Robert Burns: Collected Lyrics
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Public-domain lyrics

Duncan Gray

Robert Burns

“Duncan Gray” as printed in The Poetical Works of Robert Burns (1887).

Robert Burns: Collected Lyrics Text 140 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

Duncan Gray came here to woo,

Ha, ha, the wooing o't,

On blithe yule night when we were fou,

Ha, ha, the wooing o't.

Maggie coost her head fu' high,

Look'd asklent and unco skeigh,

Gart poor Duncan stand abeigh;

Ha, ha, the wooing o't.

Verse 2

Duncan fleech'd, and Duncan pray'd;

Ha, ha, &c.

Meg was deaf as Ailsa Craig,

Ha, ha, &c.

Duncan sigh'd baith out and in,

Grat his een baith bleer't and blin'

Spak o' lowpin o'er a linn;

Ha, ha, &c.

Verse 3

Time and chance are but a tide,

Ha, ha, &c.

Slighted love is sair to bide,

Ha, ha, &c.

Shall I, like a fool, quoth he,

For a haughty hizzie die?

She may gae to—France for me!

Ha, ha, &c.

Verse 4

How it comes let doctors tell,

Ha, ha, &c.

Meg grew sick—as he grew well,

Ha, ha, &c.

Something in her bosom wrings,

For relief a sigh she brings;

And O, her een, they spak sic things!

Ha, ha, &c.

Verse 5

Duncan was a lad o' grace,

Ha, ha, &c.

Maggie's was a piteous case,

Ha, ha, &c.

Duncan couldna be her death,

Swelling pity smoor'd his wrath;

Now they're crouse and cantie baith!.

Ha, ha, the wooing o't

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), “Duncan Gray”

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

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

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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