Lyrics - Five Carlins by Burns Robert

Five
Carlins (
Robert
Burns)
There was five carlins in the
South,
They fell upon a scheme,
To send a lad to
London town,
To bring them tidings hame.
Not only bring them tidings hame,
But do their errands there;
And aiblins gowd and honor baith
Might be that laddie's share.
There was
Maggie by the banks o
Nith,
A dame wi pride eneugh;
And
Marjorie o' the
Monie
Lochs,
A carlin auld and teugh.
And
Blinkin
Bess of
Annandale,
That dwelt near
Solway-side;
And
Brandy
Jean, that took her gill,
In
Galloway sae wide.
And
Black
Joan, frae
Crichton-
Peel,0' gipsy kith an kin:
Five wighter carlins were na found
The
South countrie within.
To send a lad to
London town,
They met upon a day;
And monie a knight, and monie a laird,
This errand fain wad gae.0, monie a knight, and monie a laird,
This errand ain wad gae;
But nae ane could their fancy please,0, ne'er a ane but tway!
The first ane was a belted
Knight,
Bred of a
Border band;
And he wad gae to
London
Town,
Might nae man him withstand.
And he wad do their errands weel,
And meikle he wad say;
And ilka ane at
London court
Wad bid to him
Guid-day.
The neist cam in a
Soger youth
And spak wi' modest grace;
And he wad gang to
London
Town,
If sae their pleasure was
He wad na hecht them courtly gifts,
Nor meikle speech pretend;
But he wad hecht an honest heart
Wad ne'er desert his friend.-
Now wham to chuse, and wham refuse,
At strife thir
Carlins fell;
For some had
Gentle
Folk to please,
And some wad please themsel.-
Then up spak mim-mou'd
Meg o'
Nith,
And she spak up wi'pride,
And she wad send the
Sodger-lad
Whatever might betide.-
For the
Auld
Gudeman o'
London
Court,
She didna care a pin;
But she wad send the
Sodger-lad,
To greet his eldest son.-
Then started
Bess of
Annandale,
A deadly aith she's taen,
That she wad vote the
Border-knight,
Tho' she should vote her lane.-'
For far-off fowls hae feathers fair,'
And fools o' change are fain;'
But
I hae try'd this
Border-knight,'
I'll try him yet again.
Says black
Jan frae
Crighton-peel,
A
Carlin stoor and grim;"
The
Auld
Gudeman, or the
Young
Gudeman,
For me may sink or swim.""
For fools will prate o'
Right and
Wrang,
While knaves laugh them to scorn;
But the
Solder's friends hae blawn the best,
So he shall bear the horn."
Then
Brandy
Jean spak o'er her drink,
Ye weel ken, kimmers a',
The
Auld
Gudeman o'.
London
Court,
His back's been at the wa':
And mony a friend that kiss'd his caup,
Is now a fremit wight;
But it's ne'er be sae wi'
Brandy
Jean,
We'll send the
Border-knight.'
Then slaw rase
Marjory o' the lochs,
And wrinkled was her brow;
Her ancient weed was russet-grey,
Her auld
Scots heart was true.-
There's some
Great
Folk set light by me,
I set as light by them;
But
I will send to
London town
Whom
I lo'e best at hame.'-
So how this weighty plea may end,
Nae mortal wight can tell:
God grant the king, and ilka man,
May look weel to themsel.-tune:
Chevy
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