They were all stark moss-troopers, and arrant thieves: hills, had often started « a white faunch deer,» which Both to England and Scotland outlawed; yet sometimes rrived at because they gave intelligence forth of Sand, and would raise 400 horse at any time upon aad of the English into Scotland. A saying is recorded a mother to her son (which is now become proverMal, Ride, Rowley, hough 'si' the pot; that is, the last piece of beef was in the pot, and therefore it was high time for him to go and fetch more.»-Introduction to History of Cumberland. Tat residence of the Græmes being chiefly in the DeIbizable Land, so called because it was claimed by both Lagoms, their depredations extended both to England and Soodland, with impunity; for as both wardens acHeated them the proper subjects for their own prince, eter inclined to demand reparation for their excesses from the opposite officers, which would have been an sacwledgment of his jurisdiction over them.-See a tag correspondence on this subject betwixt Lord Dacre, and the English Privy Council, in Introduction to Histy of Cumberland. The Debateable Land was finally vided betwixt England and Scotland, by commissioners apponted by both nations. Note 12. Stanza xi. (The sun shines fair on Carlisle wall.) had always escaped from his hounds; and he asked the nobles who were assembled around him, whether any of them had dogs which they thought might be more successful. No courtier would affirm that his hounds were fleeter than those of the king, until Sir William St Clair of Rosline unceremoniously said, he would wager his head that his two favourite dogs, Help and Hold, would kill the deer before she should cross the March-burn. The king instantly caught at his unwary offer, and betted the forest of Pentland-moor against the life of Sir William St Clair. All the hounds were tied up, except a few ratches, or slow-hounds, to put up the deer; whilst Sir William St Clair, posting himself in the best situation for slipping his dogs, prayed devoutly to Christ, the blessed Virgin, and St Katherine. The deer was shortly after roused, and the hounds slipped; Sir William following on a gallant steed, to cheer his dogs. The hind, however, reached the middle of the brook, upon which the hunter threw himself from his horse in despair. At this critical moment, however, Hold stopped her in the brook; and Help, coming up, turned her back, and killed her on Sir William's side. The king descended from the hill, embraced Sir William, and bestowed on him the lands of Kirkton, Logan-house, Earncraig, etc. in free forestrie. This burden is adopted, with some alteration, from Sir William in acknowledgment of St Katherine's inter and Scottish song, beginning thus: She lean'd her back against a thorn, The san shines fair on Carlisle wa'; Note 13. Stanza xiii. Who has not heard of Surrey's fame! The song Note 14. Stanza xxi. ---the storm-swept Orcades, Where erst St Clairs held princely sway, The St Clairs are of Norman extraction, being de- cession, built the chapel of St Katherine in the Hopes, This adventurous huntsman married Elizabeth, daughter of Malice Spar, Earl of Orkney and Strath. erne, in whose right their son Henry was, in 1379, created Earl'of Orkney, by Haco, king of Norway. His title was recognised by the kings of Scotland, and remained with his successors until it was annexed to the crown, in 1471, by act of parliament. In exchange for this earldom, the castle and domains of Ravenscraig, or Ravensheuch, were conferred on William Saintclair, Earl of Caithness. Note 15. Stanza xxi. Thy pride and sorrow, fair Kirkwall. The castle of Kirkwall was built by the St Clairs, while Earls of Orkney. It was dismantled by the Earl of Caithness about 1615, having been garrisoned against the government by Robert Stewart, natural son to the Earl of Orkney. Its ruins afforded a sad subject for contemplation to The tomb of Sir William St Clair, on which he appears sculptured in armour, with a greyhound at his feet, is still to be seen in Roslin chapel. The person who shows it always tells the story of his hunting-match, with some addition to Mr Hay's account; as, that the knight of Roslin's fright made him poetical, and that, in the last cergency, he shouted, Help, Haud, an' ye may, Or Roslin will lose his head this day. If this couplet does him no great honour as a poet, the conclusion of the story does him still less credit. He set his foot on the dog, says the narrator, and killed him on the spot, saying he should never again put his neck in such a risk. As Mr Hay does not mention this circumstance, I hope it is only founded on the couchant posture of the hound on the monument. ་ Note 21. Stanza xxx. In single fight. Carleton had a letter under the gentleman's own hand for his discharge. 2. He chargeth him, that whereas her majesty doth yearly.bestow a great fee upon him, as captain of Bewcastle, to aid and defend her majesty's subjects therein; Thomas Musgrave hath neglected his duty, for that her majesty's castle of Bewcastle was by him made a den of thieves, and an harbour and receipt for murderers, felons, and all sorts of misdemeanors. The precedent was Quintin Whitehead and Runion Blackburne. It may easily be supposed, that trial by single combat, so peculiar to the feudal system, was common 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 affair; 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 Bewcastle is t open for the Scotch to ride in and through, and small 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 « Thomas Musgrave doth deny all this charge; and saith, that he will prove that Lancelot Carleton doth falsely bely him, and will prove the same by way of combat, according to this indenture. Lancelot Carleton, hath entertained this challenge; and so, by God's per mission, will prove it true as before, and hath set his hand to the same. (Signed) THOMAS MUSGRAVE. LANCELOT CARLETON. Note 22. Stanza xxxiv. --be, the jovial harper. The person here alluded to, is one of our ancien Border minstrels, called Rattling Roaring Willic. The sobriquet was probably derived from his bullying dis position; being, it would seem, such a roaring boy, as at Newmill, upon Teviót, about five miles above Hawick Willie chanced to quarrel with one of his own profes sion, who was usually distinguished by the odd nam of Sweet Milk, from a place on Rule water so called They retired to a meadow, on the opposite side of the Teviot, to decide the contest with their swords, and Sweet Milk was killed on the spot. A thorn-tree marks the scene of the murder, which is still called Sweet Milk Thorn. Willie was taken, and executed at Je' burgh, bequeathing his name to the beautiful Scotel air, called «Rattling Roaring Willie.» Ramsay, wh set no value on traditionary lore, published a few verse of this song in the Tea-Table Miscellany, carefully suppressing all which had any connexion with the las tory of the author, and origin of the piece. In the case, however, honest Allan is in some degree justified by the extreme worthlessness of the poetry. A vers or two may be taken, as illustrative of the history Roaring Willic, alluded to in the text. << It is agreed between Thomas Musgrave and Lan-is frequently mentioned in old plays. While drinking celot 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 field, 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 Now Willie's gane to Jeddart, And he's for the rood-day;' They sought him up and down, Stobs lighted aff his horse, Fu fast behind his back, And down ben.ath his knee, The day of the Rood-fair at Jedburgb. Sir Gilbert Elliot of Sto! bs, and Scott of Falnash. 3 A wretched pun on his antagonist's name. Ab, wae light on ye, Stoba! An ill death mot ye die! That e'er laid hands on me; That e'er laid bands on me, The lasses of Ousenam water Are rugging and riving their hair, His beauty was so fair; His beauty was so fair, And comely for to see, And drink will be dear to Willie, Note 23. Stanza xxxiv. The title to the most ancient collection of Border regulations runs thus ? Note 4. Stanza iv. Beneath the crest of old Dunbar, And Hepburn's mingled banners, come, 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 clau was Hepburn, Lord of Hailes; a family 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 ae caused those lords and Borderers bodily to be sworn, the Holy Gospel touched, that they, justly and after their cunning, should decretc, decern, driver, and put in order and writing, the statutes, ordinances, and uses of marche, that were ordained is Black Archibald of Douglas's days, and Archibald is son's days, in time of warfare; and they came ain to him advisedly with these statutes, and ordiwaners, which were in time of warfare before. The * said Earl William, seeing the statutes in writing dearted and delivered by the said lords and Borderers, raght them right speedful and profitable to the The foot-ball was anciently a very favourite sport all Gorderers; the which statutes, ordinances, and points through Scotland, but especially upon the Borders. Sir warfare, he took, and the whole lords and Borderers Johu Carmichael of Carmichael, warden of the middle he caused bodily to be sworn, that they should main-matches, was killed in 1600, by a band of the Armand supply him at their goodly power, to do the strongs, returning from a foot-ball match. Sir Robert spon 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 Adest Borderers, made certain points to be treason in the purpose of playing at foot-ball, but which termiime of warfare to be used, which were no treason be-nated in an incursion upon England. At present the Jace has time, but to be treason in his time, and in all | foot-ball is often played by the inhabitants of adjacent me 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 sue of the poem, was Archibald Douglas, seventh Earl Angus, a man of great courage and activity. The Body Heart was the well-known cognizance of the use of Donglas, assumed from the time of good Lord kmes, to whose care Robert Bruce committed his heart, be carried to the Holy Land. Note 2. Stanza iv. the Seven Spears of Wedderburne. Sir David Home of Wedderburne, who was slain in fatal battle of Flodden, left seven sons by his wife, Isabei, daughter of Hoppringle of Galashiels (now 1 Note 5. Stanza vi. Pursued the foot-ball play. 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, 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 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. I, 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 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 bread was kept up by the Buccleuch family on their Border estates till within the 18th century. A person wa 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 o meal. At that time the sheep were always watched a night. Upon one occasion, when the duty had faller 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, all saw five men, well mounted and armed, ride briskt over the edge of the hill. They stopped and looked a the flock; but the day was too far broken to admit th chance of their carrying any of them off. One of then in spite, leaped from his horse, and, coming to th shepherd, seized him by the belt he wore round à waist, and, setting his foot upon his body, pulled it ti it broke, and carried it away with him. They rode of at the gallop; and, the shepherd giving the alarm, th blood-hound was turned loose, and the people in th neighbourhood alarmed. The marauders, howeve escaped, notwithstanding' a sharp pursuit. This ci cumstance serves to show how very long the license the Borderers continued in some degree to manife itself. CANTO VI. Note 1. Stanza i. Breathes there the man, with soul so dead, etc. The influence of local attachment has been so e quisitely painted by my friend Mr Polwhele, in t poem which bears that title, as might well have di pensed with the more feeble attempt of any conten porary poet. To the reader who has not been so fo tunate as to meet with this philosophical and poetic detail of the nature and operations of the love of country, the following brief extract cannot fail to 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, (1 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 hounde 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 | acceptable: 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 bagle roase the fray. Yes-Home still charms; and he, who, clad in fur, Rather, than where luxuriant summers glow, She wrought not by forbidden spell. The pursuit of border marauders was followed by the the bargain betwixt one of their number and the po Virgil. The classical reader will doubtless be curious peruse this anecdote: <<Than he thought, in his mynde howe he myght mareye hyr, and thought in his mynde to founde in the middes of the see a fayer towne, with great landes belongyoge 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 staItutes 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. • Virgilius was at scole at Tolenton, where he stodyed igently, for he was of great understandynge. Upon ame, the scolers had lycense to go to play and sporte dem in the fyldes, after the usance of the hold tyme. And there was also Virgilius therebye, also walkynge ng the hylles alle about. It fortuned he spyed a at hole in the syde of a great hyll, wherein he went » depe, that he culd not see no more lyght; and then he went a lyteli farther therin, and than he saw some terht agayne, and then he want forthe streyghte, and vichyn a lytyll wyle after he harde a voyce that called, *Virgilius Virgilius! and looked aboute, and he colde nat se nobody. Than sayd he, (i. e. the voice) 'Virgis.se ye not the lytyll bourde lying bysyde you there i mirkd with that word?' Than answered Virgilius, see that borde well anough. The voyce said, 'Doo aware that borde, and lette me out there atte.' Than answered Virgilius to the voice that was under the Jytell jorde, and sayd, Who art thou that callest me so?' Than answered the devyll, I am a devyll conjured out of the body of a certeyne man, and banyshed here tyll | the day of judgmend, without that I be delyvered by A merlin, or sparrow-hawk, was usually carried by the brandes of men. Thus Virgilius, I pray thee, dely-ladies of rank, as a falcon was, in time of peace, the vere me out of this payn, and I shall shewe unto the constant attendant of a knight or baron. See LATHAM many bokes of negromancye, and how thou shalt come on Falconry.-Godscroft relates, that when Mary of by it lyghtly, and know the practyse therein, that no Lorraine was regent, she pressed the Earl of Angus to man in the scyence of negromancye shall passe the. admit a royal garrison into nis castle of Tantallon. To And moreover, I shall shewe and enforme the so, that this he returned no direct answer; but, as if apostrothen shait have alle thy desyre, whereby mythinke it is phising a goss-hawk, which sat on his wrist, and which a grat gyfte for so lytyll a doyng. For ye may also he was feeding during the Queen's speech, he exthas all your power frendys helpe, and make ryche claimed, «The devil's in this greedy glade, she will your enemyes.-Through that great promyse was Virgi-never be full.»-HUME's History of the House of as tempted; he badde the fynd show the bokes to Donglas, 1743, vol. I, p. 131. Barclay complains of ham, that he might have and occupy them at his wyll; the common and indecent practise of bringing hawks the fynd shewed him. And than Virgilius pulled and hounds into churches. sa a bourde, and there was a lytell hole, and thereat the devyll out lyke a yeel, and cam and stode Virgilius lyke a bygge man; wherof Virgilius astonied and marveyled greatly thereof, that so a man myght come out at so lytyll a hole. Than Virgilius,Shulde ye well passe into the hole that cam out of - Yea, I shall well,' said the devyl. 'I de the best plegge that I have, that ye shall not do 1-Well,' sayd the devyll, thereto I consent.' And as the devyll wrange himselfe into the lytyll hole ; and as he was therein, Virgilius kyvered the Hagevne with the bourde close, and so was the devy begyled, and myght nat there come out agen, abyleth shytte styll therein. Than called the devyil defully to Virgilius, and said, What have ye done, das Virgilius answered, Abyde there styll to Your day appointed; and fro thens forth abydeth he were-And so Virgilius became very connynge in the practise of the black scyence.» This story may remind the reader of the Arabian tale the Fisherman and the imprisoned Genie; and it is are than probable, that many of the marvels narrated the life of Virgil are of oriental extraction. Among I am disposed to reckon the following whimsical runt of the foundation of Naples, containing a cu theory concerning the origin of the earthquakes th which it is afflicted. Virgil, who was a person of antry, had, it seems, carried off the daughter of a certain 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. The boar's head was also a usual dish of feudal splendour. In Scotland it was sometimes surrounded with little banners, displaying the colours and achieve ments of the baron, at whose board it was served.-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 |