Jean Elliot


Jean Elliot (April 1727 – 29 March 1805)

The Flowers of the Forest

I’ve heard them lilting at our ewe-milking,
Lasses a-lilting before the dawn of day;
But now they are moaning on ilka green loaning-
The Flowers of the Forest are a’ wede away.

At bughts, in the morning, nae blythe lads are scorning,
The lasses are lonely, and dowie, and wae;
Nae daffin’, nae gabbin’, but sighing and sabbing,
Ilk ane lifts her leglin and hies her away.

In har’st, at the shearing, nae youths now are jeering,
Bandsters are lyart, and runkled, and gray;
At fair or at preaching, nae wooing nae fleeching-
The Flowers of the Forest are a’ wede away.

At e’en, in the gloaming, nae younkers are roaming
‘Bout stacks wi’ the lasses at bogle to play;
But ilk ane sits drearie, lamenting her dearie-
The Flowers of the Forest are weded away.

Dool and wae for the order sent our lads to the Border!
The English, for ance, by guile wan the day;
The Flowers of the Forest, that fought aye the foremost,
The prime of our land, are cauld in the clay.

We’ll hear nae mair lilting at our ewe-milking;
Women and bairns are heartless and wae;
Sighing and moaning on ilka green loaning-
The Flowers of the Forest are a’ wede away.



Jean Elliot (April 1727 – 29 March 1805), also known as Jane Elliot, was a Scottish poet. She wrote a version of The Flowers of the Forest, a old song about the Battle of Flodden in 1513, which lead to the defeat of a Scottish army and the death of King James IV and thousands of Scots. Jean Elliott's version was published in 1776, and is her only surviving work. She published it anonymously and Rabbie Burns, Sir Walter and others would make efforts to discover the true author. The lyrics are set to an earlier tune c. 1615–1625 which is featured in John Skene of Halyards Manuscript and is  known as "Flowres of the Forrest." The song and melody has been covered by many artists, including the innovative modern composer Mike Oldfield who produced a instrumental version combining bagpipes and electronic keyboards. The tune itself is popular amongst bagpipers and army regiments, and has been played at remembrance days.

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