Go boldly forth-but ah! the listening throng, It would be very easy to enlarge this introduction, by quoting a variety of authors, concerning the supposed existence of these marine people. The reader may consult the Telliamed of M. Maillet, who, in support of the Neptunist system of geology, has collected a variety of legends, respecting mermen and mermaids, p. 230 et sequen. Much information may also be derived from Pontoppi- Go forth, devoid of fear, my simple lay! dan's Natural History of Norway, who fails not First heard, returning from Iona's bay, to people her seas with this amphibious race.* An When round our bark the shades of evening drew, older authority is to be found in the Kongs shugg- And broken slumbers prest our weary crew. sio, or Royal Mirror, written, as it is believed, about While round the prow the sea-fire, flashing bright, 1170. The mermen, there mentioned, are termed Shed a strange lustre o'er the waste of night;" hafstrambur, (sea giants,) and are said to have the While harsh and dismal scream'd the diving gull, upper parts resembling the human race; but the Round the dark rocks that wall the cost of Mull; author, with becoming diffidence, declines to state, As through black reefs we held our venturous way, positively, whether they are equipped with a dol- I caught the wild traditionary lay;phin's tail. The female monster is called Mar-Gy-A wreath, no more in black fona's isle ga (sea giantess,) and is averred certainly to drag a fish's train. She appears generally in the act of devouring fish, which she has caught. According to the apparent voracity of her appetite, the sailors pretend to guess what chance they had of saving their lives in the tempests, which always followed her appearance.-Speculum Regale, 1768, p. 166. Mermaids were sometimes supposed to be possessed of supernatural power. Resenius, in his Life of Frederick II., gives us an account of a siren, who not only prophesied future events, but, as might have been expected from the element in which she dwelt, preached vehemently against the sin of drunkenness. The mermaid of Corrivrekin possessed the power of occasionally resigning her scaly train; and the Celtic tradition bears, that when, from choice or necessity, she was invested with that appendage, her manners were more stern and savage than when her form was entirely human. Of course, she warned her lover not to come into her presence when she was thus transformed. This belief is alluded to in the following ballad. The beauty of the sirens is celebrated in the old romances of chivalry. Dooling, upon beholding, for the first time in his life, a beautiful female, exclaims, "Par saint Marie, si belle creature ne vis je oneque en ma vie ! Je crois que c'est un ange du ciel ou une seraine de mer; je crois que homme n'engendra oncque si belle creature."-La Fleur de Battailles. I cannot help adding, that some late evidence has been produced, serving to show, either that imagination played strange tricks with the witnesses, or that the existence of mermaids is no longer a matter of question. I refer to the letters written to Sir John Sinclair. by the spectators of such a phenomenon, in the bay of Sandside, in Caithness. TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE LADY CHARLOTTE CAMPBELL,t WITH THE MERMAID. To brighter charms depart, my simple lay, I believe something to the same purpose may be found in the school editions of Guthrie's Geographical Grammar; a work which, though in general as sober and dull as could be desired by the gravest preceptor, becomes of a sudden uncommonly lively, upon the subject of the seas of Norway, the author having thought meet to adopt the Right Reverend Erick Pontoppidan's account of mermen, sea-snakes, and krakens. [Daughter of John, fifth Duke of Argyle-now Lady Charlotte Bury.-1-33.] Without the preface, Mr. Leyden's Mermaid, though composed in pretty stanzas, would be unintelligible. The style is Jikewise too fine and recherche, and not wholly free from an af fectation of quaintness; but this, and the seven subsequent stanzas, are graceful and soothing."-Monthly Review, October, 1801.] To bloom-but graced by high-born Beauty's smile. ON Jura's heath how sweetly swell How softly mourns the writhed shell But softer, floating o'er the deep, The mermaid's sweet sea-soothing lay, Aloft the purple pennons wave, As parting gay from Crinan's shore, Their gallant chieftain homeward bore. The lovely maid of Colonsay. "And raise," he cried, "the song of love, ""When on this ring of ruby red Shall die,' she said, 'the crimson hue, Or proves to thee and love untrue.' Disperses wide the foamy spray, Before my love, sweet western gale! "Where the wave is tinged with red, Shun the shelving reefs below. As you pass through Jura's sound, "If, from that unbottomed deep, The sea-snake heave his snowy mane, § "They who, in works of navigation, on the coast of Norway, employ themselves in fishing or merchandise, do all agree in this strange story, that there is a serpent there, which is of vast magnitude, namely, two hundred feet long, and moreover twenty feet thick; and is wont to live in rocks and caves, toward the seacoast about Berge; which will go alone from his holes, in a clear night in summer, and devour calves, lambs, and hogs; or else he goes into the sea to feed on polypus, locusts, and all sorts of seacrabs. He hath commonly hair hanging from his neck a cubit long, and sharp scales, and is black, and he hath flaming shining eyes. This snake disquiets the skippers, and he puts up his head on high, like a pillar, and catcheth away men, and he devours them; and this hapneth not but it signifies some wonderful change of the kingdom near at hand; namely, that the princes "Unwarp, unwind his oozy coils, Before my love, sweet western gale!" He seem'd her parting sigh to hear. Impatient for the rising day, The moonbeams crisp the curling surge, Their course, a female form was seen. She reach'd amain the bounding prow, The monks the prayers of death shall say, Shall weep the maid of Colonsay! In dreamy mood reclines he long, Nor dares his tranced eyes unclose, Soft as that harp's unseen control, In morning dreams which lovers hear, As sunbeams through the tepid air, When clouds dissolve the dews unseen, So melting soft the music fell; It seem'd to soothe the fluttering spray- Like one that from a fearful dream Yet fears to find the vision true, He heard that strain, so wildly sweet, "This yellow sand, this sparry cave, shall die, or be banished, or some tumultuous wars shall presentlie follow."-Olaus Magnus, London, 1558, rendered into English by J.S. Much more of the sea-snake may be learned from the credible witnesses cited by Pontoppidan, who saw it raise itself from the sea, twice as high as the mast of their vessel. The tradition Roused by that voice, of silver sound, As on the wondering youth she smiled. Shall sing, when we for love are met. That breathes along the moonlight scene! "And soft the music of the main Rings from the motley tortoise-shell, While moonbeams o'er the watery plain, Seem trembling in its fitful swell. "How sweet, when billows heave their head, And shake their snowy crests on high, Serene in Ocean's sapphire-bed, Beneath the tumbling surge, to lie; "To trace, with tranquil step, the deep, At eve shall shed a brighter day. "Through the green meads beneath the sea, "Though bright thy locks of glistering gold, "If I, beneath thy sparry cave, My heart would grow as cold as thine." As cygnet down, proud swell'd her breast; 'Is there no heart for rapture here? "These limbs, sprung from the lucid sea, "Though all the splendour of the sea Can hold no sympathy with mine. probably originates in the immense snake of the Edda, whose folds were supposed to girdle the earth.-J. L. A sort of sea-snake, of size immense enough to have given rise to this tradition, was thrown ashore upon one of the Orkney Isles in 1808.-W. 8. 296 "These sparkling eyes, so wild and gay, Her eyes are milder than the dove! "Even now, within the lonely isle, Her eyes are dim with tears for me; And canst thou think that siren smile Can lure my soul to dwell with thee?" An oozy film her limbs o'erspread; Unfolds in length her scaly train: She toss'd in proud disdain, her head, And lash'd, with webbed fin, the main. "Dwell here, alone!" the mermaid cried, And view far off the sea-nymphs play; Shall bar thy steps from Colonsay. The rolling waves resume their road, But enter not the nymph's abode. And oft, beneath the silver moon, The shell-formed lyres of ocean ring: And, heart-sick, oft he waked to weep, When ceased that voice of silver sound, To find his gentle love so true. When seven long lonely months were gone, "O give to me that ruby ring, That on thy finger glances gay, "This ruby ring, of crimson grain, If thou wilt bear me through the main, Except thou quit thy former love, "Then bear me swift along the main, I plight my faith to dwell with thee." An oozy film her limbs o'erspread, While slow unfolds her scaly train, With gluey fangs her hands were clad, She lash'd with webbed fin, the main. He grasps the mermaid's scaly sides, In softer, sweeter strains she sung, O sad the mermaid's gay notes fell, And ever as the year returns, The charm-bound sailors know the day; For sadly still the mermaid mourns The lovely Chief of Colonsay. HODDOM CASTLE is delightfully situated on the banks of the river Annan. It is an ancient structure, said to have been built betwixt the years 1437 and 1484, by John, Lord Herries of Herries, a powerful Border baron, who possessed extensive domains in Dumfries-shire. This family continued to flourish until the death of William, Lord Herries, in the middle of the 16th century, when it merged in heirs-female. Agnes, the eldest of the daughters of Lord William, was married to John, master of Maxwell, afterwards created Lord Herries, and a strenuous partisan of Queen Mary. The castle and barony of Hoddom were sold about 1630, and were then, or soon afterwards, acquired by John Sharpe, Esq. in whose family they have ever since continued. Before the accession of James VI. to the English Crown, Hoddom Castle was appointed to be kept "with ane wise stout man, and to have with him four well-horsed men, and there to have two stark footmen, servants, to keep their horses, and the principal to have ane stout footman.”. Border Laws, Appendix. On the top of a small, but conspicuous hill, near to Hoddom Castle, there is a square tower, built of hewn stone, over the door of which are carved the figures of a dove and a serpent, and betwixt them the word Repentance. Hence the building, though its proper name is Trailtrow, is more frequently called the Tower of Repentance. It was anciently used as a beacon, and the Border laws direct a watch to be maintained there, with a firepan and bell, to give the alarm when the English crossed, or approached, the river Annan. This man was to have a husband-land for his service.SPOTTISWOODE, p. 306. Various accounts are given of the cause of erecting the Tower of Repentance. The following has been adopted by my ingenious correspondent, as most susceptible of poetical decoration. A certain Lord Herries-about the date of the transaction tradition is silent-was famous among those who used to rob and steal (convey, the wise it call.) This Lord, returning from England, with many prisoners, whom he had unlawfully enthralled, was overtaken by a storm, while passing the Solway Frith, and, in order to relieve his boat, he cut all their throats, and threw them into the sea. Feeling great qualms of conscience, he built this square tower, carving over the door, which is about half-way up the build ing, and had formerly no stairs to it, the figures above mentioned, of a dove and a serpent, emblems of remorse and grace, and the motto-" Repentance." I have only to add, that the marauding baron is said, from his rapacity, to have been surnamed John the Reif; probably in allusion to a popular romance; and that another account says, the sin, of which he repented, was the destruction of a church, or chapel, called Trailtrow, with the stones of which he had built the Castle of Hoddom.-MACFARLANE'S MSS. It is said that Sir Richard Steele, while riding near this place, saw a shepherd boy reading his Bible, and asked him what he learned from it? "The way to heaven," answered the boy. "And can you show it to me?" said Sir Richard, in banter. You must go by that tower," replied the shepherd; and he pointed to the Tower of Repentance. THE LORD HERRIES HIS COMPLAINT A FRAGMENT. BRIGHT shone the moon on Hoddom's wall, He sat him on Repentance hicht, And sair and heavily he sicht, "The night is fair, and calm the air, Baith men and beast now tak their rest, "Can wealth and power in princely bower, Can beauty's rolling ee, Can friendship dear, wi' kindly tear, "No! lang lang maun the mourner pine, Wha has a heavy heart like mine, "Under yon silver skimmering waves, Lie mouldering banes in sandy graves, "To help my boat, I pierced the throat "She sits her lane, and maketh mane, "I plunged an auld man in the sea, "Soon did thy smile sweet baby, stint, That smile, that might hae saften'd flint, "Alas! twelve precious lives were spilt. "Repentance! signal of my bale, Built of the lasting stane, Ye lang shall tell the bluidy tale, When I am dead and gane. "How Hoddom's Lord, ye lang sall tell, By conscience stricken sair, *["This stanza is worthy of Burns."-Monthly Review, Oetober, 1804.1 Bel-Better. In life sustain'd the pains of hell, And perish'd in despair." THE MURDER OF CAERLAVEROC. NEVER BEFORE PUBLISHED. BY CHARLES KIRKPATRICK SHARPE, ESQ. THE tragical event which preceded or perhaps gave rise to the successful insurrection of Robert Bruce against the tyranny of Edward I., is well known. In the year 1304, Bruce abruptly left the Court of England, and held an interview, in the Dominical Church of Dumfries, with John, surnamed, from the colour of his hair, the Red Cuming, a pow erful chieftain, who had formerly held the regency of Scotland. It is said, by the Scottish historians, that he upbraided Cuming with having betrayed to the English monarch a scheme formed betwixt them, for asserting the independence of Scotland. The English writers maintain, that Bruce proposed such a plan to Cuming, which he rejected with scorn, as inconsistent with the fealty he had sworn to Edward. The dispute, however it began, soon waxed high betwixt two fierce and independent barons. At length, standing before the high altar of the church, Cuming gave Bruce the lie, and Bruce retaliated by a stroke of his poinard. Full of confusion and remorse, for a homicide committed in a sanctuary, the future monarch of Scotland rushed out of the church, with the bloody poinard in his hand. Kirkpatrick and Lindsay, two barons who faithfully adhered to him, were waiting at the gate. To their earnest and anxious inquiries into the cause of his emotion, Bruce answered, "I doubt I have slain the Red Cuming."-" Doubtest thou ?" exclaimed Kirkpatrick; "I make sure!" Accordingly, with Lindsay and a few followers, he rushed into the church, and despatched the wounded Cuming. A homicide, in such a place, and in such an age, could hardly escape embellishment from the fertile genius of the churchmen, whose interest was so closely connected with the inviolability of a divine sanctuary. Accordingly, Bowmaker informs us, that the body of the slaughtered baron was watched, during the night, by the Dominicans, with the usual rites of the church. But at midnight, the whole assistants fell into a dead sleep, with the exception of one aged father, who heard, with terror and surprise, a voice, like that of a wailing infant, exclaim, How long, O Lord, shall vengeance be deferred?" It was answered in an awful tone, "Endure with patience, until the anniversary of this day shall return for the fifty-second time." In the year 1357, fifty-two years after Cuming's death, James of Lindsay was hospitably feasted in the castle of Caerlaverock, in Dumfries-shire, belonging to Roger Kirkpatrick. They were the sons of the murderers of the Regent. In the dead of night, for some unknown cause, Lindsay arose, and poinarded in his bed his unsuspecting host. He then mounted his horse to fly; but guilt and fear had so bewildered his senses, that, after riding all night, he was taken, at break of day, not three miles from the castle, and was afterwards executed by order of King David II. The story of the murder is thus told by the Prior of Lochlevin ; "That ilk yhere in our kynryk For til have bene with all his mycht Nevyrtheless yhit thai him fand Til Karlaveroc, be thai men That frendis war til Kirkpatrick then ; Hence the crest of Kirkpatrick is a hand, grasping a dagger, distilling gouts of blood, proper; motto, "I mack sicker." That is, Kirkpatrick's wife. "Now, come to me, my little page, "I'll dance and revel wi' the rest 'For ye maun drug Kirkpatrick's wine "And saddle weel my milk-white steed, In came the merry minstrelsy; There gallant knights, and ladies bright, And some wi' costly diamonds sheen, Was dimm'd wi' show'ring tears! The gorgeous banquet was brought up, And whan Kirkpatrick call'd for wine, * Pendants-Jewels on the forehead. Nor did the knight or dame divine Then every lady sang a sang: Some gay-some sad and sweet- E'en cruel Lindsay shed a tear, As mermaids, wi' their warbles clear, And now to bed they all are dight, There's nought but stillness o' the night, Fell Lindsay puts his harness on, The sweat did on his forehead break, He lay wi' bare ungarded breast, And sometimes sigh'd, by dreams oppressed, Unclosed her mouth o' rosy hue, That gently, in soft motion, blew 46 Sleep on, sleep on, ye luvers dear! But that day's sun maun shine fu' clear He louted down-her lips he press'd O! kiss, foreboding wo! Then struck on young Kirkpatrick's breast Sair, sair, and meikle did he bleed; But dreamt the Firtht flow'd o'er her head, The murderer hasted down the stair, Then shower'd the rain and sleet. Ae fire-flaught darted through the rain, But mirk and mirker grew the night, Lang did he ride o'er hill and dale, I trow his courage 'gan to fail For having hied, the live-lang night, The castle bell was ringing out, And mony a scriech and waefu' shout ↑ Caerlaveroc stands near Solway Firth. |