Sir Patrick Spence
Language: English
Our good King sits in Windsor tower,
The sun beams glint sae cheerfu',
A birdie sang in yonder bower,
And O! but it sang fearfu'!
Tell me, my bird, my mourning bird,
What is't you sing so dreary?
I sing o' danger, fire and sword,
Fell faes are coming near ye!
The King look'd frae his castle hie,
His look was blythe and airy,
There's no a foe dares face the sea,
Brave England's tars are there ay;
The birdie sang upon the thorn,
But now its sang grew cheerfu',
Good King we'll laugh your faes to scorn,
There's nought I see to fear now.
The birdie flew on blythesome wing!
And O but it sang rarely!
And ay it sang, God bless our King!
Bauld Britons love him dearly.
It flew o'er hill, it flew o'er lea,
It sang o'er moor and heather,
Till it cam to the North Countrie,
Whare a' sang blythe thegither.
They sang o' fame, and martial might,
(The pride o' Scottish story;)
They sang o' Edward's wars, and flight,
And Bruce's radiant glory!
They laugh'd at Gallia's threaten'd ills,
Their shield was Patriot-honour!
They rush'd down Freedom's heath-flow'rd hills,
And rattling join'd her banner!
GLOSSARY
Glint = pass quickly like a transient gleam
Hie = high
Bauld = bold
Lea = pastureland
Submitted by Ferdinando Albeggiani
Authorship
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive)
Text added to the website: 2010-04-02.
Last modified: 2014-06-16 10:03:37
Line count: 32
Word count: 200
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