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Home  »  The Oxford Book of English Verse  »  386. The Bonny Earl of Murray

Arthur Quiller-Couch, ed. 1919. The Oxford Book of English Verse: 1250–1900.

Anonymous. 17th Cent.

386. The Bonny Earl of Murray

YE Highlands and ye Lawlands, 
O where hae ye been? 
They hae slain the Earl of Murray, 
  And hae laid him on the green. 
 
Now wae be to thee, Huntley!         5
  And whairfore did ye sae! 
I bade you bring him wi’ you, 
  But forbade you him to slay. 
 
He was a braw gallant, 
  And he rid at the ring;  10
Ana the bonny Earl of Murray, 
  O he might hae been a king! 
 
He was a braw gallant, 
  And he play’d at the ba’; 
And the bonny Earl of Murray  15
  Was the flower amang them a’! 
 
He was a braw gallant, 
  And he play’d at the gluve; 
And the bonny Earl of Murray, 
  O he was the Queen’s luve!  20
 
O lang will his Lady 
  Look owre the Castle Downe, 
Ere she see the Earl of Murray 
  Come sounding through the town!