The News Frae Moidart

by Lady Nairne

The news frae Moidart cam' yestereen,

Will soon gar mony ferlie;

For ships o' war hae just come in,

And landit Royal Cherlie -

( Chorus )

Come thro' the heather, around him gither,

Ye're a' the welcomer early;

Around him cling wi' aw' your kin;

For wha'll be king but Cherlie?

Come thro' the heather, around him gither,

Come Ronald, come Donald, come aw' thegither,

And crown yer rightfu', lawful king!

For wha'll be king but Cherlie?

The Hieland clans, wi' sword in hand,

Frae John o' Groats to Airlie,

Hae tae a man declared to stand -

Or fa' wi' Royal Cherlie.

( Chorus )

The Lowlands aw' baith great an' sma'

Wi' mony a lord and laird, hae

Declar'd for Scotia's king an' law -

An' speir ye what but Cherlie.

( Chorus )

There's ne'er a lass in a' the lan'

But vows baith late an' early,

She'll ne'er tae man gie heart nor han'

Wha wadnae fecht for Cherlie.

( Chorus )

Then here's a health tae Cherlie's cause,

And be't complete an' early,

His very name our heart's blood warms;

To arms for Royal Cherlie!

( Chorus )

gar mony ferlie - made many wonder; speir - ask

Prince Charles Edward Stuart / Bonnie Prince Charlie / the Young Pretender - raised his standard at Glenfinnan on the shores of Lochshiel on 19th August 1745. This signalled the start of the last Jacobite rebellion, known as the '45. The authorship of this 'call to arms' for Cherlie was unclear for some time, but it is now attributed to Lady Nairne.

Links

Jacobite Rebellion
Wild Thistles