The Jacobite relics of Scotland; being the songs, airs, and legends, of the adherents to the house of Stuart

Front matter

JO-C

OF

Scrotlanog.

Introduction

Ir has always been admitted that our Jacobite songs and tunes are the best that the country ever produccd. The apophthegm is so well established in popular opinion, that it is never controverted, and has became in a manner proverbial ; yet to this day scarcely any attempt has been made to collect these together, and give them to the public in their original spirit and simplicity. Ritson gave a few of them, with the melodies. Cromek added a number of beautiful ones to the list ; and though some of these are evidently of modern manufacture, yet have they been copied with avidity into many subsequent collections; such is their influence over the mind, and such a charm do they possess above song composed on light or imaginary evils.

When we calculate on the thousands of volumes of songs and ballads that have been published in every size and form imaginable, it appears not a little extraordinary that the attempts at collecting those party songs should have been so feeble, especially if itis considered what an animated picture they give of the battles and times to which they allude. They actually form a delightful though rude epitome of the history of our country during a period highly eventful, when every internal movement was decisive toward the establishment of the rights and liberties which we have since enjoyed ; and they likewise furnish us with a key

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to the annals of many ancient and noble families, who were either involved in ruin by the share they had in these commotions, or rose on that ruin in consequence of the support they afforded to the side that prevailed.

These songs are, moreover, a species of composition entirely by themselves. They have no affinity with our ancient ballads of heroism and romance; and one part of them far less with the mellow strains of our pastoral and lyric muses. Their general character is that of a rude energetic humour, that bids defiance to all opposition, in arms, sentiments, or rules of song-writing. They are the unmasked effusions of a bold and primitive race, who hated and despised the overturning innovations that prevailed in Church and State, and held the abettors of these as dogs, or something worse—drudges in the lowest and foulest paths of perdition—being too base to be spoken of with any degree of patience or forbearance. Such is the prevailing feature ; but there are amongst them specimens of sly and beautiful allegory. These last seem to have been sung openly and avowedly in mixed parties, as some of them are more generally known, while the others had been confined to the select social meeting of confirmed Jacobites, or hoarded up in the cabinets of old Catholic families, where to this day they have been preserved as their most precious lore. Many of these beloved relics have been given up to me with the greatest liberality ; yet I have reason to believe, that in some distant counties numbers still remain ; for a locality prevails in many of them, that gives them an interest only in certain families and districts.

Tt is for this reason that I have published only a portion of the songs at this time, confining myself to those that are apparently of the earliest date, concerning which authentic anecdotes could

INTRODUCTION. ix.

not now be so easily collected. I have subjoined such of these in the notes as I have been able to come at ; and I take this opportunity of requesting the descendants of those families that rose in support of the Stuarts, to furnish me with such songs and anecdotes as still remain in their possession, and are not generally known to the public. The most grateful attention will be paid to all information of this kind, whether contained in original letters or statements of traditionary facts, and the manuscripts returned carefully, if desired. Now, when all party feelings on that score are at an end—when the only representative of our ancient and revered race of kings filis their chair—such reminiscences are honourable, and are so estimated by every one of our princes of the blood royal. Indeed, had it not been rendered necessary for our kings of the house of Brunswick to maintain the sovereignty to which they were called by the prevailing voice of the nation, they seem never to have regarded those the law denominated rebels otherwise than with respect; which one or two instances which I shall here copy will sufficiently serve to prove. When the Princess of Wales, mother of his present Majesty, mentioned, with some appearance of censure, the conduct of Lady Margaret M‘Donald, who harboured and concealed Prince Charles, when, in the extremity of peril, he threw himself on her protection ; ‘‘ And would not you, madam,” answered Prince Frederick, ‘‘ have done the same, in the same circumstances? Iam sure—I hope in God you would.” Besides the great measure of restoring the forfeited estates to the chiefs, our venerable sovereign shewed, on every occasion, how little his heart was capable of nourishing any dislike against those who had acted upon principle against the authority of his house. The support which he afforded to the exiled branch of the Stuarts will form a bright trait in his

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history ; and secluded as he now is from his government and people, we may, as of a deceased monarch, relate one of those trifling traits which marked the generous kindness of his disposition, as well as his sentiments of those who stood for the cause of his unfortunate relative. His Majesty having been told of a gentleman of family and fortune in Perthshire who had not only refused to take the oath of allegiance to him, but had never permitted him to be named as king in his presence, ‘‘ Carry my compliments to him,” said the King—‘‘ but—what—stop—no ; he may perhaps not receive my compliments as King of England— Give him the Elector of Hanover’s compliments, and tell him that he respects the steadiness of his principles.” The same kindness to the memory of those who hazarded themselves in the cause of the Stuarts has been inherited by the present administrator of royal authority ; and to him, as to his father, their descendants have been ever prompt to repay it. He was heard to express himself one day before a dozen of gentlemen of both nations, with the greatest warmth, as follows: ‘‘I have always regarded the attachment of the Scots to the Pretender—I beg your pardon, gentlemen—to Prince Charles Stuart, I mean—as a lesson to me whom to trust in the hour of need.”

But to put this matter beyond the chance of being disputed, I have only to add, that the first proposal for the rescuing of these Jacobite Relics from oblivion emanated from the royal family. It was made by the Highland Society of London, while one royal duke was in the chair and another present, to Colonel Stuart of Garth, who, as may well be supposed, readily engaged in the promotion of a scheme so congenial with his feelings ; and it was inconsequence of his immediate application to Mr. George Thomson of Edinburgh, that the task of selection devolved on me. Captain

INTRODUCTION. D8

Stuart of Invernahoyle’s singular remark was not, it seems, quite without foundation. A gentleman, in a large company, gibed him for holding the King’s commission, while, at the same time, he was a professed Jacobite. ‘‘So I well may,” answered he, ‘‘in imitation of my master: the King himself is a Jacobite.” The gentleman shook his head, and remarked, that the thing was impossible. ‘‘ By G—,” said Stuart, ‘‘ but I tell you he is, and every son that he has. There is not one of them who (if he had lived in my brave father’s days) would not to a certainty have been hanged.”

Upon the whole, I conceive that the cruelties complained of, and not without cause, on the suppression of the two rebellions, proceeded rather from the natural dispositions of those in whose hands the executive power was placed, than from any exterminating intentions on the part of the reigning monarchs ; so that, all things considered, there has not been much to blame on either side. And now, when the horrors of the Catholic religion have ceased to oppress the minds of men, there is but one way of thinking on the rights of the Stuarts throughout the realm.

In order, therefore, that as much curious and authentic matter may be recovered as possible, I have confined myself, in this volume, to the songs previous to the battle of Sheriffmuir, with the exception of a few general ones that may be of later date, but which relate to no particular period. Indeed there is no scarcity of them during that era. In the reign of Queen Anne, the hopes of the Jacobites were at the full, and they seem to have adopted the sentiment lately expressed by a modern lawyer, ‘‘ Suffer us to make the songs of our country, and do you make its laws.” Every muse that could string a rhyme must certainly have then been put in requisition ; for of the songs which I have received, that

Xi. INTRODUCTION.

have apparently been written about that time, I have not thought proper to admit above one-fifth, and yet I am sure the peruser will think that there isenough of them in all conscience. It was not on account of any inferiority in point of merit that I excluded so many ; but because, when they were altogether, there was such an endless repetition of these sentiments, a chime on terms and epithets, that was quite intolerable. Nor is it possible to obviate this altogether in such a collection ; but, as they now appear, it will not be much felt ; for they are considerably varied, and many of them highly spirited and whimsical, and altogether extraordinary for such an age.

With regard to the music, it is requisite for me to state, that though I am perhaps better acquainted with the Lowland melodies of Scotland, as sung by the peasantry, than any person now living, yet I am so little of a musician, that I can scarcely be said to understand the first principles of the art. But having been directed by the Society to preserve such of the Jacobite airs as are still extant, I set about it with great diligence and greater delight, but with very slender prospects of success ; for I found that the people of every county in the eastern parts of Scotland sung them to their own favourite tunes. The Galloway people’s music appears to be, like themselves, a kind of Irish, mixed with something else, nobody knows what it is. So that, on my first general application to rural musicians, I began to suspect that my efforts would in a great measure be unavailing. On looking more narrowly into my old manuscripts, I found that, of three manuscript volumes of unpublished Jacobite songs that I had from John Steuart, Esq. younger of Dalguise, almost every one had the name of the air marked to which they were composed or sung. The Honourable Miss Rollo’s old manuscripts had the

INTRODUCTION. Xill.

same advantage ; so that, in adapting these, I had only to turn up our oldest collections of music. But the modern fashion of changing the name and style of these old tunes has been the cause of much perplexity and confusion of ideas to me. I look upon this as extremely reprehensible, if not disgraceful, in the collectors of our national airs. It is scarcely possible to ascertain the original name of one tune from these modern collections.

On the other hand, of all the innumerable songs that I got from Mr Walter Scott (which he must have picked out of every cabinet and portfolio in the kingdom), as well as those sent me from Aberdeenshire by Mr. Wallace, Mr. Buchan, and Mr. Graham, scarcely one had the name of the air mentioned ; and unless the tune and song chanced to be coeval, and bore the same name, which is the case in many instances, forall these I was forced to take the country at large, a very uncertain standard to go by. It has had, however, this advantage, that a great number of skeletons of old tunes will be found, that have never been published before, which, if improven by accompaniments, and set upon proper keys, will be found not unworthy of the delightful law of music to which they belong. As I make no pretensions to science in music, I have attempted nothing further than the preservation of these old airs in their most naked and primitive style ; well knowing, that, should any of them become favourites with the public, it would be an easy matter for any composer, or professional player on the piano, to harmonize them.

I have searched in vain for the songs of the other party, in order to contrast them with those of the Cavaliers. There are but few of them existing in Scotland worthy of preservation, previous to 1715. Such as remain will be found in the appendix. In the succeeding era there are a few indifferent ones. I would fain b

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have had a larger portion of them, asa counterpart to the others ; but it is impossible to preserve that which is not. Though the government and revolutionary principles of the house of Hanover have always been popular in the Lowlands of Scotland, yet the Caledonian Muse, with a romantic attachment, has all along clung to exiled royalty, and kindled at the injuries sustained by the sufferers, and their heroical deportment, in its cause ; at the same time loading the inflictors of those sufferings with every opprobrium that bitterness of soul could suggest. Whoever is versant in the national poetry of Scotland will readily subscribe to this position. The generosity displayed by these unfortunate men will always be remembered to the honour of the nation, and it even. powerfully interested those who were adverse to their cause. The national feeling was strongly roused, and its bards partook of the common sympathy. It would therefore have been doing injustice to our country, to its heroes as well as it poets, to have suffered these effusions to have perished. To offer any apology now for their publication, would only be to insult those who might be expected to require it. The rival claims of Stuart and Brunswick, are not more to the present generation than those of Bruce and Baliol, or York and Lancaster. The question of right has been submitted to the arbitration of the sword, and is now invariably decided. But neither that decision, nor any other motive, should deter the historian from doing justice to the character of those men who fell in a cause which they at least judged to be right, and which others, perhaps only thought wrong as it proved unsuccessful.

‘* Treason does never prosper. What’s the reason ?

For if it prosper, none dare call it treason.”

INTRODUCTION, XV.

I have in no instance puzzled myself in deciding what reading of each song is the most genuine and original, but have constantly taken the one that I thought the best; judging, that in ten instances the song loses by the abridgements and interpolations of those who sing it, for once that it is improven. For that reason, though I have often got a great many copies of the same song, I have not only always taken the best, but the best verses of each, as far as I could judge ; and this renders it impossible for me to acknowledge the songs individually, as I am generally indebted to many for the same song, and almost every copy differing from another. I have followed the same course with regard to the illustrations, picking them up wherever I could find them, without confusing the narrative with individual acknowledgments.

An extensive appendix is subjoined, consisting of such Scottish Jacobite songs as had no tunes remaining that I could find; and also of great numbers beside, that appear to be of English composition. Many of these are likewise excellent in their kind, and certainly much above the general effusions of the nation at that period. Of all the Whig songs subjoined, there is not one that I can trace to be of Scottish original.

The collection and arrangement of the songs, airs, and corresponding anecdotes and characteristics, has proved a task so difficult and complex, that perfect accuracy can scarcely be expected, even with the best assistance and advice ; and of these I have had as good as any that the nation afforded, both in choosing the songs and correcting the music. For the latter I have been much indebted to my friend William Stenhouse, Hsq., accountant in Edinburgh, a gentleman whose science, good taste, and general information of all that relates to Scottish song and music, is not, perhaps equalled by any contemporary.

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In collecting the songs, my friends have exerted themselves in no ordinary degree. Such numbers have I collected, that I actually erew terrified when I heard of a MS. volume of Jacobite songs. Among my principal contributors I must mention Walter Scott, Esq., my constant and unbiassed friend; John Steuart, Esq. younger of Dalguise; Mr. David Laing, Mr. John Moir, Mr. James Hardy, junior, Glasgow; Mr. John Wallace, Mr. P. Buchan, Mr. John Graham, Mr. William Gordon, Mr. David Bridges, junior, and the Honourable Miss Rollo. These sent me volumes ; but to enumerate all that have sent me single songs is impracticable. Many of those sent were bespoke by Colonel David Steuart, who has taken an anxious and most friendly concern in the publication. A number of Charlie Stuart songs are still lacking, both Gaelic and English. May I hope that I shall have many others, both gentlemen and ladies, to add to my next list ?

J. H.

ALTRIVE LAKE, \ September 6th, 1819.

Index To The Songs

A Sourn-SzA Ballad

At Auchindown ...

Awa, Whigs, awa

A wicked old Peer és

Bishop Burnet’s Descent into Hell Both Sides the Tweed .

Cakes 0’ Crowdy ;

Came ye o’er frae France

Carle, an the King come

Come, fill your Bowls, ane

Come, let us drink a Health, Boys Donald Macgillavry _... An Down among the Dead Men _...

Frae the Friends and Land I love Freedom’s Farewell...

Hame, Hame, Hame _... ip Here’s a Health to them that’s away Here’s to the King, Sir... 4a Hey, then, up go we ...

T hae nae Kith, I hae nae Kin,

It was a’ for our rightfw’ King James, come kiss me now : Jamie the Rover

Killicrankie :

King William’s March ..

Kirn-milk Geordie, a ss Lesley’s March to Longmaston. Moor Lesley’s March to Scotland a Let our great James come over Lochmaben Gate

Marilla ee

My Laddie *

My Love he was a ‘Highland L Lad Ne’er to return

Nobody can deny

O, beautiful Britannia ...

O, royal James

Our ain Country...

Over the Seas and far awa

XVill. } INDEX,

Perfidious Britain, ...

Plain Truth : a Prelium Gilliecrankianum ae,

Queen Anne ; or, The Auld hoes Mare, Robin John Clark,

Sarum’s Dirge a Such a Parcel of Rogues i in a Nation The Act of Succession * ; The auld Stuarts back again,

The Awkward Squad ap

The Battle of Killiorankie na

The Bonny Moorhen

The Broad Swords of Scotland

The Cameronian Cat

The Chevalier’s Muster- Roll.

The Cuckoo . +e

The Curses

The Devil o’er Stirling,

The Drowning of Care

The Fifth of November eae

The Haughs of Cromdale SH The King shall enjoy his own again ...

The King shall enjoy his own see The Pilfering brood er The Rebellious Crew +43 There came a Fiddler out o’ Fife tes

There’ll never be Peace till Jamie comes hame

The Restoration

There was a Man came from the Moon The Riding Mare ae aes The Ringing Ob ene

The Royal Oak Tree on?

The Sow’s Tail to Geordie ...

The Thistle and the Rose, ...

The Thistle of Scotland

The Union

The Waes of Scotland a

The wee wee German Lairdie

This is no my ain House ...

Three good Fellows ayont pe Glen . vee Tree of Friendship...

True Blue

What Murrain now has ta’ en a the Whigs When the King comes o’er the Water Willie the Wag us.

Willie Winkie’s Testament

Will ye go to Sheriffmuir_...

Would you know what a Whig is

Ye Jacobites by Name

Youre welcome, Whigs, from Bothwell Brigs *