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# The Book of Scottish Song/Macpherson's Rant

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.
# The Book of Scottish Song/Maggie's Tocher

Maggie's Tocher.
[Another old song marked by Ramsay in his Tea-Table Miscellany with a Z.]
The meal was dear short syne, We buckled us a' thegither; And Maggie was in her prime, When Willie made courtship till her. ​Twa pistols charg'd by guess, To gi'e the courting shot; And syne came ben the lass, Wi' swats drawn frae the butt. He first speir'd at the gudeman, And syne at Giles the mither, An' ye wad gie's a bit land, We'd buckle us e'en thegither.
My dochter ye shall ha'e, I'll g'ie you her by the hand; But I'll part wi' my wife, by my fae, Or I part wi' my land. Your tocher it s'all be good, There's nane s'all ha'e its maik, The lass bound in her snood, And Crummie wha kens her stake: Wi' an auld bedding o' claes, Was left me by my mither, They're jet black o'er wi' flaes, Ye may cuddle in them thegither.
Ye speak right weel, gudeman, But ye maun mend your hand, And think o' modesty, Gin ye'll no quit your land. We are but young, ye ken, And now we're gaun thegither, A house is but and ben, And Crummie will want her fother. The bairns are coming on, And they'll cry, their mither! We've neither pat nor pan, But four bare legs thegither.
Your tocher's be good enough, For that ye needna fear, Twa good stilts to the pleugh, And ye yoursel' maun steer: Ye s'all ha'e twa guid pocks That anes were o' the tweel, The tane to haud the groats, The tither to haud the meal: Wi' an auld kist made o' wands, And that s'all be your coffer, Wi' aiken woody bands, And that may haud your tocher.
Consider weel, gudeman, We ha'e but barrow'd gear, The horse that I ride on Is Sandy Wilson's mare; The saddle's nane o' my ain, And thae's but borrow'd boots, And whan that I gae hame, I maun tak' to my coots; The cloak is Geordy Watt's, That gars me look sae crouse; Come, fill us a cogue o' swats, We'll mak' nae mair toom roose.
I like you weel, young lad, For telling me sae plain, I married whan little I had O' gear that was my ain. But sin' that things are sae, The bride she maun come forth, Tho' a' the gear she'll ha'e 'Twill be but little worth. A bargain it maun be, Fye cry on Giles the mither; Content am I, quo' she, E'en gar the hizzie come hither.
The bride she gaed to her bed, The bridegroom he came till her, The fiddler crap in at the fit, And they cuddl'd it a' thegither.
# The Book of Scottish Song/Maid of my Heart

Maid of my Heart.
[This is another effusion of Thomas Pringle's, on his leaving his native land. It is adapted to the tune of "Logan Water."]
Maid of my heart—a long farewell! The bark is launch'd, the billows swell, And the vernal gales are blowing free, To bear me far from love and thee!
I hate Ambition's haughty name, And the heartless pride of Wealth and Fame, Yet now I haste through Ocean's roar To woo them on a distant shore.
Can pain or peril bring relief To him who bears a darker grief? Can absence calm this feverish thrill? —Ah, no:—for thou wilt haunt me still!
Thy artless grace, thy open truth, Thy form that breath'd of love and youth, Thy voice by Nature fram'd to suit The tone of Love's enchanted lute! ​Thy dimpling cheek and deep-blue eye, Where tender thought and feeling lie! Thine eyelid like the evening cloud That comes the star of love to shroud!
Each witchery of soul and sense, Enshrin'd in angel innocence, Combin'd to frame the fatal spell— That blest—and broke my heart—Farewell!
# The Book of Scottish Song/Married the Morn

Married the Morn.
[Edward Polin.—Here first printed.—Air, "Woo'd an' married an' a'."]
O Freedom, you're muckle deservin' A' the sangs that are sung in your praise,
An' me ye've been scrvin' an' servin' A' the blythest an' best o' my days; But we ne'er prize our pleasures eneuch Till we see that frae us they'll be torn, Sae I'm singing o' freedom the nicht. For I'm to be married the morn. Married at last the morn— Buckled sae fast the morn; Sae I'm singing o' freedom the nicht, For I'm to be married the morn.
But I trow ye I wadna be buckled Gin I saw it could otherwise be, For I ken that whan twa folk are coupled Nor ane nor the ither is free; ​But that deil o' a lassie has wiled me— She's witched me as sure as I'm born, Wi' the glamour o' love she's beguiled me, Sae I'm to be married the morn. Married at last the morn— Buckled sae fast the morn; Wi' the glamour o' love she's beguiled me, Sae I'm to be married the morn.
Already the lassie can guide me To gae or to come at her ca', Then what may I guess to betide me Whan she rules wi' baith love an' the law; But gudesake! it canna be helpit, To mak' her my ain I ha'e sworn— At the kirk a' the parish was tellt it, Sae I'm to be married the morn. Married at last the morn— Buckled sae fast the morn; At the kirk a' the parish was tellt it, Sae I'm to be married the morn.
An' noo sin' it canna be better We'll e'en mak' the best o't we can, An' sin' for a wife I maun get her, She just maun get me for a man; We dinna ken what was intended— We maybe for this o't were born; An' noo, folk, my sang maun be ended, For I'm to be married the morn, Married at last the morn— Buckled sae fast the morn; An' noo, folk, my sang maun be ended, For I'm to be married the morn.
# The Book of Scottish Song/Marion

Marion.
[Robert Gilfillan.—Inscribed to his niece, Miss Marion Law Gilfillan.]
My own, my true-loved Marion! No wreath for thee I'll bring; No summer-gather'd roses fair, Nor snow-drops of the spring! O! these would quickly fade—for soon The brightest flowers depart; A wreath more lasting I will give— A garland of the heart!
My own, my true-loved Marion! Thy morn of life was gay, Like to a stream that gently flows Along its lovely way! And now, when in thy pride of noon, I mark thee, blooming fair; Be peace and joy still o'er thy path, And sunshine ever there!
My own, my gentle Marion! Though 'tis a world of woe, There's many a golden tint that falls To gild the road we go! And in this chequer'd vale, to me A light hath round me shone, Since thou came from thine Highland home In days long past and gone!
My own, my true-loved Marion! Cold, cold this heart shall be, When I shall cease to love thee still— To cheer and cherish thee! Like ivy round the wither'd oak Though all things else decay, My love for thee shall still be green, And will not fade away!
# Strange and wonderful history and prophecies of Mother Shipton/Chapter 9

CHAP. XI.
Mother Shipton's Life, and Death.
THIS famous prophetess continued esteemed as the Sybil or oracle of these times; At last, being threescore and thirteen years of age, she found the time in the black book of destiny approaching, wherein she must give a final adieu to the world, which she foretold to a day, to divers people; and at the hour predicted, having taken leave of all her friends, laid herself down on ber bed and died.
On her Grave-stone in the Church-yard of Knaresborough, Is the following Epitaph,
Here lies
the Body of
URSURLA SEATHIEL,
commonly called,
MOTHER SHIPTON,
known also,
by the Titles of, The
Devil's Bastard, Hag Face, &c.
who was brought into the world under
such strange circumstances,
that it surprised every mortal there
present.
—She had a great gift of Prophecy.—
was a good neighbour,
a loving Wife,
and an affectionate friend.
She lived-till she died, at the age of
threescore and thirteen years.
Amen, Amen, so let it be,
So rest her body, and her s-o-u-l go free.
FINIS.
# Strange and wonderful history and prophecies of Mother Shipton/Chapter 2

CHAP. II.
How Mother Shipton's Mother proved with Child: How she sitted the severe Justice, and what happened at her Delivery.
THE neighbours observing that Agatha, without any employ, lived so handsomely, wondered exceedingly how ge came by the money to support her in that way; but were most surprized when they soon after found her ​to be with child which she could not long hide, for after her delivery she was as big as if she had gone with half a dozen children at once; whereupon she was carried before a justice, who threatened and chided her for her incontinency, but he was soon silenced, for his wife and all his family being present, Agatha said to him aloud, "Mr Justice how gravely you talk now, and yet the truth is, your worship is not altogether free, for here stands two of your servant wenches, who are both at this time with child by you;" pointing to them severally with her finger: At which both himself and the two girls were so blanked that his wife plainly saw what she said was true, aad therefore fell upon the harlots like fury; for all that Mr Justice and the constables could do, was not enough to keep the peace, and the whole family was in such confusion, that Agatha at that time was dismissed; and soon after, in the month of July, in the fourth year of the reign of king Henry VII. which was in the year of our Lord 1484, was brought to bed of a daughter; her travail was very grievous, and a most terrible clap of thunder happened just as the was ​delivered of this strange birth, which afterwards was so famous by the name of Mother Shipton; nor could the tempest affright the woman more than the prodigious physiognomy of the child; the body was long and very sharp and fiery, a nose of unproportionable length having in it in many crooks and turnings, adorned with great pimples, and which like vapours of brimstone, gave such a lustre in the night, that her nurse needed no other candle to dress her by; and besides this uncouth shape, it was obseved, that as soon as she was born, she fell a laughing and grining after a jeering manner, and immediately after the tempest ceased.
# Strange and wonderful history and prophecies of Mother Shipton/Chapter 5

CHAP. V.
How Ursula married a young Man named Tobias Shipton; and how strangely she discovered a Thief.
OUR Ursula was now arrived at the four and twentieth year of her age and though she was none of the prettiest maids in the town, as you may remember by her defcription, yet she longed for a husband as well as the best of them, and at last obtained her desire för whether she used any love powder or charms to enamour her, or whether the hopes of getting a little money, which she was reported to have, though no body could tell how she got it, caused him to court her, as there are some men that would not only marry the devil's daughter, but his dam too for money, I cannot certainly inform the reader; but a sweetheart she had, named Tobias Shipton, by trade a carpenter, to whom she was shortly after married, and very comfortably they lived together, but never had any children. It happened ​about a month after her marriage, one of her neighbours leaving her doors carlesly open, had a smock and petticoat stolen away, while she was telling a gossip's tale of an hour long, at the next door, where she went to fetch fire, which misfortune much troubled her: she made her moan to mother Shipton, who did not go about like our little silly conjur ors with their schemes and figures, to give a blind desription of they know not whom; but roundly told her such a one by name had stolen the things, adding, that she would make her restore them with shame to her; and so indeed she did, for the market-day, before all the people, the woman could not avoid putting on the smock over her clothes, and the petticoat in her hand, and so marched through the croud in the market-place where the other was, by Mother Shiptons's directions, io receive them singing these words.—
I stole my neighbour's smock and coat, I am a thief and here I shew'.
So when she came to the owner, she pulled off the smock and petticoat, and gave her them with a reverend courtesy, asked her pardon, and so departed.
# Strange and wonderful history and prophecies of Mother Shipton/Chapter 7

CHAP. VII.
Some other Prophecies of Mother Shipton, relating to those Times.
AT divers other times, when persons of quality came to visit her, she delivered these feveral prophecies, following, that is to say:-
I. PROPHECY
Before Ouse bridge and Trinity church meets, they shall build it in the day, and it shall fall in the night; until they get the highest stone of Trinity church to be the lowest tone of Ouse bridge.
EXPLANATION.
This came to pass, for Trinity steeple in York was blown down with a tempest, and Ouse bridge broke down with a flood; and what they did in the day time in repairing the bridge fell down in the night; till at last they laid the highest stone of the steeple for the foundation of the bridge.
II. PROPHECY.
A time shall happen when a ship shall come sailing up the Thames till it come against London, and the master of ​the ship shall weep; and the mariners of the ships shall ask him why he weeps, since he made so good at voyage? And he shall say, Ah! what a goodly city this was once, none in the world was comparable to it, and now there is scarce an house that can let us drink for our money.
EXPLANATION.
These last words were sadly verified after the dreariful fire in London, in, 1666, when there was not a house left all along the Thames' sides, from the tower of the temple: As for the words before they being dark'y delivered, are not like to be understood, till time, that both discovers and absconds all things, shall bring the matters signified to light,
# Strange and wonderful history and prophecies of Mother Shipton/Chapter 3

CHAP. III.
By what name Mother Shipton was christened and how her Mother went into a Monaftery.
THE child being thus brought into the world, under such strange circumstances; was though not without some opposition, ordered at last, by the Abbot of Beverly, to be christened, ​which was performed by the name of Ursula Seathiel, for the latter was her mother's and consequently her maiden sirname; as for Shipton, it was the name of her busband whom she afterwards married, as will appear in the sequel of this history, and in these particulars most of the authors I have read have been fully mistaken But to proceed, when she was about two years old, her mother coming to be sensible of her evil, in holding a correspondence with a wicked fpirit, applying herself to several religious men of great note in those times, by whose grave advice she grew truly penitent, and, according to the fashion of that age's devotion, put herself into a neighbouring monastry, having put out her child, with a piece of money, to a friend, and so spent the remainder of her days in the famous convent of the order of St Bridget; near Nottingham, in prayers and tears, and other acts of penance to expiate the wickedness of her youth; but wonderful it is to relate the troubles that befel the nurse she was put to; for her father the foul fiend, is reported several times to have visited her; ​particulary one day, the nurse having been abroad, when the returned, she found the door open: whereupon, fearing that she was robbed, she called three or four neighbours and their wives to go into the house with her, but before they got into the entry, they heard a noise, as if there had been a thousand cats in consort, which so dismayed them, that they all ran towards the door, endeavouring to get out again; but in vain, for every one of them had got yokes on their necks, that they could not possibly return; but soon after the yokes fell-off, and then a coult-staff was laid on two of the men's shoulders; upon which an old woman presented herself stark naked, sometimes hanging by the heels, sometimes by the toes, anon by the middle, with divers other postures; while, the women having all their coats turned over their ears, exposed their shape to public view, and so continued till a fryar accidently came to the house, and then they were suddenyly released; but still the child being taken out of the cradle, could not be found, till at last one of the company looking by chance up the ​chimey saw it stark naked, sitting astride upon the iron, to which the pot-hooks were fastened; whence they took it down without the least hurt, and so far from being frightened, that it seemed by its monstrous smiles to be very well pleased at these pleasant exploits.
# Strange and wonderful history and prophecies of Mother Shipton/Chapter 4

CHAP. IV.
Several other merry Pranks played by center Mother Shipton, in Revenge of such as abused her.
AS our Ursula grew up to riper years she was often affronted by reason of her deformity, but she never failed to be revenged on those that did it. As one day all the chief of the parish being together at a merry meeting, she coming thither occasionally on an errand, some of them abused her by calling her the devil's bastard, and hag face, and the like; whereupon she went away grumbling, but so ordered her affairs, that when they sat down to dinner, one of the principal yeomen, had, in an instant, his ruff which in these days they wore, pulled off and the seat of an house of office ​clapt in its place: He that sat next him, bursting out into laughter at the sight thereof, was served little better, for his hat was invisibly conveyed away, and the pan of a close stool, which stood in the next room, put on instead thereof. Besides, this a modest young gentlewoman, that sat at the table at the same time, looking at these two worthy spectacles of mirth, endeavoured all she could to refrain laughing, but she could not; and withal, continued breaking of wind backward for above a quarter of an hour together, like so many broadsides in a sea fight; which made all the company laugh so extremely, that the master of the house, being the chief inn in the town, was alarmed below therewith and desiring to share with his guests in their mirth, came running up stairs as fast as his legs could carry him: but being about to enter the door, he could not; and no wonder, since the oldest man living never saw a larger pair of horns than he had on his head; but whilst they were a gazing on one another, as more than half distracted, they were in at first; after which followned a oise, as ​if more than an hundred persons were laughing together, but nothing was seen.
# Strange and wonderful history and prophecies of Mother Shipton/Chapter 6

CHAP. V.
Her Prophecy against Cardiral Woolsey.
BY these and several fuch like exploits, Mother Shipton had got a name, far and near, of a cunning woman, or woman of foresight, that her words were counted oracles; nor did she meddle only with private perfons, but was advised by with people of the greatest quality; among which number at that time was Cardinal Woolsey. Whom it was reported, that he intended to live at York, she publicly said he should never come there; which coming to his ear, and being offended he caused three lords to go to her, who came disguised to Ring-houses, near York, where leaving their men, they took a guide and come to Mother Shipton's, and knocking at her door, she cried out, Come in Mr Beasley, (their guide) and these noble lords with you; which much surprised them that she thould know them for when they came in she called cach of them by their names, and treated then with ale and cakes: whereupon said one of the lords, it ye knew our errand, you would not make so much of us. You said the ​Cardinal should never fee York, No, said she, I said that he might fee York; but never come at it. Well, said the lord, when he does come, thou shalt be burnt. Then taking her linen handkerchief off her head, says she, if this burn, then I may burn; and immediately flung into the fire before them, but it would not burn: so that after it had lain in the flames a quarter of an hour she took it out again, and it was not so much as singed. Hereupon one of the lords asked her what she thought of him. My lord, said she, the time will come when you'll be as low as I, and that is low indeed! which proved true, for shortly after he was beheaded.
Nor was this speech concerning the Cardinal less verified: for he coming from Carwood, went to the top of the tower, and asked where York was? which being shewn him, enquired how far it was there; for quotahe, there was a witch said I should never see York. Nay, says one present, your eminence is misinformed, she said you should see it, but not come at it. Then he vowed to burn her when he came there, which was but eight miles distant; but immediately he was sent for ​back the king, and died in his return, of a violent loosness at Leicester.
# Strange and wonderful history and prophecies of Mother Shipton

Mother Shipton was an English soothsayer and prophetess according to English folklore.
THE
STRANGE
AND
WONDERFUL
HISTORY AND
Prophecies
OF
MOTHER
SHIPTON.
PRINTED BY M. RANDALL, STIRLING.
* Chapter I
* Chapter II
* Chapter III
* Chapter IV
* Chapter V
* Chapter VI
* Chapter VII
* Chapter VIII
* Chapter IX
This work was published before January 1, 1929, and is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago.
Public domainPublic domainfalsefalse