Ah, wae light on ye, Stobs!

An ill death mot ye die!

Ye're the first and foremost man

That e'er laid bands on me;

That e'er laid hands on me,
And took my mare me frae;
Wae to you, Sir Gilbert Elliot!
Ye are my mortal fas!•

The lasses of Ousenam water

Are ragging and riving their hair,
And a' for the sake of Willie,

His beauty was so fair;

His beauty was so fair,

And comely for to see,

And drink will be dear to Willie,
When sweet milk gars him die.

Note 23. Stanza xxxiv.
--black Lord Archibald's battle laws,
In the old Douglas' day.

The title to the most ancient collection of Border regulations runs thus ?

Be it remembered, that, on the 18th day of December, 1468, Earl William Douglas assembled the whole lords, freeholders, and eldest Borderers, that best knowledge bad at the college of Lincloudin; and there caused those lords and Borderers bodily to be worn, the Holy Gospel touched, that they, justly and , after their cunning, should decretc, decern, ver, and put in order and writing, the statutes, rances, and uses of marche, that were ordained Back Archibald of Douglas's days, and Archibald his son's days, in time of warfare; and they came in to him advisedly with these statutes, and ordi

Pringle of Whitebank). They were called the Seven
Spears of Wedderburne.

Note 3. Stanza iv.

And Swinton laid the lance in rest,

That tamed of yore the sparkling crest

Of Clarence's Plantagenet.

At the battle of Beaugé, in France, Thomas, Duke of Clarence, brother to Henry V., was unhorsed by Sir John Swinton of Swinton, who distinguished him by a coronet set with precious stones, which he wore around his helmet. The family of Swinton is one of the most ancient in Scotland, and produced many celebrated

warriors.

Note 4. Stanza iv.

Beneath the crest of old Dunbar,

And Hepburn's mingled banners, come,
Down the steep mountain glittering far,

And shouting still, A Home! a Home!.

The Earls of Home, as descendants of the Dunbars, ancient Earls of March, carried a lion rampant, argent; but, as a difference, changed the colour of the shield from gules to vert, in allusion to Greenlaw, their ancient possession. The slogan, or war-cry, of this powerful family, was, « A Home! a llome!» It was anciently placed in an escrol above the crest. The helmet is armed with a lion's head erased gules, with a cap of state gules, turned up ermine.

The Hepburns, a powerful family in East Lothian, were usually in close alliance with the Homes. The chief of this clan was Hepburn, Lord of Hailes; a family which terminated in the too famous Earl of Bothwell.

Note 5. Stanza vi.

Pursued the foot-ball play.

s, which were in time of warfare before. The Earl William, seeing the statutes in writing deed and delivered by the said lords and Borderers, Lught them right speedful and profitable to the The foot-ball was anciently a very favourite sport all rers, the which statutes, ordinances, and points through Scotland, but especially upon the Borders. Sir varfare, he took, and tac whole lords and Borderers John Carmichael of Carmichael, warden of the middle assed bodily to be sworn, that they should main- marches, was killed in 1600, by a band of the Armd supply him at their goodly power, to do the strongs, returning from a foot-ball match. Sir Robert on those that should break the statutes under-Carey, in his Memoirs, mentions a great meeting, apAlso, the said Earl William, and lords, and pointed by the Scottish riders, to be held at Kelso, for Borderers, made certain points to be treason in the purpose of playing at foot-ball, but which termiof warfare to be used, which were no treason be-nated in an incursion upon England. At presen: the his time, but to be treason in his time, and in all

iar coming.

CANTO V.

Note 1. Stanza iv.

The Bloody Heart blazed in the van,

Announcing Douglas, dreaded name.

The chief of this potent race of heroes, about the te of the poem, was Archibald Douglas, seventh Earl agus, a man of great courage and activity. The Body Heart was the well-known cognizance of the e of Douglas, assumed from the time of good Lord es, to whose care Robert Bruce committed his heart, be carried to the Holy Land.

Note 2. Stanza iv.

the Seven Spears of Wedderburne.

Sr David Home of Wedderburne, who was slain in fatal battle of Flodden, left seven sons by his wife,

Isabel, daughter of Hoppringle of Galashiels (now

foot-ball is often played by the inhabitants of adjacent parishes, or of the opposite banks of a stream. The victory is contested with the utmost fury, and very serious accidents have sometimes taken place in the struggle.

Note 6. Stanza vi.

'Twixt truce and war such sudden change
Was not infrequent, nor held strange,
In the old Border day....

Notwithstanding the constant wars upon the Borders, and the occasional cruelties which marked the mutual inroads, the inhabitants on either side do not appear to have regarded each other with that violent and personal animosity which might have been expected. On the contrary, like the outposts of hostile armies, they often carried on something resembling friendly intercourse, even in the middle of hostilities; and it is evident, from various ordinances against trade and intermarriages between English and Scottish Borderers, that the governments of both countries were jealous of their cherishing too intimate a connexion. Froissart says of both nations, that «Englyshemen on the one party, and Scottes on the other party, are good men

folke within; and gone doune to trie, he was redily re- Scotland, this abomynable act not only to be done by ceyved with a hakebut or two. He left them not yet, dyverse of the Mershe, but also the afore named pertill he had knowen wheyther thei would be content to sons of Tyvidaill, and consented to, as by appearance, yeld and come out; which they fondly refusing, he by the Erle of Murey, upon Friday at nighte last, let went to my lorde's grace, and upon utterance of the slyp c of the best horsemen of Glendaill, with a parte thynge, gat lisense to deale with them as he coulde; and of your highnes' subjects of Berwyke, together with so returned to them, with a skore or two of pioners. George Dowglas, whoo came into Ingland agayne, in Three' ventes had their cave, that we wear ware of, the dawning of the day; but afore theyre retorne, they whereof he first stopt up on; anoother he fill'd full of dyd mar the Earl of Murrei's provisions at Coldingham strawe, and set it a fyer, whereat they within cast water for they did not only burne the said towne of Colding apace; but it was so well maynteyned without, that the ham, with all the corne thereunto belonging, which i fver prevayled, and thei within fayn to get them belyke esteemed wurthe cii marke sterling; but alsoo burned into anoother parler. Then devised we (for I hapt to twa townes nye adjoining thereunto, called Braner be with him) to stop the same up, whereby we should dergest and Black Hill, and toke xxiii persons, eyther smoother them, or fynd out their vents, if the horse, with cc hed of cattaill, which nowe as I am hadde any moe: as this was done at another issue, about informed, hathe not only been a staye of the said Erk xii score of, we moughte see the fume of their smoke of Murrei's not coming to the Bordure as yet, but alsoo to come out; the which continued with so great a force, that none inlande man will adventure theyre selfs uppor and so long a while, that we could not but thinke they the marches. And as for the tax that shulde have beer must needs get them out, or smoother within and grauntyd for finding of the said iii hundred men, is forasmuch as we found not that they dyd the tone, we utterly denyed. Upon which the king of Scotland dethought it for certain thei wear sure of the toother.»-parted from Edynburgh to Stirling, and as yet there PATTEN'S Account of Somerset's Expedition into Scot- doth remayn. And also I, by the advice of my brother land, apud DALZELL'S Fragments.

Note 3. Stanza iii.

--southern ravage.

From the following fragment of a letter from the Earl of Northumberland to King Henry VIII. preserved among the Cotton MSS. Calig. B. vii. 179, the reader may estimate the nature of the dreadful war which was occasionally waged upon the Borders, sharpened by mutual cruelties, and the personal hatred of the wardens, or leaders.

Clyfforth, have devysed, that within this iii nyghts, Gor willing, Kelsey, in lyke case, shall be brent, with all the corne in the said town'; and then they shall have noc place to lye any garyson in nygh unto the Borders. And as I shail atteigne further knowledge, I shall not fail to satisfye your highnes, according to my most bounden dutie. And for this burnynge of Kelsey is devysed to be done secretly, by Tyndall and Ryddisdale.. And thus the holy Trynite and *** your most royal estate, with long lyf, and as much increase of honour as your most noble heart can desire. At Werkworth, the xxiid day of October.» (1522).

Note 4. Stanza iv..
Wau Tintinn.

Some Scottish barons, says the earl, had threatened to come within « three, miles of my pore house of Werkworth, where I lye," and gif me light to put on my clothes at mydnyght; and alsoo the said Marke Carr said there opynly, that, seying they had a governor on This person was, in my younger days, the theme of the marches of Scotland, as well as they had in Ingland, many a fireside tale. He was a retainer of the Buc he shulde kepe your highness' instructions, gyffyn unto cleuch family, and held for his Border service a small your garyson, for making of any day-forrey; for he and tower on the frontiers of Liddesdale. Watt was, by his friends wolde burne enough on the nyght, lettyng profession, a sutor, but, by inclination and practice, an your counsail here defyne a notable acte at theyre archer and warrior. Upon one occasion, the captain pleasures. Upon whiche, in your highnes' name, I of Bewcastle, military governor of that wild district of comaundet dewe watche to be kept on your marchies, Cumberland, is said to have made an incursion into for comyng in of any Scotts.--Neutheless, upon Thurs-Scotland, in which he was defeated, and forced to fly. day at night last, came thyrty light horsemen into a Watt Tinlinn pursued him closely through a dangerous litil village of myne, called Whitell, having not past morass; the captain, however, gained the firm ground, sex houses, lying towards Ryddisdaill, upon Shilbotelland seeing Tinlinn dismounted, and floundering in the more, and there wold have fyred the said howses, but ther was noo fyre to get there, and they forgate to brynge any withe theyme; and toke a wyf, being great with childe, in the said towne, and said to hyr, Wher we can not gyve the laird lyghit yet we shall doo this in spyte of him; and gyve her iii mortall wounds upon the heid, and another in the right side, with a dagger: wheruppon the said wyf is deede, and the childe in her bely is loste. Beseeching your most gracious highnes to reduce unto your gracious memory thys wylful and places in Liddesdale remarkable for game :

bog, used these words of insult; «Sutor Watt, ye can-
not sew your boots; the heels risp, and the seams
rive.» «If I cannot sew,»- retorted Tinlinn, dis
charging a shaft, which nailed the captain's thigh to
his saddle,-
‚—« If I cannot sew, I can yerk.» *

Note 5. Stanza v.
--Bilhope stag.

There is an old rhyme, which thus celebrates the

shamefull murder, done within this your highnes realme,
notwithstanding all the inhabitants thereabout rose unto
the said fray, and gave warnynge by becons into the
countrey afore theyme, and yet the Scottsmen dyde
escape. And uppon certeyne knowledge to my bro-
ther Clyfforthe and me, had by credable persons of their work.

Bilhope braes for bucks and raes,

And Carit haugh for swine,
And Tarras for the good buil-trout,
If he be ta en in time.

Risp, creak.-Rive, tear.

Yerk, to twitch, as shoemakers do, in securing the stitches of

The bucks and roes, as well as the old swine, are
Bertinct; but the good bull-trout are still famous.

Note 6. Stanza v.

Of silver broach and bracelet proud.

As the Borderers were indifferent about the furniture | ir habitations, so much exposed to be burnt and dndered, they were proportionally anxious to display radour in decorating and ornamenting their females. - LESLY, de Moribus Limitaneorum.

Note 7. Stanza vi.

Belted Will Howard.

27th September, 1549, the Duke of Somerset, Lord Protector, writes to the Lord Dacre, warden of the West Marches: «The Almains, in number two thousand, very valiant soldiers, shall be sent to you shortly from Newcastle, together with Sir Thomas Holcroft, and with the force of your wardeury (which we would were advanced to the most strength of horsemen that might be), shall make the attempt to Loughmaben, being of no such strength but that it may be skailed with ladders, whereof, beforehand, we would you caused secretly some number to be provided; or else undermined with the pyke-axe, and so taken: either to be kept for the king's majesty, or otherwise to be defaced, and taken from the profits of the enemy, › And in like

Lord Willam Howard, third son of Thomas Duke of Norfolk, succeeded to Naworth Castle, and a large dowran annexed to it, in right of his wife Elizabeth, sister Kerge Lord Dacre, who died without heirs male, in the 11th of Queen Elizabeth. By a poetical anachro-quent correspondence; and the enterprise seems finally tism, he is introduced into the romance a few years nier than he actually flourished. He was warden of Western Marches; and, from the rigour with which be repressed the Border excesses, the pame of Belted Wil Howard is still famous in our traditions. In the taste of Naworth, his apartments, containing a bednata, oratory, and a library, are still shown. They espres us with an unpleasing idea of the life of a lord Kelen of the marches. Three or four strong doors, inting these rooms from the rest of the castle, ina apprehensions of treachery from his garrison; at the secret winding passages, through which he could ely descend into the guard-room, or even into dungeons, imply the necessity of no small degree

manner the house of Carlaverock to be used.» Re

peated mention occurs of the Almains, in the subse

superintendance on the part of the governor. Ge ancient books and furniture have remained unarted, the venerable appearance of these apart

and the armour scattered around the chamber, 1st lead us to expect the arrival of the warden in Naworth Castle is situated near Brampton, in and. Lord William Howard is ancestor of the Carlisle.

Note 8. Stanza vi.
--Lord Dacre.

The well-known name of Dacre is derived from the ts of one of their ancestors at the siege of Acre, mais, under Richard Coeur-de-Lion. There were erful branches of that name. The first family, Lord Dacres of the South, held the castle of the ame, and are ancestors to the present Lord The other family, descended from the same k, were called Lord Dacres of the North, and were s of Gilsland and Graystock. A chieftain of the branch was warden of the West Marches during ign of Edward VI. He was a man of a hot and e character, as appears from some particulars Lord Surrey's letter to Henry VIII. giving an account ́s behaviour at the siege and storm of Jedburgh. printed in the Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border, adix to the Introduction.

Note 9. Stanza vi. --the German backbut-men.

the wars with Scotland, Henry VIII. and his sucemployed numerous bands of mercenary troops: At the battle of Pinky, there were in the English army hundred hackbutters on foot, and two hundred on orseback, composed chiefly of foreigners. On the

to have been abandoned, from the difficulty of providing these strangers with the necessary <<victuals and carriages in so poor a country as Dumfries-shire.» History of Cumberland, vol. I, Introd. p. lxi. From the battle-pieces of the ancient Flemish painters we learn, that the Low-country and German soldiers marched to an assault with their right knees bared. And we may also observe, in such pictures, the extravagance to which they carried the fashion of ornamenting their dress with knots of riband. This custom of the Germans is alluded to in the Mirrour for Magistrates,

P. 121.

Their pleited garments therewith well accord,
All jagde and frounst, with divers colours deckt.
Note 10. Stanza viji

His ready lances Thirlestane brave'
Array'd beneath a banner bright.

Sir John Scott of Thirlestane flourished in the reign
of James V. and possessed the estates of Thirlestane,
Gamescleuch, etc. lying upon the river Ettrick, and
extending to St Mary's Loch, at the head of Yarrow. It
appears, that when James had assembled his nobility
and their feudal followers, at Fala, with the purpose of
invading England, and was, as is well known, disap-
pointed by the obstinate refusal of his
peers, this baron
alone declared himself ready to follow the king where-
ever he should lead, In memory of his fidelity, James
granted to his family a charter of arms, entitling them
to bear a border of fleurs-de-luce, similar to the tres-
sure in the royal arms, with a bundle of for the
spears
crest, motto, Ready, aye ready. The charter itself is
printed by Nisbet; but his work being scarce, I insert
the following accurate transcript from the original, in
the possession of the Right Honourable Lord Napier,
the representative of John of Thirlestane.

«JAMES REX.

considerand the ffaith and guid servis of of of right « We James, by the grace of God, king of Scottis, traist friend John Scott of Thirlestane, quba cummand to our hoste at Soutra-edge, with three score and ten launcieres on horseback of his friends and followers, and beand willing to gang with ws into England, when all our nobles and others refuised, he was readdy to will, and we doe straitlie command and charg our lion stake all at our bidding; ffor the quhilk cause, it is our herauld, and his deputies for the time beand, to give

- Sic in orig.

Portugal against the Spaniards, mutinied for want of ar pay. At an assembly of their leaders, Sir John Sotier, a natural son of Edward the Black Prince, thus dressed them: «I counsayle, let us be alle of one sance, and of one accorde, and let us among ourselves we up the baner of St George, and let us be frendes God, and enemyes to all the worlde; for without we me ourseife to be feared, we gette nothing.'

by my fayth,' quod Sir William Helmon, ‘ye saye rg well, and so let us do. They all agreed with one re, and so regarded among them who shulde be their capitayne. Then they advysed in the case how they coude nat have a better capitayne than Sir Johu Soter. For they sulde than have good leyser to do vn, and they thought he was more metelyer thereto than any other. Than they raised up the penon of & George, and cried, 'A Soltier! a Soltier! the valyaunt bastarde! frendes to God, and enemies to all the worde-FROISSART, vol. I, ch. 393.

Note 15. Stanza xxi.

--a gauntlet on a spear.

A glove upon a lance was the emblem of faith among the ancient Borderers, who were wont, when any one Lake his word, to expose this emblem, and proclaim faithless villain at the first Border meeting. This remony was much dreaded.-See LESLY.

Note 16. Stanza xxiv.

himself possessed it, upon any squire who, after due probation, was found to merit the honour of chivalry. Latterly, this power was confined to generals, who were wont to create knights bannerets after or before an engagement. Even so late as the reign of Queen Elizabeth, Essex highly offended his jealous sovereign by the indiscriminate exertion of this privilege. Amongst others, he knighted the witty Sir John Harrington, whose favour at court was by no means enhanced by his new honours.-See the Nuge Antiquæ, edited by Mr Park. But probably the latest instance of knighthood, conferred by a subject, was in the case of Thomas Ker, knighted by the Earl of Huntley, after the defeat of the Earl of Argyle in the battle of Belrinues. The fact is attested, both by a poetical and prose account of the engagement, contained in an ancient MS. in the Advocates' Library, and lately edited by Mr Dalyell, in Godly Sangs and Ballets, Edinb. 1802.

Note 19. Stanza xxvi.

When English blood swell'd Ancram ford.

The battle of Ancram Moor, or Peniel-heuch, was fought A. D. 1545. The English, commanded by Sir Ralph Evers, and Sir Brian Latoun, were totally routed, and both their leaders slain in the action. The Scottish army was commanded by Archibald Douglas, Earl of Angus, assisted by the Laird of Buccleuch and Norman Lesly.

Note 20. Stanza xxx.

--the blanche lion.

-

We claim from thee William of Deloraine, That he may suffer match-treason pain. Seteral species of offences, peculiar to the Border, This was the cognizance of the noble house of Howstituted what was called march-treason. Among ard in all its branches. The crest or bearing of a rs, was the crime of riding, or causing to ride, warrior was often used as a nom de guerre. Thus the opposite country, during the time of truce. Richard III. acquired his well-known epithet, The Boar in an indenture made at the water of Eske, be- of York. In the violent satire on Cardinal Wolsey, side Salom, the 25th day of March, 1334, betwixt noble written by Roy, commonly, but erroneously, imputed and mighty, Sirs Henry Percy, Earl of Northumberto Dr Bull, the Duke of Buckingham is called the and Archibald Douglas, Lord of Galloway, a truce Beautiful Swan, and the Duke of Norfolk, or Earl of Speed upon until the 1st day of July; and it is ex- Surrey, the White Lion. As the book is extremely rare, accorded, « Gif ony stellis, authir on the ta part, and the whole passage relates to the emblematical the tothyr, that he shall be henget or heofdit; interpretation of heraldry, it shall be here given at gif ony company stellis any gudes within the length. a beforesayd, ane of that company sall be henget effit, and the remnant sall restore the gudys in the dubble,»—History of Westmoreland and amberland, Introd. p- xxxix.

Note 17. Stanza xxvi.

——-William of Deloraine

Will cleanse him, by oath, of march-treason stain. la dubious cases, the innocence of Border criminals s occasionally referred to their own oath. The form fecusing, bills, or indictments, by Border-oath, ran

You shall swear by heaven above you, hell besth you, by your part of Paradise, by all that God made in six days and seven nights, and by God himself,

are whart out sackless of art, part, way, witting, *, kenning, having, or recetting of any of the goods catteis named in this bill. So help you God.»— try of Cumberland, Introd. p. xxv.

Note 18. Stanza xxvi.

Knighthood he took of Douglas' sword.

The dignity of knighthood, according to the original tution, had this peculiarity, that it did not flow from the monarch, but could be conferred by one who

The Description of the Armes.

Of the proud Cardinal this is the shelde,
Borne up betwene two angels of Sathan;
The sixe bloudy axes in a bare følde,
Sheweth the crueltie of the red man,
Which hath devoured the Beautiful Swan,
Mortal enemy unto the Whyte Lion,
Carter of Yorke, the vyle butcher's sonne.
The sixe bulles heddes in a felde blacke,
Betokeneth his sturdy furiousness,
Wherefore, the godly light to put abacke,
He bryngeth in his dyylish darcues;
The bandog in the meddes doth expresse
The mastiff curre bred in Ypswich towne,
Gnawynge with his teth a kinges crowne.
The cloubbe signifieth playne his tiranny,
Covered over with a Cardinal's batt,
Wherein shall be fulfilled the prophecy,
Aryse up, Jacke, and put on thy salatt,
For the tyme is come of bagge and walatt,
The temporall chevalry thus thrown doune,
Wherfor, prest, take hede, and beware thy crowne.

There were two copies of this very scarce satire in the library of the late John, Duke of Roxburgh. See an account of it also in Sir Egerton Brydges's curious Miscellany, the Censura Literaria.