THE MOSSTROOPER'S LAMENT

HISTORY:
According to Vocal Melodies of Scotland an unnamed lady presented 
this song to Sir Walter Scott. Scott gave it to Finlay Dun who 
created this arrangement. 

Finlay Dun was a music teacher in Edinburgh. I've found two citations 
for his work, one in 1838 and one between 1841-53.

Pete's note: despite the (later?) title, the tune probably doesn't refer to 
Mosstroopers, as the term dates from a later period, but to the Reiver clans
from which they came, warlike, semi-nomadic border clans who were forced to 
settle down as farmers or be exiled to Ulster when James united the crowns 
of Scotland and England.

splent=armour for the legs
spauld=shoulder 


 (4 bar intro)

 Oh! a' ye gallant Borders!
 Ilk water, moss and fell,
 To a' your weel kent nooks and crooks,
 Forever, Oh! Farewell!
 For we'll gang no more a roving,
 A roving in the night,
 We'll gang no more a roving,
 Though the moon shine e'er so bright.

 Oh when the Har'est moon shone clear
 What blithe times did we see!
 On wanton naigs, wi splent on spauld,
 We rade sae merrilie!
 But our King's gane o'er the Border
 In London for to dwell;
 And friends we maun wi' England be,
 Sin' he reigns there himsel:
 (tag)
 
 And gang no more a roving,
 A roving in the night,
 We'll gang no more a roving,
 Though the moon shine e'er so bright.
 (tag)
 
 O how shall I, tether'd now,
 On Yarrow banks abide!
 That far as Trent and Humber
 Hae scour'd the Southrons wide.
 And how shall I follow
 A droning ploughhorse tail,
 And how now break my bonnie Brown
 To harl't like a snail!
 (tag)
 And go no more a roving,
 A roving in the night,
 We'll go no more a roving,
 Though the moon shine e'er so bright.

 (tag)
 (32 bars 6/8 slow air)
 (tag)
 
 But when the blithsome Borders
 Hae lost their riders gay,
 The Scots will miss their hardy men,
 And cry, Alack the day!
 (tag)
 That they go no more a roving,
 A roving in the night,
 They go no more a roving,
 Though the moon shine e'er so bright
 For we'll go no more a roving,
 A roving in the night,
 We'll go no more a roving,
 Though the moon shine e'er so bright.

 (instrumental outro)