Long 'ere Her Majesty the Queen
Had visited of Aberdeen,
'Ere she in castle did abide
'Mong glorious hills on the Dee side,
Or visited each Highland glen,
Or won the hearts of Highland men,
Here oft' was seen in celtic dress
Two Stewarts brave in Inverness,
Well worthy of the poet's lyre.
They claimed Prince Charlie as grandsire,
And that they also did combine
Stuart with Royal Polish line,
Their names Sobieskie, Stuart,
They won many a Highland heart,
But Royal order did go forth
To build Balmoral Castle North,
Then wondrous change was quickly seen,
All hearts were captured by the Queen.
The Royal Stuarts are owners of large estates on the banks of the
Findhorn and their great rivals were near by the Royal Comyns. The Lion
Hunter Gordon Comyn was of this stock. Professor J. S. Blockie has
written a fine poem on the wars of the rival houses.
"Here where the dark water'd stream rushes free,
child of the mountain."