desolation, I never witnessed any in which it pressed more deeply upon the eye and the heart than at Loch Corisken; at the same time that its grandeur elevated and redeemed it from the wild and dreary character of utter barrenness.”

Note IV.

Men were they all of evil mien,

Down-looked, unwilling to be seen.-St. XIX. p. 105. The story of Bruce's meeting the banditti is copied, with such alterations as the fictitious narrative rendered necessary, from a striking incident in the monarch's history, told by Barbour, and which I shall give in the words of the hero's biographer, only modernizing the orthography. It is the sequel to the adventure of the blood-hound, narrated in Note XIX. upon Canto II. It will be remembered that the narrative broke off, leaving the Bruce escaped from his pursuers, but worn out with fatigue, and having no other attendant but his fosterbrother.

And the good king held forth his way,
Betwixt him and his man, while they
Passed out through the forest were;
Syne in the moor they entered there,
It was both high, and long, and broad;
And or they half it passed had,
They saw on side three men coming,
Like to light men, and wavering.

Swords they had, and axes also;

And one of them, upon his hals'

A mekill bounden weather bore.

They meet the king, and halsed' him there.
And the king them their haulsing yauld;2
And asked whether they would?

They said, Robert the Bruce they sought;
For meet with him giff that they might,
Their duelling with him would they ma'.3
The king said, " Giff that ye will see,
Hold furth your way with me,
And I shall make you soon him see.
They perceived, by his speaking,
That he was the self-same Robert King,
And changed countenance, and late; 4
And held nought in the first state.

For they were foes to the king,
And thought to come into skulking;

And dwell with him, while that they saw
Their point, and bring him thereof daw.$
They granted till his speech forthy,
But the king, that was witty,
Perceived well, by their having,
That they loved him nothing.

And said, “Fellows, you must all three,
Further acquaint till that we be,
All be your selven furth go.

And on the same wish we two

Shall follow behind, well near."
Quoth they, "Sir, it is no mister?
To trow in us any ill."

"None do I," said he; "but I will

That ye go forth thus, while we

Better with other knowen be."

"We grant," they said, "since ye will so."
And forth upon their gate gan go.

Thus went they till the night was near,
And then the foremost coming were
Till a waste husband-house; and there
They slew the weather that they bear,
And struck fire to roast their meat;
And asked the king if he would eat,
And rest him till the meat was dight.
The king, that hungry was, I hight,
Assented to their speech in hy,
But he said he would anerly2

At a fire, and they all three

On no wise with them together be.

In the end of the house they should ma'

Another fire and they did sua.
:

They drew them in the house end,
And half the weather till him send.

And they roasted in haste their meat,

And fell right freshly for to eat.
For the king well long fasted had
And had right much travel made:
Therefore he eat full egrely.
And when he had eaten hastily,

66 May I trust in thee, me to wake,
Till I a little sleeping take ?”

"Ya, sir," he said, “ till I may dree."1
The king then winked a little way,
And sleeped not full entirely;

But glanced up oft suddenly,

For he had dread of these three men,
That at the t' other fire were then.
That they his foes were he wyst;
Therefore he sleeped, as fowll on twist.
The king sleeped but a little than,
When sic sleep fell on his man,
That he might not hold up his eye,
But fell in sleep and routed high.
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.

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 2 that he had,
He had been dead, forouten mair.
But not forthy 3 on such manner
He helped him, in that bargain,4
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,5
When he saw him left alone.
His fostyr-brother lamented he,

6

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.-St. XXVIII. p. 117. 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

So securely situated.

5 Much afflicted.

2 Had it not been for the armour he wore. 3 Nevertheless, 4 Fray or dispute. 6 Cursed. 7 The place of rendezvous appointed for his soldiers.