Scots Wha Hae

I may at once say that these views are erroneous, and the most recent Scots writers do not seek to claim a higher antiquity for the oldest Scottish airs than the first half of the 15th century.

To suppose for a moment that the tune of Scots Wahey with Wallace Bled goes back to the period of Bannockburn is opposed to the very construction of the melody.

Mr. Donnie, in his valuable Ancient Melodies of Scotland, thus writes, quote, This tune is believed to be the same with that to which Scott Swahay with Wallace bled is now sung.

An absurd popular notion is attached to it for which there is no foundation, namely that it was Bruce's march at the Battle of Bannockburn.

I may at once say that these views are erroneous, and the most recent Scotch writers do not seek to claim a higher antiquity for the oldest Scottish airs than the first half of the fifteenth century.

To suppose for a moment that the tune of Scots Wahey with Wallace Bled goes back to the period of Bannockburn is opposed to the very construction of the melody.

Mr. Donnie, in his valuable Ancient Melodies of Scotland, thus writes, quote, This tune is believed to be the same with that to which Scots Wahey with Wallace Bled is now sung.

An absurd popular notion is attached to it for which there is no foundation, namely that it was Bruce's march at the Battle of Bannockburn, end quote.

The air apparently dates from the 16th century, but it did not appear in print until 1751, when Oswald published it in his Caledonian Pocket Companion, Book 3, 13.