ASIANOVERLAND.NET SYDNEY TO LONDON DAY 171: GLASGOW TO MAUCHLINE, AYRSHIRE, SCOTLAND

Robert (Robbie) Burns (25 January 1759 – 21 July 1796) was a famous Scottish poet and lyricist, widely regarded as the national poet of Scotland. He is the best known of the poets who have written in the Scots language, although much of his writing is in a "light Scots dialect" of English, accessible to everyone. He also wrote in standard English, where his political and civil commentary is at its bluntest.

Burns is a pioneer of the Romantic movement, and after his death became a great source of inspiration to the founders of liberalism and socialism. He is a cultural icon in Scotland and among the Scottish diaspora around the world. Celebration of his life and work became a national charismatic cult during the 19th and 20th centuries. In 2009 he was chosen as the greatest Scot by the Scottish public.

"Scots Wha Hae", the unofficial national anthem of Scotland, was written by Robert Burns in 1793, in the form of a speech given by Robert the Bruce before the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314, where Scotland confirmed its sovereignty over England;

“…Who for Scotland's King and Law

Freedom's sword will strongly draw,

Freeman stand or freeman fall,

Let him follow me.

 

By oppression's woes and pains,

By your sons in servile chains,

We will drain our dearest veins

But they shall be free.

 

Lay the proud usurpers low,

Tyrants fall in every foe,

Liberty's in every blow,

Let us do or die.”

 

Other poems and songs of Burns include "A Red, Red Rose", "A Man's a Man for A' That", "To a Louse", "To a Mouse", "The Battle of Sherramuir", "Tam o' Shanter" and "Ae Fond Kiss".

Robert Burns, my great great uncle as well as Scotland's National Poet, was born in Alloway, Ayrshire, and lived on the outskirts of Mauchline at Mossgiel farm from 1784. Many of his poems were written while he was there, and were directed towards the hypocrisy of the Church, the tyrants and the English. The Church was particularly fanatical in Mauchline, which conflicted with the liberal attitude of Burns.

Burn’s wife Jean Armour, my great great Aunt, was born in Mauchline, Ayrshire in 1765. Jean Armour was second oldest of the eleven children of stonemason James Armour (died 1798) and Mary Smith Armour. She met Robert Burns on a drying green in Mauchline around 1784 when she chased his dog away from her laundry, and she met Burns again at a local dance. They had nine children together.

Robbie gave shelter to Adam Armour, his wife's brother (my great great Uncle), following an incident in which Agnes Wilson, a maid at Poosie Nancie's, was driven out of the village by Adam, aged 15, and a group of friends. Burns wrote Adam Armour's Prayer, which describes the incident.

Agnes Wilson was a female servant or journeywoman who worked for George Simpson, the landlord of Poosie Nancie's. She had a reputation as a prostitute and Adam Armour at the age of 15 led a group of 'Auld Licht' adherents who decided to run her out of town. The gang obtained a rough pine tree pole, suspended it between horses and forced her to sit astride it. The experience caused her significant physical injury as Burns' poem describes. George (Geordie) Simpson and his wife Agnes (Poosie Nancie) greatly resented this cruel and lawless behaviour and proceeded to prosecute Adam and his group.

Following this breach of the peace, and while evading arrest, Adam met Burns, and asked for his advice. Burns suggested that he would be best to find someone to pray for him, and Adam to have replied: "Just do't yoursel, Burns, I know no one so fit." Adam asked if he could lie low at Mossgiel until the situation calmed down and Burns agreed. It was on this occasion that Burns discovered from Adam that his sister, Jean Armour, had been sent to stay with an uncle in Paisley.

As a result of the affair Burns wrote 'The Prayer' or 'Adam Armours Prayer' that, although well known in Mauchline was not published until 1808 when it appeared in the Edinburgh Magazine. It was a prelude to Holy Willie's Prayer.

"Adam Armour's Prayer" By Robert Burns

"Gude pity me, because I'm little!

For though I am an elf o' mettle,

An' can, like ony wabster's shuttle,

Jink there or here,

Yet, scarce as lang's a gude kail-whittle,

I'm unco queer.

An' now Thou kens our waefu' case;

For Geordie's jurr we're in disgrace,

Because we stang'd her through the place,

An' hurt her spleuchan;

For whilk we daurna show our face,

Within the clachan.

An' now we're dern'd in dens and hollows,

And hunted, as was William Wallace,

Wi' constables-thae blackguard fallows,

An' sodgers baith;

But Gude preserve us frae the gallows,

That shamefu' death!

Auld grim black-bearded Geordie's sel',

O shake him owre the mouth o' hell!

There let him hing, an' roar, an' yell

Wi' hideous din,

And if he offers to rebel,

Then heave him in.

When Death comes in wi' glimmerin blink,

An' tips auld drucken Nanse the wink,

May Sautan gie her doup a clink

Within his yett,

An' fill her up wi' brimstone drink,

Red-reekin het.

Though Jock an' hav'rel Jean are merry,

Some devil seize them in a hurry,

An' waft them in th' infernal wherry

Straught through the lake,

An' gie their hides a noble curry

Wi' oil of aik!

As for the jurr-puir worthless body!

She's got mischief enough already;

Wi' stanged hips, and buttocks bluidy

She's suffer'd sair;

But, may she wintle in a woody,

If she wh-e mair!"

As well as original compositions, Burns collected folk songs from across Scotland, often revising or adapting them. His poem and song "Auld Lang Syne" is often sung at Hogmanay (New Year’s Eve),

“Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and never brought to mind?
Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and auld lang syne?

Chorus
For auld lang syne, my dear,
for auld lang syne,
we'll take a cup of kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.

And surely you'll buy your pint cup!
and surely I'll buy mine!
And we'll take a cup o' kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.

Chorus

We two have run about the hills,
and picked the daisies fine;
But we've wandered many a weary foot,
since auld lang syne.

Chorus

We two have paddled in the stream,
from morning sun till dine;
But seas between us broad have roared
since auld lang syne.

Chorus

And there's a hand my trusty friend!
And give me a hand o' thine!
And we'll take a right good-will draught,
for auld lang syne.

Chorus”

Robbie Burns birthday is celebrated worldwide on 25 January each year, where the compulsory drink is whisky (only “a wee dram” …. at first) and the meal is haggis. Burns wrote the poem Address to a Haggis, which starts "Fair fa' your honest, sonsie face, Great chieftain o' the puddin-race!"

In Robbie's lifetime, haggis was a common dish of the poor as it was nourishing yet very cheap, being made from the leftover parts of sheep which were otherwise discarded.

A traditional haggis recipe is "sheep's 'pluck' (heart, liver, and lungs), minced with onion, oatmeal, spices, and salt, mixed with stock, and encased in the animal's stomach and boiled".

Robbie Burns epitomises the lives of the poor and oppressed, disadvantaged people of the world, who make the most of the poor lot they have been served in life.

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