---
title: "M’Pherson’s Farewell"
author: "Robert Burns"
form: "Song"
year: "1788"
tune: "M’Pherson’s Rant"
location: "Mossgiel"
source: "Project Gutenberg #1279 — Poems and Songs of Robert Burns"
source_url: "https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/1279/pg1279.txt"
canonical_url: "https://robert-burns.com/poems/mphersons-farewell/"
---

# M’Pherson’s Farewell

## Song
Farewell, ye dungeons dark and strong,  
The wretch’s destinie!  
M’Pherson’s time will not be long  
On yonder gallows-tree.

*Chorus*  
Sae rantingly, sae wantonly,  
Sae dauntingly gaed he;  
He play’d a spring, and danc’d it round,  
Below the gallows-tree.

O, what is death but parting breath?  
On many a bloody plain  
I’ve dared his face, and in this place  
I scorn him yet again!

*Chorus*  
Sae rantingly, sae wantonly,  
Sae dauntingly gaed he;  
He play’d a spring, and danc’d it round,  
Below the gallows-tree.

Untie these bands from off my hands,  
And bring me to my sword;  
And there’s no a man in all Scotland  
But I’ll brave him at a word.

*Chorus*  
Sae rantingly, sae wantonly,  
Sae dauntingly gaed he;  
He play’d a spring, and danc’d it round,  
Below the gallows-tree.

I’ve liv’d a life of sturt and strife;  
I die by treacherie:  
It burns my heart I must depart,  
And not avenged be.

*Chorus*  
Sae rantingly, sae wantonly,  
Sae dauntingly gaed he;  
He play’d a spring, and danc’d it round,  
Below the gallows-tree.

Now farewell light, thou sunshine bright,  
And all beneath the sky!  
May coward shame distain his name,  
The wretch that dares not die!

*Chorus*  
Sae rantingly, sae wantonly,  
Sae dauntingly gaed he;  
He play’d a spring, and danc’d it round,  
Below the gallows-tree.

---

Source: [Project Gutenberg #1279 — Poems and Songs of Robert Burns](https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/1279/pg1279.txt)  
Canonical HTML: https://robert-burns.com/poems/mphersons-farewell/