The Siller Croun
By Susanna Blamire
And ye shall walk in silk attire,
And siller hae to spare,
Gin ye’ll consent to be his bride,
Nor think o’ Donald mair.
O wha wad buy a silken goun
Wi’ a poor broken heart!
Or what’s to me a siller croun,
Gin frae my love I part!
The mind wha’s every wish is pure
Far dearer is to me;
And ere I’m forc’d to break my faith,
I’ll lay me down an’ dee!
For I hae pledg’d my virgin troth
Brave Donald’s fate to share;
And he has gi’en to me his heart,
Wi’ a’ its virtues rare.
His gentle manners wan my heart,
He gratefu’ took the gift;
Could I but think to seek it back,
It wad be waur than theft!
For langest life can ne’er repay
The love he bears to me;
And ere I’m forc’d to break my troth,
I’ll lay me doun an’ dee.
Blamire, sometimes called the Muse of Cumberland, is best known for her Scottish-dialect lyrics describing Cumbrian life; several of them, including this one, were set to music by Haydn. You can listen to it here at the 30:45 minute mark. If you prefer baritone to soprano, you can listen to a Thomas L. Thomas singing a version of the song here, at the 2:30 mark.
