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Lyr Req: Mosstrooper's Lament

21 Mar 01 - 05:44 PM (#422715)
Subject: Mosstrooper's Lament
From: GUEST,t56ds@mun.ca

I'm looking for the lyrics to the Mosstrooper's Lament. Archie Fisher sings it but I don't know who wrote it.

21 Mar 01 - 06:00 PM (#422735)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Mosstrooper's Lament
From: Sorcha

Hmmm. this thread says it's on the Contemplator's Folk site, but I couldn't find it there, even with her search engine........strange.

21 Mar 01 - 06:13 PM (#422744)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Mosstrooper's Lament
From: mousethief

What's a mosstrooper?

21 Mar 01 - 06:16 PM (#422748)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Mosstrooper's Lament
From: Sorcha

Beats the hell outa me, Alex!

21 Mar 01 - 06:19 PM (#422752)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Mosstrooper's Lament
From: mousethief

Glad to see I'm not the only one, Sorch.

21 Mar 01 - 06:27 PM (#422764)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Mosstrooper's Lament
From: Sorcha

HA! I went back there and just searched for Lament instead of Mosstrooper's Lament, and found it! Click me Baby! Now maybe we can find out what a mosstrooper is............

21 Mar 01 - 06:35 PM (#422771)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Mosstrooper's Lament
From: mousethief

A scottish warrior in a particular battle? I'm still lost.

21 Mar 01 - 06:35 PM (#422772)
Subject: Lyr Add: MOSS TROOPER'S LAMENT
From: Snuffy

It's here on Lesley's Contemplator site as Moss Trooper, not Mosstrooper. She also gives a link to a site that explains what the moss troopers were.

MOSS TROOPER'S LAMENT

Oh! a' ye gallant Borders!
Ilk water, moss and fell,
To a' your weel kent nooks and crooks,
Forever, Oh! Farewell!
For we'll go no more a roving,
A roving in the night,
We'll go no more a roving,
Though the moon shine e'er so bright.
O we'll go no more a roving!

Oh when the Har'est moon shone
What blithe times did we see!
On wanton naigs, wi splent on spauld,
We rade sae merrilie!
But we'll go no more a roving,
A roving in the night,
We'll go no more a roving,
Though the moon shine e'er so bright.
O we'll go no more a roving!

Our King's gane o'er the Border
In London for to dwell;
And friends we maun wi' England be,
Sin' he reigns there himsel:
And go no more a roving,
A roving in the night,
We'll go no more a roving,
Though the moon shine e'er so bright.
O we'll go no more a roving!

O how shall I, tether'd,
On Yarrow banks abide!
That far as Trent and Humber
Hae scour'd the Southrons wide.
Oh! to go no more a roving,
A roving in the night,
We'll go no more a roving,
Though the moon shine e'er so bright.
O we'll go no more a roving!

And how shall I follow
A droning plough's tail,
And how now break my bonnie Brown
To harl't like a snail!
And go no more a roving,
A roving in the night,
We'll go no more a roving,
Though the moon shine e'er so bright.
O we'll go no more a roving!

But when the blithsome Borders
Hae lost their riders gay,
The Scots will miss their hardy men,
And cry, Alack the day!
That they go no more a roving,
A roving in the night,
They go no more a roving,
Though the moon shine e'er so bright.
O they'll go no more a roving!

Wassail! V

21 Mar 01 - 06:36 PM (#422773)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Mosstrooper's Lament
From: Snuffy

I fouled up on the link, but Sorcha gives it anyway.

21 Mar 01 - 06:42 PM (#422777)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Mosstrooper's Lament
From: mousethief

Alas! it says who they were (border raiders) but not how they acquired their picturesque name.

21 Mar 01 - 07:54 PM (#422812)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Mosstrooper's Lament
From: GUEST,t56ds@mun.ca

Thanks guys

22 Mar 01 - 06:15 AM (#423010)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Mosstrooper's Lament
From: mcpiper

If my memory serves me right the Mosstroopers took their name from the fact that areas of the Borders where known as Mosses, maybe the as other areas are called sands etc. One area inhabited by the Armstrongs was known as the Debatables. If you want a real interesting read about the mosstroopers, their life and times, try to get a book called The Steel Bonnets, by McDonald Fraser, as in the Flashman novels. It has all sorts of info and stories about them, it may even prove my memory has completely failed and I have them confused with something else. As a Northumbrian smallpipe player I felt I should learn a little about Border history, I found it really interesting.
If anyone finds that book, I would love to buy a copy as well.
Cheers.

22 Mar 01 - 06:31 AM (#423016)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Mosstrooper's Lament
From: Wolfgang

from the Geordie online dictionary:

MOSS TROOPER. A Border raider accustomed to cross the mosses of the march lands.

Moss-troopers: that is thieves and robbers, who, after having committed offences in the Borders, do escape through wastes and mosses.
Statute of Charles II.

Wolfgang

26 May 23 - 10:28 AM (#4173205)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Mosstrooper's Lament
From: GUEST

Archie's introduction on Tobar an Dualchais explains a lot, including the connection to the Riding of the Marches that still happens every year in a number of Borders towns:
https://www.tobarandualchais.co.uk/track/93060?l=en