Rob Roy MacGregor - Wikipedia

Thanks Maj Marty Hogan for letting us know that March 7 is the anniversary of the birth of Scottish Highland outlaw Robert Roy MacGregor [Gaelic: Raibeart Ruadh MacGriogair] whose "reputation as a Scottish Robin Hood was exaggerated in Sir Walter Scott’s novel Rob Roy (1818) and in some passages in the poems of William Wordsworth. He frequently signed himself Rob Roy (“Red Rob”), in reference to his dark red hair."

At the bottom I have posted the text of William Wordsworth's poem.

"Rob’s father, Donald MacGregor, a younger brother of the chief of the clan MacGregor, received a military commission from the deposed king James II after the Glorious Revolution (1688–89). Rob was a freebooter with uncertain loyalty to James and was probably also engaged in cattle stealing and blackmail, old and at that time still honourable Highland practices. When the penal laws against the MacGregors were reintroduced in 1693, Rob took the name of Campbell. Since his lands lay between those of the rival houses of Argyll and Montrose, for a time he was able to play one off against the other to his own advantage. James Graham, 1st duke of Montrose, succeeded in entangling him in debt, and by 1712 Rob was ruined.

Rob then embarked on a career of brigandage, chiefly at the expense of Montrose, whom Rob continued to blame for his downfall and with whom he feuded for years. During the Jacobite (pro-Stuart) rebellion of 1715, he was distrusted by both sides and plundered each impartially. After the rebellion was put down, he was treated leniently because of the intercession of John Campbell, 2nd duke of Argyll. Rob continued his exploits against Montrose until 1722, when Argyll brought about a reconciliation. Later, however, Rob was arrested and confined in Newgate Prison, London; he was pardoned in 1727 when about to be transported to Barbados.

In his old age Rob became a Roman Catholic. His letters show that he was well educated; the view of him as a mere brutish highwayman seems not to do him justice."
From britannica.com/biography/Rob-Roy

Rest in peace Robert Roy MacGregor!

Rob Roy MacGregor + Brenda Stubbert's Reel ~ Fiddle Tunes!
"Here are two fun fiddle tunes: A Scottish strathspey called Rob Roy MacGregor, and Brenda Stubbert's Reel -- a Cape Breton reel that was composed by Jerry Holland in honor of the fiddler, Brenda Stubbert! I also edited together a video showing some of the places I visited when I went to Scotland this summer. =) I had a mountain of footage to sift through, and it was hard to decide which short clips would go into the video. :o

Rob Roy MacGregor Strathspey (also known as Rob Ruadh Macghriogair) is an old tune. I'm not sure who wrote it, but I don't hear it played very often - at least not in Colorado. I really like how it sounds, and I hope we start to play it a lot more often! The tune waffles between minor and major keys, and it sort of makes the tune flip between sounding dreary and sad to happy and hopeful. I've heard that Robert Roy MacGregor was a cattle drover (in the United States, we'd probably be more familiar with referring to a cattle drover as a "cowboy"...) and outlaw -- with stories about him depicting him as a Scottish version of Robinhood. Perhaps his more mischievous moments may be why the tune shifts between major and minor?"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qc1FO-rqNeE

Rob Roy's Grave by William Wordsworth
"A famous man is Robin Hood,
The English ballad-singer's joy!
And Scotland has a thief as good,
An outlaw of as daring mood;

She has her brave Rob Roy!
Then clear the weeds from off his Grave,
And let us chant a passing stave,
In honour of that Hero brave!

Heaven gave Rob Roy a dauntless heart
And wondrous length and strength of arm:
Nor craved he more to quell his foes,
Or keep his friends from harm.

Yet was Rob Roy as wise as brave;
Forgive me if the phrase be strong;—
A Poet worthy of Rob Roy
Must scorn a timid song.

Say, then, that he was wise as brave;
As wise in thought as bold in deed:
For in the principles of things
He sought his moral creed.

Said generous Rob, "What need of books?
Burn all the statutes and their shelves:
They stir us up against our kind;
And worse, against ourselves.

"We have a passion—make a law,
Too false to guide us or control!
And for the law itself we fight
In bitterness of soul.

"And, puzzled, blinded thus, we lose
Distinctions that are plain and few:
These find I graven on my heart:
That tells me what to do.

"The creatures see of flood and field,
And those that travel on the wind!
With them no strife can last; they live
In peace, and peace of mind.

"For why?—because the good old rule
Sufficeth them, the simple plan,
That they should take, who have the power,
And they should keep who can.

"A lesson that is quickly learned,
A signal this which all can see!
Thus nothing here provokes the strong
To wanton cruelty.

"All freakishness of mind is checked;
He tamed, who foolishly aspires;
While to the measure of his might
Each fashions his desires.

"All kinds, and creatures, stand and fall
By strength of prowess or of wit:
'Tis God's appointment who must sway,
And who is to submit.

"Since, then, the rule of right is plain,
And longest life is but a day;
To have my ends, maintain my rights,
I'll take the shortest way."

And thus among these rocks he lived,
Through summer heat and winter snow:
The Eagle, he was lord above,
And Rob was lord below.

So was it—would, at least, have been
But through untowardness of fate;
For Polity was then too strong—
He came an age too late;

Or shall we say an age too soon?
For, were the bold Man living now,
How might he flourish in his pride,
With buds on every bough!

Then rents and factors, rights of chase,
Sheriffs, and lairds and their domains,
Would all have seemed but paltry things,
Not worth a moment's pains.

Rob Roy had never lingered here,
To these few meagre Vales confined;
But thought how wide the world, the times
How fairly to his mind!

And to his Sword he would have said,
"Do Thou my sovereign will enact
From land to land through half the earth!
Judge thou of law and fact!

"'Tis fit that we should do our part,
Becoming, that mankind should learn
That we are not to be surpassed
In fatherly concern.

"Of old things all are over old,
Of good things none are good enough:—
We'll show that we can help to frame
A world of other stuff.

"I, too, will have my kings that take
From me the sign of life and death:
Kingdoms shall shift about, like clouds,
Obedient to my breath."

And, if the word had been fulfilled,
As might have been, then, thought of joy!
France would have had her present Boast,
And we our own Rob Roy!

Oh! say not so; compare them not;
I would not wrong thee, Champion brave!
Would wrong thee nowhere; least of all
Here standing by thy grave.

For Thou, although with some wild thoughts
Wild Chieftain of a savage Clan!
Hadst this to boast of; thou didst love
The liberty of man.

And, had it been thy lot to live
With us who now behold the light,
Thou would'st have nobly stirred thyself,
And battled for the Right.

For thou wert still the poor man's stay,
The poor man's heart, the poor man's hand;
And all the oppressed, who wanted strength,
Had thine at their command.

Bear witness many a pensive sigh
Of thoughtful Herdsman when he strays
Alone upon Loch Veol's heights,
And by Loch Lomond's braes!

And, far and near, through vale and hill,
Are faces that attest the same;
The proud heart flashing through the eyes,
At sound of Rob Roy's name."

FYI COL Mikel J. Burroughs LTC Stephen C. LTC Wayne Brandon LTC Bill Koski Maj Bill Smith, Ph.D. Capt Seid Waddell Capt Tom Brown MSG Andrew White SFC William Farrell SSgt Robert Marx PO1 William "Chip" Nagel SGT John " Mac " McConnell SP5 Mark Kuzinski SP5 Robert Ruck SPC Margaret Higgins SGT Charles H. Hawes SGT (Join to see) SGT (Join to see) CPL Craig Cheltenham

I worked with a LCDR MacGregor, at one point. I didn't know him very well, so never put 2 and 2 together. At the annual Christmas party, the LCDR showed up in full Scottish regalia...kilt and all. We were doing our rounds and I introduced my wife to him. (again, I didn't know him well, so didn't know his first name) He tells my wife to call him "Rob." I then ask if his middle name is by any chance "Roy." Yep! He proclaimed that he was some distant relative. Don't know if the story is true, but there is a Naval officer running around with the name Rob Roy MacGregor.

Maj Marty Hogan Good morning and great share! This was an outstanding movie!