Robert Burns: Collected Lyrics
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Public-domain lyrics

When Guilford good our Pilot stood

Robert Burns

“When Guilford good our Pilot stood” as printed in The Poetical Works of Robert Burns (1887).

Robert Burns: Collected Lyrics Text 496 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

When Guilford good our Pilot stood,

An' did our hellim thraw, man,

Ae night, at tea, began a plea,

Within America, man:

Then up they gat the maskin-pat,

And in the sea did jaw, man;

An' did nae less, in full Congress,

Than quite refuse our law, man.

Verse 2

Then thro' the lakes Montgomery takes,

I wat he was na slaw, man;

Down Lowrie's burn he took a turn,

And Carleton did ca', man:

But yet, what-reck, he, at Quebec,

Montgomery-like did fa', man,

Wi' sword in hand, before his band,

Amang his en'mies a', man.

Verse 3

Poor Tammy Gage, within a cage,

Was kept at Boston ha', man;

Till Willie Howe took o'er the knowe

For Philadelphia, man:

Wi' sword an' gun he thought a sin

Guid Christian bluid to draw, man;

But at New York, wi' knife an' fork,

Sir Loin he hacked sma', man.

Verse 4

Burgoyne gaed up, like spur an' whip,

Till Fraser brave did fa', man;

Then lost his way, ae misty day,

In Saratoga shaw, man.

Cornwallis fought as lang's he dought,

An' did the Buckskins claw, man;

But Clinton's glaive frae rust to save,

He hung it to the wa', man.

Verse 5

Then Montague, an' Guilford too,

Began to fear a fa', man;

And Sackville doure, wha stood the stoure,

The German Chief to thraw, man:

For Paddy Burke, like ony Turk,

Nae mercy had at a', man;

An' Charlie Fox threw by the box,

An' lows'd his tinkler jaw, man.

Verse 6

Then Rockingham took up the game;

Till death did on him ca', man;

When Shelburne meek held up his cheek,

Conform to gospel law, man;

Saint Stephen's boys, wi' jarring noise,

They did his measures thraw, man,

For North an' Fox united stocks,

An' bore him to the wa', man.

Verse 7

Then Clubs an' Hearts were Charlie's cartes,

He swept the stakes awa', man,

Till the Diamond's Ace, of Indian race,

Led him a sair faux pas, man:

The Saxon lads, wi' loud placads,

On Chatham's boy did ca', man;

An' Scotland drew her pipe, an' blew,

'Up, Willie, waur them a', man!'

Verse 8

Behind the throne then Grenville's gone,

A secret word or twa, man;

While slee Dundas arous'd the class

Be-north the Roman wa', man:

An' Chatham's wraith, in heavenly graith,

(Inspired Bardies saw, man)

Wi' kindling eyes cry'd, 'Willie, rise!

Would I hae fear'd them a', man?

Verse 9

But, word an' blow, North, Fox, and Co.

Gowff'd Willie like a ba', man,

Till Suthron raise, an' coost their claise

Behind him in a raw, man;

An' Caledon threw by the drone,

An' did her whittle draw, man;

An' swoor fu' rude, thro' dirt an' blood,

To make it guid in law, man.

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), “When Guilford good our Pilot stood”

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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