The Book of Scottish Song/The lovely lass of Inverness 1

by Robert Burns (1759-1796)

For other versions of this work, see The Lovely Lass of Inverness (Burns).

The lovely lass of Inverness.

[The first four lines of this song are old. The rest were added by Burns, and published in Johnson's Museum, vol. v. The tune, called The Lovely Lass of Inverness, is the composition of Oswald. Drummossie-moor was the field where the battle of Culloden was fought.]

The lovely lass o' Inverness,
Nae joy nor pleasure can she see,
For e'en and morn she cries, Alas!
And aye the saut tears blind her ee:
Drummossie muir, Drummossie day,
A waefu' day it was to me;
For there I lost my father dear,
My father dear and brethren three.

Their winding-sheets, the bluidy clay;
Their graves are growing green to see;
And by them lies the dearest lad
That ever bless'd a woman's ee!
Now, wae to thee, thou cruel lord!
A bluidy man I trow thou be;
For mony a heart thou hast made sair,
That ne'er did wrang to thine or thee.

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