| Share page | Visit Us On FB |
|
FAMOUS SONGS
this morning; nothing encourages Highlanders so much on a day of action. Nay, even now they would be of us." " Let them blow like the devil, then," replied the general, " if it will bring back the men." And the pipers being ordered to play a favourite pibroch or cruin-eachadh, the Highlanders, who were broken, returned the moment they heard the music, and formed with great alacrity in the rear.
" Roy's Wife of Aldivalloch" was written by Mrs. Grant of Carron, afterwards Mrs. Murray of Bath, and is believed to be founded on fact We are told, says the editor of the " Songs and Melodies of Scotland," that in 1727 John Roy, son of Thomas Roy of Aldivalloch, was married to Isabel, daughter of Allister Stewart, some-time resident in the Cabrach, a highland district of Aberdeenshire. It would appear that the marriage was not a happy one, for she made an attempt to escape, but was brought back by her husband. Such an occurrence in a quiet locality is sure to be the occasion of a ballad more or less rude, and this did not fail in the present instance. Out of this slight begin-ning Mrs. Grant is said to have produced her song. The air to which the lyric was written was known as "The Ruffian's Rant" Mrs. Grant was born about 1763, and died about
123 |
||