Robert Burns: Collected Lyrics
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Public-domain lyrics

My heart was ance

Robert Burns

“My heart was ance” as printed in The Poetical Works of Robert Burns (1887).

Robert Burns: Collected Lyrics Text 245 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

My heart was ance as blythe and free

As simmer days were lang,

But a bonie, westlin weaver lad

Has gart me change my sang.

Verse 2

To the weavers gin ye go, fair maids,

To the weavers gin ye go;

I rede you right gang ne'er at night,

To the weavers gin ye go.

Verse 3

My mither sent me to the town,

To warp a plaiden wab;

But the weary, weary warpin o't

Has gart me sigh and sab.

Verse 4

A bonie westlin weaver lad

Sat working at his loom;

He took my heart as wi' a net,

In every knot and thrum.

Verse 5

I sat beside my warpin-wheel,

And ay I ca'd it roun';

But every shot and every knock,

My heart it gae a stoun.

Verse 6

The moon was sinking in the west

Wi' visage pale and wan,

As my bonie westlin weaver lad

Convoy'd me thro' the glen.

Verse 7

But what was said, or what was done,

Shame fa' me gin I tell;

But oh! I fear the kintra soon

Will ken as weel's mysel.

Verse 8

To the weavers gin ye go, fair maids,

To the weavers gin ye go;

I rede you right gang ne'er at night,

To the weavers gin ye go.

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), “My heart was ance”

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.
Keep tracing

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