Cantaria: Traditional: Ye Jacobites By Name

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Ye Jacobites By Name
Traditional

Verse & chorus: .mp3 (228K)
Full song: .mp3 (884K)
"Ye Jacobites by Name" is performed by Wild Mountain Thyme on their CD There Can Be Only One.
Please refer to Cantaria's Copyright information

Notes: Bill Watkins, author of Scotland is Not for the Squeamish, sent us this bit of background about the song:

"This song, from the Jacobite (civil) wars in Scotland, is very ANTI-Jacobite in its original form. In the original version, the William they laud is the 'Butcher Cumberland.' Robert Burns, who was sympathetic to the Jacobite cause, rewrote the song and toned it down substantially, making it more of a general anti-war song than a political statement at the time. The line 'Adore the rising sun' was taken by many musicians of of my generation to be Anarchist symbolism."

Jacobites were Scots who were loyal to James II. The Latin translation of James is Jacobus.

Robert Burns Version
This version, most commonly performed today, was re-written by Robert Burns circa 1791.

Ye Jacobites by name, lend an ear, lend an ear!
Ye Jacobites by name, lend an ear,
Ye Jacobites by name,
Your fautes I will proclaim,
Your doctrines I maun blame - you shall hear, you shall hear!
Your doctrines I maun blame - you shall hear!

What is right, and what is wrong, by the law, by the law?
What is right, and what is wrong, by the law?
What is right, and what is wrong?
A short sword and a long,
A weak arm and a strong, for to draw, for to draw!
A weak arm and a strong, for to draw!

Chorus...

What makes heroic strife, famed afar, famed afar?
What makes heroic strife famed afar?
What makes heroic strife?
To whet th' assassin's knife,
Or hunt a Parent's life, wi bluidy war, wi bluidy war!
Or hunt a Parent's life, wi bluidy war!

Chorus...

Then let your schemes alone, in the State, in the State!
Then let your schemes alone, in the State!
Then let your schemes alone,
Adore the rising sun,
And leave a man alone, to his fate, to his fate!
And leave a man alone, to his fate!

Chorus...

Ye Jacobites by name, lend an ear, lend an ear!
Ye Jacobites by name, lend an ear...

Here's the original version:

You Jacobites by Name, now give Ear, now give Ear,
You Jacobites by Name, now give Ear;
You Jacobites by Name,
Your Praise I will proclaim,
Some says you are to blame for this Wear.

With the Pope you covenant, as they say, as they say,
With the Pope you covenant, as they say,
With the Pope you covenant,
And Letters there you sent,
Which made your Prince present to array.

Your Prince and Duke o'Perth, where they go, where they go,
Your Prince and Duke o'Perth, where they go,
Your Prince and Duke o'Perth,
They're Cumb'rers o' the Earth,
Causing great Hunger and Dearth where they go.

He is the King of Reef, I'll declare, I'll declare,
He is the King of Reef, I'll declare,
He is the King of Reef,
Of a Robber and o' Thief,
To rest void of Relief when he's near.

They marched thro' our Land cruelly, cruelly,
They marched thro' our Land cruelly,
They marched thro' our Land
With a bloody thievish Band
To Edinburgh then they wan Treachery.

To Preston then they came, in a Rout, in a Rout,
To Preston then they came, in a Rout;
To Preston then they came,
Brave Gard'ner murd'red then.
A Traitor did command, as we doubt.

To England then they went, as bold, as bold,
To England then they went, as bold;
To England then they went,
And Carlisle they ta'en't,
The Crown they fain would ha'en't, but behold.

To London as they went, on the Way, on the Way,
To London as they went, on the way,
To London as they went,
In a Trap did there present,
No battle they will stent, for to die.

They turned from that Place, and they ran, and they ran,
They turned from that Place, and they ran;
They turned from that Place
As the Fox, when Hounds do chace.
They tremble at the Name, CUMBERLAN'.

To Scotland then they came, when they fly, when they fly,
To Scotland then they came, when they fly,
To Scotland then they came,
And they robb'd on every Hand,
By Jacobites Command, where they ly.

When Duke William does command, you must go, you must go;
When Duke William does command, you must go;
When Duke William does command,
Then you must leave the Land,
Your Conscience in your Hand like a Crow.

Tho' Carlisle ye took by the Way, by the Way;
Tho' Carlisle ye took by the Way;
Tho' Carlisle ye took,
Short Space ye did it Brook,
These Rebels got a Rope on a Day.

The Pope and Prelacy, where they came, where they came,
The Pope and Prelacy, where they came;
The Pope and Prelacy,
They rul'd with Cruelty,
They ought to hing on high for the same.

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