Robert Burns - Exciseman

Knight
Burns Dark Side

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In the greatest irony of the Robert Burns Chess Set, Burns appears on the dark side as the Exciseman! In his last eight years, he was a diligent tax collector, travelling on horseback many hundreds of miles each week in pursuit of his duties.

This gave him not a few 'moral' problems as he crossed the paths of those he might otherwise support. Sympathetic to the French and American revolutions, his loyalties were severely tested when he captured the smugglers ship, The Rosamund. There is some evidence Burns purchased three of the Rosamund's cannons and forwarded them to the French revolutionaries. For other such 'indiscretions' he was interviewed for the crime of 'disloyalty to the State' and was rebuked. As part of that process he was instructed to 'act and not think'. At the time of his death, he was being considered for promotion. Irony indeed, as he had previously reviled the calling in 'The De'ils Awa Wi' the Exciseman.'

The de'il cam fiddlin thro' the town,
And danc'd awa wi the Exciseman,
And ilka wife cries 'Auld Mahoun'
I wish you luck o' the prize, man.
The De'ils awa wi' the Exciseman (February, 1792)

Robert Burns - Exciseman

Knight
Burns Dark Side

Price:
£0.00

0.00EUR

$0.00

Quantity:
Individual pieces available for purchase

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