THE FIVE CARLINS My compliments to sister Beckie, As e'er tread clay; And gratefully, my gude auld cockie, I'm yours for aye. ROBERT BURNS. a mother-hen. The Five Carlins, An Election Ballad.1 Tune-"Chevy Chase." THERE was five Carlins in the South, To send a lad to London town, Nor only bring them tidings hame, There was Maggy by the banks o' Nith,2 And Marjory of the mony Lochs,3 And blinkin Bess of Annandale,1 And whisky Jean, that took her gill, bold wives (The Five Dumfries Boroughs). 1 Westerha represents the line of a very active persecutor, under Charles II. and James II. Burns, on this occasion, was cautious in his politics. 2 Dumfries. 4 Annan. c perhaps. 1 Sanquhar. And black Joan, frae Crichton Peel,1 Five wighter Carlins were na found To send a lad to London town, And mony a knight, and mony a laird, O mony a knight, and mony a laird, But nae ane could their fancy please, The first ane was a belted Knight, And he wad do their errands weel, The neist cam in a Soger youth,8 He wad na hecht them courtly gifts, But he wad hecht an honest heart, a stouter. 2 Sir James Johnston of Westerhall. b promise. 8 Captain Patrick Millar of Dalswinton. 1 The King. THE FIVE CARLINS Then, wham to chuse, and wham refuse, For some had Gentlefolks to please, Then out spak mim-mou'd Meg o' Nith, And she wad send the Soger youth, For the auld Gudeman o' London court 1 But she wad send the Soger youth, To greet his eldest son.2 Then up sprang Bess o' Annandale, "For far-off fowls hae feathers fair," Says black Joan frae Crichton Peel, A Carlin stoorb and grim, "The auld Gudeman, and the young Gudeman, For fools will prate o' right or wrang, But the Soger's friends hae blawn the best, ⚫ prim-mouthed. 2 The Prince of Wales. 8 A manuscript variation is : "And swore a deadly aith, b stern. Says 'I will send the Border Knight 4 The same proverb occurs on p. 12. Then whisky Jean spak owre her drink, The auld gudeman o' London court, "And mony a friend that kiss'd his caupa Is now a fremit wight; But it's ne'er be said o' whisky Jean- Then slow raise Marjory o' the Lochs, "There's some great folk set light by me, But I will send to London town Sae how this mighty plea may end, Election ballad for Westerha'.2 Tune-Up and waur them a', Willie." THE Laddies by the banks o' Nith Wad trust his grace wi a', Jamie ; But he'll sair them, as he sair'd the King- ⚫ drinking-bowl. 1 "The London court set light by me, b stranger. ⚫ serve. 2 Few Dukes have been banned, and deservedly banned, by two such poets as Burns and Wordsworth. Burns now sides with the descendant of the persecutor, though a Tory. THEATRE PROLOGUE Chorus.-Up and waura them a', Jamie, The Johnstones hae the guidin o't, The day he stude his country's friend, But wha is he, his country's boast? To end the wark, here's Whistlebirk, Prologue Spoken at the Theatre of On New Year's Day Evening, 1790.1 No song nor dance I bring from yon great city, |