MacPhersons Lament
MacPhersons Farewell

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Melody - "M'Pherson's Rant"; Seq. by Barry Taylor
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Robert Burns, 1788

Fare thee weel, ye dungeons dark and strang,
Fareweel , fareweel to thee.
Macpherson's rant will ne'er be lang,
On yonder gallers tree.
Chorus:
Sae wontonly, sae dauntonly,
O rantonly gaed he,
He played a tune an' he danced aroon,
Below the gallers tree.

2. By a woman's treacherous hand
That I was condemned to dee,
High on a ledge of her window she stood,
And a blanket she threw over me.
Chorus:

3. Well the laird o' Grant, ye Highlan' Sa'nt
That first laid hands on me,
He plead the cause o' Peter Broon,
He watched Macpherson dee.
Chorus:

4. Some come here noo tae see me hang
And some to buy my fiddle,
Before I'll pairt wi' thee,
I'll brak' her through the middle.
Chorus:

5. Come ye loose the bands from off my hands
Bring tae me noo my sword,
There's nae a man in a' Scotland
That'll brave him at his word.
Chorus:

6. Little did my mother think
When first she cradled me,
That I would turn a rovin' boy
And die upon the gallers tree.
Chorus:

7. The reprieve was comin' o'er the Brig o' Banff,
To set Macpherson free,
They pu' the clock a quarter fast,
And they hanged him to the tree.
Chorus:

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