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He said, "thy name now after this
Shall ever be called John Scot.
The forest, and the deer therein,
We commit to thy hand;
For thou shalt sure the ranger be,
If thou obey command:

And for the buck thou stoutly brought
To us up that steep heuch,
Thy designation ever shall

Be John Scot in Buckscleuch."

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In Scotland no Buckcleuch was then,
Before the buck in the cleucgh was slain;
Nights-men at first they did appear,

"Minions of the moon, as Falstaff would have said The vocation pursued by our ancient Borderers may be justified on the authority of the most polished of the ancient nations. "For the Grecians in old time, and such barbarians as in the continent, lived neere unto the sea, or else inhabited the islands, after once they began to crosse over one to another in ships, became theeves, and went abroad under the conduct of their more puissant men, both to enrich themselves and to fetch in mainte mrance for the weak and falling upon townes unfortifi-` ed or scatteringly inhabited, rifled them, and made this the best means of their living; being a matter at that time no where in disgrace, but rather carrying with it something of glory. This is manifest by some that dwell upon the continent, amongst whom, so it be performed nobly, it is still esteemed as an ornament. The same

also is prooved by some of the ancient poets, who introduce men questioning of such as sail by, on all coasts

Y

Because moon and stars to their arm they bear.
Their crest, supporters, and hunting horn,
Shows their beginning from hunting came;
Their name and stile, the book doth say,
John gained them both into one day.

WATT'S Bellanden.

The Buccleuch arms have been altered and now allude less pointedly to this hunting, whether real or fabulous. The family now bear Or upon a bend azure, a mullet betwixt two crescents of the field; in addition to which they formerly bore in the field a hunting horn. The supporters, now two ladies, were formerly a hound and buck, or, according to the old terms, a hart of leash and a hart of greece. The family of Scott of Howpasley and Thirlestane long retained the bugle-horn: they also carried a bent bow and arrow in the sinister cantle, perhaps as a difference. It is said the old motto was Best riding by moon-light, in allusion to the crescents on the shield

alike, whether they bee theeves or not; as a thing neyther scorned by such as were asked, nor upbraided by those that were desirous to know. They also robbed one another within the main land; and much of Greece useth that old custome, as the Locrians, the Acarnanians, and those of the continent in that quarter unto this day. Moreover, the fashion of wearing iron remaineth yet with the people of that continent, from their old trade of theeving." Hobbes' Thucydides, p. 4. Lond. 1649.

and perhaps to the habits of those who bore it. The motto now given is Amo, applying to the female supe porters.

Old Albert Graeme,

The Minstrel of that ancient name.

Ver. 10, p. 133.

"John Grahme, second son of Malice, earl of Mona teith, commonly surnamed John with the Bright Sword, upon some displeasure risen against him at court, retired with many of his clan and kindred into the English borders in the reign of King Henry the fourth, where they seated themselves; and many of their posterity have continued there ever since. Mr. Sandford, speaking of them, says, (which indeed was applicable to most of the Borderers on both sides,)

They were all stark moss-troopers, and arrant thieves: Both to England and Scotland outlawed; yet sometimes connived at, because they gave intelligence forth of Scotland, and would raise four hundred horse at any time upon a raid of the English into Scotland. A saying is recorded of a mother to her son (which is now become proverbial,) Ride, Rowley, hough's i' the pot: that is, the last piece of beef was in the pot, and therefore it was high time for him to go and fetch more." Introduction to history of Cumberland.

The residence of the Græmes being chiefly in the Debateable Land, so called because it was claimed by both kigdoms, their depredations extended both to England and Scotland, with impunity; for as both wardens accounted them the proper subjects of their own prince, neither inclined to demand reparation for their excesses from the opposite officer, which would have been an acknowledgment of his jurisdiction over them. See a long correspondence on this subject betwixt lord Dacre and the English privy council, in Introduction to the History of Cumberland. The Debateable Land was finally divided betwixt England and Scotland by commissioners appointed by both nations.

The sun shines fair on Carlisle wall.

Ver. 11, p. 133.

This burden is adopted, with some alteration,

from an old Scottish song, beginning thus:

She leaned her back against a thorn,
The sun shines fair on Carlisle wa' ;
And there she has her young babe born,
And the lyon shall be lord of a'.

Who has not heard of Surrey's fame.

Verse 13, p. 135.

The gallant and unfortunate Henry Howard, earl

of Surrey, was unquestionably the most accomplish ed cavalier of his time; and his sonnets display beauties which would do honor to a more polished age. He was beheaded on Towerhill in 1546; a victim to the mean jealousy of Henry VIII. who could not bear so brilliant a character near his throne.

The song of the supposed bard is founded on an incident said to have happened to the earl in his travels. Cornelius Agrippa the celebrated alchemist, shewed him, in a looking-glass, the lovely Geraldine, to whose service he had devoted his pen and his sword. The vision represented her as indisposed, and reclined upon a couch, reading her lover's verses by the light of a waxen taper.

The storm-swept Orcades ;

Where erst Saint Clairs held princely sway,
O'er isle and islet, strait and bay -

Verse 21, p. 139.

The St. Clairs are of Norman extraction, being descended from William de St. Clair, second son of Walderne compte de St. Clair, and Margaret, daughter to Richard duke of Normandy. He was called for his fair deportment, the Seemly St Clair, and settling in Scotland during the reign of Malcolm Ceanmore, obtained large grants of land in Mid

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