sections:

Robert Fergusson Cotter's Saturday Night - Wilkie Painting Cotter's Saturday Night - Etching Cotter's Saturday Night - Re-Enactment Tam O'Shanter - Scene Inside Kirk Tam O'Shanter - Witch Chasing Tam Tam O'Shanter - An Audio Clip Tam O'Shanter - Souter Johnny's Thatched House Tam O'Shanter - Brig O'Doon Other Works - Poem On Glass Pane Other Works - 'Macpherson's Farewell'

Song, Macpherson's Farewell, by Robbie Burns (audio clip)

"MacPherson's Rant", sung by Christine Kydd, first appeared in print in 1701 the year following the hanging of freebooter James MacPherson at the Plainstones, Banff.

Robert Burns revised the lyrics for publication in 1788. The song tells of how the outlaw played a tune on his fiddle before he broke it over his knee at the gallows.

MacPherson was born illegitimately in Inverness-shire during the 17th century. His reputation was widespread both as outlaw and fiddle player. He was captured and hanged in Banff, Aberdeenshire in November 1700.

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