Sound, sound the music, sound it, Let hills and dales rebound it: Let hills and dales rebound it, In Praise of archery: Its origin divine is, The practice brave and fine is, Which generously inclines us To guard our liberty. Art, by the gods employed, By which heroes enjoyed, By which heroes enjoyed The wreaths of victory. The deity of Parnassus, The god of soft caresses, Chaste Cynthia and her lasses, Delight in archery. See, see yon bow extended! 'Tis Jove himself that bends it, 'Tis Jove himself that bends it, O'er clouds on high it glows. All nations, Turks and Parthians, The Tartars and the Scythians, The Arabs, Moors and Indians, With brav'ry draw their bows. Our own true records tell us, That none cou'd e'er excel us, That none cou'd e'er excel us In martial archery: With shafts our fires engaging, Oppos'd the Romans raging, Defeat the fierce Norwegian, And spar'd few Danes to flee. Witness Largs (a) and Loncartie (b) Dunkel (c) and Aberlemny, (d) Dunkel and Aberlemny, Rosline (e,) and Bannockburn (f) The Cheviots ________ all the border, Were bowmen in brave order, Told enemies, if furder They mov'd, they'd ne'er return. Sound, sound the musick, sound it, Let hills and dales rebound it, Let hills and dales rebound it, In praise of archery. Us'd as a game it pleases, The mind to joy it raises, And throws off all diseases Of lazy luxury. Now, now our care beguiling, When all the year looks smiling, When all the year looks smiling, With healthful harmony: The sun in glory glowing, With morning due bestowing, Sweet fragrance, life, and growing, To flower and every tree. 'Tis now the archers royal, An hearty band and loyal, An hearty band and loyal, That in just thoughts agree. Appear in ancient bravery, Despising all base knavery, Which tends to bring in slavery Souls worthy to live free. Sound, sound the musick, sound it, Fill up the glass and round wi't, Fill up the glass and round wi't, Health and prosperity. 'T' our great chief and officers, 'T' our president and consellors: To all who, like their brave forbears, Delight in archery.
(a) Largs, where the Norwegians, headed by their valiant King Haco, were, anno 1263, totally defeat by Alexander III. King of Scots; the heroic Alexander, great Steward of Scotland, commanded the right wing.
(b) Loncartie, near Perth, where King Kenneth III. obtained the victory over the Danes, which was principally owing to the valour and resolution of the first brave Hay, and his sons.
(c) Dunkel, here, and in Kyle, and on the banks of Tay, our great King Corberdus Galdus, in three battles overthrew 30,000 Romans in the reign of the Emperor Domitian.
(d) Aberlemny, four miles from Brechin, where King Malcolm II. obtained a glorious victory over the united armies of Danes, Norwegians, Cumbrians, &c. commanded by Sueno King of Denmark, and his warlike son Prince Canute.
(e) Rosline, about five miles south of Edinburgh, where 10,000 Scots, led by Sir John Cumin and Sir Simon Frazer, defeat in three battles, in one day, 30,000 of their enemies, anno 1303.
(f) The battles of Bannockburn and Cheviot, &c. are so well known, that they require no notes.
Embro, Embro Copyright © 2001, Jack Campin
