The History Behind the Ballad of Mary Hamilton

The History Behind the Ballad of Mary Hamilton A folk ballad, possibly no older than the 18th century, tells a story about a servant or lady-in-waiting, Mary Hamilton, at the court of a Queen Mary, who had an affair with the king and was sent to the gallows for drowning her illegitimate child. The song refers to four Maries or four Marys: Mary Seaton, Mary Beaton,  and Mary Carmichael, plus Mary Hamilton. The Usual Interpretation The usual interpretation is that Mary Hamilton was a lady-in-waiting at the Scottish court of Mary, Queen of Scots (1542-1587) and that the affair was with the Queens second husband, Lord Darnley. Accusations of infidelity are consistent with stories of their troubled marriage. There were four Maries sent to France with the young Mary, Queen of Scots, by her mother, Mary of Guise, when the Scottish queen (whose father died when she was an infant) went to be raised there to marry the French Dauphin. But the names of two in the song are not quite accurate. The four Maries serving Mary, Queen of Scots, were Mary Beaton, Mary Seton, Mary Fleming, and Mary Livingston. And there was no story of an affair, drowning and hanging historically connected with the real four Maries. There was the 18th-century story of a Mary Hamilton, from Scotland, who had an affair with Peter the Great, and who killed her child by Peter and her two other illegitimate children. She was executed by decapitation on March 14, 1719. In a variation of that story, Peters mistress had two abortions before she drowned her third child. It is possible that an older folk song about the Stewart court was conflated with this story. Other Possibilities There are other possibilities that have been offered as roots of the story in the ballad: John Knox, in his History of the Reformation, mentions an incident of infanticide by a lady-in-waiting from France, after an affair with the apothecary of Mary, Queen of Scots. The couple was reported to have been hanged in 1563.Some have speculated that the old Queen referred to in the song was the Queen of Scots Mary of Guelders, who lived from about 1434 to 1463, and who was married to Scotlands King James II. She was regent for her son, James III, from her husbands death when a cannon exploded in 1460 to her own death in 1463. A daughter of James II and Mary of Guelders, Mary Stewart (1453 to 1488), married James Hamilton. Among her descendants was Lord Darnley, husband of Mary, Queen of Scots.More recently, Englands George IV, while still the Prince of Wales, is rumored to have had an affair with a governess of one of his sisters. The governess name? Mary Hamilton. But no story of a child, much less infanticide. Other Connections The story in the song is about unwanted pregnancy; could it be that the British birth control activist, Marie Stopes, took her pseudonym, Marie Carmichael, from this song? In Virginia Woolfs feminist text, A Room of Ones Own, she includes characters named Mary Beton, Mary Seton and Mary Carmichael. The History of the Song The Child Ballads were first published between 1882 and 1898 as The English and Scottish Popular Ballads. Francis James Child collected 28 versions of the song, which he classified as Child Ballad #173. Many refer to a Queen Marie and four other Maries, often with the names Mary Beaton, Mary Seaton, Mary Carmichael (or Michel) and the narrator, Mary Hamilton or Mary Mild, though there are some variations in the names. In various versions, she is the daughter of a knight or of the Duke of York or Argyll, or of a lord in the North or in the South or in the West. In some, only her proud mother is mentioned. Select Stanzas The first five and the last four stanzas from version 1 of Child Ballad #173: 1. Words gane to the kitchen,And words gane to the ha,That Marie Hamilton gangs wi bairnTo the hichest Stewart of a.2. Hes courted her in the kitchen,Hes courted her in the ha,Hes courted her in the laigh cellar,And that was warst of a.3. Shes tyed it in her apronAnd shes thrown it in the sea;Says, Sink ye, swim ye, bonny wee babe!Youl neer get mair o me.4. Down them cam the auld queen,Goud tassels tying her hair:O marie, wheres the bonny wee babeThat I heard greet sae sair? 5. There never was a babe intill my room,As little designs to be;It was but a touch o my sair side,Come oer my fair bodie.15. Oh little did my mother think,The day she cradled me,What lands I was to travel through,What death I was to dee.16. Oh little did my father think,The day he held up me,What lands I was to travel through,What death I was to dee.17. Last night I washd the queens feet,And gently laid her down;And a the thanks Ive gotten the nichtTo be hangd in Edinbro town!18. Last nicht there was four Maries,The nicht therel be but three;There was Marie Seton, and Marie Beton,And Marie Carmichael, and me.

Marketing Mix Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Marketing Mix - Assignment Example Anyone with the ability to express themselves in a convincing manner would have easily passed for a good marketer. I then discovered that I did not know what the process of marketing entails (Huang, pg.47). It is a general assumption that marketing entails travelling, talking and most importantly convincing. Most of my friends think that marketing is an easy and straight forward process. On the part of my relatives, marketing involves them asking of questions and ensuring they are convinced before they spend their money. The real issue of marketing is however a complex process. Marketing involves more than just words and convincing (Huang, pg. 67). A successful marketing is subject to a variety of factors like technology and skill. For the customer-company exchange to be successful, the marketing has to be efficient and up to the task. Use of modern technology in marketing is advisable. Despite saving time and money, managers have confirmed technology as a very efficient means of marketing. The marketing labor has to have a high level of skill and education in that field of practice. Drafting my marketing mix is not going to prove an easy job. In the face of prospective employers, I may require patience and technique to sell myself successfully. Employees also require skilled and experienced labor. I am going t gain skill through education, but time has to be consumed in the process of gaining experience I am also going to use technology to market myself to my prospective employees. I will develop a website from where potential employees can access any information they need about me. In as much as it is important to market myself to potential employees, it is a relatively difficult

Illegal Immigration - For illegal immigration for America Research Paper

Illegal Immigration - For illegal immigration for America - Research Paper Example It also includes the existing laws being implemented to combat this long-term issue that has conquered America by storm. It will also document the reasons as to why the US immigration policies failed as evidenced by the increasing number of illegal immigrants from all over the world. The role of government is given an emphasis to come- up with domestic policies to ensure that security and anti-terrorism concerns of the country are dealt with by law. Lastly, it will also provide the worldwide effect of immigration in the US and the participation of the other nations on how to prevent their citizens from entering the US without legal documentation. Keywords: illegal immigration, immigration laws, amnesty, legalization, illegal immigrants. ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION IN AMERICA Since time immemorial America has been considered the land of â€Å"milk and honey† for millions of people from all across the world. Most of the citizens from poor countries aim to reach America as their end dest ination thinking that this is the place where there is more than enough for everything. It has been perceived as the land of abundance, wealth and endless opportunities. The ultimate goal of the illegal immigrants is to enter US and land a job which will earn them a substantial income to support their families in their country of origin. However, at present time, we all know that America has been experiencing economic recession and even its countrymen were not spared of this crisis, as many became unemployed, homeless and suffered financial distress. Dubbed as the â€Å"nation of nations†, Lemay (2009, p. xv) has reported that the United States has absorbed immigrants from 170 countries across the globe. It has been the home of almost 70 million legal immigrants and experienced the influx of an estimated 11 million of illegal immigrants. The unauthorized flow of illegal immigrants entering the America is caused by inefficiencies of the immigration system of the US government to enact stricter laws and policies to address the current problems. History Ngai (2007, p.2) has reported that as early as 1920’s, the unauthorized entry has become the most common form of illegal immigration which has been condemned by both the state and the society. These unauthorized immigrants may either be welcome or unwelcomed by the US. They became in demand by the economic sector as their labor is cheap and replaceable. In the middle decades of the 20th century, they were only billeted in the western and southwestern agriculture. But at present, illegal immigrants have evolved and can be found in almost every region in the United States. Based on the records, the United States documented the number of immigrants who earned the status of authorized immigrants. â€Å"An approximate of 70 million of them forms part of the legal immigrants, but as history would tell us, the flow of unauthorized entrants likewise increased. According to LeMay (2007 p.1), the heavy traffi c of these illegal immigrants commenced after 1970, and the massive volume was recorded at present time. Today, there is an estimate of 10.5 to 11 million illegal immigrants living in the US. The Evolution of US Immigration Laws In the study made by Kenney (2009, pp. 21-23), she highlighted the significant immigration laws: The Immigration and International Act of 1965 was the law which set the limit on the immigrants coming from the Western Hemisphere, including Mexico. It set a limit of 20,000

Budget Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Budget Analysis - Essay Example Budget analysis Determination of Goals and objectives of the City It is very important to determine and consider the goals and objectives of the City Council of the Ypsilanti in the initial stage of preparing the council’s budget. Knowing the goals and objectives will help me as the budget officer understand and draw appropriate boundaries that reflect mission and annual goals of the organization1. Goals and objectives of the council will work as benchmark that guide me in staying within the limits of the council’s expectations of growth and development. Determination of Expenditure As the budget officer of the City of Ypsilanti, I will make thorough and critical consideration of the current expenditures incurred to help me in structuring and estimating the scope of expenditure likely to be incurred during the next financial year. As the budget officer of Ypsilanti City I will determine the contemporary expenditure records of the city council on various areas of its ope ration. This will help me draw a budget forecast of the next financial year.2 I will basically make consultations with the accountant and financial officers in the council. This move will assist me in collecting all receipts and or any other testimonials that disclose any kind of expenditure incurred by the council. As in the case of this city that witnesses daily entrance and exit of 20, 000 university students, I will need to determine the average daily costs incurred by the City Council of Ypsilanti to host such visitors. In addition, I will need to determine the total expenditure incurred by the council in caring and managing the 35000 potential residents of the city. The outcome will be added to the previous expenditure on visitors to determine the total cost on human operations. These expenditures together with other operational costs shall be calculated with high level of diligence and accuracy. With forecasts on the possible changes in future, I will be able to draw a realis tic budget for the city council3. Determination of Income For the budget administrator to draw a convincing and propelling budget that will attract the attention and recognition of the council legislators, he/she should indicate the possible incomes expected and their possible sources. I recognize that determination of income and their sources is a crucial stage that requires utmost diligence to convince the legislature to pass the budget. 4Indicating sources of income will make the budget of the City Council of Ypsilanti appear realistic and convenient. This will likely attract good participation and speculation of the legislators. As the budget manager in this city, I have decided that the city authority raise the gas tax to 51% and also raise vehicles registration fees to 57% in order to avail funds for repairing the road systems in this city. Other sources of required funds for the roads maintenance will also be gathered from 33% tax increase in the mileage travelled by vehicles operating within the city. Ensuring balance The next and probably sensitive point in preparing the budget of the city council is achieving a balance between the expenditure and the expected income. I understand that council legislatures will not approve any budget viewed to cause big deficit above the financing

The Role Of Social Performance Of Organizations Assignment

The Role Of Social Performance Of Organizations - Assignment Example A business has to consider the social factors for proper operation and efficient functioning. A successful organization is the one that one that can create a relationship that can last for a long time with its customers. How the two relate should be of a mutual benefit i.e. the decisions made by the business and the social policies should be in line with the principle of shared value. A successful business is always brought about by the improvement in the living standard of the people where the organization operates.Apple Company was developed in 1/04/1976 bb Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak who are the co-founders. Apple Inc. is a multinational corporation that was incorporated on January 3, 1997. It designs, manufactures, and sells electronics, software, online services, portable digital music players, and laptops. By revenue, it is the second largest information technology in the world after Samsung Electronics, and the third in the world in terms of mobile phone makers. Its main serv ices and products are iPad, iPod, iPhone, Mac, Apple TV, a package of users and professional software application, OSX and iOS operation systems, iCloud, and many other accessories, services, and offerings. Apple Inc. is best known for its creative and proprietary software and hardware and has reached many milestones in the world of technology in the recent years. Studies have shown that it is among the most admired organizations in the world and it tops in innovation and management of employees (Linzmayer, O. W 2004).

Comfort Letter Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Comfort Letter - Case Study Example 1In the suit, Kleinwort Benson, or KB for brevity, proposed to extend a loan to MMC Metals Ltd or Metals for short, which is a subsidiary of Malaysia Mining Corporation (or Malaysia Ming). In the process of the lending proposal, KB requested from Malaysia Mining a letter to the effect that the latter would assure KB that Metals would pay the liability when it became due. At first, KB wanted to ask for a guarantee from Malaysia Mining. In essence, KB desired a situation that if Metals could not settle the debt, Malaysia Mining, as the parent company, would be under legal obligation to be subrogated into the shoes of Metals, the subsidiary. Malaysia Mining did not heed the call of KB. In lieu of the letter supposedly clearly defining the mother company as a guarantor of the debt of Metals, Malaysia Mining wrote a prudently crafted letter where it was stated that it was the policy of the company (Malaysia Mining) to ensure that Metals would always be in a capacity to pay back what was b orrowed from KB. The carefully worded correspondence is now the so-called comfort letter at issue. When Metals became troubled with insolvency owing to the predicaments of the tin industry because of the problematic world market, KB claimed payment from Malaysia Mining for the obligation of Metals. KB charged that Malaysia Mining had made a promise to prevent going into a situation where it could not pay its debts. The question now is whether or not Malaysia Mining is liable to KB on the basis of the language set forth in the comfort letter. The court that finally ruled the case answered in the negative. In this paper, independent views are hereby conveyed regarding the matter. The facts have to be analyzed in sufficient detail. At the outset, it is undisputed that KB requested from Malaysia Mining a documentary guarantee whereby the latter would have been bound by the accountability of its subsidiary. From this act and notion alone, it was readily clear that without that guarantee, KB was not holding on anything as would make Malaysia Mining a co-debtor or co-borrower of Metals. It was precisely because of this vacuum that KB asked for a written commitment from Malaysia Mining for the latter to give an assurance for the payment of the loan in the possibility that Metals would not be able to pay the debt. Malaysia Mining refused and the refusal manifestly exhibited the position of the parent corporation that it did not opt to become a co-borrower of its subsidiary or to stand as its guarantor. When KB pushed through with the loan covenant, it took the risk of probably failing to collect from Metals. When indeed Metals was not able to settle the liability, there was no reason to make Malaysia Mining legally responsible to tender payment based on the comfort letter which it sent to KB because, in the first place, there was nothing in the comfort letter making or even presuming Malaysia Mining to be so liable. Going to the language used by Malaysia Mining, the ruling in its favor became more convincing when it declared no commitment to pay for and in behalf of Metals by refusing to sign a guarantee. It simply made known a policy which was not a promise or a pledge. To make a comparison, one who says it is his policy to be honest is different from when he promises to be honest. A policy of the state for space exploration is not a promise for definite courses of action to explore the space. Neither

Analyze an online article called Does Gender Matter by Ben.A Barres Essay

Analyze an online article called Does Gender Matter by Ben.A Barres - Essay Example First it acts as the backdrop. He argues that women are not pursuing sciences in academics mainly because of discrimination unlike what Lawrence and the others have based their argument on; that, women fail to advance in sciences due to difference in instinctive inability between men and women. This paper addresses the common expressed forms of discriminations that women go through and the risks that the writer takes in addressing this issue. Risks taken by writers to prove the impacts of female discriminations are far-fetched. Ben Bares refers to the before said hypothesis as, ``Larry summer hypothesis†.   He based his argument on that, a part from the major social factors that might make women to hate sciences and mathematics from a tender age, there is still slight evidence that there exists difference in gender abilities in mathematics which are innate or which are slightly relevant to lack of progression of women in sciences.   He explains that it is a fact that the society assumes that the women are less innately able in comparison to men. He further says this assumption is the foremost reason  why women are slow in progressing in sciences and mathematics. Ben Bares in rejecting the hypothesis by Lawrence Summers, Bares takes a great risk because he has to prove that it is not scientifically proven and there is no data supporting such claims. This he does warning that he dies not intent to battle with men or turn them into villains as  expressed in the quote, â€Å"I have no desire to make men into villain.† Bares take this risk so that he could protect the female gender in the society because in the past years it has faced much discrimination and there is no one who stood to protect their desires. This risk pays off well because it brought a great debate which has been discussed for months turning to years making him famous in protecting women in the society. Even before anybody could think of importance of studying the issue of