The Galloway shepherds/The new way of Lochaber

The New Way of LOCHABER.

THese lines from your lover, dear Jenny receive,
At Carlisle confined will make you to grieve,
I prisoner was taken at Culloden plain;
I wish in that battle that I had been slain.
But fate has decreed it, it must: not be so,
I wounded, was taken, and with them must go:
But my fate, my dear Jenny, it troubles me sore,
For thee nor Lochaber, I ne’er shall see more.

I often was told by the chief of the Clan,
That Charly he was a brave valiant man,
But none of his bravery I e’er yet did see,
De’il take them for liars, they’ve ruined me.
Deluded by flattery, I soon did comply,
I with them did fight and for them must die:
O my fate, my dear Jenny, it troubles me sore,
For thee nor Lochaber I’ll never see more.

The defeating of Johnny Cope at Preston-pans,
Enliven’d our hearts, and encourag’d our Clans;
Flush’d with success, to England we then did steer,
But the valiant Duke William put us in great fear.
He fought us he beat us, he ruin’d us quite,
And now we are all in a sorrowful plight:
May heaven its blessing, upon thee love, pour,
For thee nor Lochaber I ne’er shall see more.

The ANSWER.

O Billy, thy letter cuts me to the heart,
To think that for ever I from thee must part,
Your Non-jurant teachers hath brought thee to this,
Now you’ll lose your life love, and I’ll lose my bliss.
You being so brave, and a valliant young man,
You soon was inticed to join the proud Clan,
And I told you at parting, you know with much pain,
That me nor Lochaber, you’d ne’er see again.

O I did you intreat, and I did you implore,
To stay with your Jenny, who did you adore,
The name of a coward, you curs’d and despis’d,
You slighted my counsel, my tears, and my cries:
And don’t you remember, your answer so smart,
A fair lady was never won with a faint heart,
And thus my advice, you did treat with disdain,
But you’ll never see me nor Lochaber again.

O what would you give your dear Jenny to see?
And what would you give this day to be free?
O what would you give your dear charmer to see?
O what would you give in Lochaber to be?
Was it in my power, I would ease all your fears,
And your bleeding wounds I would bath with my tears
On my bosom I would lull thee asleep from thy pain,
But you’ll never see me nor Lochaber again.

For the Judges I hear are already come down,
Which gave to my heart a most desperate stown,
The success of your trial, I long for to hear:
But there is no hope that you can get clear.
You went with such freedom, with bonnet & plaid,
With a broad sword & target, like a brave Highland lad,
And I told you at parting, you know with much pain,
That you’d never see me nor Lochaber again.