One of the largest collections of Scottish Ballads & Scots Folk Songs, lyrics, celtic music and downloads available on the internet.
Traditional Celtic Music, Scottish Songs & Border Ballads
Scots' musician, songwriter, & balladeer.
Hazel Whyte
Broadsheet Ballads
The Gallant
Grahames
A simple brief
thought on Scottish
Independance.

Were the outdated
union not of some very
high value to England and
the English, why would
they fight so to try to
keep it?

There are only so many
slices to a pie, for one to
have more, another must
have less.

Lastly - to those Scottish
"Loyalists" - to whom are
you loyal?
Scots royalty died in the
1700's so it can be no
Scots crown - And
certainly not it appears to
those who came before,
that bled for Scotland
and her freedom !  
In the words
of Burns, as he
wrote from the heart.

Scots, wha hae wi' Wallace bled,
Scots, wham Bruce has aften led,
Welcome to your gory bed,
Or to victorie.

Now's the day, and now's the hour;
See the front o' battle lour;
See approach proud Edward's power,
Chains and slaverie.

Wha would be a traitor-knave?
Wha can fill a coward's grave?
Wha sae base as be a Slave?
Let him turn and flie:

Wha for Scotland's king and law,
Freedom's sword will strongly draw,
Free-man stand, or free-man fa',
Let him follow me.

By Oppression's woes and pains!
By your Sons in servile chains!
We will drain our dearest veins,
But they shall be free!

Lay the proud Usurpers low!
Tyrants fall in every foe!
Liberty's in every blow!
Let us Do - or Die!!!

Choose your destiny.
These are songs, ballads and rhymes taken straight from the old
"broadsheet press" which existed in Scotland between about 1550 and
1890. Where possible we have simply put direct scans in place.
Circa 1650

The Gallant GRAHAMES.

To its own proper Tune; 1 will away, and 1 will not stay, & c.

Betrayed me, how can this be;
even by day light upon a day,
I met Prince Charles our Royal King,
and all the Grahames in their aray;
They were well drest in Armour keen
upon the pleasant Banks of Tay
Before a King they might been seen
those gallant Grahames in their aray.
I have no Gold, I have no Land,
nor have I pearl nor precious stone,
But I will sell my silken sneed
to see the Grahames but wellcome home.
To speak of those Grahames I think it best
they're men amongst good Company,
Into the Lands where we did walk
they're Lords into the South Countrie,
They wan the praise in Wallace days,
for the Summer Flower did never spring
As the gallant Grahames in Armour clear
did then appear before their King.
At the Gouk-head we set our Camps,
our Leagure down there for to stay,
Upon a dainty Summers day,
we rode our white Horse and our Gray
For they were then in Armour sheen,
as Gold shines on a Summers day
The gallant Grahames were assembled there
before King Charles his Majesty.
I'll crown them night, I'll crown them day,
and above great Lords of high degree;
For all the Lords that I have seen,
the Grahames are the bravest Company.
As I came by the Bunches Park,
I heard my true Loves Sister's Son,
We lous'd our Cannons on every side,
even for the honour of our King,.
Our false Commanders hath betray'd our Prince
and sold him to his Enemy,
By a Nobleman to Cromwel then,
so I care not what they do to me.
For he strives to subdue the Land,
and over England to be King;
Fair Scotland by him to be govern'd,
and over the Nations for to reign.
They have betray'd our noble Prince,
and banishe him from his Royal Crown,
But the gallant Grahames have tane in hand
for to command that Traitor Lown.
Now Dalgatie was stout and bold,
couragious in high degree:
But for the Cavileers they were all sold,
And young Harthill a Cavileer too,
Nathaniel Gordon, both stout and keen,
Newtoun Gordon; Burd alone;
Upon the Green he might been seen,
for a braver Face was never born,
A braver man was never born
neither in Kent nor Christendom:
To fight now for his Royal King,
Lord give his Enemies their doom.
At Coble heugh where we did advance.
our Parliament there for to stay;
But our Nobles then were banisht off
at Glen Yla then where we took the way,
Glen Prosen, where we Rendezvoused,
to Glen Shie we marcht, both night & day,
And of Bredalbine we took the Town,
and met the Campbells in aray.
Ten thousand men in Armour strong
did meet the gallant Grahames to play,
At Inver tochie where they began,
and about two Thousand men were they.
And tho their number did far exceed
the gallant Grahames upon that day :
Yet their hearts were true,they did not fear
to meet the Campbells in their deray:
For the Gordons then did give a wheel
to face the Campbells upon that day,
Who from their friends fled faraback,
unto their Enemies for ever and ay.
Gallant Montrose then that Chiftain bold,
couragious in high degree;
Did for his King fight valiantlie,
the Lord preserve his Majestie.
Now fare you well you Innerdale.
Lord Keith and kindred I bid adieu,
And I shall away, and I will not stay
to some uncouch land that I never knew.
To wear the Blew I think is best,
by any colour that I see
Chear up your hearts brave Cavileers
for the Grahames are gone to Germanie.
To France & Flanders where they did advance
and Germanie who gave them fame:
For my Lord Abayn is to the Sea,
young Huntly is his noble name.
He went to France for his Royal King
King Charles then and above degree,
We'll give the honour to the the noble Grahames,
for they are a brave Companie.
Montrose then our Chiftain bold,
to Scotland free is come again:
For to redeem fair Scotlands Land,
the pleasant, gallant, worthy Grahame.
At the water of Eusdale they did begin
and fought a Battle to an end;
Where there was kill'd for our noble King
two thousand of our Danish men.
Sir Gilbert Menzies and of high degree,
the Kings Barron bold was born:
For a brave Cavileer was he,
but now into the glore he's gone.
The Kings Banner in his hand he bare,
for he was a brave valiant man:
Betrayed he was upon a night
by Colonel Hacket and Strachan then,
Wo to thee Colonel Hacket now,
and Strachan ill death may thou die:
For ye have betrayd our valiant Grahame
who was true to his Majestie,
The Laird of Ashen hath catcht Montrose,
and had him on to Edinburgh Town:
And from his, Body has taken his Head
and quartered him upon a Tron.
Now Huntley's gone that samen way,
Prince Charles also, our Royal King,
Hath suffered death for our poor Nation,
our mourning tears can be done.
Our gallant young King is now come home
Prince Charles the second and above degree
The Lord send peace into his time
and God preserve his Majesty.
Now fare you well you Innerdale,
Keith and kin that you may well ken,
For I would sell my silken sneed,
to see the gallant Grahames come home,
Since Wallace days that we began,
Sir John the Grahame did bear the gree,
For the honour of our Royal King,
the Lord preserve his Majestie   
For all the Lords in fair Scotland,
from the highest to the lowest degree;
The Noble Grahame is to be praised,
So God Preserve Charles's Majesty.

FINIS.