Scots wha?

So after yesterday's post I got interested in following up what evidence had been brought forward to support the claim that the tune of 'Scots wha hae', also known as 'Hey tutti taiti' dated back to the early 14th century (Bannockburn) or at least early 15th century (Jean d'Arc's entry into Orleans). For example we have no less a source than the official 'Education Scotland' website saying:

"But there is, we are told, a document in the French Château Royal de Blois that says the tune was played as a march by Joan of Arc's Scottish soldiers when she entered the city of Orleans on 29 April 1429"

Unfortunately they do not divulge who told them  - but more of this mysterious French connection later.

As far as I can see there are three main lines of evidence that get discussed. The first is based on the fact that Robert Burns himself averred:

" I have met the tradition universally over Scotland, and particularly about Stirling, in the neighbourhood of the scene, that this air was Robert the Bruce's March at the battle of Bannockburn, which was fought in 1314".

This seems to be sufficient for several authors (e.g. John Purser, perhaps following Stenhouse?) to note that a verse reported in Fabyan (1516) and Caxton (1415–1492) as a satirical song about the English from 1328 (the marriage of Robert the Bruce's son) fits the tune neatly, and therefore:

"there can scarcely be a doubt that it was adapted to this very air, which must,  of course, have been quite a common tune over all Scotland long before this period" [Stenhouse]

Stenhouse also seems to be the main source of the second theory, which is that the tune known in the 18th century as 'Hey tutti taiti' was in fact the same as  " Hey, now the Day daws", a song mentioned at least as early as the start of the 16th century in several sources, including by the Scots poet Dunbar. The actual basis for this association seems slim - Emmerson mentions that another 18th century song set to the same tune as 'Hey tutti tatti' was 'Bridekirks Hunting' which has a 'now the day dawns' line. On the other hand, the early 17th century Strachloch lute book contains a setting of  'The Day Dawes' which is a completely different tune.

The third argument is stated thus by Purser:

"We know from French records that the Scottish archers brought this tune to France and that it was heard when Joan of Arc entered Orleans..." (p.63)

And indeed it does seem the tune is known in France today as the 'Marche des Soldats de R. Bruce', and is played at the annual celebrations in Orleans of Jean of Arc's victory. So what are these mysterious 'French records'? Purser cites Leonce Chomel, who in 1911 published a piano score, as part of a series of 'Vieux Airs Militaires Francais', entitled  "MARCHE DES SOLDATS DE
ROBERT BRUCE + MARCHE QUI A ESTE JOUIEE POUR L'ENTREE TRIUMPHALE DE JEHANNE LA PUCELLE, A ORLEANS". I haven't been able to track down an actual copy, but it seems that Chomel claimed the march was "taken from a manuscript in the Archives of the Chateau Royal de Blois" (Purser). Chomel also seems to have been behind the performance of the march at a military event in 1910, for which the programme made the same claim for provenance (this is mentioned by Emmerson). But here the trail seems to go cold, apart from a few sceptical comments (both in 1910 and more recently) about Chomel's musical scholarship.