Glen Collection of printed music > Printed text > Jacobite minstrelsy

MINSTRELSY. 243
He row'd him in a Highland plaid,
Which cover'd him hut sparely,
And slept beneath a bush o' broom —
Oh ! wae's me for Prince Charlie !"
But now the bird saw some redcoats,
And he shook his wings wi' anger :
" O this is no a land for me,
I'll tarry here nae langer."
A while he hover'd on the wing,
Ere he departed fairly :
But weel I mind the fareweel strain ;
'Twas " Wae's me for Prince Charlie !"
THE TEARS OF SCOTLAND.*
Mourn, hapless Caledonia, mourn
Thy banish'd peace, thy laurels torn !
Thy sons, for valour long renown'd,
Lie slaughter'd on their native ground.
Thy hospitable roofs no more
Invite the stranger to the door ;
In smoky ruins sunk they lie,
The monuments of cruelty.
* This beautiful lyric, by Dr. Smollett, is alike worthy of the genius
and the patriotism of its author. When reproached by persons in
authority with having given vent to what were then called feelings of
disaffection to the existing government, the indignant poet only re-
plied by writing the last stanza. Indeed, in this poem Smollett only
spoke the sentiments of nine-tenths of his countrymen at the time ;
for, whatever might be the differences that reigned among political
parties, there was but one opinion as to the cruel and vindictive cha-
racter of the measures by which the victory at Culloden was followed
up. Immediately after the action, the royal forces took possession
of Inverness, when six-and-thirty persons, accused of being deserters,
were seized and executed. Parties were then dispatched on all sides,
to ravage the country. One of these apprehended the Lady M'Intosh,
after having driven off her cattle, and brought her in a prisoner,