Hermitage Castle

DESCRIPTION: The bloody history of the castle is recalled, the "river runs as broon" as blood. Once "the willing slave of love A queen cam riding doon... From Jedburgh to Hermitage That bright October day." Now "a ghostly band" repeats the ride.
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1989 (McMorland/Scott-HerdLaddieOTheGlen)
KEYWORDS: love reunion Scotland royalty ghost
HISTORICAL REFERENCES:
16 Oct 1566 - Bothwell's mistress, Mary Queen of Scots, rides from Jedburgh to Hermitage Castle to "consult with" the wounded Bothwell (source: see Notes).
FOUND IN: Britain(Scotland(Bord))
REFERENCES (1 citation):
McMorland/Scott-HerdLaddieOTheGlen, pp. 56, 150, "Hermitage Castle" (1 text, 1 tune)
Roud #21744
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "Tramps and Hawkers" (tune, per McMorland/Scott-HerdLaddieOTheGlen) and references there
NOTES [83 words]: For a reference to Mary's ride see Antonia Fraser, Mary Queen of Scots (New York: Dell Publishing, 1969), pp. 274-275.
For a general historic reference see the Wikipedia "Hermitage Castle" entry (1 October 2013). - BS
Mary's relationship with Bothwell was one of the key reasons for her overthrow, so this song covers one of the most important events of her reign. Which probably explains why there is a ghost story -- I seem to recall a lot of Scottish tales of ghosts associated with Mary. - RBW
Last updated in version 3.2
File: McSc056

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