The Poetry of Robert Burns Edited by William Ernest Henley and Thomas F. Henderson |
 | I. |
| 2. |
 | III. |
SUCH A PARCEL OF ROGUES IN A NATION |
| IV. |
 | The Poetry of Robert Burns |  |
SUCH A PARCEL OF ROGUES IN A NATION
I
Fareweel to a' our Scottish fame,Fareweel our ancient glory!
Fareweel ev'n to the Scottish name.
Sae famed in martial story!
128
An' Tweed rins to the ocean,
To mark where England's province stands—
Such a parcel of rogues in a nation!
II
What force or guile could not subdueThro' many warlike ages
Is wrought now by a coward few
For hireling traitor's wages.
The English steel we could disdain,
Secure in valour's station;
But English gold has been our bane—
Such a parcel of rogues in a nation!
III
O, would, or I had seen the dayThat Treason thus could sell us,
My auld grey head had lien in clay
Wi' Bruce and loyal Wallace!
But pith and power, till my last hour
I'll mak this declaration:—
‘We're bought and sold for English gold’—
Such a parcel of rogues in a nation!
| The Poetry of Robert Burns | |