Tranent Muir
(Battle of Prestonpans 21st September 1745)
Battle of Prestonpans, The Charge of the Highlanders, by C Sheeres
Lyrics by Adam Skirving (circa 1746)
from David Herd's "Ancient and Modern Scottish Songs", Volume 1, page 109, 1776
and "Scots Musical Museum" Volume III N°102, 1790
Tune"Original Sett of Killiekrankie"
(Gow's First Repository 1799 )
Sequenced by Christian Souchon
Source: James Johnson and Robert Burns "Scots Musical Museum" Volume III N°102, 1790
Other "Killiekrankie" tunes fitting this text
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1. The Chevalier, being void of fear, Did march up Birsle brae, man, And through Tranent ere he did stent, As fast as he could gae, man; While General Cope did taunt and mock, Wi' mony a loud huzza, man, But ere next morn proclaim'd the cock, We heard anither craw, man. 2. The brave Lochiel, as I heard tell, Led Camerons on in clouds, man; The morning fair, and clear the air, They loos'd with devilish thuds, man. Down guns they threw, and swords they drew, And soon did chase them aff, man: On Seaton crafts they buft their chafts, And gart them rin like daft, man. 3. The bluff dragoons swore, blood and oons! They'd make the rebels run, man: And yet they flee when them they see, And winna fire a gun, man. They turn'd their back, the foot they break, Such terror seiz'd them a', man. Some wet their cheeks, some fyl'd their breeks, And some for fear did fa', man. 4. The volunteers prick'd up their ears, And vow gin they were crouse, man! But when the bairns saw't turn to earn'st, There werena worth a louse, man. Maist feck gade hame, O fie for shame! They'd better staid awa, man, Than wi' cockade to make parade, And do nae gude at a', man. 5. Menteith (*) the great, when hersel shit, Un'wares did ding him owre, man, Yet wadna stand to bear a hand, But aff fu fast did scour, man, O'er Sourtra Hill, ere he stood still, Before he tasted meat, man. Troth, he may brag of his swift nag, That bore him aff sae fleet, man. 6. And Simpson (*), keen to clear the een Of rebels far in wrang, man. Did never strive wi' pistols five, But gallop'd wi' the thrang, man. He turn'd his back, and in a crack Was cleanly out o' sight, man, And thought it best: it was nae jest, Wi' Highlanders to fight, man. 7. 'Mangst a' the gang, nane bade the bang But twa, and ane was ta'en, man; For Campbell rade, but Myrie staid, And sair he paid the kane, man. Four skelpe he got, was waur than shot, Frae the sharp-edg'd claymore, man; Frae mony a spout came running out His recking het red gore, man. 8. But Gard'ner brave did still behave Like to a hero bright, man; His courage true, like him were few That still despised flight, man. For king, and laws, and country's cause, In honour's bed he lay, man. His life, but not his courage fled, While he had breath to draw, man. 9. And Major Bowle, that worthy soul, Was brought down to the ground, man; His horse being shot, it was his lot For to get mony a wound, man. Lieutenant Smith (*) of Irish birth, Frae whom he call'd for aid, man, But full of dread, lap o'er his head, And wadna be gainsaid, man. 10. He made sic haste, sae spurr'd his beast, 'Twas little there he saw, man; To Berwick rade, and falsely said The Scots were rebels a', man. But let that end, for weel 'tis kend His use and wonts to lie, man. The Teague is naught, he never fought When he had room to flee, man. 11. And Cadell, drest, amang the rest, With gun and gude claymore, man, On gelding gray he rode that day, With pistols set before, man. The cause was good, he'd spend his blood Before that he would yield, man; But the night before he left the core, And never fac'd the field, man. 12. But gallant Roger, like a soger, Stood and bravely fought, man; I'm wae to tell, at last he fell, And mae down wi' him brought, man. At point of death, wi' his last breath, Some standing round in ring, man, On's back lying flat, he wav'd his hat, And cried, 'God save the king!' man. 13. Some Highland rogues, like hungry dogs, Neglecting to pursue, man. About they fac'd, and, in great haste, Upon the booty flew, man. And they, as gain for all their pain, Are deck's wi' spoils of war, man; Fu' bauld can tell how her nain sel Was ne're sae praw before, man. 14. At the thorn tree, which you may see, Bewest the meadow mill, man, There mony slain lay on the plain, The clans pursuing still, man. Sic unco hacks, and deadly whacks, I never saw the like, man; Lost hands and heads cost them their deads, That fell near Preston dyke, man. 15. That afternoon, what a' was done, I gade to see the fray, man; But I had wist what after past, I'd better staid away, man: On Seaton sands, wi' nimble hands, They pick'd my pockets bare, man; But I wish ne'er to dree sic fear, For a' the sum and mair, man. (*) In Herd's original version, but not in the "Museum", the names of the "cowards" are not printed in full (only the first and last letters). |
1. Le Chevalier sans hésiter Fait passer Birsle Brae à ses troupes, Et par Tranent rejoint son camp Il a le vent en poupe. Tandis que rit Cope, sûr de lui Qu'à ses bons mots les hourras fusent. Mais dès le lendemain matin, Ce ton n'est plus de mise. 2. Les Cameron menés, dit-on, Par Lochiel parmi les nuages Au matin clair font vibrer l'air Que le bruit de leurs tirs dégage. Foin des fusils, ils ont saisi Leurs sabres. C'est la poursuite: Pour ceux que l'on mit à Seton La seule issue: la fuite. 3. Dragons hâbleurs, main sur le coeur Qui juriez de les prendre en chasse, Vous détalez sans riposter Quand surgit la menace, Tournant le dos, c'est au galop Que vous cédez la place, Les joues trempées, les braies mouillées, Terrassés par l'angoisse. 4. Les Volontaires paradaient Jurant de se conduire en braves, Mais ces gamins, quand l'instant vient De montrer leur courage, S'enfuient, pardi, vers leurs logis Fallait-il qu'ils en partent, Tous ces farauds, dont les chapeaux S'ornent d'une cocarde? 5. Le grand Menteith (*) que la colique Surprit à l'improviste. Ne daigna point prêter la main, Mais déguerpit bien vite. Il dépassa le mont Sourtra Sans demander son reste. Il peut remercier son baudet, D'avoir été si preste. 6. Quant à Simpson (*), que la vision D'un seul rebelle irrite, Bien qu'armé de cinq pistolets Il a choisi la fuite. Tournant le dos, part au galop S'il a vidé la place, Assurément, gens des Highlands Cédant à vos menaces. 7. De tous ceux-là, nul ne brilla Sauf deux, dont l'un se laisse prendre. Campbell fila, Myrie resta: Le pauvre est bien à plaindre. Mieux eût valu Un plomb perdu - Que ce feu qu'un sabre allume, Quatre hublots d'où coule à flot Son sang rouge qui fume. 8. Gardiner, lui, se conduisit Comme il sied aux braves; Il fut parmi le peu qu'on vit, Se battre avec courage Pour notre roi, pour notre droit. L'honneur veilla sa couche Il a péri, mais point failli, Jusqu'à son dernier souffle. 9. Le Major Bowle, avait au sol D'un héros la stature. Son cheval tué, bien vite il s'est Vu couvert de blessures. Lieutenant Smith (*), brave Irlandais, En guise d'assistance, Par-dessus son corps tu sautais, Sourd à ses remontrances. 10. Piquant à fond des éperons N'ayant pas vu grand' chose, Il part pour Berwick où, l'hypocrite: Dit "C'est toute l'Ecosse Qui se soulève". L'âme irlandaise Se berce de chimères Frère Teague ne se bat jamais, Fuir. C'est ce qu'il préfère. 11. Cadell armé, comme tous les Autres d'un bon claymore, Sur son coursier ses pistolets Prêts à tirer encore. Quel exemple exaltant, il perdrait tout son sang Plutôt que de battre en retraite! Oui mais le soir d'avant, adieu le régiment! Il a quitté la fête. 12. Le fier Roger, en bon guerrier, Est resté pour se battre. Il me déplait qu'il soit tombé Hélas, comme tant d'autres. Quand il expire, on l'entend dire A ceux qui le regardent Levant bien haut son grand chapeau, "Le roi, que Dieu le garde!" 13. Des Highlanders, des chiens pervers Estiment bien plus sage, Un demi-tour, bien vite pour Se livrer au pillage. C'est le rapport de leurs efforts Ces dépouilles mortelles. "Jamais, ont dit les plus hardis, Moisson ne fut si belle!" 14. Vers l'aubépine l'on devine A l'ouest des maisons basses, Plusieurs tués, là dans les prés, Les clans partent en chasse: Ah, quelle rage et quel carnage! Quand vis-je chose telle? Corps mutilés, décapités A Preston s'amoncellent. 15. L'après midi, je suis parti: Voir le champ de bataille. Si j'avais su, c'était le plus Mauvais endroit où j'aille. Car à Seaton, un bon garçon M'a privé de ma bourse; Vilain voleur tu m'as fait peur! Garde l'or et sa housse!" (*) Dans la version originale de Herd, mais non dans le "Musée", les noms des "lâches" ne sont indiqués que par la première et la dernière lettre. Traduction Christian Souchon (c) 2010 |
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The Battle of Prestonpans: 21st September 1745 Charles' Army had taken Edinburgh with no fighting on 16th September. John Cope the general commanding the Hanoverian forces in Scotland came by ship from Aberdeen and was attacked by the Jacobite army at the crack of dawn on 21st September: 1400 Highlanders accompanied by wild war cries and the skirl of the pipes. Cope's inexperienced recruits were panicstricken and took to flight, but the ditch and park walls supposed to protect them blocked their retreat. In five minutes hundreds of Hanoverians were killed or wounded and 1500 held prisoners. Unlike after Culloden, the wounded and prisoners were well treated by the Jacobites. Cope had to report his defeat to the Berwick garrison commander, Lord Mark Kerr. He was court-martialed but exonerated from the accusation of having himself fled the battlefield. A local farmer, Adam Skirving, wrote the present song "Tranent Muir" which, together with the song Johnnie Cope, one version of which is ascribed to Robert Burns, influenced the public perception of the battle and General Cope, due to its conciseness, in spite of its historical inaccuracy (Cope did not flee nor sleep the night before the battle). "Tranent Muir," on the other hand, is a long description of the battle, and some of the events depicted are historically accurate: Myrie and Gardiner did in fact die in the battle. Lieutenant Smith allegedly challenged to a duel Skirving who had mentioned his fleeing the battle. A detailed account of the Battle of Prestonpans is given with the song "Ode to the Battle of Gladsmuir". |
La bataille de Prestonpans: 21 septembre 1745
L'armée de Charles avait pris Edimbourg sans combattre le 16 septembre. John Cope, le général commandant les forces hanovriennes en Ecosse arriva par bateau d'Aberdeen et fut attaqué par les Jacobites à la prime aurore, le 21 septembre: 1400 highlanders poussant leurs cris de guerre ("slogans") et faisant retentir leurs cornemuses! Un fermier du cru, Adam Skirving, écrivit ce chant sur la bataille de Prestonpans. Avec le fameux "Johnnie Cope", dont une version est attribuée à Robert Burns, le présent morceau "Tranent Muir" est à l'origine de la perception déformée que l'on a généralement de cette bataille et du rôle de Cope, à cause de sa concision et malgré les inexactitudes historiques qu'il renferme: Cope n'a ni fui ni invité ses hommes à dormir juste avant la bataille.
Le présent chant, "Tranent Muir", est une longue description de la bataille et certains des événements qu'il décrit sont historiquement attestés: la mort au combat de Myrie et Gardiner. On prétend que le lieutenant Smith, provoqua Skirving en duel pour l'avoir dépeint comme un lâche fuyard. |