GATEHOUSE OF FLEET
the ROUSING JOURNEY
Burns visited the tiny hamlet of St. Mary's Isle to have dinner with The Earl of Selkirk. The next day he was travelling home with his friend John Syme and he seemed to be in a meditative state.
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It turns out that during this journey, Burns was thought to be composing Scots Wha Hae! When they stopped at The Murray Arms it is said that Burns penned the first draft known as Bruce's Address To His Army at Bannockburn.
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There is a letter from Burns that contradicts this story a bit but should it be true, The Murray Arms which still operates as a hotel today, and indeed Gatehouse of Fleet, can lay claim to an incredible piece of history!
​Gatehouse of Fleet may well be the destination to what appears to have been an incredible rousing journey ...
GATEHOUSE OF FLEET THE ROUSING JOURNEY
Scots, wha hae wi' Wallace bled
Scots, wham Bruce has aften led
Welcome to your gory bed
Or to Victorie!
Now's the day, and now's the hour
See the front o' battle lour
See approach proud Edward's power
Chains and Slaverie!
Wha will be a traitor knave?
Wha can fill a coward's grave?
Wha sae base as be a slave?
Let him turn and flee!
Wha for Scotland's King and Law
Freedom's sword will strongly draw
Free-man stand, or free-man fa'
Let him on wi' me!
By opression's woes and pains!
By your Son's in servile chains!
We will drain our dearest veins
But they shall be free!
Lay the proud Usurpers low!
Tyrants fall in every foe!
Liberty's in every blow!-
Let us Do or Die!
Robert Bruce's March to Bannockburn