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much regard to it, that he resolved to return by te same gate through which he had entered, and to fetch a compass round the town. But, as the crowd about the gate was great, and he himself unacquainted wit fear, he proceeded directly along the street; and tur throng of people obliging him to move very slow, gave the assassin time to take so true an aim, that be shot him, with a single bullet, through the lower part of his belly, and killed the horse of a gentleman, whe rode on his other side. His followers instantly endes voured to break into the house whence the blow ba come; but they found the door strongly barricaded, and, before it could be forced open, Hamilton ha mounted a fleet horse,' which stood ready for him ata

during the reign of the unfortunate Mary, to whose during the night, in a house not far distant. Some in
cause the house of Hamilton devoted themselves with a distinct information of the danger which threaten
generous zeal, which occasioned their temporary ob-him had been conveyed to the regent, and he paid
scurity, and, very nearly, their total ruin. The situ-
ation of the ruins, embosomed in wood, darkened by
ivy and creeping shrubs, and overhanging the brawling
torrent, is romantic in the highest degree. In the im-
mediate vicinity of Cadyow is a grove of immense
oaks, the remains of the Caledonian Forest, which an-
ciently extended through the south of Scotland, from
the Eastern to the Atlantic Ocean. Some of these trees
measure twenty-five feet, and upwards, in circumfe-
rence, and the state of decay, in which they now ap-
pear, shows, that they may have witnessed the rites
of the druids. The whole scenery is included in the
magnificent and extensive park of the Duke of Hamil-
There was long preserved in this forest the breed
of the Scottish wild cattle, until their ferocity occasion-back-passage, and was got far beyond their reach. The
ed their being extirpated, about forty years ago. Their
regent died the same night of his wound.»-History
appearance was beautiful, being milk-white, with black Scotland, book y.
muzzles, horns, and hoofs. The buils are described by
ancient authors, as having white manes; but those of
latter days had lost that peculiarity, perhaps by inter-

ton.

mixture with the tame breed,'

In detailing the death of the Regent Murray, which is made the subject of the following ballad, it would be injustice to my reader to use other words than those of Dr Robertson, whose account of that memorable event forms a beautiful piece of historical painting.

Bothwellhaugh rode straight to Hamilton, where was received in triumph; for the ashes of the bo in Clydesdale, which had been burned by Mumers army, were yet smoking; and party prejudice, the las bits of the age, and the enormity of the provocated, seemed to his kinsmen to justify his deed. After a short abode at Ilamilton, this fierce and determias man left Scotland, and served in France, under the ja tronage of the family of Guise, to whom he was dealess recommended by having avenged the cause of the niece, Queen Mary, upon her ungrateful brother. De Thou has recorded, that an attempt was made to gage him to assassinate Gaspar de Coligni, the far admiral of France, and the buckler of the Hugues cause. But the character of Bothwellhaugh was He was no mercenary trader in blood, an.

taken.

« Hamilton of Bothwellhaugh was the person who committed this barbarous action. He had been condemned to death soon after the battle of Langside, as we have already related, and owed his life to the regent's clemency. But part of his estate had been bestowed upon one of the regent's favourites, who seized his house, and turned out his wife, naked, in a cold night, into the open fields. where, before next morning, shejected the offer with contempt and indignation a became furiously mad. This injury made a deeper had no authority, he said, from Scotland, to co impression on him than the benefit he had received, murders in France, he had avenged his own just as and from that moment he vowed to be revenged of the rel, but he would neither, for price aor prayer, ava regent. Party rage strengthened and inflamed his pri- that of another man - Thuanus, cap. 46. vate resentment. His kinsmen, the Hamiltons, applauded the enterprise. The maxims of that age justified the most desperate course he could take to obtain vengeance. He followed the regent for some time, and watched for an opportunity to strike the blow. He resolved, at last, to wait till his enemy should arrive at Linlithgow, through which he was to pass, in his way from Stirling to Edinburgh. He took his stand in a wooden gallery, which had a window towards the street; spread a feather-bed on the floor, to hinder the noise of his feet from being heard; hung up a black cloth behind him, that his shadow might not be observed from without; and, after all this preparation, calmly expected the regent's approach, who had lodged,

They were formerly kept in the park at Drumlanrig, and are still to be seen at Chillingham Castle in Northumberland. For their nature and ferocity, see Notes.

* This was Sir James Ballenden, Lord-justice-clerk, whose shameful and inhuman rapacity occasioned the catastrophe in the text.Spottiswoode.

This projecting gallery is still shown. The house to which it was attached was the property of the Archbishop of St Andrews, a natural brother of the Duke of Chatelherault, and uncle to Bothwellhaugh. This, among many other circumstances, seems to evince the aid which Bothwellhaugh received from his clan in effecting his purpose.

The regent's death happened 23d January, 15hg. is applauded, or stigmatized, by contemporary rians, according to their religious or party prejuus The triumph of Blackwood is unbounded. He not extols the pious feat of Bothwellhaugh, « who,» be ∞ serves, « satisfied, with a single ounce of lead, hi whose sacrilegious avarice had stripped the metropol church of Saint Andrews of its covering: » but he acribes it to immediate divine inspiration, and the e cape of Hamilton to little less than the miracu interference of the Deity.-Jebb, vol. ii, p. 263. W. equal injustice it was, by others, made the ground of general national reflection; for, when Mather urg Beruey to assassinate Burleigh, and quoted, the exc ples of Poltrot and Bothwellhaugh, the other consp tor answered, «< that neither Poltrot nor Hambleton is attempt their enterpryse, without some reason or cesideration to lead them to it: as the one, by hyre, a promise of preferment or rewarde; the other, up desperate mind of revenge, for a lydle wrong doɑe u » him, as the report goethe, accordinge to the vyle tryterous disposysyon of the hoole natyon of the Scoties » -MURDIN'S State Papers, vol. i, p. 197.

The gift of Lord John Hamilton, commendator of Arbroath.

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He ceased-and cries of rage and grief Burst mingling from the kindred band, And half arose the kindling chief,

And half unsheathed his Arran brand.

But who, o'er bush, o'er stream, and rock, Rides headlong, with resistless speed, Whose bloody poniard's frantic stroke Drives to the leap his jaded steed? (5)

Whose cheek is pale, whose eye-balls glare,

As one some vision'd sight that saw, Whose hands are bloody, loose his hair?

-'T is he! 't is he! 't is Bothwellhaugh!

From gory selle,' and reeling steed,

Sprung the fierce horseman with a bound, And, reeking from the recent deed,

He dash'd his carbine on the ground.

Sternly he spoke-«'T is sweet to hear, In good green-wood, the bugle blown; But sweeter to Revenge's ear,

To drink a tyrant's dying groan.

« Your slaughter'd quarry proudly trod,
At dawning morn, o'er dale and down,
But prouder base-born Murray rode
Through old Linlithgow's crowded town.

« From the wild Border's humbled side, In haughty triumph marched he, (6) While Knox relaxed his bigot pride,

And smiled, the traitorous pomp to see.

<< But can stern Power, with all his vaunt,
Or Pomp, with all her courtly glare,
The settled heart of Vengeance daunt,
Or change the purpose of Despair?

<< With hack but bent, my secret stand, (7)
Dark as the purposed deed, I chose,
And mark'd, where, mingling in his band,
Troop'd Scottish pikes and English bows.

<< Dark Morton, girt with many a spear, (8)
Murder's foul minion, led the van;
And clash'd their broadswords in the rear,
The wild Macfarlane's plaided clan. (9)

<< Glencairn and stout Parkhead were nigh, Obsequious at their regent's rein, (10) And haggard Lindsay's iron eye,

That saw fair Mary weep in vain, (11)

«Mid pennon'd spears, a steely grove,
Proud Murray's plumage floated high;
Scarce could his trampling charger move,
So close the minions crowded nigh. (12)

«From the raised vizor's shade, his eye,
Dark-rolling, glanced the ranks along,
And his steel truncheon, waved on high,
Seem'd marshalling the iron throng.
Selle-Saddle. A word used by Spencer, and other ancient
Hackbut bent-Gun cocked.

authors.

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ral in Scotland, under the singular title of her adopted | ditch), by whilk means he escapit, and gat away from all the rest of the horses.»-BIRRELL'S Diary, p. 18.

father.

Note 2. Stanza xv.

The mountain ball comes thundering on.

In Caledonia olim frequens erat sylvestris quidam bos, nunc vero rarior, qui colore candidissimo, jubam

Note 6. Stanza xxxiii.

From the wild Border's humbled side,

In haughty triumph marched he.

Murray's death took place shortly after an expedition

densam et demissam instar leonis gestat, truculentus ac to the Borders; which is thus commemorated by the ferus, ab humano genere abhorrens, ut quæcunque ho-author of his elegy:

mines vel manibus contrectaverint, vel halitu perflaverint, ab iis multos post dies omnino abstinuerint. Ad hoc tanta audacia huic bovi indita erat, ut non solum irritatus equites furenter prosterneret, sed ne tantillum lacessitus omnes promiscue homines cornibus, ac ungulis peteret; ac canum, qui apud nos ferocissimi sunt, impetus plane contemneret. Ejus carnes cartilaginosa sed saporis suavissimi. Erat is olim per illam vastissimam Caledoniæ sylvam frequens, sed humana ingluvie jam assumptus tribus tantum locis est reliquus, Strivilingi, Cumbernaldia, et Kincarniæ.»-Leslæus, Scotia Descriptio, p. 13.

Note 3. Stanza xxi.

Stern Cland replied, with darkening face

(Gray Pasley's haughty lord was he).

Lord Claud Hamilton, second son of the Duke of Chatelherault, and commendator of the abbey of Paisley, acted a distinguished part during the troubles of Queen Mary's reign, and remained unalterably attached to the cause of that unfortunate princess. He led the van of her army at the fatal battle of Langside, and was one of the commanders at the Raid of Stirling, which had so pearly given complete success to the queen's faction. He was ancestor to the present Marquis of Abercorn.

Note 4. Stanza xxii.

Few suns have set, since Woodhouselee.

So having stablischt all thing in this sort,

To Liddisdaill again he did resort,

Throw Ewisdail, Eskdail, and all the daills rode he.

And also lay three nights in Cannabie.
Whair na prince lay thir hundred yeiris before,
Nae thief durst stir, they did him feir so sair;
And, that they suld na mair thair thift alledge,
Threescore and twelf he brocht of thame in pledge,
Syne wardit thame, whilk made the rest keep ordour,
Than mycht the rasch-bus keep ky on the Bordour.
Scottish Poems, 16th century, p. 232.

Note 7. Stanza xxxv.

With hackbut bent, my secret stand.

The carabine, with which the regent was shot, is preserved at Hamilton Palace. It is a brass piece, of a middling length, very small in the bore, and, what is rather extraordinary, appears to have been rifled or indented in the barrel. It had a match-lock, for which a modern fire-lock has been injudiciously substituted.

Note 8. Stanza xxxvi.

Dark Morton, girt with many a spear.

Of this noted person it is enough to say, that he was active in the murder of David Rizzio, and at least privy to that of Darnley.

Note 9. Stanza xxxvi.

The wild Macfarlane's plaided clan.

This clan of Lennox Highlanders were attached to the Regent Murray. Hollinshed, speaking of the battle of Langside, says, «In this batayle the valiance of an This barony, stretching along the banks of the Esk, Hieland gentleman, named Macfarlane, stood the renear Auchendinny, belonged to Bothwellhaugh, in right gent's part in great steede; for, in the hottest brunte of his wife. The ruins of the mansion, from whence of the fighte, he came up with two hundred of his she was expelled in the brutal manner which occasion-friendes and countrymen, and so manfully gave in uped her death, are still to be seen, in a hollow glen be- on the flankes of the queene's people, that he was a side the river. Popular report tenants them with the great cause of the disordering of them. This Macfar restless ghost of the Lady Bothwellhaugh; whom, how-lane had been lately before, as I have heard, condemn ever, it confounds with Lady Anne Bothwell, whose ed to die, for some outrage by him committed, and Lament is so popular. This spectre is so tenacious of obtayning pardon through suyt of the Countess of Murher rights, that, a part of the stones of the ancient edi-ray, he recompenced that clemencie by this piece of fice having been employed in building or repairing the present Woodhouseclee, she has deemed it a part of her privilege to haunt that house also; and, even of very late years, has excited considerable disturbance and terror among the domestics. This is a more remarkable vindication of the rights of ghosts, as the present Woodhouselee, which gives his title to the honourable Alexander Fraser Tytler, a senator of the College of Justice, is situated on the slope of the Pentland hills, distant at least four miles from her proper abode. She always appears in white, and with a child in her

arms.

Note 5. Stanza xxviii. Whose bloody poniard's frantic stroke, Drives to the leap his jaded steed. Birrel informs us, that Bothwellhaugh, being closely pursued, « after that spur and wand had failed him, he drew forth his dagger, and strocke his horse behind, whilk caused the horse to leap a very brode stank (i. e.

service now at this batayle.» Calderwood's account is
less favourable to the Macfarlanes. He states, that
« Macfarlane, with his Highlandmen, fled from the
wing where they were set. The Lord Lindesay, who
stood nearest to them in the regent's battle, said, Let
them go! I shall fill their places better: and so step-
ping forward with a company of fresh men, charged
the enemy, whose spears were now spent, with long
weapons, so that they were driven back by force, being
before almost overthrown by the avant-guard and har-
quebusiers, and so were turned to flight.»-Calder-
wood's MS. apud Keith, p. 48o. Melville mentions the
flight of the van-guard, but states it to have been com-
manded by Morton, and composed chiefly of common-
ers of the barony of Renfrew.

Note 10. Stanza xxxvii.
Glencairn and stout Parkhead were nigh,
Obsequious at their regent's rein.

The Earl of Glencairn was a steady adherent of the

regent. George Douglas, of Parkhead, was a natural brother of the Earl of Morton: his horse was killed by the same ball by which Murray fell.

Note 11. Stanza xxxvii.

And haggard Lindsay's iron eye,

That saw fair Mary weep in vain.

stronger claims of natural affection. Chusing, there fore, a dark and windy night, when the objects of his vengeance were engaged in a stolen interview, he set fire to a stack of dried thorns, and other combustibles, which he had caused to be piled against the house, and reduced to a pile of glowing ashes the dwelling, with al its inmates.1

Lord Lindesay, of the Byres, was the most ferocious and brutal of the regent's faction; and, as such, was The scene, with which the ballad opens, was sugemployed to extort Mary's signature to the deed of regested by the following curious passage, extracted from the Life of Alexander Peden, one of the wandering and signation, presented to her in Lochleven Castle. He discharged his commission with the most savage ri- the reign of Charles II. and his successor, James. This persecuted teachers of the sect of Cameronians, during gour; and it is even said, that when the weeping cap- person was supposed by his followers, and perhaps tive, in the act of signing, averted her eyes from the really believed himself, to be possessed of supernatural fatal deed, he pinched her arm with the grasp of his gifts; for the wild scenes, which they frequented, and iron glove. the constant dangers, which were incurred through their proscription, deepened upon their minds the gloom of superstition, so general in that age.

Note 12. Stanza xxxviii.

Scarce could his trampling charger move,

So close the minions crowded nigh.

Richard Bannatyne mentions in his journal, that John Knox repeatedly warned Murray to avoid Linlithgow.

Not only had the regent notice of the intended attempt upon his life, but even of the very house from

which it was threatened.

With that infatuation, at which men wonder after such events have happened, he deemed it would be a sufficient precaution to ride briskly past the dangerous spot. But even this was prevented by the crowd: so that Bothwellhaugh had time to take a deliberate aim. -Spottiswoode, p. 233. Buchanan.

THE GRAY BROTHER.

A FRAGMENT.

THE imperfect state of this ballad, which was written several years ago, is not a circumstance affected for the purpose of giving it that peculiar interest, which is often found to arise from ungratified curiosity. On the contrary, it was the author's intention to have completed the tale, if he had found himself able to succeed to his own satisfaction. Yielding to the opinion of persons, whose judgment, if not biassed by the partiality of friendship, is entitled to deference, the author has preferred inserting these verses, as a fragment, to his intention of entirely suppressing them.

« About the same time he (Peden) came to Andrew Normand's house, in the parish of Alloway, in the shire Į of Ayr, being to preach at night in his barn. After he came in, he halted a little, leaning upon a chair-back! with his face covered; when he lifted up his head, said, 'There are in this house that I have not one word of salvation unto;' he halted a little again, saying, 'This is strange, that the devil will not go out, that we may begin our work!' Then there was a woman went out, ill looked upon almost all her life, and to her dying hour, for a witch, with many presumptions of the same. It escaped me, in the former passages, that John Muirhead (whom I have often mentioned) tod that when he came from Ireland to Galloway, he was at family-worship, and giving some notes upon the Scripture, when a very ill-looking man came, and sate down within the door, at the back of the hallan par tition of the cottage); immediately he halted, and sai 'There is some unhappy body just now come into this house. I charge him to go out, and not stop my mouth! The person went out, and he insisted on), yet he saw him neither come in nor go outThe Life and Prophecies of Mr Alexander Pedes late Minister of the Gospel at New Glenluce, in Galloway, part ii. section 26.

me,

THE Pope he was saying the high, high mass,
All on Saint Peter's day,

With the power to him given, by the saints in heaven,
To wash men's sins away.

The Pope he was saying the blessed mass,
And the people kneel'd around;
And from each man's soul his sins did pass,
As he kiss'd the holy ground.

The tradition, upon which the tale is founded, regards a house, upon the barony of Gilmerton, near Lasswade, in Mid-Lothian. This building, now called Gilmerton Grange, was originally named Burndale, from the following tragic adventure. The barony of Gilmerton belonged of yore to a gentleman, named Heron, who had one beautiful daughter. This young lady was seduced by the abbot of Newbottle, a richlyendowed abbey, upon the banks of the South Esk, now a seat of the Marquis of Lothian. Heron came to the knowledge of this circumstance, and learned, also, that the lovers carried on their guilty intercourse by the connivance of the lady's nurse, who lived at this This tradition was communicated to me by John Clerk. Est, if house, of Gilmerton Grange or Burndale. He formed a Eldin, author of an Essay upon Naval Tactics; who will be res bered by posterity, as having taught the Genius of Britain resolution of bloody vengeance, undeterred by the sup-centrate ber thunders, and to launch them against her four posed sanctity of the clerical character, or by the

And all, among the crowded throng,
Was still, both limb and tongue,
While through vaulted roof, and aisles aloof,
The holy accents rung.

unerring aim.

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