The Poetry of Robert Burns Edited by William Ernest Henley and Thomas F. Henderson |
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BALLAD SECOND: THE ELECTION |
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 | The Poetry of Robert Burns |  |
BALLAD SECOND: THE ELECTION
I
Fy, let us a' to Kirkcudbright,For there will be bickerin there;
For Murray's light horse are to muster,
An' O, how the heroes will swear!
194
An' Gordon the battle to win:
Like brothers, they'll stan' by each other,
Sae knit in alliance and kin.
II
An' there'll be black-nebbit Johnie,The tongue o' the trump to them a':
Gin he get na Hell for his haddin,
The Deil gets nae justice ava!
And there'll be Kempleton's birkie,
A boy no sae black at the bane;
But as to his fine nabob fortune—
We'll e'en let the subject alane!
III
An' there'll be Wigton's new sheriff—Dame Justice fu' brawly has sped:
She's gotten the heart of a Bushby,
But Lord! what's become o' the head?
An' there'll be Cardoness, Esquire,
Sae mighty in Cardoness' eyes:
A wight that will weather damnation,
For the Devil the prey would despise.
IV
An' there'll be Douglasses doughty,New christening towns far and near:
Abjuring their democrat doings
An' kissing the arse of a peer!
195
Wha's honor is proof to the storm:
To save them from stark reprobation
He lent them his name to the firm!
V
But we winna mention Redcastle,The body—e'en let him escape!
He'd venture the gallows for siller,
An' 'twere na the cost o' the rape!
An' whare is our King's Lord Lieutenant,
Sae famed for his gratefu' return?
The billie is getting his Questions
To say at St. Stephen's the morn!
VI
An' there'll be lads o' the gospel:Muirhead, wha's as guid as he's true;
An' there'll be Buittle's Apostle,
Wha's mair o' the black than the blue;
An' there'll be folk frae St. Mary's,
A house o' great merit and note:
The Deil ane but honors them highly,
The Deil ane will gie them his vote!
VII
An' there'll be wealthy young Richard,Dame Fortune should hang by the neck:
But for prodigal thriftless bestowing,
His merit had won him respect.
196
Tho' nabobs, yet men o' the first!
An' there'll be Collieston's whiskers,
An' Quinton—o' lads no the warst!
VIII
An' there'll be Stamp-Office Johnie:Tak tent how ye purchase a dram!
An' there'll be gay Cassencarry,
An' there'll be Colonel Tam;
An' there'll be trusty Kerroughtree,
Wha's honour was ever his law:
If the virtues were pack't in a parcel,
His worth might be sample for a'!
IX
An' can we forget the auld Major,Wha'll ne'er be forgot in the Greys?
Our flatt'ry we'll keep for some other:
Him only it's justice to praise!
An' there'll be maiden Kilkerran,
An' also Barskimming's guid Knight.
An' there'll be roaring Birtwhistle—
Yet luckily roars in the right!
X
An' there frae the Niddlesdale borderWill mingle the Maxwells in droves:
Teuch Johnie, Staunch Geordie, and Wattie
That girns for the fishes an' loaves!
197
Sculdudd'ry an' he will be there!
An' also the wild Scot o' Galloway,
Sogering, gunpowther Blair!
XI
Then hey the chaste interest of Broughton.An' hey for the blessings 'twill bring!
It may send Balmaghie to the Commons—
In Sodom 'twould mak him a King!
An' hey for the sanctified Murray
Our land wha wi' chapels has stor'd;
He founder'd his horse among harlots,
But gie'd the auld naig to the Lord!
| The Poetry of Robert Burns | |