Glen Collection of printed music > Printed music > Composite music volume > Second set of Scots songs for a voice & harpsichord

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29
Alloa Houfe-
THE fpring time returns arid clothes the
green plains;
And Alloa fliines more chearful and gay •,
The Lark tunes his throat; and the neighbouring-
Swains
Sing merrily round me, where ever I ftray :
But Sandy no more returns to my view ;
No fpring time me chears, no mufic can charm ;
He's gone I and, I fear me, for ever adieu!
Adieu ev'ry pleafure this bofom can warm !
O Alloa Houfe! how much art thou chang'd!
How filent, how dull to me is each grove !
Alone I here wander where once we both rang'd,
Alas! where to pleafe me my Sandy once ftrove!
Here Sandy I heard the tales that you told ;
Here liftned too fond, whenever you fung ;
Am I grown lefs fair, then, that you are turn'd
cold?
Or foolilh, believ'd a falfe, flattering tongue I
So fpoke the fair Maid ;*when forrow's keen pain,
And fhame, her laft fault'ring accents fuppreft ;
For fate at that moment brought back her dear
Swain,
Who heard, and, with rapture, his Nelly addreft,
My Nelly! my fair! I come; O my Love ;
No Pow'r fliall thee tear again from my arms,
And, Nelly ! no more thy fond Shepherd reprove,
Who knows thy fair worth, and adores all thy
charms.
She heard ; and new joy fliot thro' her foft frame,
And will you, my Love ! be true ? fhe reply'd.
And live 1 to meet my fond Shepherd the fame ?
Or dream I that Sandy will make me his bride ?
O Nelly! 1 live to find thee frill kind;
Still true to thy Swain, and lovely as true :
Then adieu ! to all borrow; what foul is fo blind,
As not to live happy for ever with you ?
GO D profpcr long our noble king,
Our lives and fafeties all,
A woful hunting once there did
In Chrvy-cbace befal.
To drive the deer with hound and horn,
Earl Piercy took his way,
The child may rue that was unborn,
The hunting of that day.
The ftout Earl of Northumberland
A vow to God did make.
His pleafure in the Scottifh woods
Three fummer days to take;
The choiceft harts of Cbevy-ebaci
To kill and bear away.
Thefe tidings to Earl Douglas came,
In Scotland where he lay ;
Who fent Earl Piercy prefent word,
He would prevent the fport.
The Englifh Earl not fearing him,
Did to the woods refort,
With twenty hundred bow-men bold,
All chofen men of might,
Who knew full well, in time of need,
To aim their (hafts aright.
The gallant gray-hounds fwiftly ran,
' To chace the fallow-deer.
On Monday they began to hunt,
When day-light did appear ;
Chevy Chace.
And long before high noon they had
An hundred fat bucks (lain.
Then having din'd, the drovers went
To roufe them up again.
The bow-men mufter'd on the hill,
Well able to endure';
Their backfides all with fpecial care,
That day were guarded fure.
The hounds ran fwiftly thro' the wood,
The nimble deer to take ;
And with their cries the hills and dales
An echo fhrill did make.
Earl Piercy to the quarry went,
To view the tender deer;
Quoth he, Earl Douglas promifed
This day to meet me here :
But if I thought he would not come,
No longer would I flay.
With that a brave young gentleman
Thus to the Earl did fay:
Lo yonder doth Lord Douglas come,
His men in armour bright ;
Full fifteen hundred Scottifh fpears,
All marching in our fight;
AH pleafant men of ftviitJalt,
Dwell by the river Tweed.
Then ceafe,y9ur fports. Earl Piercy faid,
And take your bows with fpeed.
And now with me my countrymen,
Your courage to advance;
For there was ne'er a champion yet.
In Scotland or in France,
That ever did on horfe-back come ;
But if my hap it were,
I durft encounter man for man
With liim to break a fpear.
Lord Douglas on a milk-white fteed,
Moll like a baron bold.
Rode furemoft of the company,
Whofe armour fhin'd like gold.
Shew me (faid he) whofe men you be,
That hunt fo boldly here,
That, without my confent, do chace
And kill my fallow-deer.
The firft man that did anfwer make,
Was noble Piercy he,
Who faid, We lift not to declare,
Nor fhew whcfe men we be;
Yet we will fpend our deareft blood
The choiceit harts to flay.
Then Douglas fwore a folemr. oath'
And thus in rage did fay.
Ere thus I will out-braved be,
One of us two fhall die.
I know thee well an Earl thou art,
Lord Piercy, fo am I.
HI