Broadside ballad entitled 'The Gentle Montgomeries'

Commentary

Verse 1: 'A Noble Roman was the Root / From which Montgomerie came, / Who brought his Legion from the Wars, / And settled the same, / Upon an Hill 'twixt Rome and Spain / Gomericus by Name; / From which he and his Off-spring do / Their Sir-name still retain.' The ballad was to be sung 'To its own Proper Tune'.

In a short introduction, this ballad is described as 'Giving an account of their Original, and of Rodger Earl of Montgomerie, Salsberry and Arundale, General to William the Conqueror his coming to England, with several parts of History concerning them, ending with an Advice to the Chief of the CLAN.' The poem describes how Philip Montgomerie, having seen his English lands forfeited, came to Scotland and was awarded land by the King of Scotland, thus establishing the Montgomerie family north of the border.

Early ballads were dramatic or humorous narrative songs derived from folk culture that predated printing. Originally perpetuated by word of mouth, many ballads survive because they were recorded on broadsides. Musical notation was rarely printed, as tunes were usually established favourites. The term 'ballad' eventually applied more broadly to any kind of topical or popular verse.

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