No. 198: Bonny John Seton
[There are no known US or Canadian versions of this ballad.]
CONTENTS:
1. Child's Narrative
2. Footnotes (Found at the end of Child's Narrative)
3. Brief (Kittredge)
4. Child's Ballad Text A-B (Text changes for a second version of A from Charles Kirkpatrick Sharpe's MS, and in "North Country Ballads," Miscellanea Curiosa is found in Additions and Corrections.)
5. End-Notes
6. Additions and Corrections
ATTACHED PAGES (see left hand column):
1. Recordings & Info: 198. Bonny John Seton
A. Roud No. 3908: Bonny John Seton (9 Listings)
2. Sheet Music: 198. Bonny John Seton (including Bronson's music examples)
3. English and Other Versions (Including Child versions A-B with additional notes)]
Child's Narrative: 198. Bonny John Seton
A. 'Bonny John Seton,' Maidment's North Countrie Garland, p. 15; Buchan's Gleanings, p. 161; Maidment's Scotish Ballads and Songs, Historical and Traditionary, I, 280.
B. 'The Death of John Seton,' Buchan's Ballads of the North of Scotland, II, 186.
Buchan had another copy, sent him in manuscript by a young lady in Aberdeen, in which the Earl Marischal was made prominent: Ballads, II, 321. Aytoun, I, 139, had a copy which had been annotated by C. K. Sharpe, and from this he seems to have derived a few variations. The New Deeside Guide [1832], p. 5 (nominally by James Brown, but written by Dr. Joseph Robertson), gives A, with a few trifling improvements which seem to be editorial.
A, B, 1-8. The ballad is accurate as to the date, not commonly a good sign for such things. On Tuesday, the eighteenth of June, 1639, Montrose began an attack on the bridge of Dee, which had been fortified and manned by the royalists of Aberdeen to stop his advance on the city. The bridge was bravely defended that day and part of the next by Lieutenant - Colonel Johnston (not Middleton; Middleton was of the assailants). The young Lord of Aboyne, just made the king's lieutenant in the north, had a small body of horse on the north side of the river. Montrose's cavalry were sent up the south side as if to cross (though there was no ford), and Aboyne's were moved along the opposite bank to resist a passage. This exposed the latter to Montrose's cannon, and the Covenanters let fly some shot at them, one of which killed "a gallant gentleman, John Seton of Pitmeddin, most part of his body above the saddle being carried away." Johnston's leg was crushed by stones brought down from one of the turrets of the bridge by a cannon-shot, and he had to be carried off. The loss of their commander and the disappearance of Aboyne's horse discouraged the now small party who were holding the bridge, and they abandoned it. Aboyne rode off, and left Aberdeen to to shift for itself.[1]
A 9-12, B 9-13. The spoiling of John Seton by order of Sir William Forbes of Craigievar is not noticed by Gordon and Spalding, though other matters of not greater proportion are.
A 13-15. The reference is to the affair called the Raid of Stonehaven, June 15, three days before that of the Bridge of Dee. Aboyne's Highlanders, a thousand or more, were totally unused to artillery, and a few shots from Montrose's cannon lighting among them so frightened them that "they did run off, all in a confusion, never looking behind them, till they were got into a moss."[2]
B 14-17. "When Montrose entered Aberdeen," says James Gordon, "the Earl Marischal and Lord Muchall pressed him to burn the town, and urged him with the Committee of Estates' warrant for that effect. He answered that it were best to advise a night upon it, since Aberdeen was the London of the north, and would prejudice themselves by want of it. So it was taken to consideration for that night, and next day the Earl Marischal and Lord Muchall came protesting he would spare it. He answered he was desirous so to do, but durst not except they would be his warrant. Whereupon they drew up a paper, signed with both their hands, declaring that they had hindered it, and promising to interpose with the Committee of Estates for him. Yet the next year, when he was made prisoner and accused, this was objected to Montrose, that he had not burned Aber deen, as he had orders from the Committee of Estates. Then he produced Marischal and Muchall's paper, which hardly satisfied the exasperated committee."[3]
Footnotes:
1. Gordon, History of Scots Affairs, II, 276-80; Spalding, Memorials, I, 209-11. Seton is called a bold, or brave, baron, in A 2, B 3, not in the mediaeval way, but as one of the gentlemen of the king's party. The Gordons and their associates "at this time were called the Barons, and their actings, by way of derision, the Barons' Reign." Gordon, p. 261. "Northern," B 13, should be southern, as in A.
2. Gordon, II, 274; Spalding, I, 208; Napier's Montrose and the Covenanters, I, 284 f. The Hieland men, says Baillie, "avowed that they could not abide the musket's mother, and so fled in troops at the first volley." Letters, ed. Laing, I, 221.
3. History of Scots Affairs, II, 281, note: see also what is added to that note.
Brief Description by George Lyman Kittredge
The ballad is accurate as to the date, not commonly a good sign for such things. On Tuesday, the eighteenth of June, 1639. Montrose began an attack on the bridge of Dee, which had been fortified and manned by the royalists of Aberdeen to stop his advance on the city. The bridge was bravely defended that day and part of the next by Lieutenant-Colonel Johnston (not Middleton; Middleton was of the assailants). The young Lord of Aboyne, just made the king's lieutenant in the north, had a small body of horse on the north side of the river. Montrose's cavalry were sent up the south side as if to cross (though there was no ford), and Aboyne's were moved along the opposite bank to resist a passage. This exposed the latter to Montrose's cannon, and the Covenanters let fly some shot at them, one of which killed "a gallant gentleman, John Seton of Pitmeddin." Johnston's leg was crushed by stones and he had to be carried off. The loss of their commander and the disappearance of Aboyne's horse discouraged the now small party who were holding the bridge, and they abandoned it. Aboyne rode off, and left Aberdeen to shift for itself.
Child's Ballad Texts
'Bonny John Seton'- Version A;Child 198 Bonny John Seton
Maidment's North Countrie Garland, p. 15.
1 Upon the eighteenth day of June,
A dreary day to see,
The southern lords did pitch their camp
Just at the bridge of Dee.
2 Bonny John Seton of Pitmeddin,
A bold baron was he,
He made his testament ere he went out,
The wiser man was he.
3 He left his land to his young son,
His lady her dowry,
A thousand crowns to his daughter Jean,
Yet on the nurse's knee.
4 Then out came his lady fair,
A tear into her ee;
Says, Stay at home, my own good lord,
O stay at home with me!
5 He looked over his left shoulder,
Cried, Souldiers, follow me!
O then she looked in his face,
An angry woman was she:
'God send me back my steed again,
But neer let me see thee!'
6 His name was Major Middleton
That manned the bridge of Dee,
His name was Colonel Henderson
That let the cannons flee.
7 His name was Major Middleton
That manned the bridge of Dee,
And his name was Colonel Henderson
That dung Pitmeddin in three.
8 Some rode on the black and grey,
And some rode on the brown,
But the bonny John Seton
Lay gasping on the ground.
9 Then bye there comes a false Forbes,
Was riding from Driminere;
Says, Here there lies a proud Seton;
This day they ride the rear.
10 Cragievar said to his men,
'You may play on your shield;
For the proudest Seton in all the lan
This day lies on the field.'
11 'O spoil him! spoil him!' cried Cragievar,
'Him spoiled let me see;
For on my word,' said Cragievar,
'He had no good will at me.'
12 They took from him his armour clear,
His sword, likewise his shield;
Yea, they have left him naked there,
Upon the open field.
13 The Highland men, they're clever men
At handling sword and shield,
But yet they are too naked men
To stay in battle field.
14 The Highland men are clever men
At handling sword or gun,
But yet they are too naked men
To bear the cannon's rung.
15 For a cannon's roar in a summer night
Is like thunder in the air;
There's not a man in Highland dress
Can face the cannon's fire.
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'The Death of John Seton'- Version B; Child 198 Bonny John Seton
Buchan's Ballads of the North of Scotland, II, 136.
1 It fell about the month of June,
On Tuesday, timouslie,
The northern lords hae pitchd their camps
Beyond the brig o Dee.
2 They ca'ed him Major Middleton
That mand the brig o Dee;
They ca'ed him Colonel Henderson
That gard the cannons flee.
3 Bonny John Seton o Pitmedden,
A brave baron was he;
He made his tesment ere he gaed,
And the wiser man was he.
4 He left his lands unto his heir,
His ladie her dowrie;
Ten thousand crowns to Lady Jane,
Sat on the nourice knee.
5 Then out it speaks his lady gay,
'O stay my lord wi me;
For word is come, the cause is won
Beyond the brig o Dee.'
6 He turned him right and round about
And a light laugh hae he;
Says, I wouldna for my lands sae broad
I stayed this night wi thee.
7 He's taen his sword then by his side,
His buckler by his knee,
And laid his leg in oer his horse,
Said, Sodgers, follow me!
8 So he rade on, and further on,
Till to the third mile corse;
The Covenanters' cannon balls
Dang him aff o his horse.
9 Up then rides him Cragievar,
Said, Wha's this lying here?
It surely is the Lord o Aboyne,
For Huntly was not here.
10 Then out is speaks a fause Forbes,
Lived up in Druminner;
'My lord, this is a proud Seton,
The rest will ride the thinner.'
11 'Spulyie him, spulyie him,' said Craigievar,
'O spulyie him, presentlie;
For I could lay my lugs in pawn
He had nae gude will at me.'
12 They've taen the shoes frae aff his feet,
The garters frae his knee,
Likewise the gloves upon his hands;
They've left him not a flee.
13 His fingers they were sae sair swelld
The rings would not come aff;
They cutted the grips out o his ears,
Took out the gowd signots.
14 Then they rade on, and further on,
Till they came to the Crabestane,
And Craigievar, he had a mind
To burn a' Aberdeen.
15 Out is speaks the gallnt Montrose,
Grace on his fair body!
'We winna burn the bonny burgh,
We'll even laet it be.'
16 Then out it speaks the gallant Montrose,
'Your purpose I will break;
We winna burn the bonny burgh,
We'll nevver build its make.
17 'I see the women and their children
Climbing the craigs sae hie;
We'll sleep this night in the bonny burgh,
And even lat it be.'
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End-Notes
B. 111,2. Spulzie.
Readings in Aytoun which may have been derived from Sharpe:
A. 42. The tear stood in.
83. But bonny John Seton o Pitmeddin.
B. 83. And there the Covenanters' shot.
84. It dang him frae his.
102. Was riding frae D.
103. This is the proudest Seton of a'.
143. And wha sae ready as Craigievar.
151. Then up and spake the gude.
162. As he rade owre the field.
163. Why should we burn the bonny.
164. When its like we couldna build.
Readings in The New Deeside Guide:
A. 13. lords their pallions pitched.
21. A baron bold.
31. To his.
41. and came.
55. your steed.
114. He bore: to me.
154. cannon's rair.
Additions and Corrections
P. 52. A. Found in a Manuscript of Charles Kirkpatrick Sharpe, and in "North Country Ballads," Miscellanea Curiosa, Abbotsford Library (another copy of the same pieces), with the following variations.
Sharpe. 13. The Southeron lords to.
21. And bonny: Pitmedden, and always.
22. bald.
24. And the.
34. Sat on.
52. Cried, Brave soldiers.
55. my steed back.
56. But let me never see thee.
63. And his.
74. That dang Pitmedden's middle in three.
81,2. rade.
83. But bonny John Seton of Pitmedden.
91. Then up it came a.
92. from Drimmorow.
93. Says, There thou lies.
94. ride thee thorow.
101. Craigyvar (always): man.
102. your fiddle.
103. land.
121. They 've taken.
144. ring.
151. For cannons roars: summer's.
152. Like thunder.
154. cannons fair.
Scott (also). 31. lands.
None of the readings in Aytoun given in the notes at p. 53 were derived from Sharpens copy except A 83, and all of them may now be dropped.