The Bonnie Earl o' Moray by anonymous

• The Bonnie Earl o’ Moray is a traditional Scottish ballad by an unknown writer.
• It commemorates a true story: the murder of Scottish nobleman, James Stewart.
• There are many versions of this ballad and it had a significant impact, influencing Scottish politics for some time after the events.

The poem explores themes of:

• heroism and reputation
• betrayal, injustice, and defying social rules
• politics
• loss and mourning

You can read The Bonnie Earl o’ Moray on the Scottish Poetry Library website.

James Stewart was a handsome young noble who lived between 1565 and 1592. He held the titles of 2nd Earl of Moray and Lord of Doune Castle. He was murdered by another nobleman, George Gordon (1562–1636), also known as the Earl of Huntly.

Oral tradition and politics

There are many versions of this ballad, reflecting the oral tradition of the time, when people were largely illiterate and received their news from visiting singers who recounted tales of current events.

It is thought that this ballad was written as a result of the widespread outrage about the Earl's death, the lack of punishment and the suggestion of royal involvement in the crime.

It was popular and widespread, expressing a rage that may have influenced Scottish politics for some time after the events. It had a significant political impact, extending beyond simple storytelling.

A ballad is a narrative poem. It is more often used for emotional impact than for historical or factual accuracy and covers themes of love, tragedy, adventure and supernatural encounters. The stories told in ballads frequently begin in medias res. To create a sense of drama, to build anticipation and to immediately capture your listener, ballads often begin partway through the story, at the most dramatic point, rather than at the beginning.

Ballads have been recorded all over Scotland, from very ancient times right up to the modern day. They focused on real events and places, coving rural, coastal and urban settings and stories. Audiences were invited join in with the songs, which created a sense of community and shared identity. As literacy grew, ballads began to appear in print too.

As ballads were passed along orally, being sung to entertain and inform, the language was usually rhythmic and straightforward, using formulaic language to help people remember the songs and stories.

The balladeer, the singer of the song, usually adopts an impersonal narrative point of view, appearing to be detached from the events. Although these songs were often highly biased, the narrative voice seems to be retelling events without personal commentary. However, ballads often feature the use of direct speech, seeming to quote those involved in the events depicted. This adds realism and creates drama and tension for the audience.

Watch a video about the conventions of ballads, their purpose, rhyme schemes and some examples of ballads: What is a ballad?

Form

Most ballads are written in quatrains. This ballad has two stanzas, containing 12 lines each.

• The first stanza focuses on the Earl of Moray, presenting him as a hero.
• The second stanza introduces the villain, Huntly, who has never been punished for his crime.

Each stanza is composed of three quatrains and uses the ABCB rhyme scheme. This form of verse is called a ballad stanza.

Rhyme

The rhyme scheme is used to create emotional impact or to add twists to the narrative. The shorter second and fourth lines are often where the key moments happen, reinforced by rhyme and rhythm.

Now wae be to ye, Huntly,
And wherefore did ye sae?
I bade ye bring him wi’ ye,
And forbade ye him to slay.

In this case, we have the King’s voice reported, chastising Huntly for killing Moray instead of bringing him to the King.

Rhythm

Each line of the poem has a regular rhythm. Each line contains three strongly stressed syllables, then a caesura creates a pause at the end of each line. It also had a practical application: rhythm and patterns help people memorise songs – important in the oral tradition.

Repetition

Ballads regularly use repetition. These refrains often highlight key moments or help emotional moments hit harder.

Both stanzas end with the same reference to the Earl’s widow, creating a sense of mournfulness:

O lang will his lady
Lok frae the Castle Doune
Ere she see the Earl o’ Moray
Come soundin’ through the toun.

The way this idea is repeated builds up a sense of sadness and inevitability. It is a lament for a terrible crime.

Refrains can also be seen when lines are repeated, but with a slight difference. In each stanza of the poem, we have repeated lines that start with the same phrase but are paired with different endings:

Almost like the chorus in a song, this repetition returns the focus of the listener to the many noble qualities of our hero, allowing us to regret his murder all the more.

The Bonnie Earl o' Moray starts off with a technique called apostrophe (and not in the punctuation sense). In this context, apostrophe means ‘direct address’. The speaker is talking to the landscape (“Hielands” and “Lowlands”) as if it were a person:

Ye Hielands and ye Lowlands,
O, whaur hae ye been?

It seems like the speaker is crying loudly to the whole of Scotland to pay attention to the terrible deed that has been done.

The ballad also starts in media res – finding out the Earl is dead before we know what has brought this about. It asks “whaur hae you been?” – if you haven’t heard about this, you must have been somewhere else, given how notorious this event has been.

They hae slain the Earl o’ Moray,
And laid him on the green.

The word choice of “slain” indicates the brutality of the crime.

The reference to “the green” could mean that he has been placed on grass or open land, often after death. This was most often used to refer to a death in battle, suggesting that this death perhaps should be honoured in the same way as someone who has died in noble combat. It may simply be another way to suggest burial, especially in a tragic ballad like this one or it could suggest that, after he was killed, the murderers just left his body out in the open.

This stanza establishes the Earl of Moray as the hero of the ballad. It is likely that this ballad was written, therefore by one of his own supporters. A “braw gallant” is someone who is handsome and noble – a romantic hero. These qualities are emphasised throughout whenever we hear the Earl discussed.

He was a braw gallant,
And he rade at the ring,
And the bonny Earl o’ Moray,
He might hae been a king.

“Riding at the ring” indicates his physical prowess. He is a strong horseman, an athletic figure who was able to take part in sports - in this case, one like jousting, but where the rider aims his lance is aimed at a ring instead of an opponent. This paints a picture of wasted youth and vigour; the wasted potential of a life which had much to give.

The statement that “He might hae been a king” is probably not to be taken literally. It is more likely the balladeer is using hyperbole to convey the Earl’s noble qualities; that he had the potential to make an excellent king. It is not likely that Moray would have had any chance of actually becoming the King. Although his father-in-law had been regent, the Earl of Moray had no real claim on the throne.

In the first of the two main refrains, we hear about the mourning widow who will have a long time to wait if she hopes to see her husband again:

O lang will his lady
Lok frae the Castle Doune
Ere she see the Earl o’ Moray
Come soundin’ through the toun

It could perhaps be dramatic irony that those listening to the ballad already know that the Earl will never come home, but his wife perhaps does not. She will never again hear him “come soundin through the toun”, being heralded by a trumpet or by the welcome of the townspeople as he came home. She will never hear him again and she will never see him again and this creates sympathy in the listener: the image of a woman, waiting forever for her lost love is a poignant one. We are left to mourn with her.

The next speaker, presumably the King, condemns what Huntly has done (even though, in reality, he did nothing of the sort).

Now wae be to ye, Huntly,
And wherefore did ye sae?
I bade ye bring him wi’ ye,
And forbade ye him to slay.

The King’s “woe be to you” is an indication of his disapproval of Huntly’s rash actions. The King demands answers: “wherefore did ye sae?” meaning “why did you do so?” and he repeats what he had instructed Huntly to do: bring Moray with him and not to kill him.

The word choice of “forbade” indicates that the balladeer wishes the King to be absolved of blame – it wasn’t a good idea to criticise the King in those days. We see that Huntly has gone against what the King wanted. Kings were considered to be appointed by God, and if Moray were supposed to be such a good man, it would follow that it would go against God's will to kill him so brazenly. Therefore, by disobeying the King, Huntly disobeys God. This casts Huntly into the role of the villain.

The second quatrain of this stanza is a partial refrain of the second quatrain in stanza one. It features almost like a chorus, emphasising the many noble and courtly qualities of the slain Earl of Moray.

He was a braw gallant,
And he played at the glove;
And the bonny Earl o’ Moray,
He was the Queen’s true love.

While the first stanza referred to the Earl's horsemanship, here he takes part in the noble sport of falconry. The first stanza suggested the Earl had the qualities to be a king; here the reference to royalty is about the Queen's feelings for the Earl. This reference is interesting as it could imply that the Queen was in love with Moray. Given his good looks and sporty physique, it could be presumed that almost everyone drawn to him, and would possibly even fall in love with him.

The question is, was this an illicit love affair being hinted at? Could the King have been jealous of either an affair or his wife’s love for another man? Or was Moray such a good man that the Queen saw him as an equal to the King, and loved his noble qualities? Whatever the meaning here, it adds to the suggestion that the Earl of Moray was a romantic, dashing, heroic figure.

The final quatrain returns to the refrain at the end of stanza one.

O lang will his lady
Lok frae the Castle Doune
Ere she see the Earl o’ Moray
Come soundin’ through the toun.

We are reminded, once again, of the bitter sadness that his family will feel; the utter loneliness and emptiness that comes with the loss of so good a man. His wife, and all those who loved him, will mourn him forever. The audience is encouraged to feel this loss and to mourn too.

It is important to analyse the words a writer chooses, and what they are telling us. For example:

• the word choice of “slain” in stanza one tells the reader how brutal the crime was
• the use of “forbade” in stanza two suggests that the speaker doesn't want the King to be blamed for the crime

Brush up on your understanding of word choice with this short National 5 English revision video.

The Earl of Moray is described as “bonnie”, meaning he is not only physically attractive but also morally upright and cherished. The word is affectionately used in Scots to suggest goodness, charm, or spirit. In The Bonnie Earl o’ Moray, it elevates the man to a heroic and idealised status.

The word “bonnie” is linked to pride in Scottish identity. It evokes beauty, belonging, and emotional connection. Its use also indicates the man’s virtue; he is admired for his character. Because he was “bonnie”, his death becomes more poignant: he was loved, and his future held promise, cut short by a brutal crime. The contrast between “bonnie” and the brutality of his death heightens the sense of injustice.

The ballad portrays Moray as a “gallant” Earl, immortalising him as a hero to be mourned. The repeated description of Moray as a “braw gallant” (brave and fine gentleman) highlights how charismatic and strong he was. He was handsome and skilled at noble sports such as “the ring” (tilting) and “the glove” (falconry).

He was the Queen’s true love

This phrase adds more complexity - was he romantically loved by royalty, or symbolically beloved because of his many qualities?

The themes of heroism and reputation are also shown in the other poems:

The Bonnie Earl o’ Moray focuses on Moray's unjust murder by Huntly, aiming to evoke justice from the King. Its composition served as campaigning, informing the public, stirring anger, and supporting his mother Margaret Campbell's pursuit of justice. It begins with:

Ye Highlands and ye Lowlands / Oh whaur hae ye been?

This signals loss and injustice.

The opening line reveals the injustice – a murder with political implications.

They hae slain the Earl o’ Moray

The death of James Stewart, Earl of Moray, killed when under order for arrest King James VI, reflects the unsettled nature of Scottish politics in the late 16th century. Loyalty was fragile, and ambition could be deadly.

In the second stanza, a speaker, likely the King, criticises Huntly, arguing the murder was unjust and should have been tried rather than executed. Moray's death challenges societal loyalty and royal protection, especially since Moray was a Queen's favourite, hinting at corruption and abuse of power. Killing Moray may have betrayed the King.

I bade ye bring him wi’ ye, / And forbade ye him to slay

This line shows Huntly defied the King’s order and risked implicating him in the crime.

He might have been a king

This hints that Moray was a potential rival for the King, and could be seen as raising questions about James VI's suitability for the role, as well as suggesting motive for his involvement in the killing, or his inaction after it.

The ballad states Moray was "the Queen's true love," giving motive for the King’s possible involvement: did the Queen betray him with Moray; was the King jealous that his wife admired another man more than him? It also shows Moray's qualities (popularity, skill, charm) that make his unjust downfall more poignant. The ballad emphasises how wrong it is to take someone so deserving in their prime.

The themes of betrayal, injustice and defying social rules are also shown in the other poems:

The anonymous ballad does more than retell the specifics of the event. It reflects what people thought at the time, and also influences those opinions by emphasising specific themes.

Although it very much suggests that the King was angry that Huntly disobeyed him, the ballad would cast suspicion on the King's role in the murder. Despite that explicit command, Moray was killed. The public at the time would also know that there was virtually no punishment for murder or for disobeying the King. This would subtly and cleverly raise the public's suspicion of the King due to his inaction after the event.

The theme of politics is also shown in the other poems:

The poem is, in effect, a eulogy, mourning the death of a noble man, admired for his beauty, skill and many virtues.

The opening line calls on all of Scotland, uniting disparate regions in shared sorrow.

Ye Hielands and ye Lowlands

This clearly shows that the speaker believes this is a national tragedy. The ballad becomes a national lament, going beyond local areas, clans or classes.

The phrase “He was the Queen’s love” suggests both that the Queen had a personal affection and that Moray had political favour. He was worthy of admiration from the most noble lady in the land, deepening the sense of tragedy.

His own lady, of course, mourns him even more. Repetition of:

O lang will his lady / Lok frae the Castle Doune

This creates a lingering sense of grief and highlights the futility of her vigil and her suspended hope. This refrain emphasises the hidden cost of political violence – her futile wait becomes a symbol of national mourning.

The themes of loss and mourning are also shown in the other poems: