Part 8

“The year of God one thousand six hundred thirty-six, some of the Marquis of Huntly’s followers and servants did invade the rebel James Grant and some of his associates, hard by Strathbogy. They burnt the house wherein he was, but, the night being dark and windy, he and his brother, Robert Grant, escaped.”[30]

This last escapade of James Grant may perhaps be the one to which this fragment has reference, though Ballindalloch was not personally engaged in the assault on the house, and I know of no Douglas having sheltered Grant of Carron. One almost wonders that this mettlesome and shifty outlaw was not celebrated in a string of ballads.

Early in 1639, James Grant got his peace from the king; later in the year, he joined the “barons” at Aberdeen with five hundred men, and in 1640, we are told, “he purchased his remission orderly and went home to his own country peaceably (against all men’s expectation, being such a blood-shedder and cruel oppressor) after he had escaped so many dangers.”[31]

* * * * *

1 ‘Away with you, away with you, James de Grant! And, Douglas, ye’ll be slain; For Baddindalloch’s at your gates, With many brave Highland men.’

2 ‘Baddindalloch has no feud at me, And I have none at him; Cast up my gates baith broad and wide, Let Baddindalloch in.’

3 ‘James de Grant has made a vaunt, And leaped the castle-wa; But, if he comes this way again, He’ll no win sae well awa.

4 ‘Take him, take him, brave Gordons, O take him, fine fellows a’! If he wins but ae mile to the Highland hills, He’ll defy you Gordons a’.’

* * * * *

_As printed by Buchan:_

1^3, 2^{1,4}. Balnadallach.

1^4. man.

2^4 come in.

3^4. nae won.

4^3. on the Highland hill.

198

BONNY JOHN SETON

#A.# ‘Bonny John Seton,’ Maidment’s North Countrie Garland, p. 15; Buchan’s Gleanings, p. 161; Maidment’s Scotish Ballads and Songs, Historical and Traditionary, I, 280.

#B.# ‘The Death of John Seton,’ Buchan’s Ballads of the North of Scotland, II, 136.

Buchan had another copy, sent him in manuscript by a young lady in Aberdeen, in which the Earl Marischal was made prominent: Ballads, II, 321. Aytoun, I, 139, had a copy which had been annotated by C. K. Sharpe, and from this he seems to have derived a few variations. The New Deeside Guide [1832], p. 5 (nominally by James Brown, but written by Dr Joseph Robertson), gives #A#, with a few trifling improvements which seem to be editorial.

#A, B, 1–8.# The ballad is accurate as to the date, not commonly a good sign for such things. On Tuesday, the eighteenth of June, 1639, Montrose began an attack on the bridge of Dee, which had been fortified and manned by the royalists of Aberdeen to stop his advance on the city. The bridge was bravely defended that day and part of the next by Lieutenant-Colonel Johnston (not Middleton; Middleton was of the assailants). The young Lord of Aboyne, just made the king’s lieutenant in the north, had a small body of horse on the north side of the river. Montrose’s cavalry were sent up the south side as if to cross (though there was no ford), and Aboyne’s were moved along the opposite bank to resist a passage. This exposed the latter to Montrose’s cannon, and the Covenanters let fly some shot at them, one of which killed “a gallant gentleman, John Seton of Pitmeddin, most part of his body above the saddle being carried away.” Johnston’s leg was crushed by stones brought down from one of the turrets of the bridge by a cannon-shot, and he had to be carried off. The loss of their commander and the disappearance of Aboyne’s horse discouraged the now small party who were holding the bridge, and they abandoned it. Aboyne rode off, and left Aberdeen to to shift for itself.[32]

#A 9–12, B 9–13.# The spoiling of John Seton by order of Sir William Forbes of Craigievar is not noticed by Gordon and Spalding, though other matters of not greater proportion are.

#A 13–15.# The reference is to the affair called the Raid of Stonehaven, June 15, three days before that of the Bridge of Dee. Aboyne’s Highlanders, a thousand or more, were totally unused to artillery, and a few shots from Montrose’s cannon lighting among them so frightened them that “they did run off, all in a confusion, never looking behind them, till they were got into a moss.”[33]

#B 14–17.# “When Montrose entered Aberdeen,” says James Gordon, “the Earl Marischal and Lord Muchall pressed him to burn the town, and urged him with the Committee of Estates’ warrant for that effect. He answered that it were best to advise a night upon it, since Aberdeen was the London of the north, and would prejudice themselves by want of it. So it was taken to consideration for that night, and next day the Earl Marischal and Lord Muchall came protesting he would spare it. He answered he was desirous so to do, but durst not except they would be his warrant. Whereupon they drew up a paper, signed with both their hands, declaring that they had hindered it, and promising to interpose with the Committee of Estates for him. Yet the next year, when he was made prisoner and accused, this was objected to Montrose, that he had not burned Aberdeen, as he had orders from the Committee of Estates. Then he produced Marischal and Muchall’s paper, which hardly satisfied the exasperated committee.”[34]

* * * * *

A

Maidment’s North Countrie Garland, p. 15.

1 Upon the eighteenth day of June, A dreary day to see, The southern lords did pitch their camp Just at the bridge of Dee.

2 Bonny John Seton of Pitmeddin, A bold baron was he, He made his testament ere he went out, The wiser man was he.

3 He left his land to his young son, His lady her dowry, A thousand crowns to his daughter Jean, Yet on the nurse’s knee.

4 Then out came his lady fair, A tear into her ee; Says, Stay at home, my own good lord, O stay at home with me!

5 He looked over his left shoulder, Cried, Souldiers, follow me! O then she looked in his face, An angry woman was she: ‘God send me back my steed again, But neer let me see thee!’

6 His name was Major Middleton That manned the bridge of Dee, His name was Colonel Henderson That let the cannons flee.

7 His name was Major Middleton That manned the bridge of Dee, And his name was Colonel Henderson That dung Pitmeddin in three.

8 Some rode on the black and grey, And some rode on the brown, But the bonny John Seton Lay gasping on the ground.

9 Then bye there comes a false Forbes, Was riding from Driminere; Says, Here there lies a proud Seton; This day they ride the rear.

10 Cragievar said to his men, ‘You may play on your shield; For the proudest Seton in all the lan This day lies on the field.’

11 ‘O spoil him! spoil him!’ cried Cragievar, ‘Him spoiled let me see; For on my word,’ said Cragievar, ‘He had no good will at me.’

12 They took from him his armour clear, His sword, likewise his shield; Yea, they have left him naked there, Upon the open field.

13 The Highland men, they’re clever men At handling sword and shield, But yet they are too naked men To stay in battle field.

14 The Highland men are clever men At handling sword or gun, But yet they are too naked men To bear the cannon’s rung.

15 For a cannon’s roar in a summer night Is like thunder in the air; There’s not a man in Highland dress Can face the cannon’s fire.

* * * * *

B

Buchan’s Ballads of the North of Scotland, II, 136.

1 It fell about the month of June, On Tuesday, timouslie, The northern lords hae pitchd their camps Beyond the brig o Dee.

2 They ca’ed him Major Middleton That mand the brig o Dee; They ca’ed him Colonel Henderson That gard the cannons flee.

3 Bonny John Seton o Pitmedden, A brave baron was he; He made his tesment ere he gaed, And the wiser man was he.

4 He left his lands unto his heir, His ladie her dowrie; Ten thousand crowns to Lady Jane, Sat on the nourice knee.

5 Then out it speaks his lady gay, ‘O stay my lord wi me; For word is come, the cause is won Beyond the brig o Dee.’

6 He turned him right and round about, And a light laugh gae he; Says, I wouldna for my lands sae broad I stayed this night wi thee.

7 He’s taen his sword then by his side, His buckler by his knee, And laid his leg in oer his horse, Said, Sodgers, follow me!

8 So he rade on, and further on, Till to the third mile corse; The Covenanters’ cannon balls Dang him aff o his horse.

9 Up then rides him Cragievar, Said, Wha’s this lying here? It surely is the Lord o Aboyne, For Huntly was not here.

10 Then out it speaks a fause Forbes, Lived up in Druminner; ‘My lord, this is a proud Seton, The rest will ride the thinner.’

11 ‘Spulyie him, spulyie him,’ said Craigievar, ‘O spulyie him, presentlie; For I could lay my lugs in pawn He had nae gude will at me.’

12 They’ve taen the shoes frae aff his feet, The garters frae his knee, Likewise the gloves upon his hands; They’ve left him not a flee.

13 His fingers they were sae sair swelld The rings would not come aff; They cutted the grips out o his ears, Took out the gowd signots.

14 Then they rade on, and further on, Till they came to the Crabestane, And Craigievar, he had a mind To burn a’ Aberdeen.

15 Out it speaks the gallant Montrose, Grace on his fair body! ‘We winna burn the bonny burgh, We’ll even laet it be.’

16 Then out it speaks the gallant Montrose, ‘Your purpose I will break; We winna burn the bonny burgh, We’ll never build its make.

17 ‘I see the women and their children Climbing the craigs sae hie; We’ll sleep this night in the bonny burgh, And even lat it be.’

* * * * *

#B.#

11^{1,2}. Spulzie.

_Readings in Aytoun which may have been derived from Sharpe:_

#A.#

4^2. The tear stood in.

8^3. But bonny John Seton o Pitmeddin.

#B.#

8^3. And there the Covenanters’ shot.

8^4. It dang him frae his.

10^2. Was riding frae D.

10^3. This is the proudest Seton of a’.

14^3. And wha sae ready as Craigievar.

15^1. Then up and spake the gude.

16^2. As he rade owre the field.

16^3. Why should we burn the bonny.

16^4. When its like we couldna build.

_Readings in The New Deeside Guide:_

#A.#

1^3. lords their pallions pitched.

2^2. A baron bold.

3^1. To his.

4^1. and came.

5^5. your steed.

11^4. He bore: to me.

15^4. cannon’s rair.

199

THE BONNIE HOUSE O AIRLIE

#A. a.# Sharpe’s Ballad Book, p. 59, No 20. #b.# ‘The Bonnie House o Airly,’ Finlay’s Ballads, II, 25. #c.# Skene MS., pp. 28, 54. #d.# ‘The Bonny House of Airly,’ Campbell MSS, II, 113. #e.# ‘The Bonny House of Airly,’ an Aberdeen stall-copy, without date. #f.# ‘The Bonny House o Airly,’ another Aberdeen stall-copy, without date. #g.# Hogg’s Jacobite Relics, II, 152. #h.# Kinloch MSS, VI, 5, one stanza.

#B.# Kinloch MSS, V, 273.

#C. a.# ‘The Bonny House of Airley,’ Kinloch MSS, V, 205. #b.# ‘Young Airly,’ Cromek’s Remains of Nithsdale and Galloway Song, p. 226. #c.# ‘The Bonny House o Airlie,’ Smith’s Scottish Minstrel, II, 2. #d.# ‘The Bonny House o Airlie,’ Christie’s Traditional Ballad Airs, II, 276, 296.

#D.# Kinloch MSS, V, 106; Kinloch MSS, VII, 207; Kinloch’s Ancient Scottish Ballads, p. 104.

The earliest copy of this ballad hitherto found is a broadside of about 1790 (a hundred and fifty years later than the event celebrated), which Finlay combined with two others, derived from recitation, for his edition (#A b#). #C b#, #c#, #d#, are not purely traditional texts, and #A g# has borrowed some stanzas from #C b#. #C b# is transcribed into the Campbell MSS, I, 184. Aytoun’s edition, 1859, II, 270, is compounded from #A a#, #A b#, with half a dozen words changed, and it is not quite clear how the editor means to be understood when he says, “the following, I have reason to believe, is the original.”

One summer day, Argyle, who has a quarrel with Airlie, sets out to plunder the castle of that name. The lord of the place is at the time with the king. Argyle (something in the style of Captain Car) summons Lady Ogilvie to come down and kiss him; else he will not leave a standing stone in Airlie. This she will not do, for all his threat. Argyle demands of the lady where her dowry is (as if it were tied up in a handkerchief). She gives no precise information: it is east and west, up and down the water-side. Sharp search is made, and the dowry is found in a plum-tree (balm-tree, cherry-tree, palm-tree, #A a#, #b#, #d#, #e#, #g#). Argyle lays or leads the lady down somewhere while the plundering goes forward. She tells him that no Campbell durst have taken in hand such a thing if her lord had been at home. She has born seven (ten) sons, and is expecting another; but had she as many more (a hundred more), she would give them all to King Charles.

In #A d# 7 Lady Ogilvie asks the favor of Argyle that he will take her to a high hill-top that she may _not_ see the burning of Airlie; the passage is of course corrupt. In #A g# 7 she more sensibly asks that her face may not be turned that way. In #C a# 5, 6, #b# 5, 6, the rational request is made that she may be taken to some dark dowey glen[35] to avoid the sight; but Argyle leads her “down to the top of the town,” and bids her look at the plundering, #a#; sets her upon a bonnie knowe-tap, and bids her look at Airlie fa’ing, #b#. #D# 7, 8, goes a step further. The lady asks that she may be thrown over the castle-wall rather than see the plundering; Argyle lifts her up ‘sae rarely’ and throws her over, and she never saw it.

In #C a# 8 Argyle would have Lord Airlie informed that one kiss from his lady would have saved all the plundering. In #D# 5 he tells Lady Ogilvie that if she had surrendered on the first demand there would have been no plundering; and this assurance he repeats to ‘Captain’ Ogilvie, whom he meets on his way home.

#A b# 2, #D# 1, 2, represent Argyle to be acting under the orders of Montrose, or in concert with him.

A piece in five or six stanzas which appears, with variations, in Cromek’s Remains, p. 195, Hogg’s Jacobite Relics, II, 151, Cunningham’s Songs of Scotland, III, 218, under the caption of ‘Young Airly’ (the title of #C b# also in Cromek), moves forward the burning of Airlie to “the 45;” not very strangely (if there is anything traditional in these verses), when we consider the prominence of the younger Lord Ogilvie and his wife among the supporters of Charles Edward. (The first three of Cromek’s stanzas are transcribed into Campbell MSS, I, 187.) No doubt the Charlie and Prince Charlie of some versions of our ballad were understood by the reciters to be the Young Chevalier.

The Committee of Estates, June 12, 1640, gave commission to the Earl of Argyle to rise in arms against certain people, among whom was the Earl of Airlie, as enemies to religion and unnatural to their country, and to pursue them with fire and sword until they should be brought to their duty or else utterly subdued and rooted out. The Earl of Airlie had gone to England, fearing lest he should be pressed to subscribe the Covenant, and had left his house to the keeping of his eldest son, Lord Ogilvie. Montrose, who had signed the commission as one of the Committee, but was not inclined to so strenuous proceedings, invested Airlie, forced a surrender, and put a garrison in the place to hold it for the “public.” Argyle did not interpret his commission in this mild way. He took Airlie in hand in the beginning of July, and caused both this house and that of Forthar, belonging to Lord Ogilvie, to be pillaged, burned, and demolished. Thereafter he fell upon the lands both of the proprietor and his tenantry, and carried off or destroyed “their whole goods, gear, corns, cattle, horse, nolt, sheep,” and left nothing but bare bounds.

According to one writer, Lady Ogilvie was residing at Forthar, and, being big with child, asked leave of Argyle to stay till she was brought to bed; but this was not allowed, and she was put out, though she knew not whither to go. By another account, Argyle accused Montrose of having suffered the lady to escape.[36]

The ballad puts Lady Airlie in command of the house or castle, but none of the family were there at the time it was sacked. She is called Lady Margaret in #A b# 4, but her name was Elizabeth. The earl, James, is called the great Sir John in #C a# 9. #A# 10 and the like elsewhere are applicable to the younger Lady Ogilvie in respect to the unborn child. Chambers says that Lady Airlie had three children and Lady Ogilvie but one, and “the poet must be wrong.” “The poet,” besides being inaccurate, does not tell the same story in all the versions, and this inconsistency is again observable in ‘Geordie,’ #A# 9, #B# 18, #C# 8, etc.

‘Gleyd Argyle’ is “generally described as of mean stature, with red hair and squinting eyes.”[37] His morals appear to some disadvantage again in ‘Geordie,’ #I a# 23.

* * * * *

A

#a.# Sharpe’s Ballad Book, p. 59, No 20, 1823. #b.# Finlay’s Ballads, II, 25, 1808, from two recited copies and “one printed about twenty years ago on a single sheet.” #c.# Skene MS., pp. 28, 54, from recitation in the north of Scotland, 1802–3. #d.# Campbell MSS, II, 113, probably from a stall-copy. #e, f.# Aberdeen stall copies, “printed for the booksellers.” #g.# Hogg’s Jacobite Relics, II, 152, No 76, “Cromek and a street ballad collated, 1821.” #h.# Kinloch MSS, VI, 5, one stanza, taken down from an old woman’s recitation by J. Robertson.

1 It fell on a day, and a bonny simmer day, When green grew aits and barley, That there fell out a great dispute Between Argyll and Airlie.

2 Argyll has raised an hunder men, An hunder harnessd rarely, And he’s awa by the back of Dunkell, To plunder the castle of Airlie.

3 Lady Ogilvie looks oer her bower-window. And oh, but she looks weary! And there she spy’d the great Argyll, Come to plunder the bonny house of Airlie.

4 ‘Come down, come down, my Lady Ogilvie, Come down, and kiss me fairly:’ ‘O I winna kiss the fause Argyll, If he should na leave a standing stane in Airlie.’

5 He hath taken her by the left shoulder, Says, Dame where lies thy dowry? ‘O it’s east and west yon wan water side, And it’s down by the banks of the Airlie.’

6 They hae sought it up, they hae sought it down, They hae sought it maist severely, Till they fand it in the fair plumb-tree That shines on the bowling-green of Airlie.

7 He hath taken her by the middle sae small, And O but she grat sairly! And laid her down by the bonny burn-side, Till they plundered the castle of Airlie.

8 ‘Gif my gude lord war here this night, As he is with King Charlie, Neither you, nor ony ither Scottish lord, Durst avow to the plundering of Airlie.

9 ‘Gif my gude lord war now at hame, As he is with his king, There durst nae a Campbell in a’ Argyll Set fit on Airlie green.

10 ‘Ten bonny sons I have born unto him, The eleventh neer saw his daddy; But though I had an hundred mair, I’d gie them a’ to King Charlie.’

* * * * *

B

Kinloch MSS, V, 273.

1 It fell on a day, a clear summer day, When the corn grew green and bonny, That there was a combat did fall out ‘Tween Argyle and the bonny house of Airly.

2 Argyle he did raise five hundred men, Five hundred men, so many, And he did place them by Dunkeld, Bade them shoot at the bonny house of Airly.

3 The lady looked over her own castle-wa, And oh, but she looked weary! And there she espied the gleyed Argyle, Come to plunder the bonny house of Airly.

4 ‘Come down the stair now, Madam Ogilvie, And let me kiss thee kindly; Or I vow and I swear, by the sword that I wear, That I winna leave a standing stone at Airly.’

5 ‘O how can I come down the stair, And how can I kiss thee kindly, Since you vow and you swear, by the sword that you wear, That you winna leave a standing stone on Airly?’

6 ‘Come down the stair then, Madam Ogilvie, And let me see thy dowry;’ ‘O ’tis east and it is west, and ’tis down by yon burn-side, And it stands at the planting sae bonny.

7 ‘But if my brave lord had been at hame this day, As he is wi Prince Charlie, There durst na a Campbell in all Scotland Set a foot on the bowling-green of Airly

8 ‘O I hae born him seven, seven sons, And an eighth neer saw his daddy, And tho I were to bear him as many more, They should a’ carry arms for Prince Charlie.’

* * * * *

C

#a.# Kinloch MSS, V, 205, recited by John Rae. #b.# Cromek’s Remains of Nithsdale and Galloway Song, p. 226, 1810. #c.# Smith’s Scottish Minstrel, II, 2. #d.# Christie’s Traditional Ballad Airs, II, 276, “from the recitation of a relative.”

1 It fell on a day, on a bonny summer day, When the corn grew green and yellow, That there fell out a great dispute Between Argyle and Airley.

2 The great Argyle raised five hundred men, Five hundred men and many, And he has led them down by the bonny Dunkeld, Bade them shoot at the bonny house of Airley.

3 The lady was looking oer her castle-wa, And O but she looked weary! And there she spied the great Argyle, Came to plunder the bonny house of Airley.

4 ‘Come down stairs now, Madam,’ he says, ‘Now come down and kiss me fairly;’ ‘I’ll neither come down nor kiss you,’ she says, ‘Tho you should na leave a standing stane in Airley.’

5 ‘I ask but one favour of you, Argyle, And I hope you’ll grant me fairly To tak me to some dark dowey glen, That I may na see the plundering of Airley.’

6 He has taen her by the left shoulder, And O but she looked weary! And he has led her down to the top of the town, Bade her look at the plundering of Airley.

7 ‘Fire on, fire on, my merry men all, And see that ye fire clearly; For I vow and I swear by the broad sword I wear That I winna leave a standing stane in Airley.

8 ‘You may tell it to your lord,’ he says, ‘You may tell it to Lord Airley, That one kiss o his gay lady Wad hae sav’d all the plundering of Airley.’

9 ‘If the great Sir John had been but at hame, As he is this night wi Prince Charlie, Neither Argyle nor no Scottish lord Durst hae plundered the bonny house of Airley.

10 ‘Seven, seven sons hae I born unto him, And the eight neer saw his dady, And altho I were to have a hundred more, The should a’ draw their sword for Prince Charlie.’

* * * * *

D

Kinloch MSS, V, 106, in the handwriting of James Beattie, and from the recitation of Elizabeth Beattie.

1 O gleyd Argyll has written to Montrose To see gin the fields they were fairly, And to see whether he sh_oul_d stay at hame, ‘Or come to plunder bonnie Airly.

2 Then great Montrose has written to Argyll And that the fields they were fairly, And not to keep his men at hame, But to come and plunder bonnie Airly.

3 The lady was looking oer her castle-wa, She was carrying her courage sae rarely, And there she spied him gleyd Arguill, Was coming for to plunder bonnie Airly.