New Spalding Club > Records of Invercauld MDXLVII - MDCCCXXVIII [1547- 1828]

446 RECORDS OF INVERCAULD.
The Paper shows the several charters which the Mar family granted
to the Monaltries, and is a brief account of the proprietory history of the
estate down to the year 1702. It remained in the possession of the
second family for three generations, Alexander, the purchaser, being
succeeded by his son, Francis, and he by his nephew, William, who
dying in 1828 without issue, it reverted to Invercauld.
Among the MS. papers preserved in the Monaltrie parcel are some
which are evidently copies, such as, " The Vicar of Bray, a Ballad, to
the Tune of the Turn-coat ; " "A Prophetek Vision, in rather doggerel
verse ; " " Cato's Ghost — An adaptation to the circumstances of Britain as
ruled by her Hanoverian Kings ; " " The Repenting Maid's Call to her
Banished Lover — a Jacobitical song in disguise ; " " A Critique on the
Rev: Mr. McNicol's Judicious remarks on Dr. John.son's Journey to the
Hebrides — A satire weak and worthless ; " a short poem in blank verse
entitled "This Rising Prince — of no value;" "A Pastoral Lamentation,
said to have been composed and sung by King James the 4th's Queen
after the Battle of Flodden 15 14, now sung to the tune, 'The Flowers of
the Forest.' " On the margin there is this note in the handwriting of the
author of the critique above noted, " The Queen could not have been the
Composer of the song as She never could have made use of the expression
in the 2nd line of the 2nd verse, as she herself was English — 'The
English for ance by guile gat the day.' "
This version of the song is really the same as the old version of
" The Flowers of the Forest." There is also a small poetic effusion under
the title of "The Rose," written for the 19th of June, which seems to be
original, and two copies of " A memoriall of ye. D. of O. to the Queen,"
which is referred to in his letter of the 17th August, 1703, to the Queen,
"Coppie of My Lord Bollingbrook's Letter, Dover 27th March 171 5."
These are now historical documents.
It is needless to follow the history of the " Baron Ban " after his
return to Scotland ; but it may be stated that he more than justified the
hopes expressed by those who had presented petitions and memorials to
the Government in his favour. The following extract, however, may be
given from the old Stat : Acct : of Scotland written by the Rev. Mr.
Brown, minister of the parish, only a few years after Monaltrie's death,
which occurred 22nd June, 1790, when he had attained the ripe age of
over four score years : —