by Robert Burns
or The Laddies by the Banks o’ Nith
Tune: Up and Waur Them a’, Willie
First printed in The Spirit of British Song, Glasgow, 1826.
The Laddies by the banks o’ Nith
Wad trust his Grace wi’ a’, Jamie; would
But he’ll sair them as he sair’d the King serve
Turn tail and rin awa, Jamie. run away
Chorus
5 Up and waur them a’, Jamie, overcome
Up and waur them a’;
The Johnstones hae the guidin o’t, have
Ye turncoat Whigs awa! away
The day he stude his country’s friend, stood
10 Or gied her faes a claw, Jamie, gave, foes
Or frae puir man a blessin wan, from poor, won
That day the Duke ne’er saw, Jamie.
Up and waur them a’, &c.
But wha is he, his country’s boast? who
Like him there is na twa, Jamie; not two
15 There’s no a callant tents the kye, youth, tends, cattle
But kens o’ Westerha’, Jamie. knows
Up and waur them a’, &c.
To end the wark, here’s Whistlebirk,1 work
Lang may his whistle blaw, Jamie; long, blow
And Maxwell2 true, o’ sterling blue;
20 And we’ll be Johnstones a’, Jamie.
Up and waur them a’, &c.
This was written during the Dumfriesshire election in the winter of 1789 to support Sir James Johnstone of Westerhall. Burns sent a copy to Graham of Fintry on 9th December, 1789, remarking with eloquent sarcasm on the Duke of Queensberry, who presented Patrick Miller Junior as his puppet Whig candidate —
The Great Man here, like all Renegadoes, is a flaming Zealot … despised I suppose by the Party who took him in to be a mustering faggot at the mysterious orgies of their midnight iniquities, and a useful drudge in the dirty work of their Country Elections, he would fain persuade this part of the world that he is turned Patriot … has the impudence to aim away at the unmistrusting manner of a Man of Conscience and Principle. – Nay, to such an intemperate height has his zeal carried him, that, in convulsive violence to every feeling in his bosom, he has made some desperate attempts at the hopeless business of getting himself a character for benevolence and in one or two late terrible strides in pursuit of Party-interest, has actually stumbled on something like meaning the welfare of his fellow-creatures … his sins … of Omission … to this out-raged Land … known … by the mischiefs he does … a character one cannot speak with patience (Letter 373).
The song, though, does not match the prose quality, blaming the Duke of Queensberry as a traitor to the Jacobite cause (l. 3). Although Patrick Miller senior was the poet’s Ellisland landlord, his son was judged by Burns as a money-loving puppet for the Duke of Queensberry. The song reveals, not so much that Burns supported a Tory candidate but that he deeply despised the Duke of Queensberry and his chicanery.
1 Alexander Birtwhistle, provost of Kirkcudbright.
2 Robert Maxwell, Provost of Lochmaben.
The Laddies by the Banks o’ Nith
An Early Variant of the above Election Ballad
As I cam doon the Banks o’ Nith came down
And by Glenriddel’s ha’, man, hall
There I heard a piper play
Turn-coat Whigs awa, man.
5 Drumlanrig’s towers hae tint the powers lost
That kept the lands in awe, man:
The eagle’s dead, and in his stead
We’ve gotten a hoodie-craw, man. carrion-crow
The turn-coat Duke his King forsook,
10 When his back was at the wa’, man:
The rattan ran wi’ a’ his clan rat
For fear the house should fa’, man. fall
The lads about the Banks o’ Nith,
They trust his Grace for a’, man:
15 But he’ll sair them as he sair’t his King, serve
Turn tail and rin awa, man. run
This early variant of the above ballad is substantially different from the completed song. It is therefore included here separately. The text is taken from the Rosebery MS sent to Graham of Fintry and is included as a footnote by Kinsley (K270, p. 382) but not by Mackay, who prints only the main ballad. Glenriddell was himself a leading Whig polemicist and it is clear that he, as well as the poet, disliked the choice of Whig candidate (see above notes).
The Five Carlins – A Ballad
Tune: Chevy Chase
First printed in Duncan, at Glasgow, 1800.
Written during the contested Election between Sir James Johnston and Captain Miller for the Dumfries district of Boroughs. R.B.
There was five Carlins in the South, old women (boroughs)
They fell upon a scheme,
To send a lad to Lon’on town
To bring them tidings hame. — home
5 Nor only bring them tidings hame,
But do their errands there;
And aiblins gowd and honor baith maybe, both
Might be that laddie’s share. —
There was Maggy by the banks o’ Nith,1
10 A dame wi’ pride eneugh; enough
And Marjory o’ the mony Lochs,2 many
A Carlin auld and teugh: woman/hag, tough
And Blinkin Bess of Annandale3
That dwelt near Solway-side;
15 And Brandy Jean that took her gill4
In Galloway sae wide: so
And Black Jöan frae Crichton-peel5 from
O’ gipsey kith an’ kin:
Five wighter Carlins were na found stronger, not
20 The South Coontrie within. — Country
To send a lad to London town,
They met upon a day;
And mony a knight and mony a laird many
That errand fain wad gae. — would go
25 O mony a knight and mony a laird
That errand fain wad gae;
But nae ane could their fancy please, not one
O ne’er a ane but tway. — one, two
The first ane was a belted Knight, one
30 Bred of a Border band,
And he wad gae to London town,
Might nae man him withstand. — no
And he wad do their errands weel, would, well
And meikle he wad say; much, would
35 And ilka ane at London Court each one
Wad bid to him, Gude-day! would
The neist cam in a Sodger-boy next, soldier
And spak wi’ modest grace, spoke
And he wad gang to London Town, would go
40 If sae their pleasure was. — so
He wad na hecht them courtly gifts, would not promise
Nor meikle speech pretend; great
But he wad hecht an honest heart would promise
Wad ne’er desert his friend. — would
45 Now wham to chuse, and wham refuse, whom
At strife thae Carlins fell; they
For some had Gentle Folk to please,
And some wad please themsel. — would
Then out spak mim-mou’d Meg o’ Nith, prim-mouthed
50 And she spak up wi’ pride, spoke
And she wad send the Sodger-lad, would
Whatever might betide. —
For the Auld Guidman o’ London Court,
She didna care a pin; did not
55 But she wad send the Sodger-lad, would
To greet his eldest son. —
Then started Bess of Annandale,
A deadly aith she’s taen, oath, taken
That she wad vote the Border-knight, would
60 Tho’ she should vote her lane. — alone
‘For far-aff fowls hae feathers fair, -off, have
‘And fools o’ change are fain;
‘But I hae try’d this Border Knight,
I’ll try him yet again.’—
65 Says Black Jöan frae Crichton-peel, from
A Carlin stoor and
grim; harsh
‘The Auld Gudeman, or the young Gudeman,
For me may sink or swim.
‘For Fools will prate o’ Right, or Wrang, talk
70 While knaves laugh them to scorn;
But the Sodger’s friends hae blawn the best, have talked
So he shall bear the horn’. —
Then Brandy Jean spak owre her drink, spoke over
‘Ye weel ken, kimmers a’, well know, gossips
75 ‘The Auld Gudeman o’ London Court,
His back’s been at the wa’:
‘And mony a friend that kiss’d his caup, cup
Is now a fremit wight; hostile
But it’s ne’er be sae wi’ Brandy Jean, so
80 We’ll send the Border-Knight.’ —
Then slaw rase Marjory o’ the lochs, slow rose
And wrinkled was her brow;
Her ancient weed was russet-grey,
Her auld Scots heart was true. — old
85 ‘There ’s some Great Folk set light by me, unrespected
I set as light by them;
But I will send to London town
Wham I lo’e best at hame.’ — whom, love, home
Sae how this weighty plea may end, so
90 Nae mortal wight can tell: no
God grant the King and ilka man, every
May look weel to themsel. — well
In the same vein as Election Ballad For Westerha’ this was written, as the headnote records, to support Sir James Johnstone in the election for the five boroughs of Dumfries in 1789. Each of the boroughs is represented in the song as an old woman or carlin. The reference to the ‘Auld Guidman’ and ‘Young Guidman’ of the London court, means King George III and the Prince of Wales, respectively. Captain Miller, the Whig candidate who won the election, was only 20 years old. He went on to represent the Dumfries Boroughs until 1796. As mentioned in notes to the Election Ballad for Westerha’, Burns thought him the puppet of the Duke of Queensberry. It was the young Miller who later, in 1794, relayed to Burns the invitation from James Perry, proprietor and editor of The Morning Chronicle, for Burns to join the literary staff of his Opposition newspaper.
1 Dumfries. R.B.
2 Lochmaben. R.B.
3 Annan. R.B.
4 Kirkcudbright. R.B.
5 Sanquar (Crichton old castle, or Peel). R.B.
Epistle to Dr. Blacklock
First printed in Currie, 1800.
Wow, but your letter made me vauntie! proud
And are ye hale, and weel, and cantie? well, cheerful
I kend it still, your wee bit jauntie knew, small journey
Wad bring ye to: would
5 Lord send you ay as weel’s I want ye, always, well as
And then ye’ll do. —
The Ill-thief blaw the Heron south!1 devil
And never drink be near his drouth! thirst
He tauld mysel, by word o’ mouth, told
10 He’d tak my letter;
I lippen’d to the chiel in trouth, trusted, man
And bade nae better. — no
But aiblins honest Master Heron maybe
Had at the time some dainty Fair One,
15 To ware his theologic care on,
And holy study:
And, tired o’ Sauls to waste his lear on, souls, learning
E’en tried the Body. —
But what d’ye think, my trusty Fier, friend
20 I’m turned a Gauger — Peace be here! exciseman
Parnassian Quines, I fear, I fear, females [Muses]
Ye’ll now disdain me,
And then my fifty pounds a year
Will little gain me. —
25 Ye glaiket, gleesome, dainty Damies, silly, giddy
Wha by Castalia’s wimplin streamies who, meandering
Lowp, sing, and lave your pretty limbies, leap, bathe
Ye ken, ye ken, know
That Strang necessity supreme is strong
30 ’Mang sons o’ Men. —
I hae a wife and twa wee laddies, have, two small
They maun hae brose and brats o’ duddies; must have food & clothes
Ye ken yoursels my heart right proud is, know
I need na vaunt; not boast
35 But I’ll sned besoms and thraw saugh woodies, cut, twist willow withies
Before they want. —
Lord help me thro’ this warld o’ care!
I’m weary sick o’t late and air! early
Not but I hae a richer share have
40 Than mony ithers; many others
But why should ae man better fare, one
And a’ Men brithers! brothers
Come, Firm Resolve take thou the van,
Thou stalk o’ carl-hemp in man! strength
45 And let us mind, faint heart ne’er wan remember, won
A lady fair:
Wha does the utmost that he can, who
Will whyles do mair. — often, more
But to conclude my silly rhyme,
50 (I’m scant o’ verse and scant o’ time,) short
To make a happy fireside clime
To weans and wife, children
That’s the true Pathos and Sublime
Of Human life. —
55 My Compliments to Sister Beckie;
And eke the same to honest Lucky,
I wat she is a daintie Chuckie bet, hen
As e’er tread clay!
And gratefully my gude auld Cockie, good old cockerel
60 I’m yours for ay. — always
Robert Burns, Ellisland, 21st Oct., 1789.
This was the poet’s reply to a letter epistle from the Rev. Dr Thomas Blacklock (1721–91), dated from Edinburgh, 24th August, 1789. Blacklock was born at Annan, the son of English parents. He was blinded as a child by smallpox. He graduated as a divinity student in Edinburgh. In practising religion in Kirkcudbright, parishioners found his blindness a problem. He moved back to Edinburgh in 1765 and set up a boarding school. He eventually printed his own volume of poetry, contributing songs to the Scots Musical Museum. Blacklock, by this time virtually a cult figure, contacted Burns after reading his Kilmarnock edition and suggested a larger edition to be printed in Edinburgh, which, according to the poet ‘overthrew all my schemes by rousing my poetic ambition’ (Letter 125). If Blacklock helped persuade Burns not to emigrate, he played a part in Scottish literature. Blacklock, who knew Dr Johnson, John Home and David Hume, was a minor Literati figure.
The second stanza was indeed prophetic, describing as it does, Robert Heron as ‘The Ill-thief’ or devil. The letter given by Burns to Robert Heron to pass on to Dr Blacklock never reached Blacklock (see Introduction).
1 Robert Heron was born in 1764 at New Galloway, the son of a weaver. He attended the University of Edinburgh after working as an assistant to Hugh Blair and was a prolific literary hack.
Written under the Portrait of Miss Burns
First printed in Duncan, Glasgow, 1801.
Cease, ye prudes, your envious railing,
Lovely Burns has charms — confess;
True it is, she had one failing,
Had ae woman ever less?
Miss Margaret Burns was an Edinburgh prostitute who came originally from Durham, the daughter of a merchant. With a friend she set up a brothel in Rose Street, near to Lord Stonefield’s home. It is reputed that the daughters of the Lord took action against her and she was banished from Edinburgh. An appeal at the Court of Session on 12th December, 1789 went in her favour and she was allowed to stay in Edinburgh. She died in 1792. Burns appears to have known her given his remarks to Peter Hill on 2nd February, 1790, ‘… how is the fate of my poor Namesake, Mademoiselle Burns, decided?’ (Letter 387). He goes on in the letter to condemn the hypocrisy of judges who, as he asserts, have, for over 6000 years, taken advantage of such female frailty: ‘shall the unfortunate sacrifice to thy pleasures have no claim on thy humanity!’ Edinburgh prostitutes were ‘advertised’ in an annual
pocketbook printed exclusively for ‘gentlemen’, which gave descriptions of each woman, not least their dental state, and where they were to be picked up.
Green Sleeves
or My Fiddle and I
First printed in Barke, 1955.
Green sleeves and tartan ties
Mark my truelove where she lies;
I’ll be at her or she rise,
My fiddle and I thegither. — together
Be it by the chrystal burn,
Be it by the milk-white thorn,
I shall rouse her in the morn,
My fiddle and I thegither. —
This is the poet’s modification of the Elizabethan Greensleeves, the song of the inconstant female lover. The melody was still popular in the eighteenth century. Fiddling is employed as an obvious sexual metaphor in this erotic lyric. Professor De Lancey Ferguson believes this song is traditional and was merely copied by Burns. Kinsley disagrees (Vol. III, pp. 1324–5). Although there are two manuscript copies, there is no definite proof either way.
To a Gentleman
Who Had Sent a Newspaper and Offered to Continue it Free of Expense
First printed in Currie, 1800.
KIND SIR, I’ve read your paper through,
And faith, to me ’twas really new!
How guessed ye, Sir, what maist I wanted? most
This mony a day I’ve grain’d and gaunted, groaned, gaped
5 To ken what French mischief was brewin; know