I snatched a banner-led them back The white rose flourish'd rarely :The deed I did for royal James I'd do again for Charlie. (From Cunningham's Songs of Scotland, vol. iii. p. 248.] O’ER THE WATER TO CHARLIE. Come boat me o'er, come row me o'er, Come boat me o'er to Charlie ! To boat me o'er to Charlie. We'll o'er the water to Charlie ; And live or die wi' Charlie. I lo'e weel my Charlie's name, Though some there be abhor him; Wi’ Charlie's faes afore him. We'll o’er the water to Charlie; And live or die wi’ Charlie. I swear and vow by moon and stars, And sun that shines so early, If I had twenty thousand lives, I'd die as aft for Charlie. We'll o'er the water, we'll o'er the sea, We'll o'er the water to Charlie ; And live or die wi' Charlie. [From Johnson's Mus, Mas. vol. ii. 1788. "Some of these lines are old, and some of them are from the pen of Burns: the second stanza is his, and most of the third.”-CUNNINGHAM.) AWA WHIGS, AWA. Our thistles flourish'd fresh and fair, And bonny bloom'd our roses, Awa whigs, awa; Ye'll ne'er do good at a'. Our sad decay in church and state Surpasses my descriving ; And we have done wi’ thriving. Our ancient crown's fa'n i' the dust, Deil blind them wi’ the stour o't! Wha ga’e the whigs the power o't! Grim vengeance lang has ta'en a nap, But we may see him wauken : Awa whigs, awa ; Y'll ne'er do good at a'. [" Burns trimmed up this Jacobite song for the Musical Museum of Johnson, the verses beginning “ Our ancient crown's fa'n to the dust,” and “ Grim vengeance lang has taen a nap," are from bis hand.”—CUNNINGHAM.] JOHNIE COPE. Cope sent a challenge frae Dunbar- If you'll meet me in the morning. By ten to-morrow morning. When Charlie looked the letter on, To meet Johnie Cope in the morning. Hey, Johnie Cope, are ye waking yet, We'll make ye mirth i' the morning. Atween the gray day and the sun 'Twill be a bloody morning. 'Twill be a bloody morning. That's chased frae its nest in the morning, I wish you a good morning. I trow they've got their corning. So I wish you a good morning. [“ Johnie Cope is an universal favourite in Scotland ; and no song in existence has so many curious variations. The present copy is made out of various versions."-CUNNINGHAX.] AMBITION IS NO CURE FOR LOVE. ŞIR GILBERT ELLIOT. Died 1777. My sheep I neglected, I broke my sheep-hook, Through regions remote in vain do I rove, Alas, 'tis too late at thy fate to repine! [Sir W. Scott alludes to what he calls this “beautiful pastoral song,” in the Lay of the last Minstrel. Sir Gilbert Elliot was the father of the first Lord Minto.] |