Annotation:Fourth of June (The)
FOURTH OF JUNE, THE. AKA and see "Flora MacDonald", "Miss MacDonald's (4) (Reel)." English, Scottish; Country Dance Tune (cut time). E Dorian. Standard tuning (fiddle). This popular reel goes by a variety of titles and spelling variants (see note for the alternate title, above), although most of the titles have to do with Scotswoman Flora MacDonald, who was reputed to have given King George's nemesis, Bonnie Prince Charlie, refuge after the Jacobite defeat at Culloden in 1746. In addition to the "Fourth of June" printing by John Walsh, the melody can be found in Longman and Broderip's Compleat Collection of 200 Favorite Country Dances (London, 1781, p. 52) under the title "Miss McDonald's Reel" (see Miss MacDonald's), with "Fourth of June" given as an alternate title.
The Fourth of June was the birthday of King George III (1738-1820), once a day of celebration. Paul Cooper[1] points out that the date in 1746 coincides (probably deliberately) with the ceremonial burning of fourteen Jacobite army military Colors (i.e. flags/banners) captured at the Battle of Culloden a few months prior. They were burnt at Edinburgh's Mercat Cross by the city hangman. The Scots Magazine recorded the event in their June 1746 issue:
Fourteen rebel colours taken at Culloden were brought to Edinburgh on the 31st of May and lodged in the Castle. On Wednesday, the 4th of June, at noon, they were brought down to the Cross, the Pretender’s own Standard carried by the hangman, and the rest by chimney-sweepers, escorted by a detachment of Lee’s Regiment. The Sheriffs, attended by the heralds, pursevants, trumpets, city constables, etc. and escorted by the city guard, walked out from the Parliament Close to the Cross, where proclamation ws made by the oldest herald that the colours belonging to the rebels were ordered, by the Duke of Cumberland, to be burnt by the hands of the common hangman. The Pretender’s own Standard was then put into a fire prepared for the purpose, and afterwards, all the rest one by one a herald always proclaiming to whom each belonged, the trumpets sounding, and the populace, of which there was a great number assembled, huzzaing.
