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Will Ye Go To Sheriffmuir
circa 1715

Will ye go to Sheriffmuir,
Bauld John o' Innisture,
There to see the noble Mar
And his Highland laddies;
A' the true men o' the north,
Angus, Huntly, and Seaforth.
Scouring on to cross the Forth,
Wi' their white cockadies?

There you'll see the banners flare,
There you'll hear the bagpipes' rair,
And the trumpets' deadly blare,
Wi' the cannon's rattle.
There you'll see the bault M'Craws,
Cameron's and Clanronald's raws,
And a' the clans, wi' loud huzzas,
Rushing to the battle.

There you'll see the noble Whigs,
A' the heroes o' the brigs,
Raw hides and wither'd wigs,
Riding in array, man.
Ri'en hose and raggit hools,
Sour milk and girnin gools,
Psalm-beuks and cutty-stools,
We'll see never mair, man.

Will ye to to Sheriffmuir,
Bauld John o' Innisture?
Sic a day, and sic an hour,
Ne'er was in the north, man.
Siccan sights will there be seen;
And, gin some be nae mista'en,
Fragrant gales will come bedeen,
Frae the water o' Forth, man.

Editor's Notes:  This work was published in "Hoggs Jacobite Relics."   It seems to date to just prior to the Battle of Sheriffmuir, an indecisive contest which took place on November 13, 1715.  This poem may have been written something after September 1715, when Mar raised the Royal standard at Braemar, but before the actual battle; sometime after the field of battle had already been chosen.  John Cameron, Younger of Lochiel led the Cameron men, though there weren't many, since some were reluctant to leave their homes to the mercy of Campbell troops and also the garrison at Fort William.  Sir Ewen Cameron of Lochiel, XVII Chief of Clan Cameron was in his eighties at this point and did not take part in the battle (though there is little doubt that he would probably have desired to do so, regardless of his age!)