Traditional: Collected Lyrics
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Public-domain lyrics

And can thy bosom

Traditional

“And can thy bosom” as printed in The Book of Scottish Song (1843).

Traditional: Collected Lyrics Text 28 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

And can thy bosom bear the thought,

To part frae love and me, laddie?

Are all those plighted vows forgot,

Sae fondly pledged by thee, laddie?

Can'st thou forget the midnight hour,

When in yon love-inspiring bower,

You vow'd by every heavenly power,

You'd ne'er lo'e ane but me, laddie.

Wilt thou—wilt thou gang and leave me,

Win my heart, and then deceive me?

Oh! that heart will break, believe me,

Gin ye part wi' me laddie.

Aft ha'e ye roos'd my rosy cheek,

Aft prais'd my sparkling e'e, laddie,

Aft said nae bliss on earth ye'd seek,

But love and live wi'me, laddie.

But soon those cheeks will lose their red,

Those eyes in endless sleep be hid,

And 'neath the turf the heart be laid,

That beats for love, and thee, laddie.

Wilt thou—wilt thou gang and leave me,

Win my heart and then deceive me?

Oh! that heart will break, believe me,

Gin ye part frae me, laddie.

You'll meet a form mair sweet and fair,

Where rarer beauties shine, laddie,

But oh! the heart can never bear,

A love sae true as mine, laddie.

But when that heart is laid at rest,

That heart that lo'ed ye last and best,

Oh, then the pangs that rend thy breast,

Will sharper be than mine, laddie.

Broken vows will vex and grieve me,

Till a broken heart relieve me,

Yet its latest thought, believe me,

Will be love and thine, laddie.

Credits

Written by Traditional

Traditional words. 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, “And can thy bosom”

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.
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