Sent to us by Tim McDonald via Matt Seattle; another piper’s elegy, in ‘standard Habbie’ format, this time in Doric.

 Here we give the opening verses that describe Willy as a piper. Many verses follow which describe him in the roles listed in the title below. Notes attached identify him as ‘fowler’ to Mr Garden of Troup. who Matt has identified as Alexander Garden (1714-85) of Troup, Banff. Quite what the connection with Middleton is, is not clear; there is a Middleton House to the northwest of The Loch of Strathbeg in northern Aberdeenshire, but the seat of the Clan Middleton is near Fettercairn (formerly known as Middleton), south-west of Aberdeen.

From the Caledonian Mercury, Wednesday, 14 August 1782. The letters ‘C. A. P.’ appear at the end of the verses; though the title above ascribes them to ‘a Gentlemen in Edinburgh’. The language is Doric, as spoken in Banff and much of Aberdeenshire.