Bonnie Jean Cameron
by George Eyre-Todd
circa 1750

To Charlie she wrote a very long letter,
Stating who were his friends and who were his foes;
And a' her words were sweet and tender,
To win the heart o' the Young Pretender.
Rare, oh rare, Bonnie Jeanie Cameron!
Rare, oh rare, Jeanie Cameron!

Scarcely had she sealed the letter wi' a ring,
When up flew the door, and in cam' her king:
She prayed to the saints, and bade angels defend her,
And sank i' the arms o' the Young Pretender.
Rare, oh rare, Bonnie Jeanie Cameron!
Rare, oh rare, Jeanie Cameron!

Editor's Notes:  This song is attributed to G. Eyre-Todd, but it may have simply been recorded by him in his work "Sketch Book of the North."  It is a pure propaganda in nature, since Jean (better known as Jenny) Cameron, the daughter of Cameron of Glendessary, has been shown not to have romantic links to Prince Charles Edward Stuart.  There were, in the eighteenth century, Whig reports of Jenny leading Camerons into battle and of her relationship with Bonnie Prince Charlie - all false.  There were also nineteenth century reports of "Jean" having one wooden leg and wandering the streets of Edinburgh begging for food.  There were two Jenny Camerons involved in the Jacobite Rising of 1745 - the other one may very well have been destitute years later but Jenny Cameron was a land owner (Mount Cameron) and was financially content in her later years.