James Francis Edward Stuart, Prince of Wales, by Alexis Simon Belle. (c. 1712)
There’ll Never Be Peace Till Jamie Comes Hame
By yon Castle wa’, at the close of the day,
I heard a man sing, though his head it was gray;
And as he was singing, the tears down came –
There’ll never be peace till Jamie comes hame.
The Church is in ruins, the State is in jars,
Delusions, oppressions, and murderous wars;
We dare na weel say’t, but we ken wha’s to blame –
There’ll never be peace till Jamie comes hame.
My seven braw sons for Jamie drew sword,
But now I greet round their green beds in the yird;
It brak the sweet heart o’ my faithfu’ auld dame –
There’ll never be peace till Jamie comes hame.
Now life is a burden that bows me down,
Sin’ I tint my bairns, and he tint his crown;
But till my last moments my words are the same –
There’ll never be peace till Jamie comes hame.
– Robert Burns.
(image and poem from Eccentric Bliss)