Macpherson’s Rant.
[The tune called "Macpherson's Rant" or "Macpherson's Lament" is said to have been composed by the noted freebooter whose name it bears, while lying under sentence of death. The following are the old words, as given in Herd's collection, 1776.]
I've spent my time in rioting,
Debauch'd my health and strength,
I've pillaged, plunder'd, murdered,
But now, alas, at length,
I'm brought to punishment direct;
Pale death draws near to me;
This end I never did project,
To hang upon a tree.
To hang upon a tree, a tree!
That cursed unhappy death!
Like to a wolf, to worried be,
And choaked in the breath.
My very heart wad surely break
When this I think upon,
Did not my courage singular
Bid pensive thoughts begone.
No man on earth that draweth breath,
More courage had than I;
I dared my foes unto their face,
And would not from them fly.
This grandeur stout I did keep out,
Like Hector, manfully;
Thtn wonder one like me so stout
Should hang upon a tree.
The Egyptian band I did command,
With courage more by far,
Than ever did a general
His soldiers in the war.
Being fear'd by all, both great and small,
I lived most joyfullie:
Oh, curse upon this fate of mine,
To hang upon a tree!
As for my life I do not care,
If justice would take place,
And bring my fellow-plunderers
Unto the same disgrace.
But Peter Brown, that notour loon,
Escaped, and was made free:
Oh, curse upon this fate of mine,
To hang upon a tree!
Both law and justice buried are,
And fraud and guile succeed;
The guilty pass unpunished,
If money intercede.
The Laird of Grant, that Highland saunt,
His mighty majestie,
He pleads the cause of Peter Brown,
And lets Macpherson die.
The destiny of my life, contrived
By those whom I obliged,
Rewarded me much ill for good,
And left me no refuge.
But Braco Duff, in rage enough,
He first laid hands on me;
And if that death would not prevent,
Avenged would I be.
As for my life, it is but short,
When I shall be no more;
To part with life I am content,
As any heretofore.
Therefore, good people all, take heed,
This warning take by me,
According to the lives you lead,
Rewarded you shall be.
Macpherson’s Farewell.
[Written by Burns to the tune of "Macpherson's Rant." "Macpherson's Lament," says Sir Walter Scott, "was a well-known song many years before the Ayrshire Bard wrote those additional verses which constitute its principal merit. This noted freebooter was executed at Inverness, about the beginning of the last century. When he came to the fatal tree, he played the tune, to which he has bequeathed his name, upon a favourite violin, and holding up the instrument, offered it to any one of his clan who would undertake to play the tune over his body, at his lyke-wake; as none answered, he dashed it to pieces on the executioner's head, and flung himself from the ladder." Scott has erred, however, in naming Inverness as the place of Macpherson's execution. The records of his trial are still extant, and have been recently published. Through this document it appears that he was tried at Banff, along with three others, and convicted of being "repute an Egyptian and vagabond, and oppressor of his majesty's free lieges, in a bangstree manner, and
