"All in the Trosach's glen was still, 13. "A woful smile Lightens his wo-worn cheek a while,— "That royal ravening flock, whose vampire wings 14. "When Elizabeth, the widdow of Sir John Gray, was a suter unto King Edward the Fourth (against whom her husband lost his life) for her joynture: the kind king became also a suter unto her for a night's lodging; but shee wisely answered him, when he became importunate, That as shee did account herselfe too base to be his wife, so shee did thinke herselfe too good to be his harlot." CAMDEN-Remaines, p. 243. Lond. 1623. A like answer was made to a monarch of France in the succeeding age. "J'ai trop peu de bien pour être votre femme, et je suis de trop bonne maison pour être votre maîtresse," was the famous response of Catherine de Parthenay to Henry IV. Lope de Vega borrows the speech for the heroine of his play of Estrella de Sevilla: Soy (she says) Para esposa vuestra poco Para dama vuestro mucho.1 And the thought appears in the "evil apparel" of a rude Scotish ballad of the seventeenth century : "Will you gang wi' me, my bonny may, Say, will you gang wi' me?' 'I winna gang wi' thee, kind sir, I winna gang wi' thee; I am too low to be Lady o' Drum, 1 Hallam's Introd. to Literat. of Europe, vol. ii. p. 358. "Kinloch's Ancient Scotish Ballads, p. 201, Lond. 1827. The last verse of the ballad runs,― T LXVIII. LESTRANGEANA. FROM an English book of Ana, alluded to in a previous page,1 I transcribe a few leaves, that the reader may have an opportunity of comparing the witticisms of England and Scotland in the reign of James VI. The collection edited by Mr Thoms resembles very closely that left by Drummond of Hawthornden, extracts from which have been given above. It appears to have been formed by a country gentleman of Norfolk, Sir Nicholas Lestrange, knightbaronet, who was born in 1603, and died in 1654. "Gin ye were dead and I were dead, And baith in grave had lain : Ere seven years were at an end, Would they ken your dust frae mine?" The ditty has long been popular in the valley where Byron's childhood was passed; perhaps it haunted him when he wrote his Ode to Napoleon; and mingled with the passage of the Roman satirist which he has prefixed as a motto to that piece : 66 Weigh'd in the balance, hero dust Is vile as vulgar clay : Thy scales, Mortality! are just To all that pass away."-Ode to Nap. st. xii. "Expende Annibalem: quot libras in duce summo Invenies ?" JUVEN. Sat. x. 1 Thoms' Anecdotes and Traditions derived from MS. Sources. See above, p. 181. 1. A motion being made in the House of Commons that such as were chosen to serve in the Parliament troops should be faithful and skilful riders, Mr Waller's opinion was demanded, who approved the form of it as excellent; "for," says he, "it is most necessary the riders be faithful lest they run away with their horses, and skilful lest their horses run away with them." 2. The town of Tiverton is mentioned as a fearful example of God's judgment for the profanation of the Sabbath (being twice burnt) in a book entitled "The Practice of Piety," and being a third time burnt, and a brief procured, and a Devonshire man collector, the very memory of the probable occasion of the former flames cooled the charity of many that remembered the story, and was objected to the collector, who replied that "there was no truth in it, and the Practice of Piety had done them much wrong;" which words bearing a double sense occasioned much laughter. 3. It was said of one chancellor of a piercing judgment and quick despatch, that he ended causes without hearing, but of another who was dull, slow, and dilatory, that he heard them without end. 4. Thomas Brewer, through his proneness to good fellowship having attained to a very rich and rubicund nose, being reproved by a friend for his too frequent use of strong drinks and sack, as very pernicious to that distemper and inflammation in his nose, Nay, faith," says he, " if it will not endure sack it is no nose for me." 66 5. Old Framlingham Gawdy, walking with a young gallant in London streets, that used to be most vainly prodigal in his habit and dress, and finding that the splendour of his comrade drew such a goodly train of beggars whose broken concert quite confounded the harmony of their private and then serious discourse, and perceiving that they would not desist or disperse, after many thundering oaths and execrations from the gallant, Framlingham turns about very soberly, and says, "Good people, be quiet, and let the gentleman alone, for he's a very sociable and sweet-natured man, and I'll be bound he shall keep you company within one twelvemonth." 6. Taverner, the great sword-man, said to a friend that seemed to wonder he came well off from so many dangers," Pish, I can go out in a morning and fight half-a-dozen duels, and come in again with a very good stomach to my breakfast!” 7. Sir John Heydon and the Lady Cary had good |