanz a V I. ‘Forward 1 le t us do or die 1
STANZA n . LINES 2—4 in the early draft (in the possessionofMrs. Lampson
-Locker) readSee approach proud Edward
'
spower,S harply maun we hide the stour ,
E ither they or we.
’
STANZA V . reads thus in the early draftDoyou hear your ch i ldren cryWere we horn in cha ins to l ie
No ! Come Dea th or Liberty !
Yes, they shall b e free .
’
LINE 1 . By oppression’s wrongs and pains some MSS.
STANZA V I .‘ I have borrowed th e last Stanz a from the
common stal l edition of Wallace
A false usurper sinks in every foe ,And l iberty returns with every b low
a couplet worthy OfHomer (R. B. to Thomson).
N O TE S
for it, I have written for it as follows’
(R. B. to Thomson
,April
Th e MS. is at Brech in Castle. The songwas publishedin The Edinburgh Magaz ine for May 1 797, and in The
Scots Magaz ine for June 1 797. It is included al so in
Brash and Reid’s Poetry Origina l and Select (Vol . iii.1 7 But there are no variations to record.
THINE AM I
THOMSON (Vol . 1 1 . 1 7 Sent to Thomson about October1 793. The ms. is at Brechin Castle .
Intended as Engl ish words to The Quaker’
s Wi e. It
is possible that the verses had done duty with Clarinda‘ I have altered the first stanza, which I would have to
stand thus
Thine am I, my faithful Fair,Well thoumay’st discover
Every pulse alongmy ve insTell s th e ardent Lover”
(R. B. to Thomson, 1 9th October But on 2nd
August 1 795, be inglong, longOff with Clarinda and verymuch on with Jean Lorimer, he wants h is first l ine changedto
‘Thine am I,my Chloris fair
’ ‘ If you negl ect theal teration, I call on al l the Nine conjunctly and several lyto anathematise you.
’ A paral lel case is that of Mr.
Arthur Pendenn is,thritt ily turn ing his Fotheringay
rhymes to account with Miss Amory.
In a MS. now at Liverpool Free Library‘lovelyKate
’
is
an alternative reading in Line 1 for‘ faithful fair and
in 2 the choice is between Well thou may’
st discern’
and
our text ; and in 4 between ‘Tells the ardent Lover’
and
Our text. As Burns’
s changes were rather due to wh imthan to inspiration, we have ventured to retain his originalreadings.
N O TE S
THOU HAST LEFT ME EVER, JAMIE
HIGHLAND MARY
THOMSON (Vol . 1 1 . 1 7 Th e ms . is at Brechin Castle .
Suggested to Thomson (September 1 793) as words forFee Him Father -
‘I enclose you Fraser’
s set Of this tunewhen h e plays it slow in fact
,h e makes it the language
of despair ! I shall here give you two stanz as in thatstyle, merely to try if it wil l be any improvement. Were
it possible, in singing, to give it hal f the pathos whichFraser gives it in playing, it would make an admirablypathetic song. I do not give these verses for anymerittheyhave. I composed them at the time in which FatieAl lan ’
s mither de ’ed — that was, “ about the back 0’
mid
n ight —and by the l eeside of a bowl of punch, whichhad overset everymortal in company except the Hautbois
and th e Muse.
’
Thomson accepted the song as‘an additional one
’
;
but,setting it to My Boy Tammie, felt bound to change
th e hero’
s name to Tam,
’
and did so without a blush .
It is sl ightlyreminiscent Of an older lyr ic, ThouArt GaneAwa Frae Me, Mary.
THOMSON (Vol . 1 1 . Th e MS. is at Brechin Castle .
Sent to Thomson,1 4th November 1 792 The fore
goingsongpleases mysel f ; I think it is in my happiestmanner ; you wil l see at first glance that it suits th e air.
The subj ect Of th e song is one Of the most interestingpassages ofmyyouthful days and I own that I woul d bemuch flattered to see the verses set to an air which wouldensure celebrity. Perhaps, after all
,
’
tis the still glowingprej udice ofmy heart that throws a borrowed lustre overthe merits Of the composition.
’
For Mary Campbel l seeante, p. 308, PrefatoryNote to My Highland Lassie.
N O TE S
LASSIE WI’ THE LINT-WHITE LOCKS
THOMSON (Vol . iii. 1 801 ) and Currie I havefin ished my song to Rothiemurchie
’
s Rant. The
piece has at leas t th e merit of being a regu lar pastoral ;th e vernal morn, th e summer noon
, the autumnal evening, and the winter night, are regularly rounded (R. B .
to Thomson, November 1 7The Chloris, who did duty as Burns
’
s Muse for sometime after h is break withMaria Riddell
,was the daughter
Of Will iam Lorimer, farmer and publ ican, Kemmishal l,near Dumfri es. She was born in September 1 775, at
Craigieburn Wood,which h er poet has associated
with a Mr. G il l espie, a brothergauger (see p. 364) and h is
passion for h er : Gil lespie’
s disappointment, when she
e loped to Gretna Green with a prodigal youngEngl ishman, one Wh epdale, tenant of a farm near Mofi
'
at,being
shadowed forth in 0 Poortith Cauld (p. The ladywas still a bride, wh en h er husband fled his creditorsacross the border ; and, h er illusion beingno more, shereturned to h er parents and resumed her maiden name .
Her misfortunes so touched the Bard that he becameexceedingly enamoured of her. He re—wrote Whistle andI
’
ll Come to You My Lad in h er honour ; on her behal fappropriatedpart Of an earlier song, And I
’
ll Kiss TheeYet
(p. to complete Come, Let Me Take Thee toMy Breast
(p. 233) celebrated her il lness in a new set ofAgWauken,
0 (p. 260) and exalted her in such reveries of passion’
as the present song, asMy Chloris,Mark (p. as Mark
Yonder Pomp (p. as Forlorn My Love (p. and as
0, Bonie Was Yon RosyBrier (p. to name but these .
He thus described toThomson her relation to his workTh e ladyon whom it [Craigieburn Wood] wasmade is one
of the finest women in Scotland and,in fact (entre nous)
is, in a mann er to me, what Sterne
’
s Eliz a was to h im—a
Mistress, or Friend, or what you wil l, in the guil elesssimpl icity Of Platon ic love . (Now don’t put any Of
NOTES
your squinting constructions on th is, or have any cl ish LASSIEWI’
maclavers about it among our acquaintances. ) I assure THE LINTyou that to my lovely Friend you are indebted for many WHITEof your best songs Ofmine. DO you th ink that the sober LOCKSgin-horse routine Of existence coul d inspire aman with l ife
,
and love, and j oy—could fire h imwith enthusiasmor melthim with pathos equal to th e genius of your Book ? NO,NO Wh enever I want to be more than ordinary in song—to be in some degree equal to your diviner airs—do youimagine I fast and pray for the celestial emanation ? Tout
au contraire .
’ I have a glorious recipe the very one
that for h is own use was invented to the Divin ity of
Heal ing and Poesy, when erst h e piped to the flocks OfAdmetus. I put myse l f in the regimen of admiring a
fine woman and in proportion to th e adorab il ity Of her
charms,in proportion you are del ighted with my verses.
’
Towards th e close of 1 795 he (for whatever reason) grewdisenchanted with the adorab il ity Of this particular‘ fine woman
,
’
and woul d rather, as we have seen, thatne ither h er name nor her charms ’ were associated withh is fame. The poor lady
’
s later years were unfortunate.
Her father lost h is money, and, compell ed to support hersel f, she went into service, dying as late as September1 831 .
There are two Mss. at Brechin Castl e, one containingStanza which was omitted by both Currie and Thomson
,and for a second copy whereof we are indebted to
Mr. C. C. Maxwel l, Dundee . (It is included as wel l ina MS . copy in the Kilmarnock Monument Museum. )
STANZA m. LINE 2 .
‘Has cheared each drooping littleflower,’ Kilmarnock MS.
STANZA v. , accordingto Currie, runs thus in some MSS.
And should the bowlingwintry blastD isturb my lassie
'
s midnight rest,I
’
l lfauld thee to my faithfu' breast,
And comfort thee , my dearie , O.
’
LINE 3. Enfaula’
ed to my faithfu’ breast,’ Kilmarnock MS.
NOT E S
LONG,LONG THE NIGHT
THOMSON (Vol . iii. 1 801 ) and CurrieSent to Thomson in May 1 795. A rather tawdry set
of AgWauken 0 (p. See ante, p. 482, Prefatory
Note to Lassie wi’ the Lint-white Locks.
THOMSON (Vol . III. 1 801 ) and Currie ‘Have youever, my dear Sir, felt your bosom ready to burst withindignation on reading, or seeing how these mightyvil lains who divide kingdom against kingdom, desolateprovinces, and layNations waste, out of the wantonnessof amb ition, or Often from stil l more ignoble passions ?In a mood of this kind to-day, I recol lected th e air of
Logan Water, and it Occurred to me that its querul ousmelodyprobably had its origin from the plaintive indignation Of some swell ing, sufi
‘
ering h eart, fired at the
tyrannic strides Of some Publ ic Destroyer, and overwhelmed with private distress, the consequences of a
country’
s ruin . If I have done anyth ing like justice tomy feel ings, the fol lowing song, composed in threequarters Of an hour’s lucubrations in my elbow-chair,Ought to have some merit (R. B. to Thomson, 25th June
1 793)I remember two endinglines Of a verse in some Of the
Old songs of Logan Water (for I know a good many dif
ferent ones) which I think prettyNow my dear lad maun face hi s faesFar, far frae me and Logan Braes.”
(R. B . to Thomson, 3rd April It may be thatthese l ines occur in an old song; but in any case theywere used as arefrain in th e Logan Water of John Mayne
(author of The Siller Gun, and joint editor with Peter
N O TE S
Logan-Water and Logan-Braes,
I helped a bonnie lassie on wi’her claiths,
On wi’h er stockings, and on wi’ h er shoon ;
And she gae me th e glaiks when a’was done,’ etc.
and included with verbal differences in The MerryMuses.
And it is verymuch less likelythat the Scots bal ladist goth is in spiration from th e very sil ly blackletter than thatthe blackl etter is a faint derivative from this or from some
earl ier Scots original . A ball ad,Logan Water
,or A Lass
in Captivity, is included in a certain coll ection (1 660-1 7wh ich we have failed to trace .
There are MSS. at Lochryan—MS. (A)—and at Dalhousie
—Ms. (B).
STANZA I. LINE 2 . The day I was my Willie’s bride,’
MS. (A).
STANZA III. LINE 3. Her faithfu’mate to share her toil,’
MS. (A).
STANZA IV. LINE 1 .
‘ O wae he to you, Men 0’State,’
erroneous reading. 5-6 were objected to by Thomson. Burnsreplied The faulty line in Logan Water I mend thus
How canyourfi inty hearts enj oyThe widow'
s tear , the orphan'
s cry .
Having no fear of Thomson, we have preferred the originalreading.
YON ROSY BRIER
THOMSON (Vol . iii. 1 801 ) and Currie Sent to.
Thomson in August 1 795. The MS . is at Brech in Castle.
WHERE ARE THE JOYS
THOMSON (Vol . i ii. 1 801 ) and Currie‘ Saw Ye My
Father ? is one of mygreatest favourites. The eveningbefore last I wandered out, and began a tender song in
N OTE S
what I think is its native style . My song is but justbegun and I Should l ike
, be fore I proceed, to know yourOpin ion of it ’
(R. B . to Thomson in h is comments on
the latter’s l ist of an hundred songs, SeptemberThe compl eted song he sent to Thomson shortly after
wards, with the advice to se t the air to th e Oldwords, andlet h is foll ow as Engl ish verses.
’
Both MSS. are at Brechin Castle . Th e later has an
additional stanza, and is in English . Except for th is thetwo agree.
BEHOLD THE HOUR
THOMSON (Vol . iv. 1 805) and Currie Sent toThomson in December 1 793 The fol lowingsongI havecomposed for Oran Gaoi l
, the Highland air that you.
tel lme in your last you have resolved to give a place in yourbook. I have this moment finished the song, so you haveit glowing from the mint. If it suit you, well ! if not’
tis also wel l (R. B . to Thomson, SeptemberIt is from a song sent to Clarinda in 1 791 ; but this
itsel f was l ittle more than a transcript of a certain Farewell to N ice, to be found in The Charmer and other books
(see Vol .
FORLORN MY LOVE
THOMSON (Vol . iv. 1 805) and Currie‘How do
you like the foregoing? I have written it within thishour ; so much for the speed ofmy Pegasus, but what sayyou to h is bottom ? ’
(Burns to Thomson, May
Thomson appears to have objected to th e grammar of
Lines 1 -2 of Stanz a In . ,and on 2md August Burns,
admitting that h is objection was ‘ j ust,’
sent, hoping itwould:please ’h im, this
Cold,al ter’dfriends, wi th cruel art,P oisoningfel l Misfor twne
’s dart. ’
N O T E S
Both MSS. are at Brechin Castle . A MS . in the pos
session of Mr. A. P. Watt, London , retains the Old
CA’
THE YOWES TO THE KNOWESSECOND SET
THOMSON (Vol . iv. 1 805) and Currie Sent toThomson in September 1 794. See ante, p. 350 PrefatoryNote to Ca’
the Yowes to the Knowes (First Set) . The
MS. is at Brech in Castle .
STANZA I. LINE 3.
‘Then a-fauldinglet us gang’
to
gather the sheep into the fold. Cf. the song, My Peggy is
a YoungThing, in Ramsay’s Gentle Shepherd
My Peggy is a youngthingAnd I
’
m not very auld,Yet well I l ike to meet h erAt the waukingof the fauld.
’
HOW CAN MY POOR HEART
THOMSON (Vol. iv. 1 805) and Currie The MS. is
at Brech in Castl e.
‘The last eveningas I was strayingout, and th inkingOfO
’
er the Hills and Far Away, I spun th e fol lowingstanz asfor it ; but whethermyspinn ingwill deserve to be laidupinstore, like the precious thread ofthe silkworm, or brushedto the devil, like the vil e manufacture of the spider, Ileave, my dear sir
, to your usual candid criticism. Iwas pl eased with several lines in it at first, but I own
that it appears rather a flimsy business. I give youl eave to abuse this song, but do it in the spirit Of
Christian meekness ’
(R. B. to Thomson, 3oth AugustThomson took him at h is word, whereupon he
repl ied —‘ I shal l withdraw my O
’
er the Seas and Far
Away al together ; it is unequal, and unworthy of the
work. Makinga poem is l ike begettinga son ; you can
not know whether you have a wise man or a fool, untilyou produce h im to the world and try h im.
’
N O TE S
that estrangement from weal thier loyalist friends, withwhich his expression of these sympathies and h is friendship with such sons of sedition as Maxwel l (see Vol . ii.p. 440, Prefatory Note to Ye True Loyal Natives
,and
Vol . ii. p. 443, PrefatoryNote to To Dr. Maxwell) hadbeen visited. It appeared in The GlasgowMagaz ine for
August 1 795 ; in The Oracle for June 2nd,1 796 ; in a
chap-book, Paisl ey 1 796 in the Scots Magaz ine for
August 1 797 and in the tracts OfBrash and Reid (Vol .ii. of the Col lected Series
,and of Stewart and
Meikle .
The MS . sent to Th omson is at Brechin Castle. A copyinscribed in a 1 794 Edition was first made known byMr. J. R. Tutin in h is Edition in th e series Of NewberyClassics ; it agrees with that publ ished in The Oracle.
STANZA I . is wanting in the sets in The Glasgow Magaz ine,Oracle, and Scots Magaz ine, and the Tutin Ms.
LINES 1 -2 in Brash and Reid read thusWha wad for honest povertyH ingdown h is head ah
'
a' that. ’
4.
‘And dare b e poor for a’ that,’ Brash and Reid, and
Stewart. 5—8 . In some copies of Brash and Re id there is an
absurd version Of thi s half stanz a, apparently the invention of
the ingenious ReidFor a.
’ that and a’ that,
Theirpurse-proud looks and a' that
,
‘etc.
LINE 7. The rank is but the gu inea stamp,’ Stewart. It
has been pointed out that the thought in this verse and the nextis conveyed from a sentence inWycherly
’s P lain Dealer. It is
also found in Tristrarn Shandy and other works. Indeed, itmight b e found anywhere .
STANZA II. LINE 3. Gie fools their silk,’ early sets. 7-8 in
the early sets readAn
’ honestman tho’
ne'
er sae [or so] poorIs chief o
'
[or of ] men for a’ that.’
STANZA III. LINE 3.
‘ Tho’ hundreds beckon at his nod,
’
N O TE S
Oracle and Tutin MS. 6. His dignities an’a’ that,’ Oracle and
Tutin MS. 7.
‘A man of independent mind,’the early sets.
4. Can sing and laugh at a’ that,’ Oracle and Tutin MS. ;
‘can [ooh and laugh,
’Glasgow Magaz ine, Scots Magaz ine,
Brash and Reid, and Stewart.STANZA IV . LINE 1 . The K
'
ingcan mak [ormake] a beltedknight,
’
th e early sets. 4, Fa’ that —This phrase has puz z led
the Editors. Here theyusuallytranslate it attempt.’But the
common meaning is‘ have ’
(i. e.
‘
possess or, better still‘claim,
’or
‘ lay claim to,’as in the following examples
‘We Norlands manna fa’ To eat sae nice and gangsae braw(Beattie ) ; ‘The Whigs think a
’ that weal is won, But faiththeymanna fa
’ that (Collection of Loyal Songs, ut sup. ) He
that some e lls of this may fa’
(Fergusson) Or wha in a’th e
country round, The best deserves to fa’ that ’ (Burns). This,too, is the sense in the archetypal song—
‘ Put butter in myDonald’s brose, For wee l does Donald fa’ that ’ —as in the
present derivative, where Gude faith, h e manna fa’ thatplainlymeans that the power ofmakingan honest man, as a
belted knight is made, is one no kingcan be al lowed to claim.
6. H is dignities and a’ that,’ Glasgow Magaz ine, Scots Maga
z ine, Brash and Reid, and Stewart ; ‘H is garters, stars, and
a’ that,’ Oracle and Tutin Ms. 8.
‘Are better for than a’
that,’ Oracle and Tutin MS. ;‘Are grander far,
’Glasgow
Magaz ine, Scots Magaz ine, Brash and Reid, and Stewart.STANZA V . LINE 1 .
‘Then let us pray the time may come,
’
Oracle and Tutin MS .
‘And [An’
] come it will,’ Oracle and
Tutin MS. As come it shal l,’ Glasgow Magaz ine, ScotsMaga
z ine, Brash and Reid, and Stewart. 3. l/Vhen Sense and
Truth o’er a
’the earth,’ early sets. 4.
‘Shal l bear the gree
for a’ that, ’ Oracle and Tutin Ms. 6. An
’
[And] come it wi l l
for a’ that
,
’Oracle and Tutin Ms. 7—8 in the Scots Magaz ine
Andman to man sha l l brothers be
The world o'
er for a' that.‘
man to man the world o’er,
’Glasn Magaz ine,
Stewart ; When man to man the world o’er,
’Brash and
Reid.
N O TE S
MARK YONDER POMP
THOMSON (Vol . iv. 1 805) and Currie The ms. isat Brech in Castle.
A ‘reverie ’
on Chloris.
‘Well, th is is not amiss ’
(R. B. to Thomson, May
O, LET ME IN THIS AE NIGHT
THOMSON (Vol . iv. 1 805) and Currie Both mss.are at Brech in Castle .
Founded on a song in Herd’
s Collection wh ichBurns revised for Johnson’
s Museum. The first stanzaand the chorus are borrowed from th e Herd set, wh ichis one Of many derivatives from a group Of blackletterball ads (see ante, p. 377, Prefatory Note to Wha Is
That at My Bower Door, and p. 450, Prefatory Noteto 0, Open the Door). In August 1 793 Burns sent Thomson a second ; in September 1 794 a th ird ; in February1 795
‘another trial,
’ with the remark —‘ I do not knowwhether it will do.
’
Th is last one Thomson used. Afterthe Chorus and Stanz a r. the earlier version runs thus
Tho’never durstmy tongue reveal,
Lang, langmy heart to thee ’s been leal ;
O Lassie dear, ao last fareweel ,For P ity’s cause alane, jo.
O wyte no.me until thou proveThe fatal force 0’mighty love ;Then should on me thy fancy roveCountmy care by thine ain, jo.
O Pity ’s ay to woman dear
She heav’d a sigh, she drapt a tear
’Twas love forme that brought him here,See how can I complain, jO
CHORUS. LINE 3.
‘For P ity’s sahe this ac nicht,’ Thomson
and Currie, but there is no MS. authority. 4. I’ll no come
back again, jo,’Herd and earl ier Burns.
N O TE S
and,SO far as I know, quite origi nal . It is too short for
a song, else I woul d forswear you altogether'
except you
gave it a place . I have often tr ied to eke a stanza to it,
but in vain. After bal ancingmyself for a musing fiveminutes on the h ind-legs Of my elbow-chair
,I produced
the fol lowing [Were My Love Yon Lilac Fair, The
verses are far inferior to the foregoingI frankly confess
but,if worthy Of insertion at al l
, theymight be first in
place, as every Poet who knows anything Of h is tradewil l husband h is best thoughts for a concluding stroke
(R. B. to Thomson, Jun e 1 7In th e Herd MS. there is also a set three stanz as in
length0, ifmy love was a pickl e Of wheat,Andgrowingupon yon lil ly whi te l ea,
And I myself a bon y sweet bird,Away with that pickl e I would flie .
0, ifmy love was a bon y red rose,
Andgrowingupon some barren wa’,And I myself a drap Of dew
,
Down in that red rose I would fa’.0
,ifmy love was a cotter Of gold,’ etc.
And Of burlesque fancies (not to be repeated here), thereis no lack.
The MS. is at Brechin Castle .
STANZA I. LINE 8. Ga l lant’and merry
’are alternative
readings with ‘
youthfu and ‘ leaf’is an alternative reading
for bloom.
’
SLEEP’
ST THOU
THOMSON (Vol. iv. 1 805) and Currie Burns senta copy to Thomson, 1 9th October 1 794, and a revisedcopy on the 27th October.
Both MSS . are at Brechin Castle . An early sketch is inthe possession of th e Earl OfRosebery.
STANZA I. LINES 5—9 originally read
N O TE S
Now thro'
the leafy woodsAnd by the racking/loads.Wi ld Na ture
'
s tenantsfreely,gladly, stray.
The l intwh ite in h is bower
Chants o'
er the brea th ingfl ower.
’
STANZA u . LINES 5-r2 originally read
When absentfrom myfair ,The murhy shades q
“care
With star lessgloom o’
ercast my s ul len shy,
But when in B eauty'
s l igh t
S he meets my ravi sh'
d sight,When thro'
my very heartHer beamingglories dart,
’
Tis then I wake to l ife, to l ight, and joy.
’
THERE WAS A LASS
THOMSON (Vol . iv. 1 805) and Curr ieCertain stanz as were sent to Thomson in April 1 793,
and the fin ished ballad on July 2nd. The heroine wasJeanM‘Murdo
,daughter ofBurns
’
s friend,JohnM‘Murdo
(see Vol . ii. p. 375, PrefatoryNote to To John M‘Murdo).
To h er h e sent a copy In the inclosed bal lad I have,I th ink
,b it off a few outl ines of your portrait. The
personal charms, the purity Of mind,the ingenuous
naivi te Of heart and manners in my heroine are, I flattermyself, a pretty j ust l ikeness of Miss M‘Murdo in a
cottage .
’
Sl ightly reminiscent of Battery May in the Tea-Table
Miscellany, and other books, which begins
In yonder town there was a MaySnack and perfyte as can be ony
’
and of wh ich this is Stanza 1 1 .
Her bonnyness has been foreseenIn ilka town baith far and near
And when sh e kirns h er minny’s kirn,
Sh e rubs h er face til l it grows cl ear
N O TE S
But when herminny she did perceiveSicgreat inlack amangthe butterShame fa’ that filthy face Of thine,’Tis crish thatgars your grunz ie gl itter.
The MS. sent to Thomson—MS. (B)—is at Brech inCastle, and another—MS. (A)—givingseveral interestingnew readings, is in the possession Of Mr. R. B. Adam,
Ohio, U.S.A.
STANZA II. LINE I .
‘And ay she wrought her mammie’swark,
’Currie and Thomson ; and similarly in l ines of other
Stanz as.STANZA IV. LINE 2 . That turn’d the maute in yon tawnMS. (A).
STANZA V . LINE 1 .
‘Tryste’ may here refer to the ap
pointed meeting-place of lovers (cf. Mary Morison, Stanz a I.
Line 2 , The trysted It is also a common word for a
cattle fair.STANZA V I. is omitted in Ms. (A) —‘ Is this stanz a not
original ?’
(R. B. to Thomson).STANZA vIr. LINES 2 -4 in MS. (A) read
Her l ife was naught but care and pain,
Yet hend na what her ail could beOr what woul d ease her heart again.
’
STANZA VIII. LINE 3. W'
hen Robie tauld a tale 0’ love,’
Ms. (A).
STANZA III. in MS. (B) and as hitherto printed reads
The sun was sinkingin the west,The birds sangsweet in i lhagrove
His cheeks to hers hefondly la id,And wh isper
'
d thus his tale 0’ love. ‘
STANZA x. LINE 4. And learn to turn the maute wi’me,’
MS. (A).
STANZA ! I. in Ms. (A) readsThy handsomefoot thou shalt na setIn barn or byre to trouble thee ;
But si t on a cush ion and sew at thy seam,
And learn to turn themaute wi’
me.’
N O TE S
fragment, wh ich is,But the Herd MS. also contains a
perhaps, the archetypal original‘Tho
’th e night were ne’er sae dark,
And I were ne’er sa weary,I’d meet on th e Ley RigMyn ain kind Deary.
’
There are two MSS.—(A) and (B)—at Brech in Castle.
STANZA I. LINE 1 .
‘E’ening star ’ and ‘
parting'
sun’are
alternative readings for Eastern star ’ ; but I wil l have it theeastern star’ (R. B. 5. Down bythe burn,where birken obobs,
’
MS. (A) birhen-buds,’ deleted readingin MS. (B).
STANZA II. LINE I . In mirhest glen, at midnight hour,’
MS. (A). 5.
‘Altho’ the night were ne’er sae wet,
’MS. (A).
STANZA III . was added in Ms. (B). 3. At noon the fishersechs the glen,
’alternative readingin MS. (B ).
MY WIFE ’
S A WINSOME WEE THING
THOMSON (Vol . v. 1 81 8) and Currie ‘ In th e air
My Wi o’
s a Wanton Wee Thing—if a few lines smooth
and pretty can be adapted to it, it is al l you can expect.The fol lowing I made extempore to it ; and though , on
further study, I might give you somethingmore profound, yet it might not suit the light-horse gallop of the
air,so well as this random cl ink ’
(R. B . to Thomson,
8th November To this Thomson repl ied Of
th e other song, My Wife’
s a Winsome Wee Thing, I
think th e first e ight l ines verygood, but I do not admirethe other e ight, because four of them are a bare repetition Of th e first verse. I have been trying to spin a
stanz a, but could make noth ingbetter than the following: do you mend it, or, as Yorick did with the loveletter, whip it up in your own way
O l ecz e me on my wee thing,My bonie blyth esome wee th ing!Sae lang’s I has my wee thing,I’11 thinkmy lot divine.
N O T E S
Though warld’s care we spare O’t,
Andmay see meikl e mair o’t ,
Wi’ h er I ’11 blythely bear it,
And ne’er a word repine .
“
Burns, beingespecially resolved that he would not alterBonie Les ley, thought fit to flatter Thomson by statingthat h is corrections were perfectly right,
’
and that theal teration of th e second stanz a was ‘
a positive improvement. ’ He gave, however, no further Sign, andThomsondid not publ ish the songtil l 1 8 1 8, when he incorporatedh is own amendments MyLove
’
s a WinsomWee Thing,changed from th e old name of th e air, My Wi o
’
s a
Wanton Wee Thing, th e first stanza by Burns, the othersby George Thomson.
’
Burne’s MS . is at Brech in Castle.
CHORUS . This was al l the original Burns that Thomsonleft, and in Line 3 he substituted ‘ bon ie for lo
’esome.
’
4.
This dear wee wife 0’mine,’ de leted reading.
STANZA II. LINE 1 . Wrack Vengeance or‘wrath,’
but here probably used in the sense of evil ’ in general .
MARY MORISON
THOMSON (Vol . v. 1 81 8) and Currie The MS. is
at Brechin Castle.
Th is little masterpiece of feel ing and expression was
sent to Thomson, 2oth March 1 793. Th e songprefixedis one of my j uvenile works. I l eave it among yourhands . I do not think it very remarkable e ither for itsmerits or demerits ’
(R. B . to Thomson) ; and Thomson
sat on it for upwards of twenty-five years . GilbertBurns told h im that MaryMorison was the heroine of
some l ight verses b eginningz—And I’
ll kiss thee yet, yet
(see p. She has therefore been identified with El isonBegbie. But a Mary Morison, the daughter of one
Adjutant Morison, who l ived at Mauchl ine from 1 784, is
N O TE S
STANZA I . LINE 2 . The trysted hour = the hour appointed.
said to have been as beautiful as amiable. She died of
consumption, 29th August 1 791For th e stanz a ofMaryMorison see ante,Vol . i. p. 371 -2,
PrefatoryNote to The Lament. It is prettily exampled,with th e addition of a refrain
,as in the bal lade proper, in
th e three octaves of a song (here modern iz ed) in the
Bannatyne MS. which Burns most certainly read in The
Evergreen, and wh ich may very wel l have given h im the
metrical scheme Of h is own immortal lyric
When Flora had o’erfret the firthIn May, of every moneth queenWhen Merl e and Mavis sings with mirth,Sweetme llingin th e schawes sheenWhen al l l overs rejoicéd been
Andmaist desirous of their prey ;I heard a lusty Iovvr mene
Whom I love I dare nocht assay
I N D E X O F T I TLE S
Bal lochmyle, Th e Braes o’
Balou, The HighlandBank of Flowers, On a
Banks 0’
Doon,The
Banks ofNith, TheBanks of the Devon
,The
Bannocks 0’
Bear MealBatt le of Sherramuir, TheBearMeal
,Bannocks 0
’
Beaver , Cock UpYourBed, Th e Lass That Made theBed, The Tail or Fel l Thro
’
th e
Behold the HourBel l , BonieBeware o
’
Bonie AnnBlast
,Cauld is the E’
enin
Blast, When Wild War’
s DeadlyBlythe Hae I Been on You Hil lBlythe Was She
Bobbed, When She Cam Ben SheBon ie Ann, Beware o
’
Bonie Bel lBonie DundeeBonie Wee Th ingBower Door,Wha Is Th at at MyBraes
,Kel lyburn
Braes O’
Bal lochmyle, The
Braw Lads o’
Gal laWater
I N D E X O F T I TLE S
Brier-bush,Th ere Grows a Bonie
Brier, Yon RosyByAl lan Stream
CairneyMount, As I Came O’
er the
Canst Thou Leave Me Thus,My Katie
Can Ye Labour Lea,O
Capta in’
s LadyCaptive Ribband, Th eCardin o
’
t, The
Carl, an th e KingComeCa
’
the Yowes to th e Knowes (l st se t)Ca
’
the Yowes to the Knowes (z ud set)Ca
’
Thro’
,Hey
Cauld is the E’
ch in BlastCave, Had I aCharl ie, He
’
s myDarl ingCharl ie
,O
’
er th e Water toCharmer, StayMyChloris Mark , MyCity, Th ere
’
s a Youth in th isClarinda, Mistress Ofmy SoulCockade, Th e WhiteCock UpYour BeaverCol l ier Laddie, MyCome, Let Me Take Thee
Come TryMe,Jamie
Comin Thro’
the Rye
Complain ,Let Not Woman E
’
er
ContentedWi’ LittleCooper 0
’
Cuddy, Th eCount the Lawin, Guidwife
504 I N D E X O F T I TLE S
Craigieburn WoodCrookieden, I Hae Been at
Cruel Are the Parents, How
Cuddy, Th e COOper O’
Daddie o’
t,The Bantin Dog, the
Daddie, Th e Bank’
s DangO’
er MyDarling, Charl ie He
’
8 MyDaunton Me
,To
Davies, LovelyDavison, DuncanDay, 0 Phil ly, Happy b e thatDay, 0 Tibbie , I Hae Seen the
DayReturns, Th eDearie, Wilt Thou be MyDeath, Th e Songof
December, Thou GloomyDeil ’s Awa wi’ th ’
Exciseman,Th e
Deluded Swain, the PleasureDeuk
’
s DangO’
er MyDaddie, TheDevon Banks, Fairest Maid onDevon, The Banks of theDoes Haughty Gaul Invasion ThreatDog, the Daddie O
’
t, Th e Bantin
Doon, Th e Banks 0’
Door to Me,0, Open the
Dreamed I Lay, IDunbar, Sweet TibbieDuncan DavisonDuncan Gray (1 st set)Duncan Gray (2md set)Dundee Bon ie
506 I N D E X O F T I TLE S
Gray, Wee Will ie
Groves of Sweet Myrtle, TheirGuidman
,0,An Ye Were Dead
Guidwife, Count the Lawin
Had I a CaveHad I the WyteHairst, Robin Shure inHarry, HighlandHaywas Mawn
, In Simmer WhenHeal th, Here
’
s a
Health , Here’
s to Thy
Health in Water,Here
’
s His
Heart, How Can My PoorHeart ’s in the Highlands, MyHeart, Wee is MyHere is the Glen
Here’
s a HealthHere
’
s His Health inWater
Here’
S to ThyHealthHey, Ca
’
Thro’
High land Balou, TheHighland Harry
High land LaddieHighland Lassie, 0MyHighland Mary
Highland Rover, The YoungHigh lands, MyHeart ’s in theHighlandWidow
’
s Lament,The
Hill,B lythe Hae I Been on Yon
Hoggi e, My
’
I N D EX O F T I TLE S
Hour, Behold theHow Can My Poor HeartHow Cruel are the ParentsHow Langand Dreary is the NightHusband, Husband, Cease Your Strife
I DO Confess Thou Art Sae FairI Dream’
d I LayI Has a Wife 0’
MyAin
I Has Been at Crookieden
I ’l l Ay Ca’
in byYon TownI Love My Love in SecretI ’
m O’
er Youngto MarryYet
Invasion Threat, Does Haughty GaulInverness, The Lovely Lass ofIn SimmerWhen the Hay was MawnIs There For Honest PovertyIt is na
,Jean, Thy Bon ie Face
ItWas A’
For Our Righ tfu’
KingItWas the CharmingMonth
Jacobites byName, YeJamie
,Come TryMe
Jamie Comes Heme,There
’
11 Never be Peace tillJamie
,Thou Hast Left Me Ever
Jamie,Young
Jean, Thy Bonie Face, It is na,Jessie, YoungJewel
,MyTocher
’
s the
Jockie’
s Ta’
en the PartingKissJockie was the Blythest Lad, YoungJohn Anderson, My JO
508 I N D E X O F T I TLE S
John, Come Kiss Me Now, 9 ,
Joys,Where are the
Jumpin John
Katie, Canst Thou Leave Me Thus,My
Kel lyburn Braes
Kenmare’
s On and Awa,Will ie, OKil l iecrankieKingCome, Carl an theKing, ItWas A’
For Our Rightfu’
Kiss, Ao FondKiss, Jockie
’
s Ta’
en the PartingKiss Me Now
,O John, Come
Kiss Thee Yet, And I’
l l
Knowes, Ca’
the Yowes to the (1 st set)Knowes, Ca
’
the Yowes to the (2nd set)
Laddie,High land
Laddie,Lie Near Me
Laddie,My Col l ier
Lads o’
Gal laWater,Braw
Lad,Wh istle an
’
I’
11 Come to You, MyLad
,YoungJockie was the Blythest
Lad That ’s Far Awa, The Bon ieLadyMary Ann
Lady Onlie, Honest LuckyLady, The Captain
’
s
Lament,A Mother’s
Lament,Strathal lan
’
s
Lament, The High landWidow’
s
Lament, The Slave’S
Land I Love, Frae the Friends and
51 0 I N D E X O F T I TLE S
Long, Longthe NightLoof in Mine, Las s, 0 LayThyLord GregoryLouis
,What Reck I byThee
Love,Forlorn My
Love in Secret, I Love MyLove, 0Were MyLove, She
’
s but a Lassie Yet, MyLovelyDaviesLovely Pol ly StewartLucky, LadyOnl ie, Honest
Macnab, MyEppieM‘Pherson
’
s Farewel lMaid on Devon Banks, FairestMal ly
’
s Meek, Mal ly’
s SweetMark Yonder Pomp
Married, 0 That I Had Ne ’er BeenMarryYet, I
’
m O’
er Youngto
MaryAnn, LadyMary, HighlandMaryMorisonMary, Theniel Menz ies’ BonieMaut
,Wil l ie Brew’
d a Peck 0’
May, Now Rosy
May, SweetestMay, ThyMorn, O
Meal,Bannocks 0
’
Bear
Mego’
the Mil lMerry Hae I Been, OMill
,Mego
’
the
Mil ler, The Dusty
I N D E X O F T I TLE S
Mist,The Laz y
Mistress ofmy Soul, ClarindaMonth , ItWas the CharmingMorn
,The Tither
Morn ingEarly, Up in theMorison, Mary
Morris, Auld RobMother’s Lament, AMount, As I Came O
’
er the CairneyMountains
,YonWildMossy
Musingon the RoaringOcean
My Chl oris, Mark
My Coll ier LaddieMyEppie Macnab
MyHeart’
s in the Highl andsMy Highl and Lassie, 0MyHoggieMy Lord A-huntingMy Love, She
’
s but a Lassie YetMyNanie
’
s Awa
My Peggy’
s Face, my Peggy’
s FormMyrtle, The ir Groves of SweetMyTocher
’
s the JewelMyWife
’
s aWinsome Wee Th ing
Nanie’
s Awa,My
Nation, Such a Parcel of Rogues in a
News,Lasses
,News, There
’
s
Night, How Langand Dreary is the
Night, Long, LongtheNight, 0 Let Me in th is Ae
5 1 2 I N DE X O F T I TL E S
Nith,Adown Winding
Nith,The Banks 0
’
Nithdal e’
s Welcome Hame
Noddin,We
’
re a’
Now RosyMay
Now Springhas Clad
0,An Ye were Dead, Guidman
O,AyMyWife She DangMe
0,Can Ye Labour Lea
Ocean, Musingon the RoaringO
’
er the Water to Charl ieO,For Ane-and-twenty, Tam
Of a’
the AirtsO
,Guid Ale Comes
0 John,Come Kiss Me Now
O Kenmure’
s On and Awa,Wil l ie0,LayThy Loof in Mine, Lass
O, Lecze Me on My Spinnin-Whee l0 Let Me in th is Ae Night0May,ThyMom
0Merry Hae I BeenOn a Bank of Flowers0,Once I Lov
’
d a Bonie LassOpen the Door to Me, 0
O Phil ly, Happy be that DayO Poort ith Caul d0 Stay, SweetWarbl ingWoodlarkO
,Steer Her Up, an
’
Haud Her Gaun0
, That I Had Ne ’
er Been'
Married
O,This is No MyAin Lassie
O Tibbie, I Hae Seen the Day
I N D E X O F T I TLE S
Rosebud byMyEarlyWalk,A
Rover, The YoungHighlandRye, Comin Thro
’
the
Sae Far Awa
Sae Flaxen were Her RingletsSaw Ye Bonie Lefl eyScots, Wha HaeScroggam
Sensibility How CharmingSherramuir, The Battle ofShe
’
s Fair and FauseSilver Tassie, TheSlave’s Lament, TheSleep
’
st Thou
Somebody, For the Sake 0’
SongofDeath, TheSpinnin
—whee l, O,Leez e Me on My
SpringHas Clad, NowStar
,Thou Ling
’
ring
Stay, My CharmerStay, SweetWarblingWoodlark, O
Steer Her Up, an’
Haud Her Gaun,0
Stewart, Lovely Pol lyStrathallan
’
s LamentStream,
Farewell, ThouStrife, Husband, Husband, Cease YourStumpie, The Reel 0
’
Such a Parcel of Rogues in a NationSwain
,the Pleasure, Deluded
Sweet AftonSweetest May
I N D EX O F T I TLE S
Sweet Fa’s the EveSweet Tibbie DunbarSyne, Aul d Lang
Tailor,The
Tailor Fel l Th ro’
the Bed, The
Take Thee, Come, Let Me
Tam, O For Ane-and-twenty
Tassie,The Silver
The Banks ofNithThe Banks of the DevonThe Banks 0
’
Doon
The Battl e of Sherramuir
The B irks ofAberfeldieTh e Blue-eyed LassieThe Bonie Lad That ’s FarAwaThe Brae s o
’
Ballochmyle
The Captain’
s LadyThe Captive RibbandThe Cardin o
’
t
The Cooper 0’
CuddyThe Day ReturnsThe De il ’s Awa w1 th ’
ExcisemanThe Deuk ’
s DangO’
er MyDaddieThe DustyMill erThe Gal lantWeaver
The Gard’ner wi’ his PaidleThe Highland BalouThe Highl andWidow
’
s Lament
The ir Groves of Sweet MyrtleThe Lass o
’
Ecclefechan
I N D EX O F T I TLE S
Welcome Hame, Nithdale’
s
We’
re a’ Noddin
Wha is That at My Bower DoorWhat Can a YoungLassieWhat Reck I byThee, LouisWhen She Cam Ben She BobbedWhen Wild War
’
s Deadly BlastWh ere Are the JoysWhere
,BravingAngryWinter
’
s StormsWherefore Sigh ingArt Thou, Phyll isWhigs, Awa, AwaWh istle an
’
I’
l l Come to Ye, My Lad, O
Whistle O’
er the Lave o’
t
Wh ite Cockade, TheWife 0’
MyAin, I Hae a
Wife ’
s aWinsome Wee Th ing, MyWife She DangMe, 0 AyMyWil l ie Brew’
d a Peck o’
MautWill ie Gray,Wee
Will ie,O Kenmure
’
s On and Awa
Wil l ie, Rattl in, RoarinWil l ie, WanderingWil l ie Wastl e
Wil t Thou be MyDearieWinds Around Her B lowing, RavingWinter it is Past, TheWinter of Life, TheWinter’s Storms, Where BravingAngryWomen E
’
er Complain, Let NotWomen
’
s Minds,Tho
’
Wood, CraigieburnWoodlark, 0 Stay, SweetWarbl ing
I N D E X O F T I TLE S
Wyte, Had I the
Yon RosyBrierYon Wil d MossyMountainsYoungJamieYoungJessieYoungJockie was the Blythest LadYoungPeggyYouth in th is City, There
’
s a
Yowes to the Knowes, Ca’
the (1 st set)Yowes to the Knowes, Ca
’
the (2nd set)
Printed by T . and A. CONSTABLE, Printers to HerMajestyat the Edinburgh University Pre ss
