Robert Burns (1759-1796). It Was a for Our Rightfu' King. William Stanley Braithwaite, ed. 1909. The Book of Georgian Verse

William Stanley Braithwaite, ed. The Book of Georgian Verse. 1909.

It Was a for Our Rightfu’ King

By Robert Burns (1759–1796)


IT was a’ for our rightfu’ King
We left fair Scotland’s strand;
It was a’ for our rightfu’ King
We e’er saw Irish land, my dear,
We e’er saw Irish land.	5

Now a’ is done that men can do,
And a’ is done in vain;
My Love and Native Land fareweel,
For I maun cross the main, my dear,
For I maun cross the main.	10

He turn’d him right and round about,
Upon the Irish shore;
And gae his bridle reins a shake,
With adieu for evermore, my dear,
And adieu for evermore.	15

The soger frae the wars returns,
The sailor frae the main;
But I hae parted frae my Love,
Never to meet again, my dear,
Never to meet again, my dear.	20

When day is gane, and night is come,
And a’ folk bound to sleep;
I think on him that’s far awa,
The lee-lang night and weep, my dear,
The lee-lang night and weep.	25