Traditional: Collected Lyrics
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Public-domain lyrics

Lenachan's Farewell

Traditional

“Lenachan's Farewell” as printed in The Book of Scottish Song (1843).

Traditional: Collected Lyrics Text 231 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

Fare thee weel, my native cot,

Bothy o' the birken tree!

Sair the heart, and hard the lot,

O' the lad that parts wi' thee.

My good grandsire's hand thee rear'd,

Then thy wicker work was full;

Mony a Campbell's glen he clear'd,

Hit the buck, and hough'd the bull.

In thy green and grassy crook

Mair lies hid than crusted stanes;

In thy bien and weirdly nook

Lie some stout Clan-Gillian banes.

Thou wast aye the kinsman's hame,

Routh and welcome was his fare;

But if serf or Saxon came,

He cross'd Murich's hirst nae mair

Never hand in thee yet bred

Kendna how the sword to wield;

Never heart of thine had dread

Of the foray or the field:

Ne'er on straw, mat, bulk, or bed,

Son of thine lay down to die;

Every lad within thee bred

Died beneath heaven's open e'e.

Charlie Stuart he cam' here,

For our king, as right became;

Wha could shun the Bruce's heir?

Wha could tyne our royal name?

Firm to stand, and free to fa',

Forth we march'd right valiantlie,

Gane is Scotland's king an' law!

Woe to the Highlands and to me!

Freemen, yet I'll scorn to fret,

Here nae langer I maun stay;

But, when I my hame forget,

May my heart forget to play!

Fare thee weel, my father's cot,

Bothy o' the birken tree!

Sair the heart, and hard the lot,

O' the lad that parts wi' thee.

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, “Lenachan's Farewell”

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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