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"O is there nae a bonnie bird,

Can sing as I can say ;

Could flee away to my mother's bower,
And tell to fetch Johnie away ?"-*

The starling flew to his mother's window stane,
It whistled and it sang;
And aye the ower word of the tune
Was-" Johnie tarries lang!"

They made a rod o' the hazel bush,
Another o' the slae-thorn tree,
And mony mony were the men
At fetching o'er Johnie.

Then out and spak his auld mother,

And fast her tears did fa'

"Ye wad nae be warn'd, my son Johnie,
Frae the hunting to bide awa'.

"Aft hae I brought to Breadislee,
The less geart and the mair,
But I ne'er brought to Breadislee,
What grieved my heart sae sair.
"But wae betyde that silly auld carle!
An ill death shall he die!
For the highest tree in Merriemas
Shall be his morning's fee."

Now Johnie's gude bend bow is broke,
And his gude graie dogs are slain;
And his bodie lies dead in Durrisdeer,
And his hunting it is done.+

KATHARINE JANFARIE.

The Ballad was published in the first edition of this work, under the title of "The Laird of Laminton." It is now given in a more perfect state, from several recited copies. The residence of the lady, and the scene of the affray at her bridal, is said, by old people, to have been upon the banks of the Cadden, near to where it joins the Tweed.-Others say the skirmish was fought near Traquair, and KATHARINE JANFARIE's dwelling was in the glen about three miles above Traquair House.§

THERE was a may, and a weel-far'd may,
Lived high up in yon glen:

Her name was Katharine Janfarie,

She was courted by mony men.

Up then came Lord Lauderdale,
Up frae the Lawland Border;

And he has come to court this may,
A' mounted in good order.

He told na her father, he told na her mother,
And he told na ane o' her kin;

But he whisper'd the bonnie lassie hersell,
And has her favour won.

* [Perhaps here should be inserted the beautiful stanza preserved by Finlay, so descriptive, as he remarks, of the languor of death:-

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There's no a bird in a' this forest

Will do as meikle for me,

As dip its wing in the wan water, And straik it on my ee-bree."

MOTHERWELL, p. 22.]

Gear-Usually signifies goods, but here spoil.

I [Mr. Motherwell has printed some stanzas of perhaps a more ancient set of this ballad-e. g.

V. 2.-" Johnie lookit east, and Johnie lookit west,
And it's lang before the sun, sun;

And there did he spy the dun deer lie
Beneath a bush o' brume, brume,
Beneath a bush o' brume.'

V. 5. It's down, and it's down, and it's down, down,
And it's down among the scrogs, scrogs ;
And it's there ye'll espy twa bonny boys lie
Asleep amang their dogs, dogs,
Asleep amang their dogs."-P. 23.]

[At page 225 of Motherwell, the reader will find another version of this ballad, in which the heroine bears not the name of Janfarie, but Johnstone, and her lover is, as in the first edition of the Minstrelsy, the Laird of Lamington-i. e. Baillie of Lamington, in Clydesdale, the head of that ancient name.-ED.] [Gordon of Lochinvar, head of a powerful branch of that name, afterwards Viscounts of Lochinvar.

But out then cam Lord Lochinvar,
Out frae the English Border,
All for to court this bonny may,

Weel mounted, and in order.

He told her father, he told her mother,
And a' the lave o' her kin;

But he told na the bonnie may hersell,
Till on her wedding e'en.

She sent to the Lord o' Lauderdale,
Gin he wad come and see;
And he has sent word back again,
Weel answer'd she suld be.
And he has sent a messenger
Right quickly through the land,
And raised mony an armed man
To be at his command.

The bride looked out at a high window,
Beheld baith dale and down,

And she was aware of her first true love,
With riders mony a one.

She scoffed him, and scorned him,
Upon her wedding day;

And said "It was the Fairy court
To see him in array!

"O come ye here to fight, young lord,
Or come ye here to play?

Or come ye here to drink good wine
Upon the wedding day?"-T

"I come na here to fight," he said,
"I come na here to play;
I'll but lead a dance wì' the bonny bride,
And mount, and go my way."**

It is a glass of the blood-red wine
Was filled up them between,
And aye she drank to Lauderdale
Wha her true love had been.tt
He's ta'en her by the milk-white hand,
And by the grass-green sleeve;
He's mounted her hie behind himsel},

At her kinsmen speir'd na leave.‡‡
"Now take your bride, Lord Lochinvar!
Now take her if you may!
But, if you take your bride again,
We'll call it but foul play.'

There were four-and-twenty bonnie boys,
A' clad in the Johnstone grey;§§

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 spoke the bride's father, his hand on his sword, (For the poor craven bridegroom said never a word,) 'O come ye in peace here, or come ye in war, Or to dance at our bridal, young Lord Lochinvar ?'" Lady Heron's Songs. Marmion, Canto V.] ** ["I long woo'd your daughter my suit ye denied:Love swells like the Solway, but ebbs like its tideAnd now am I come, with this lost love of mine, To lead but one measure, drink one cup of wine.'"

Ibid.1

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["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.]

$ 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 reciters, into Katharine Jeffrey, vulgarly pronounced Janfray.Ep.1

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 bonny bride-
"O wae's me for foul play!"*

My blessing on your heart, sweet thing!
Wae to your wilfu' will!
There's mony a gallant gentleman
Whae's bluid ye have garr'd to spill,
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.

THE LAIRD O' LOGIE.

As edition of this ballad is current, under the title of "The Laird of Ochiltree;" but the Editor, since the first publication of this work, has been fortunate enough to recover the following more correct and ancient copy, as recited by a gentleman residing near Biggar. 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, Earl of Bothwell, was agitating his frantic and ill-concerted attempts against 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 published under the title of "The Historie of King James the Sext."

"In this close tyme it fortunit, that a gentleman, callit Weymis of Logye, being also in credence at court, was delatit as a traffekker with Frances Erle Bothwell; and he, being examinat before King and counsall, confessit his accusation to be of veritie, that sundry tymes he had spokin with him, expresslie aganis the King's inhibitioun proclamit in the contrare, whilk confession he subscryvit with his hand; and because the event of this mater had sik a success, it sall 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 dyvers gentilwemen of hir awin cuntrie, and naymelie with ane callit Mres Margaret Twynstoun,† 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 sad gentil woman, yea even in his greatest mister ; for howsone she understude the said gentilman to be in distress, and apperantlie 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

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to the chalmer, whare the said gentilman was put in custodie to certayne of the garde, and commandit thayme that immediatelie he sould be broght to the King and Queyne, whareunto they geving sure credence, obeyit. But howsone she was cum bak to the chalmer dur, 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 doun upon; and sa, be hir gude cheritable help, he happelíe escapit be the subteltie of love."

THE LAIRD O' 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:
Carmichael's the keeper o' the key;S
And may Margaret's lamenting sair,
A' for the love of young Logie.l
"Lament, lament na, may Margaret,
And of your weeping let me be;
For ye maun to the King himself,
To seek the life of young Logie."

May Margaret has kilted her green cleiding,
And she has curl'd back her yellow hair-
"If I canna get young Logie's life,

Farewell to Scotland for everшair."

When she came before the King,

She knelit lowly on her knee-
"O what's the matter, may Margaret?
And what needs a' this courtesie?"-

"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 Logie."-
"O na, O na, may Margaret,

Forsooth, and so it manna be;
For a' the gowd o' fair Scotland

Shall not save the life of young Logie."
But she has stown the King's redding kaim, T
Likewise the Queen her wedding knife,
And sent the tokens to Carmichael,

To cause young Logie get his life.
She sent him a purse o' the red gowd,
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."—

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.

[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. 56.-ED.]

Redding kaim-Comb for the hair.

146

"Hast thou play'd me that, Carmichael?
And hast thou play'd me that?" quoth he;
"The morn the justice court's to stand,
And Logie's place ye maun supplie.'
Carmichael's awa to Margaret's bower,
Even as fast as he may dree-
"O if young Logie be within,

Tell him to come and speak with me!"

May Margaret turn'd her round about,
(I wot a loud laugh laughed she,)
The egg is chipp'd, the bird is flown,
Ye'll see nae mair of young Logie."

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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 Logic.

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. The 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 the 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 barefoot through a greate launde, full of thornes and furzen, except by the meryte of the almes aforesaid they have redemed the forfeyte; for, at the edge of the launde, an oulde man shall meet them with the same shoes that were given by the partie when he was lyving; and, after he hath shodde them, dismisseth them to go through thick and thin, without scratch or scalle."-Julius, F. VI. 459.

The mythologic ideas of the dirge are common to various creeds. The Mahometan believes, that, in advancing to the 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 and this "Bridge of Dread;" but the wicked having no such protection, must fall headlong into the abyss.-D'HERBELOT, Bibliotheque Orientale.

Passages, similar to this dirge, are also to be found in Lady Culross's 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,
He bare me up when I begun 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-

Forward we passed on narrow bridge of tric,

O'er waters great, which hediously did roar."

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."

* Ynome-took.

Tho-then.

+ Seigh never er-saw never before. 6 Sestor see'st thou.

THer-their.

* Yeme-aim; notice.

Fewes-probably contracted for fellows. ** Othing-one thing.

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 language alike simple and noble. "Hast thou pitied the afflicted, O'man? In death shalt thou be pitied. Hast thou consoled the orphan? The orphan will deliver thee. Hast thou clothed the naked? The naked will procure thee protection."-RICHARDSON'S Anecdotes of Russia.

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
knight, after many frightful adventures in St. Pat-
has been transposed.
rick's purgatory, at last arrives at the bridge, which,
Sir Owain, a Northumbrian
in the legend, is placed betwixt purgatory and para-
dise:-

"The fendes han the knight ynome,*
To a stinkand water thai ben ycome,
He no seigh never ert non swiche;
It stank fouler than ani hounde,
And mani mile it was to the grounde,
And was as swart as piche.
"And Owain seigh ther ouer ligge
A swithe strong naru brigge:
The fendes seyd tho ;
'Lo! Sir Knight, sestows this?
This is the brigge of paradis,

Here over thou must go.

"And we thee schal with stones prowe,
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 mo.

"And when thou art ndown yfalle,
Than schal com our felawes alle,

And with her 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,
And sore him gan to drede;
For of othing** he tok yeme,t
Never mot, in some beme,

Thicker than the fendes yede.11
"The brigge was as heigh as a tour,
And as scharpe as a rasour,

And naru it was also;

And the water that ther ran under,
Brend o' lightning and of thonder,
That thocht bim michel wo.

"Ther nis no clerk may write with ynke,
No no man no may bethink,

No no maister deuine;
That is ymade forsooth ywis.
Under the brigge of paradis,
Halvendel the pine.

So the dominical ous telle.
Ther is the pure entrae of helle,
Seine Poule berth witnesse :§§
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 night thou nowght go,
For noneskines nede;

Flee peril, sorwe, and wo,

And to that stede¶ ther thou com fro,
Wel fair we schal thee lede.'-

"Owain anon began bithenche,
Frain hou mani of the fendes wrenche,
God him saved hadde;

He sett his fot upon the brigge,
No feld he no scharpe egge,
No nothing him no drad.

11 Yede-went.

$$ The reader will probably search St. Paul in vain for the evidence here referred to.

No kind of necessity.

TT Stede-dwelling.

"When the fendes yseigh tho,
That he was more than half ygo,
Loude they gun to crie;
'Allas! allas! that he was born!
This ich knight we have forlorn

Out of our bayle.'"*

minute detail as unnecessary, as it is always tedious and unpoetical.

The hero of the ballad was a knight of great bravery, called Scott, who is said to have resided at Kirkhope, or Oakwood Castle, and is, in tradition, The estate of The author of the Legend of Sir Owain, though termed the Baron of Oakwood. a zealous Catholic, has embraced, in the fullest ex- Kirkhope belonged anciently to the Scotts of Hartent, the Talmudic doctrine of an earthly paradise, den: Oakwood is still their property, and has been distinct from the celestial abode of the just, and so from time immemorial. The Editor was thereserving as a place of initiation, preparatory to per-fore led to suppose, that the hero of the ballad might fect bliss, and to the beatific vision.-See the Rabbi have been identified with John Scott, sixth son of Menasse ben Israel, in a treatise called Nishmath the Laird of Harden, murdered in Ettrick Forest by Chajim, i. e. The Breath of Life.t his kinsmen, the Scotts of Gilmanscleugh. (See notes to Jamie Telfer, 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 passage 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 Tushielaw and his brother-in-law, Walter Scott, third son of Robert of Thirlestane, in which the latter was slain.

A LYKE-WAKE DIRGE.

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;

To Brigg of 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 drink 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 ae nighte,
Every night and alle;

Fire and sleete and candle lighte,
And Christe receive thye saule.

THE DOWIE DENS OF YARROW.

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 difficulti indeed to select from them such a collated edition, as might, in any degree, suit the taste of "these more fight and giddy-paced times."

Tradition places the event, recorded in the song, very early; and it is probable that the ballad was composed 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 * Baylie-jurisdiction.

[The reader is requested to compare this "Lyke-wake Dirge," with the chant to the parting spirit in Guy Mannering.-ED.]

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 he 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 recommendation of these verses, that they are supposed to have suggested to Mr. Hamilton of Bangour, the modern ballad, beginning,

"Busk ye, busk ye, my bonny bonny bride."1

A fragment, apparently regarding the story of the following ballad, but in a different measure, occurs in Mr. Herd's MS., and runs thus:

"When I look east, my heart is sair,

But when I look west, it's mair and mair;
For then I see the braes o' Yarrow,
And there, for aye, I lost my marrow."
THE DOWIE DENS OF YARROW.

3

Late at e'en, drinking the wine, And

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 Unvisited," and "Yarrow Visited;" and that he has more lately immortalized an excursion 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.]

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