Minstrelsy of the Scottish border, Volume 1 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 338 pages of information about Minstrelsy of the Scottish border, Volume 1.

Minstrelsy of the Scottish border, Volume 1 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 338 pages of information about Minstrelsy of the Scottish border, Volume 1.

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 beastes grete plentie.

  There’s a feir castelle, bigged wi’ lyme and stane;
  O! gin it stands not pleasauntlie! 
  In the forefront 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 abune their brie.[106]

  There an Outlaw keeps five hundred men;
  He keepis a royalle cumpanie!

  His merryemen are a’ in ae liverye clad,
  O’ the Liukome grene saye 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 Scotlonde that Outlaw sail be!”

  Then spak the lord, hight Hamilton,
  And to the nobil king said he,
  “My sovereign prince, sum counsell take,
  First at your nobilis, syne at me.

  “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 gay ladye.”

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Project Gutenberg
Minstrelsy of the Scottish border, Volume 1 from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.