Brian McNeill - A Far North Land lyrics

In fine apparel clothed, tae another bairn betrothed Told one day you'd be the queen o' France Ambition rode your fears, made you old before your years Whispered power in your ear as you danced But a politician's wiles need a schemer, no' a child And you never saw the price you'd have to pay For like a hired a**a**in's knife, Scotland's violence and strife Would cut scruple frae your life, day by day What were you first, quine or queen? Or did your heart drown in between The tyrant ship o' state and the cruel shore o' fate? What were you first, queen or quine? Wha gave you first yon bitter wine That held your heat at ransom tae the cruel, proud and handsome And left hope a lonely prisoner in a far north land To some you were a knave, better left a galley slave To some you were the saviour o' a nation But you were never asked to tell what caught you when you fell Between your ain private hell and salvation And I'd respect your memory more if you had paused upon yon shore Before you made your journey tae Geneva For one clear line across the sand might have stayed fanatic hands Left you better baith as man and believer What were you first, man or priest? Or the tool o' Revelation's beast Primes wi' fire and thunder tae tear Scotland's soul asunder? What were you first, priest or man? Sae sure you'd sit on God's right hand On the final judgement day. Did you never think tae pray That your ain sins might find mercy in a far north land God save us frae the lure o' the certain and the sure For arrogance is cold religion's daughter And God save us frae the sin that throws conscience tae the wind Sheds blood for kith and kin like it was water What brought you baith tae truth or dare? What devil's bargain did you swear That gave you leave tae barter wi' heroes, fools and martyrs? What were you baith in Scotland's eyes But different tongues for different lies? Lord and Lady of Misrule Who used a nation for their tool Who both betrayed the future of a far north land