On many a splendid garb she gazed,- And Snowdoun's Knight is Scotland's King!* XXVII. As wreath of snow, on mountain-breast, "Yes, Fair; the wandering poor Fitz-James To him thy woes, thy wishes, bring; Ask naught for Douglas;-yester even, * This discovery will probably remind the reader of the beautiful Arabian tale of It Bondocani. Yet the incident is not borrowed from that elegant story, but from Scottish tradition. James V., of whom we are treating, was a monarch whose good and be nevolent intentions often rendered his romantic freaks venial, if 4ot respectable, since, from his anxious attention to the interests of the lower and most oppressed class of his subjects, he was, as we have seen, popularly termed the King of the Commons. For the purpose of seeing that justice was regularly administered, and frequently from the less justifiable motive of gallantry, he used to traverse the vicinage of his several palaces in various disguses. The two excellent comic songs, entitled "The GaberJunzie Man," and "We'll gae nae mair a roving," are said to have been founded upon the success of his amorous adventures when travelling in the disguise of a beggar. The latter is perhaps the best comic ballad in any language. Another adventure, which had nearly cost James his life, is said to have taken place at the village of Cramond, near Edinburgh, where he had rendered his addresses acceptable to a pretty girl of the lower rank. Four or five persons, whether relations or lovers of his mistress is uncertain, beset the disguised monarch, as he returned from his rendezvous. Naturally gallant, and an admirable master of his weapon, the king took post on the high and Barrow bridge over the Almond river, and defended himself bravely with his sword. A peasant, who was threshing in a neighbouring barn, came out upon the noise, and, whether moved by compassion or by natural gallantry, took the weaker side, and laid about with his flail so effectually, as to disperse the assailants, well threshed, even according to the letter. He then conducted the king into his barn, where his guest requested a basin and a towel, to remove the stains of the broil. This being proeared with difficulty. James employed himself in learning what was the summit of his deliverer's earthly wishes, and found that they were bounded by the desire of possessing, in property, the farin of Braehead, upon which he laboured as a bondsman. The lands chanced to belong to the crown; and James directed him to come to the palace of Holyrood, and inquire for the Guidman (e farmer) of Ballengiech, a name by which he was known in his excursions, and which answered to the Il Bondocant of Ha roun Alraschid. He presented himself accordingly, and found, with due astonishment, that he had saved his monarch's life, and that he was to be gratified with a crown-charter of the lands of Braehead, under the service of presenting a ewer, basin, and towel, for the king to wash his bands, when he shall happen to pass the Bridge of Cramond. This person was ancestor of the Howisons of Braehead, in Mid-Lothian, a respectable family, who continue to hold the lands (now passed into the female line) under the same tenure.* Another of James's frolics is thus narrated by Mr. Campbell, from the Statistical Account: "Being once benighted when out a-bunting, and separated from his attendants, he happened to enter A cottage in the midst of a moor, at the foot of the Ochil hills, near Alloa, where, unknown, he was kindly received. In order to regale their unexpected guest, the gudeman (i. e. landlord, farmer) desired the guderife to fetch the hen that roosted nearest the cock, which is always the plumpest, for the stranger's supper. The king, highly pleased with his night's lodging and hospitable entertainment, told mine host, at parting, that he should be glad to return his civility, and requested that the first time he came to Stirling he would call at the castle, and inquire for the Grudeman * The en in particular of the king being recognised, like the Fitz James of the Lady of the Lake, by being the only person covered, in the First Series of Tales of a reader will find this story told at greater length, and with the addiGrandfather, vol. i. p. 37. The heir of Braehead discharge; his duty at the as given to King George IV. in the Parliament House at Edinburgh, in 1922-Ed] We would not to the vulgar crowd I stanch'd thy father's death-feud stern, What clouds thy misbelieving brow? Then forth the noble Douglas sprung, Yet would not James the general eye The riddle 'tis my right to read, of Ballenguich Donaldson, the landlord, did not fail to call on the Gudeman of Ballenguich, when his astonishment at finding that the king had been his guest afforded no small amusement to the merry monarch and his courtiers; and, to carry on the pleasantry, he was thenceforth designated by James with the title of King of the Moors, which name and designation have descended from father to son ever since, and they have continued in possession of the identical spot, the property of Mr. Erskine of Mar, till very lately, when this gentleman, with reluctance, turned out the descendant and representative of the King of the Moors, on account of his majesty's invincible indolence, and great dislike to reform or innovation of any kind, although, from the spirited ex ample of his neighbour tenants on the same estate, he is convinced similar exertion would promote his advantage." The author requests permission yet farther to verify the subject of his poem, by an extract from the genealogical work of Buchanan of Auchmar, upon Scottish surnames. "This John Buchanan of Auchmar and Arnpryor was afterwards termed King of Kippen, upon the following account; King James V., a very sociable, debonair prince, residing at Stirling, in Buchanan of Ampryor's time, carriers were very frequently passing along the common road, being near Arnpryor's house, with necessaries for the use of the king's family; and he, having some extraordinary occasion, ordered one of these carriers to leave his load at his house, and he would pay him for it; which the carrier refused to do, telling him he was the king's carrier, and his load for his majesty's use; to which Arnpryor seemed to have small regard, compelling the carrier, in the end, to leave his load; telling him if King James was King of Scotland, he was King of Kippen, so that it was reasonable he should share with his neighbour king in some of these loads, so frequently carried that road. The carrier representing this usage, and telling the story, as Arnpryor spoke it, to some of the king's servants, it came at length to his majesty's ears, who, shortly thereafter, with a few attendants, came to visit his neighbour king, who was in the mean time at dinner King James having sent a servant to demand access, was denied the same by a tall fellow with a battle-axe, who stood porter at the gate, telling, there could be no access till dinner was over. This answer not satisfying the king, he sent to demand access a second time; upon which he was desired by the porter to desist, otherwise he would find cause to repent his rudeness. His majesty finding this method would not do, desired the porter to tell his master that the Goodman of Ballageigh desired to speak with the King of Kippen. The porter telling Ampryor so much, he, in all humble manner, came and received the king, and hav ing entertained him with much, sumptuousness and jollity, became so agreeable to King James, that he allowed him to take so much of any provision he found carrying that road as he had occasion for; and seeing he made the first visit, desired Arnpryor in a few days to retum him a second to Stirling, which he performed, and continued in very much favour with the king, always thereafter being termed King of Kippen while he lived."-BUCHANAN'S Essay upon the Family of Buchanan. Edin. 1775, 8vo. p. 74. The readers of Ariosto must give credit for the amiable features with which he is represented, since he is generally considered as the prototype of Zerbino, the most interesting hero of the Orlando Furioso + IMS. -“ shrinking, quits her stay.") : (MS." In lowly life's more happy way."] William of Worcester, who wrote about the middle of the fif teenth century, calls Stirling Castle Snowdoun. Sir David Lindsay bestows the same epithet upon it in his Complaint of the Papingo: "Adieu, fair Snawdoun, with thy towers high, Thy chaple-royal, park, and table round; May, June, and July, would I dwell in thee, A small district of Perthshire. Thus watch I o'er insulted laws, "Ah, little trait'ress! none must know What idle dream, what lighter thought, What vanity full dearly bought, Join'd to thine eye's dark witchcraft, drew Pledge of my faith, Fitz-James's ring- XXIX. Full well the conscious maiden guess'd, Have shared his cheer, and proved his brand:- To bid Clan-Alpine's Chieftain live!- Were I a man, to hear the birdis sound, Who, nurtured underneath our smile, dark, HARP of the North, farewell! The hills Yet, once again, farewell, thou Minstrel Harp! May idly cavil at an idle lay. Much have I owed thy strains on life's long way, own. Hark! as my lingering footsteps slow retire, Some Spirit of the Air has waked thy string! 'Tis now a seraph bold, with touch of fire, 'Tis now the brush of Fairy's frolic wing. Receding now, the dying numbers ring Fainter and fainter down the rugged dell, And now the mountain breezes scarcely bring A wandering witch-note of the distant spellAnd now, 'tis silent all!-Enchantress, fare thee well!T T["On a comparison of the merits of this poem with the two former productions of the same unquestioned genius, we are in would perhaps be difficult to select any one passage of such genu ine inspiration, as one or two that might be pointed out in the Lay of the Last Minstrel-and, perhaps, in strength and discrimi nation of character, it may fall short of Marmion; although we are loath to resign either the rude and savage generosity of Roderick, the romantic chivalry of James, or the playful simplicity, the affectionate tenderness, the modest courage, of Ellen Douglas, to the claims of any competitors in the last mentioned poem. But, for interest and artificial management in the story, for general ease and grace of versification, and correctness of language, the Lady of the Lake must be universally allowed, we think, to excel, and very far excel either of her predecessors."-Critical Review.) Mr. Chalmers, in his late excellent edition of Sir David Lind-clined to bestow on it a very decided preference over both. It say's works, has refuted the chimerical derivation of Snawdoun from snedding, or cutting. It was probably derived from the romantic legend which connected Stirling with King Arthur, to which the mention of the Round Table gives countenance. The ring within which justs were formerly practised, in the castle park, is still called the Round Table. Suawdoun is the official title of one of the Scottish heralds, whose epithets seem in all countries to have been fantastically adopted from ancient history or romance. It appears [see Note* page 478] that the real name by which James was actually distinguished in his private excursions, was the Goodman of Ballenguich; derived from a steep pass leading up to the Castle of Stirling, so called. But the epithet would not have suited poetry, and would besides at once, and prematurely, have announced the plot to many of my countrymen, among whom the traditional stories above mentioned are still current. [MS.- Thy sovereign back? Thy sovereign's steps to Benvenue."] [ Malcolm Græme has too insignificant a part assigned him, considering the favour in which he is held both by Ellen and the author; and in bringing out the shaded and imperfect character of Roderick Dhu, as a contrast to the purer virtue of his rival, Mr. Scott seems to have fallen into the common error, of making him more interesting than him whose virtues he was intended to set off, and converted the villain of the piece in some measure into its hero. A modern poet, however, may perhaps be pardoned for an error, of which Milton himself is thought not to have kept clear, and for which there seems so natural a cause in the difference between poetical and amiable characters."-JEFFREY.] "And now, waving myself, let me talk to you of the Prince Regent. He ordered me to be presented to him at a ball; and after some sayings peculiarly pleasing from royal lips, as to my own attempts, he talked to me of you and your immortalities: he preferred you to every bard past and present, and asked which of your works pleased me most. It was a difficult question. I answered, I thought the Lay. He said his own opinion was nearly similar. In speaking of the others, I told him that I thought you more particularly the poet of Princes, as they never appeared more fascinating than in Marmion' and the Ludy of the Lake.' He was pleased to coincide, and to dwell on the description of your James's as no less royal than poetical. He spoke alternate ly of Homer and yourself, and seemed well acquainted with both," &c.-Letter from Lord Byron to Sir Walter Scott, July 6, 1912. BYRON's Life and Works, vol. ii. p. 156.] ["There is nothing in Mr. Scott, of the severe and majestic style of Milton-or of the terse and fine composition of Pope-or of the claborate elegance and melody of Campbell-or even of the flowing and redundant diction of Southey.-but there is a medley of bright images and glowing, set carelessly and loosely together-a diction tinged successively with the careless richness of Shakspeare, the harshness and antique simplicity of the old romances, the homeliness of vulgar ballads and anecdotes, and the sentimental glitter of the most modern poetry-passing from the borders of the ludicrous to those of the sublime-alternately minute and energetic-sometimes artificial, and frequently negli gent, but always full of spirit and vivacity-abounding in images, that are striking at first sight to minds of every contexture-and never expressing a sentiment which it can cost the most ordinary reader any exertion to comprehend. Upon the whole, we are inclined to think more highly of the Lady of the Lake than of either of its author's former publications. We are more sure, however, that it has fewer faults, than that it has greater beauties; and as its beauties bear a strong resemblance to those with which the public has been already made familiar in these celebrated works we should not be surprised if its popularity were less splendid and remarkable. For our own parts, however, we are of opinion that it will be oftener read hereafter than either of them; and that if it had appeared first in the series, their reception would have been less favourable than that which it has experienced. It is more polished in its diction, and more regular in its versification; the story is constructed with infinitely more skill and address; there is a greater proportion of pleasing and tender passages. with much less antiquarian detail; and, upon the whole, a larger variety of characters, more artfully and judiciously contrasted. There is nothing so fine, perhaps, as the battle of Marmion-or so picturesque as some of the scattered sketches in the Lay; but there is a richness and a spirit in the whole piece, which does not pervade either of these poems--a profusion of incident, and a shifting brilliancy of colouring, that reminds us of the witchery of Ariosto-and a constant elasticity, and occasional energy, which seem to belong more peculiarly to the author now before us."JEFFREY.] MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. THE BARD'S INCANTATION. "When targets clash'd, and bugles rung WRITTEN UNDER THE THREAT OF INVASION IN THE The foremost of the band were we, AUTUMN OF 1804.* THE Forest of Glenmore is drear, It is all of black pine and the dark oak-tree; The moon looks through the drifting storm, That mingles with the groaning oak- And the lake-waves dashing against the rock ; There is a voice within the wood, As the bard of Glenmore through the forest past. "Wake ye from your sleep of death, "Souls of the mighty, wake and say, To what high strain your harps were strung, And on your shores her Norsemen flung? "Mute are ye all? No murmurs strange Nor through the pines, with whistling change, Were hovering near yon mountain strand. "O yet awake the strain to tell, For Albion's weal in battle bold:- "By all their swords, by all their scars, This poem was first published in the " English Minstrelsy," 2 vols. Edin. 1810.1 The forest of Glenmore is haunted by a spirit called Lham. dearg, or Red-hand. And hymn'd the joys of Liberty !" THE PALMER. "O, OPEN the door, some pity to show, "No outlaw seeks your castle gate, Though even an outlaw's wretched state Might claim compassion here. A weary Palmer, worn and weak. O, open, for Our Lady's sake! "I'll give you pardons from the Pope, "The hare is crouching in her form, "You hear the Ettrick's sullen roar, "The iron gate is bolted hard, At which I knock in vain; The owner's heart is closer barr'd, "Farewell, farewell! and Mary grant, You never may the shelter want, The Ranger on his couch lay warm, But oft amid December's storm, For lo, when through the vapours dank, A corpse amid the alders rank, THE MAID OF NEIDPATH. (1806.) THERE is a tradition in Tweeddale, that, when Neidpath Castle, near Peebles, was inhabited by the Earls of March, a mutual passion subsisted between daughter of that noble family, and a son of the Laird of Tushielaw, in Ettrick Forest. As the alliance was thought unsuitable by her parents, the Young man went abroad. During his absence the lady fell into a consumption; and at length, as the only means of saving her life, her father consented bloody defeats. 1 Where the Norwegian invader of Scotland received two The Galgacus of Tacitus. [This, and the two following, were first published in Haydn's Collection of Scottish Airs, vol. ii. Edin. 1806.] |