When Charlie to the Highlands came, It was a' joy and gladness, We trow'd na that our hearts sae soon Wad broken be wi' sadness.
Oh! why did Heaven sae on us frown, And break our hearts wi' sorrow; Oh! it will never smile again, And bring a gladsome morrow!
Our dwellings, and our outlay gear, Lie smoking, and in ruin; Our bravest youths, like mountain deer, The foe is oft pursuing.
Our home is now the barren rock, As if by Heaven forsaken; Our shelter and our canopy, The heather and the bracken.
Oh! we maun wander far and near, And foreign lands maun hide in; Our bonnie glens, we lo'ed sae dear, We daurna langer bide in.
Lord Ronald came to his lady's bower, When the moon was in her wane; Lord Ronald came at a late, late hour, And to her bower is gane. He saftly stept in his sandal shoon, And saftly laid him doun; "It 's late, it 's late," quoth Ellenore, "Sin ye maun wauken soon.
"Lord Ronald, stay till the early cock Shall flap his siller wing, An' saftly ye maun ope the gate, An' loose the silken string." "O Ellenore, my fairest fair, O Ellenore, my bride! How can ye fear when my merry men a' Are on the mountain side."
The moon was hid, the night was sped, But Ellenore's heart was wae; She heard the cock flap his siller wing, An' she watched the morning ray: "Rise up, rise up, Lord Ronald, dear, The mornin' opes its e'e; Oh, speed thee to thy father's tower, And safe, safe may thou be."
But there was a page, a little fause page, Lord Ronald did espy, An' he has told his baron all, Where the hind and hart did lie. "It is na for thee, but thine, Lord Ronald, Thy father's deeds o' weir; But since the hind has come to my faul', His blood shall dim my spear."
Lord Ronald kiss'd fair Ellenore, And press'd her lily hand; Sic a comely knight and comely dame Ne'er met in wedlock's band: But the baron watch'd, as he raised the latch, And kiss'd again his bride; And with his spear, in deadly ire, He pierced Lord Ronald's side.
The life-blood fled frae fair Ellenore's cheek, She look'd all wan and ghast; She lean'd her down by Lord Ronald's side, An' the blood was rinnin' fast: She kiss'd his lip o' the deadlie hue, But his life she cou'dna stay; Her bosom throbb'd ae deadlie throb, An' their spirits baith fled away.