Bonny Lass of Fyvie
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Ron Clarke
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This tune gave rise to other versions, notably Fenario, and Pretty Peggy. The tune refers to the battle at Fyvie in 1644, where 1,000 Royalists commanded by the Marquis of Montrose
met an army of 3,500 Montrose won. (Montrose was later captured and executed.) 		There was a troop of Irish dragoons
Come marching down through Fyvie o
And their captain's fallen in love
with a handsome serving maid
And the name she was called was pretty Peggy o
There's many a bonny lass in the town of Auchterless
There's many a bonny lass in the Geerie o
There's many a bonny Jean in the town of Aberdeen
But the fairest of all of them's in Fyvie o

It's come down the stair pretty Peggy my dear
Come down the stair pretty Peggy o
It's come down the stair, bind back your yellow hair
Say farewell to your mammy o
There's many a bonny lass in the town of Auchterless
There's many a bonny lass in the Geerie o
There's many a bonny Jean in the town of Aberdeen
But the fairest of all of them's in Fyvie o

What would your mammy think
if she heard the guineas clink
And the hautboys playing afore you o
What would your mammy think
if she heard the guineas clink
And kent you were married to a soldier o
There's many a bonny lass in the town of Auchterless
There's many a bonny lass in the Geerie o
There's many a bonny Jean in the town of Aberdeen
But the fairest of all of them's in Fyvie o

O a soldier's wife I never will be
A soldier shall never enjoy me
For I do not intend to go to a foreign land
So I'll not be married to a soldier o
There's many a bonny lass in the town of Auchterless
There's many a bonny lass in the Geerie o
There's many a bonny Jean in the town of Aberdeen
But the fairest of all of them's in Fyvie o

O you'll not be a soldier's wife
For you'll be the captain's lady o
I'll make the troops to stand
with their hats into their hand
When they come in the presence of my Peggy o
There's many a bonny lass in the town of Auchterless
There's many a bonny lass in the Geerie o
There's many a bonny Jean in the town of Aberdeen
But the fairest of all of them's in Fyvie o

But the colonel he cries, Now mount, boys, mount
The captain he cries, Tarry o
O gang nae awa for another day or twa
Till we see if this bonny lass will marry o
There's many a bonny lass in the town of Auchterless
There's many a bonny lass in the Geerie o
There's many a bonny Jean in the town of Aberdeen
But the fairest of all of them's in Fyvie o

It was early next morning that we rode away
But o our captain was sorry o
The drums they did beat o'er the bonny braes of Gight
And the pipes played The Bonny Lowes o' Fyvie o
There's many a bonny lass in the town of Auchterless
There's many a bonny lass in the Geerie o
There's many a bonny Jean in the town of Aberdeen
But the fairest of all of them's in Fyvie o

And long ere we came into bonny Meldrun town
Our captain we had for to carry o
And long ere we came into bonny Aberdeen
Our captain we had for to bury o

Last Chorus:
Green grows the birk on bonny Ythanside
Low lie the lowlands of Fyvie o
Our captain's name was Ned and he died for a maid
He died for the chambermaid of Fyvie o
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