the battle of sherramuir
tune—“the cameronian rant.”
“o cam ye here the fight to shun,
or herd the sheep wi' me, man?
or were ye at the sherra-moor,
or did the battle see, man?”
i saw the battle, sair and teugh,
and reekin-red ran mony a sheugh;
my heart, for fear, gaed sough for sough,
to hear the thuds, and see the cluds
o' clans frae woods, in tartan duds,
wha glaum'd at kingdoms three, man.
la, la, la, la, &c.
the red-coat lads, wi' black cockauds,
to meet them were na slaw, man;
they rush'd and push'd, and blude outgush'd
and mony a bouk did fa', man:
the great argyle led on his files,
i wat they glanced twenty miles;
they hough'd the clans like nine-pin kyles,
they hack'd and hash'd, while braid-swords, clash'd,
and thro' they dash'd, and hew'd and smash'd,
till fey men died awa, man.
la, la, la, la, &c.
but had ye seen the philibegs,
and skyrin tartan trews, man;
when in the teeth they dar'd our whigs,
and covenant true-blues, man:
in lines extended lang and large,
when baiginets o'erpower'd the targe,
and thousands hasten'd to the charge;
wi' highland wrath they frae the sheath
drew blades o' death, till, out o' breath,
they fled like frighted dows, man!
la, la, la, la, &c.