Page images
PDF
EPUB
[blocks in formation]
[blocks in formation]

King Louis thought to cut it down,
When it was unco sma', man;
For this the watchman crack'd his crown,
Cut aff his head and a', man:

A wicked crew syne,3 on a time,
Did tak a solemn aith, man,
It ne'er should flourish to its prime,
I wat they pledged their faith, man;
Awa they gaed, wi' mock parade,

Like beagles hunting game, man,
But soon grew weary o' the trade,
And wish'd they'd been at hame, man.

For Freedom, standing by the tree,

Her sons did loudly ca', man; She sang a sang o' liberty,

Which pleased them ane and a', man. By her inspired, the new-born race

Soon drew the avenging steel, man; The hirelings ran-her foes gied chase, And bang'd the despot weel, man.

Let Britain boast her hardy oak,

Her poplar and her pine, man,
Auld Britain ance could crack her joke,
And o'er her neighbors shine, man.
But seek the forest round and round,
And soon 'twill be agreed, man,
That sic a tree cannot be round
"Twixt London and the Tweed, man.

Without this tree, alake, this life

Is but a vale o' woe, man;
A scene o' sorrow mix'd wi' strife,
Nae real joys we know, man.
We labor soon, we labor late,

To feed the titled knave, man;
And a' the comfort we're to get
Is that ayont the grave, man.

Wi' plenty o' sic trees, I trow,

The warld would leeve in peace, man;
The sword would help to mak a plow,
The din o' war wad cease, man.
Like brethren in a common cause,
We'd on each other smile, man;
And equal rights and equal laws
Wad gladden every isle, man.

Wae worth the loon 4 wha wadna eat
Sic halesome dainty cheer, man;
I'd gie my shoon frae aff my feet,
To taste sic fruit, I swear, man.
Syne let us pray, auld England may

Sure plant this far-famed tree, man;
And blithe we'll sing, and hail the day
That gives us liberty, man.

[blocks in formation]
[blocks in formation]
[blocks in formation]

He sang wi' joy this former day,
He, weeping, wail'd his latter times;
But what he said it was nae play,-
I winna venture 't in my rhymes.

THE DUMFRIES VOLUNTEERS
Does haughty Gaul invasion threat?
Then let the louns 1 beware, Sir;
There's wooden walls upon our seas,
And volunteers on shore, Sir.
The Nith shall rin to Corsincon,
And Criffel sink in Solway,
Ere we permit a foreign foe
On British ground to rally!
We'll ne'er permit a foreign foe
On British ground to rally.

O let us not, like snarling curs,
In wrangling be divided;
Till, slap! come in an unco loun,

And wi' a rung 2 decide it.
Be Britain still to Britain true,
Amang oursels united;
For never but by British hands

Maun British wrangs be righted!
For never, etc.

[blocks in formation]

Here's the memory of those on the twelfth that we lost

That we lost, did I say? nay, by Heav'n, that we found;

For their fame it shall last while the world goes round.

The next in succession, I'll give you the King!

Whoe'er would betray him, on high may he swing!

And here's the grand fabric, our free Constitution,

As built on the base of the great Revolution; And longer with politics not to be cramm'd, Be Anarchy curs'd, and be Tyranny damn'd; And who would to Liberty e'er prove disloyal,

May his son be a hangman, and he his first trial!

[merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small]

An' faith! thou's neither lag § nor lame, Nor blate nor scaur.10

9

4

Whyles,11 rangin like a roarin lion,

For prey a' holes an' corners tryin;

[blocks in formation]
« PreviousContinue »