MacGregor's Gathering
Sir W. Scott


The moon's on the lake, and the mist's on the brae,
And the clan has a name that is nameless by day;
Then gather, gather, gather, Grigalach!
Gather, gather, gather, Grigalach!
Then gather, gather, gather, Grigalach!
Gather, gather, gather Grigalach!

Our signal for fight, that from monarchs we drew,
Must be heard but by night in our vengeful haloo!
Then haloo, Grigalach! haloo, Grigalach!
Haloo, haloo, haloo, Grigalach!
Then haloo, Grigalach! haloo, Grigalach!
Haloo, haloo, haloo, Grigalach!

Glen Orchy's proud mountains, Coalchuirn and her towers,
Glenstrae and Glenlyon no longer are ours;
We're landless, landless, landless, Grigalach!
Landless, landless, landless, Grigalach!
We're landless, landless, landless, Grigalach!
Landless, landless, landless, Grigalach!

But doom'd and devoted by vassel and lord,
MacGregor has still both his heart and his sword!
Then courage, courage, courage, Grigalach!
ourage, courage, courage, Grigalach!
Then courage, courage, courage, Grigalach!
ourage, courage, courage, Grigalach!

If they rob us if hame, and persue us with beagles
Give their roofs to the flame, and their flesh to the eagles!
Then vengence, vengence, vengence, Grigalach!
Vengence, vengence, vengence, Grigalach!
Then vengenace, vengenace, vengenace, Grigalach!
Vengenace, vengenace, vengenace, Grigalach!

While there's leaves in the forest, and foam on the river,
MacGregor, despite them, shall florish for ever!
Come then Grigalach, come then Grigalach,
Come then, come then, come then Grigalach!
Come then Grigalach, come then Grigalach,
Come then, come then, come then Grigalach!

Through the depths of Loch Katrine the steed shall career,
O'er the peaks of Ben Lomond the galley shall steer,
And the rocks of Craig-Royston like icicles melt,
Ere our wrongs be forgot, or our vengenance unfelt!
Then gather, gather, gather, Grigalach!
Gather, gather, gather, Grigalach!
Then gather, gather, gather, Grigalach!
Gather, gather, gather Grigalach!

By an act of Privy Council, dated 3rd April 1603, the name of MacGregor was expressly abolished and those who had borne it were commanded to change it for other surnames on pain of death. By a subsequent Act of Council on 24th June 1613, death was pronounced against memebers of the MacGregor Clan presuming to assemble in numbers greater than four. This was written by Sir Walter Scott and contributed by him to "Albyn's Anthology" in 1816. Glen Orchy is in Argyllshire between Loch Awe and Perthsire, with the ruined castle of Coalchuirn standing at the eastern end of Loch Awe. Glenstrae is the valley which opens on to Loch Awe and Glenlyon is a long narrow valley in the northwest of Perthshire. Loch Katrine lies in the Trossachs and Craig-Royston is a cave on the western side of Ben Lomond. The melody was composed by Alexander Lee, a popular singer, born in London in 1802 where he also died in 1851.

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