Bruce To His Men At Bannockburn. (First Version.)

Tune - "Hey, tuttie taitie."



I.

    Scots, wha hae wi' Wallace bled,
    Scots, wham Bruce has aften led;
    Welcome to your gory bed,
            Or to victorie!

II.

    Now's the day, and now's the hour;
    See the front o' battle lour:
    See approach proud Edward's pow'r
            Chains and slaverie!

III.

    Wha will be a traitor-knave?
    Wha can fill a coward's grave?
    Wha sae base as be a slave!
            Let him turn and flee!

IV.

    Wha for Scotland's king and law
    Freedom's sword will strongly draw,
    Freeman stand, or freeman fa',
            Let him follow me!

V.

    By oppression's woes and pains!
    By our sons in servile chains!
    We will drain our dearest veins,
            But they shall be free!

VI.

    Lay the proud usurpers low!
    Tyrants fall in every foe!
    Liberty's in every blow!
            Let us do or die!

Robert Burns

Robert Burns, also known as Rabbie Burns, the Bard of Ayrshire, and various other names and epithets, was a Scottish poet and lyricist. He is widely regarded as the national poet of Scotland and is celebrated worldwide. Born on January 25, 1759, in Alloway, he is best known for works such as 'Auld Lang Syne,' 'Scots Wha Hae,' and 'A Red, Red Rose.' He passed away on July 21, 1796, in Dumfries.

Robert Burns

Wilt Thou Be My Dearie.

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It Is Na, Jean, Thy Bonnie Face.

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The Banks Of Nith.

Robert Burns, Simple Poetry

The Joyful Widower.

Robert Burns, Simple Poetry

English

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Bannockburn. Robert Bruce's Address To His Army. (Second Version.)

I.

    Scots, wha hae wi' Wallace bled,
    Scots, wham Bruce has aften led;
    Welcome to your gory bed,
        Or to glorious victorie!

II.

    Now's the day, and now's the hour
    See the front o' battle lour;
    See approach proud Edward's power
        Edward! chains and slaverie!

III.

    Wha will be a traitor-knave?
    Wha can fill a coward's grave?
    Wha sae base as be a slave?
        Traitor! coward! turn and flee!

IV.

    Wha for Scotland's king and law
    Freedom's sword will strongly draw,
    Freeman stand, or freeman fa',
        Caledonian! on wi' me!

V.

    By oppression's woes and pains!
    By our sons in servile chains!
    We will drain our dea...

Robert Burns

The Battle Of Sheriff-Muir.

Tune - "Cameronian Rant."


I.

        "O cam ye here the fight to shun,
        Or herd the sheep wi' me, man?
    Or were ye at the Sherra-muir,
        And did the battle see, man?"
    I saw the battle, sair and tough,
    And reekin' red ran mony a sheugh.
    My heart, for fear, gaed sough for sough,
    To hear the thuds, and see the cluds,
    O' clans frae woods, in tartan duds,
        Wha glaum'd at kingdoms three, man.

II.

    The red-coat lads, wi' black cockades,
        To meet them were na slaw, man;
    They rush'd and push'd, and blude outgush'd,
        And mony a bouk did fa', man:
    The great Argyll led on his files,
    I wat they glanc'd for twenty miles:
    They hough'd the clans like...

Robert Burns

The Dumfries Volunteers.

Tune - "Push about the jorum."


I.

    Does haughty Gaul invasion threat,
        Then let the loons beware, Sir,
    There's wooden walls upon our seas,
        And volunteers on shore, Sir.
    The Nith shall run to Corsincon,
        And Criffel sink in Solway,
    Ere we permit a foreign foe
        On British ground to rally!

II.

    O let us not, like snarling tykes,
        In wrangling be divided;
    Till slap come in an unco loon
        And wi' a rung decide it.
    Be Britain still to Britain true,
        Amang oursels united;
    For never but by British hands
        Maun British wrangs be righted!

III.

    The kettle o' the kirk and state,
        Perhaps a clout may fail ...

Robert Burns

Bruce And The Abbot

The Abbot on the threshold stood,
And in his hand the holy rood:
Then, cloaking hate with fiery zeal,
Proud Lorn first answered the appeal;
"Thou comest, O holy man,
True sons of blessed church to greet,
But little deeming here to meet
A wretch, beneath the ban
Of Pope and Church, for murder done
Even on the sacred altar-stone!
Well mayst thou wonder we should know
Such miscreant here, nor lay him low,
Or dream of greeting, peace, or truce,
With excommunicated Bruce!
Yet will I grant to end debate,
Thy sainted voice decide his fate."

The Abbot seemed with eye severe
The hardy chieftain's speech to hear;
Then on King Robert turned the Monk,
But twice his courage came and sunk,
Confronted with the hero's look;
Twice fell his eye, h...

Walter Scott

The American War. - A Fragment.

I.

    When Guildford good our pilot stood,
        And did our hellim thraw, man,
    Ae night, at tea, began a plea,
        Within America, man:
    Then up they gat the maskin-pat,
        And in the sea did jaw, man;
    An' did nae less in full Congress,
        Than quite refuse our law, man.

II.

    Then thro' the lakes Montgomery takes,
        I wat he was na slaw, man;
    Down Lowrie's burn he took a turn,
        And Carleton did ca', man;
    But yet, what-reck, he, at Quebec,
        Montgomery-like did fa', man,
    Wi' sword in hand, before his band,
        Amang his en'mies a', man.

III.

    Poor Tammy Gage, within a cage,
        Was kept at Boston ha', man;
    Till Willie Howe took o'...

Robert Burns

Liberty. - A Fragment.

    Thee, Caledonia, thy wild heaths among,
    Thee, fam'd for martial deed and sacred song,
        To thee I turn with swimming eyes;
    Where is that soul of freedom fled?
    Immingled with the mighty dead!
        Beneath the hallow'd turf where Wallace lies!
    Hear it not, Wallace, in thy bed of death!
        Ye babbling winds, in silence sweep;
        Disturb not ye the hero's sleep,
    Nor give the coward secret breath.
        Is this the power in freedom's war,
        That wont to bid the battle rage?
    Behold that eye which shot immortal hate,
        Crushing the despot's proudest bearing!

Robert Burns