Cauld blaws the wind frae
north to south;
The drift is drifting
sairly;
The sheep are cow’rin’
in the heuch;
Oh, sirs, it ’s
winter fairly!
Now, up in the mornin’s
no for me,
Up in the mornin’
early;
I’d rather gae supperless
to my bed
Than rise in the
mornin’ early.
Loud roars the blast amang
the woods,
And tirls the
branches barely;
On hill and house hear how
it thuds!
The frost is nippin’
sairly.
Now, up in the mornin’s
no for me,
Up in the mornin’
early;
To sit a’ nicht wad
better agree
Than rise in the
mornin’ early.
The sun peeps ower yon southland
hills,
Like ony timorous
carlie;
Just blinks a wee, then sinks
again;
And that we find
severely.
Now, up in the mornin’s
no for me,
Up in the mornin’
early;
When snaw blaws in at the
chimley cheek,
Wha ‘d rise
in the mornin’ early?
Nae linties lilt on hedge
or bush:
Poor things! they
suffer sairly;
In cauldrife quarters a’
the nicht,
A’ day they
feed but sparely.
Now, up in the mornin’s
no for me,
Up in the mornin’
early;
A pennyless purse I wad rather
dree,
Than rise in the
mornin’ early.
A cosie house and canty wife
Aye keep a body
cheerly;
And pantries stowed wi’
meat and drink,
They answer unco
rarely.
But up in the mornin’—na,
na, na!
Up in the mornin’
early!
The gowans maun glint on bank
and brae
When I rise in
the mornin’ early.
[25] Burns composed two verses to the same tune, which is very old. It was a favourite of Queen Mary, the consort of William III. In his “Beggar’s Opera,” Gay has adopted the tune for one of his songs. It was published, in 1652, by John Hilton, as the third voice to what is called a “Northern Catch” for three voices, beginning—“I’se gae wi’ thee, my sweet Peggy.”
GO TO BERWICK, JOHNNIE.[26]
Go to Berwick, Johnnie;
Bring her frae
the Border;
Yon sweet bonnie lassie,
Let her gae nae
farther.
English loons will twine ye
O’ the lovely
treasure;
But we ’ll let them
ken
A sword wi’
them we ’ll measure.
Go to Berwick, Johnnie,
And regain your
honour;
Drive them ower the Tweed,
And show our Scottish
banner.
I am Rob, the King,
And ye are Jock,
my brither;
But, before we lose her,
We ‘ll a’
there thegither.
[26] These stanzas are founded on some lines of old doggerel, beginning—
“Go, go, go,
Go to Berwick,
Johnnie;
Thou shalt have the horse,
And I shall have
the pony.”