> Folk Music > Songs > In Praise of Huntly

In Praise of Huntly

[ Roud 3943 ; G/D 3:349 ; Ballad Index Ord338 ; trad.]

Shona Donaldson sang In Praise of Huntly in 2010 on her Deveron Projects album Short Nichts and Lang Kisses. She noted:

I found this song in The Greig-Duncan Collection and although there are a few versions of it, I decided to edit them and produce my own.

This video shows Shona Donaldson singing In Praise of Huntly at the Bothy Ballad Championships 2023 in Elgin Town Hall:

Lyrics

Shona Donaldson sings In Praise of Huntly

I’ve been abroad and I’ve been at hame
And monys the footsteps I hae gaen
Been at the school as ye may ken
But noo I’m come tae Huntly.
Wi Mr Stephen I did agree
Tae wark wi him for meat and fee
And tae win my breid rieht honestly
Like ithers in the county.

But jist as the sun and the warld gaes roon
I fell in love wi’ the girls o the toon
And they ca’d me a clever loon
And bade me bide in Huntly.
The lassie’s they were fond o’ me
I sang tae keep them aye in glee
But ne’er a sang I hid tae gie
But aye in praise o Huntly.

But Mistress Stephen did me advise
Tae rove nae mair but tae be wise
Mak my faithers hoose my only choice
And leave the toon o Huntly.
If I were tae leave that bonny toon
My comrades a’ wid me disown
Which causes me tae tak a fee
Near by the toon o’ Huntly.

Fin the term wis ower and I wis free
I stepped aboot at my liberty
I gaed doon by the back o Bennachie
Tae see the Buchan gentry.
I stepped aboot at my liberty
Till Jock o’ Rhynie fell in wi’ me
And speirt gin I wad tak a fee
And leave the Buchan gentry.

He said on me he’d nae impose
If I wid work a pair o horse
And bide aside the Tap o’ Noth
Like ithers in that country.
I’m nae a child as ye may ken
And fit I wint I mean tae learn
I’ll hud yer ploo and sow yer corn
Like ony in the country.

Fin my parents sa’ I was engaged
At me they flew intae a rage
My clothing they kept for a pledge
Sent me awa quite empty.
But fin they sa’ that I wis gone
And kent na whether I’d dee or droon
My clothing efter me it cam
But sair they were tae hunt me.

But I’ll stop and I’ll tell ye ere a’ be deen
I’ll be mair wiser than I hae been
I’ll read my bible, hain my sheen
Gang nae mair on the country.
I’ve been abroad and I’ve been at hame
And monys the footsteps I hae gane
Been at the school as ye may ken
But noo I’m come tae Huntly.