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Songs of Lowland Scotland
From the times of James V, King of Scots, A book of
c. 600 pages of songs published in Scotland in 1870, and arranged in
episodic form by John Henderson. |
[No music is
provided, but many of the lyrics are put into their historical
perspectives with interesting introductory paragraphs.]
N.B.
James V (10 April 1512 – 14 December 1542) was King
of Scots from 9 September 1513 until his premature death at the age of
thirty, which followed the Scottish defeat at the Battle of Solway Moss.
His only surviving legitimate child, Mary I, Queen of Scots, who succeeded
him to the throne, was just six days old at the time.
Extract from
the main Introduction to this book of c. 600 pages of songs published in
1870 ....
“The songs of Scotland, so far as they are left to
us, begin at the period when the ancient minstrels, on whose social
position so much valuable time, paper, and temper has been wasted, had
fallen into the deepest disgrace, and were classed in Acts of Parliament
along with beggars, rogues, and vagabonds. The decline of their influence,
and in all likelihood the comparative worthlessness of their later
compositions, caused the people generally to cherish more fondly the songs
and ballads that had arisen amongst themselves, no one could tell how, and
which better assisted their varying mood than the long rhymes of the
strolling bard, and enabled them to keep men oft the questionable
character, which the representatives of the old minstrels had won for
themselves, away from their dwellings and merry meetings.
The pastoral life which, in the
fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, was followed by the majority ofthe
people of the lowlands, would also favour the growth of song; and in each
little community one man’s success doubtless excited the emulation of his
neighbour, and each would strive to be reckoned best at rhyming,
particularly if some rustic beauty were the prize to be won, However it
may be, there is new hardly a village, river, or glen without a song in
its honour; all the favourite names of the lassies, Mary, Kate, Jean, Meg,
or Annie, are duly enshrined: every battlefield has been celebrated or
wailed, while the popular enemies of the country, whether internal or
external, are bedecked in satire which, justly or not, has sent them down
to all posterity with an evil prominence that can never be removed.
A collection like this can only
deal with the songs of the Lowlands. Could the Highland minstrelsy be
collected and edited, it would be seen that the north is not behind the
south in little pieces that touch the heart and fire the soul. Many of the
Gaelic Airs especially, convey the impressions of love, sorrow, grief, and
triumph in a manner at once beautiful, musical, and impressive.”
Aye
John
Below
are the pages of this book in a series of pdf files
Leyden, John,
1775-1811
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