There needs na be sae great a phrase
Wi’ dringing dull Italian lays;
I wadna gi’e our ain strathspeys
For half a hundred score o’ ’em:
They’re douff and dowie at the best,
Douff and dowie, douff and dowie,
They’re douff and dowie at the best,
Wi’ a’ their variorum;
They’re douff and dowie at the best,
Their allegros and a’ the
rest;
They canna please a Scottish taste,
Compared wi’ Tullochgorum.
Let warldly minds themselves oppress
Wi’ fears of want and double cess,
And sullen sots themselves distress
Wi’ keeping up decorum:
Shall we sae sour and sulky sit?
Sour and sulky, sour and sulky,
Shall we sae sour and sulky sit,
Like auld Philosophorum?
Shall we so sour and sulky sit,
Wi’ neither sense nor mirth nor
wit,
Nor ever rise to shake a fit
To the reel o’ Tullochgorum?
May choicest blessings still attend
Each honest, open-hearted friend;
And calm and quiet be his end,
And a’ that’s good watch o’er
him!
May peace and plenty be his lot,
Peace and plenty, peace and plenty,
May peace and plenty be his lot,
And dainties a great store o’ em!
May peace and plenty be his lot,
Unstained by any vicious spot,
And may he never want a groat
That’s fond o’ Tullochgorum!
But for the dirty, yawning fool
Who wants to be Oppression’s tool,
May envy gnaw his rotten soul,
And discontent devour him!
May dool and sorrow be his chance,
Dool and sorrow, dool and sorrow,
May dool and sorrow be his chance,
And nane say ‘wae’s me’
for him!
May dool and sorrow be his chance,
Wi’ a’ the ills that come
frae France,
Whae’er he be, that winna dance
The reel o’ Tullochgorum!
* * * * *
THOMAS CHATTERTON
[SONGS FROM “AELLA, A TRAGYCAL
ENTERLUDE,
WROTENN BIE THOMAS ROWLEIE”]
[THE BODDYNGE FLOURETTES BLOSHES
ATTE THE LYGHTE]
FYRSTE MYNSTRELLE
The boddynge flourettes bloshes atte the
lyghte;
The mees be sprenged wyth the yellowe
hue;
Ynn daiseyd mantels ys the mountayne dyghte;
The nesh yonge coweslepe blendethe wyth
the dewe;
The trees enlefed, yntoe Heavenne straughte,
Whenn gentle wyndes doe blowe to whestlyng
dynne ys brought.
The evenynge commes, and brynges the dewe
alonge;
The roddie welkynne sheeneth to the eyne;
Arounde the alestake Mynstrells synge
the songe;
Yonge ivie rounde the doore poste do entwyne;
I laie mee onn the grasse; yette, to mie
wylle,
Albeytte alle ys fayre, there lackethe
somethynge stylle.
SECONDE MYNSTRELLE
So Adam thoughtenne, whann, ynn Paradyse,
All Heavenn and Erthe dyd hommage to hys
mynde;
Ynn Womman alleyne mannes pleasaunce lyes;
As Instrumentes of joie were made the
kynde.
Go, take a wyfe untoe thie armes, and
see
Wynter and brownie hylles wyll have a
charm for thee.


