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Home  »  The English Poets  »  Wha ’ll Be King but Charlie?

Thomas Humphry Ward, ed. The English Poets. 1880–1918.rnVol. III. The Eighteenth Century: Addison to Blake

Carolina Oliphant, Lady Nairne (1766–1845)

Wha ’ll Be King but Charlie?

THE NEWS frae Moidart cam’ yestreen

Will soon gar mony ferlie;

For ships o’ war hae just come in

And landit Royal Charlie.

Come through the heather, around him gather,

Ye ’re a’ th’ welcomer early;

Around him cling wi’ a’ your kin,

For wha ’ll be King but Charlie?

Come through the heather, around him gather,

Come Ronald, come Donald, com a’ thegither,

And crown your rightfu’ lawfu’ King,

For wha ’ll be King but Charlie?

The Hieland clans, wi’ sword in hand,

Frae John o’ Groats to Airlie,

Hae to a man declared to stand,

Or fa’ wi’ Royal Charlie,
Come through the heather, &c.

The Lowlands a’, baith great and sma’,

Wi mony a lord and laird, hae

Declared for Scotia’s King and law,

And spier ye wha but Charlie?
Come through the heather, &c.

There ’s nae a lass in a’ the lan’,

But vows faith late an’ early,

She ’ll ne’er to man gie heart nor han’,

Wha wadna fecht for Charlie.
Come through the heather, &c.

Then here ’s a health to Charlie’s cause,

And be ’t complete an’ early;

His very name our hearts’ blood warms,

To arms for Royal Charlie!
Come through the heather, &c.