Kate Of Aberdeen
Poem By John Cunningham
Kate Of Aberdeen (also known as May Eve) is a Poem written by John Cunningham (1729-1773), set to the tune of the same name around the year 1766.While there is no provable link between the poem "Kate of Aberdeen," written by Dublin-born John Cunningham (1729–1773), and the dance "Bonny Kate of Aberdeen" by Thompson, it is noteworthy that a melody and country dance instructions for "Bonny Kate of Aberdeen" were originally published in 1751, and that Cunningham was writing poems and traveling around Scotland from about 1747.
Here is a description of the poem's history and the life of John Cunningham, found in Glen Collection of printed music, Illustrations of the lyric poetry and music of Scotland, Page 34 - May-Eve, Or Kate Of Aberdeen dated 1839:
Burns says, that "Kate of Aberdeen" is, I believe, the work of poor Cunningham the player, of whom the following anecdote, though told before, deserves a recital. "A fat dignitary of the church, coming past Cunningham one Sunday, as the poor poet was busy plying a fishing-rod in some stream near Durham, his native country, his reverence reprimanded Cunningham very severely for such an occupation on such a day. The poor poet, with that inoffensive gentleness of manners which was his peculiar characteristic, replied, that he hoped God and his reverence would forgive his seeming profanity of that sacred day, as he had no dinner to eat but what lay at the bottom of that pool. This, Mr Woods the player, who knew Cunningham well, and esteemed him much, assured me was true.
The late Mr William Woods, of the Theatre Royal, Edinburgh, was incorrect when he told Burns that Durham was the place of Cunningham's nativity. He was born in the year 1729 in Dublin, where his father, an eminent wine-merchant, (who was a descendant of the Cunninghams of Enterkine in Ayrshire) then resided. At the age of twelve he wrote several little poems, which are still admired, and he produced the only dramatic performance he left, viz. Love in a Mist, before he was seventeen.
Although both his voice and figure were rather against him, his passion for the stage obtained so strong a power over him, that he secretly left his parents, and embarked for England. After experiencing various vicissitudes of fortune as an itinerant player, he was, in 1761, engaged as a performer at the Edinburgh Theatre, at that time under the direction of Mr Love. Here he wrote some of his best pieces, and, as a poet, began to emerge from obscurity.
He afterwards repaired to London, in hopes of obtaining a more comfortable, as well as a more respectable subsistence in the literary world; but the bookseller, by whom he was employed, in a short time became bankrupt, and he once more returned to Scotland. At this period he was engaged by Mr Digges, who had now become manager of the Edinburgh Theatre, who treated our author with uncommon respect and kindness. Mr Cunningham resided in Edinburgh during the whole of Mr Digges' management of the Theatre.
He then went to Newcastle-upon-Tyne, which had formerly been his residence for several years, and which, to his last breath, he used emphatically to call his home. At this place, and in the neighbouring towns, he earned a moderate subsistence, and was much esteemed by several of the most respectable characters in the country. Mr Cunningham died at Newcastle on the 18th September, 1773, and was buried in St John's Church-yard.
As we have come to expect, alongside multiple versions of the song, several versions of this broadly similar poem also exist.
Below are two of the most popular versions of the poem, both by John Cunningham.
Related Scottish Country Dances
Bonnie Kate Of AberdeenKate Of Aberdeen By John Cunningham
Steals softly through the night,
To wanton with the winding stream,
And kiss reflected light.
To beds of state go, balmy sleep,
(Tis where you've seldom been,)
May's vigil whilst the shepherds keep
With Kate of Aberdeen.
Upon the green the virgins wait,
In rosy chaplets gay,
Till Morn unbar her golden gate,
And give the promised May.
Methinks I hear the maids declare,
The promised May, when seen,
Not half so fragrant, half so fair,
As Kate of Aberdeen.
Strike up the tabor's boldest notes,
We'll rouse the nodding grove;
The nested birds shall raise their throats,
And hail the maid I love:
And see--the matin lark mistakes,
He quits the tufted green:
Fond bird! 'tis not the morning breaks,
'Tis Kate of Aberdeen.
Now lightsome o'er the level mead,
Where midnight fairies rove,
Like them the jocund dance we'll lead,
Or tune the reed to love:
For see the rosy May draws nigh;
She claims a virgin queen!
And hark, the happy shepherds cry,
'Tis Kate of Aberdeen.
Kate Of Aberdeen By John Cunningham
The silver moon's enamour'd beam
Steals softly through the night,
To wanton with the winding stream,
And kiss reflected light:
To courts be gone, heart-soothing sleep,
Where you've so seldom been,
While I May's wakeful vigil keep
With Kate of Aberdeen.
The nymphs and swains expectant wait,
In primrose chaplets gay,
Till morn unbars her golden gate,
And gives the promis'd May:
The nymphs and swains shall all declare
The promis'd May when seen,
Not half so fragrant, half so fair,
As Kate of Aberdeen.
I'll tune my pipe to playful notes,
And rouse yon nodding grove,
Till new-wak'd birds distend their throats,
And hail the maid I love:
At her approach the lark mistakes,
And quits the new dress'd green:
Fond birds, 'tis not the morning breaks,
'Tis Kate of Aberdeen.
Now blithsome o'er the dewy mead,
Where elves desportive play,
The festal dance young shepherds lead,
Or sing their lov'd-tun'd lay,
Till May in morning robe draws nigh,
And claims a virgin queen;
The nymphs and swains exulting cry,
"Here's Kate of Aberdeen."

Kate Of Aberdeen, From Glen Collection Of Printed Music, Dale's 2nd Collection Of 60 Favourite Scotch Songs, Page 108, c. 1798
Image from National Library Of Scotland, licensed under Creative Commons BY-SA 4.0.