Jenny Cameron of Glendessary

Jenny's Welcome to Charlie

Variant 1


Irish Reel (Irish Title:"Fáilte Sineid Roim Catal" or "Fáilte Shinéad roimh Chathal")
Sequenced by Ch.Souchon

Variant 2

Played on the violin by Shaman Starseed

Jean Cameron: Portrait by L.Bogle; Engraving by J.Clarke (1788) after W.Hogarth; Propaganda picture

Line

Bonnie Jean Cameron
by George Eyre-Todd
circa 1750

Ye'll a' hae heard tell o' bonnie Jeanie Cameron,
How she fell sick, and she was like to dee,
And a' that they could recommend her
Was ae blithe blink o' the Young Pretender.
Rare, oh rare, Bonnie Jeanie Cameron!
Rare, oh rare, Jeanie Cameron!

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!
 La belle Jeanne Cameron
par George Eyre-Todd
vers 1750

Qui ne connait le nom de Jenny Cameron?
La maladie l'aurait emportée si, dit-on,
Elle n'avait posé son regard réjoui,
Ne fut-ce qu'un instant, sur le Prince Charlie.
Oh, la noble, la belle Jenny Cameron!
La noble Jenny Cameron!

On dit qu'elle écrivit à Charles un long billet,
Lui nommant ses amis, ses rivaux acharnés;
Et ses mots composaient une tendre harmonie,
Propre à gagner le coeur du bon Prince Charlie.
Oh, la noble, la belle Jenny Cameron!
La noble Jenny Cameron!

Mais à peine avait-elle enfin scellé son pli
Que la porte s'ouvrit et que son roi surgit:
Elle implora l'aide du Ciel, du Saint Esprit,
Et tomba dans les bras du bon Prince Charlie.
Oh, la noble, la belle Jenny Cameron!
La noble Jenny Cameron!

(Trad. Ch.Souchon(c)2005)

The tune is also known as:
"Jennie and the Weaver", "Jennie and the Weasel", "Highway to the Holburn", "Jenny danged the Weaver", "Jenny Cameron's Rant".

Jean Cameron of Glendessary raised 300 men and led them to the Raising of the Standard on 19th August 1745.
The text above evokes a romance between Prince Charles and the daughter of Cameron of Glendessary for which there is no evidence.
Another lady appeared on that day, "Colonel" Anne McKintosh who, though her husband supported the Hanoverians, had raised several hundred men to fight for Charlie.
Lady Lude fired the first shot of the Jacobite attack on Blair Castle.
Lady Margaret Ogilvy and Margaret Murray accompanied their husbands who were officers in Charlie's army. Mrs Murray is reputed for having seized horses and money for the Jacobite armY.

La mélodie porte aussi d'autres titres:
"Jennie and the Weaver", "Jennie and the Weasel", "Highway to the Holburn", "Jenny danged the Weaver", "Jenny Cameron's Rant".

Jeanne Cameron de Glendessary réunit 300 hommes et les conduisit à la levée de l'étendard le 19 août 1745.
Le texte ci-dessus fait état d'une idyle entre le Prince Charles et cette fille de Cameron de Glendessary, mais aucun document ne le confirme.
Une autre dame apparut ce jour-là, le "Colonel" Anne McKintosh qui, bien que son époux fût un partisan des Hanovre, avait levé une armée de plusieurs centaines d'hommes afin de combattre pour Charlie.
Lors de l'attaque de Blair Castle par les Jacobites, ce fut une femme, Lady Lude qui tira le premier coup de feu.
Lady Margaret Ogilvy et Margaret Murray accompagnèrent leurs maris, officiers dans l'armée de Charlie. Mrs Murray est connue pour s'être emparée de chevaux et d'argent au profit de l'armée jacobite.

"Charles flanked by Jenny Cameron and Flora McDonald". From "London Magazine" - March 1747.
"Charles entouré de Jenny Cameron et de Flora McDonald". "London Magazine" - Mars 1747.
The satirical rhyme under the picture reads thus:
Un poème satirique accompagne cette gravure:
"How happy could I be with either
Were th'other dear charmer away!
But since I am destin'd for neither,
At present no longer I'll stay.
 "L'une ou l'autre m'aurait comblé
Si sa rivale était absente.
Aucune ne m'est destinée:
Je m'en vais séance tenante."


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