"Come, stately Niddrie, auld and true, "King Arthur's grown a common crier, "Saint Abb roars out, I see him pass, Carle, now the King's come!" The Carline stopp'd: and, sure I am, Cogie, now the King's come! Cogie, now the King's come! PART SECOND. A HAWICK gill of mountain dew, It minded her of Waterloo Carle, now the King's come! [As seen from the west, the ridge of Arthur's Seat bears a marked resemblance to a lion couchant.] * [Mr. Oman, landlord of the Waterloo Hotel.] 1 Again I heard her summons swell, It drown'd Saint Giles's jowing bell Carle, now the King's come! "My trusty Provost, tried and tight, 66 My reverend Clergy, look ye say The best of thanksgivings ye ha’e, And warstle for a sunny day Carle, now the King's come! "My Doctors, look that you agree, "Come forth each sturdy Burgher's bairn, "Come forward with the Blanket Blue, Carle, now the King's come! [The Lord Provost had the agreeable surprise to hear his health proposed, at the civic banquet given to George IV. in the Parliament-House, as "Sir William Arbuthnot, Bart."] 2 [The Blue Blanket is the standard of the incorporated trades of Edinburgh, and is kept by their convener, "at whose appearance therewith," observes Maitland, "'t is said, that not only the "Scots downa loup, and rin and rave "Sir Thomas, thunder from your rock,2 "Melville, bring out your bands of blue, artificers of Edinburgh are obliged to repair to it, but all the artificers or craftsmen within Scotland are bound to follow it, and fight under the convener of Edinburgh, as aforesaid." According to an old tradition, this standard was used in the Holy Wars by a body of crusading citizens of Edinburgh, and was the first that was planted on the walls of Jerusalem, when that city was stormed by the Christian army under the famous Godfrey. But the real history of it seems to be this:-James III., a prince who had virtues which the rude age in which he lived could not appreciate, having been detained for nine months in the Castle of Edinburgh by his factious nobles, was relieved by the citizens of Edinburgh, who assaulted the castle and took it by surprise, on which occasion, James presented the citizens with this banner, “ with a power to display the same in defence of their King, country, and their own rights.”—Note to this stanza in the “ Account of the King's Visit," &c. 8vo. 1822.] 1 [Sir Thomas Bradford, then Commander of the Forces in Scotland.] 2 Edinburgh Castle. [Lord Melville was Colonel of the Mid-Lothian Yeomanry Cavalry: Sir John Hope of Pinkie, Bart., Major; and Robert Cockburn, Esq., and Lord Elcho, were Captains in the same corps, to which Sir Walter Scott had formerly belonged.] 1 "And you, who on yon bluidy braes 2 "Cock of the North, my Huntly bra', "But yonder come my canty Celts, "Lord, how the pibrochs groan and yell! "Bend up your bow cach Archer spark, For you're to guard him light and dark; Faith, lads, for ance ye've hit the mark Carle, now the King's come! [The Scots Greys, headed by their gallant Colonel, General Sir James Steuart of Coltness, Bart., were on duty at Edinburgh during the King's visit. Bonaparte's exclamation at Waterloo is well known: "Ces beaux chevaux gris, comme ils travaillent!"] 2 * Marquis of Huntly, now duke of Gordon, Colonel of the 42d regiment. [The late Colonel Ronaldson Macdonnell of Glengarry — who died in January, 1828.] 1 66 Young Errol,' take the sword of state, Knight Mareschal, see ye clear the gate- “Kind cummer, Leith, ye've been mis-set, Ye'se hae the handsel of him yet, 66 Carle, now the King's come! "My daughters, come with een sae blue, "What shall we do for the propine- [The Earl of Errol is hereditary Lord High-Constable of Scotland.] 2 [In more correct Gaelic orthography, Banamhorar-Chat, or the Great Lady, (literally Female Lord) of the Chatte; the Celt ic title of the Countess of Sutherland. "Evin unto this day, the countrey of Sutherland is yet called Cattey, the inhabitants Cat teigh, and the Erle of Southerland, Morweir Cattey, in old Scot tish or Irish; which language the inhabitants of this country doe still use." — GORDON'S Genealogical History of the Earls of Sunderland, p. 18. It was determined by his Majesty, that the right of carrying the sceptre lay with this noble family; and Lord Francis Leveson Gower, second son of the Countess (now Duchess) of Sutherland, was permitted to act as deputy for his mother in that honourable office. After obtaining his Majesty's permission to depart for Dunrobin Castle, his place was supplied by the Honourable John M. Stuart, second son of the Earl of Moray.] '[The Author's friend and relation, the late Sir Alexander Keith, of Dunottar and Ravelstone.] |