SONG.* TUNE-Bessy Bell and Mary Gray. FORGIVE me if I thought your looks My looks that keen resentment show, A sign, alas, you little know The torments of a long despair SONG IN BURLESQUE OF PRINCE CHARLES'S MANIFESTO. MRS COCKBURN. TUNE-Clout the Caldron. HAVE you any laws to mend? Or have you any grievance? And truly a most leal prince. This song, and the six songs and eight fragments which follow, are from a manuscript collection, made, during the decade of 1770-80, by a lady residing at Edinburgh. I am only permitted to mention that the compiler was an intimate friend of Mrs Catherine Cockburn, author of the later set of words to the tune of "the Flowers of the Forest," and of the burlesque on the Young Chevalier's Declaration, which immediately follows. Would you have war, would you have peace, Come chapping to my father's door, Religion, laws, and liberty, Ye ken, are bonnie words, sirs: Ye ken that, by a Union base, Your ancient kingdom's undone, For, crack-it goes asunder What took sic time and pains to do; I'm sure, for seven years and mair, And, for your mair encouragement, An anecdote connected with this song is printed in the Historical Essay at the beginning of the collection. DEAR AND A-WALY, HINNIE. DEAR and a-waly, hinnie, I'll hae nae mair sour-milk suppers, I'll hae nae mair sour-milk suppers, Summer's a seemly season; Sae merrily sings the mavis; The burn rins ower the heuch. Sell hawkie, minnie, Sell hawkie, ye; Sell hawkie, minnie, And buy the beets to me. Dear and a-waly, &c. I'd rather sell my petticoat, Though it were made o' silk, Than sell my bonnie brown hawkie, That gies us the wee soup milk. LORD BINNING.* SOME cry up little Hyndy+ for this thing and for that, And others James Dalrymple, though he be somewhat fat; But, of all the pretty gentlemen of whom the town do tell, Emilius, Emilius, he bears away the bell. Some cry up Ranting Rothes, whose face is like the moon; Nor Highlander nor minister can put him out of tune. But of all, &c. Some cry up Binning's father for fechting at Dunblane; But Binning says it only was for fear of being taen. But of all, &c. Some cry up Earl Lauderdale, though he be grim and black; For at the battle of Sheriffmuir he never turned his back. But of all, &c. Some cry up pretty Polwarth § for his appearance great, For wi' his Orange Regiment the rebels he defeat. But of all, &c. Some cry up the Laird o' Grant, 'cause he came foremost in; And others wee Balgony for naething but his chin. But of all, &c. *This song must be just about a century old, as the Lord Binning to whom it alludes died in 1733, at the age of twenty-four. He was a youth of the greatest promise, and the author of the song of Robin and Nanny, which is included in this collection. †The Earl of Hyndford, British Ambassador at the court of St Petersburg. + John, sixth Earl of Haddington, who appeared as a volunteer on the King's side at the battle of Dunblane or Sheriffmuir, where he is said to have behaved with great gallantry. § Eldest son of the Earl of Marchmont. Some cry up our great General * for managing the war, Though at the battle o' Dunblane he pushed the foe too far. But of all, &c. I have nae skill in politics; therefore I haud my tongue; But you'll think I hae gab enough, though I be somewhat young. But I'll tell you a secret, my fairy Binning elf, THERE'S A LAD IN THIS TOWN HAS A FANCY FOR ME. TUNE-The Tailor fell through the bed, thimbles and a’. THERE's a lad in this town has a fancy for me, There's better and better providing for me, THE MASON LADDIE. TUNE-Sandy ower the lea. LEANING Ower a window, and looking ower a mound, I spied a mason laddie, wha gave my heart a wound A wound, and a wound, and a deadly wound gave he; And I wad wash his apron an he wad fancy me. * John, Duke of Argyle and Greenwich. |