We'll caU it but foul play."
There were four-and-twenty bonnie boys,
A' clad in the Johnstone grey ; 3
1 [" The bride kiss'd the goblet ; the knight took it up,
He quaffed off the wine, and he threw down the cup.
She looked down to blush, and she looked up to sigh,
With a smile on her lips, and a tear in her eye."
Lady Heron's Song. Marmion, Canto V.]
- [" One touch to her hand, and one word in her ear,
When they reach'd the hall-door, and the charger stood near ;
So light to the croupe the fair lady he swung,
So light to the saddle before her he sprung !
' She is won ! we are gone, over bank, bush, and scaur ;
They'll have fleet steeds that follow,' quoth young Lochinvar."
Ibid.]
3 Johnstone Grey— The livery of the ancient family of
Johnstone. [This circumstance appears to support the Clydesdale
copy, which gives Katharine the surname of Johnstone. I incline
to suspect that she was a Johnstone of Wamphray, and that
Katharine o' Wamphray had been blundered, by the Ettrick re-
citers, into Katharine Jeffrey, vulgarly pronounced Janf ray. — Er.
126 MINSTRELSY OF
They said they would take the bride again,
By the strong hand, if they may.
Some o' them were right willing men,
But they were na willing a';
And four-and-twenty Leader lads
Bid them mount and ride awa'.
Then whingers flew frae gentles' sides,
And swords flew frae the shea's,
And red and rosy was the blood
Ran down the lily braes.
The blood ran down by Caddon bank,
And down by Caddon brae ;
And, sighing, said the bonnie bride —
" wae's me for foul play !" l
My blessing on your heart, sweet thing 1
Wae to your wilfu' will !
There's monv a gallant gentleman
Whae's blind ye have garr'd to spill.
1 [" It's up the Cowden bank,
And down the Cowden brae t
And aye she made the trumpet sound
It's a weel-won play.
O meikle was the blood was shed
Upon the Cowden brae,
And aye she made the trumpet sound,
It's a' fair play."
MciTHERWKLL, p. 229.]
THE SCOTTISH BORDER. 127
Now a' you lords of fair England,
And that dwell by the English Border /
Come never here to seek a wife,
For fear of sic disorder.
They'll haik ye up, and settle ye bye,
Till on your wedding-day ;
Then gie ye frogs instead of fish,
And play ye foul foul play.
MINSTRELSY OK
THE LAIRD 0' LOG IK.
A.v edition of this ballad is current, under t!ie title
of "The Laird of Ochiltree ;" but the Editor, since
the first publication of this work, has been fortu
enough to recover the following more correct and
ancient copy, as recited bj a gentleman residing near
It agrees more nearly, both in the name and
in the circumstances, with the real fact, than the
printed ballad of Ochiltree.
In the year 1592, Francis Stuart, Karl of Both well,
was agitating his frantic and ill-concerted attempts
list the person of James VI. , whom he endeavoured
to surprise in the palace of Falkland. Through the
emulation and private rancour of the courtiers, he found
adherents even about the King's person; among
whom, it seems, was the hero of our ballad, whose
history is thus narrated in that curious and valuable
chronicle, of which the first part has been public
under the title of the "The Historie of King James
the Sext."
" In this close tyme it fortunit, that a gentleman,
rallit Weymis of Logye, being also in credence at court,
delatit as a traffekker with Frances Erie Eothwell ;
THE SCOTTISH BOEDER. 129
and he, being examinat before King and counsall, con-
fessit his accusation to be of veritie, that sundry tynies
he had spokin with him, expresslie aganis the King's
inhibitioun proclarnit in the contrare, whilk confession
he subscryvit with his hand ; and because the event of
this mater had sik a success, it sail also be praysit be
my pen, as a worthie turne, proceiding from honest
chest love and charitie, whilk suld on na wayis be
obscurit from the posteritie, for the gude example ;
and therefore I have thought gude to insert the same
for a perpetual memorie.
Queen Anne, our noble princess, was servit with
dyverss gentilwemen of hir awin cuntrie, and naymelie
with ane callit Mres Margaret Twynstoun, 1 to whome
this gentilman, Weymes of Logye, bure great honest
affection, tending to the godlie band of marriage, the
whilk was honestlie requytet be the said gentilwoman,
yea even in his greatest mister; 2 for howsone she under-
stude the said gentilman to be in distress, and appe-
rantlie be his confession to be puneist to the death, and
she having prevelege to ly in the Queynis chalmer that
same verie night of his accusation, whare the King was
also reposing that same night, she came furth of the
dure prevelie, bayth the prencis being then at quyet
rest, and past to the chalmer, whare the said gentilman
was put in custodie to certayne of the garde, and com-
mandit thayme that immediatelie he sould be broght to
1 TwyiHace. according to Spottiswoode. — '■Mister — necessity.
VOL. III. T
130 MINSTRELSY OF
the King and Queyne, whareunto they gcving sure
credence, obeyet. Bat howsone she was cum bakto
the chaluur «lur, she desyrit the watches to stay till
he sould cum furth agayne, and so she closit the dur,
and convoyit the gentilman to a windo', whare she
ministrat a long corde unto him to convoy himself
donn upon ; and sa, be hir gude cheritable help, he
happelie escapit be the subteltie of love."
THE SCOTTISH BORDER. 131
THE LAIRD 0' LOGIE.
I will sing, if ye will hearken,
If ye will hearken unto me ;
The King has ta'en a poor prisoner,
The wanton laird o' young Logie.
Young Logie's laid in Edinburgh chapel;
Carmichaers the keeper o' the key ; l
And may Margaret's lamenting sair,
A' for the love of young Logie. 3
" Lament, lament na, may Margaret,
And of your weeping let me be ;
1 Sir John Carmichael of Carmichael, the hero of the ballad
called the Raid of the Reidswire, was appointed captain of the
king's guard in 1588, and usually had the keeping of state
criminals of rank.
2 [After stanza 2d, Mr Motherwell inserts, from recitation,
the following :
"May Margaret sits in the Queen's bouir
Kincking her fingers ane by ane;
Cursing the day that she ere was born,
Or that ere she heard o' Logie's name." — P. 66. — En.]
132 MINS I l: 1:1 iY OF
Fox ye mann to the King himaell,
To seek the life of young Logic."
May Margaret has kilted her green cleiding,
And she has curl'd back her yellow hair—
â– If I canna get young Logie's life,
Farewell to Scotland for evermair." —
When she came before the King,
She knelit lowly on her knee—
" O what's the matter, may Margaret 1
And what needs a' this courtesieT —
"A boon, a boon, my noble liege,
A boon, a boon, I beg o' thee !
And the first boon that I come to crave,
Is to grant me the life of young Logic"—
" na, O na, may Margaret,
Forsooth, and so it mauna be ;
For a' the gowd o' fair Scotland
Shall not save the life of young Logic"
But she has stown the King's redding kaitn, 1
Likewise the Queen her wedding knife,
And sent the tokens to Canuichael,
To cause young Logic get his life.
1 Redding kalmr— Comb for the hair.
THE SCOTTISH BOEDER. 133
She sent him a purse o' the red gowcl,
Another o' the white monie ;
She sent him a pistol for each hand,
And bade him shoot when he gat free.
When he came to the tolbooth stair,
There he let his volley flee :
It made the King in his chamber start,
E'en in the bed where he might be,
" Gae out, gae out, my merrymen a',
And bid Carmichael come speak to me ;
For I'll lay my life the pledge o' that,
That yon's the shot o' young Logie." —
When Carmichael came before the King,
He fell low down upon his knee :
The very first word that the King spake,
Was — " Where's the laird of young Logie ? " —
Carmichael turn'd him round about,
(I wot the tear blinded his ee,)
" There came a token frae your grace,
Has ta'en away the laird frae me." —
" Hast thou play'd me that, Carmichael 1
And hast thou play'd me that 1 " quoth he ',
" The morn the justice-court's to stand,
And Logie's place ye maun supplie."
13-1 MINSTRELSY OF
Oarmichael's awa to Margaret's bower,
Even 88 Eut as he may dree —
" O if young Logie be within,
Tell bim to come and speak with me !"-
May Margaret tnrn'd lier round about,
(I wot a loud laugh laughed she,)
"The egg is chipp'd, tlie bird La flown,
Ye'll see nae mair of young Logie."
The tane is shipped at the pier of Leith,
The tother at the Queen's Ferrie :
And she's gotten a father to her bairn.
The wanton laird of young Logie.
THE SCOTTISH BORDER. 135
A LYKE-WAKE DIRGE.
This is a sort of charm sung by the lower ranks of
Roman Catholics in some parts of the north of England,
while watching a dead body, previous to interment.
The tune is doleful and monotonous, and, joined to
the mysterious import of the words, has a solemn effect.
Tbe word sleet, in the chorus, seems to be corrupted
from selt, or salt ; a quantity of which, in compliance
with a popular superstition, is frequently placed on the
breast of a corpse.
The late Mr Ritson found an illustration of this
dirge in a MS. of the Cotton Library, containing an
account of Cleveland, in Yorkshire, in the reign of
Queen Elizabeth. It was kindly communicated to the
Editor by Mr Frank, Mr Ritson's executor, and runs
thus : — " When any dieth, certaine women sing a song
to the dead bodie, recyting the journey that the partye
deceased must goe ; and they are of beliefe (such is
their fondnesse) that once in their lives, it is good to
give a pair of new shoes to a poor man, for as much
as, after this life, they are to pass barefoote through
a great launde, full of thornes and furzen, except by
I3G m!N.sti:i:i.-y o*
the oieryte of the almes aforesaid they have redemed
the forfeyte ; for, at the edge of the launde, an oulde
man shall meel them with the .same shoes that were
given by the partie when he was lyving ; and, after he
hath shoddethem, dismiaseth them to go through thick
and thin, without scratch or scalle." — Julius, F. VI.
fc59.
The mythologic ideas of the dirge are common to
various creeds. Tin 1 Mahometan believes, that, in
idvancing to t he final judgment-seat, he must traverse
a bar of red-hot iron, stretched across a bottomless
gulf. The good works of each true believer, assuming
a substantial form, will then interpose betwixt his feet
aid this "Bridge of Dread ;" but the wicked, having
10 such protection, must fall headlong into the abyss.
— D'IIerbelot, Bibliotheque Orientate.
Passages, similar to this dirge, are also to be found
in Lady Culrosss Dream, as quoted in the Second
Dissertation prefixed by Mr Pinkerton to his Select
Scottish Ballads, 2 vols. The dreamer journeys
towards heaven, accompanied and assisted by a celestial
guide : —
" Through dreadful dens, which made my heart aghast,
lie Dare me up when I began to tire.
Sometimes we clamb o'er craggy mountains high,
And sometimes stay'd on ugly braes of sand ;
They were so stay that wonder was to see :
But, when I fear'd, he held me by the hand.
Through great deserts we wandered on our way —
Pi irward we passed on narrow bridge of trie.
O'er waters great, which hediously did roar."
THE SCOTTISH BORDER. 137
Again, she supposes herself suspended over an
infernal gulf : —
" Ere I was ware, one gripp'd me at the last,
And held me high above a flaming fire.
The fire was great ; the heat did pierce me sore :
My faith grew weak ; my grip was very small ;
I trembled fast ; my fear grew more and more. "
A horrible picture of the same kind, dictated probably
by the author's unhappy state of mind, is to be found
in Brooke's Fool of Quality. The dreamer, a ruined
female, is suspended over the gulf of perdition by a
single hair, which is severed by a demon, who, in the
form of her seducer, springs upwards from the flames.
The Russian funeral-service, without any allegorical
imagery, expresses the sentiment of the dirge in lan-
guage alike simple and noble. " Hast thou pitied the
afflicted, O man 1 In death shalt thou be pitied. Hast
thou consoled the orphan 1 The orphan will deliver
thee. Hast thou clothed the naked 1 The naked will
procure thee protection." — Richardson's ^.l«<?«/otes of
Hussia.
But the most minute description of the Brig o'
Dread occurs in the legend of Sir Owain, No. XL.
in the MS. Collection of Romances, W. 4 1. Advo-
cates' Library, Edinburgh : though its position is not
the same as in the dirge, which may excite a suspicion
that the order of the stanzas in the latter has been
transposed. Sir Owain, a Northumbrian knight, after
many frightfid adventures in St Patrick's purgatory,
138 MINSTRELSY OF
at last arrives at the bridge, which, in the legend, is
placed betwixt purgatory and paradise : —
" The fendes ban the knight ynome, 1
To a stinkand water t hni ben ycome,
He no 8ei^h never er 5 non swiebe ;
It stank fooler than ani hounde,
And mani mile it was to the grounde,
And was as swart as picbe.
"And Owain seigh therouer ligge
A swithe strong naru brigge :
The fendes seyd tlio ; 3
' Lo ! Sir Kuigbt, sestow 4 this ?
This is the brigge of paradis,
Here over thou must go.
" ' And we thee schal with stones prowo.
And the winde thee schal over blow,
And wirche thee full wo ;
Thou no schalt for all this unduerd,
But gif thou falle a midwerd,
To our fewes 5 mo.
" 'And when thou art adown yfalle,
Than schal com our felawes alle,
And with her 6 hokes thee hede ;
We schal thee teche a newe play :
Thou hast served us mani a day,
And into helle thee lede.' —
' ' Owain biheld the brigge smert,
The water ther under blac and swert,
x \'nome — took. — a Seigh never er — saw never before. — * Tho— then.—
« Sestow— see' at thou. — 5 Fewes— probably contracted for fellowus —
4 Her — their.
THE SCOTTISH BORDER. 139
And sore him gan to drede ;
For of othing 1 he tok yeme, 2
Never mot, in some beme,
Thicker than the fendes yede. 3
' ' The brigge was as heigh as a tour,
And as scharpe as a rasour,
And nam it was also ;
And the water that ther ran under,
Brend o' lightning and of thonder,
That thocht him michel wo.
"Ther nis no clerk may write with ynke,
No no man no may bethink,
No no maister deuine ;
That is ymade forsooth y wis,
Under the brigge of paradis,
Halvendel the pine.
"So the dominical ous telle,
Ther is the pure entrae of helle,
Seine Poule berth witnesse : 4
Whoso falleth of the brigge adown,
Of him nis no redempcioun,
Noither more nor lesse.
" The fendes seyd to the knight tho,
' Ouer this brigge might thou nowght go,
For noneskines nede; 6
Flee peril, sorwe, and wo,
And to that stede 6 ther thou com fro,
Wei fair we schal thee lede.' —
1 Othing — one thing. — 2 Yeme — aim ; notice. — 3 Yede — went. — 4 The
reader will probably search St Paul in vain for the evidence here referred
to. — 1> No kind of necessity. — 6 Stede — dwelling.
1 1«> MINVIUKLSY UK
"Owain anon began bithenche,
Fram hou mani of tli' pnche,
QoJ him saved hadde ;
He sett his fot upon the brigge,
No feld he no scharpe egge,
No nothing him no dm 1.
" ^Yhen the fendes yseigh tho,
That he was more than half ygo,
Loude they gun to crie ;
1 Alias ! alias ! that he was born !
This ich knight we have forlorn
Out of ourbaylie."'— 1
The author of the Legend of Sir Owain, though a
zealous Catholic, has embraced, in the fullest extent,
the Talmudic doctrine of an earthly paradise, distinct
from the celestial abode of the just, and serving as a
place of initiation, preparatory to perfect bliss, and to
the beatific vision. — See the Rabbi Menasse ben Israel,
in a treatise called Nishmath Chajim, i. e. The Breath
of Life.
1 Baylie — j u risdiction.
5 [The reader is requested to compare this "Lyke-wake Dinze,"
»i'h the chant to the parting spirit in Guy Mauncring. — En.]
THE SCOTTISH BORDER. 141
A LYKE-WAKE DIKGE.
This ae nighte, this ae nighte,
Every night and alle ;
Fire and sleete, and candle lighte,
And Christe receive thye saule.
When thou from hence away are paste,
Every night and alle ;
To Whinny -muir thou comest at laste ;
And Christe receive thye saule.
If ever thou gavest hosen and shoon,
Every night and alle ;
Sit thee down and put them on ;
And Christe receive thye saule.
If hosen and shoon thou ne'er gavest nane,
Every night and alle ;
The whinnes shall pricke thee to the bare bane
And Christe receive thye saule.
From Whinny-muir when thou mayst passe,*
Every night and alle ;
1 12 MINSTRELSY OF
To Brigg o' Dread thou comest at laste ;
And Christe receive thye saule.
(A stanza wanting.)
From Brigg o' Dread when thou mayst passe,
Every night and alle ;
To purgatory fire thou comest at laste ;
And Christe receive thye saule.
If ever thou gavest meat or drink,
Every night and alle ;
The fire shall never make thee shrinke ;
And Christe receive thye saule.
If meate or drinke thou never gavest nane,
Every night and alle ;
The fire will burn thee to the bare bane ;
And Christe receive thye saule
This ae nighte, this ac nighte,
Every night and alle ;
Fire and sleete, and candle lighte,
And Christe receive thye saule.
THE DOWIE DENS 0' YARROW.
VOCE.
PIANO
FORTE.
j
\
33:
S=^
£±=*
Late at e'en, drink - ing the wine, And
:b:i=
—I —
3^
rpzzzi *
gi^$E±
J-
-s>-
— F-
P=pzp:
i r i
— i — a -
r#— F-
35
==£
H3
P
^
t=J
H=z
ere they paid the law - ing, They set a com - bat
\
p^ipipilpi
=i=r=z
t-
=t
Vol. hi.
Dowie Dens o' Yarrow.
THE DOWIK DENS <»' VAi;i:o\V, CONTINUHI).
- .
p^pH:«- : g^gFj^
m
them between, T.j bght it at the daw - ing.
i
I
P . # j ~t~m- u j — ran . -a -*
1 *
-44H
F=f
tz
A-.. J â– â–
^ r
Sq^^TF^^
As he gaed ap the Tennies bank,
Dens o' Yarrow.
Vol. hi.
THE DOWIE DENS 0' YARROW, CONTINUED.
*=3fe
T*
:ct=t
wot he gaed wi" sor - row, Till down in a den he spied
-9- — i*s— I — ^i — »-»
] I r
%rf
^EE
=1:
* — F-
^^gi=g"js^^
I
nine armed men, On the dowie howms o' Yarrow.
W^S
fe^fe*
=*.
I 1
f=r= «=*
j^
=f^
— r
Vol. hi.
&-<
*4
I
5
Dowie Dens o' Yarrow.
THE SCOTTISH BOEDER. H3
THE
DOWIE DENS OF YARBOW.
NOW FIRST PUBLISHED.
This ballad, which is a very great favourite among
the inhabitants of Ettrick Forest, is universally believed
to be founded in fact. I found it easy to collect a
variety of copies ; but very difficult indeed to select
from them such a collated edition, as might, in any
degree, suit the taste of " these more light and giddy-
paced times."
Tradition places the event, recorded in the song,
very early; and it is probable that the ballad was com-
posed soon afterwards, although the language has been
gradually modernized, in the course of its transmission
to us, through the inaccurate channel of oral tradition.
The bard does not relate particulars, but barely the
striking outlines of a fact, apparently so well known
when he wrote, as to render minute detail as unneces-
sary, as it is always tedious and unpoetical.
The hero of the ballad was a knight of great bravery,
11 I 10N8TBSLBY OF
called Scott, who is said to have resided at Kirkhope,
or Oakw 1 Castle, and is, in tradition, termed the
Baron of Oakwood. The estate of Kirkhope belonged
anciently to the Scotts of Harden : Oakwood is still
their property, and has been so from time immemorial
The Editor was therefore led to BUppose, that the hero
of the ballad might have been identified with John
Scott, sixth son of the Laird of Hard< a, murdered in
Ettrick Forest by his kinsmen, the Scotts of Gilm
cleugh. (See notes to Jamie Ttlfer, ante.') This
appeared the more probable, as the common people
always affirm that this young man was treacherously
slain, and that, in evidence thereof, his body remained
uncorrupted for many years ; so that even the roses
on his shoes seemed as fresh as when he was first laid
in the family vault at Hassendean. But from a pas-
sage in Nisbet's Heraldry, he now believes the ballad
refers to a duel fought at Deucharswyre, of which
Annan's Treat is a part, betwixt John Scott of Tushie-
law and his brother-in-law, Walter Scott, third son of
Robert of Thirlestane, in which the latter was slain.
In ploughing Annan's Treat, a huge monumental
stone, with an inscription, was discovered ; but being
rather scratched than engraved, and the lines being run
through each other, it is only possible to read one or
two Latin words. It probably records the event of the
combat. The person slain was the male ancestor of
the present Lord Napier.
Tradition affirms, that the hero of the song (be ho
THE SCOTTISH BORDER. 145
who he may) was murdered by the brother, either of
his wife or betrothed bride. The alleged cause of
malice was the lady's father having proposed to endow
her with half of his property, upon her marriage with
a warrior of such renown. The name of the murderer
is said to have been Annan, and the place of combat
is still called Annan's Treat. It is a low muir, on the
banks of the Yarrow, lying to the west of Yarrow
Kirk. Two tall unhewn masses of stone are erected,
about eighty yards distant from each other ; and the
least child, that can herd a cow, will tell the passenger,
that there lie " the two lords, who were slain in single
combat."
It will be, with many readers, the greatest recom-
mendation of these verses, that they are supposed to
have suggested to Mr Hamilton of Bangour, the
modern ballad, beginning,
" Dusk ye, busk ye, my bonny bonny bride." 1
A fragment, apparently regarding the story of the
2 [It may now be added, that Hamilton's ballad, and the
scenery of the tragic tale, have inspired Mr Wordsworth to two
of his most exquisite poems — " Yarrow Un visited," and "Yarrow
Visited;" and that he has more lately immortalized an excursioc
to the Yarrow, in which he was accompanied by Sir Walter Scott
only two days before Sir Walter left Scotland in September, 1831,
in a most affecting piece, not yet published, entitled, "Yarrow
Revisited."— Ed.]
VOL. III. TT
146 MINSTRELSY OF
following ballad, but in a different measure, occurs in
Mr Herd's MS., and runs thua : —
" When I look east, my heart is sair,
But when I look west, it's mairand mair ;
For then I see the braes o' Yarrow,
And there, for aye, I lost my marrow. "
THE SCOTTISH BORDER. 147
1
THE DOWIE DENS OP YAKEOW. 1
Late at e'en, drinking the wine,
And ere they paid the lawing,
They set a combat them between,
To fight it in the dawing.
" stay at hame, my noble lord,
stay at hame, my marrow !
My cruel brother will you betray
On the dowie houms of Yarrow." —
" fare ye weel, my ladye gaye !
fare ye weel, my Sarah !
For I maun gae, though I ne'er return
Frae the dowie banks o' Yarrow."
She kiss'd his cheek, she kaim'd his hair,
As oft she had done before, ;
[Dowie — means melancholy.
" Meek loveliness is round thee spread,
A softness still and holy—
The grace of forest charms decayed,
And pastoral melancholy."
Yarrow Visited.l
148 MINSTRELSY "1
She belted him with his noble brand,
And he's away to Yarrow.
As he gaed up the Tennies bank, 1
I wot he gaed wi' sorrow,
Till, down in a den, he spied nine arm'd men,
On the dowie houms of Yarrow.
" come ye here to part your land,
The bonnie Forest thorough 1
Or come ye here to wield your brand,
On the dowie houms of Yarrow V —
" I come not here to part my land,
And neither to beg nor borrow ;
I come to wield my noble brand,
On the bonnie banks of Yarrow.
" If I see all, ye're nine to ane ;
And that's an unequal marrow ;
Yet will I fight, while lasts my brand,
On the bonnie banks of Yarrow."
Four has he hurt, and five has slain.
On the bloody braes of Yarrow.
Till that stubborn knight came him behind,
And ran his body thorough.
1 [The Tennies is the name of a farm of the Duke of Buccleuch's,
& little below Yarrow Kirk.]
THE SCOTTISH BORDER. 149
" Gae hame, gae hame, good-brother 1 John,
And tell your sister Sarah,
To come and lift her leafu' lord ;
He's sleepin sound on Yarrow." —
" Yestreen I dream'd a dolefu' dream ;
I fear there will be sorrow !
I dream'd I pu'd the heather green,
Wi' my true love on Yarrow.