Francis Bennoch: Collected Lyrics
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Public-domain lyrics

Courtship

Francis Bennoch

“Courtship” as printed in The Book of Scottish Song (1843).

Francis Bennoch: Collected Lyrics Text 3 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

Yestre'en, on Cample's bonnie flood,

The summer moon was shining;

While, on a bank in Crichope wood,

Two fond hearts were reclining:

They spak' o' youth an' hoary age,

O' time, how swiftly fleeting;

Of ilka thing, in sooth, but ane,—

The reason of their meeting!

When Willie thocht his heart was firm,

An' micht declare its feeling,

A glance frae Bessie's starry een

Sent a' his senses reeling;

For aye when he essay'd to speak,

An' she prepared to hear him,

The thochts in crimson dyed his cheek,

An' words would no' come near him!

But nature, gentle mither, came

In pity to assist him;

She whisper'd what he ought to do—

'Twas her advice that bless'd him!

He flung his arm around her neck,

Nor did the maid resent it;

Syne kiss'd her ripe and rosy lip—

A deed he ne'er repented.

'Tis ever thus that love is taught

By his divinest teacher;

He silent adoration seeks,

But shuns the prosy preacher.

Now read me right, ye gentle anes,

Nor deem my lesson hollow:

The deepest river silent rins,

The babbling brook is shallow.

Credits

Written by Francis Bennoch

Words by Francis Bennoch. 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, “Courtship”

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.
Keep tracing

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