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And now that the Laird his exit had made,
Mistress Jean she reflected on what she had said;
'Oh, for ane I'll get better its waur " I'll get ten,
I was daft to refuse the Laird o' Cockpen.'

10

Next time that the Laird and the lady were seen,
They were gaun arm-in-arm to the kirk on the green;
Now she sits in the ha' like a weel-tappit hen,

But as yet there's nae chickens appeared at Cockpen.

334

THE ROWAN TREE

O ROWAN1 tree, O rowan tree! thou'lt aye be dear to me!
Intwined thou art wi' mony ties o'
Thy leaves were aye the first o'

simmer's pride;

hame and infancy.
spring, thy flowers the

There wasna sic' a bonnie tree in a' the country side.

O rowan tree!

How fair wert thou in simmer time, wi' a' thy clusters white,
How rich and gay thy autumn dress, wi' berries red and

bright!

On thy fair stem were mony names which now nae mair I

see,

But they're engraven on my heart-forgot they ne'er can be!
O rowan tree!

We sat aneath thy spreading shade, the bairnies round thee

ran,

They pu'd thy bonnie berries red, and necklaces they strang.
My mother! O I see her still, she smiled our sports to see,
Wi' little Jeanie on her lap, and Jamie at her knee.
O rowan tree!

O there arose my father's prayer, in holy evening's calm; How sweet was then my mother's voice in the Martyr's psalm!

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4

Now a' are gane! we meet na mair aneath the rowan tree!
But hallowed thoughts around thee twine o' hame and
infancy.
O rowan tree!

335

WHA'LL BE KING BUT CHARLIE?

THE news frae Moidart cam' yestreen,'
Will soon gar mony ferlie;"

For ships o' war hae just come in,
And landit Royal Charlie.

Come thro' the heather, around him gather,
Ye're a' the welcomer early;

Around him cling wi' a' your kin;

For wha'll be king but Charlie?

Come thro' the heather, around him gather,
Come Ronald, come Donald, come a' thegither
And crown your rightfu', lawfu' king!
For wha'll be king but Charlie?

The Hieland clans, wi' sword in hand,
Frae John o' Groats to Airlie,

Hae to a man declared to stand
Or fa' wi' Royal Charlie.

The Lowlands a', baith great an sma',
Wi' mony a lord and laird, hae
Declar'd for Scotia's king an' law,
An' speir ye wha but Charlie.

There's ne'er a lass in a' the lan,
But vows baith late and early,
She'll ne'er to man gie heart or han',
Wha wadna fecht for Charlie.

Then here's a health to Charlie's cause,
And be't complete an' early;

His very name our heart's blood warms;
To arms for Royal Charlie!

1 Last night.

Wonder. Together. Ask.

336

Come thro' the heather, around him gather,
Ye're a' the welcomer early;

Around him cling wi' a' your kin;

For wha'll be king but Charlie?

Come thro' the heather, around him gather,
Come Ronald, come Donald, come a' thegither,
And crown your rightfu', lawfu' king!
For wha'll be king but Charlie?

CHARLIE IS MY DARLING

'Twas on a Monday morning,
Right early in the year,

When Charlie came to our town,
The young Chevalier.

O Charlie is my darling,
My darling, my darling—
O Charlie is my darling,
The young Chevalier!

As he cam' marching up the street,
The pipes played loud and clear,
And a' the folk cam' running out
To meet the Chevalier.

O Charlie is my darling, etc.

Wi' Hieland bonnets on their heads,
And claymores bright and clear,
They cam' to fight for Scotland's right,
And the young Chevalier.

O Charlie is my darling, etc.

They've left their bonnie Hieland hills,
Their wives and bairnies dear,

To draw the sword for Scotland's lord,
The young Chevalier.

O Charlie is my darling, etc.

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337

O, there were mony beating hearts,
And mony a hope and fear,
And mony were the prayers put up
For the young Chevalier.

O Charlie is my darling,
My darling, my darling-
O Charlie is my darling,
The young Chevalier!

ALEXANDER ROSS
[1699-1784]

WOOED AND MARRIED AND A'

THE bride cam' out o' the byre,

And O, as she dighted' her cheeks,

'Sirs, I'm to be married the-night,

And ha'e neither blankets nor sheets-

Ha'e neither blankets nor sheets,

Nor scarce a coverlet too;

The bride that has a' thing to borrow,
Has e'en right meikle' ado!'

Wooed and married and a'!
Married and wooed and a'!

And was she na very weel aff

That was wooed and married and a'?

Out spake the bride's father

As he cam' in frae the pleugh,
'O haud your tongue, my dochter,
And ye'se' get gear' eneugh.
The stirk stands i' the tether,
And our braw bawsint yade
Will carry hame your corn:-
What wad ye be at, ye jade?'

1 Wiped.

• Much.

You shall. • Property.
Fine white-faced mare.

• Steer.

338

Out spake the bride's mither:
'What, deil, needs a' this pride?
I hadna a plack' in my pouch
That night I was a bride.
My gown was linsey-wolsey,
And ne'er a sark ava;

And ye ha'e ribbons and buskin's
Mae" than ane or twa.'

Out spake the bride's brither
As he cam' in wi' the kye:"
'Puir Willie wad ne'er ha'e ta'en ye
Had he kent ye as weel as I.
For ye're baith proud and saucy,
And no for a puir man's wife;
Gin" I canna get a better

I'se ne'er tak' ane i' my life!'

Out spake the bride's sister

As she cam' in frae the byre;
'Oh, gin I were but married,
It's a' that I desire!

But we puir folk maun live,
And do the best we can;
I dinna ken what I should want
If I could get but a man!'

JCHN SKINNER
[1721-1807]

TULLOCHGORUM

COME, gi'es sang, Montgom'rie cried,
And lay your disputes a' aside;
What signifies for folks to chide

For what was done before them?
Let Whig and Tory a' agree,
Whig and Tory, Whig and Tory,

'Four-pence Scots. • Chemise. • Ornaments. 10 More.

11 Cows.

12 If.

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