AN EPISODE OF THE ‘FORTY-FIVE
1.There are seven men in Moy Castle Are merry men this night；There are seven men in Moy Castle Whose hearts are gay and light.
2.Prince Charlie came to Moy Castle，And asked for shelter there，And down came Lady M’Intosh，As proud as she was fair.
3.“I‘m a hunted man，Lady M’Intosh-A price is on my head！
If Lord Loudon knew thou‘dst sheltered me，Both thou and I were sped .”
4.“Come in！come in，my prince！”she said And opened wide the gate；“To die with Prince Charlie Stuart，I ask no better fate.”
5.She’s called her seven trusty men，The blacksmith at their head：
“Ye shall keep watch in the castle wood，To save your prince from dread.”
6.The lady has led the prince away，To make him royal cheer？
The seven men of M‘Intosh Have sought the forest drear.
7.And there they looked and listened，Listened and looked amain ；And they heard the falling of the leaves，And the soft sound of the rain.
8.The blacksmith knelt beside an oak，And laid his ear to the ground，And under the noises of the wood He heard a distant sound.
9.He heard a sound of many feet Warily treading the heather-He heard a sound of many men Marching softly together.
10.“There’s no time now to warn the prince，The castle guards are few；‘Tis wit will win the play to-night，And what we here can do.”
11.He’s gi‘en the word to his six brethren，And through the wood they’re gone；The seven men of M‘IntoshEach stood by himself alone.
12.“And he who has the pipes at his back，His best now let him play；And he who has no pipes at his back，His best word let him say.”
13.It was five hundred Englishmen Were treading the purple heather，Five hundred of Lord Loudon’s men Marching softly together.
14.“There‘s none to-night in Moy Castle But servants poor and old；If we bring the prince to Loudon’s lord，He‘ll fill our hands with gold.”
15.They came lightly on their way，Had never a thought of ill，When suddenly from the darksome wood Broke out a whistle shrill.
16.And straight the wood was filled with cries，With shouts of angry men，And the angry skirlo’the bagpipesCame answering the shouts again.
17.The Englishmen looked and listened，Listened and looked amain，And nought could they see through the mirkBut the pipes shrieked out again.
18.“Hark to the slogan of Lochiel，To Keppoch‘s gathering cry！Hark to the rising swell that tellsClanranald’s men are nigh！
19.”Now woe to the men that told us Lochiel was far away！
The whole of the Highland army Is waiting to bar our way.
20.“It‘s little we’ll see of Charlie Stuart，And little of Loudon‘s gold，And but we’re away from this armèd wood，Our lives have but little hold.”
21.It was five hundred Englishmen，They turned their faces and ran，And well for him with the swiftest foot，For he was the lucky man.
22.And woe to him who was lame or slow，For they trampled him on the heather！
And back to the place from whence they cameThey‘re hirplingall together.
23.Lord Loudon’s men，they are gone full far Over the brow of the hill；The seven men of M‘Intosh，Their pipes and crying are still.
24.They leaned them to a tree and laughed，’Twould do ye good to hear，And they are away to Moy Castle To tell their lady dear.
25.And who but Lady M‘Intosh Would praise her men so hold？
And who but Prince Charlie Stuart Would count the good French gold？
26.There are seven men in Moy Castle Are joyful men this night；There are seven men in Moy Castle Whose hearts will aye be ligh.