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Public-domain lyrics

Donald Macgillavry

Traditional

“Donald Macgillavry” as printed in The Book of Scottish Song (1843).

Traditional: Collected Lyrics Text 98 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

Donald's gane up the hill hard and hungry,

Donald's come down the hill wild and angry;

Donald will clear the gowk's nest cleverly—

Here's to the king and Donald Macgillavry!

Come like a weigh-bauk, Donald Macgillavry,

Come like a weigh-bauk, Donald Macgillavry;

Balance them fair, and balance them cleverly—

Off wi' the counterfeit, Donald Macgillavry.

Donald's ran ower the hill, but his tether, man,

As he were wud, or stang'd wi" an ether, man;

When he comes back there's some will look merrily—

Here's to king James and Donald Macgillavry!

Come like a weaver, Donald Macgillavry,

Come like a weaver, Donald Macgillavry;

Pack on your back, and elwand sae cleverly,

Gi'e them full measure, my Donald Macgillavry.

Donald has foughten wi' reif and roguery,

Donald has dinner'd wi' banes and beggary;

Better it were for Whigs and Whiggery

Meeting the devil than Donald Macgillavry.

Come like a tailor, Donald Macgillavry,

Come like a tailor, Donald Macgillavry;

Push about, in and out, thimble them cleverly—

Here's to king James and Donald Macgillavry!

Donald's the callan that brooks nae tangleness,

Whigging and prigging, and a' newfangleness;

They maun be gane, he winna be baukit, man,

He maun ha'e justice, or faith he will tak' it, man.

Come like a cobbler, Donald Macgillavry,

Come like a cobbler, Donald Macgillavry;

Beat them, and bore them, and lingle them cleverly—

Up wi' king James and Donald Macgillavry!

Donald was mumpit wi' mirds and mockery,

Donald was blinded wi' blads o' property;

Aries were high, but makinga were naething, man—

Lord, how Donald is flyting and fretting, man!

Come like the devil, Donald Macgillavry,

Come like the devil, Donald Macgillavry;

Skelp them and scaud them that proved sae unbritherly—

Up wi' king James and Donald Macgillavry!

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, “Donald Macgillavry”

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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