Bonnie Earl o' Moray
Shortened version of a ballad inspired by the unpopular murder of James Stewart, earl of Moray at the hands of George Gordon, earl of Huntly in 1592. Huntly had been commissioned by King James VI to fetch Moray for questioning about his alleged involvement in a treasonable plot. The third photograph shows the shore at Donibristle in Fife where the "bonnie earl" was chased from his burning house in the twilight and slaughtered on the rocks; his position betrayed, it was said, by his burning helmet tassel. He reputedly told Huntly delivering the death blow, "Ye hae spilt a better face than yer ain". Despite Moray's mother commissioning a death portrait to display in public showing her son's fatal wounds and pleading for justice from the King, James ignored her and the Kirk's pleas to bring Huntly to trial.