David Vedder: Collected Lyrics
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Public-domain lyrics

Bonnie Jean mak's muckle

David Vedder

“Bonnie Jean mak's muckle” as printed in The Book of Scottish Song (1843).

David Vedder: Collected Lyrics Text 2 1843 · historical text
Public domainScottish songFolk
Complete public-domain lyrics

This text comes from The Book of Scottish Song, edited by Alexander Whitelaw, a historical songbook transcribed on Wikisource and reproduced from the pinned revision linked below.

Verse 1

My Lorde Kilspindie's crappe is in,

Sae hail may skyte, an' rain may pour;

The norlan' blaste frae yonte the binne

May skelpe an' dadde fu' snelle an' dour:

I've noucht till doe but tende my flouir,

As lang as heaven sall health bestow mee;

My life's ane rosie sun-licht hour,

For bonnie Jean mak's muckle o' mee.

Thy bewtie is baith riche an' rare,—

Thy cheeke's the rose, thy teethe's the pearle,

Love sportes amang thy coal-blacke hair,

An' in thine eyne, my winesome girle!

Her voice is musick frae the merle,

Or mavis in the glen below me;—

I'm happier than Kilspindie's Karle,

When bonnie Jean mak's muckle o' mee.

Mess Jhone, our sanctimonious frier,

Screedes frae the altar ilka Lente,

That laicks a' were placed here

To practise pennaunce, an' repente;—

But frae sic doctrines I dissent,

An' spurn his cauldriffe dogmas fro' mee;

This warl's a' wi' flouris besprente,

For bonnie Jean mak's muckle o' mee.

I bous'd an' birl't at the yill,

At bikkeris aye I bure the gree;

The roarin' channel-stane stude still

Upo' the yee withoutten mee:

But now adieu to barley-bree,

Whilke frae my balance aft did throw mee,

For I've forfsworn it a', ye see,

Since bonnie Jean made muckle o' mee.

Credits

Written by David Vedder

Words by David Vedder. Historical text published in The Book of Scottish Song (1843); public domain. No claim to a modern recording or arrangement.

Source & text edition

The Book of Scottish Song (1843), edited by Alexander Whitelaw, “Bonnie Jean mak's muckle”

Every contribution in this 1843 anthology predates modern copyright terms by more than a century; any contributor died at least 130 years ago, so the text is in the public domain worldwide (life+70 terms expired no later than 2020).

How to read this historical text and its source

Read the source on Wikisource

View copyright evidence · Transcription terms (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Retrieved 2026-10-12. Line spacing and section labels are adapted for reading. The displayed text follows the linked edition. Editorial notes and abstract artwork are by 52lyrics.
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