It Was A' For Our Rightfu' King It was a' for our rightfu' king We left fair Scotland's strand; It was a' for our rightfu' king We e'er saw Irish land, my dear, We e'er saw Irish land. Now a' is done that men can do, And a' is done in vain: My Love and Native Land fareweel, For I maun cross the main, my dear, For I maun cross the main. He turn'd him right and round about, Upon the Irish shore, And gae his bridle-reins a shake, With, Adieu for evermore, my dear, And Adieu for evermore. The soger frae the wars returns, The sailor frae the main; But I hae parted frae my Love, Never to meet again, my dear, Never to meet again. When day is gane, and night is come, And a' folk bound to sleep; I think on him that's far awa, The lee-land night, and weep, my dear, The lee-lang night, and weep. Listen About this work More about this song The song 'It was a' for out rightfu' king' appeared in James Johnson's Scots Musical Museum in 1796 . It is thought to be Burns's version of a traditional song called 'Mally Stewart' (c.1746). The song is inspired by the failed Jacobite uprising of 1745 , lead by Prince Charles Edward Stuart (1720 - 1788 ). The Jacobites sought to restore the deposed Stuart dynasty to the Scottish and English throne. The Jacobites were defeated at the battle of Culloden in 1746,