"But I have dream'd 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.

"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,

2

That grows on yonder lilye lee.

1

"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;
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,

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 4500, Adam de Gordon was Warden of the Marches.-RYMER, vol. ii. p. 870. He obtained, from Robert the Bruce, a grant of the forfeited estate of David de Strathbolgie, Earl of Athol; but no possession followed, the earl having returned to his allegiance.-John de Gordon, his great grandson, ob

tained, from Robert II., a new charter of the lands of Strathbolgie, which had been once more and finally forfeited by David, Earl of Athol, slain in the battle of Kilblane. This grant is dated 13th July, 1376. 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 4571-2, the English Borderers invaded and plundered the lands of Gordon, on the Scottish 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 Lilburne, 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, after 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 hence, 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 bounté."

Upon another occasion, Sir John of Gordon is said to have partially succeeded 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 eastern 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 granddaughter 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 name of Jock and Tam. The former was the ancestor of the Gordons of Pitlurg; the latter 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.

NOTE B.

..... and the Græmes.-P. 39. v. 2.

ready to shed their blood in the cause of their country, on this occasion joined Douglas.

NOTE C.

With them the Lindesays light and gay.-P. 59. v. 2.

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, 4390, 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, 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 them 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 Henry," 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 hys 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 strake 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, 1 yelde me to you.'- 'Well,”

quod he; and I receyve you, rescue or no rescue.'-'I am content, quod Reedman, so ye dele wyth 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?—I 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 Recdman 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. I go 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 hath 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 Edenborowe 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 Keedman, 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.

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 jurisdictions 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 Personæ 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 1V. had particular reasons for desiring that Ettrick Forest, which actually formed part of the jointure lands of Margaret, his Queen, 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, etc., so often mentioned in the ballad, in existence upon the old Tower of Hangingshaw, 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 tradition of Ettrick Forest bears, that the outlaw was a man of prodigious strength, possessing 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, adjoining 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 opposite 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 principally 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 ballads are taken down from the recitation of persons 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 during 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;

There's the picture of a knight, and a ladye bright,
And the grene hollin abuue their brie. 4

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 Scotland that Outlaw sall be!"-
Then spake the lord hight Hamilton, 5
And to the nobil King said he,
'My sovereign prince, sum counsell take,
First at your nobilis, syne at me.

66

"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, [he: ") James Boyd (the Earle of Arran his brother was

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;
And desyre him cum, and be my man
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,

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.'
Baith dae and rae, and harte and hinde,
And of a' wilde bestis great plentie;
He heard the blows that baudly 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;
They were a' in ae livery clad,

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,

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 Soudron 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' this 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.
"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 rad3 of treasonrie.

Bid him be gude to his lordis at hame,

For Edinburgh my lord sall nevir see.”. James Boyd tuik his leave o' the Outlaw kene, To Edinburgh boun is he;

When James he cam before the King,

He knelit lowlie on his kné.

"Welcum, James Boyd!" seyd our nobil King ; "What foreste is Ettricke Foreste frie?". "Ettricke Foreste is the feirest foreste

That evir man saw wi' his ee.

"There's the dae, the rae, the hart, the hynde,
And of a' wild bestis grete plentie;
There's a pretty castell of lyme and stane,
O! gif it standis not pleasauntlie!

"There's in the fore front o' that castell,

Twa unicorns, sae bra' to see;

There's the picture of a knight, and a ladye bright, Wi' the grene hollin abune their brie. "There the Outlaw keepis five hundred men,

He keepis a royalle cumpanie!

His merryemen in ae livery clad,

O' the Lincome grene sae gaye to see;
He and his ladye in purple clad;
O! gin they live not royallie!

"He says, yon Foreste is his awin;
He wan it frae the Southronie ;
Sae as he wan it, sae will he keep it,

Contrair all kingis in Christentie.”—

and uncle, 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, "The Earl of Arran his son was he." Glenriddel's copy reads, a Highland laird I'm sure was he." 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.

2 Southron, or English.

3 Afraid.