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The author requests permission yet farther to verify the subject of his poem, by an extract from the logical work of Buchanan of Auchmar, upon Scottish surnames.

Four or five persons, whether relations or lovers of his mistress is uncertain, beset the disguised monarch, as he returned from his rendezvous. Naturally gallant, and an admirable master of his weapon, the king took post on the high and narrow bridge over the Almond << This John Buchanan of Auchmar and Arnpryor river, and defended himself bravely with his sword. A was afterwards termed King of Kippen, ' upon the folpeasant, who was threshing in a neighbouring barn, lowing account: King James V., a very sociable, decame out upon the noise, and, whether moved by com- bonair prince, residing at Stirling, in Buchanan of passion or by natural gallantry, took the weaker side, Arnpryor's time, carriers were very frequently passing and laid about with his flail so effectually, as to dis- along the common road, being near Arnpryor's house, perse the assailants, well threshed, even according to with necessaries for the use of the king's family; and the letter. He then conducted the king into his barn, he, having some extraordinary occasion, ordered one of where his guest requested a basin and towel, to remove these carriers to leave his load at his house, and he the stains of the broil. This being procured with would pay him for it; which the carrier refused to do, difficulty, James employed himself in learning what telling him he was the king's carrier, and his load for was the summit of his deliverer's earthly wishes, and his majesty's use; to which Arnpryor seemed to have found that they were bounded by the desire of possess- small regard, compelling the carrier, in the end, to ing, in property, the farm of Braehead, upon which leave his load; telling him, if King James was king of he laboured as a bondsman. The lands chanced to Scotland, he was king of Kippen, so that it was reasonbelong to the crown: and James directed him to come able he should share with his neighbour king in some to the palace of Holyrood, and enquire for the Gude- of these loads, so frequently carried that road. The man (i. e. farmer) of Ballanguich, a name by which he carrier representing this usage, and telling the story, was known in his excursions, and which answered to as Arnpryor spoke it, to some of the king's servants, the Il Bondocani of Haroun Alraschid. He presented it came at length to his majesty's ears, who, shortly himself accordingly, and found, with due astonish- thereafter, with a few attendants, came to visit his ment, that he had saved his monarchi's life, and that neighbour king, who was in the mean time at dinner. he was to be gratified with a crown-charter of the King James having sent a servant to demand access, lands of Braehead, under the service of presenting an was denied the same by a tall fellow with a battle ewer, basin, and towel, for the king to wash his hands, axe, who stood porter at the gate, telling, there could be when he shall happen to pass the Bridge of Cramond. no access till dinner was over. This answer not satisThis person was ancestor of the Howisons of Brae-fying the king, he sent to demand access a second time; head, in Mid-Lothian, a respectable family, who continue to hold the lands (now passed into the female line) under the same tenure.

Another of James's frolics is thus narrated by Mr Campbell, from the Statistical Account. «Being once benighted when out a-hunting, and separated from his attendants, he happened to enter a cottage in the midst of a moor, at the foot of the Ochil hills, near Alloa, where, unknown, he was kindly received. In order to regale their unexpected guest, the gudeman (e. i. landlord, farmer,) desired the gudewife to fetch the hen that roosted nearest the cock, which is always the plumpest, for the stranger's supper. The king, highly pleased with his night's lodging and hospitable entertainment, told mine host, at parting, that he should be glad to return his civiltty, and requested that the first time he came to Stirling he would call at the castle, and enquire for the gudeman of Ballenguich. Donaldson, the landlord, did not fail to call on the gudeman of Ballenguich, when his astonishment at finding that the king had been his guest afforded no small amusement to the merry monarch and his courtiers; and, to carry on the pleasantry, he was thenceforth designated by James with the title of King of the Moors, which name and designation have descended from father to son ever since, and they have continued in possession of the identical spot, the property of Mr Erskine of Mar, till very lately, when this gentleman, with reluctance, turned out the descendant and representative of the King of the Moors, on account of his majesty's invincible indolence, and great dislike to reform or innovation of any kind, although, from the spirited example of his neighbour tenants on the same estate, he is convinced similar exertion would promote his advantage.»

upon which he was desired by the porter to desist, otherwise he would find cause to repent his rudeness. His majesty finding this method would not do, desired the porter to tell his master that the goodman of Ballageigh desired to speak with the king of Kippen The porter telling Arnpryor so much, he, in all humble manner, came and received the king, and having enter tained him with much sumptuousness and jollity, be came so agreeable to King James, that he allowed him to take so much of any provision he found carrying that road as he had occasion for; and seeing he made the first visit, desired Arnpryor in a few days to retur him a second to Stirling, which he performed, and continued in very much favour with the king, always thereafter being termed king of Kippen while be lived.»-BUCHANAN'S Essay upon the Family of bucha nan. Edin. 1775, 8vo. p. 74.

The readers of Ariosto must give credit for the able features with which he is represented, since he is generally considered as the prototype of Zerbino, the most interesting hero of the Orlando Furioso. Note 6. Stanza xxviii. Stirling's Tower

Of yore the name of Snowdoun claims.
William of Worcester, who wrote about the middle
of the fifteenth century, calls Stirling Castle Snowdoun.
Sir David Lindsay bestows the same epithet upon it in
his Complaint of the Paping.

Adieu, fair Snawdoun, with thy towers high,
Thy chapel-royal, park, and table round:
May, June, and July, would I dwell in thee,
Were I a man, to bear the birdis sound,
Whilk doth again' thy royal rock rebound.

A small district of Perthshire.

3 Mr Chalmers, in his late excellent edition of Sir Javid Lindsay's works, has refuted the chimerical deation of Snawdoun from snedding, or eutting. It was probably derived from the romantic legend which connected Stirling with King Arthur, to which the Dration of the Round Table gives countenance. The rng within which justs were formerly practised, in the castle park, is still called the Round Table. Snawdoan is the official title of one of the Scottish heralds, Those epithets seem in all countries to have been fantastically adopted from ancient history or romance.

It appears from the preceding note, that the real mme by which James was actually distinguished in

his private excursions, was the Goodman of Ballenguich; derived from a steep pass leading up to the Castle of Stirling, so called. But the epithet would not have suited poetry, and would besides at once, and prematurely, have announced the plot to many of my countrymen, among whom the traditional stories above mentioned are still current..

The Author has to apologise for the inadvertent appropriation of a whole line from the tragedy of Douglas,

I hold the first who strikes, my foe..

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Rokeby;

A POEM,

IN SIX CANTOS.

TO JOHN B. S. MORRITT, ESQ.

This Poem,

THE SCENE OF WHICH IS LAID IN HIS BEAUTIFUL DEMESNE OF ROKEBY,

IS INSCRIBED, IN TOKEN OF SINCERE FRIENDSHIP,

BY WALTER SCOTT.

ADVERTISEMENT.

Tuz Scene of the Poem is laid at Rokeby, near Greta-bridge, in Yorkshire, and shifts to the adjacent fortress of Barnard Castle, and to other places in that vanity.

The time occupied by the Action is a space of Five Days, Three of which are supposed to elapse between the end of the Fifth and beginning of the Sixth Canto. The date of the supposed events is immediately subsequent to the great Battle of Marston-moor, 3d July, 1644. This period of public confusion has been chosen, without any purpose of combining the Fable with the Mitary or Political Events of the Civil War, but only as affording a degree of probability to the Fictitious Narrative now presented to the Public.

ROKEBY.

CANTO I. I.

Tag moon is in her summer glow,
But hoarse and high the breezes blow,
And, racking o'er her face, the cloud
Varies the tincture of her shroud;

On Barnard's towers, and Tees's stream, (1)
She changes as a guilty dream,

When conscience, with remorse and fear,
Goads sleeping fancy's wild career.
Her light seem'd now the blush of shame,
Seem'd now fierce anger's darker flame,
Shifting that shade, to come and go,
Like apprehension's hurried glow;
Then sorrow's livery dims the air,
And dies in darkness, like despair.
Such varied hues the warder sees
Reflected from the woodland Tees,
Then from old Baliol's tower looks forth,
Sees the clouds mustering in the north,
Hears, upon turret-roof and wall,
By fits the plashing rain-drop fall,
Lists to the breeze's boding sound,
And wraps his shaggy mantle round.

II.

Those towers, which in the changeful gleam
Throw murky shadows on the stream,
Those towers of Barnard hold a guest,
The emotions of whose troubled breast,
In wild and strange confusion driven,
Rival the flitting rack of heaven.
Ere sleep stern OSWALD'S senses tied,
Oft had he changed his weary side,
Composed his limbs, and vainly sought
By effort strong to banish thought.
Sleep came at length, but with a train
Of feelings true and fancies vain,
Mingling, in wild disorder cast,
The expected future with the past.

Discourse on Duels, and the work on the same subject, | its having been the scene of a courtly amusement ala si gentement écrit,» by the venerable Dr Paris de Juded to by Sir David Lindsay, who says of the pastPuteo. The Highlanders continued to use broadsword times in which the young king was engaged, and target until disarmed after the affair of 1745-6.

Note 8. Stanza xvi.

Like mountain-cat who guards her young,
Full at Fitz-James's throat he sprung.

Some harl'd him to the Hurly-hacket;

which consisted in sliding, in some sort of chair it may be supposed, from top to bottom of a smooth bank. The boys of Edinburgh, about twenty years ago, used to play at the hurly-hacket on the Calton-hill, using

for their seat a horse's skull.

Note 10. Stanza xx.

I have not ventured to render this duel so savagely desperate as that of the celebrated Sir Ewan of Lochiel, chief of the clan Cameron, called, from his sable complexion, Ewan Dhu. He was the last man in Scotland who maintained the royal cause during the great civil The burghers hold their sports to-day. war, and his constant incursions rendered him a very Every burgh of Scotland, of the least note, but more unpleasant neighbour to the republican garrison at Inverlochy, now Fort William. The governor of the especially the considerable towns, had their solemn fort detached a party of three hundred men to lay waste play, or festival, when feats of archery were exhibited. and prizes distributed to those who excelled in wrestling," Lochiel's possessions, and cut down his trees; but, in a sudden and desperate attack, made upon them by the hurling the bar, and the other gymnastic exercises of chieftain, with very inferior numbers, they were althe period. Stirling, a usual place of royal residence, was not likely to be deficient in pomp upon such occamost all cut to pieces. The skirmish is detailed in a curious memoir of Sir Ewan's life, printed in the Ap-His ready participation in these popular amusements sions, especially since James V. was very partial to them. pendix of Pennant's Scottish Tour.

« In this engagement, Lochiel himself had several wonderful escapes. In the retreat of the English, one of the strongest and bravest of the officers retired behind a bush, when he observed Lochiel pursuing, and seeing him unaccompanied with any, he leaped out, and thought him his prey. They met one another with equal fury. The combat was long and doubtful: the English gentleman had by far the advantage in strength and size; but Lochiel exceeding him in nimbleness and agility, in the end tript the sword out of his hand: they closed, and wrestled, till both fell to the ground, in each other's arms. The English officer got above Lochiel, and presed him hard, but stretching forth his neck, by attempting to disengage himself, Lochiel, who by this time had his hands at liberty, with his left hand seized him by the collar, and jumping at his extended throat, he bit it with his teeth quite through, and kept such a hold of his grasp, that he brought away his mouthful: this, he said, was the sweetest bit he ever had in his lifetime.»-Vol. I, p. 375.

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The fate of William, eighth Earl of Douglas, whom James II. stabbed in Stirling Castle with his own hand, and while under his royal safe-conduct, is familiar to all who read Scottish history. Murdack Duke of Albany, Duncan Earl of Lennox, his father-in-law, and his two sons, Walter and Alexander Stuart, were executed at Stirling, in 1425. They were beheaded upon an eminence without the castle walls, but making part of the same hill, from whence they could behold their strong castle of Doune, and their extensive possessions. This heading hill,» as it was sometimes termed, bears commonly the less terrible name of Hurly-hacket, from

was one cause of his acquiring the title of King of the Commons, or Rex Plebeiorum, as Lesley has latinized it. The usual prize to the best shooter was a silver ar-! row. Such a one is preserved at Selkirk and at Peebles At Dumfries, a silver gun was substituted, and the con tention transferred to fire-arms. The ceremony, as there performed, is the subject of an excellent Scottish poem, by Mr John Mayne, entitled the Siller Gun, 1808, which surpasses the efforts of Fergusson, and comes

near those of Burns.

Of James's attachment to archery, Pitscottie, the faithful, though rude recorder of the manners of that period, has given us evidence:

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<«<In this year there came an ambassador out of England, named Lord William Howard, with a bishop with him, with many other gentlemen, to the number! of threescore horse, which were all the able men and waled (picked) men for all kind of games and pastimes. shooting, louping, running, wrestling, and the stone, but they were well sayed (essayed or tried, ere they past out of Scotland, and that by their own provocation; but ever they tint; till at last, the Queer ¦ of Scotland, the king's mother, favoured the English | men, because she was the King of England's sister: asi therefore she took an enterprise of archery upon English-men's hands, contrary her son the king, and six in Scotland that he would wale, either gentle men or yeomen, that the English-men should show against them, either at pricks, revers, or buts, as the Scots pleased.

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«The king hearing this of his mother, was content, and gart her pawn a hundred crowns, and a tua of wine, upon the English-men's hands; and he inconti nent laid down as much for the Scottish-men. Ta field and ground was chosen in St Andrews, and three landed men and three yeomen chosen to shoot against the English-men, to wit, David Wemyss of that ilk, David Arnot of that ilk, and Mr John Wedderburn, vicar of Dundee ; the yeomen, John Thomson, in Leith, Steven Taburner, with a piper, called Alexander Faite, they shot very near, and warred (worsted) the Engash men of the enterprise, and wan the hundred cres and the tun of wine, which made the king very merry that his men wan the victory.»-P. 147.

Note 11. Stanza xxii.

Robin Hood.

proud, and that they had too high a conceit of themselves, joined with a contempt and despising of all others. Wherefore, being wearied of that life, and remembering the king's favour of old towards him, he determined to try the king's mercifulness and clemency. So he comes into Scotland, and, taking occasion of the king's hunting in the park at Stirling, he casts himself to be in his way, as he was coming home to the castle. So soon as the king saw him afar off, ere he came near, he guessed it was he, and said to one of his

The exhibition of this renowned outlaw and his band was a favourite frolic at such festivals as we are describing. This sporting, in which kings did not disdain to be actors, was prohibited in Scotland upon the Reformation, by a statute of the 6th Parliament of Queen Mary, c. 61. A. D. 1555, which ordered, under heavy (penalties, that « na manner of person be chosen Robert Hude, nor Little John, Abbot of Unreason, Queen of May, nor otherwise.» But 1561, «<the rascal multi-courtiers, yonder is my Gray-Steill, Archibald of Kilstude says John Knox, « were stirred up to make a Robin Hude, whilk enormity was of mony years left and damned by statute and act of Parliament; yet would they not be forbidden.» Accordingly they raised very serious tumult, and at length made prisoners the magistrates who endeavoured to suppress it, and would not release them till they extorted a formal promise that no one should be punished for his share of the disturbance. It would seem, from the compaints of the General Assembly of the Kirk, that these profane festivities were continued down to 1592. Bold Robin was, to say the least, equally successful in mainting his ground against the reformed clergy of Engaad: for the simple and evangelical Latimer compains of coming to a country church, where the people refused to hear him, because it was Robin Hood's day; and his mitre and rochet were fain to give way to the lage pastime. Much curious information on this subject may be found in the Preliminary Dissertation to the late Mr Kitson's edition of the songs respecting The game of Robin Hood was usually acted in May; and he was associated with the morrice-dancers, on whom so much illustration has been bestowed by the commentators on Shakspeare. very lively picture of these festivities, containing a great deal of curious information on the subject of the private life and amusements of our ancestors, was thrown by the late ingenious Mr Strutt, into his romance entitled Queen-Hoo-Hall published, after his Grath, in 1808.

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this memorable outlaw.

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Note 12. Stanza xxii.

Indifferent as to archer wight,

The monarch gave the arrow bright.

The Douglas of the poem is an imaginary person, a supposed uncle of the Earl of Angus. But the king's

aviour during an unexpected interview with the Laird of Kilspindie, one of the banished Douglasses,

under circumstances similar to those in the text, is
imitated from a real story told by Hume of Godscroft.
I would have availed myself more fully of the simple
and affecting circumstances of the old history, had
they not been already woven into a pathetic ballad by
my friend Mr Finlay.'

His (the king's) implacability (towards the family of Douglas) did also appear in his carriage towards Archibald of Kilspindie, whom he, when he was child, oved singularly well for his ability of body, and was wont to call him his Gray-Steill. 3 Archibald being banished into England, could not well comport with the humour of that nation, which he thought to be too

1 Book of the Universal Kirk, p. 414.

Se Scottish Historical and Romantic Ballads, Glasgow, 1808.

162. 11. p. 117.
A champion of popular romance. See ELLIS's Romances, vol. II.

When

pindie, if he be alive. The other answered, that it could not be he, and that he durst not come into the king's presence. The king approaching, he fell upon his knees and craved pardon, and promised from thenceforward to abstain from meddling in public affairs, and to lead a quiet and private life. The king went by, without giving him any answer, and trotted a good round pace up the hill. Kilspindie followed, and, though he wore on him a secret, or shirt of mail, for his particular enemies, was as soon at the castle-gate as the king. There he sat him down upon a stone without, and entreated some of the king's servants for a cup of drink, being weary and thirsty; but they, fearing the king's displeasure, durst give him none. the king was set at his dinner, he asked what he had done, what he had said, and whither he had gone? It was told him that he had desired a cup of drink, and had gotten none. The king reproved them very sharply for their discourtesy, and told them, that if he had not taken an oath that no Douglas should ever serve him, he would have received him into his service, for he had seen him some time a man of great ability. Then he sent him word to go to Leith, and expect his further pleasure. Then some kinsman of David Falconer, the canonier that was slain at Tantallon, began to quarrel with Archibald about the matter, wherewith the king shewed himself not well pleased when he heard of it. Then he commanded him to go to France for a certain space, till he heard further from him. And so he did, and died shortly after. This gave occasion to the king of England (Henry VIII.), to blame his nephew, alleging the old saying, That a king's face should give grace. For this Archibald (whatsoever were Angus's or Sir George's fault) had not been principal actor of any thing, nor no counsellor nor stirrer up, but only a follower of his friends, and that

noways cruelly disposed.»>-HUME of Godscroft, II, 107.

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A great courser with saddle and brydle,
With gold burnished full bryght;
A payre of gloves, a red golde ring,
A pipe of wyne, good fay;
What man bereth him best I wis,
The prise shall bear away.

RITSON's Robin Hood, vol. I.

CANTO V.

Note 1. Stanza iii.

These drew not for their fields the sword,
Like tenants of a feudal lord,
Nor own'd the patriarchal claim

Of chieftain in their leader's name;
Adventurers they.-

-I wyll give them accordynge to my conscyence.
Wyll ye all be content to fulfil my testament; howe
say ye?-Sir, quod they, we be ryghte well contente to
fulfyl your commaundement. Thane first, quod he, I
wyll and give to the chapell of Saynt George, here in
this castell, for the reparacions thereof, a thousande and
five hundrede frankes: and I give to my lover, who hath
truly served me, two thousand and five hundrede
frankes: and also I give to Aleyne Roux, your new ca-
p'tayne, four thousande frankes: also to the varlettes of
my chambre I gyve fyve hundrede frankes. To mine offy-
cers I give a thousande and five hundrede frankes. The
rest I gyve and bequeth as I shall show
Ye be upon
a thyrtie companyons all of one sorte: ye ought to be
brethrene, and all of one alyaunce, without debate, ryotte,
ye shall fynde in yonder cheste. I wylle that ye departe
or stryffe among you. All this that I have showed you
all the residue equally and truelly bitwene you thyrtie.
And if ye be nat thus contente, but that the devylie
wyll set debate bitwene you, than beholde yonder is a
strong axe, breke up the coffer, and gette it who can-

you.

dere maister, we are and shall be all of one accorde. Sir, we have so much loved and doated you, that we will breke no coffer, nor breke no poynt of that ye have ordayned and commanded.»-Lord BERNERS'

The Scottish armies consisted chiefly of the nobility and barons, with their vassals, who held lands under them, for military service by themselves and their tenants. The patriarchal influence exercised by the heads of clans in the Highlands and Borders was of a different nature, and sometimes at variance with feudal-To these words every one ansuered and said, Sir, and principles. It flowed from the Patria Potestas exercised by the chieftain, as representing the original father of the whole name, and was often obeyed in contradiction to the feudal superior. James V. seems first to have introduced, in addition to the militia fur-Froissart. nished from these sources, the service of a small number of mercenaries, who formed a body-guard, called the Foot-Band. The satirical poet, Sir David Lindsay (or the person who wrote the prologue to his play of the « Three Estaites»), has introduced Finlay of the Foot-Band, who, after much swaggering upon the stage, is at length put to flight by the fool, who terrifies him by means of a sheep's skull upon a pole. I have rather chosen to give them the harsh features of the mercenary soldiers of the period, than of this Scottish Thraso. These partook of the character of the Adventurous Companions of Froissart, or the Condottieri of Italy.

One of the best and liveliest traits of such manners is the last will of a leader, called Geoffroy Tete Noir, who having been slightly wounded in a skirmish, his intemperance brought on a mortal disease. When he found himself dying, he summoned to his bed-side the adventurers whom he commanded, and thus addressed

them:

Note 2. Stanza vi.
Thou now hast glee-maiden and harp!
Get thee an ape, and trudge the land,

The leader of a juggler band.

pro

The jongleurs, or jugglers, as we learn from the elaborate work of the late Mr Strutt, on the sports and pastimes of the people of England, used to call in the aid of various assistants, to render these performances as captivating as possible. The glee-maiden was a necessary attendant. Her duty was tumbling and dancing; and therefore the Anglo-Saxon version of Saint Mark's Gospel states Herodias to have vaulted or tumbled before King Herod. In Scotland, these poor creatures seem, even at a late period, to have been bondswomen to their masters, as appears from a case reported by Fountainhall. « Reid the mountebank pursues Scot of Harden and his lady, for stealing away from him a little girl, called the tumbling-lassic, that danced upon his stage; and he claimed damages, and duced a contract, whereby he bought her from her moFayre sirs, quod Geffray, I knowe well ye have al- ther for 3ol. Scots. But we have no slaves in Scotland, wayes served and honoured me as men ought to serve and mothers cannot sell their bairnes; and physicians their soveraygne and capitayne, and I shal be the glad-attested, the employment of tumbling would kill her; der if ye will agre to have to your capitayne one that is and her joints were now grown stiff, and she declined descended of my blode. Behold here Aleyne Roux, my to return; though she was at least a 'prentice, and so cosyn, and Peter his brother, who are men of armes could not run away from her master: yet some cited and of my blode. I require you to make Aleyne your Moses's law, that if a servant shelter himself with thee, capitayne, and to swere to him faythe, obeysaunce, against his master's cruelty, thou shalt surely not delove, and loyalte, here in my presence, and also to his liver him up. The lords, renitente cancellario, assol brother: howe be it, I will that Aleyne have the sove-zied Harden, on the 27th of January (1687).»-Fots ! rayne charge.—Sir, quod they, we are well content, for ye hauve right well chosen. There all the companyons made theym servyant to Aleyne Roux and to Peter his brother. When all that was done, then Geffraye spake agayne, and sayd: Nowe, sirs, ye have obeyed to my pleasure, I canne you great thanke; wherefore, sirs, I wyll ye have parte of that ye have holpen to conquere. T say unto you, that in yonder chest that ye se stande yonder, therein is to the sum of xxx thousande frankes,

TAINHALL'S Decisions, vol. I, p. 439.'

Though less to my purpose, I cannot help noticing a circumstance, respecting another of this Mr Reid's attendants, which curred during James II.'s zeal for catholic proselytism, and is told by Fountainhall with dry Scottish irony. January 17th, 168. Reid the mountebank is received into the popish church, and ser of his blackamores was persuaded to accept of haptism from the popish priests, and to turn christian papist; which was a great trophy: he was called James, after the king and chancellor, and the apostle James.-Ibid. p. 440.

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