Traditional: Collected Lyrics
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Public-domain lyrics

Had I a cave

Traditional

“Had I a cave” as printed in The Book of Scottish Song (1843).

Traditional: Collected Lyrics Text 137 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

Had I a cave on some wild distant shore,

Where the winds howl to the waves' dashing roar:

There would I weep my woes,

There seek my lost repose,

Till grief my eyes should close,

Ne'er to wake more.

Falsest of womankind, canst thou declare,

All thy fond-plighted vows—fleeting as air!

To thy new lover hie,

Laugh o'er thy perjury,

Then in thy bosom try

What peace is there!

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, “Had I a cave”

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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