 | The Siller Gun, A Poem in Five Cantos. By John Mayne |  |
155
THE KING'S WELCOME TO SCOTLAND.
THURSDAY, AUGUST XV, MDCCCXXII.
157
I
King George the Fourth is coming downTo see his Friends in Enbro-town;
To hold his Court, and wear the Crown
O' Scotland's Kings, and a' that!
And a' the Chieftains o' the North,
Lords, Leddies, Lairds, and Men of worth,
Are flocking to the Firth o' Forth,
To welcome him, and a' that!
158
II
Whole days, ere yet he reach'd the land,A happy People, hand in hand,
Were rang'd, for miles, alang the strand,
Expecting him, and a' that!
Festoon'd wi' garlands, owr and owr,
Leith-walk was an enamel'd bow'r,
Where Beauty, that enchanting flow'r,
Adorn'd the paths, and a' that!
III
Meantime, wi' mony a bonny sang,The streets and squares of Enbro rang:
Minstrels, and music-bells, ding-dang,
Play'd loyal tunes, and a' that:
Enthusiastically loud,
The ballad-singers charm'd the crowd,
'Till, onward, like a flying cloud,
They hied to Leith, and a' that!
159
IV
At length, amid ten thousand cheers,Behold, the royal Barge appears!
And, hither as the Squadron steers,
Wi' gilded flags, and a' that,
The joy-bells ring, the trumpets sound;
And now, while thund'ring guns rebound,
“God save the King” is sung around,
Wi' tears o' joy, and a' that!
V
Weel might our Liege, wi' pride, surveyThe shores o' Fife and Lothian gay:
Here, mingled crowds, in grand array,
In pleasure-boats, and a' that;
There, merchant-men, and ships of war,
Wi' sailors perch'd on ilka spar,
And, yonder, beacons blazing far,
Edina's tow'rs, and a' that!
160
VI
Yes, George the Fourth might weel be vainTo view, in Scotland, his domain,
A Land that can his rights maintain,
Defend his throne, and a' that—
A race that, since the first o' time,
Ha'e shone supreme, in ilka clime,
For Arms, for Arts, and Works sublime,
Heroic Deeds, and a' that!
VII
What though our King has Kingdoms three,And mony an Island in the sea?
Auld Scotland strives to bear the gree,
For loyalty, and a' that:
Devoted to their Country's weal,
Her hardy Sons are true and leal—
Men fit to feght the very de'il,
For Kirk and King, and a' that!
161
VIII
As nearer land the Monarch drew,Wi' shouts the welkin rung anew;
A louder blast the Pipers blew,
Saluting him, and a' that:
His stately form, his gracefu' mien,
Majestic, dignified, serene,
Increas'd the grandeur o' the scene,
And warm'd our hearts, and a' that.
IX
To give him, in chivalric mood,A Scotch convoy to Holyrood,
The learn'd, the wise, the great, the good,
The grave, the gay, and a' that:
Archers, his guards by ancient right,
Clansmen, and Celts, and Chiefs o' might,
And Yeomanry, a glorious sight!
Escort their King, and a' that.
162
X
And, lo! at yon triumphal gate,The Clergy, Judges, Lords o' State,
And Magistrates, wi' heralds, wait,
To hail their King, and a' that.
Invoking a' the heavenly pow'rs
To crown wi' happiness his hours,
The damsels strow the streets wi' flow'rs,
And singers sing, and a' that:
THE KING'S LANDING.
1
“O! busk ye, busk ye, lad and lass,“Busk ye, busk ye, man and woman!
“Make haste and see our Nobles pass—
“The King and a' his train are coming!
“O! heard ye not the cannon roar,
“Proclaiming loud to Lord and Leddy
“The King is landing on our shore—
“He's landed down at Leith already!
163
2
“He comes! he comes in gallant trim,“Wi' robes o' state, and banners streaming;
“And, as he comes, all eyes on him
“Wi' tears of ecstacy are beaming!
“O, welcome! welcome to this Land—
“This Land where all the Virtues blossom!
“Our Men shall guard thee, heart and hand—
“Our Leddies press thee to their bosom!”
XI
Wi' melody on ilka tongue,A' day, thy streets, Auld Reekie, rung!
Ten thousand thousand voices sung
“God save the King,” and a' that!
As through the crowd his steeds advanc'd,
The Monarch seem'd wi' joy entranc'd,
And auld and young wi' gladness danc'd
To see their King, and a' that!
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XII
Frae battlements, and turrets high,And windows peopled to the sky,
While kerchiefs wave, and banners fly,
Exultingly, and a' that;
On balconies, frae street to street,
On Calton-Hill, and Arthur's-Seat,
The Leddies look'd like Angels sweet,
Seraphic forms, and a' that!
XIII
The King, through life a courteous knight,Beheld, with wonder and delight,
This galaxy o' beauty bright,
And kiss'd his hand, and a' that:
The Concourse, in a breathless pause,
Gaz'd on their Sire wi' mute applause;
Syne, rent the air wi' loud huzzas,
And clapping hands, and a' that!
165
XIV
At night, to recreate and rest,Dalkeith receiv'd the Royal Guest;
Dalkeith, o' palaces the best
For tranquil bow'rs, and a' that.
Refresh'd, and gladden'd, day by day,
He came forth wi' the noontide ray,
And held his Court, a grand display,
At Holyrood, and a' that!
XV
Within this domicile o' Kings,Owr lang the raven flapp'd its wings:
In better times, our palace rings
Wi' drawing-rooms, and a' that:
At intervals, the minstrel train
Recall Queen Mary's days again;
Or lilt up, in a bolder strain,
The deeds o' Bruce, and a' that!
166
XVI
Buccleugh! benevolent and bland,The best o' Landlords in the land,
Sat by his Royal Sov'reign's hand,
And shar'd his smiles, and a' that—
Buccleugh! at whose exalted name
The Muse wou'd snatch a wreath frae fame
To gratulate the happy Dame
Wha won his heart, and a' that!
XVII
Be their's the Peace, beyond all praise,The Peace of Heaven, and heavenly ways;
Connubial bliss, and length o' days,
And bonny Bairns, and a' that!
For what, to Parents, can afford
A greater joy, in fond accord,
Than Children round about their board,
Wi' rosy cheeks, and a' that?
167
XVIII
Frae Banquets to the Ball or Play,The Monarch mingled wi' the gay:
When Sabbath came, that sacred day,
He grac'd our Church, and a' that:
The Church o' Scotland was his choice,
And, what made a' her Friends rejoice,
The Congregation heard his voice,
In Zion's Songs, and a' that!
XIX
At Holyrood, upon his throne,A blaze o' beauty round him shone;
The noblest blood in Caledon
Appear'd at Court, and a' that!
The courtly circle o' St. James,
Though lang renown'd for lovely dames,
And gallant men, maun share their claims
Wi' Holyrood, and a' that!
168
XX
O, Scotia! Land of hills and lakes!Land o' the Brave! sweet Land o' Cakes!
Whene'er the King his pleasure takes
Amang your tow'rs, and a' that,
Where'er he rests, where'er he moves,
Regard him with your purest loves,
And may his coming, like the dove's,
Betoken Peace, and a' that!
XXI
In him the Royal Line appearsO' Scotland's Kings, his great Forebears,
Wha reign'd for mony a hundred years
In troubled times, and a' that—
Till that blest day which saw the close
O' Scots and English feuds and woes,
And join'd the Thistle to the Rose,
In Unity, and a'that!
169
XXII
Ah! mony a dowy day has beenSince Scotland saw a King or Queen!
Empires and states, and thrones, I ween,
Ha'e been o' erturn'd, and a' that!
Yet Scotland, without crack or flaw,
Stands fast and firm, and ne'er shall fa'
While Virtue, amang great and sma',
Adorns her Bairns, and a' that!
XXIII
Then cock your bonnet, ilka blade!And, buskit in your belted plaid,
Let rites and honours due be paid
To Royalty, and a' that:
Though Kings and Queens of high renown
Ha'e flourish'd aft in Enbro-Town,
A better never wore the crown
Than George the Fourth, with a' that!
170
XXIV
But, oh! while guns and cannons roar,And plaudits welcome him on shore,
The heart is wounded to the core
That we maun part, for a' that!
Yet fill your goblets till they foam;
And, when the King's dispos'd to roam,
He'll look on Scotland as his home,
And come again, and a' that!
| The Siller Gun, A Poem in Five Cantos. By John Mayne | |