Text: Kate Rusby. Bonny House Of Airlie.

It fell on a day, a bonnie, bonnie day,
When the corn, grew green and yellow,
That there fell out, a great dispute,
Between Argyll and Airlie

Argyll he's raised up, five hundred men,
Five hundred men, and many,
He's led 'em down to the bonnie Dunkell,
Made them shoot the bonnie house of Airlie

A Lady was looking, over the castle walls,
And oh, but she looks weary,
And there she spied, the great Argyll,
Come to plunder the bonnie house of Airlie

Come down, the stairs, Lady he said,
Come down and kiss me fairly,
I'll not come down, nor kiss you she said,
Though you won't leave, a standing stone at Airlie

I have but one favour, to ask of thee Argyll,
And I hope, that you will grant me fairly,
Oh take me down to some dark, dowry den
Where I can't see, the plundering or Airlie

He's taken her by, her left shoulder,
And oh, but she looks weary,
He's led her up, to the top of the town,
Made her watch, the plundering of Airlie

Oh fire on, fire on,
my many men oh,
and see that you fire clearly.
Oh I vow and I swear by this broad sword I wear, I won?t leave a standing stone at Airlie.

If the great Sir John had been but at home
as he is this night with Prince Charlie.
Neither Argyll nor any Scottish Lord dare have plundered the bonnie house of Airlie.

Seven saddend sons I brought unto him
and the eighth ner saw his daddy.
If I were to bear a hundred more
they?d all draw sword for Prince Charlie,
oh If I were to bear a hundred more
they?d all draw sword for Prince Charlie.


(Thanks to David for these lyrics and to mspray for these corrections)