The Complete Works of Robert Burns Part 109

CHORUS.

Jamie, come try me, Jamie, come try me; If thou would win my love, Jamie, come try me.

I.

If thou should ask my love, Could I deny thee?

If thou would win my love, Jamie, come try me.

II.

If thou should kiss me, love, Wha could espy thee?

If thou wad be my love, Jamie, come try me.

Jamie, come try me, Jamie, come try me; If thou would win my love, Jamie, come try me.

LXXII.

MY BONNIE MARY.

Tune--"_Go fetch to me a pint o' wine._"

[Concerning this fine song, Burns in his notes says, "This air is Oswald's: the first half-stanza of the song is old, the rest is mine."

It is believed, however, that the whole of the song is from his hand: in Hogg and Motherwell's edition of Burns, the starting lines are supplied from an olden strain: but some of the old strains in that work are to be regarded with suspicion.]

I.

Go fetch to me a pint o' wine, An' fill it in a silver ta.s.sie; That I may drink, before I go, A service to my bonnie la.s.sie; The boat rocks at the pier o' Leith; Fu' loud the wind blaws frae the ferry; The ship rides by the Berwick-law, And I maun leave my bonnie Mary.

II.

The trumpets sound, the banners fly, The glittering spears are ranked ready; The shouts o' war are heard afar, The battle closes thick and b.l.o.o.d.y; It's not the roar o' sea or sh.o.r.e Wad make me langer wish to tarry; Nor shouts o' war that's heard afar-- It's leaving thee, my bonnie Mary.

LXXIII.

THE LAZY MIST.

Tune--"_The lazy mist._"

[All that Burns says about the authorship of The Lazy Mist, is, "This song is mine." The air, which is by Oswald, together with the words, is in the Musical Museum.]

I.

The lazy mist hangs from the brow of the hill, Concealing the course of the dark winding rill; How languid the scenes, late so sprightly, appear!

As Autumn to Winter resigns the pale year.

The forests are leafless, the meadows are brown, And all the gay foppery of summer is flown: Apart let me wander, apart let me muse, How quick Time is flying, how keen Fate pursues!

II.

How long have I liv'd, but how much liv'd in vain!

How little of life's scanty span may remain!

What aspects, old Time, in his progress, has worn!

What ties cruel Fate in my bosom has torn!

How foolish, or worse, till our summit is gain'd!

And downward, how weaken'd, how darken'd, how pain'd!

Life is not worth having with all it can give-- For something beyond it poor man sure must live.

LXXIV.

THE CAPTAIN'S LADY.

Tune--"_O mount and go._"

[Part of this song belongs to an old maritime strain, with the same t.i.tle: it was communicated, along with many other songs, made or amended by Burns, to the Musical Museum.]

CHORUS.

O mount and go, Mount and make you ready; O mount and go, And be the Captain's Lady.

I.

When the drums do beat, And the cannons rattle, Thou shall sit in state, And see thy love in battle.

II.

When the vanquish'd foe Sues for peace and quiet, To the shades we'll go, And in love enjoy it.

O mount and go, Mount and make you ready; O mount and go, And be the Captain's Lady.