Now is the king in great perille
For sleep he so a little while,
He shall be dead, forouten dreid,
For the three traitors took good heed,
That he on sleep was, and his man:
In full great haste they raise up than,
And drew their swords hastily;
And went towards the king in hy,
When that they saw him sleep sua,
And sleeping thought they would him slay.
The king upblinked hastily,

And saw his man sleeping him by,

And saw coming the t' other three.

Quickly on foot got he;

And drew his sword out, and them met.
And as he went his foot he set
Upon his man well heavily.
He wakened, and rose dizzely,
For the sleep mastered him so,
That or he got up ane of tho
That came for to slay the king,
Gave him a stroke in his rising,
So that he might help him no more.
The king so straitly stad* was there,
That he was never yet so stad.
No were the arming+ that he had,

He had been dead, forouten mair.

So securely situated. † Had it not been for the armour he wore.

But not forthy on such manner
He helped him, in that bargain,†
That the three traitors he has slain,
Through God's grace, and his manhood.
His foster-brother there was dead.
Then was he wondre will off wayne+
When he saw him left alone.
His fostyr-brother lamented he,
And waryet|| all the t' other three.
And syne his way took him alone,

And right towards his tryst§ is gone.

THE BRUCE, Book VII., line 105.

Note V.

And mermaid's alabaster grot,

Who bathes her limbs in sunless well,

Deep in Strathaird's enchanted cell.-P. 121.

Imagination can hardly conceive any thing more beautiful than the extraordinary grotto discovered not many years since upon the estate of Alexander Mac-Allister, Esq. of Strathaird. It has since been much and deservedly celebrated, and a full account of its beauties has been published by Dr Mac-Leay of Oban. The general impression may perhaps be gathered from the following extract from a journal already quoted, which, written under the feelings of the moment, is likely to be more

*Nevertheless

Cursed.

Fray or dispute. + Much afflicted.
The place of rendezvous appointed for his soldiers.

accurate than any attempt to recollect the impressions then received.

"The first entrance to this celebrated cave is rude and unpromising; but the light of the torches, with which we were provided, was soon reflected from the roof, floor, and walls, which seem as if they were sheeted with marble, partly smooth, partly rough with frost-work and rustic ornaments, and partly-seeming to be wrought into statuary. The floor forms a steep and difficult ascent, and might be fancifully compared to a sheet of water, which, while it rushed whitening and foaming down a declivity, had been suddenly arrested and consolidated by the spell of an enchanter. Upon attaining the summit of this ascent, the cave opens into a splendid gallery, adorned with the most dazzling crystallizations, and finally descends with rapidity to the brink of a pool, of the most limpid water, about four or five yards broad. There opens beyond this pool a portal arch, formed by two columns of white spar, with beautiful chasing upon the sides, which promises a continuation of the cave. One of our sailors swam across, for there is no other mode of passing, and informed us (as indeed we partly saw by the light he carried) that the enchantment of Mac-Alister's cave terminates with this portal, a little beyond which there was only a rude cavern, speedily choked with stones and earth. But the pool, on the brink of which we stood, surrounded by the most fanciful mouldings, in a substance resembling white marble, and distinguished by the depth and purity of its waters, might have been the bathing grotto of a naiad. The groups of combined figures projecting, or embossed, by

which the pool is surrounded, are exquisitely elegant and anciful. A statuary might catch beautiful hints from the singular and romantic disposition of these stalactites. There is scarce a form, or group, on which active fancy may not trace figures or grotesque ornaments, which have been gradually moulded in this cavern by the dropping of the calcareous water hardening into petrifactions. Many of those fine groupes have been injured by the senseless rage of appropriation of recent tourists; and the grotto has lost, (I am informed,) through the smoke of torches, something of that vivid silver tint which was originally one of its chief distinctions. But enough of beauty remains to compensate for all that may be lost."-Mr Mac-Allister of Strathaird has, with great propriety, built up the exterior entrance to this cave, in order that strangers may enter properly attended by a guide, to prevent any repetition of the wanton and selfish injury which this singular scene has already sustained.