Hogg, in his second series of Jacobite Relics, states that he “got this
song among some old papers belonging to Mr Orr of Alloa,” and that he
never met with it elsewhere. In his first series he printed a Scottish
song beginning,—
“Then was a man came fron the moon
And landed in our town, sir,
And he has sworn a solemn oath
That all but knaves must down, sir.”
In Martin Parker’s foregoing ballad, “When the King enjoys his own
again,” there is also an allusion to the man in the moon:—
“The Man in the Moon
May wear out his shoon
By running after Charles his wain;”
as it would appear that the “Man in the Moon,” was the title assumed by
an almanack-maker of the time of the Commonwealth, who, like other
astronomers and astrologers, predicted the King’s restoration. In this
song the “Man o’ the Moon” clearly signifies King Charles.
The man o’ the moon for ever!
The man o’ the moon for ever!
We’ll drink to him still
In a merry cup of ale,—
Here’s the man o’ the moon for ever!
The man o’ the moon, here’s to him!
How few there be that know him!
But we’ll drink to him still
In a merry cup of ale,—
The man o’ the moon, here’s to him!
Brave man o’ the moon, we hail thee,
The true heart ne’er shall fail thee;
For the day that’s gone
And the day that’s our own—
Brave man o’ the moon, we hail thee.
We have seen the bear bestride thee,
And the clouds of winter hide thee,
But the moon is changed
And here we are ranged,—
Brave man o’ the moon, we bide thee.
The man o’ the moon for ever!
The man o’ the moon for ever!
We’ll drink to him still
In a merry cup of ale,—
Here’s the man o’ the moon for ever!
We have grieved the land should shun thee,
And have never ceased to mourn thee,
But for all our grief
There was no relief,—
Now, man o’ the moon, return thee.
There’s Orion with his golden belt,
And Mars, that burning mover,
But of all the lights
That rule the nights,
The man o’ the moon for ever!