Bluegrass Messengers

Prince Charlie- Gamsby (MI) pre1935 Gardner

[From: Ballads and Songs of Southern Michigan- by Evelyn - Elizabeth Gardner and Geraldine Jencks Chickering, Ann Arbor: The University of Michigan Press London: Humphrey Milford, Oxford University Press : 1939. Their notes follow.

R. Matteson 2015]


80. PRINCE CHARLIE
(The Bonnie House o' Airlie, Child, No. 199)

Stanzas 1 and 2 of the Michigan text are not found in any of the Child versions (IV, 54-60) of this ballad. Stanzas 3 and 5 are most similar to 4 and 8 of Child B, and stanza 4 of the Michigan text most closely resembles stanza 4 in Child C. For other texts of this ballad which do not contain any stanzas similar to 1 and 2 of the Michigan form see Barry, Eckstorm, and Smyth, pp. 266-269; Cox, pp. 128-129; Fuson, pp. 123-125 [incorrect], and Ord, p. 470. For a text of twelve stanzas with stanzas 10 and 12 somewhat similar to 1 and 2 of the Michigan text see Ford (Second Series, 1901), pp. 167-169 Ford notes that "No Scottish song or ballad has had a more lively vagabond career" than this ballad, which describes a historical incident.

Prince Charlie- The present version was sung in 1935 by Mrs Frank Gamsby, Saranac; as a girl she learned the song from her sister, who had memorized it from hearing it sung by a boy from Scotland.
 
 
 1    "What loo is that," quoth the brave Lor' Heel,
"That rises this morning sae earlie[1]?
By the God of me kin, 'tis the brave Ogilvie
And me ain bonnie hame o' Airlie.

2    "Draw your swords, draw your swords," quoth the brave Lor' Heel.
"And sheath your swords," cried Charlie,
"And we'll kendle sic a loo aroond the fause Argyle,
And well licht it wi* a spark oot o' Airlie."
(He comes to Lady Ogilvte's door.)

3    "Coom doon stairs, Lady Ogilvie," he cried,
"Coom doon and kiss me fairly,
Or I'll swear by the hilt of my broad sword
That I'll leave nae a standing stane on Airlie."

4    "I will nae coom doon for thee, fause Argyll
And ne'er will I kiss thee fairly.
I will nae coom doon for thee, fause Argyle,
Though you leave nae a standing stane on Airlie.

5    "There's seven bonnie sons are there born unto me;
And the eighth will ne'er see his daddy.
And kent that I had as many, many more,
I'd gie them all to fight for Prince Charlie."