Ballads, English -- England -- Texts; Ballads, Scots -- Scotland -- Texts
There are several other ballads upon this battle: _Up and war them a',
Willie_, Johnson's _Museum_, p. 195, and (different) Herd's _Scottish
Songs_, ii. 234: _From Bogie Side, or, The Marquis's Raide_, a false
and scurrilous party song, Hogg's _Jacobite Relics_, ii. 13: _A
Dialogue between Will Lick-Ladle and Tom Clean-Cogue_, &c., written by
the Rev. John Barclay of Edinburgh, many years after the event: and
_The Battle of Sherramoor_, altered and abridged by Burns from this
last, for Johnson's _Museum_, (p. 290.) See Appendix.
There's some say that we wan, and some say that they wan,
And some say that nane wan at a', man;
But one thing I'm sure, that at Sherra-muir
A battle there was that I saw, man.
_And we ran, and they ran, and they ran, and we ran_, 5
_But Florence ran fastest of a', man_.[L6]
Argyle and Belhaven, not frighted like Leven,[L7]
Which Rothes and Haddington saw, man;
For they all, with Wightman, advanc'd on the right, man,
While others took flight, being raw, man. 10
_And we ran, &c._
Lord Roxburgh was there, in order to share[L11]
With Douglas, who stood not in awe, man;
Volunteerly to ramble with Lord Loudon Campbell,
Brave Ilay did suffer for a', man.
_And we ran, &c._
Sir John Schaw, that great knight, with broad sword most
bright,[L15] 15
On horseback he briskly did charge, man;
A hero that's bold, none could him withhold,[L17]
He stoutly encounter'd the targemen.
_And we ran, &c._
For the cowardly Whittam, for fear they should cut him,
Seeing glittering broad swords with a pa', man,
And that in such thrang, made Baird edicang, 21
And from the brave clans ran awa, man.
_And we ran, &c._
[The great Colonel Dow gade foremost, I trow,
When Whittam's dragoons ran awa, man;
Except Sandy Baird, and Naughtan the laird, 25
Their horse shaw'd their heels to them a', man.
_And we ran, &c._]
Brave Mar and Panmure were firm, I am sure:[L27]
The latter was kidnapt awa, man;
With brisk men about, brave Harry retook
His brother, and laugh'd at them a', man. 30
_And we ran, &c._
Brave Marshall, and Lithgow, and Glengary's pith, too,[L31]
Assisted by brave Loggia, man,
And Gordons the bright, so boldly did fight,
That the redcoats took flight and awa, man.
_And we ran, &c._
Strathmore and Clanronald cried still, "Advance, Donald,"[L35] 35
Till both of these heroes did fa', man;
For there was such hashing, and broad swords a-clashing,
Brave Forfar himsel got a claw, man.
_And we ran, &c._
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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