Traditional: Collected Lyrics
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Public-domain lyrics

Mary's Grave

Traditional

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

Traditional: Collected Lyrics Text 252 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

Ye briery bields, where roses blaw!

Ye flow'ry fells, an' sunny braes!

Whase scroggie bosoms foster'd a'

The pleasures o' my youthfu' days.

Amang your leafy simmer claes,

And blushin' blooms, the zephyr flies,

Syne wings awa', and wanton plays

Around the grave whare Mary lies.

Nae mair your bonnie birken bowers,

Your streamlets fair, and woodlands gay,

Can cheer the weary winged hours

As up the glen I joyless stray:

For a' my hopes ha'e flown away,

And when they reach'd their native skies,

Left me, amid the world o' wae,

To weet the grave whare Mary lies.

It is na beauty's fairest bloom,

It is na maiden charms consign'd,

And hurried to an early tomb,

That wrings my heart and clouds my mind;

But sparkling wit, and sense refin'd,

And spotless truth without disguise,

Make me with sighs enrich the wind

That fans the grave whare Mary lies.

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, “Mary's Grave”

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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