Poem by Carolina Oliphant, Lady Nairne

Dunottar Castle

Air — "Earl Marischal."

When Royal pow'r was hunted down,
And Cromwell bore the bell, sir,
How safe and sound lay Scotland's crown,
Behad, I'm gaun to tell, sir.

On fair Kincardine's rocky coast,
There's few that dinna ken yet,
Dunottar's Castle, bauld and strong,
Stands tow'ring o'er the main, yet.

There Keith, Earl Marischal, warlike wight,
Sae noble and sae loyal,
He gat the guardin' o' them a',
Auld Scotia's ensigns royal.

When arms like his could ill be spared,
And he fought for the Stewart,
He gave them owre to Ogilvie,
A trusty and a true heart.

Strong to the stronger aye maun yield,
The rebels ruled the nation,
Brave Ogilvie and a' his men,
They could na keep their station.

His Leddy wi' a manly heart,
She tuik it a' upon her,
To save from skaith her captain dear,
And eke her country's honour.

The crown, the sceptre, sword an' a',
The lint she happit round them,
And a' unkend to Ogilvie,
Safe in the sack she bound them.

A simple lass upon her back,
Withouten fear or danger,
Soon brought them to the minister
Of Kinneff, gude James Grainger.

Aneath the pulpit's sel they're laid,
To mak' the secret faster,
As low as the royal head,
Short syne their rightfu' maister.

The darkest night will wear awa',
Mon ga'e the bowls a row, man,
And Monarchy was up again,
And Roundheads down, I trow, man.

The Marischal he cam frae the wars,
Sae blythe was he that day, sir,
When Ogilvie gave back his trust,
In spite o' a' the fray, sir.

1. Songs of My Native Land
2. There Grows a Bonnie Brier Bush
3. Fell He on the Field of Fame
4. Caller Herrin'
5. Would You Be Young Again?

Print

1209 Views

Last Poems

To Russian version