Robert Burns: Collected Lyrics
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Public-domain lyrics

Address of Beelzebub to the President of the Highland Society

Robert Burns

“Address of Beelzebub to the President of the Highland Society” as printed in The Poetical Works of Robert Burns (1887).

Robert Burns: Collected Lyrics Text 97 1887 · historical text
Public domainScottish songSong lyrics
Complete public-domain lyrics

This text comes from The Poetical Works of Robert Burns, a historical songbook transcribed on Wikisource and reproduced from the pinned revision linked below.

Verse 1

Long life, my Lord, an' health be yours,

Unskaith'd by hunger'd Highland boors;

Lord grant nae duddie desperate beggar,

Wi' dirk, claymore, or rusty trigger,

May twin auld Scotland o' a life

She likes—as lambkins like a knife.

Faith, you and Applecross were right

To keep the Highland hounds in sight,

I doubt na'! they wad bid nae better

Than let them ance out owre the water

Than up amang thae lakes and seas

They'll mak' what rules and laws they please;

Some daring Hancocke, or a Franklin,

May set their Highland bluid a ranklin';

Some Washington again may head them,

Or some Montgomery fearless lead them,

Till God knows what may be effected

When by such heads and hearts directed—

Poor dunghill sons of dirt and mire

May to Patrician rights aspire!

Nae sage North, now, nor sager Sackville,

To watch and premier o'er the pack vile,

An' whare will ye get Howes and Clintons

To bring them to a right repentance,

To cowe the rebel generation,

An' save the honour o' the nation?

They an' be d———d! what right hae they

To meat or sleep, or light o' day!

Far less to riches, pow'r, or freedom,

But what your lordship likes to gie them?

But hear, my lord! Glengarry, hear!

Your hand's owre light on them, I fear;

Your factors, grieves, trustees, and bailies,

I canna' say but they do gaylies;

They lay aside a' tender mercies,

An' tirl the hallions to the birses;

Yet while they're only poind't and herriet,

They'll keep their stubborn Highland spirit;

But smash them! crash them a' to spails!

An' rot the dyvors i' the jails!

The young dogs, swinge them to the labour!

Let wark an' hunger mak' them sober!

The hizzies, if they're aughtlins fawsont,

Let them in Drury-lane be lesson'd!

An' if the wives an' dirty brats

E'en thigger at your doors an' yetts

Flaffan wi' duds an' grey wi' beas',

Frightin' awa your deucks an' geese,

Get out a horsewhip or a jowler,

The langest thong, the fiercest growler,

An gar the tatter'd gypsies pack

Wi' a' their bastarts on their back!

Go on, my lord! I lang to meet you,

An' in my house at hame to greet you;

Wi' common lords ye shanna mingle,

The benmost neuk beside the ingle,

At my right han' assign'd your seat

'Tween Herod's hip an' Polycrate,—

Or if you on your station tarrow

Between Almagro and Pizarro,

A seat, I'm sure ye're weel deservin't;

An' till ye come—Your humble servant,

Beelzebub.

June 1, Anno Mundi 5790.

Credits

Written by Robert Burns

Words by Robert Burns. Historical text published in The Poetical Works of Robert Burns (1887); public domain. No claim to a modern recording or arrangement.

Source & text edition

The Poetical Works of Robert Burns (1887), “Address of Beelzebub to the President of the Highland Society”

Every text in this 1887 collected edition is by Robert Burns (1759-1796), who died more than 230 years ago, so the text is in the public domain worldwide; the edition carries a Wikisource PD-old determination and a pre-1931 United States publication.

How to read this historical text and its source

Read the source on Wikisource

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Retrieved 2026-10-25. 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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