PEBLIS TO THE PLAY.

FOR this very curious specimen of ancient Scotish poetry, the reader has already been informed that the editor was indebted to Dr. Percy; who to the copy in his hand-writing, from which this is printed, annexed the following account of the original MS.

‘This old song is preserved in the Pepysian Library, at Magdalen College in Cambridge, in p. 155, of an ancient MS. collection of old Scotish songs and poems in folio; which MS. had, I believe, been a present to the founder of that library, (old Mr. Pepys) from the duke of Lauderdale, minister to king Charles II. It had originally belonged to that duke's [Page 162]ancestor, Sir Richard Maitland, knt. who lived in the reign of queen Mary, and her son king James VI; and contains a great number of songs and poems by the said Sir Richard Maitland, which are of high poetical merit, and throw moreover great light on the incidents and manners of that age. It is remarkable that this old bard, Sir Richard Maitland, was blind (like Homer and Milton), at least at the time when some of his poems were written; as he expressly mentions it, and consoles himself very poetically under the loss of his sight, and very advanced age, in one of his pieces intitled, The blind Baron's Comfort. Besides his own pieces, the MS. contains a selection of the pieces of other bards collected by him: some of them (as this of James I.) no where else pre­served.’

‘The foregoing poem is expressly quoted for king James I's composition, and postiively ascribed to that monarch, in John Major's Scotish History, 4to. See his account of king James I. towards the end, where Major seems to hint that a parody had been made of this song of the king's, to ridi­cule him for some low intrigue in which the king had been detected, &c. I have not the book by me, but with this clue the meaning of that very obscure passage, I think, may be decyphered.’

[Page 163] ‘This song written by king James I. is a proof that Christ's Kirk on the Green, was written by his de­scendant James V. being evidently a more modern composition.’

The passage of Major, mentioned above, is as fol­lows. ‘Artificlosum libellum de Regina dum captivus erat composuit, antequam eam in conjugem duceret: et aliam artificiosam cantilenam ejusdem, Yas sen, &c. et jucundum artificiosumque illum cantum, At Bel­tayn, &c. quam alij de Dalkeith et Gargeil mutare studuerunt, quia in arce aut camera clausus serva­batur, in qua mulier cum matre habitabat.’

Dr. P. after writing his own remarks, having communicated this poem to several of his learned friends, they interspersed theirs; and I shall here give their observations, and a few of my own, upon this singular production, after a few preliminary notices that may be necessary to the English reader.

James I, king of Scotland, and the undoubted au­thor of the production now under view, was born in the year 1393, being the son of Robert III. His fa­ther to screen him from the ambitious designs of his uncle, the duke of Albany, sent him to France, but he was unfortunately taken at sea; and ungenerously detained in captivity by the kings of England, though during a truce between the two realms, for nineteen [Page 164]years: nor was he released without payment of an immense ransom. Upon his assuming the government on the death of his father, in 1424, he enacted many wise laws, and acquired the esteem and af­fection of his people; but attempting to reform the feudal system of his kingdom, and in consequence to curb the power of his nobles, he was by some of the chief of them murdered in his bed in 1437, being the 44th year of his age, and 13th of his reign.

Ballenden, in his translation of Hector Boece's His­tory, gives this character of him: ‘He was weil learnit to fecht with the sword, to just, to turnay, to wer­syl, to syng and dance; was an expert mediciner, richt crafty in playing baith of lute and harp, and sindry othir instrumentis of musik. He was expert in gramar, oratry, and poetry; and maid so flowand and sententious versis apperit well he was ane natural and borne poete.’

Mr. Walpole, in his Catalogue of Royal and Noble Authors, gives us this list of the works of James I.

A panegyric on his queen.

Scotch Sonnets; one book. One of them, a lamen­tation while in England, is in MS, in the Bodleian Li­brary, and praises Gower and Chaucer exceedingly.

Rythmos Latinos, lib. I.

On Music.

[Page 165]He is said to have written some poetical pieces when in England, which is very likely; but it appears to me, that Peblis to the Play could not be one of these. He being not more than twelve years of age when he left Scotland, it is not to be supposed that he was so fa­miliar with the manners of his countrymen, as to paint them so minutely as is done in this poem.

PEBLIS TO THE PLAY.] Peblis or Peebles is the county-town of Twedale. Ettrick forest is not far dis­tant from it. That forest was a royal chace: hence the kings of Scotland frequently resided there. Darn­ley was there in the winter before his death. H.

Play appears to me here to mean an annual festival: some of which are still celebrated in different villages in England. The day is still observed, though the occasion is lost in remote antiquity. ED.

Stanza 1. Beltane.] A great Celtic festival on the first or second of May. See more of it in Macpherson's Dissertations. H.

Ib. found.] Perhaps from the A. S. [...] tendere. (to go) [...] aliquo tendens. Vide Lye, Lexicon Anglo-Saxon. P.

The construction of this passage, which is miserably confused, owing solely as would appear to the lust of alliteration, seems to me this; They found the solace (of the singing and music) sooth to say, by firth and by forest furth, (or around.) ED.

[Page 166]St. 2. Garray.] Perhaps the same as deray: vulgar words for jollity. P.

Garish is used in England for shewy, vain pomp. H.

Garray perhaps is prattle, from Anglo-Saxon [...], Garrire. P.

Ib. Glew.] In English Glee, Mirth. Anglo-Saxon [...] and [...]. P.

Ib. Blew.] That is blue, quite gloomy, out of hu­mour. P.

To look blue is still a phrase implying to seem melan­choly. ED.

St. 3. Gend.] Gent is an epithet often applied to la­dies by Spenser. It probably means delicate, or perhaps slender; or it may be an abbreviation of gentle. J.B.

The annotator has not observed that none of his in­terpretations has any connexion with the context. The girl was so guckit (foolish) and so gend, that she would not eat. Gend must imply peevish. ED.

St. 4. Amang yon marchands my dudds do?] Dr. P. reads, Amang yon marchands, (my dudds do) and interprets the latter clause, My clothes or dudds being done. I think the line only required the point of interroga­tion which I have lent it, to be perfectly intelligible: What! says the country girl, My ragged cloths do amang [Page 167]you fine folk? An expression quite natural, and in cha­racter. The whole stanza strongly paints the affecta­tion of a rustic beauty and coquette. Alas! says she, am I not clearly ruined? I dare not go to the show I am so sunburnt! (though at the same time she was too sensible of the lustre of her complexion;) Will my ragged clothes do among you folks drest as fine as foreign merchants? (though at this time she was drest out in all her sinery:) Marry I shall only try to stand afar off and look at them, as if I was at home in my homely habit; (though at the same time she meaned not to go as a gazer, but as knowing her­self an object that would draw universal admiration.) ED.

St. 5. Hop, Hop; Calyé, and Cardronow.] Cailyé is the name of a place in the neighbourhood of Peebles, so also is Cardrona. H.

Hop or Hope is the same. If I remember right I have seen in print a metrical charter of a Scotish king, either of Hop by itself, or with other lands, for service of a braid arrow, whenever he came to hunt in Yarrow. ED.

Ib. Rohumbelow.] is the burden of an old Scotish tune.

It was the burden or chorus of a triumphal song made by the Scots on occasion of the victory gained at Bannock-burn. P.

[Page 168]One stanza of this song is preserved by Abercromby; and is, if my memory serves me,

St. 6. birkin hat.] A hat made of birch interwoven like straw hats, worn by rusticks. P.

Ib. There fore ane man to the holt.] This seems to be a piece of an old song. P.

St. 7. How at thai wald dispone thame.] How at, that is, How that; a common Northern defect. So in the Northumberland Houshold Book, passim. As ye wald es­chew that at may ensue, for 'that which may follow.' P.

St. 8. Malkin.] The Scots cant word for a hare, and something of Esau's beauty. ANONYM.

St. 10. Oly-prance.] is a word still used by the vulgar in Northamptonshire, for rude rustic jollity. Oly prancing doings are strange, disorderly, inordinate sport­ings formerly used in Pilgrimages. P.

Ib. Adone with ane mischance!] Have done with a plague or mischief to you! P.

Ib. (He hydis tyt.] Probably, He spreads the table quickly expeditiously. P.

I do not approve of this explanation of the very in­genious annotator, as the speaker, in the next line, [Page 169]save one, desires the landlady to see that the napré, or table cloth be white, which implies he had not got it to spread. I have no doubt but we should read he bydis tyt without a parenthesis. He bids dress out the table quickly. ED.

St. 11. At ye aucht.] That is, that ye owe. P.

St. 12. broggit stauf.] is a stump of a small tree, stript of the bark, and stuck into the ground, with the ends of the branches left projecting out a little way; in order to hang cups, &c. on for ready use. P.

It is, I think, a staff with a spike in it, of the nature of a goad, but shorter. H.

St. 15.] Two lines of this stanza appear to be lost, which seems to throw a little embarrassment over this part of the narration. ED.

St. 18. I wait weil qubat it was.] The word nocht has been omitted by the transcriber. H.

I am rather led to think the usual phrase of this bal­lad, quod he, is here omitted, I wait weil quhat it was, quod he. The sense of this confused stanza appears to be 'you have bedaubed me; fy for shame!' says the wife, sie how you have drest me. How fell you, Sir? (Sir is often used in Scotland for Sirrah. If you say Sir to a peasant, he will sometimes retort Sir rogue? or Sir gentleman?) He answers, As my girden brak—She interrupts him with What meikle devil may lest ye, for I think it ought to be ye, not me. Lest seems to be equivalent with leze [Page 170]to hurt, as leze majesty, high treason. What the devil hurt you? He answers, I know well it was my own gray mare that threw me. As (Or seems an error of the old transcriber, indeed in old writ the words will be quite similar,) if I was faint, and lay doun to rest me. If this is not the sense, I leave the passage to future com­mentators; for when Christs Kirk on the Green boasts of such learned and respectable interpreters as Bishop Gib­son, and Mr. Calendar, it is not to be supposed that a poem of such superior antiquity and curiosity as this is, will want illustration. ED.

St. 19. nokks.] The nich in the ends of the bows in which the bowstring is inserted. P.

St. 20. Schamon's dance.] That is the Showman's dance. P.

I take this to be an Irish word. H.

Schamon I interpret, with Dr. P. Show-man; but think Show-man here means player, or actor: such a dance as was danced on the stage.

In a fragment of a ballad, published in a collection, Edinburgh, 1776, 2 vols. 8vo. in the description of a fairy is this line, ‘His legs were scant a shathmonts length.’

The words seem the same; perhaps shathmont, or schamon, is, after all, the old Scotish word for a cricket, [Page 171]or some other nimble insect; Schamons dance will in that case denote a quick reel. ED.

St. 21. Than all the wenschis Te he thai playit.] This bears a great resemblance to this line of a spirited modern poem,

St. Tishe. 22.] Isabel: pronounced Tibby. H.

Ib. Seckell.] Perhaps sickle; but I doubt if any hay was ever made in Scotland in the beginning of May. ED.

Perhaps from Sacellum a chapel. ANONYM.

I suppose we should read heckel; see Glossary. ED.

Ib. As her taill brynt.] This may innocently mean, She ran as if the tail of her gown was in flames. ED.

St. 25. He fippillit lyke an faderles fole.] He chirped like a featherless fowl; like a young unfledged callow bird. P.

He cried like a child that has lost its father. ANON.

Ib. sayis the sang.] This proves that love songs were current, and committed to memory in Scotland before the year 1430, about which time this poem must have been written; and, if we may judge from this line, of [Page 172]no mean merit, it being as smooth as could be expected at this day. ED.

St. 26. Settand schaftis.] I suspect the word schaftis has been brought from the end of the third line to this. The sun settand schaftis, if it means throwing darts, and no other interpretation can be thought of, may indeed be that kind of bastard sense that is not uncommon in old versifiers of the middling class, but I believe James I. would not have written it. The sun was sett, and—Or, The sun was setting, (a word wanting,) would appear the proper way of reading this line. ED.

Settand is the old termination of the participle of the present tense, now altered to setting. P.

Ib. Had thair bein mair, &c.] This dry joke of the king's calls to remembrance a similar stroke in the Morgante Maggiore of Pulci, where a hermit, in the middle of an interesting story, breaks off by telling the knight, his guest and auditor, that his candle is done, that he has no more, and must of consequence go to bed. ED.

II. CHRISTS KIRK ON THE GREEN.

THIS edition is given from the last, intitled, Two ancient Scottish poems; The Gaberlunzie Man, and Christs Kirk on the Green; with Notes and Observations by John Calendar, Esq. of Craigforth, Edinburgh, 1782, 8vo. Bishop Gibson's edition of this ballad, printed at Oxford 1691, from Bannatyne's MS. is the earliest edition. I am sorry, however, to see Mr. Calendar quoting Ramsay's edition for some parts of his text, as there certainly never was a more ignorant or rash transcriber of an­cient Scotish poetry than Allan Ramsay. He seems to have considered it as very much his property; and to have exercised his own profession upon it by shaving, curling, and powdering it at his will and pleasure. Mr. Calendar might have given us a transcript of this piece from Bannatyne's MS. in the Advocate's library at Edinburgh; in which Dr. Percy has observed in a MS. note, Christs Kirk on the Green is very different from what it was when filled with the innovations of Allan Ramsay. This most ingenious and faithful of all editors of ancient English poetry has likewise the fol­lowing notice prefixed to his MS. copy of Peblis to the [Page 174]Play.

In consequence of these well founded remarks, I have preserved the burthen in this edition throughout.

As the foregoing piece was undoubtedly written by James I. of Scotland, so we have good authority, thongh not so infallible, to ascribe this to James V. a [Page 175]prince who delighted in low manners and adventures so much, as often to disguise himself in order to enjoy them. He reigned from 1514 to 1542. A most cu­rious account of his death may be found in Knox's His­tory of the Reformation of Religion in Scotland. He was the Zerbino of Ariosto; and is celebrated by Ronsard in as good verses as ever came from his pen.

The notes of Mr. Calendar are fraught with that knowledge of Northern literature for which he is so justly celebrated; and, though my opinion can add nothing to the general suffrage, I cannot help saying that, for universal science of Northern Antiquities and languages, Mr. Calendar may justly be regarded as the most learned man in Europe. I am sorry to see he takes no notice of a work he published a specimen of some time ago in his present publication; which leads me to fear he has dropt that grand design. This was his Bibliotheca Septentrionalis in the manner of D'Her­belot's Bibliotheque Orientale, containing a complete system of Northern science of every kind to be com­prized in two folio volumes. An amazing work! and which ought to be made a national concern. In his present volume he promises a Glossary of the ancient Scotish language; but would he return to the large design above praised, the fame would be infinitely greater, without much greater labour. Words are for [Page 176]pedants, but facts are for all. There is, perhaps, no branch of learning more painful, and less glorious, than etymology. To Mr. Calendar the glossary to this vo­lume is much obliged. They who would see what vast intelligence may be bestowed in elucidating Christs Kirk on the green, and the following piece called The Gaber­lunyie man, are referred to his work.

I must remind the reader of a curious circumstance, which is, that Sappho, the celebrated poetess, wrote a ballad (if I may so call it) on a Country Wedding, which is mentioned by Demetrius Phalereus; and which, I doubt not, resembled this. He observes, she made the Rustic Bridegroom and the Porter speak in mean and vulgar language, though she was herself happy in the most exquisite expression, where it was to be used with propriety. See Dem. Phal. §. 166 & seq.

Christs Kirk on the green.] The kirk-town of Leslie, near Falkland in Fife.

St. 1. Falkland on the green.] Dr. Percy observes, there possibly once existed a Scotish song of this title. Could this be recovered, he adds, the subject would be com­plete.

St. 3. As ony rose, &c.] The alliteration in the first of these two lines is happy, in the second unfortunate and harsh; lire signifying flesh, nor skin.

[Page 177]St. 5. morreis dance.] is so called from the Moors its inventors; as they were of the fiddle or violin. Pulci mentions it as used in the days of Charles the Great, but, I suppose on no authority:

Curious notices with regard to it may be seen in the last edition of Shakspere.

St. 13. Fy! he had slain a priest.] That is, committed the most atrocious of murders. To kill a priest was thought to unite sacriledge and murder. Cardinal Beaton was sensible of this when he cried, upon receiv­ing his mortal wound, I am a priest, I am a priest, fy, fy, all is gone. See Knox.

III. THE GABERLUNYIE MAN

is likewise ascribed to James V, but I am afraid upon no authority. If it is his, the stanza flows amazingly smooth indeed! From stanza II. it would appear the writer wished to have it ascribed to James I; the first lines of that stanza bearing an analogy to his imprison­ment in England. The nature and naiveté of this piece are exquisite.

[Page 178]St. I. for your courtesie.] That is, by your courtesie.] an adjuration.

Ib. ayont the ingle.] That is, beyond the fire; the warmest place in the room. In farm houses of Scot­land, to this day the fire-place often stands in the midst of the kitchen, so that the family can all sit around. Ingle is a word appropriated to familiar fire in Scot­land; to call such fire, is thought ominous among the country people.

IV. THE JOLLIE BEGGAR

is likewise ascribed to James V. I believe upon no au­thority, but a blunder of Mr. Walpole's, who con­founds this with the former. The adventure may be the king's, but I suspect the description is another's. This piece is no less spirited than the former. The transitions to opposite passions in both are described in such a rapid and easy manner, as would have done credit to the first comic writer.

V. THE VISION.

In a letter which the Editor received some time ago from the author of the Minstrel, the following remarks are made upon this poem; which, being of so good a judge, will, he doubts not, have great weight with the reader.

‘The best Scotish poem of modern times that I have seen (for, though the title pretends that it was written four hundred years ago, I have reason to think that it was produced in this century) is called The Vision. I am inclined to think that the Author of it, whoever he was, must have read Arbuthnot's His­tory of John Bull. But there are noble images in it, and a harmony of versification superior to every thing I have seen in the kind. I suspect that is the work of some friend of the family of Stuart, and that it must have been composed about the year 1715.’

St. 6. Saya Fere.] Fere, for mate, is a common word in ancient Scotish. The Scotish writers even carried it into England with them, as we may observe in the Tra­gedies of William Alexander of Menstrie, London, 1607.

St. 13.] It is with regret I observe, that the latter part of this stanza is still applicable. Many Scotish [Page 180]peers have not sufficient spirit to slight English gold, but ignobly to this hour, barter the liberties of their country, and their own independence for it. May ex­ecration pursue their memories! Scotland is, perhaps, at this day, the only country in Europe to which the philosophical light of liberty has not penetrated. To oppose a foolish or corrupt minister is, with my coun­trymen, to oppose legal power. One of their most cele­brated writers is just now engaged, at a rated salary, to defend the cause of corruption.—Not all his talents will save him from the contempt of more enlightened pos­terity.

St. 19.] This ludicrous description of the drunken gods is perfectly risible. Nothing in Midas or The Golden Pippin can exceed it. The several attributes are finely preserved.

St. 25.] Bruce is here used for him the Jacobites esteem legal heir of the crown. The principles of this poem are utterly detested by the Editor, as they are by every friend of mankind: he only gives it as a piece of fine writing in its way. The unhappy attachment to the family of Stuart, has wasted the finest estates, and shed some of the best blood in Scotland. It now exists only in the breasts of old women.

The real Bruce (Robert I.) was a hero, if ever any such existed. The finest epic poem in the world might [Page 181]be founded on his story. The famous History of the va­liant Bruce in heroic verse, by Patrick Gordon, gentleman. Dort, 1615; reprinted at Edinburgh, 1718, is the best attempt in this way. Some of the stanzas are worthy of Spenser.

VI. ANE HIS AWN ENEMY.

This and the eleven following are given from Lord Hales's very accurate publication of Ancient Scotish poems from Bannatyne's MS. dated 1568. Edin. 1770.

IX. ROBENE AND MAKYNE

was written by Robert Henryson, Schoolmaster at Dunfermline about 1560. It ought to have been ob­served before that VI, VII, VIII, are written by the celebrated William Dunbar, the author of the Goldin Terge, and chief of the ancient Scotish poets.

St. 3. an A, B, C.] That is a short instruction, a catechism, not a whimsical alphabet of vertues, as I believe we meet with in Don Quixotte: A. Amorous, B. Benevolent, &c.

[Page 182]St. 4. Thay,] That is people, folks would blame us.

St. 5. Tak tent.] Take beed. This Scotish phrase, as I am told, being used to an English lady, his patient, by a Scotish physician, occasioned a mistake almost fatal. The Physician always repeated to her, Above a things, Ma'am, take tent. She understood he meant she should take tent-wine after every meal; and suffered much by following the supposed prescription.

X. THE WOWING OF JOK AND JENNY.

This piece, as Lord Hales observes, exhibits a lu­dicrous picture of the curta supellex of the Scotish com­mons in the 16th century. Every country must be poor till agriculture or commerce enrich it. That the first of these was little cultivated in Scotland till within these late years is well known. The following epistle of James VI. to Queen Elizabeth of England, is a curious proof of the poverty of the grain in Scotland in former times. It is copied from a MS. in the Editor's posses­sion.

‘Richt excellent, Richt heich, and michtie prin­cesse, our dearest suster, and cousing, in our hartiest maner we recommend us unto you. The great, and [Page 183]almaist universall, failyie of the peis and beanis within our realme, thir tua yeiris begane, occasioned be the continuation of maist tempestuous, and unseasonable wether, fallin out with us baith in the sawing and reaping tymes, greatlie to the interest ^* of the haile pure anis of our land, comfortit cheefly be that sort of graine, has moved us to requeist your favor to the relief and help of this necessitie, be spairing sum part of the great store of the said graine within your realme; and granting therefore licence to sum trustie marchand, as we ar to employ that erand, to by, carie, and transport fyftie thousand quarteris thereof quhair maist comodiouslie thay may be had to the said use. Quhairin ye sall baith greatlie benefite the puir anis of our realme, and sall alwyis find us lyke affected to help your subjectis distressed with ony sic necessitie, and having the like requeist from you. And thus excellent, richt heich, and michtie princes, our dearest suster, &c. From halryrudhous, the xx day of December, 1595. Your maist loving and af­fectioned brother, and cousing, James R.’

Indeed at this day pease bannocks or cakes made of pease, are the principal bread of the Scotish peasantry.

Among the above letters of James VI. in MS. is one to the Dutch about their detention of the Earl of Errol, and [Page 184]another relating to a ship belonging to Adrian Wauch­ton the king's painter.

St. 3. Ane fute-braid-sawin.] That is a piece of cul­tivated ground of a foot square. A joke like that of the ancient writer who compared a small estate to a Spartan epistle.

XI. ANE LITTIL INTERLUD, &c.

Lord Hales observes on this singular piece, that ‘some traces of theatrical composition may be dis­covered in Scotland during the 16th century. Sir David Lindsay wrote several interludes.’

By the way, Sir David Lindsay was once a most po­pular author in Scotland, witness the proverb, Its no in Davie Lindsay; meaning any thing out of the common road. He was in great celebrity in his own life time, about the period of the reformation. A story is told of an honest farmer, who being on his death-bed, a pious neighbour brought an English bible to read to him. The dying man had to that day never known of such a book, and, upon hearing some of its mi­raculous contents, cried out, Hoot awa! Bring me Davie Lindsay. That's all a made story.

[Page 185]St. 4, Fyn Mackowl.] 'Better known in England, says Lord Hales, ‘under the modernised name of Fingal.—Concerning this personage, whether real or imaginary, there are innumerable legends in the highlands of Scotland. He is more celebrated as a giant, then as the hero of Ossian.’

On the next line, 'That dang the devill, &c.' his lordship observes, ‘This may allude to the contest with the spirit of Loda. Here let me observe, that to doubt Fingal and Temora being ancient compositions, is indeed, a refinement in scepticism. They contain various allusions to the manners of other times, which have escaped the observation of Mr. Macpher­son himself.’

The Editor has been called a zealous defender of the antiquity of Ossian by those who had not understanding enough to perceive the scope of his dissertation on the Oral Tradition of Poetry; which only attempts to prove that poetry may be a long time preserved by tradition; without the slightest reference to Ossian's antiquity, but from probability only of preservation; which the candid reader will confess to be no argu­ment. These people will stare when he assures them that, so far from being an advocate of Ossian's an­tiquity, he does not regard twenty pages in the whole work as ancient, and has always expressed that notion. [Page 186]Nay be must add that, if not two lines in the poems of Ossian are ancient, that circumstance would, if in­fallibly proved, give an infinite addition in his opinion, to their superlative merit. So little has he of the spirit of an antiquary.

St. 6.] Three stanzas are here omitted, as full of filth, without humour to palliate it.

XII. ANE BALLAT OF EVILL WYFFIS

is a singular mixture of religion and satire; as is XIII. of religion and good fellowship. Such absurd mingling of heterogeneous ideas is common in the poets of that period. Witness the Morgante Maggiore of Pulci, where every canto is begun with an address to some person of the Trinity, or to the Virgin Mary, and a transition immediately made to the wild adventures of the Paladins.

XVII. RONDEL OF LUVE.

St. 2. Ane puir tresour without messour.] That is, a poor treasure of no measure, or account: not a pure treasure without measure, or bounds.

[Page 187]St. 3. To rege with gude adwyiss.] seems a translation of Insanire docet certa ratione modoque.

XVIII. THE WIFE OF AUCHTERMUCHTY.

This ballad has always been very popular in Scot­land; and deserves it, as it is fraught with genuine nature and humour. In Bannatyne's MS. it is inserted in a modern hand.

XIX.

This is given from A specimen of a book intituled, Ane compendious book of godly and spiritual sangs, &c. Edin. 1765.

XX. LUSTIE MAYE

is given from a Collection, Edin. 1776, in which is this note: The first verse of this song is cited in a book [Page 188] ‘intitled, The Complaint of Scotland, &c. printed at Saint Andrews, 1548; whereby it appears to have been a current old Scots song in the reign of James V.’ See the prefatory Dissertation.

This copy is evidently modernized.

XXIV.

is one of Ramsay's songs, and one of his best; but the woeful mixture of heathen mythology quite disfigures it. Pallas, Jove, &c. never come from mortal mouth in common life, except within the walls of Bedlam; but they are a great resource to a writer who wants ideas. It may be called the Phoebus of poetry. The French, I think, use le phebus less properly for hombast.

XXVI.

This and XXIX, XXXI, XXXIV, XXXVI, XL, XLIII, XLV, XLVIII, have not appeared in print.

XXX. DEIL TAK THE WARS, &c.

This favourite air is in D'Urfey's Pills to purge Me­lancholy, London, 1719, six vols. 12mo. It is com­monly thought much more modern.

XXXIII.

In the third stanza of this pretty song, the reader will observe imitations of Tibullus and Parnell.

XXXIV. BOTHWELL BANK.

‘So fell it out of late years, that an English gentle­man travelling in Palestine, not far from Jerusalem, as he passed through a country town, he heard by chance a woman sitting at her door, dandling her child, to sing Bothwel bank thou blumest fair. The gentleman hereat exceedingly wondered, and forth­with [Page 190]in English saluted the woman, who joyfully answered him; and said she was right glad there to see a gentleman of our isle: and told him that she was a Scotish woman, and came first from Scotland to Venice, and from Venice thither, where her for­tune was to be the wife of an officer under the Turk; who being at that instant absent, and very soon to return, she intreated the gentleman to stay there untill his return. The which he did; and she, for country-sake, to shew herself the more kind and boun­tiful unto him, told her husband at his home-coming, that the gentleman was her kinsman; whereupon her husband entertained him very kindly; and at his departure gave him divers things of good value.’ Versiegan, in his Restitution of decayed Intelligence. Ant­werp, 1605. Chap. Of the sirnames of our ancient fa­milies.

XXXV.

This was written by the celebrated Marquis of Mon­trose; and shows that he thought there was a necessity for displaying his superstitious loyalty, even in a song. A drawling second part, and one stanza of this are omitted.

[Page 191]This nobleman, who was certainly a great warrior, and is esteemed a hero by the defenders of Charles I. ‘was diverse yeires very zealous for the covenant, and at the first time that the English came down to the kirks, when the Scots army lay at Dunslaw, the lot of his regiment was first to cross Tweed, whilk he did himself, in the midst of the winter, boots and all. Yet thereafter, at the subscryving of the league and covenant, finding that General Lesly was preferred to him, he changed his mind, and betook himself to the king's party.’ Scot of Scotstarvet's Staggering State of the Scottish Statesmen, MS. 1662. Heroes are mighty cheap baubles in the eyes of people of reflection and knowledge of mankind.

There is a curious account of his condemnation, &c. in a MS. in the Editor's possession, intitled, A Letter of the proceedings of the parliament (of Scotland) Anno 1650, written from Edr. May 20, an. 1650, by Mr. Thomas Winzat, to his brother George Winzat, 4to.

XXXIX.

This sweet air was written by the late Dr. Austin of Edinburgh, upon a lady's marriage with one of the dukes of Scotland, after she had given him much en­couragement in his addresses to her.

XL.

Blackford hill is one of the romantic environs of Edinburgh, that most romantic of all cities in situation.

XLVII.

This excellent song is already popular in England. The author of the words, and of the air, are, I be­lieve, both unknown, though they are both of super­lative beauty.

XLIX.

This fine little air is in the style of what the French call a rondelet: and in none of their rondelets is the re­turn of the words better managed.