Jean Eliot
 
I've heard them lilting at our yowe-milking —                                   ewe
    Lasses a-lilting before the dawn of day; 
But now they are moaning on ilka green loaning —                           l and where cows are milked
    The Flowers of the Forest are a' wede away.                                    withered 

At bughts, in the morning, nae blythe lads are scorning;                      cattle-pens
    The lasses are lonely and dowie and wae; —                                    sad
Nae daffin', nae gabbin’ — but sighing and sabbing,                            dallying
    Ilk ane lifts her leglin and hies her away.                                          milk-pail

In har'st, at the shearing, nae youths now are jeering,                           harvest
    Bandsters are lyart and runkled or grey:                                            binders/grizzled                      
At fair or at preaching, nae wooing nae fleeching —                            flattering 
    The Flowers of the Forest are a' wede away. 

At e'en, in the gloaming, nae swankies are roaming,                            smart young fellows 
    'Bout stacks with the lasses at bogle to play;                                    hide-and-seek
But ilk maid sits drearie, lamenting her dearie — 
    The Flowers of the Forest are weded away. 

Dool and wae for the order sent our lads to the Border!                       grief
    The English, for ance, by guile wan the day; — 
The Flowers of the Forest, that fought aye the foremost —
    The prime of our land — are cauld in the clay. 

We'll hear nae mair lilting at our yowe-milking; 
    Women and bairns are heartless and wae; 
Sighing and moaning on ilka green loaning — 
    The Flowers of the Forest are a' wede away.    


Scotland - 18th century