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445. Sound, merry huntsman! sound the

pryse!

Pryse-The note blown at the death of the game-In Caledonia olim frequens erat sylvestris quidam bos, nunc vero rarior, qui, colore candidissimo, jubam densam et demissam instar leonis gestat, truculentus ac ferus ab humano genere abhorrens, ut quæcunque homines vel manibus contrectarint, vel halitu perflaverint, ab iis muitos post dies omnino abstinuerunt. Ad hoc tanta audacia huic bovi indita erat, ut non solum irritatus equites furenter prosterneret, sed ne tantillum lacessitus omnes promiscue homines cornibus ac ungulis peterit; ac canum, qui apud nos ferocissimi sunt, impetus plane contemneret. Ejus carnes cartilaginosa, sed saporis suavissimi. Erat is olim per illam vastissimam Caledonia sylvam frequens, sed humana ingluvie jam assumptus tribus tantum locis est reliquus, Strivilingii, Cumbernaldiæ, et Kincarnia. - LESLEUS, Scotia Descriptio,

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445. Few suns have set since Woodhouselee.

This barony, stretching along the banks of the Esk, near Auchendinny, belonged to Bothwellhaugh, in right of his wife. The ruins of the mansion, from whence she was expelled in the brutal manner which occasioned her death, are still to be seen in a hollow glen beside the river. Popular report tenants them with the restless ghost of the Lady Bothwellhaugh; whom, however, it confounds with Lady Anne Bothwell, whose Lament is so popular. This spectre is so tenacious of her rights, that, a part of the stones of the ancient edifice having been employed in building or repairing the present Woodhouselee, she has deemed it a part of her privilege to haunt that house also; and, even of very late years, has excited considerable disturbance and terror among the domestics. This is a more remarkable vindication of the rights of ghosts, as the present Woodhouselee, which gives his title to the Honourable Alexander Fraser Tytler, a senator of the College of Justice, is situated on the slope of the Pentland hills, distant at least four miles from her proper abode. She always appears in white, and with her child in her arms.

446. Drives to the leap his jaded steed.

Birrel informs us, that Bothwellhaugh, being closely pursued, "after that spur and wand had failed him, drew forth his dagger, and strocke his horse behind, whilk caused the horse to leap a very brode stanke [i.e. ditch], by whilk means he escapit, and gat away from all the rest of the horses."-BIRREL'S Diary, P. 18.

446. From the wild Border's humbled side. Murray's death took place shortly after an expedition to the Borders; which is thus commemorated by the author of his elegy:

"So having stablischt all things in this sort,
To Liddisdaill agane he did resort:
Throw Ewisdail, Eskdail, and all the daills
rode he,

And also lay three nights in Cannabie,
Whair na prince lay thir hundred yeiris before.
Nae thief durst stir, they did him feir sa sair;
And, that thay suld na mair thair thift allege,
Threescore and twelf he brocht of thame in
pledge,

Syne wardit thame, whilk maid the rest keep ordour:

Than mycht the rasch-bus keep ky on the Border."

Scottish Poems, 16th century, p. 232.

446. With hackbut bent, my secret stand.

Hackbut bent-Gun cocked. The carbine with which the Regent was shot, is preserved at Hamilton Palace. It is a brass piece, of a middling length, very small in the bore, and, what is rather extraordinary, appears to have been rifled or indented in the barrel. It had a matchlock, for which a modern firelock has been injudiciously substituted.

446. Dark Morton, girt with many a spear.

Of this noted person, it is enough to say, that he was active in the murder of David Rizzio, and at least privy to that of Darnley.

446. The wild Macfarlanes' plaided clan.

This clan of Lennox Highlanders was attached to the Regent Murray. Hollinshed, speaking of the battle of Langside, says, “In this batayle the vallancie of an Heiland gentleman, named Macfarlane, stood the Regent's part in great steede; for, in the hottest brunte of the fighte, he came up with two hundred of his friendes and countrymen, and so manfully gave in upon the flankes of the Queen's people, that he was a great cause of the disordering of them. This Macfarlane had been lately before, as I have heard, condemned to die, for some outrage by him committed, and obtayning par don through suyte of the Countess of Murray, he recompensed that clemencie by this piece of service now at this batayle." Calderwood's account is less favourable to the Macfarlanes.

He states that "Macfarlane, with his Highandmen, fled from the wing where they were set. The Lord Lindsay, who stood nearest to them in the Regent's battle, said, 'Let them go! I shall fill their place better:' and so, stepping forward, with a company of fresh men, charged the enemy, whose spears were now spent, with long weapons, so that they were driven back by force, being before almost overthrown by the avaunt-guard and harquebusiers, and so were turned to flight."-CALDERWOOD'S MS. apud KEITH, p. 480. Melville mentions the flight of the vanguard, but states it to have been commanded by Morton, and composed chiefly of commoners of the barony of Renfrew.

446. Glencairn and stout Parkhead were nigh.

The Earl of Glencairn was a steady adherent of the Regent. George Douglas of Parkhead was a natural brother of the Earl of Morton, whose horse was killed by the same ball by which Murray fell.

446.

haggard Lindesay's iron eye, That saw fair Mary weep in vain. Lord Lindsay, of the Byres, was the most ferocious and brutal of the Regent's faction, and, as such, was employed to extort Mary's signature to the deed of resignation presented to her in Lochleven Castle. He discharged his commission with the most savage rigour; and it is even said, that when the weeping captive, in the act of signing, averted her eyes from the fatal deed, he pinched her arm with the grasp of his iron glove.

446. So close the minions crowded nigh.

Not only had the Regent notice of the intended attempt upon his life, but even of the very house from which it was threatened. With that infatuation at which men wonder, after such events have happened, he deemed it would be a sufficient precaution to ride briskly past the dangerous spot. But even this was prevented by the crowd: so that Bothwellhaugh had time to take a deliberate aim.-SPOTTISWOODE, p. 233. BUCHANAN.

449. By blast of bugle free.

The barony of Pennycuik, the property of Sir George Clerk, Bart. is held by a singular tenure; the proprietor being bound to sit upon a large rocky fragment called the Buckstane, and wind three blasts of a horn, when the King shall come to hunt on the Borough Muir, near Edinburgh. Hence the family have adopted as their crest a demi-forester proper, winding a horn, with the motto, Free for a Blast. The beautiful mansion-house of Pennycuik is much smired, both on account of the architecture twe surrounding scenery.

449.

To Auchendinny's hazel glade.

Auchendinny, situated upon the Eske, below Pennycuik, the present residence of the ingenious H. Mackenzie, Esq. author of the Man of Feeling, &c. -Edition 1803.

449. And haunted Woodhouselee.

"Haunted Woodhouselee."-For the traditions connected with this ruinous mansion, see note in the preceding page.

449. Who knows not Melville's beechy grove! Melville Castle, near Lasswade, is the seat of Viscount Melville. It was erected by the first Viscount, the well-known Henry Dundas, Lord Advocate of Scotland.

449. And Roslin's rocky glen.

Roslin Castle now consists of a ruined keep, and a mansion of more modern date. It stands on a steep eminence, overlooking the Esk. Roslin Chapel, which dates from 1446, but has been recently restored, is, though of small size, one of the richest and most perfect specimens of church architecture in Scotland. The property now belongs to the Earl of Rosslyn, the representative of the St. Clairs of that ilk.

449. Dalkeith, which all the virtues love.

The village and castle of Dalkeith belonged of old to the famous Earl of Morton, but is now the residence of the Earl of Buccleuch, whose eldest son takes his courtesy title from it.

449 And classic Hawthornden.

Hawthornden, the residence of the poet Drummond. A house of more modern date is enclosed, as it were, by the ruins of the ancient castle, and overhangs a tremendous precipice upon the banks of the Eske, perforated by winding caves, which in former times were a refuge to the oppressed patriots of Scotland. Here Drummond received Bea Jonson, who journeyed from London on foot, in order to visit him. The house has been in great part rebuilt since the poet's day, and now be longs to Lady Walker Drummond. A good

deal of the wood which is the peculiar ornament of the spot was cut down about the end of the last century, but has since been replaced. The poet has no longer reason to complain that the traveller looks in vain for the leafy bower "Where Jonson sat in Drummond's social shade."

This romantic glade is now, as formerly, one of the most beautiful specimens of sylvan scenery.

453. Marks where the wanderer lay.

The following is Scott's version of part of this legend, as given in the Letters on Demonology and Witchcraft, 1830:-"Thomas of Ercildowne, during his retirement, has been

supposed, from time to time, to be levying forces to take the field in some crisis of his country's fate. The story has often been told of a daring horse-jockey having sold a black horse to a man of venerable and antique appearance, who appointed the remarkable hillock upon Eildon hills, called the Lucken-hare, as the place where, at twelve o'clock at night, he should receive the price. He came, his money was paid in ancient coin, and he was invited by his customer to view his residence. The trader in horses followed his guide in the deepest astonishment through several long ranges of stalls, in each of which a horse stood motionless, while an armed warrior lay equally still at the charger's feet. All these men,' said the wizard in a whisper, 'will awaken at the battle of Sheriffmuir.' At the extremity of this extraordinary depôt hung a sword and a horn, which the prophet pointed out to the horse-dealer as containing the means of dissolv. ing the spell. The man in confusion took the horn and attempted to wind it. The horses instantly started in their stalls, stamped, and shook their bridles, the men arose and clashed

their armour, and the mortal, terrified at the tumult he had excited, dropped the horn from his hand. A voice like that of a giant, louder even than the tumult around, pronounced these words:

Woe to the coward that ever he was born, That did not draw the sword before he blew the horn.'

A whirlwind expelled the horse-dealer from the cavern, the entrance to which he could never again find. A moral might be perhaps extracted from the legend, namely, that it is better to be armed against danger before bidding it defiance.'

454- Beneath the trysting tree.

At Linton, in Roxburghshire, there is a circle of stones surrounding a smooth plot of turf, called the Tryst, or place of appointment, which tradition avers to have been the rendez

vous of the neighbouring warriors. The name of the leader was cut in the turf, and the arrangement of the letters announced to his followers the course which he had taken.

NOTES TO MISCELLANEOUS POEMS.

470. The Spectre with his Bloody Hand. The forest of Glenmore is haunted by a spirit called Lhamdearg, or Red-hand.

470. On bloody Largs and Loncarty. Where the Norwegian invader of Scotland received two bloody defeats.

470. From Coilgach, first who roll'd his car. The Galgacus of Tacitus.

483. Our songstress at Saint Cloud.

These lines were written after an evening spent at Saint Cloud with the late Lady Alvanley and her daughters, one of whom was the songstress alluded to in the text.

485. Romance of Dunois.

The original romance,

"Partant pour la Syrie,

Le jeune et brave Dunois," &c. was written, and set to music also, by Hortense Beauharnois Duchesse de St. Leu, Ex-Queen of Holland. It is now the national air of France.

485. The Troubadour.

The original of this ballad also was written and composed by the Duchesse de St. Leu. 486. A Stripling's weak hand to our revel has borne her.

The bearer of the standard was the author's eldest son.

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