THE WHITE ROSE O' JUNE

Noo the bricht sun and the soft simmer showers,
Deck a' the woods and gardens wi' flowers;
But bonnie and sweet though the hale o' them be,
There's ane aboon a' that is dearest to me:
An' oh, that's the white rose, the white rose o' June,
An' may he that should wear it come back again soon.

It's no on my breast, nor yet in my hair,
That the emblem dear I venture to wear,
But it blooms in my heart and its white leaves I weet,
When alane in the gloamin' I wander to greet:
O'er the white rose, the white rose, the white rose o' June,
An' may he that should wear it come back again soon.

Mair fragrant and rich the red rose may be,
But there is nae spell to bind it to me,
But dear to my heart and to fond memorie,
Tho' scathed and tho' blighted the white rose may be:
Oh the white rose, the white rose, the white rose o' June,
An' may he that should wear it come back again soon.

An' oh, may the true hearts thy perils who share,
Remember'd wi' tears and remember'd in prayer,
Whom misfortune's rude blast has sent far awa'
Fair breezes bring back soon to cottage and ha':
Then, oh sing the white rose, the white rose o' June,
An' may he that should wear it, wear Scotland's auld croun.

This Scottish Jacobite song was written by Lady Nairne (nee Carolina Oliphant, 1766-1845) of Gask, Perthshire. The white rose was a Jacobite symbol and James Edward Stuart, 'James VIII [of Scotland] and III [of England]' (1688-1766) was born on the second of June. As a Scottish songwriter, Lady Nairne is regarded as on a par with Robert Burns. Her other songs include: "Charlie is my Darling", "The Land o' the Leal", "The Rowan Tree", "The Laird o' Cockpen", "Wi' a Hundred Pipers", "Will ye no come Back Again". The only recording of "The White Rose o' June" that I have found is by Anne Lorne Gillies (2003). Details can found on Anne's website.

Glossary:
Bricht – bright. Simmer – summer. Hale – whole. Ane aboon – one above. Alane – alone. Weet – wet. Greet – cry. Red rose-'England'. Mair - more. Scathed – damaged, hurt, pained. Ha' – hall. Auld croun – old crown.