Classic Poem

Tune, Up and waur them a', Willie

The Laddies by the banks o' Nith
Wad trust his Grace wi' a', Jamie;
But he'll sair them, as he sair'd the King —
Turn tail and rin awa, Jamie.

Up and waur them a', Jamie,
Up and waur them a';
The Johnstones hae the guidin o't,
Ye turncoat Whigs awa!

The Laddies by the Banks o' Nith. Another version:

As I cam doon the banks o' Nith
And by Glenriddell's ha', man,
There I heard a piper play
Turn-coat Whigs awa, man.

Drumlanrig's towers hae tint the powers
That kept the lands in awe, man:
The eagle 's dead, and in his stead
We've gotten a hoodie-craw, man.

The turn-coat Duke his King forsook,
When his back was at the wa', man:
The rattan ran wi' a' his clan
For fear the house should fa', man.

The lads about the banks o' Nith,
They trust his Grace for a', man:
But he'll sair them as he sair't his King,
Turn tail and rin awa, man.

The day he stude his country's friend,
Or gied her faes a claw, Jamie,
Or frae puir man a blessin wan,
That day the Duke ne'er saw, Jamie.
Up and waur them, &c.

But wha is he, his country's boast?
Like him there is na twa, Jamie;
There 's no a callant tents the kye,
But kens o' Westerha', Jamie.
Up and waur them, &c.

To end the wark, here 's Whistlebirk,
Lang may his whistle blaw, Jamie;
And Maxwell true, o' sterling blue;
And we'll be Johnstones a', Jamie.
Up and waur them, &c.