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he [Douglas] was not slain by the enemy, but by 1 intermediate fortresses of Wark, Cornhill, and Norone of his own men, a groom of his chamber, whom ham, the Scots possessed any part of Northumberhe had struck the day before with a truncheon, in land, much less a manor which lay within that ordering of the battle, because he saw him make strong chain of castles. I should presume the persomewhat slowly to. And they name this man son alluded to rather to have been one of the RuJohn Bickerton of Luffness, who left a part of his therfords, Barons of Edgerstane, or Edgerston, a armour behind unfastened, and when he was in the warlike family, which has long flourished on the greatest conflict this servant of his came behind his Scottish Borders, and who were, at this very peback, and slew him thereat."-GODSCROFT, ut supra. riod, retainers of the house of Douglas. The same -"But this narration," adds the historian, "is not notes contain an account of the other Scottish warso probable." Indeed it seems to have no founda- riors of distinction who were present at the battle. tion, but the common desire of assigning some re- These were, the Earls of Monteith, Buchan, and mote and extraordinary cause for the death of a Huntly; the Barons of Maxwell and Johnston; great man. The following ballad is also inaccurate Swinton of that ilk, an ancient family, which about in many other particulars, and is much shorter and that period produced several distinguished warriors; more indistinct, than that printed in the Reliques, Sir David (or rather, as the learned Bishop well realthough many verses are almost the same. Hot- marks, Sir Walter) Scott of Buccleuch, Stewart of spur, for instance, is called Earl Percy, a title he Garlies, and Murray of Cockpool. never enjoyed. Neither was Douglas buried on the field of battle, but in Melrose Abbey, where his tomb is still shown.

This song was first published from Mr. Herd's Collection of Scottish Songs and Ballads, Edin. 1774, 2 vols. octavo; but fortunately two copies have since been obtained from the recitation of old persons residing at the head of Ettrick Forest, by which the story is brought out, and completed in a manner much more correspondent to the true history.

I cannot dismiss the subject of the battle of Otterbourne, without stating (with all the deference due to the father of this species of literature) some doubts which have occurred to an ingenious correspondent, and an excellent antiquary, concerning the remarks on the names subjoined to the ballads of Chevy Chace and Otterbourne, in the Reliques of Ancient Poetry, vol. i. p. 34, 4th edition.

"John de Lovele, Sheriff of Northumberland, 34th Hen. VII.," is evidently a mistake, as Henry VII. did not reign quite twenty-four years; but the person meant was probably John de Lavale, knight, of Delavale Castle, who was sheriff, 34th Henry VIII. There seems little doubt that this was the person called in the ballad "the gentil Lovel." Sir Raff the rich Rugbe, was probably Sir Ralph Neville of Raby Castle, son of the first Earl of Westmoreland, and cousin-german to Hotspur. In the more modern edition of the ballad, he is expressly called Sir Ralph Raby, i. e. of Raby.

With respect to the march of Douglas, as described in the ballad, it appears that he entered Northumberland from the westward. Redesdale, Rothely crags, and Green Leighton, are a few miles eastward of Otterbourne. Otterscope hill lies southwest from Green Leighton.

The celebrated Hotspur, son of the first Earl of Northumberland, was, in 1385, Governor of Berwick, and Warden of the East Marches; in which last capacity it was his duty to repel the invasion of Douglas.

Sir Henry Fitzhugh, mentioned in the ballad, was one of the Earl of Northumberland's commanders at the battle of Homeldown.

As to the local situation of Otterbourne, it is thirty statute miles from Newcastle, though Buchanan has diminished the distance to eight miles only.

The account given of Sir John of Agurstone seems also liable to some doubt. This personage is supposed by Bishop Percy to have been one of the Hagerstons of Hagerston, a Northumbrian family, who, according to the fate of war, were sometimes subjects of Scotland. I cannot, however, think, that at this period, while the English were in possession both of Berwick and Roxburgh, with the • Wintoun assigns another cause for Douglas being carelessly armed:

"The Erle Jamys was sa besy,

For til ordane his company,

And on his fays for to pas,

That reckles he of his armyng was;

The Erle of Mwrrawys bassenet,

Thai sayd, at thot tyme was ferryhete."

Book VIII. Chap. 7.

The circumstance of Douglas' omitting to put on his helmet oc

curs in the ballad.

"Regibus et legibus, Scotici constantes,
Vos clypeis et gladiis pro patriis pugnantes
Vestra est victoria, vestri est et gloria,
In cantu et historia, perpes est memoria!"
THE BATTLE OF OTTERBURN.

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THE BATTLE OF OTTERBOURNE.

It fell about the Lammas tide,

When the muir-men win their hay,

* The illustrious family of Gordon was originally settled upon the lands of Gordon and Huntly, in the shire of Berwick, and are, therefore, of Border extraction. The steps by which they removed from thence to the shires of Aberdeen and Inverness, are worthy of notice. In 1300, Adam de Gordon was Warden of the Marches. -RYMER, vol. i. p. 870. He obtained, from Robert the Bruce, a grant of the forfeited estate of David de Strathbolgie, Earl of Atbol; but no possession followed, the earl having returned to his allegiance.-John de Gordon, his great grandson, obtained, from Robert II, a new charter of the lands of Strathbolzie, which had been once more and finally forfeited by David, Earl of Athol, slam in the battle of Kilblane. This grant is dated 13th July, 1378 John de Gordon, who was destined to transfer, from the Borders of England to those of the Highlands, a powerful and martial race, was himself a redoubted warrior, and many of his exploits occur in the annals of that turbulent period. In 1371-2, the English Borderers invaded and plundered the lands of Gordon, on the Scotlash East March. Sir John of Gordon retaliated, by an incursion on Northumberland, where he collected much spoil. But as he returned with his booty, he was attacked, at unawares, by Sir John Lalburne, a Northumbrian, who, with a superior force, lay near Carham in ambush, to intercept him. Gordon harangued and cheered his followers, charged the English gallantly, and, af ter having himself been five times in great peril, gained a complete victory, slaying many Southrons, and taking their leader and his brother captive. According to the Prior of Lochlevin, he was desperately wounded; but

"There rays a welle grete renowne,

And gretly prysyd wes gud Gordown." Shortly after this exploit, Sir John of Gordon encountered and routed Sir Thomas Musgrave, a renowned English Marchman, whom he made prisoner. The Lord of Johnstone had, about the same time, gained a great advantage on the West Border; and bence, says Wyntoun,

**He and the Lord of Gordowne
Had a soverane gud renown,
Of ony that war of thare degré,

For full thai war of gret bouute."

Upon another occasion, Sir John of Gordon is said to have partally rucceeded in the surprisal of the town of Berwick, although the superiority of the garrison obliged him to relinquish his enterprise. The ballad is accurate, in introducing this warrior, with his clan, into the host of Douglas at Otterbourne. Perhaps, as he was in possession of his extensive northern domains, he brought to the field the northern broadswords, as well as the lances of his etern Borderers. With his gallant leader, he lost his life in the deadly conflict. The English ballad commemorates his valour and prudence:

The Yerle of Huntley, cawte and kene."

But the title is a premature designation. The Earldom of Huntly was first conferred on Alexander Seaton, who married the grand daughter of the hero of Otterbourne, and assumed his title from Huntly, in the north. Besides his eldest son Adam, who carried on the line of the family, Sir John de Gordon left two sons, known in tradition by the familiar names of Jock and Tam, The former was the ancestor of the Gordons of Pitlurg; the lat ter of those of Lesmoir, and of Craig-Gordon. This last family is now represented by James Gordon, Esq. of Craig, being the eleventh, in direct descent, from Sir John de Gordon.

The elan of Græme, always numerous and powerful upon the Border, were of Scottish origin, and deduce the descent of their chieftain. Graine of Netherby, from John with the bright scord, a son of Malice Græme, Earl of Menteith, who flourished in the fourteenth century. Latterly, they became Englishmen, as the phrase went, and settled upon the Debateable Land, whence they were transported to Ireland, by James VI., with the exception of a very few respectable families; "because," said his Majesty in a proclamation, "they do all (but especially the Grames) con fess themselves to be no meet persons to live in these countries; and also to the intent their lands may be inhabited by others, of good and honest conversation." But, in the reign of Henry IV., the Grames of the Border still adhered to the Scottish allegiance, as appears from the tower of Græme in Annandale, Grame's Walls in Tweeddale, and other castles within Scotland, to which they have given their name. The reader is, however, at liberty to suppose, that the Gremes of the Lennox and Menteith, always ready to shed their blood in the cause of their country, on this occasion joined Douglas.

The chief of this ancient family, at the date of the battle of Otterbourne, was David Lindissay, Lord of Glenesk, afterwards created Earl of Crawford. He was, after the manner of the times, a most accomplished knight. He survived the battle of Otterbourne, and the succeeding carnage of Homildon. In May, 1390, he went to England, to seek adventures of chivalry; and justed, upon London Bridge, against the Lord of Wells, an English knight, with so much skill and success, as to excite among the spectators a suspicion that he was tied to his saddle; which he removed, by riding up to the royal chair, vaulting out of his saddle, and resuming his seat without assistance, although loaded with complete armour. In 1392, Lindsay was nearly slain in a strange manner. A band of Caterans, or wild Highlanders, had broken down from the Grampian Hills, and were engaged in plundering the county of Angus. Walter Ogilvy, the sheriff, and Sir Patrick Gray, marched against them, and were joined by Sir David Lindsay. Their whole retinue did not exceed sixty men,

The doughty Douglas bound him to ride
Into England, to drive a prey.

He chose the Gordons* and the Græmes,t
With them the Lindesays, light and gay ;‡

and the Highlanders were above three hundred. Nevertheless, trusting to the superiority of arms and discipline, the knights rushed on the invaders at Gasclune, in the Stormont. The issue was unfortunate. Ogilvy, his brother, and many of his kindred, were overpowered and slain. Lindsay, armed at all points, made great slaughter among the naked Caterans; but as he pinned one of thein to the earth with his lance, the dying mountaineer writhed upwards, and, collecting his force, fetched a blow with his broadsword, which cut through the knight's stirrup leather and steel boot, and nearly severed his leg. The Highlander expired, and Lindsay was with difficulty borne out of the field by his followers.-WYNTOWN. Lindsay is also noted for a retort made to the famous Hotspur. At a March meeting, at Haldane Stank, he happened to observe, that Percy was sheathed in complete armour. 'It is for fear of the English horsemen," said Percy, in explanation; for he was already meditating the insurrection immortalized by Shakspeare. Ah! Sir Harry," answered Lindsay, "I have seen you more sorely bested by Scottish footmen than by English horse."-WYNTOWN. Such was the leader of the " Lindesays light and gay." According to Froissart, there were three Lindsays in the battle of Otterbourne, whom he calls Sir William, Sir James, and Sir Alexander. To Sir James Lindsay there fell"a strange chance of war," which I give in the words of the old historian. "I shall show you of Sir Mathewe Reedman, (an English warrior, and governor of Berwick,) who was on horsebacke, to save himselfe, for he alone coulde not remedy the matter. At his departynge, Sir James Lindsay was nere him, and sawe Sir Mathewe departed. And this Sir James, to wyn honour, followed in chase Sir Mathewe Reedman, and came so near him, that he myght have stryken hym with bys speare, if he had lyst. Than he said, 'A! Sir Knyght, tourne! it is a shame thus to fly! I am James of Lindsay. If ye will nat tourne, I shall strike you on the backe with my speare.' Sir Mathewe spoke no worde, but struke his hors with his spurres sorer than he did before. In this maner he chased him more than three myles. And at last Sir Mathewe Reedman's hors foundered, and fell under him. Than he stept forthe on the erthe, and drewe out his swerde, and toke corage to defend himselfe. And the Scote thoughte to have stryken him on the brest, but Sir Mathewe Reedman swerved fro the stroke, and the speare point entred into the erthe. Than Sir Mathewe strak asonder the speare wyth his swerde. And whan Sir James Lindsay saw howe he had lost his speare, he cast away the tronchon, and lyghted a-fote, and toke a lytell battell-axe, that he carryed at his backe, and handled it with his one hand, quickly and delyverly, in the whyche feate Scottes be well experte. And than he set at Sir Mathewe, and he defended himselfe properly. Thus they journeyed toguyder, one with an axe, and the other with a swerde, a longe season, and no man to lette them. Fynally, Sir James Lindsay gave the knyght such strokes, and held him so short, that he was putte out of brethe in such wyse, that he yielded himselfe, and sayde, Sir James Lindsay. I yelde me to you. Well,' quod he; and I receyve you, rescue or no rescue.' 'I am content,' quod Reedman, so ye dele with me like a good companyon.'-' I shall not fayle that,' quod Lindsay, and so put up his swerde. Well,' said Reedman, what will ye nowe that I shall do 2-1 am your prisoner; ye have conquered me; I wolde gladly go agayn to Newcastell, and, within fiftene dayes, I shall come to you into Scotland, where as ye shall assign me.-I am content, quod Lindsay; ye shall promyse, by your faythe, to present yourselfe, within these four weeks, at Edinborowe; and wheresover ye go, to repute yourselfe my prisoner.' All this Sir Mathewe sware, and promised to fulfil."

The warriors parted upon these liberal terms, and Reedman returned to Newcastle. But Lindsay had scarcely ridden a mile, when he met the Bishop of Durham, with 500 horse, whom he rode towards, believing them to be Scottish, until he was too near them to escape. "The byshoppe stepte to him, and sayde, Lindsay, ye are taken; yielde ye to me.'- Who be you?' quod Lindsay-I am,' quod he, "the Byshoppe of Durham.'--' And fro whens come you, sir?' quod Lindsay. I come fro the battell,' quod the bishoppe, but I strucke never a stroke there. Igo back to Newcastell for this night, and ye shal go with me. I may not chuse,' quod Lindsay, sith ye will have it so. I have taken, and I am taken; such is the adventures of armes."--Lindsay was accordingly conveyed to the bishop's lodgings in Newcastle, and here he was met by his prisoner Sir Matthew Reedman; who "founde him in a studye, lying in a windowe, and sayde. What! Sir James Lindsay, what make you here?'--Than Sir James came forth of the studye to him, and sayde, By my fayth, Sir Mathewe, fortune bath brought me hyder; for, as soon as I was departed fro you, I mete by chaunce the Byshoppe of Durham, to whom I am prisoner, as ye be to me. I beleve ye shal not nede to come to Edinborowe to me to mak your fynaunce. I think, rather, we shal make an exchange one for another, if the byshoppe be also contente.'- Well, Sir,' quod Reedman, 'we shall accord ryght well toguyder; ye shal dine this day with me the byshoppe and our men be gone forth to fyght with your men. I can nat tell what we shall know at their retourne.'-'I am content to dine with you,' quod Lindsay."-FROISSART's Chronicle, translated by Bourchier, Lord Berners, vol. i. chap. 146.

O gran bontà de' cavalieri antiqui
Eran rivali, eran di fe diversi ;
E si sentian de gli aspri colpi iniqui
Per tutta la persona anco dolersi;
E pur per selve oscure, e calle iniqui
Insieme van senza sospetta aversi."

L'Orlando.

But the Jardines wald not with him ride,

And they rue it to this day.*

And he has burn'd the dales of Tyne,
And part of Bambrough shire;

And three good towers on Reidswire fells,
He left them all on fire.

And he march'd up to Newcastle,
And rode it round about;

"O wha's the lord of this castle,
Or wha's the lady o't?"---

But up spake proud Lord Percy, then
And O but he spake hie!
"I am the lord of this castle,
My wife's the lady gay."

"If thou'rt the lord of this castle,
Sae weel it pleases me!
For, ere I cross the Border fells,
The tane of us shall die."----

He took a lang spear in his hand,
Shod with the metal free,
And for to meet the Douglas there,
He rode right furiouslie.

But O how pale his lady look'd,
Frae aff the castle wa',

When down before the Scottish spear
She saw proud Percy fa'.

"Had we twa been upon the green,
And never an eye to see,

I wad hae had you, flesh and fell; †
But your sword sall gae wi' me."

"But gae ye up to Otterbourne,
And wait there dayis three;
And, if I come not ere three dayis end,
A fause knight ca' ye me.'

"The Otterbourne's a bonnie burn;
'Tis pleasant there to be;

But there is nought at Otterbourne,
To feed my men and me.

"The deer rins wild on hill and dale,
The birds fly wild from tree to tree;
But there is neither bread nor kale,
To fend my men and me.

"Yet I will stay at Otterbourne,
Where you shall welcome be;
And, if ye come not at three dayis end,
A fause lord I'll ca' thee."-

"Thither will I come," proud Percy said,
"By the might of Our Ladye!"-
"There will I bide thee," said the Douglas,
'My troth I plight to thee."

They lighted high on Otterbourne,
Upon the bent sae brown;
They lighted high on Otterbourne,
And threw their pallions down.

And he that had a bonnie boy,

Sent out his horse to grass;

* The Jardines were a clan of hardy West-Border men. Their chief was Jardine of Applegirth. Their refusal to ride with Douglas was, probably, the result of one of those perpetual feuds, which usually rent to pieces a Scottish army.

Fell-Hide. Douglas insinuates, that Percy was rescued by his soldiers. 1 Fend-Support.

§ Froissart describes a Scottish host, of the same period, as consisting of "IIII. M. men of armes, knightis, and squires, mounted on good horses; and other X. M. men of warre, armed, after their gyse, right hardy and firse, mounted on lytle hackneys, the whiche were never tied, nor kept at hard meat, but leite go to pasture in the fieldis and bushes."-Chronykle of Froissart, translated by Lord Berners, chap. xvii.

The English ballad has here:

"Now, by my troth,' the Douglas sayed.

It ys but a fayned tayle;

He durst not looke on my broad banner,

For all Ynglande so haylle.'

"He stepped owt at his pavelyon door
To loke an it were lesse:

'Araye you, lordyngs, one and all,
For here begynnes no peace.

And he that had not a bonnie boy,

His ain servant he was.§

But up then spake a little page,

Before the peep of dawn

"O waken ye, waken ye, my good lord, For Percy's hard at hand.".

"Ye lie, ye lie, ye liar loud!
Sae loud I hear ye lie:

For Percy had not men yestreen
To dight my men and me.

"But I have dreamed a dreary dream,
Beyond the Isle of Sky;

I saw a dead man win a fight,
And I think that man was I."

He belted on his guid braid sword,
And to the field he ran;

But he forgot the helmet good,
That should have kept his brain.
When Percy wi' the Douglas met,
I wat he was fu' fain!

They swakked their swords, till sair they swat,
And the blood ran down like rain.¶

But Percy with his good broad sword,
That could so sharply wound,

Has wounded Douglas on the brow,
Till he fell to the ground.

Then he call'd on his little foot-page,
And said "Run speedilie,

And fetch my ain dear sister's son,
Sir Hugh Montgomery.

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'My nephew good," the Douglas said,
"What recks the death of ane!

Last night I dream'd a dreary dream,
And I ken the day's thy ain.

"My wound is deep; I fain would sleep;
Take thou the vanguard of the three,

And hide me by the braken** bush,

That grows on yonder lilye lee.

"O bury me by the braken bush,
Beneath the blooming brier,

Let never living mortal ken,
That ere a kindly Scot lies here."

He lifted up that noble lord,

Wi' the saut tear in his ee;
He hid him in the braken bush,

That his merrie-men might not see.
The moon was clear, the day drew near,
The spears in flinders flew,
But mony a gallant Englishman
Ere day the Scotsmen slew.

The Gordons good, in English blood,
They steep'd their hose and shoon;
The Lindsays flew like fire about,
Till all the fray was done.

The Percy and Montgomery met,
That either of other were fain;

"The Yerle of Mentaye* thou art my eme,
The forwarde I give to thee;

The Yerle of Huntley, cawte and kene,
He shall with thee be.

"The Lord of Bouchan in armure bright,
On the other hand he shall be:
Lord Johnstone and Lord Maxwell,
They two shall be with me.

'Swinton. fayre field upon your pride,
For battle make you boun;
Syr Davy Scott, Syr Walter Stewarde,
Syr Jhon of Agurstone.""

"The Percy and the Douglas mette,
That ether of other was fayne;

They schapped together whyll that they sweette,
With swords of fine Collayne,!

Tyll the bloode from their bassonets ran,

As the brooke doth in the rayne.'

** Braken-Fern.

English Baliad.

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They swapped swords, and they twa swat,
And aye the blood ran down between,
"Now yield thee, yield thee, Percy," he said,
"Or else I vow I'll lay thee low!”—
"To whom must I yield," quoth Earl Percy,
"Now that I see it must be so?"-

"Thou shalt not yield to lord nor loun,
Nor yet shalt thou yield to me;
But yield thee to the braken bush,
That grows upon yon lilye lee!"-
"I will not yield to a braken bush,
Nor yet will I yield to a brier;
But I would yield to Earl Douglas,

Or Sir Hugh the Montgomery, if he were here.
As soon as he knew it was Montgomery,*

He struck his sword's point in the gronde;
The Montgomery was a courteous knight,
And quickly took him by the honde.t
This deed was done at the Otterbourne
About the breaking of the day;

Earl Douglas was buried at the braken bush
And the Percy led captive away.

should be kept in a state of tranquillity.-RYMER, vol. xiii. p. 66. In order to accomplish this object, it was natural for him, according to the policy of his predecessors, to invest one great family with the power of keeping order among the rest. It is even probable, that the Philiphaugh family may have had claims upon part of the lordship of Ettrick Forest, which lay intermingled with their own extensive possessions; and, in the course of arranging, not, indeed, the feudal superiority, but the property of these lands, a dispute may have arisen, of sufficient importance to be the groundwork of a ballad.

It is farther probable, that the Murrays, like other Border clans, were in a very lawless state, and held their lands merely by occupancy, without any feudal right. Indeed the lands of the various proprietors in Ettrick Forest, (being a royal demesne,) were held by the possessors, not in property, but as the kindly tenants, or rentallers, of the crown; and it is only about 150 years since they obtained charters, striking the feu-duty of each proprietor at the rate of the quit rent which he formerly paid. This state of possession naturally led to a confusion of rights and claims. The Kings of Scotland were often reduced to the humiliating necessity of compromising such matters with their rebellious subjects, and James himself even entered into a sort of league with Johnnie Faa, the king of the gipsies. Perhaps, therefore, the tradition, handed down in this song, may have had more foundation than it would at present be proper positively to assert.

The merit of this beautiful old tale, it is thought, will be fully acknowledged. It has been, for ages, a popular song in Selkirkshire. The scene is, by the common people, supposed to have been the Castle of Newark upon Yarrow. This is highly improbable, because Newark was always a royal fortress. Indeed, the late excellent antiquarian, Mr. Plummer, Sheriff-depute of Selkirkshire, has assured the Editor, that he remembered the insignia of the unicorns, &c., so often mentioned in the ballad, in existence upon the old Tower of Hanging. shaw, the seat of the Philiphaugh family; although, upon first perusing a copy of the ballad, he was inclined to subscribe to the popular opinion. The Tower of Hangingshaw has been demolished for many years. It stood in a romantic and solitary situation, on the classical banks of the Yarrow. When the mountains around Hangingshaw were covered with the wild copse which constituted a Scottish Forest, a more secure stronghold for an outlawed baron can scarcely be imagined.

THE SANG OF THE OUTLAW MURRAY. THIS ballad appears to have been composed about the reign of James V. It commemorates a transaction, supposed to have taken place betwixt a Scottish monarch, and an ancestor of the ancient family of Murray of Philiphaugh, in Selkirkshire. The Editor is unable to ascertain the historical foundation of the tale; nor is it probable that any light can be thrown upon the subject, without an accurate examination of the family charter-chest. It is certain, that, during the civil wars betwixt Bruce and Baliol, the family of Philiphaugh existed, and was powerful; for their ancestor, Archibald de Moravia, subscribes the oath of fealty to Edward I., A. D. 1296. It is, therefore, not unlikely, that, residing in a wild and frontier country, they may have, at one period or other, during these commotions, refused allegiance to the feeble monarch of the day, and thus extorted from him some grant of territory or jurisdiction. It is also certain, that, by a charter from James IV., dated November 30, 1509, John Murray of Philiphaugh is vested with the dignity of heritable Sheriff of Ettrick Forest, an office held by his descendants till the final abolition of such jurisdic-outlaw was a man of prodigious strength, possess tions by 28th Geo. II., cap. 23. But it seems difficult to believe, that the circumstances mentioned in the ballad could occur under the reign of so vigorous a monarch as James IV. It is true, that the Dramatis Persona introduced seem to refer to the end of the fifteenth, or beginning of the sixteenth century; but from this it can only be argued, that the author himself lived soon after that period. It may, therefore, be supposed, (unless farther evidence can be produced, tending to invalidate the conclusion,) that the bard, willing to pay his court to the family, has connected his grant of the sheriffship by James IV., with some former dispute betwixt the Murrays of Philiphaugh and their sovereign, occurring either while they were engaged upon the side of Baliol, or in the subsequent reigns of David II. and Robert II. and III., when the English possessed great part of the Scottish frontier, and the rest was in so lawless a state as hardly to acknowledge any superior.

At the same time, this reasoning is not absolutely
conclusive. James IV. had particular reasons for
desiring that Ettrick Forest, which actually formed
part of the jointure lands of Margaret, his Queen,
[In one copy the line stands:

"As soon as he knew it was Sir Hugh."-Ed.]
[Here the English ballad of Otterbourne has that exquisite
verse, almost the same as in the elder Chevy Chase:

"Then on the morn they made them beeres
Of birch and hazell gray;

H

The tradition of Ettrick Forest bears, that the

ing a baton or club, with which he laid lee (i. e.
waste) the country for many miles round; and that
he was at length slain by Buccleuch, or some of his
clan, at a little mount, covered with fir-trees, ad-
joining to Newark Castle, and said to have been a
part of the garden. A varying tradition bears the
place of his death to have been near to the house of
the Duke of Buccleuch's gamekeeper, beneath the
castle; and that the fatal arrow was shot by Scott
of Haining, from the ruins of a cottage on the op-
posite side of Yarrow. There were extant, within
these twenty years, some verses of a song on his
death. The feud betwixt the Outlaw and the Scots,
may serve to explain the asperity with which the
chieftain of that clan is handled in the ballad..
In publishing the following ballad, the copy prin-
cipally resorted to is one, apparently of considerable
antiquity, which was found among the papers of the
late Mrs. Cockburn of Edinburgh, a lady whose
memory will be long honoured by all who knew
her. Another copy, much more imperfect, is to be
found in Glenriddel's MSS. The names are in this
last miserably mangled, as is always the case when
Mony a widow with weeping tears
Their makes they fette away."]

[The hollow under this mount is called by the country people, "slain-man's lee;" and a number of human bones were found there a few years ago in making a drain. 1830.-Ed.)

6(Mrs. Cockburn of Ormistoun, the authoress of the "Flowers of the Forest "-Ed.1

And hald of me yon Foreste frie.
"To Edinburgh to cum and gang,
His safe warrant I sall gie;
And gif he refuses to do that,

ballads are taken down from the recitation of per- | And desyre him cum, and be my man
sons living at a distance from the scenes in which
they are laid. Mr. Plummer also gave the Editor a
few additional verses, not contained in either copy,
which are thrown into what seemed their proper
place. There is yet another copy in Mr. Herd's
MSS., which has been occasionally made use of.
Two verses are restored in the present edition, from
the recitation of Mr. Mungo Park, whose toils du-
ring his patient and intrepid travels in Africa, have
not eradicated from his recollection the legendary
lore of his native country.*

The arms of the Philiphaugh family are said by tradition to allude to their outlawed state. They are, indeed, those of a huntsman, and are blazoned thus: Argent, a hunting-horn sable, stringed and garnished gules, on a chief azure, three stars of the first. Crest, a Demi-Forester, winding his horn, proper. Motto, Hinc usque superna venabor.

THE SANG OF THE OUTLAW MURRAY.
ETTRICKE FORESTE is a feir foreste,
In it grows manie a semelie trie;

There's hart and hynd, and dae and rae,
And of a' wilde bestis grete plentie.

There's a feir castelle, bigged wi' lyme and stane;
O! gin it stands not pleasauntlie!

In the fore front o' that castelle feir,
Twa unicorns are bra' to see;

We'll conquess baith his landis and he.
"Thou mayst vow I'll cast his castell down,
And mak a widowe o' his gaye ladye;
I'll hang his merryemen, payr by
payr

In ony frith where I may them see."-
James Boyd tuik his leave o' the nobil King,
To Ettricke Foreste feir cam he;
Down Birkendale Brae when that he cam,
He saw the feir Foreste wi' his ee.ll

Baith dae and rae, and harte and hinde,
And of a' wilde bestis great plentie;
He heard the blows that bauldly ring,
And arrows whidderan' hym near bi.
Of that feir castell he got a sight;
The like he neir saw wi' his ee
On the fore front o' that castell feir,
Twa unicorns were gaye to see;

The picture of a knight, and ladye bright,
And the grene hollin abune their brie.

Thereat he spyed five hundred men,
Shuting with bows on Newark Lee;

There's the picture of a knight, and a ladye bright, They were a' in ae livery clad,

And the grene hollin abune their brie.t

There an Outlaw kepis five hundred men ;
He keepis a royalle cumpanie!

His merryemen are a' in ae liverye clad,
O' the Lincome grene sae gaye to see;

He and his ladye in purple clad,

O! gin they lived not royallie!

Word is gane to our nobil King,

In Edinburgh where that he lay,

That there was an Outlaw in Ettricke Foreste,
Counted him nought, nor a' his courtrie gay.
"I make a vowe," then the gude King said,
"Unto the man that deir bought me,
I'se either be King of Ettricke Foreste,

Or King of Scotlande that Outlaw sall be!"
Then spake the lord hight Hamilton,+
And to the nobil King said he,
'My sovereign prince, sum counsell take,
First at your nobilis, syne at me.
"I redd ye, send yon braw Outlaw till,
And see gif your man cum will he:
Desyre him cum and be your man,
And hald of you yon Foreste frie.

"Gif he refuses to do that,

We'll conquess baith his landis and he! Or else, we'll throw his castell down,

And make a widowe o' his gaye ladye."

The King then call'd a gentleman,

James Boyd (the Earle of Arran his brother was he;$)

When James he cam before the King,

He knelit befor him on his kné.

"Wellcum, James Boyd!" said our nobil King,

་་

A message ye maun gang for me;

Ye maun hye to Ettricke Foreste,

To yon Outlaw, where bydeth he:

"Ask him of whom he haldis his landis, Or man, wha may his master be,

[The cottage in which Mungo Park was born stands nearly opposite to Newark Castle, on the Yarrow.-Ed.] Brow.

1 This is, in most copies, the earl hight Hamilton, which must be a mistake of the reciters, as the family did not enjoy that title till 1503.

Thomas Boyd, Earl of Arran, was forfeited, with his father and undle, in 1469, for an attempt on the person of James III. He had a son, James, who was restored, and in favour with James IV. about 1482 If this be the person here meant, we should read,

O' the Lincome grene sae gaye to see.
His men were a' clad in the grene,
The knight was armed capapie,

With a bended bow, on a milk-white steed;
And I wot they rank'd right bonnilie.
Thereby Boyd kend he was master man,
And served him in his ain degré.

"God mot thee save, brave Outlaw Murray!
Thy ladye, and all thy chyvalrie!"-
Marry, thou's wellcum, gentleman,

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Some king's messenger thou seemis to be."-
"The King of Scotlonde sent me here,
And, gude Outlaw, I am sent to thee;

I wad wot of whom ye hald your landis,
Or man, wha may thy master be?"-
"Thir landis are MINE!" the Outlaw said;
"I ken nae King in Christentie;

Frae SoudronT I this Foreste wan,

When the King nor his knightis were not to see." "He desyres you'l cum to Edinburgh, And hauld of him this Foreste fre;

And, gif ye refuse to do this,

He'll conquess baith thy landis and thee,
He hath vow'd to cast thy castell down,
And mak a widowe o' thy gaye ladye;
"He'll hang thy merryemen, payr by payr,
In ony frith where he may them finde."-
Ay, by my troth!" the Outlaw said,
"Than wauld I thinke me far behinde.

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"Ere the King my feir countrie get,
This land that's nativest to me!
Mony o' his nobilis sall be cauld,
Their ladyes sall be right wearie."
Then spak his ladye, feir of face,
She seyd, "Without consent of me,
That an Outlaw suld come befor a King;
I am right rad** of treasonrie.

Bid him be gude to his lordis at hame,

For Edinburgh my lord sall nevir see."

The Earl of Arran his son was he." Glenriddel's copy reads, "a Highland laird I'm sure was be." Reciters sometimes call the messenger the Laird of Skene.

Birkendale Brae, now commonly called Birkendailly, is a steep descent on the south side of Minch-moor, which separates Tweeddale from Ettrick Forest; and from the top of which we have the first view of the woods of Hangingshaw, the Castle of Newark, and the romantic dale of Yarrow. Southron, or English.

** Afraid.

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