A Wave of Scottish Monarchs
by Marie Marshall
I wrote this piece of nonsense doggerel in 2010 especially for Visit Scotland (formerly the Scottish Tourist Board). I have no idea whether they ever used it at all. I had a mind to do it when I recalled the famous old jingle that listed the Kings and Queens of England. It began in 1066 with
Willie, Willie, Harry, Ste,
Harry, Dick, John, Harry 3
and continued till the end of the 19c with
Willie and Mary, Anna Gloria,
Four Georges, Willie, and Victoria.
Well, we had nothing like it for the Kings and Queens of Scots, so I just piled in. It’s all in fun, so enjoy!
© 2010 Marie Marshall
Marie Marshall 
My great-grandmother “Angela” (pronounced an-GEE-luh) McPherson who married George Newton Stafford bore my grandmother Sarah Ellen Stafford (her first) and within four days was dead. The father George, a carpenter, never re-married and “Grandma Sarah” lived her childhood, some of it, “farmed out” as something like an au pair and household help. After she graduated from a good high school in Florida and worked enough to stash away $600 (this was around 1920 or before) she somehow found and married my grandfather Thompson back in North Carolina. They had nine children and the first (named Rachel) was my mother, who died 2016 May 3rd age 91 – and someone pointed out in the days before her funeral and last Saturday, the day of her memorial church service – she would say what you wrote – specifically: “I had a mind to do it when” — or, in our early childhood, “I have a mind to” – whip you youngun’s.
I love it. Of course, human nature being what it is, the one that stands out is Ronald-who-wasn’t.
Makes me wonder. If Scotland reintroduced the monarchy, who would be claimants?
Could be in the line (along with a cast of millions): Robert (firstborn) and my brothers Elmer Harvey and Dewey Garland.