Carle, Now the King's Come

THE news has flown frae mouth to mouth,
The North for ance has bang'd the South;
The deil a Scotsman's die o' drouth,
Carle, now the King's come!

CHORUS
Carle, now the King's come!
Carle, now the King's come!
Thou shalt dance, and I will sing,
Carle, now the King's come!

Auld England held him lang and fast;
And Ireland had a joyfu' cast;
But Scotland's turn is come at last —
Carle, now the King's come!

Auld Reekie, in her rokelay grey,
Thought never to have seen the day;
He's been a weary time away —
But, Carle, now the King's come!

She's skirling frae the Castle-hill;
The Carline's voice is grown sae shrill
Ye'll hear her at the Canon-mill —
Carle, now the King's come!

'Up, bairns!' she cries, 'baith grit and sma',
And busk ye for the weapon-shaw!
Stand by me, and we'll bang them a' —
Carle, now the King's come!

'Come frae Newbattle's ancient spires,
Bauld Lothian, with your knights and squires,
And match the mettle of your sires —
Carle, now the King's come!

'You're welcome hame, my Montagu:!
Bring in your hand the young Buccleuch;
I'm missing some that I may rue —
Carle, now the King's come!

'Come, Haddington, the kind and gay,
You've graced my causeway mony a day;
I'll weep the cause if you should stay —
Carle, now the King's come!

'Come, premier Duke, and carry doun
Frae yonder craig his ancient croun;
It's had a lang sleep and a soun' —
But, Carle, now the King's come!

'Come, Athole, from the hill and wood,
Bring down your clansmen like a clud;
Come, Morton, show the Douglas' blood, —
Carle, now the King's come!

'Come, Tweeddale, true as sword to sheath;
Come, Hopetoun, fear'd on fields of death;
Come, Clerk, and give your bugle breath;
Carle, now the King's come!

'Come, Wemyss, who modest merit aids;
Come, Rosebery, from Dalmeny shades;
Breadalbane, bring your belted plaids;
Carle, now the King's come!

'Come, stately Niddrie, auld and true,
Girt with the sword that Minden knew;
We have o'er few such lairds as you—
Carle, now the King's come!

'King Arthur's grown a common crier,
He's heard in Fife and far Cantire,—
'Fie, lads, behold my crest of fire I"
Carle, now the King's come!

'Saint Abb roars out, " I see him pass,
Between Tantallon and the Bass!"
Calton, get out your keeking-glass —
Carle, now the King's come!'
The Carline stopp'd; and, sure I am,
For very glee had ta'en a dwam,
But Oman - help'd her to a dram.—
Cogie, now the King's come!
Cogie, now the King's come!
Cogie, now the King's come!
I'se be fou' and ye's be toom,
Cogie, now the King's come!

PART SECOND
A HAWICK gill of mountain dew,
Heised up Auld Reekie's heart, I trow,
It minded her of Waterloo —
Carle, now the King's come!

Again I heard her summons swell,
For, sic a dirdum and a yell,
It drown'd Saint Giles's jowing bell —
Carle, now the King's come!

'My trusty Provost, tried and tight,
Stand forward for the Good Town's right,
There's waur than you been made a knight-
Carle, now the King's come!

'My reverend Clergy, look ye say
The best of thanksgivings ye ha'e,
And warstle for a sunny day —
Carle, now the King's come!

'My Doctors, look that you agree,
Cure a' the town without a fee;
My Lawyers, dinna pike a plea —
Carle, now the King's come!

'Come forth each sturdy Burgher's bairn,
That dints on wood or clanks on airn,
That fires the o'en, or winds the pirn —
Carle, now the King's come!

'Come forward with the Blanket Blue ,
Your sires were loyal men and true,
As Scotland's foemen oft might rue —
Carle, now the King's come!

'Scots downa loup, and rin. and rave,
We're steady folks and something grave,
We'll keep the causeway firm and brave-
Carle, now the King's come!

'Sir Thomas thunder from your rock,
Till Pentland dinnles wi' the shock,
And lace wi' fire my snood o' smoke —
Carle, now the King's come!

'Melville, bring out your bands of blue,
A' Louden lads, baith stout and true,
With Elcho, Hope, and Cockburn too—
Carle, now the King's come!

'And you, who on yon bluidy braes
Compell'd the vanquished Despot's praise,
Rank out — rank out — my gallant Greys —
Carle, now the King's come!

'Cock o' the North, my Huntly braw,
Where are you with the Forty-twa?
Ah! wae's my heart that ye're awa' —
Carle, now the King's come!

'But yonder come my canty Celts,
With durk and pistols at their belts,
Thank God, we've still some plaids and kilts-
Carle, now the King's come!

'Lord, how the pibrochs groan and yell!
Macdonnell's ta'en the field himsell,
Macleod comes branking o'er the fell —
Carle, now the King's come!

'Bend up your bow each Archer spark,
For you're to guard him light and dark;
Faith, lads, for ance ye've hit the mark —
Carle, now the King's come!

Young Errol, take the sword of state,
The sceptre, Panie-Morarchate;
Knight Mareschal, see ye clear the gate —
Carle, now the King's come!

'Kind cummer, Leith, ye've been mis-set,
But dinna be upon the fret—
Ye'se hae the handsel of him yet,
Carle, now the King's come!

'My daughters, come with een sae blue,
Your garlands weave, your blossoms strew;
He ne'er saw fairer flowers than you —
Carle, now the King's come!

'What shall we do for the propine —
We used to offer something fine,
But ne'er a groat's in pouch of mine —
Carle, now the King's come!

'Deil care — for that I'se never start,
We'll welcome him with Highland heart;
Whate'er we have he's get a part —
Carle, now the King's come!

'I'll show him mason-work this day —
Nane of your bricks of Babel clay,
But towers shall stand till Time's away—
Carle, now the King's come!

'I'll show him wit, I'll show him lair,
And gallant lads and lasses fair.
And what wad kind heart wish for mair?
Carle, now the King's come!

'Step out, Sir John, of projects rife,
Come win the thanks of an auld wife,
And bring him health and length of life —
Carle, now the King's come!'