over the river Machrai, renowned for the dilemma of a poor woman, who, being tempted by the narrowness of the ravine to step across, succeeded in making the irst movement, but took fright when it became necessary to move the other foot, and remained in a posture equally ludicrous and dangerous, until some chance passenger assisted her to extricate herself. It is said she remained there some hours. Note 2. Stanza vi. He cross'd his brow beside the stone, Were druids erst heard victims groan, And at the cairns upon the wild, O'er many a heathen hero piled. The Isle of Arran, like those of Man and Anglesea, abounds with many reliques of heathen, and probably druidical superstition. There are high erect columns of unhewn stone, the most early of all monuments, the circles of rude stones, commonly entitled druidical, and the cairns, or sepulchral piles, within which are usually found urns inclosing ashes. Much doubt necessarily rests upon the history of such monuments, nor is it possible to consider them as exclusively Celtic, or druidical. By much the finest circles of standing ¦ stones, excepting Stonehenge, are those of Stenhouse, ! at Stennis, in the island of Pomona, the principal isle of the Orcades. These, of course, are neither Celtic nor druidical; and we are assured that many circles of the kind occur both in Sweden and Norway. Note 3. Stanza vi. Old Brodick's Gothic towers were seen. Brodick or Brathwick Castle, in the Isle of Arran, is an ancient fortress, near an open roadstead called Brodick-bay, and not distant far from a tolerable harbour, closed in by the island of Lamlash. This important place had been assailed a short time before Bruce's arrival in the island. James Lord Douglas, who accompanied Bruce to his retreat in Rachrin, seems, in the spring of 1306, to have tired of his abode there, and set out accordingly, in the phrase of the times, to see what adventure God would send him. Sir Robert Boyd accompanied him; and his knowledge of the localities of Arran appears to have directed his course thither. They landed in the island privately, and appear to have laid an ambush for Sir John Hastings, the English governor of Crodick, and surprised a considerable supply of arms and provisions, and nearly took the castle itself. Indeed, that they actually did so, has been generally averred by historians, although it does not appear from the narrative of Barbour. On the contrary, it would seem that they took shelter within a fortification of the ancient inhabitants, a rampart called Tor an Schian. When they were joined by Bruce, it seems probable that they had gained Brodick Castle. At least tradition says, that from the battlements of the tower he saw the supposed signal-fire on Turnberry-nook. from which it would seem that the vice of profane swearing, afterwards too general among the Scottish nation, was, at this time, confined to military men. As Douglas, after Bruce's return to Scotland, was roving about the mountainous country of Tweeddale, near the water of Line, he chanced to hear some persons in a farm-house say the devil.» Concluding, from this hardy expression, that the house contained warlike guests, he immediately assailed it, and had the good fortune to make prisoners Thomas Randolph, afterward the famous Earl of Moray, and Alexander Stewart, Lord Bonkill. Both were then in the English interest, and had come into that country with the purpose of driving out Douglas. They afterwards ranked among Bruce's most zealous adherents. The castle is now much modernized, but has a dignified appearance, being surrounded by flourishing plantations. Note 4. Stanza vii. Oft, too, with unaccustom'd ears, A language much unmeet he hears. Barbour, with great simplicity, gives an anecdote, Note 5. Stanza ix. For, see the ruddy signal made, Guards carelessly our father's hal!.. The remarkable circumstances by which Bruce was induced to enter Scotland, under the false idea that a nal castle of Turnberry-the disappointment which he signal-fire was lighted upon the shore near his matermet with, and the train of success which arose out of that very disappointment, are too curious to be passed over unnoticed. The following is the narrative of Barbour. The introduction is a favourable specimen of his style, which seems to be in some degree the model for that of Gawain Douglas : 1 Spring. 4 Several. This was in ver, when winter tide, Burgeans, and bright blooms alsua, He was well soon brought to the king, 2 Began. 5 More. • Bereaved. 7 Covering. 3 Loftily. 6 Buds. 9 Many. 12 Clear. That speared at him how he had done. Ah! Sir, said he,« so God me see! Brother, he said, since you will sua, Disease or ease, or pain or play, After as God will us purvay. 3 And since men say that the Persy Mine heretage will occupy; And his menyie so near us lies, That us despites many ways; Go we, and venge some of the dispite. Note 6. Stanza xvii. Now ask you whence that wond'rous light, burning heath for the improvement of land was then unknown; that a spunkie (Jack o' Lanthorn) could not have been seen across the breadth of the Forth of Clyde, between Ayrshire and Arran; and that the cou rier of Bruce was his kinsman, and never suspected of treachery.»-Letter from Mr Joseph Train of Newton Stuart, author of an ingenious Collection of Poems, illustrative of many ancient traditions in Galloway and Ayrshire, Edinburgh, 1814. Note 7. Stanza xix. They gain'd the chase, a wide domain The castle of Turnberry, on the coast of Ayrshire, was the property of Robert Bruce, in right of his mo ther. Lord Hailes mentions the following remarkable circumstance concerning the mode in which he became proprietor of it:-« Martha, Countess of Carrick in ber own right, the wife of Robert Bruce, Lord of Annandale, bare him a son, afterwards Robert I. (11th July, 1274). The circumstances of her marriage were sin gular: happening to meet Robert Bruce in her domas, she became enamoured of him, and with some violence led him to her castle of Turnberry. A few days after she married him, without the knowledge of the rela tions of either party, and without the requisite consent of the king. The king instantly seized her castle and whole estates. She afterwards atoned by a fine for ber feudal delinquency. Little did Alexander foresee, that, from this union, the restorer of the Scottish monarchy was to arise.»-Annals of Scotland, vol. II. p. 180. The same obliging correspondent, whom I have quoted in the preceding note, gives me the following account of the present state of the ruins of Turnberry Turnberry Point is a rock projecting into the sea, the top of it is about 18 feet above high-water mark Upon this rock was built the castle. There is abon 25 feet high of the wall next to the sea yet stand. Upon the land-side the wall is only about four f high; the length has been 60 feet, and the breadth it was surrounded by a ditch, but that is now nea. filled up. The top of the ruin, rising between 40 as. 50 feet above the water, has a majestic appearanc from the sea. There is not much local tradition in the vicinity connected with Bruce or his history. In front, however, of the rock, upon which stands Calzern Castle, is the mouth of a romantic cavern, called the Cove of Colean, in which it is said Bruce and his far lowers concealed themselves immediately after landing. till they arranged matters for their farther enterprises Burns mentions it in the poem of Halloween. The only place to the south of Turnberry worth mentioning. with reference to Bruce's history, is the Weary Nuik, little romantic green hill, where he and his party are said to have rested, after assaulting the castle.» The following are the words of an ingenious correspondent, to whom I am obliged for much information respecting Turnberry and its neighbourhood. « The only tradition now remembered of the landing of Robert the Bruce in Carrick, relates to the fire seen by him from the Isle of Arran. It is still generally reported, and religiously believed by many, that this fire was really the work of supernatural power, unassisted by the hand of any mortal being; and it is said, that, for several centuries, the flame rose yearly on the same hour of the same night of the year, on which the king first saw it from the turrets of Brodick Castle; and Around the castle of Turnberry was a level plain of some go so far as to say, that, if the exact time were about two miles in extent, forming the castle park. known, it would be still seen. That this superstitious There could be nothing, I am informed, more beautifu notion is very ancient, is evident from the place where than the copse-wood and verdure of this extensive the fire is said to have appeared, being called the Bo-meadow, before it was invaded by the ploughshare. gles' Brae, beyond the remembrance of man. port of this curious belief, it is said that the practice of In sup Note 8. Stanza xxxiii. The Bruce hath won his father's hall! I have followed the flattering and pleasing tradition that the Bruce, after his descent upon the coast of Ayt dire, actually gained possession of his maternal castle. But the tradition is not accurate. The fact is, that he was only strong enough to alarm and drive in the outposts of the English garrison, then commanded, not by Clifford, as assumed in the text, but by Percy. Neither vas Clifford slain upon this occasion, though he had several skirmishes with Bruce. He fell afterwards in the battle of Bannockburn. Bruce, after alarming the castle of Turnberry, and surprising some part of the garrison, who were quartered without the walls of the fortress, retreated into the mountainous part of Carrick, and there made himself so strong that the English were obliged to evacuate Turnberry, and at length the castle of Ayr. Many of his benefactions and royal gifts attest his attachment to the hereditary followers of his bonse, in this part of the country. the fragments have been kept by the freemen of Prestwick in a place of security. There is one of these charter-stones at the village of Old Daily, in Carrick, which has become more celebrated by the following event, which happened only a very few years ago:The village of New Daily being now larger than the old place of the same name, the inhabitants insisted that the charter-stone should be removed from the old town to the new, but the people of Old Daily were unwilling to part with their ancient right. Demands and remonstrances were made on each side without effect, till at last man, woman, and child, of both villages, marched out, and by one desperate engagement put an end to a war, the commencement of which no person then living remembered. Justice and victory, in this instance, being of the same party, the villagers of the old town of Daily now enjoy the pleasure of keeping the blue-stane unmolested. Ideal privileges are often It is generally known that Bruce, in consequence of his distresses after the battle of Methven, was affected by a scorbutic disorder, which was then called a le-attached to some of these stones. In Girvan, if a man prosy. It is said he experienced benefit from the use of a medicinal spring about a mile north of the town of Ayr, called from that circumstance King's Ease. The following is the tradition of the country, collected by Mr Traia: After Robert ascended the throne, he founded the priory of dominican monks, every one of whom was under the obligation of putting up to Ileaven a prayer once every week-day, and twice in holydays, for the recovery of the king; and, after his death, these masses were continued for the saving of his soul, The ruins of this old monastery are now nearly level with the ground. Robert likewise caused houses to be built round the well of King's Ease, for eight lepers, and allowed eight bolls of oatmeal, and 281. Scotch money, per annum, to each person. These donations were laid upon the lands of Fullarton, and are now payable by the Duke of Portland. The farm of Sheils, in the neighbourhood of Ayr, has to give, if required, a certain quantity of straw for the lepers' beds, and so much to thatch their houses annually. Each leprous person had a drinking-horn provided him by the king, which continued to be hereditary in the house to which it was first granted. One of those identical horns, of very curious workmanship, was in the possession of the late Colonel Fullarton of that ilk.»> can set his back against one of the above description, he is supposed not liable to be arrested for debt, nor can cattle, it is imagined, be poinded, so long as they are fastened to the same stone. That stones were often used as symbols to denote the right of possessing land, before the use of written documents became general in Scotland, is, I think, exceedingly probable. The charter-stone of Inverness is still kept with great care, set in a frame, and hooped with iron, at the marketplace of that town. It is called by the inhabitants of that district Clack na Couddin. I think it is very likely that Carey has mentioned this stone in his poem of Craig Phaderick. This is only a conjecture, as I have never seen that work. While the famous marble chair was allowed to remain at Scoon, it was considered as the charter stone of the kingdom of Scotland.» " Note Stanza xxxiv. Bring here, he said, the mazers four, My noble fathers loved of yore. King Robert Bruce's serk,» i. e. shirt, meaning, perhaps, his shirt of mail; although no other arms are mentioned in the inventory. It might have been a relique of a more sanctified description, a penance shirt perhaps. These mazers were large drinking-cups, or goblets. Mention of them occurs in a curious inventory of the treasure and jewels of James III., which will be published, with other curious documents of antiquity, by my friend, Mr Thomas Thomson, D. Register of ScotMy correspondent proceeds to mention some curious land, under the title of A Collection of Inventories, remnants of antiquity respecting this foundation. In and other Records of the Royal Wardrobe, Jewelcompliment to Sir William Wallace, the great deliverer House,» etc. I copy the passage in which mention is of his country, King Robert Bruce invested the de- made of the mazers, and also of an habiliment, called scendants of that hero with the right of placing all the lepers upon the establishment of King's Ease. This patronage continued in the family of Craigie, till it was said, along with the lands of the late Sir Thomas Wallace. The burgh of Ayr then purchased the right of applying the donations of King's Ease to the support of the poor-house of Ayr. The lepers' charter-stone was a basaltic block, exactly the shape of a sheep's kidney, and weighing an Ayrshire boll of meal. The surface of this stone being as smooth as glass, there was not any other way of lifting it than by turning the hollow is the ground, there extending the arms along each side of the stone, and clasping the hands in the cavity. Young lads were always considered as deserving to be ranked among men, when they could lift the bluestone of King's Ease. It always lay beside the well, Item, thre platis of silver. til a few years ago, when some English dragoons cacamped at that place wantonly broke it, since which Extract from « Inventare of ane Parte of the Gold and Silver conyeit and unconyeit, Jowellis, and uther Stuff perteining to Umquhile our Soverane Lords Fader, that he had in Depois the Tyme of his Deceis, and that come to the Handis of our Soverane Lord that now is. M.CCCC.LXXXVIII.» Memorandum fundin in a bandit kist like a gardeviant,' in the fyrst the grete chenye of gold, contenaud sevin score sex linkis. Garde-vin, or wine-cooler. 2 Chain. Item, tuelf salfatis.' Item, fyftene discheis 2 ouregilt. Item, twa grete bassingis 3 ouregilt. Item, a grete gilt plate. Jameses, and is dated at Faulkland. The freemen of Newton were formerly officers by rotation. The provost of Ayr, at one time, was a freeman of Newton, and it happened to be his turn, while provost in Ayr, to be Item, FOUR MASARIS, CALLED KING ROBERT THE BROCIS, officer in Newton, both of which offices he discharged with a COVER. Item, a grete cok maid of silver. Item, the hede of silver of ane of the coveris of masar. Item, a fare dialle. 4 Item, twa kasis of knyffis. 5 Item, a pair of auld kniffis. at the same time. Note 11. Stanza xxxiv. Let Ettrick's archers sharp their darts, The forest of Selkirk, or Ettrick, at this period, oc Item, takin be the smyth that opinnit the lokkis, in cupied all the district which retains that denomination, gold fourty demyis. Item, in Inglys grotis 6 . xxiiii li, and the said silver given again to the takaris of hym. Item, ressavit in the cloissat of Davidis tour, ane haly waterfat of silver, twa boxis, a cageat tume, a glas with rois-water, a dosoune of torchis, KING ROBERT BRUCIS SERK. The real use of the antiquarian's studies is, to bring the minute information which he collects to bear upon points of history. For example, in the inventory I have just quoted, there is given the contents of the black kist, or chest, belonging to James III., which was his strong-box, and contained a quantity of treasure in money and jewels, surpassing what might have been at the period expected of «poor Scotland's gear.»> This illustrates and authenticates a striking passage in the history of the House of Douglas, by Hume of Godscroft. The last Earl of Douglas (of the elder branch) had been reduced to monastic seclusion in the Abbey of Lindores, by James II. James III., in his distresses, would willingly have recalled him to public life, and made him his lieutenant. << But he,» says Godscroft, « laden with and old years and age, weary of troubles, refused, saying, Sir, you have keept mee, and your black coffer in Stirling, too long; neither of us can doe you any good: I, because my friends have forsaken me, and my followers and dependers are fallen from me, betaking themselves to other masters; and your black trunk is too farre from you, and your enemies are between you and it; or (as others say) because there was in it a sort of black coyne, that the king had caused to be coyned by the advice of his courtiers; which moneys (saith he), sir, if you had put out at the first, the people would have taken it; and if you had employed mee in due time I might have done you service. But now there is none that will take notice of me, nor meddle with your money.»-HUME's History of the House of Douglas, fol. Edinb. 1644, p. 206. Note 10. Stanza xxxiv. Arouse old friends, and gather new. As soon as it was known in Kyle, says ancient tradition, that Robert Bruce had landed in Carrick, with the intention of recovering the crown of Scotland, the Laird of Craigie, and forty-eight men in his immediate neighbourhood, declared in favour of their legitimate prince. Bruce granted them a tract of land, still retained by the freemen of Newton to this day. The original charter was lost when the pestilence was raging at Ayr; but it was renewed by one of the Salt-cellars, anciently the object of much curious workmanship. 2 Dishes. 4 Dial. Basins, Cases of knives. English groats. and embraced the neighbouring dales of Tweeddale, and at least the Upper Ward of Clydesdale. All that tract was probably as waste as it is mountainous, and forest, which is supposed to have stretched from Cheviot covered with the remains of the ancient Caledonian Hills as far as Hamilton, and to have comprehended even a part of Ayrshire. At the fatal battle of Falkirk, Sir John Stewart, of Bonkill, brother to the Steward of Scotland, commanded the archers of Selkirk forest, who fell around the dead body of their leader. The Englis historians have commemorated the tall and stately persons, as well as the unswerving faith, of these foresters. Nor has their interesting, fall escaped the notice of an elegant modern poetess, whose subject led her to treat of that calamitous engagement: The glance of the morn had sparkled bright CANTO VI. Note 1. Stanza i. When Bruce's banner had victorious flow'd O'er Loudoun's mountain, and in Ury's vale. The first important advantage gained by Bruce, after landing at Turnberry, was over Aymer de Valence, Earl of Pembroke, the same by whom he had been de feated near Methven. They met, as has been said, be appointment, at Loudoun-hill, in the west of Scotian Pembroke sustained a defeat; and from that time Yet he was subsequently obliged to retreat into Aber Bruce was at the head of a considerable flying army deenshire, and was there assailed by Comyn, Earl of Buchan, desirous to avenge the death of his relative, the Red Comyn, and supported by a body of Engi troops under Philip de Moubray. Bruce was sa the time of a scrofulous disorder, but took horse 15 supported meet his enemies, although obliged to be either side. He was victorious, and it is said that the agitation of his spirits restored his health. e Note 2. Stanza i. themselves in strong narrow ground. He himself, with fifty horsemen well harnessed, issued forth under cover of a thick mist, surprised the English on their march, attacked and dispersed them.»-DALRYMPLE'S Annals of Scotland, quarto, Edinburgh, 1779, p. 25. Note 4. Stanza i. When English blood oft deluged Douglas-dale. The good Lord James of Douglas,» during these commotions often took from the English his own castle of Douglas, but, being unable to garrison it, contented himself with destroying the fortifications, and retiring into the mountains. As a reward to his patriotism, it is said to have been prophesied, that how often soever Douglas Castle should be destroyed, it should always apin arise more magnificent from its ruins. Upon ene of these occasions, he used fearful cruelty, causing ail the store of provisions, which the English had laid up in his castle, to be heaped together, bursting the wine and beer-casks among the wheat and flour, slaughtering the cattle upon the same spot, and upon the top of the whole cutting the throats of the English prisoners. This pleasantry of the «good Lord James >> commemorated under the name of the Douglas's Larder. A more pleasing tale of chivalry is recorded by Godscroft. « By this means, and such other exploits, te so affrighted the enemy, that it was counted a matter of great jeopardie to keep this castle, which began to be called the adventurous (or hazardous) castle of Douglas, whereupon Sir John Walton being in suit of an English lady, she wrote to him, that when he had kept the adventurous castle of Douglas seven years, then he might think himself worthy to be a suitor to ber. Upon this occasion Walton took upon him the keeping of it, and succeeded to Thruswall, but he ran the same fortune with the rest that were before him. For Sir James, having first dressed an ambuscado near unto the place, he made fourteen of his men take so many sacks, and fill them with grass, as though it had been corn, which they carried in the way to Lanark, When a long train of success, actively improved by the chief market town in that county: so hoping to Robert Bruce, had made him master of almost all ScotThe care draw forth the captain by that bait, and either to take land, Stirling Castle continued to hold out. tum or the castle, or both. Neither was this expecta- of the blockade was committed by the king to his tion frustrated, for the captain did bite, and came forth brother Edward, who concluded a treaty with Sir Philip to have taken this victual (as he supposed). But ere Mowbray, the governor, that he should surrender the be could reach these carriers, Sir James, with his comfortress, if it were not succoured by the King of Engpany, had gotten between the castle and him; and these land before St John the Baptist's day. The king severely disguised carriers, seeing the captain following after blamed his brother for the impolicy of a treaty, which them, did quickly cast off their sacks, mounted them-gave time to the King of England to advance to the selves on horseback, and met the captain with a sharp encounter, being so much the more amazed, as it was uniooked for; wherefore, when he saw these carriers metamorphosed into warriors, and ready to assault him, fearing that which was, that there was some train laid for them, he turned about to have retired to his castle, but there he also met with his enemies; between which two companies he and his whole followers were ain, so that none escaped: the captain afterwards being searched, they found (as it is reported) his mis[tress's letter about him.»-HUME's History of the House of Douglas, fol. PP. 29, 30. When Randolph's war-cry swell'd the southern gale. Scottish chief, was in the early part of his life not more Thomas Randolph, Bruce's sister's on, a renowned remarkable for consistency than Bruce himself. He espoused his uncle's party when Bruce first assumed the Methven, in which his relative's hopes appeared to be crown, and was made prisoner at the fatal battle of ruined. Randolph accordingly not only submitted to the English, but took an active part against Bruce, appeared in arms against him, and in the skirmish where said his nephew took his standard with his own hand. he was so closely pursued by the blood-hound, it is But Randolph was afterwards made prisoner by Douglas in Tweeddale (see p. 337), and brought before King Robert. Some harsh language was exchanged between the uncle and nephew, and the latter was committed for a time to close custody. Afterwards, however, they were reconciled, and Randolph was created Earl of Moray about 1312. After this period he eminently distinguished himself, first by the surprise of Edinburgh Castle, and afterwards by many similar enterprises, conducted with equal courage and ability. Note 3. Stanza i. And Bery Edward routed stout St John. John de St John, with 15,000 horsemen, had advanced to oppose the inroad of the Scots. By a forced march he endeavoured to surprise them, but intelligence of his motions was timeously received. The courage of Edward Bruce, approaching to temerity, frequently enabled him to achieve what men of more judicious valour would never have attempted. He ordered the Infantry, and the meaner sort of his army, to entrench Note 5. Stanza iv. Stirling's towers, Beleaguer'd by King Robert's powers; And they took term of truce. relief of the castle with all his assembled forces, and The consequence obliged himself either to meet them in battle with an Note 6. Stanza iv. At Berwick-bounds to meet their liege. There is printed in Rymer's Fædera the summons issued upon this occasion to the sheriff of York; and he mentions eighteen other persons to whom similar ordinances were issued. It seems to respect the infantry alone, for it is entitled, De peditibus ad recussum Castri de Stryvelin a Scotis obsessi properare faciendis. This circumstance is also clear from the reasoning of the writ, which states, «We have understood that our Scottish enemies and rebels are endeavouring to collect as strong a force as possible of infantry, in strong and marshy grounds, where the approach of cavalry would |