Bonny John Seton
No: 198; variant: 198A
- UPON the eighteenth day of June,
A dreary day to see,
The southern lords did pitch their camp
Just at the bridge of Dee.
- Bonny John Seton of Pitmeddin,
A bold baron was he,
He made his testament ere he went out,
The wiser man was he.
- 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.
- 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!
- 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!'
- His name was Major Middleton
That manned the bridge of Dee,
His name was Colonel Henderson
That let the cannons flee.
- His name was Major Middleton
That manned the bridge of Dee,
And his name was Colonel Henderson
That dung Pitmeddin in three.
- Some rode on the black and grey,
And some rode on the brown,
But the bonny John Seton
Lay gasping on the ground.
- Then bye there comes a false Forbes,
Was riding from Driminere;
Says, Here there lies a proud Seton;
This day they ride the rear.
- 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.'
- '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.'
- They took from him his armour clear,
His sword, likewise his shield;
Yea, they have left him naked there,
Upon the open field.
- The Highland men, they're clever men
At handling sword and shield,
But yet they are too naked men
To stay in battle field.
- The Highland men are clever men
At handling sword or gun,
But yet they are too naked men
To bear the cannon's rung.
- 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.