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In The complaint of Scotland (1549) “The Battel of Hayrlau” is noted as being a popular song. Child notes, however, that the original ballad has been lost and the most widely known poem of the battle was printed by Ramsay in 1724. The tune is in Wm. Mure of Rowallan’s Lute Manuscript (c 1612-28).

The Battle of Harlaw took place on July 24, 1411. To establish his claim to the Earldom of Ross, Donald of the Isles invaded the south with ten thousand islanders. At Harlaw, eighteen miles northwest of Aberdeen he was met by an army led by Alexander Stewart, Earl of Mar and Alexander Ogilby, sheriff of Angus. Donald lost more than 900 men and the Lowlanders lost five hundred, “including nearly all the gentry of Buchan.” Dunidier is a hill on the old road to Aberdeen and Netherha is less than two miles from that. Drumminor was more than twenty miles away.

from http://www.contemplator.com/child/harlaw.html

    Battle of Harlaw, The

    by trad
    As [D] I cam in by [G] Dunidier
    And [D] down by Nether [G] ha’,
    There were [D] fifty thoosand [G] Hieland men
    Cam [Bm] mairchin’ tae Harlaw.
    Wi’ a [G] dree dree dradie drumtie dree
    A [G] dree dree [A] drumtie [D] dra.

    As I cam on and further on
    And down and by Harlaw,
    They fell full close on every side;
    Sich fun ye never saw.
    Wi’ a dree dree dradie drumtie dree
    A dree dree drumtie dra.

    They fell full close on every side;
    Sich fun ye never saw,
    For Hieland swords gave clash for clash
    At the battle o’ Harlaw.
    Wi’ a dree dree dradie drumtie dree
    A dree dree drumtie dra.

    Brave Angus tae his brither said,
    “Now brither, do ye see?
    They beat us back on every side,
    And we’ll be forced tae flee.”
    Wi’ a dree dree dradie drumtie dree
    A dree dree drumtie dra.

    “O no, o no, my brither dear,
    That thing will never be;
    Tak ye your good sword in your hand
    And come your ways wi’ me.”
    Wi’ a dree dree dradie drumtie dree
    A dree dree drumtie dra.

    Then back tae back the brithers twa
    Went in amang the thrang,
    And they hewed doon the Hieland men
    Wi’ swords both sharp and lang.
    Wi’ a dree dree dradie drumtie dree
    A dree dree drumtie dra.

    MacDonal, he was young and stout,
    Had on his coat o’ mail,
    And he has gone oot through them all
    Tae try his hand himself.
    Wi’ a dree dree dradie drumtie dree
    A dree dree drumtie dra.

    With the first blow that Angus struck,
    He made MacDonal reel;
    With the next strike that Angus struck,
    The great MacDonal fell.
    Wi’ a dree dree dradie drumtie dree
    A dree dree drumtie dra.

    On a Monday, in the mornin’,
    The battle had begun;
    On Saturday, at twilight,
    Ye’d scarce know who had won.
    Wi’ a dree dree dradie drumtie dree
    A dree dree drumtie dra.

    If anybody asks of ye
    For them ye took away,
    Ye may tell their wives and little sons
    They’re sleepin’ at Harlaw.
    Wi’ a dree dree dradie drumtie dree
    A dree dree drumtie dra.