Such a Parcel of Rogues in a Nation

"Such a Parcel of Rogues in a Nation" is a Scottish folk song whose lyrics are taken from a poem written by Robert Burns in 1791. It has continued to be associated with Scottish nationalism and also been referenced in other situations where politicians' actions have gone against popular opinion.

Lines from the poem being used on a banner at a protest at the Scottish Parliament

Background

In 1695 an Act of the Scottish Parliament set up the "Company of Scotland Trading in Africa and the Indies" generally just called the Company of Scotland. Although the Act limited investors to a maximum of £3000 simple maths shows that the investors found a way around this and on average invested £35,000 each (around £4 million in modern terms). A total of £400,000 was raised.

The main venture undertaken was the disastrous Darien Scheme, a very ill-advised idea to colonise Panama. The investors and shareholders lost everything by 1698/99. The main investors, some 30 in number, were Scots or ex-Scots living in London.[1] In the early 1700s a plan was devised, partly within the group, and partly with the necessary politicians, to reimburse the investors 100% of their loss (plus a small bonus) if (but only if) they negotiated the relinquishing of the Scottish Parliament. If the 40 signatories to the Act of Union of 1707 are compared to those on the Company of Scotland the "rogues" can be identified.[2] These include:

Scottish politicians signing the Act were:

Other shareholders compensated (but not signing the Act of Union) included:

One Englishman was a member of the Company of Scotland and signatory to the Act, and certainly under modern rules would be deemed to have an unacceptable personal interest and motive in the Act:

History of the Poem

"Such a Parcel of Rogues in a Nation" was written by Scotland's National poet Robert Burns in 1791.[3] He decried those members of the Parliament of Scotland who signed the Act of Union with England in 1707. Burns contrasted their supposed treachery to the country with the tradition of martial valour and resistance commonly associated with such historic figures as Robert the Bruce and William Wallace. The poet states that he wishes to have lain in the grave with Bruce or Wallace, than have seen this treacherous sale of Scotland in his lifetime.

The melody and lyrics were published in volume 1 of James Hogg's Jacobite Reliques of 1819 (no. 36).[4]

Recordings

The song was revived in the 20th century by Ewan MacColl, whose recording of it can be found on the collection The Real MacColl. Steeleye Span later included it under the name Rogues in a Nation on their album Parcel of Rogues, and it has been covered by numerous other musicians, including The Corries, Alastair McDonald, Jean Redpath, The Dubliners (Luke Kelly), Dick Gaughan, Makem and Clancy, Hamish Imlach, Old Blind Dogs, Jesse Ferguson--The Bard of Cornwall and Heelster Gowdie.

A spoken word version was recorded by Bill Drummond of The KLF as the closer of his solo album The Man (1986).

Lyrics

The song's lyrics are in Lowlands Scots.

Fareweel to a' our Scottish fame,
Fareweel our ancient glory;
Fareweel ev'n to the Scottish name,
Sae fam'd in martial story.
Now Sark rins over Solway sands,
An' Tweed rins to the ocean,
To mark where England's province stands-
Such a parcel of rogues in a nation!
What force or guile could not subdue,
Thro' many warlike ages,
Is wrought now by a coward few,
For hireling traitor's wages.
The English steel we could disdain,
Secure in valour's station;
But English gold has been our bane -
Such a parcel of rogues in a nation!
O would, ere I had seen the day
That Treason thus could sell us,
My auld grey head had lien in clay,
Wi' Bruce and loyal Wallace!
But pith and power, till my last hour,
I'll mak this declaration;
We're bought and sold for English gold-
Such a parcel of rogues in a nation![5]

References
  1. https://www.rps.ac.uk/search.php?action=print&id=54250&filename=williamii_trans&type=trans
  2. https://www.scottisharchivesforschools.org/union1707/documentDownloads/Signatures.pdf
  3. Burns Country
  4. Hogg, James (1819). The Jacobite relics: volume 1. Edinburgh: William Blackwood. p. 56.
  5. The Jacobite Relics of Scotland
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