Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border Volume Ii Part 12

[Footnote C: _Bale_--A f.a.ggot.]

[Footnote D: _Eiry_--Producing superst.i.tious dread.]

[Footnote E: _Erlish_--Elritch, ghastly.]

[Footnote F: _Esk_--Newt.]

[Footnote G: _Coft_--Bought.]

NOTES ON THE YOUNG TAMLANE.

_Randolph, Earl Murray, was my sire, Dunbar, Earl March, is thine,_ &c.--P. 185, v. 5.

Both these mighty chiefs were connected with Ettrick Forest, and its vicinity. Their memory, therefore, lived in the traditions of the country. Randolph, earl of Murray, the renowned nephew of Robert Bruce, had a castle at Ha' Guards, in Annandale, and another in Peebles-s.h.i.+re, on the borders of the forest, the site of which is still called Randall's Walls. Patrick of Dunbar, earl of March, is said by Henry the Minstrel, to have retreated to Ettrick Forest, after being defeated by Wallace.

_And all our wants are well supplied, From every rich man's store; Who thankless sins the gifts he gets, &c._--P. 187. v. 3.

To _sin our gifts, or mercies_, means, ungratefully to hold them in slight esteem. The idea, that the possessions of the wicked are most obnoxious to the depredations of evil spirits, may be ill.u.s.trated by the following tale of a _b.u.t.tery Spirit_, extracted from Thomas Heywood:--

An ancient and virtuous monk came to visit his nephew, an inn-keeper, and, after other discourse, enquired into his circ.u.mstances. Mine host confessed, that, although he practised all the unconscionable tricks of his trade, he was still miserably poor. The monk shook his head, and asked to see his b.u.t.tery, or larder. As they looked into it, he rendered visible to the astonished host an immense goblin, whose paunch, and whole appearance, bespoke his being gorged with food, and who, nevertheless, was gormandizing at the innkeeper's expence, emptying whole shelves of food, and was.h.i.+ng it down with entire hogsheads of liquor. "To the depredation of this visitor will thy viands be exposed,"

quoth the uncle, "until thou shalt abandon fraud, and false reckonings."

The monk returned in a year. The host having turned over a new leaf, and given christian measure to his customers, was now a thriving man. When they again inspected the larder, they saw the same spirit, but woefully reduced in size, and in vain attempting to reach at the full plates and bottles, which stood around him; starving, in short, like Tantalus, in the midst of plenty. Honest Heywood sums up the tale thus:

In this discourse, far be it we should mean Spirits by meat are fatted made, or lean; Yet certain 'tis, by G.o.d's permission, they May, over goods extorted, bear like sway.

All such as study fraud, and practise evil, Do only starve themselves to plumpe the devill.

_Hierarchie of the Blessed Angels,_ p. 577.

ERLINTON. NEVER BEFORE PUBLISHED.

This ballad is published from the collation of two copies, obtained from recitation. It seems to be the rude original, or perhaps a corrupted and imperfect copy, of _The Child of Elle_, a beautiful legendary tale, published in the _Reliques of Ancient Poetry_. It is singular, that this charming ballad should have been translated, or imitated, by the celebrated Burger, without acknowledgment of the English original. As _The Child of Elle_ avowedly received corrections, we may ascribe its greatest beauties to the poetical taste of the ingenious editor. They are in the truest stile of Gothic embellishment. We may compare, for example, the following beautiful verse, with the same idea in an old romance:

The baron stroked his dark-brown cheek, And turned his face aside, To wipe away the starting tear, He proudly strove to hide!

_Child of Elle._

The heathen Soldan, or Amiral, when about to slay two lovers, relents in a similar manner:

Weeping, he turned his heued awai, And his swerde hit fel to grounde.

_Florice and Blauncheflour._

ERLINTON.

Erlinton had a fair daughter, I wat he weird her in a great sin,[A]

For he has built a bigly bower, An' a' to put that lady in.

An' he has warn'd her sisters six, An' sae has he her brethren se'en, Outher to watch her a' the night, Or else to seek her morn an' e'en.

She hadna been i' that bigly bower, Na not a night, but barely ane, Till there was Willie, her ain true love, Chapp'd at the door, cryin', "Peace within!"

"O whae is this at my bower door, "That chaps sae late, nor kens the gin?"[B]

"O it is Willie, your ain true love, "I pray you rise an' let me in!"

"But in my bower there is a wake, "An' at the wake there is a wane;[C]

"But I'll come to the green-wood the morn, "Whar blooms the brier by mornin' dawn."

Then she's gane to her bed again, Where she has layen till the c.o.c.k crew thrice, Then she said to her sisters a', "Maidens, 'tis time for us to rise."

She pat on her back a silken gown, An' on her breast a siller pin, An' she's tane a sister in ilka hand, An' to the green-wood she is gane.

She hadna walk'd in the green-wood, Na not a mile but barely ane, Till there was Willie, her ain true love, Whae frae her sisters has her ta'en.

He took her sisters by the hand, He kiss'd them baith, an' sent them hame, An' he's ta'en his true love him behind, And through the green-wood they are gane.

They hadna ridden in the bonnie green-wood, Na not a mile but barely ane, When there came fifteen o' the boldest knights.

That ever bare flesh, blood, or bane.

The foremost was an aged knight, He wore the grey hair on his chin, Says, "Yield to me thy lady bright, "An' thou shalt walk the woods within."

"For me to yield my lady bright "To such an aged knight as thee, "People wad think I war gane mad, "Or a' the courage flown frae me."

But up then spake the second knight, I wat he spake right boustouslie, "Yield me thy life, or thy lady bright, "Or here the tane of us shall die."

"My lady is my warld's meed; "My life I winna yield to nane; "But if ye be men of your manhead, "Ye'll only fight me ane by ane."

He lighted aff his milk-white steed, An' gae his lady him by the head, Say'n, "See ye dinna change your cheer; "Until ye see my body bleed."

He set his back unto an aik, He set his feet against a stane, An' he has fought these fifteen men, An' kill'd them a' but barely ane; For he has left that aged knight, An' a' to carry the tidings hame.

When he gaed to his lady fair, I wat he kiss'd her tenderlie; "Thou art mine ain love, I have thee bought; "Now we shall walk the green-wood free."

[Footnote A: _Weird her in a great sin_--Placed her in danger of committing a great sin.]

[Footnote B: _Gin_--The slight or trick necessary to open the door, from engine.]

[Footnote C: _Wane_--A number of people.]