Scottland Robert Burns

Robert Bruce's March to Bcamockbum by Robert Bural 1759-1796

Of the patriotic songs, by far the best known is "Scots Wha Hae," supposed to be the tune to which Bmce's army marched into battle at Bannockbum, is morę in the eighteenth-century rhetorical style (inspired eąually by the Scottish War of Independence and the French Revolution) than in the Scottish folk tradition. Burns wrote to Thomson at the end of August, 1793, tłiat the thought that this may have been the air played at Bannockbum "warmed me to a pitch of enthusiasm on the theme of Liberty & Independence, which I threw into a kind of Scots Ode”.

The battle of Bannockbum took place in midsummer of the year 1314. It marked the conclusion of tire wars between England and Scotland that had been going on sińce 1286. The conclusion was that Scotland was to be an independent nation. Bannockbum was one of the most conseąuential battles in British history. King Edward the Second of England, who lost the battle, was literally chased out of Scotland. The victor of the battle, Robert Bruce, became King Robert the First of independent Scotland, recognized as such by the Pope himself in 1323 (though the English did not make formal peace until five years later).

H \    ....

Burns wrote this poem in 1793, at age 34, when he was Iiving in Dumfries. He had given up forming, got an undemanding govemment job, and was contributing verse and folk ditties to Scottish editors first appeared in the Mornmg Chronicie on the 8th May 1794.

"Wallace" refers to William Wallace. who stmggled unsuccessfully in the 1290s to do what Bruce at last accomplished in 1314.

• Notes

"wha," "wham" - ^who- ^whom "hae"= have.

"sae"⁼ so.

Wha for Scotland’s King and Law Freedom's sword will strongly draw, Freeman stand or freeman fa',

Let him follow me!

By Oppression's woes and pains.

By your, sons in 'servile chains,

We will drain our dearest veins,

But they shall be free!

Lay the proud usurpers Iow!

Tyrants fali in every foe!

Liberty's in cvery blow!

Let us do, or die!

Scots, wha hae wi’ Wallace bied,

Scots, wham Bruce has aften led,

Welcome to your góry bed,

Or to victory!

Now's the day, and novv's the hour;

See the front o' battle lour,

See approach proud Edward's power Chains and slavery!

Wha will be a traitor knave?

Wha can fili a coward's grave?

Wha sae base as be a slave?

Let him tum, and flee!