Note 21. Stanza xxx. Carleton had a letter under the gentleman's own hand for his discharge. 2. He chargeth him, that whereas her majesty dot! yearly, bestow a great fee upon him, as captain of Bew castle, to aid and defend her majesty s subjects theret Thomas Musgrave hath neglected his duty, for that be majesty's castle of Bewcastle was by him made a de of thieves, and an harbour and receipt for murderer felons, and all sorts of misdemeanors. The precede was Quintin Whitehead and Runion Blackburne. It may easily be supposed, that trial by single combat, so peculiar to the feudal system, was comnion on the Borders. In 1558, the well-known Kirkaldy of Grange fought a duel with Ralph Evre, brother to the then Lord Evre, in consequence of a dispute about a prisoner said to have been ill treated by the Lord Evre. Pitscottie gives the following account of the affairs "The Lord of Ivers his brother provoked William Kirkaldy of Grange to fight with him, in single combat, on horseback, with spears; who, keeping the appoint-resistance made by him to the contrary. ment, accompanied with Monsieur d'Ossel, lieutenant to the French king, and the garrison of Haymouth, and Mr Ivers, accompanied with the governor and garrison of Berwick, it was discharged under the pain of treason, that any man should come near the champions within a flight shot, except one man for either of them, to bear their spears, two trumpets, and two lords to be judges. When they were in readiness, the trumpets sounded, the heraulds cried, and the judges let them go. Then they encountered very fiercely; but Grange struck his spear through his adversary's shoulder, and bare him off his horse, being sore wounded: But whether he died, or not, it is uncertain.»>-P. 202. 3. He charged him, that his office of Rewcastle open for the Scotch to ride in and through, and sa << Thomas Musgrave doth deny all this charge; al saith, that he will prove that Lancelot Carleton de falsely bely him, and will prove the same by way combat, according to this indenture. Lancelot Carleti hath entertained this challenge; and so, by God's p mission, will prove it true as before, and hath seti hand to the same. (Signed) THOMAS MUSGRAVE. Note 22. Stanza xxxiv. The person here alluded to, is one of our ancie Border minstrels, called Rattling Roaring Willic. П sobriquet was probably derived from his bullying & position; being, it would seem, such a roaring boy, The following indenture will show at how late a perjod the trial by combat was resorted to on the Border, as a proof of guilt or innocence "It is agreed between Thomas Musgrave and Lan-is frequently mentioned in old plays. While drinkin relot Carleton, for the true trial of such controversies as are betwixt them, to have it openly tried by way of combat, before God and the face of the world, to try it in Canonbyholme, before England and Scotland, upon Thursday in Easter-week, being the eight day of April next ensuing, A. D, 1602, betwixt nine of the clock, and one of the same day, to fight on foot, to be armed with jack, steel cap, plaite sleeves, plaite breaches, plaite sockes, two basleard swords, the blades to be one yard and half a quarter of length, two Scotchi daggers, or dorks, at their girdles, and either of them to provide armour and weapons for themselves, according to this indenture. Two gentlemen to be appointed, on the feld, to view both the parties, to see that they both be equal in arms and weapons, according to this indenture; and being so viewed by the gentlemen, the gentlemen to ride to the rest of the company; and to leave them but two boys, viewed by the gentlemen, to be under sixteen years of age, to hold their horses. In testimony of this our agreement, we have both set our hands to this indenture, of intent all matters shall be made so plain, as there shall be no question to stick upon that day. Which indenture, as a witness, shall be delivered to two gentlemen. And for that it is convenient the world should be privy to every particular of the grounds of the quarrel, we have agreed to set it down in this indenture betwixt us, that, knowing the quarrel, their eyes may be witness of the trial. The grounds of the quarrel. 1. Lancelot Carleton did charge Thomas Musgrave before the lords of her 'majesty's privy council, that Lancelot Carleton was told by a gentleman, one of her majesty's sworn servants, that Thomas Musgrave had offered to deliver her majesty's castle of Bewcastle to the king of Scots; and to witness the same, Lancelot at Newmill, upon Teviót, about five miles above llave Now Willie's gane to Jeddart, They sought him up and down, Stobs lighted aff his horse, And down Leneath his kne, The day of the Rood-fair at Jedburgh. Sir Gilbert Elliot of Stol bs, and Scott of Falnash. 3 A wretched pun on his antagonist's name. Ah, wae light on ye, Stoba! An ill death mot ye die! Ye're the first and foremost man That e'er laid hands on me, The lasses of Ousenam water Are rugging and riving their hair, His beauty was so fair; His beanty was so fair, And comely for to see, And drink will be dear to Willie, Note 23. Stanza xxxiv. --black Lord Archibald's battle laws, The title to the most ancient collection of Border (regulations runs thus ? Pringle of Whitebank). They were called the Seven Note 3. Stanza iv. And Swinton laid the lance in rest, That tamed of yore the sparkling crost 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, The Earls of Home, as descendants of the Dunbars, The The Hepburns, a powerful family in East Lothian, chief of this clan was Hepburn, Lord of Hailes; a family were usually in close alliance with the Homes. which terminated in the too famous Earl of Bothwell. 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 had at the college of Lincloudin; and there The caused those lords and Borderers bodily to be , the Holy Gospel touched, that they, justly and ray, after their cunning, should decretc, decern, ver, and put in order and writing, the statutes, tances, and uses of marche, that were ordained back Archibald of Douglas's days, and Archibald son's days, in time of warfare; and they came to him advisedly with these statutes and ordies, which were in time of warfare before. The Earl William, seeing the statutes in writing dered and delivered by the said lords and Borderers, ght them right speedful and profitable to the The foot-ball was anciently a very favourite sport all Burers; the which statutes, ordinances, and points through Scotland, but especially upon the Borders. Sir vafare, he took, and the whole lords and Borderers John Carmichael of Carmichael, warden of the middle ased bodily to be sworn, that they should main-matches, was killed in 1600, by a band of the Armad supply him at their goodly power, to do the strongs, returning from a foot-ball match. Sir Robert 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 fre his time, but to be treason in his time, and in all проп bar 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 e of the poem, was Archibald Douglas, seventh Earl Body Heart was the well-known cognizance of the agus, a man of great courage and activity. The of Douglas, assumed from the time of good Lord , to whose care Robert Bruce committed his heart, be carried to the Holy Land. Note 2. Stanza iv. the Seven Sears of Wedderburne. Note 5. Stanza vi, Pursued the foot-ball play. 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 Notwithstanding the constant wars upon the Borders, On and the occasional cruelties which marked the mutual Sir David Home of Wedderburne, who was slain in their cherishing too intimate a connexion. Froissart fatal battle of Flodden, left seven sons by his wife, says of both nations, that « Englyshemen on the one bei, daughter of Hoppringle of Galashiels (now party, and Scottes on the other party, are good men of warre; for when they meet, there is a harde fight without sparynge. There is no hoo (truce) between them, as long as spears, swords, axes, or daggers, will endure, but lay on eche upon uther; and when they be well beaten, and that the one party hath obtained the victory, they then gloryfye so in theyre dedes of armes, and are so joyfull, that such as be taken they shall be ransomed, or that they go out of the felde; so that shortly each of them is so content with other, that at their departynge, curtyslye they will say, God thank you.»-BERNERS' Froissart, vol. II, p. 153. The Border meetings of truce, which, although places of merchandise and merriment, often witnessed the most bloody scenes, may serve to illustrate the description in the text. They are vividly portrayed in the old ballad of the Reidsquair. Both parties came armed to a meeting of the wardens, yet they intermixed fearlessly and peaceably with each other in mutual sports and familiar intercourse, until a casual fray arose: Then was there nought but bow and spear, And every man pull'd out a brand. injured party and his friends with blood-hounds and bugle-horn, and was called the hot-trod. He was entitled, if his dog could trace the scent, to follow the invaders into the opposite kingdom; a privilege which often occasioned bloodshed. In addition to what has been said of the blood-hound, I may add, that the breed was kept up by the Buccleuch family on their Border estates till within the 18th century. A person was alive in the memory of man, who remembered a bloodhound being kept at Eldinhope, in Ettrick Forest, for whose maintenance the tenant had an allowance of meal. At that time the sheep were always watched at night. Upon one occasion, when the duty had fallen on the narrator, then a lad, he became exhausted with fatigue and fell asleep, upon a bank, near sun-rising. Suddenly he was awakened by the tread of horses, and saw five men, well mounted and armed, ride briskly over the edge of the hill. They stopped and looked at the flock; but the day was too far broken to admit the chance of their carrying any of them off. One of them, in spite, leaped from his horse, and, coming to the shepherd, seized him by the belt he wore round his waist, and, setting his foot upon his body, pulled it til it broke, and carried it away with him. They rode of In the 29th stanza of this Canto, there is an attempt to express some of the mixed feelings, with which the Borderers on each side were led to regard their neigh-at the gallop; and, the shepherd giving the alarm, the bours. Note 7. Stanza viii. And, frequent, on the darkening plain, Loud hollo, whoop, or whistle ran; As bands, their stragglers to regain, Gave the shrill watch-word of their clan. Patten remarks, with bitter censure, the disorderly conduct of the English Borderers, who attended the Protector Somerset on his expedition against Scotland. « As we wear then a setling, and the tents a setting up. among all things els commendable in our hole journey, one thing seemed to me an intollerable disorder and abuse; that whereas allways, both in all tounes of war, and in all campes of armies, quietnes and stillnes, without nois, is, principally in the night, after the watch is set, observed, (I nede not reason why,) our northern prikkers, the Borderers, notwithstandyng, with great enormitie, (as thought me,) and not unlike (to be playn) unto a masterles houude howlyng in a high wey when he hath lost him he waited upon, sum hoopyage, sum whistlyng, and most with crying, A Berwyke, a Berwyke! A Fenwyke, a Fenwyke! A Bulmer, a Bulmer or so otherwise as theyr captains' names wear, never lin'de these troublous and dangerous noyses all the nyghte longe. They said, they did it to finde their captain and fellows; but if the souldiers of our oother countreys and sheres had used the same maner, in that case we should have oft tymes had the state of our camp more like the outrage of a dissolute huntyng, than the quiet of a well-ordred armye. It is a feat of war, in mine opinion, that might right well be left. I could reherse causes (but yf I take it, they are better unspoken than uttred, unless the faut wear sure to be amended) that might shew thei move alweis more peral to our armie, but in their one nyght's so doynge, than they shew good service (as sum sey) in a hool vyage.»-Apud DALZELL'S Fragments, p. 75. Note 8. Stanza xxix. Chear the dark blood-bound on his way, And with the bugle roase the fray. blood-hound was turned loose, and the people in the neighbourhood alarmed. The marauders, however escaped, notwithstanding a sharp pursuit. This cir cumstance serves to show how very long the license o the Borderers continued in some degree to manifes itself. CANTO VI. Note 1. Stanza i. Breathes there the man, with soal so dead, etc. The influence of local attachment has been so ex any contem quisitely painted by my friend Mr Polwhele, in th Yes-Home still charms; and he, who, clad in fur, Rather, than where luxuriant summers glow, She wrought not by forbidden spell. Popular belief, though contrary to the doctrines of the church, made a favourable distinction betwixt magicians, and necromancers, or wizards; the former were supposed to command the evil spirits, and the latter to serve, or at least to be in league and compact with those enemies of mankind. The arts of subjecting the demons were manifold; sometimes the fiends wen actually swindled by the magicians, as in the case o The pursuit of Border marauders was followed by the the bargain betwixt one of their number and the poc Virgil. The classical reader will doubtless be curious «Than he thought in his myude howe he myght mareye hyr, and thought in his mynde to founde in the middes of the see a fayer towne, with great landes belongynge to it; and so he dyd by his cunnynge, and called it Napells. And the fandacyon of it was of egges, and in that town of Napells he made a tower with iiii corners, and in the toppe he set an apell upon an yron yarde, and no man culde pull away that apell without he brake it; and thoroughe that yren set he a bolte, and in that bolte set he an egge. And he henge the apell by the stauke upon a cheyne, and so hangeth it still. And when the egge styrreth, so shulde the towne of Naples quake; and when the egge brake, than shulde the towne sinke. Whan he had made an ende, he lette call it Napells.» This appears to be an article of current belief during the middle ages, as appears from the statutes of the order Du Saint Esprit, au droit desir, instituted in 1352. A chapter of the knights is appointed to be held annually at the Castle of the Enchanted Egg, near the grotto of Virgil.-MONTFAUCON, vol. II, p. 329. Note 3. Stanza v. A merlin sat upon her wrist. A merlin, or sparrow-hawk, was usually carried by Thus Virgilius, I pray thee, dely-ladies of rank, as a falcon was, in time of peace, the constant attendant of a knight or haron. See LATHAM on Falconry.-Godscroft relates, that when Mary of Lorraine was regent, she pressed the Earl of Angus to admit a royal garrison into nis castle of Tantallon. To this he returned no direct answer; but, as if apostrophising a goss-hawk, which sat on his wrist, and which he was feeding during the Queen's speech, he exclaimed, «The devil's in this greedy glade, she will never be full.»-HUME'S History of the House of Donglas, 1743, vol. I, p. 131. Barclay complains of the common and indecent practise of bringing hawks and hounds into churches. the bandes of men. actose of the black scyence.»> This story may remind the reader of the Arabian tale of the Fisherman and the imprisoned Genie; and it is than probable, that many of the marvels narrated the life of Virgil are of oriental extraction. Among wham disposed to reckon the following whimsical arount of the foundation of Naples, containing a cu theory concerning the origin of the earthquakes S which it is afflicted. Virgil, who was a person of pantry, had, it seems, carried off the daughter of a tertain Soldan, and was anxious to secure his prize. Note 4. Stanza vi. And princely peacock's gilded train. The peacock, it is well-known, was considered, during the times of chivalry, not merely as an exquisite delicacy, but as a dish of peculiar solemnity. After being roasted, it was again decorated with its plumage, and a sponge, dipt in lighted spirits of wine, was placed in its bill. When it was introduced on days of grand festival, it was the signal for the adventurous knights to take upon them vows to do some deed of chivalry, « before the peacock and the ladies.» Note 5. Stanza vi. And o'er the boar-head, garnish'd brave. splendour. In Scotland it was sometimes surrounded PINKERTON's History, vol. I. 432. Note 6. Stanza vi. And cygnet from St Mary's wave. Note 7. Stanza vii. Smote, with his gauntlet, stout Hunthill. The Rutherfords of Hunthill were an ancient race of Border lairds, whose names occur in history, sometimes as defending the frontier against the English, sometimes as disturbing the peace of their own country. Diccon Draw-the-sword was son to the ancient warrior, called in tradition the Cock of Hunthill. Note 8. Star za vii. But bit his glove, and shook his head. To bite the thumb, or the glove, seems not to have been considered, upon the Border, as a gesture of contempt, though so used, by Shakspeare, but as a pledge of mortal revenge. It is yet remembered, that a young gentleman of Teviotdale, on the morning after a hard drinking-bout, observed, that he had bitten his glove. He instantly demanded of his companions, with whom he had quarrelled? and learning that he had had words with one of the party, insisted on instant satisfaction, asserting that though he remembered nothing of the dispute, yet he was sure he never would have bit his glove unless he had received some unpardonable insult. He fell in the duel, which was fought near Selkirk, in Note to. Stanza viii. Since old Buccleuch the name did gain, When in the cleuch the back was ta'en. A tradition, preserved by Scott of Satchells, who published, in 1688, A true History of the Right Honourable Name of Scott, gives the following romantic origin of that name, Two brethren, natives of Galloway, having been banished from that country for a riot, or insurrection, came to Rankelburn, in Ettrick forest, where the keeper, whose name was Brydone, received them joyfully, on account of their skill in winding the horn, and in the other mysteries of the chace.-Kenneth Mac-Alpin, then king of Scotland, came soon after to bunt in the royal forest, and pursued a buck from Ettrick-heuch to the glen now called Buckleuch, about two miles above the junction of Rankelburn with the river Ettrick.-Here the stag stood at bay; and the king and his attendants, who followed on horseback, were thrown out by the steepness of the hill and the morass. John, one of the brethren from Galloway, had followed the chace on foot; and, now coming in, sized the buck by the horns, and, being a man of great strength and activity, threw him on his back, and ran with his burden about a mile up the steep hill, to a place called Cracra-Cross, where Kenneth had halted, ad laid the buck at the sovereign's feet. ' The deer being caree'd in that place, At his majesty's demand, And fetch'd water to his hand. ↑ Froissart relates, that a knight of the household of the Comte As İma wakibited a similar feat of strength. The hall fire had wow and wood was wanted to mend it. The knight went down in the court-yard, where stood an ass laden with faggots, acizol on the animal and his burden, and carrying him up to the ball on his shoulders, tumbled him into the chimney with his heels fejojoremost, a bumane pleasantry, much applauded by the court and all the spectators, The king did wash into a dish, And Galloway John he wot; He said. Thy name now after this Shall ever be call'd John Scot. The forest and the deer therein, If thou obey command: And for the buck thou stoutly brought Be John Scot in Buckscleugh.. In Scotland no Backcleuch was then, Before the buck in the cleach was slain; Night's men at first they did appear, Because moon and stars to their arms they bear. Their crest, supporters, and buuting-horn, Shews their beginning from hunting come, Their name, and stile, the book doth say, John gain'd them both into one day. WATT'S Bellenden. The Buccleuch arms have been altered, and no allude less pointedly to this hunting, whether real fabulous. The family now bear Or upon a bend azur a mullet betwixt two crescents of the field; in additio to which they formerly bore in the field a hunting-hon and buck, or, according to the old terms, a hart of leas The supporters, now two ladies, were formerly a hous and a hart of greece. The family of Scott of Hov pasley and Thirlestane long retained the bugle-horn they also carried a bent bow and arrow in the siniste cantle, perhaps as a difference. It is said the mou was,-Best riding by moonlight, in alluding to the cre cents on the shield, and perhaps to the habits of tho who bore it. The motto now given is Amo, applying t the female supporters. Note 11. Stanza x. --old Albert Græme, The minstrel of that ancient name. Johne Grahame, second son of Malice, Earl Monteith, commonly surnamed John with the Brig Sword, upon some displeasure risen against him court, 1 the English Borders, in the reign of King Henry th retired with many of his clan and kindred, int Fourth, where they seated themselves; and many their posterity have continued there ever since. M Sandford, speaking of them, says (which indeed applicable to most of the Borderers on both sides Minions of the moon, as Falstaff would have said. The cation pursued by our ancient Borderers may be justitied on th Grecians in old time, and such barbarians as in the continent m authority of the most polished of the ancient nations: For th neere into the sea, or else inhabited the islands, after once the began to crosse over one to another in ships, became theeres, a enrich themselves, and to fetch in maintenance for the weak and went abroad under the conduct of their more puissant men, both falling upon towns unfortified, or scatteringly inhabited, rif them, and made this the best means of their living; being a matte at that time nowhere in disgrace, but rather carrying with it thing of glory. This is manifested by some that dwell upon continent, amongst whom, so it be performed nobly, it is still ca teemed as an ornament. The same is also proved by some of the ancient poets, who introduced men questioning of such as sail by on all coasts alike, whether they be theeves or not; as a thing se ther scorned by such as were asked, nor upbraided by those that were desirous to know. They also robbed one another within th main land: and much of Greece useth that old custome, as Locrians, the Acarnanians, and those of the continent in that quarter unto this day. Moreover, the fashion of wearing iron remain-sh yet with the people of that continent, from their old trade of theeving. Honats' Thucydides, p. 4. Lond. 1629. |