by Robert Burns
I’ll count my health my greatest wealth,
Sae lang as I’ll enjoy it: so/as long
I’ll fear nae scant, I’ll bode nae want, no poverty, no lack
As lang’s I get employment. long as
25 But far-off fowls hae feathers fair, have
And, ay until ye try them:
Tho’ they seem fair, still have a care,
They may prove as bad as I am.
But at twal at night, when the moon shines bright, twelve
30 My dear, I’ll come and see thee;
For the man that loves his mistress weel, well
Nae travel makes him weary. no
Although introduced in the S.M.M. as ‘Written for this work by Robert Burns’ the poet notes on a manuscript copy that it was originally composed by an ‘illiterate Millwright’ from Ayrshire, some thirty years prior. If this is true, most editors have assumed Burns revised the original. It does have traces of traditional folk song lyrics, but most of it is in the Burns manner. Indeed, it reads like an early song by Burns from his Mossgiel farm days. The pacey double rhyme in the third and fifth line of each stanza is characteristic. There is an obvious skill employed here which no ‘illiterate millwright’ would possess. Henley and Henderson suspected this was an early song by Burns and we concur.
It Was a’ for our Rightfu’ King
First printed in Johnson, 1796.
IT was a’ for our rightfu’ king all
We left fair Scotland’s strand;
It was a’ for our rightfu’ king,
We e’er saw Irish land, my dear,
5 We e’er saw Irish land. —
Now a’ is done that men can do,
And a’ is done in vain:
My Love and Native Land fareweel, farewell
For I maun cross the main, my dear, must
10 For I maun cross the main. —
He turn’d him right and round about,
Upon the Irish shore,
And gae his bridle reins a shake, gave
With, Adieu for evermore, my dear,
15 And adieu for evermore. —
The soger frae the wars returns, soldier from
The sailor frae the main, from
But I hae parted frae my Love, have, from
Never to meet again, my dear,
20 Never to meet again. —
When day is gane, and night is come, gone
And a’ folk bound to sleep;
I think on him that’s far awa,
The lee-lang night and weep, my dear, entire
25 The lee-lang night and weep. —
This was unsigned in the S.M.M. but Burns never signed any of his Jacobite songs. Kinsley trails it back to a chapbook ballad, Mally Stewart (c. 1746), the end of which provided Burns’s central stanza:
The trooper turn’d himself about all on the Irish shore,
He has given the bridle-reins a shake, saying
‘Adieu for ever more,
My dear
Adieu for ever more.’
The Highland Widow’s Lament
First printed in Johnson, 1796.
OH, I am come to the low Countrie,
Ochon, Ochon, Ochrie! alas, alack
Without a penny in my purse
To buy a meal to me. —
5 It was na sae in the Highland hills, not so
Ochon, Ochon, Ochrie!
Nae woman in the Country wide no
Sae happy was as me. — so
For then I had a score o’ kye, cattle
Ochon, &c.
Feeding on yon hill sae high, so
10 And giving milk to me. —
And there I had three score o’ yowes, ewes/sheep
Ochon, &c.
Skipping on yon bonie knowes, hill slopes
And casting woo’ to me. — wool
I was the happiest of a’ the Clan,
15 Sair, sair may I repine; sore
For Donald was the brawest man, finest
And Donald he was mine. —
Till Charlie Stewart cam at last,
Sae far to set us free; so
20 My Donald’s arm was wanted then
For Scotland and for me. —
Their waefu’ fate what need I tell, woeful
Right to the wrang did yield; wrong
My Donald and his Country fell
25 Upon Culloden field. —
Ochon, O Donald, Oh! alas
Ochon, &c.
Nae woman in the warld wide no, world
Sae wretched now as me. — so
This Jacobite song written in the feminine voice was unsigned in the S.M.M. Jacobitism was still virtually taboo during the 1790s, particularly for Excise employees, who were, well after 1745, expected to report officially on the families of Jacobite sympathisers.
O Steer Her Up an’ Haud Her Gaun
First printed in Johnson, 1803.
O STEER her up an’ haud her gaun, stir, hold, going
Her mither’s at the mill, jo; mother’s, dear
An’ gin she winna tak a man if, will not
E’en let her tak her will, jo.
5 First shore her wi’ a kindly kiss offer
And ca’ anither gill, jo; ask for another drink
An’ gin she tak the thing amiss if
E’en let her flyte her fill, jo. scold
O steer her up an’ be na blate, stir, not shy
10 An’ gin she tak it ill, jo, if
Then lea’e the lassie till her fate, leave
And time nae langer spill, jo; no longer
Ne’er break your heart for ae rebute, one
But think upon it still, jo,
15 That gin the lassie winna do’t, if, will not
Ye’ll fin’ anither will, jo. find another
Four lines at the beginning of this work are taken from a song in Ramsay’s Tea-Table Miscellany. The remainder is from Burns.
Wee Willie Gray
First printed in Johnson, 1803.
WEE Willie Gray, an’ his leather wallet;
Peel a willie wand, to be him boots and jacket. willow
The rose upon the breer will be him trouse and doublet. brier, trousers
The rose upon the breer will be him trouse and doublet.
Wee Willie Gray, and his leather wallet;
Twice a lily-flower will be him sark and cravat; shirt, necktie
Feathers of a flee wad feather up his bonnet, flea would
Feathers of a flee wad feather up his bonnet.
This is included in S.M.M. as ‘Written for this work by Robert Burns’. It is a rare example of Burns composing a nursery rhyme lyric to what was then a well-known nursery tune. There is no extant manuscript.
Gudeen to You Kimmer
First printed in Johnson, 1803.
GUDEEN to you kimmer good evening, wench
And how do ye do?
Hiccup, quo’ kimmer, the wench
The better that I’m fou. drunk
Chorus
5 We’re a’ noddin, nid nid noddin,
We’re a’ noddin at our house at hame, home
We’re a’ noddin, nid nid noddin,
We’re a’ noddin at our house at hame. home
Kate sits i’ the neuk, corner
10 Suppin hen-broo; -brew
Deil tak Kate devil
An she be na noddin too!
We’re a’ noddin &c.
How’s a’ wi’ you, kimmer, everything, wench
And how do you fare?
15 A pint o’ the best o’t,
And twa pints mair. more
We’re a’ noddin &c.
How’s a’ wi’ you, kimmer,
And how do ye thrive;
How monie bairns hae ye? many children have
20 Quo’ kimmer, I hae five. have
We’re a’ noddin &c.
Are they a’ Johny’s?
Eh! atweel na: certainly not
Twa o’ them were gotten two
When Joh
nie was awa. away
We’re a’ noddin &c.
25 Cats like milk,
And dogs like broo; water
Lads like lasses weel, well
And lasses lads too.
We’re a’ noddin &c.
The S.M.M. states ‘Corrected by Burns’, which means it is based on a traditional song, but improved by Burns. It is adapted from a song in the Herd collection (1769). There is also a slight influence from the original version of John Anderson My Jo.
O Ay My Wife She Dang Me
First printed in Johnson, 1803.
On peace and rest my mind was bent,
And fool I was I marry’d;
But never honest man’s intent
As cursedly miscarry’d.
Chorus
5 O ay my wife she dang me, struck
An’ aft my wife she bang’d me, oft, thumped
If ye gie a woman a’ her will give
Gude faith she’ll soon oergang ye. good, over run/rule
Some sairie comfort at the last, sorry
10 When a’ thir days are done, man, all their
My pains o’ hell on earth is past,
I’m sure o’ bliss aboon, man. above (heaven)
O ay my wife &c.
Despite the fact that the S.M.M. records ‘Written for this work by Robert Burns’ a copy has never been found in manuscript. Stenhouse claimed it was based on a traditional bawdy song. This is probably correct given that one stanza of the original work is quoted in Henley–Henderson (See Vol. III, p. 439).
Scroggam
First printed in Johnson, 1803.
THERE was a wife wonn’d in Cockpen, Scroggam; who dwelled
She brew’d gude ale for gentlemen, good
Sing Auld Cowl, lay you down by me, (see notes)
5 Scroggam, my Dearie, ruffum.
The gudewife’s dochter fell in a fever, Scroggam; daughter
The priest o’ the parish fell in anither, another
Sing Auld Cowl, lay you down by me,
10 Scroggam, my Dearie, ruffum.
They laid the twa i’ the bed thegither, Scroggam; two, together
That the heat o’ the tane might cool the tither, one, other
Sing Auld Cowl, lay you down by me,
15 Scroggam, my Dearie, ruffum.
The S.M.M. states ‘Written for this work by Robert Burns’, but it is not a wholly original lyric. The first line is taken from a song preserved by Burns in the Merry Muses, ‘There wonned a wife in Whistlecockpen’. ‘Auld Cowl’ (l. 4) refers to a religious figure, probably a priest. Kinsley mentions that a colleague of his believed the word ‘scroggam’ to be a derivative of ‘scrag ’em’, a yell associated with London street mobs; likewise, ‘ruffum’ derives from ‘rough ’em’. This may be true, but given the original bawdy song, it is more likely that these words have a sexual meaning.
O Gude Ale Comes
First printed in Johnson, 1803.
I had sax owsen in a pleugh, six oxen, plough
And they drew a’ weel eneugh: well enough
I sald them a’ just ane by ane — sold, one by one
Guid ale keeps the heart aboon! good, above
Chorus
5 O gude ale comes, and gude ale goes, good
Gude ale gars me sell my hose, makes
Sell my hose and pawn my shoon, shoes
Gude ale keeps my heart aboon. above
Gude ale hauds me bare and busy, keeps
10 Gars me moop wi’ the servant hizzie, makes, have sex, hussy
Stand i’ the stool when I hae dune, (church stool) have done
Guid ale keeps the heart aboon. above
The comment ‘Corrected by R. Burns’ in the S.M.M. indicates that this is based on a traditional song. The fact that there are two mansucript copies reinforces this view, given that one appears to be collected by Burns from oral tradition and the second manuscript is the one improved by Burns and sent to Johnson.
My Lord A-Hunting He is Gane
Tune: My Lady’s Gown, There’s Gairs Upon ’T
First printed in Johnson, 1803.
MY Lord a hunting he is gane, gone
But hounds or hawks wi’ him are nane; none
By Colin’s cottage lies his game,
If Colin’s Jenny be at hame. home
Chorus
5 My Lady’s gown there’s gairs upon ’t, panels (gores)
And gowden flowers sae rare upon ’t; golden, so
But Jenny’s jimps and jirkinet blouse, bodice
My Lord thinks meikle mair upon ’t. much more
My Lady’s white, my Lady’s red
10 And kith and kin o’ Cassillis’ blude, blood
But her tenpund lands o’ tocher gude pounds, dowry good
Were a’ the charms his Lordship lo’ed. loved
My Lady’s gown &c.
Out o’er yon moor, out o’er yon moss,
Whare gor-cocks thro’ the heather pass, where red grouse
15 There wons auld Colin’s bonie lass, dwells old
A lily in a wilderness.
My Lady’s gown &c.
Sae sweetly move her genty limbs, so, dainty
Like music-notes o’ Lovers’ hymns;
The diamond-dew in her een sae blue eyes so
20 Where laughing love sae wanton swims. so
My Lady’s gown &c.
My Lady’s dink, my Lady’s drest, trim
The flower and fancy o’ the west;
But the Lassie that a man loe’s best, loves
O that’s the lass to mak him blest.
My Lady’s gown &c.
This is marked by Johnson ‘Written for this work by Robert Burns’ in the S.M.M. but it does appear to be completely original. There is, however, no known traditional text for this blend of folk-song and ballad. Cunningham states that an Ayrshire musician, James Gregg, composed the music. Cassillis refers to the land of the Kennedy clan who ruled Carrick and the song is probably based on one of that family.
Sweetest May
Tune: Kinloch of Kinloch or Blow the Wind Southerly
First printed in Johnson, 1803.
SWEETEST May let Love inspire thee;
Take a heart which he designs thee;
As thy constant slave regard it;
For its faith and truth reward it.
Proof o’ shot to Birth or Money,
Not the wealthy, but the bonie;
Not high-born, but noble-minded,
In Love’s silken band can bind it.
This is an update of a song in Ramsay’s Tea-Table Miscellany, My Sweetest May Let Love Incline Thee, sometimes called There’s My Thumb I’ll Ne’er Beguile Thee. The first five lines merely abbreviate the original, the last three are from Burns.
Jockey’s Ta’en the Parting Kiss
Tune: Bonie Lass Tak a Man
First printed in Currie, 1800.
JOCKEY’S ta’en the parting kiss, taken
O’er the mountains he is gane; gone
And with him is a’ my bliss, all
Nought but griefs with me remain.
5 Spare my luve, ye winds that blaw, blow
Plashy sleets and beating rain; splashing
Spare my luve, thou feath’ry snaw, snow
Drifting o’er the frozen plain.
When the shades of evening creep
10 O’er the day’s fair, gladsome e’e, eye/light
Sound and safely may he sleep,
Sweetly blythe his waukening be. waking
He will think on her he loves,
Fondly he’ll repeat her name;
15 For where’er he distant roves
Jockey’s heart is still at hame. home
Although first published in Currie in 1800, this also appears in Johnson’s S.M.M. in 1803. It is described by Kinsley (and in Mackay) as merely a Scottish revision of an English song written originally in 1776, as if Burns simply translated it into Scots. In this case the song is far more adap
ted and changed by Burns than these editors suggest.
O Lay Thy Loof in Mine Lass
Tune: The Shoemaker’s March
First printed in Johnson, 1803.
A SLAVE to Love’s unbounded sway,
He aft has wrought me meikle wae; often, great woe
But now he is my deadly fae, foe
Unless thou be my ain. own
Chorus
5 O lay thy loof in mine lass, palm
In mine lass, in mine lass,
And swear on thy white hand lass,
That thou wilt be my ain. own
There’s monie a lass has broke my rest, many
10 That for a blink I hae lo’ed best; glance, have loved
But thou art queen within my breast
For ever to remain.
O lay thy loof &c.
This was sent to Johnson in the spring of 1795 (Letter 667) but he waited until 1803 to print it.
Bonie Peg-a-Ramsay
First printed in Johnson, 1803.
CAULD is the e’enin blast cold, evening
O’ Boreas o’er the pool, the North wind
An’ dawin it is dreary, dawning
When birks are bare at Yule. birches, Christmas
