Broadside ballad entitled 'His Grace the Great Duke of Argyl's Welcom to Scotland'

Commentary

This 14-stanza song, to be sung to the tune of 'The drums and the Trumpets Commands Me from Shoar', begins: 'SCOTLAND Rejoyce, with a chearfull Smile / and Drink a full Flass to the Duke ARGYLE / He Feights for our Church and Cause to maintain, / The Clouds is despel'd he's in Scotland again.' No publication details are given.

The piece was composed on the occasion of the restoration to favour of John Campbell, 2nd Duke of Argyll (1680-1743). Campbell was a Scottish general, and was a strong supporter of the 1707 Act of Union between England and Scotland. He served in the War of the Spanish Succession (1701-14) and rose to be commander-in-chief in Spain in 1711. On his return to Scotland, heralded by this broadside, he actively supported the succession of George I (r. 1714-27). Campbell also commanded the army that put down the 1715 Jacobite rebellion.

Broadsides are single sheets of paper, printed on one side, to be read unfolded. They carried public information such as proclamations as well as ballads and news of the day. Cheaply available, they were sold on the streets by pedlars and chapmen. Broadsides offer a valuable insight into many aspects of the society they were published in, and the National Library of Scotland holds over 250,000 of them.

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