i m hr picke em re Ces ie fjotain Sh Fans Prefented to The Cornell University, 1869, BY Goldwin Smith, M. A. Oxon., Regius Profeffor of Hiftory in the Univerfity of Oxford. Cornell University Library “NT HISTORY OF SCOTISH POETRY. © EDINBURGH: PRINTED BY THOMAS CONSTABLE FOR EDMONSTON AND DOUGLAS, LONDON. . HAMILTON, ADAMS, & CO. CAMBRIDGE . MACMILLAN & CO. DUBLIN .. W. ROBERTSON. GLASGOW JAMES MACLEHOSE. THE HISTORY OF SCOTISH POETRY BY DAVID IRVING, LL.D. AUTHOR OF ‘‘ TILE LIFE OF BUCHANAN,” EC. ETC. EDITED BY JOHN AITKEN CARLYLE, M.D. WITH A MEMOIR AND GLOSSARY. EDINBURGH: EDMONSTON AND DOUGLAS, 1861. ap ADVERTISEMENT. THE manuscript of this History or ScotisH Porrry-—written very neatly and distinctly—was put into my hands in Decem- ber last. After due consideration, I recommended the publi- cation of it—both because there is no other work of the kind, and because it contains a great deal of accurate and solid in- formation, which, in addition to its present value, will be of essential use to any one who may hereafter attempt to treat the subject more completely and in a more modern form. As to the Editorship, since no one else was ready to under- take it, I consented—chiefly from love of the subject and respect for the memory of the Author—to superintend the last proof- sheets, and very speedily got more deeply entangled in the business. A few words will suffice to state what has been at- tempted by me :— The Text itself is printed exactly as it was left by the Author : from the outset all changes seemed perfectly hopeless—might swell or diminish the work, but could do it no good—for the whole of it is written with a deliberate and steadfast coherency and compactness. The Poetical Extracts, in many cases, required a somewhat different treatment. The Author, though he possessed in his own. private library all the careful and accurate editions of Old Scotish Poems published by Mr. Laing, had seldom made use of them; and it seemed absolutely necessary to remedy that defect by giving various improved readings from those editions. The quotations from Barbour and Winton and Henry the Mins- trel needed no alteration. For the King’s Quair, Mr. Laing vi ADVERTISEMENT. kindly allowed me to use his latest collations (made in 1860) from the only known MS. of that poem. The extracts from rare and sometimes unique volumes, in the Advocates Library, were always verified when anything seemed doubtful, and corrected if necessary. Every addition of mine in the Text or Notes is enclosed in brackets ; and in order to make the extracts more intelligible to diligent readers, a brief Glossary, occasionally illustrated by cognate words from the Anglo-Saxon and German and Old French, is given at the end of the volume. J. A.C. Epinzuren, 15th June 1861. CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. Celtic Poetry in Scotland, 1-5 ; Ossian’s Poems, 2; Translated into French, Italian, German, Danish, ete., 5; Geddes on Scoto-Saxon dialect, 6; Bede on the Languages of Britain, 7; St. Columba preaching to Picts, 8; Picts at the Battle of the Standard, 9; Malcolm Kenmore, language of his Court, 9, 11; Jamieson, origin of Scotish language, 10 ; Conversion of Picts by St. Ninian, 13; Languages in the North of Europe, 15; Orkneys, language of, 17; Wallace’s account of, 18 ; Scotland, early Poets of, call their native language English, 19; Gawin Douglas, remarks on his own language, 20; Ancient Ballads and Romances preserved by Tradition, 21-25; Influence of the Arabians on Litera- ture, 24, 27, 34; Rhymes found in most of the Classic Poets, 28-31; in the Latin Hymns of Fourth Century, 35; in German and Welsh, 36; Leonine verses, 35; Courts of Love, 39; Gay Saber, 40. CHAPTER II. Tuomas the Ruymer, 41-49; Micuazt Scor, 45; Rozerr or Bronye, 48, 53; Romance of Sir Tristrem, 50-72; Geste of Kyng Horn, 72-74; Poem entitled Thomas off Ersseldoune, 75-78. CHAPTER III. Early Poems—Lines on Alexander u1. and Edward 1., 79-80; Gawen and Gologras and Galoran of Galoway, 81-87; Sir Hew Eesimroun, 82-83; Romances on King Arthur, 83-84; Romances on Sir Gawane, 85; The Pystil of Swete Susan, 87-88 ; The Taill of Rauf Coilzear, 88-93 ; Poem of Orfeo and Heurodis, 93-94. CHAPTER IV. Joun Barsour, Poem of the Bruce, 95-111. CHAPTER V. Anprew Winton, Chronicle of Scotland, 112-122. CHAPTER VI. James the Frrst, 123-160; The King’s Quair, 134-142; Christis Kirk of the Grene, 142-151; Peblis to the Play, 151-152; Scotish Music, 154-160. CHAPTER VII. Poem of the Battle of Harlaw, 161-163; Holland’s Howlat, 163-170; Cockelbie’s Sow, 170-178. d vili CONTENTS. CHAPTER VIII. Burp Harry, 174198; Minstrels and Minstreley in Scotland, 176-186; the Life of Wallace, 187-197 ; editions of Henry’s Wallace, 197. CHAPTER IX. Sir Joun Rownt, 199; Rowlis Cursing, 199-201; Davin Sreete—‘“‘ the Ring of the Roy Robert,” 201-202; Quintin SHaw—‘ Advice to a Courtier,” 202; Parricx Joanston—‘‘The Thre deid Powis,’’ 202; Mzrsar—“ Perrell in Para- mours,” 203-204; Cuaprerton—‘‘ Wa worth Marriage,’ 204; Sm Muneo Locswart of Lee, Sir Jonny Ross, Jonn Cierk, James Arrieck, ALEXANDER Trai, Errrick, Heriot, Broun, and Stozo, 204; Groraz Donpas, 204-205; The Song of Tayis Bank, 205-207 ; ‘‘ The Murning Maiden,” 207. CHAPTER X. Rosert Henryson, 208-224; Fables, 210-213 ; ‘‘ Testament of Cresseid,” 213-219 ; Sir Orpheus, 219-221; “The Bludy Serk,’’ 221-223; ‘The Abbay Walk,” 222-224; Robene and Makyne, 224. CHAPTER XI Wirxt1am Donpar, 225-252; ‘The Thistle and the Rose,” 232-235; The Goldin Terge, 235-240; Short Poems, 240; Satirical Poems—The Daunce, 241-243 ; “The Twa maryit Wemen and the Wedo,” 243-247; “The Abbot of Tung- land,” 247-248; ‘‘ The Sweirers and the Devill,”” 248-249 ; Macaronic Poetry, 250-252 ; Watrer Kennepy— The Flyting,” 253-254. CHAPTER XII. Gavin Doveras, 255-290; Translation of Virgil, 267-268; ‘ Palice of Honour,” 268-277 ; “ King Hart,” 277-282; Translation of Virgil’s AMneid, 282-288 ; Translation of Ovid—De Remedio Amoris, 288; Aurese Narrationes, 289 ; Flowers of the Forest, 289. CHAPTER XIII. “The Freirs of Berwick,” 291-301; ‘The thrice Tailes of the thrie Priests of Peblis,” 301-304 ; “ The witty and entertaining exploits of George Buchanan,” 305. CHAPTER XIV. Joun BeLtenpen, 306-317 ; Translations of Livy and Boyce, 308-312; De Litera Pythagore, 312; Proheme of the Cosmographé, 313-316 ; on fine Conception of Christ, 316; a Metrical version of Boyce, 317-321 ; James Ivers, Abbot of Culross, 321-325 ; ‘The Complaynt of Scotland,” 323-325 ; Ateinnen Bar- CLAY, 325-328 ; “ Ship of Fooles,” 327; ‘“ Mirrour of Good Manners,” 398 - Translation of Sallust, History of the War with Jugurtha, 328, : CONTENTS. 1x CHAPTER XV. Sir Davin Linpsay, 329-381; ‘‘The Dreme,’’ 331; ‘‘ Complaynt directed to the Kingis Grace,’’ 332; Works on Heraldry, 338; ‘“‘The Monarchie,”’ 342-847 ; “The Dreme,”’ 347-352; ‘‘Complaynt,” 352; ‘“ Supplication directit to the Kingis Grace in contemptioun of Syde Taillis,”’ 353-354; “ Kitteis Confes- sion,” 354-355 ; ‘‘ Testament and Complaynt of our Soverane Lordis Papingo,”’ 355-357 ; ‘“‘ Tragedie of the Cardinall,” 357; ‘‘ The Justing betwix Watsoun and Barbour,” 357-358; Squyer Meldrum, 358-362. CHAPTER XVI. Sir Davin Linpsay, continued—Scotish Drama, ‘‘ The Three Estaitis,’’ 363-381, CHAPTER XVII. Early Metrical Versions of the Psalms, 382 ; Jonn and Rosert WEDpDERBURN, 383 ; “ Ane compendious Booke of godly and spirituall Songs,” 384-392 ; ‘“‘ The Ten Commandments,”’ 384; ‘‘The Forlorne Son,” 385; “The Rich Glutton and Pure Lazarus,” 386 ; Ninety-first Psalm, 386-388 ; ‘‘ Green Sleeves and Pud- ding Pies,”’ ‘‘ John, cum Kis me now,”’ etc., 388-389; ‘‘ Hay trix, trim goe trix,” etc., 390-391; Sternhold and Hopkins’ Psalms, 392; a Scotish Psalter, Rosert Pont, 392-393; ALEXANDER CunyincHaM, Eart or GLENCAIRN, 394-397 ; Henry Batnaves of HAuiair, 397-398; Joun Davinson, 899-404. CHAPTER XVIII. Sir Ricnarp Marranp, 405-414; Grorar Bannatyne, 414-416. CHAPTER XIX. ALEXANDER Scorr, 417; ‘Of Wemen-Kynd,” 418; Amatory Poems, 419-422 “Rondel of Luve,” 421; New-Yeir Gift to Quene Mary, 422; Justing betwixt Adamsone and Sym, 422-424; Sir Joun Morrat, “The Wife of Auchter- muchty,” 425; Kidd, Galbraith and Kinloch, Stewart of Lorne, etc., 426. CHAPTER XX. AvexanpEr ARBuTHnot, 427-435; ‘The Praises of Wemen,” 432-4383; “The Miseries of a Pure Scholar,” ete., 433-485 ; Ropert Sempre, 436-441 ; “ Sege of the Castel of Edinburgh,” 437-438; ‘‘ Legend of the Bishop of Sanctan- drois Lyfe,” 439-440 ; Anonymous Poems, “ Tragedie in forme of ane Diallog,”’ 441-442; “ Lamentatioun of Lady Scotland,” 442-443. CHAPTER XXI. Scorisa Drama, 444; Kyttor, James Weppersurn, 444-445; Plays of Robin Hood, May Games, 446-452 ; The Abbot of Unreason, Abbot of Misrule, etc., “The Abbot of Unressone of Borthwick,” 447-448; The Abbot of Bon- XxX CONTENTS. Accord, 448-450; Queens of May, 450; Plays represented in the open air, 452; Comedians obtain a Royal License to Act in Edinburgh, 454-456 ; The Comedy of Philotus, 456-460. CHAPTER XXII. Tuomas Hopson, 461-462 ; Roserr Hupson, 462; Wittiam Fow ter, Translations from Petrarch, 463-464; ‘‘ Triumph of Love,” 465; Srewart of Banpynnets, Translations from Ariosto, 466-467; Miscellaneous Verses, 467-470; Jonn Burett, ‘Passage of the Pilgremer,” 470; Joun Napier of Mercuisroon, 470-473; Auexanper Hume, 473-477; James Me.viiez, 477-481; ‘“ Morn- ing Vision,” 479; ‘‘ Black Bastel,” 480; Exizanera Menvinte (Lapy Cur- ross), “Ane Godly Dreame,” 481-482; SamueL Corvitie, the “ Whiggs Supplicatioun,” 483; Jamzs Cocksurne, ‘“Gabriel’s Salvtation of Mary,” 483-485; ‘‘ Judas Kisse to the Sonne of Marie,” 485; Grorer Moscuer, “ Complaynt of a Christian Sovle,’’ 486.. CHAPTER XXIII. James THE SixtH, 487-516; ‘The Pheenix,’’ 500-502; ‘‘ Lepanto,’’ 502-507 ; Translation of ‘‘ The Uraine,” 507-509 ; Sonnets, 509-510; Psalter, 511-516 ; Zacuary Boyrp and Sir Wir1iam Moore of Rowatzay, and Francis Rouse, Paalters, 516-518. CHAPTER XXIV. Sm Witti1am Auexanper, Eart or Stirume, 519-533; ‘‘ The Monarchicke Tragedies,” 523-528; ‘‘ Doomsday,”’ 528; ‘‘Parenesis to Prince Henry,”’ 529-531 ; ‘‘ Aurora,” 531; Amatory Poems, 532-533; Witt14am Drummonp of Hawthornden, 533-554; Sonnets, 542-545; Madrigals, 545; Sacred Verses, 546; “Tears on the Death of Moceliades,” 548-549; “ Forth Feasting,” 549- 552 ; Verses for the Pageants, 553; Sir Ronert Ayton, 554-557; Sir Davin Murray, 557; Sir Ropert Kerr of Ancram, 561-563 ; James Granam, Mar- quis of Montrose, 563-566; Jon Sporswoon, 566. CHAPTER XXV. ALEXANDER GARDEN, 567-568 ; Siz James Sempre of Beltrees, ‘A Picktooth for the Pope,” or the Packman’s Paternoster, 569-573; Roserr Sempre of Bel- trees, 573; ‘The Piper of Kilbarchan,” 575-577; Francis Sempre, 578-581 : ‘The Banishment of Poverty, by James Duke of Albany,” 578-580; WittaM Cruranp, 581-585; “A Mock Poem upon the Expedition of the Highland Host,” 583-584; “ Hfigies Clericorum,” 584; ALEXANDER Pennecuix, M.D., 585-589 ; “‘ Truth’s Travels,” 587-588; ALEXANDER PENNECUIK of Edinburgh, 588-589 ; Streams from Helicon, etc., 589; Lapy Warpiaw, 591-592; “ Hardyknute,”’ 590-592. 'Ghossary, 593; InprEx, 609. MEMOIR OF DR. IRVING, Davip Irvine, LL.D., the author of the following work, is best known as the Biographer of George Buchanan. He was born in the town of Langholm, and county of Dumfries, on the 5th of December 1778. On the father’s side, the Irvings for at least three generations had been farmers in Eskdale, and his mother, HELEN LITTLE, was one of eight daughters of Simon Little, also a farmer near Canonbie in the same pastoral district. His father, whose name was JANETUS IrvING, resided in Lang- holm, and was likewise engaged in trade; and being a man of substance was enabled to give his children a liberal education. He had four sons who attained to maturity. The eldest, Srmon Irvine, born in 1769, was brought up for business, and settled in London as a merchant, carrying on a Manchester warehouse, and was very successful, until at a later period, having engaged in farming on a large scale in Cornwall, in company with Mr. Hayter, his brother-in-law, he lost most of his property in the attempt to introduce the modes of farming in use in Scotland. He was a tall, handsome man, of prepossessing appearance, and died in 1850. The second son, JAMES, belonged to the medical profession, and was employed as surgeon in a merchant vessel, but died abroad, in the prime of life. The third son, Jouy, preferred remaining at home, assisting his father, and looking after the various fields, etc., which he had in lease in the neigh- bourhood of Langholm. He still survives at a very advanced xii MEMOIR OF DR. IRVING. age. Davin, the youngest son, received the rudiments of his education at the Grammar School of his native place, then con- ducted by John Telfer,’ who, judging from the proficiency of his pupils, must have been a skilful and successful master. The subject of the present brief sketch had reached the age of four- teen or fifteen, before he commenced the study of the learned languages, with the ultimate view, it is supposed, of entering the ministry, a very common destination, at that time, for a younger son. Of his parents, Dr. Irving always spoke in the highest terms. His father, who died at an advanced age in April 1815, was greatly respected by all who knew him; and his mother, who died in August 1797, was possessed of superior mental powers, fond of reading, with a most retentive memory, qualities which her son possessed in no small degree. At this time, there was in New Langholm a private school, in which Latin and Greek were taught by a master named Andrew Little, who had lost his sight by lightning on the coast of Africa, when surgeon of a Liverpool vessel.” Here David Irving became a pupil, and laid the foundation of those classical attainments for which he was distinguished in after life. Little’s powers in teaching the learned languages is further attested by another pupil, General Sir Charles W. Pasley, of the Royal Engineers, also a native of Langholm,? who, upon Dr. Irving’s death, was kind enough to communicate his recollections of his class- fellows, which had lost none of the freshness of youth, and which are subjoined as an Appendix. From the circumstance of the writer himself having so recently departed at the mature age of eighty, they will be read with additional interest as giving a lively picture of school-boy amusements in a retired country place. The town of Langholm, the scene of these juvenile ex- : His name is ascertained from the Paro- the 19th of April 1861. He was the author of chial Registers, in November 1788. the ‘Essay on the Military Policy, ete., of 2 Andrew Little was buried at Langholm Great Britain,” and other works, enumerated on the 7th May 1803. (Parochial Registers.) in Bohn’s edition of Lowndes’s Bibliogra- pher’s Manual. 3 Sir Charles Pasley died at London, on 4 See page xxiii. MEMOIR OF DR. IRVING. Xili ploits, is situated on the east bank of the river Esk ; the village known as New Langholm, having sprung up in the course of the last century, on the other side of the river, over which there is a substantial stone bridge. The inhabitants are chiefly engaged in manufactures, and the town itself is of no great antiquity, nor is it possessed of objects to attract attention, but “the adjacent country,” as Dr. Irving, in one of his early works,’ remarks, “affords an infinite variety of romantic scenes, such as a poet might delight to feign. It was here that Armstrong and Meikle began to listen to the whispers of fancy, and to store their minds with images and sentiments of genuine poetry.” Ata much later period, he recurs to the same theme,” and with no exaggerated estimate he says, “A more beautiful tract of pastoral country than that which extends about twelve miles along the banks of the river, it would not perhaps be very easy to mention.” But the course of events led the writer to forsake such scenes, and to spend the rest of a prolonged life in the heart of a city well suited for one pursuing a literary career. He came to Edinburgh in October 1796, to attend the philosophical classes of the University. Being then of a more mature age than usual for the younger students, and having advanced beyond the rudimentary elements of classical learning, he was prepared to enrol himself among the students of the second year’s course of Greek and Latin, under Professors Dalzel and Hill. During the next two sessions, 1797-98 and 1798-99, he continued his attendance on Greek, and also the classes of Logic, Moral Phi- losophy, and Natural Philosophy, under Professors Finlayson, Dugald Stewart, and Playfair. About this time David Irving seems to have followed the example of many other advanced students intended for the ministry, who aided their limited re- sources, and in many instances secured their chance of prefer- ment in the Church, by acting as private tutors. At least, in 1 Life of Dr. W. Russell, in 1801. 2 Art, Russell, in Encyclop. Britannica, 1839. xiv MEMOIR OF DR. IRVING. the list of Dr. Walker’s class of Natural History, in the year 1799, we find— “90. Ilay Campbell, Ph.S. (Philosophical student) son to the Receiver- General. “91, David Irving, Ph.8., Langholm, his tutor.” In like manner, in 1798, John Leyden was so entered as tutor to the sons of Campbell of Fairfield. Not long after David Irving’s arrival in Edinburgh, he became acquainted with Dr. Robert Anderson, a native of Lanark, who, previously to the appearance of the Edinburgh Reviewers, was regarded as a literary dictator. In early life he had practised as a physician in Alnwick, Northumberland, but in taking up his residence in our metropolis, in 1784, he devoted himself wholly to literature. From that time he was in the habit of receiving at social tea-parties, in his house, Heriot’s Bridge, Grassmarket (before he removed to Windmill Street), most of the young aspirants after literary distinction, who sub- mitted their productions to his friendly criticism, and who were in many instances benefited by his kind exertions in their behalf. In this number may be reckoned Dr. John Ley- den, the Rev. Dr. Alexander Murray, Dr. Thomas Brown, and Thomas Campbell. The latter acknowledged this by the dedi- cation to him of “The Pleasures of Hope,” in 1799; and, to those who were familiar with the circumstances, it was doubtful whether the poem itself would ever have appeared unless for the Doctor’s advice and recommendation. In like manner, David Irving “ gratefully inscribed” to Dr. Anderson his earliest performance, in 1799.1 This was “The Life of Robert Fergusson, with a Critique on his Works.” Encouraged by the offers of assistance in collecting information, he next prepared similar Lives of William Falconer, author of The Ship- wreck, and of Dr. William Russell, well known by his History 1 To the author of the “ Life and Letters of Poet, with copies of some interesting letters Thomas Campbell,” published in 1849, Dr. which were addressed to Dr. Anderson by Irving communicated his recollections of the Campbell, from Germany, in 1800. MEMOIR OF DR. IRVING. Xv of Modern Europe. The three lives were printed in a separate volume, with a dedication to Andrew Dalzel, Professor of Greek in the University of Edinburgh, dated from King James’s College, 30th December 1800, in which he says— “Srr,—The politeness with which you undertook to procure materials for the lives of Falconer and Russell, and the punctuality with which you have performed your promise, induce me to prefix your name to the following juvenile performance. Though for a long series of years your attention has been steadily directed towards the learning of ancient times, yet your un- affected zeal on the present occasion sufficiently demonstrates that you are not indifferent with regard to the lives and writings of any of your country- men who, in an unpropitious situation, have manifested a laudable ambition of literary distinction.” Before this volume was published, the author was entitled to add A.M. to his name, having taken the degree of Master of Arts, 30th January 1801. As the next name in the roll of Graduates, 20th March 1802, is that of Matthew Irving, it may be noticed that, although school-fellows when at Langholm, they were not related. According to Sir Charles Pasley’s Recollections, he “went to Cambridge, and took orders in the Church of England, and met with considerable preferment after having been tutor to Lord Camden’s only son.” In 1801 there also appeared the very useful and most successful of all Dr. Irvine’s publications, his “Elements of English Composition.” He only claimed for it the merit of compilation, yet it may be esteemed a most meritorious and able work, showing great criti- cal discernment for a youth who had scarcely yet completed his own academical studies. From the author's statement contained in the eighth edition, in 1828, of his not having had an opportu- nity to correct the previous editions, the errors had so multiplied as, to render many passages altogether unintelligible, it may be inferred that he had disposed of the copyright, which then reverted into his own hands, and that the exertions of the pub- lisher, Sir Richard Phillips, may have contributed to its suc- cess in having it introduced as a text-book in many English schools and private academies. xvi MEMOIR OF DR. IRVING. It has already been noticed that David Irving was origi- nally destined for the ministry. There is, however, no evidence of his having entered the Divinity Hall, after he had completed his philosophical course ; and the immediate cause of his changing his purpose is unknown. It is scarcely necessary to remark that such changes often occur, but the cases of two of his fellow-students may be mentioned. Dr. John Leyden, after he became a probationer, being disappointed in his expectations of a presentation to a parish church, hastily completed his medical studies, and took the degree of M.D. before setting out for the East ; and having accompanied the Earl of Minto in his expedition to Java, for the purpose of acting as an interpreter, he died in the full vigour of his powers, in August 1811. The other was Dr. John Lee, the late venerable Principal of the University of Edinburgh, who, after taking his degree as Doctor of Medicine, entered the Church, and speedily obtained various preferments. In the session 1802-1803, Mr. Irving’s name occurs as attending the class of Civil Law, and this probably contributed in giving his mind a bias towards his subsequent investigations connected with the history of ancient Jurispru- dence. But he pursued his career as a literary biographer with unabated ardour, and in 1804 there appeared his “ Lives of the Scotish Poets, with preliminary Dissertations on the Literary History of Scotland, and the early Scotish Drama.” It was favourably received, yet its success was not remarkable, as, in 1810, the copies that remained unsold were re-issued, with- out the author’s sanction, with a deceptive title, as a new edition. “ ‘ In this work, an advertisement announced as preparing for publication, Memoirs of George Buchanan ; and a Ms. note, sul his own hand, formally states, “On the twenty-third of May 1804, I began to direct all my attention towards the Life of G. Buchanan.” In collecting his materials, he found it neces- sary to proceed to London, where he remained a considerable MEMOIR OF DR. IRVING. XVil time frequenting the libraries of the British Museum, of Sion College, and of Dr. Daniel Williams, in Red-Cross Street. The volume appeared in the year 1805, and secured for him the character of an accomplished scholar, and the friendship of such men as Principal Brown of Marischal College, Aberdeen, Professor Richardson of Glasgow, and Dr. John Hunter of St. Andrews ; while in the year 1808, the honorary degree of Doctor of Laws was conferred on him by Marischal College, Aberdeen. In the same year, having come forward as a candidate for the classical chair in the College of Belfast, these learned professors furnished him with testimonials in the highest terms for learn- ing, research, and discrimination, as well as for his moral and religious principles ; “but he withdrew his application on find- ing that this new institution was to be placed on a less liberal footing than had originally been expected.” The intimacy with Dr. Anderson’s family eventually led to Dr. Irving’s marriage with the eldest daughter, Anne Margaret Anderson, 1st June 1810; but she died in 1812, within a short time of the birth of their son Robert, who, in after life, mani- fested proofs of superior ability. Dr. Anderson himself, who survived till 1830, when he had attained his eightieth year, was an amiable, enthusiastic old man, and had by no means been an inactive labourer in the fields of literature. In proof of this may be mentioned his editions of the works of Smollet, Dr. John Moore, Dr. Grainger, and of Blair the author of The Grave; besides his life of Dr. Samuel Johnson, and above all his edition of the “ Works of the British Poets, with prefaces Biographical and Critical, by Robert Anderson, M.D.” London and Edinburgh, 1795, 14 vols. Southey, in an article in the Quarterly Review, pays a merited compliment to Anderson as “a thorough lover of poetry, indulgent to the artist for the sake of art,’ and in re- ference to his having included so many of the earlier English poets in that collection, says—To good old Dr. Anderson the poets and the literature of this country are deeply beholden ; it b xviii MEMOIR OF DR. [RVING. is with great pleasure that we render this tribute of justice to him while he is living to receive it.” An account of his life was contributed by his son-in-law to the seventh edition of the Encyclopedia Britannica. With the view of receiving into his house young gentlemen as pupils while attending the University, Dr. Irving resided first in No. 54, York Place, then No. 99, Princes Street ; but he afterwards removed to No. 6, Meadow Place, where the rest of his days were spent with his own family. While at the University, Mr. Irving’s attention had been directed towards the Law, but beyond his preliminary studies he seems to have relinquished any plan of following it as a pro- fession. For several years, however, he was employed in giving private instructions in the Civil Law to such of his pupils who proposed to pass their examinations for admission into the Faculty of Advocates. This led him to print a tract for private circulation, in 1815, entitled “ Observations on the Study of the Civil Law.” It was twice reprinted, in 1820 and 1823. At the end of the first edition there is announced as “ Preparing for the Press, The History of the Roman Jurisprudence, by David Irving, LL.D.” As this announcement was not repeated, he probably found little encouragement to proceed, while the materials may have been employed for his subsequent articles in the Encyclopedia, and his volume, “ An Introduction to the Study of the Civil Law.” Soon after this, Dr. Irving devoted himself assiduously to ‘preparing a new edition of his Memoirs of Buchanan. The work, so enlarged, and most carefully revised, was published at Edinburgh in 1817, by the late Mr. Blackwood, who had then commenced his enterprising career as a publisher. According to the author's statement, “These Memoirs have undergone such essential alterations, that this new edition may almost be con- sidered as a new work.” 1 Quarterly Review, art. ‘Chalmers’s English Poets,” vol. xi. July 1814 p. 504. MEMOIR OF DR. IRVING. XIX Another event occurred which forms an important epoch in Dr. Irving’s life. In March 1818, the office of Principal Librarian to the Faculty of Advocates became vacant; and that learned body, desirous of putting their Library, confessedly the first in Scotland, under a better system of management, held out a strong inducement for persons of learning or skill to apply for the situation. Among the various candidates who ap- peared, Dr. Irving was early in the field, but it was not till June 1820 that the election actually took place, when he was chosen by a considerable majority of votes. There prevailed strong party feelings at the time, on which it is not necessary to enlarge, except to remark, that it was alleged that the successful candi- date was not possessed of the experience and practical habits essentially requisite to the discharge of the ordinary routine duties of such an office ; and, doubtless, had he been fortunate enough to obtain academical preferment, such a position would have been much more congenial to his acquirements and pecu- liar turn of mind. But Dr. Irving having devoted himself assiduously to the care and improvement of the Library, the prejudice and party feelings alluded to in a great manner passed away. In reference, however, to his appointment, it appears from the Faculty Minutes on the 6th of July, that, “The Cura- tors had signified their opinion that it would be for the benefit of the Library that Dr. Irving should avail himself of the offer made by Dr. Benecke, in his letter to Sir William Hamilton, to give the Librarian of the Faculty every aid in his power in get- ting acquainted with the management of the Gottingen Library, and that for that purpose Dr. Irving should pass the ensuing vacation at Gottingen : That this proposal is perfectly agreeable to Dr. Irving ;” and was accordingly moved and agreed to, “That the Faculty approve of Dr. Irving passing, as proposed, the ensuing vacation at Gottingen.” Having accordingly availed himself of such a favourable opportunity, Dr. Irving, during his visit to that seat of learning, became acquainted with many XX MEMOIR OF DR. IRVING. of its eminent professors; and at a later period (in 1837) they sent him their own Diploma as Doctor of Laws. This appointment was followed by another event which con- tributed in no small degree to the happiness of his subsequent life, Dr. Irving, on his return from Germany, having, on the 28th October 1820, a second time entered into the married state, by his marriage with his second cousin, Miss Janet Laing, daughter of Mr. Charles Laing, Canonbie, Dumfriesshire. But while he continued as Librarian to discharge with unremitting fidelity his official duties, he was still enabled to carry on his favourite pursuits by editing or contributing largely to the vari- ous publications which are specified in the subjoined list of works. In particular for the Bannatyne and Maitland Clubs, he was the Editor of several works, of which the most important was a republication of Dempster’s “ Historia Ecclesiastica sive De Scriptoribus Scotis.” This was followed by the similar work of David Buchanan. He likewise, without undertaking the task of revising the text, wrote prefaces to the metrical Romance of Clariodus, the Tragedy of Philotus, and Henry- son’s Fables ; having previously furnished Biographical Notices of Alexander Montgomery, author of The Cherrie and the Slae, to an edition of his Poems. The substance of these prefaces is engrossed in the present work. But a very important series of contributions at this period to literary history, consisted of his biographical articles which appeared in the seventh edition of the Encyclopedia Britannica. To the Supplement of the sixth edition he had furnished a few articles ; but when the property of this great national work was acquired by Mr. Adam Black and other partners, it was resolved to republish it under the superintendence of Professor Napier in a style, enlarged and improved, to which the previous editions could make no pretensions. Dr. Irving’s aid was secured for nearly all the biographical articles connected with Scotland ; in addition to the articles on Jurisprudence, Canon Law, Civil MEMOIR OF DR. IRVING. xxi Law, and Feudal Law. These contributions extended from 1830 to 1842; and from them he prepared his two volumes of “Lives of Scotish Writers,’ in 1839. In the preface to this work, he states that of the thirty-nine lives which it contained, twenty-seven had appeared in the Encyclopedia. “ All the articles now republished,” he adds, “have been care- fully revised, and some of them have been much enlarged. It is almost superfluous to mention that the present work has no claim to be considered as a general collection of the literary biography of Scotland.” The articles comprised in these two volumes display the author’s learning and research to great ad- vantage. Some of those withheld, such as Barbour, Dunbar, Henryson, Lyndsay, were reserved, as they formed chapters of the present History. In 1837, Dr. Irving published his “ Introduction to the Study of the Civil Law,” professing to be the fourth edition. There were three editions of his “ Observations,” but this “ Introduc- tion” should rather be viewed as a new work. He had also pre- viously devoted much time to preparing the “History of Scotish Poetry,” which now solicits the public attention, as a posthumous work indeed, but one of too much importance to have been withheld. So early as 1828, he had announced it as preparing for the press Had the author himself lived to give it a final revisal, he might perhaps have availed himself of additional mate- rials which have appeared during the last thirty years ; but, upon mature consideration, it was deemed advisable to give the work to the public without alteration or addition ; and it may safely be stated that the arduous task of revising the sheets while at press has been accomplished by the Editor with signal success. In December 1848, in conformity with some private arrange- ments with the Curators of the Advocates’ Library, Dr. Irving, with some reluctance, resigned his office as Keeper, after twenty- 1 Advertisement subjoined to the eighth edition of his Elements of English Composition, Edinb. 1820. xxii MEMOIR OF DR. IRVING. nine years’ most faithful and devoted service. From this period, he continued to lead rather a retired life, never having mixed much in general society; but seated in the midst of his own library, his love of literary research remained unabated, and he cheerfully rendered his friends any advice or assistance they required in such pursuits. The only separate work which he published was a new edition, with notes, of Selden’s Table Talk, in 1854. During the course of a long life, having always had a passion for books, Dr. Irving had collected a private library of no small extent, sufficient to occupy all the upper rooms in his house. It was natural, then, that the care with which he was accus- tomed to watch over the rarer books in the Advocates Library should be transferred to his own collection. In an obituary notice (by the Rev. Dr. Hanna) in the Witness newspaper on the day of his funeral, this is specially described, and the conclud- ing passages may here be quoted. After alluding to Dr. Irving’s feelings, when the ties connecting him with the Advocates Lib- rary were severed, the writer of the article referred to says— “That attachment which had here suffered such a violence now transferred itself with all its force to his own private library, which he now nursed with double care. It grew beneath that care. He has left about 7000 volumes, all in the most perfect order, many of them rare and valuable,—altogether, one of the best private collections that our city contains. It was among these books he lived, and it was actually among them that he died. Every upper room in his house was clothed with book-shelves, his own among the rest. He lay upon his deathbed surrounded with them. Within a few hours of his decease, his eye chanced to rest upon a new edition of ‘ Whis- ton’s Josephus’ that he had lately added to his stores. He asked his daugh- ter, who acted as his librarian, to hand him one of the volumes. He took it tenderly into his hands, turned it over and over again, regarding it with a placid and benignant look. He tried to open and to read it, but the feeble hands and eyes refused the office. It fell out of his hands upon the bed. His daughter took it up to replace it on the shelf. His quick eye followed her, and noticed that, in her haste, she had pushed it in too far. With something like impatience, he directed her to draw it out, and place it level with the rest. It was done as he directed, and he was pleased. It was his last earthly act. “ Like so many book-minded men, Dr. Irving mixed but little with general MEMOIR OF DR. IRVING. Xxlli society. He had too strong convictions, too decided tastes, too fixed habits, to have much facility in accommodating himself to the opinions, tastes, and habits of others, especially when these were such as he strongly disliked or disapproved. In such cases he was too honest not to say all he thought, and show all he felt. The outward roughnesses that he sometimes thus ex- posed to others he was at no pains to soften or conceal; but those who knew him best,—who knew him within the inner circle of home and friend- ship,—know what a true, kind, loving heart he had. “ What the religious scruples were which kept him from entering the Church at first we do not precisely know. Whatever they were, they were removed in after life. A sincere and intelligent receiver of the Christian Revelation, his faith in the Redeemer was devout and entire. “ At the period of the Disruption, he joined the Free Church ; and in his death the Kirk-Session of Free St. John’s has to mourn the removal of one who, for so many years, was its most aged and honoured member.” In connexion with the last paragraph of this extract it is scarcely necessary to add, that St. John’s Free Church, which Dr. Irving joined in 1843, enjoys the joint pastoral superintendence of his eminent friends Dr. Guthrie and Dr. Hanna. In his earlier days he had belonged to the congregation of the Old Church, St. Giles, but he afterwards changed, first to the New Greyfriars, during the incumbency of the Rev. Dr. Muir, and then to St. Stephen’s parish, acting for several years as one of the elders. Although confined to his house, by the increasing infirmities of age for nearly two years before his death, he enjoyed the full exercise of all his mental faculties, taking the usual interest in all passing events, his recollections as fresh and vigorous as ever, and his handwriting, always remarkable for great precision and elegance, unchanged. In his personal appearance, he was not less precise, adhering to full-dress costume, in black, which his large and comely figure set off to advantage. Even his mode of walking was somewhat characteristic. It is of more importance to add, in the words of an old friend (J. R. Macculloch, Esq.), who had long entertained for him the highest regard and respect, that “his independence, his integrity, and his learning were such as are very seldom indeed found combined in one indivi-. dual.” xxiv MEMOIR OF DR. IRVING. After a few days’ illness, Dr. Irving died on the 10th of May 1860, in the eighty-second year of his age. He was interred in the new cemetery of the Grange; the funeral being attended by many of his old friends and neighbours, some of the former coming from a considerable distance to pay him the last tribute of respect. His family by the second marriage consisted of two sons and two daughters; James, the eldest son, after pursuing the study of medicine, has been a surgeon in the East India Company’s service in Bengal, since 1846. The second son, David, who was an Ensign in the 17th Regiment of Native Infantry, died in Sinde, at the early age of twenty-one, on the 2d of August 1845. As an Author, Dr. Irving in all his works exhibits no common degree of learning and research, combined with great clearness and precision of language, along with critical sagacity and minute accuracy in his statements. His research did not lead him to any laborious examination of unpublished sources of information, his faculty lay rather in availing himself of all that had previously been discovered, for which he was so well qualified by his familiar acquaintance with the standard litera- ture both of ancient and modern times. His critical knowledge of ancient authors and of literary history has seldom been equalled in this country. But these qualities, and the care bestowed in the choice of words and the construction of his sentences, have imparted a certain degree of formality to his style. As a learned, accurate, and successful labourer in the field of literary biography, it is not, however, too much to assert, that Dr. Invine’s name will always be remembered in Scotland ; and the present work, it is hoped, will contribute to his repu- tation. DAVID LAING. MEMOIR OF DR. IRVING. XXV NARRATIVE FROM RECOLLECTION OF THE EARLY LIFE OF MY FRIEND THE LATE DR. IRVING: BY THE LATE GENERAL SIR CHARLES W. PASLEY, K.C.B., ROYAL ENGINEERS. I rirst became acquainted with David Irving about the year 1786, when I was a small boy, boarding with Miss Easton, then postmistress at Lang- holm, who, with a motherly affection and care, prevented me from going out after dark, whilst battles were going on between the boys of Langholm and the new town, or, as they were called, the Langholmers and the Muckle- howmers. The combatants were separated by a bridge over the Esk, by which sometimes the enemy made incursions into Langholm, but more usually the Langholmers were the invaders. David Irving, who was some years older than I, and whose father’s house was not far from the bridge, was the commander of the Langholm boys ; and after I had become a pupil of a school in the new town, kept by Mr. Andrew Little—who had lost his sight by lightning on the coast of Africa, when surgeon of a Liverpool vessel, by whom I was taught Latin, Greek, and French,—as I always had a strong military turn, and delighted in a History of Sir William Wallace in rhyme, and in Barbour’s History of King Robert Bruce, and a book entitled “The Warlike Achievements of the Scottish Nation,” after I had made some pro- gress in Latin, I wrote a history of the wars of Langholm in that language, in imitation of the style of Livy, in which David Irving was the leader in most of the battles. But on one occasion, when he was not present, the enemy penetrated into Langholm as far as the Lake, a small pond near the water- side ; but when the hostile armies were about to engage, it was agreed that the war should be decided by a single combat between the generals, the mother of one of whom, a Langholm woman, put an end to further hostili- ties, and drove her own son home before her. On another occasion, when the Langholmers, by a sudden inroad, carried everything before them, and were throwing stones at the fugitives, a pane of glass was broken in the window of a householder in the new town, who, rushing out, put the whole army to flight, and drove them over the bridge into their own territories. Though I had thus made David Irving the hero of my first and only his- tory, I did not know much of him until he joined Mr. Andrew Little’s school, XXVi MEMOIR OF DR. IRVING. having determined—I should think at the age of 15, several years later than was then usual in Eskdale—to study the learned languages; after which we became very intimate. About this time he formed a regiment, for so it was called, though only consisting of 40 or 50 boys from 10 to 12 or 13 years of age, of whom I was one, armed with sticks, whom he drilled on the kiln-green, on the other side of the Ewes ; and one of his soldiers, who had deserted, was tried and pun- ished, but with no great severity. On one occasion a grown-up man, who officiated behind the counter of one of the numerous merchants of Langholm, having the presumption to treat our manceuvres with ridicule, he was charged by the whole regiment, with the gallant colonel at its head, and put to flight in a moment. Thomas Scott, a young man about 23 years of age, also joined Mr. Little’s school about the same time, and commenced the study of classics. Having composed a tragedy in tolerably smooth blank verse, which I thought below mediocrity, on the strength of it he commenced a correspondence with Burns, who put an immediate end to it by a copy of verses, in which he treated his pretensions as a brother poet with great contempt, alluding also to his former trade (of a tailor), which, on the Scotish Border, is considered much infe- rior to the occupations of a shepherd or a ploughman,—in which two poets not unworthy of the name, also stimulated by Burns’s example, did honour to Eskdale. The first, who in his boyhood was a herd in summer, but went to school in winter, afterwards became a mason, and set up his father's humble monument, the work of his own hands, in Westerkirk churchyard, with an inscription, in which he designated him as a blameless shepherd, probably from having read of the “ blameless Ethiopiaris” in Pope’s Homer, —for, like Allan Ramsay’s gentle shepherd, “On the braes he crack’t wi kings,”—first attracted notice by a poem on Eskdale. I allude to the after- wards celebrated Thomas Telford, who was almost self-educated, and raised himself by his talents and industry, with very little patronage-or encourage- ment, to a high reputation and extensive employment as an engineer, and was elected the first president of the Institution of Civil Engineers. The other was William Park, ploughman or farm-servant to the minister of Esk- dalemuir, author of “The Vale of Esk, and other Poems,” published by W. Blackwood, Edinburgh, 1833, of which I particularly admire his Ode to Poverty—a state from which he never emerged,—breathing that high spirit and national pride that I hope will ever distinguish the Scotish peasantry. The other school-fellows, beside David Irving, with whom I was most inti- mate, were Matthew Irving, of a different family, who went to Cambridge and took orders in the Church of England, and met with considerable pre- ferment, after having been tutor to Lord Camden's only son, and Josiah Stewart, who afterwards went to Edinburgh College, and became a tutor in a gentleman’s family, through whose interest he afterwards obtained a com- 1 A copy of this juvenile production, en- Narrative of his Professional Labours, ete titled ‘‘Eskdale, a Descriptive Poem,” will | Edited by John Rickman, one of his Exeeu- be found in the Life of Thomas Telford, tors; with a Preface, Supplement, Annota- written by himself, containing a Descriptive tions, and Index. Published in London, 1838 3 ‘ MEMOIR OF DR. IRVING. xxvii mission in the service of the East India Company, in which he distinguished himself. In 1792 there was a strong, though not general, revolutionary feeling in Langholm, in which a number of men, with as many fowling-pieces as they could collect, assembled and drank success to the French Convention, after which toast they fired in the air, and lighted a bonfire, of which, from their pronunciation of the word, the boys believed that bones made a necessary ingredient, and as this happened at mid-day, I went with others, some time beforehand, about a mile out of the town, to drag the skeleton of a horse to the spot. After their sort of feu-de-joie, the same men had a dinner, at which it was reported that more seditious toasts than the above were drunk, in consequence of which, Stewart's father, who was one of the ringleaders, was tried and imprisoned for some time in Dumfries. At this time there was a great difference of opinion amongst Mr. Little’s scholars, David and Matthew Irving both being strenuous Royalists, but Josiah Stewart, influenced by his father, took the opposite side of the question, and so did I, from the impression made upon me by the Latin authors, and by a translation of Plutarch’s Lives, as well as by the perusal of many spirited English poems in praise of liberty. After the revolutionary movement in Langholm, that has been described, Sir William Maxwell of Springkell, came over from Annandale, and convened a meeting of the inhabitants of Langholm and the neighbourhood in the church, which I attended, sitting in my usual seat in the loft, and after making an appropriate speech, he called upon the men present to sign a declaration of loyalty, and of their readiness to arm in defence of their king and country ; on which I saw David Irving, whom I had not observed before, step forward amongst the first, if not the very first, to sign the book, with an air of zeal and decision, though he could not have been much more than fifteen or sixteen at that time, upon which I have often thought with admiration since. Soon after this, the atrocities of the French Republic, their declaration of war against this country, and their threats of invasion, disgusted Josiah Stewart and myself with French liberty. In the winter of 1794, I was sent to school at Selkirk, where three of my cousins, William and Charles Malcolm, and Thomas Little of Langholm, had been domiciled some time before as boarders, with Mr. Porter, who had pre- viously been the tutor of the Malcolms at Burnfoot. After remaining more than a year, I was sent back to Langholm at the summer vacation of 1795, the two Malcolms being removed at the same time, one to Glasgow, and the other being sent to sea ; and next year I was sent to London, having obtained a cadetship at Woolwich Academy, which I joined in August 1796. During this interval I was again a school-fellow of David Irving, and our friendship was never interrupted by any differences, such as had occurred before I went to Selkirk, owing to the impetuosity of both leading to dis- putes, which, though rare, were violent at the moment, but soon over. On one occasion, for example, when David Irving was forming a little garden on a small rock in a deep pool, below the first arch of the bridge on the Lang- XXvill MEMOIR OF DR. IRVING. holm side, for which we carried over mould and plants in a little boat, I was mortally offended by something he said or did, but dissembling my anger, I went over with a cargo in the boat, which could only take one person con- veniently, and forgetting, in my passion, that wood would not sink, I sud- denly started up, and stamping with my feet, I succeeded in filling the boat with water, in hopes that it would go to the bottom, and plunging into the river swam to the other side, pelted by a shower of stones from my fellow- labourers, who soon recovered the boat in a shallow below the pool. On our parting in 1796, David Irving, who might be eighteen or nineteen, was taller and stronger than most men, and no one could compete with him either at a running leap, or at hop-step-and-jump. When I returned home in 1807, after eighteen years’ foreign service in the Mediterranean, I found that John Stewart, the father of my school-fellow, a man of great energy, had become a loyal subject after the war broke out, and had served as a sergeant in the Dumfries militia. After seeing my friends in Eskdale, I went to Edinburgh in March of that year, where i found David Irviug established, and invited him and all my other Eskdale friends to dinner, which, after so long an absence, proved a very pleasant party, in which Irving, who was evidently looked up to by all the others, made him- self very agreeable. Captain Birch, a distinguished brother officer and par- ticular friend of mine, whom I met there after an absence of six years, was also present. C. W. PASLEY, Lieut.-General R. Engineers. 12, NoRFOLK CRESCENT, LONDON, May 15, 1860, LIST OF WORKS PUBLISHED BY DR. IRVING. 1. The Lire or Rozert Fergusson, with a Critique on his Works. Glas- gow, printed by Chapman and Lang, 1799. 12mo, pp. 44. The Poetical Works of Robert Fergusson, with the Life of the Author. By David Irving. Glasgow, printed by and for Chapman and Lang. 1800. 12mo, pp. 30 and pp. 193. 2. Lives or Scotisn AuTuors, viz., Fergusson, Falconer, and Russell. By David Irving, A.M. Edinburgh, printed by J. Pillans and Sons, for A. Constable, 1801. 12mo, pp. 129. With a portrait of William Russell, LL.D., Dighton, del. ; D. Lizars, sculpt. 3. ELements or EnexisH Composition ; treating of Purity, Propriety, and Precision of Style ; of Synonymous Words ; of the Structure of Sen- tences ; of Clearness and Precision, Unity, Strength, and Harmony in the Structure of Sentences ; of Figurative Language in general, of Per- sonification, Apostrophe, Hyperbole, Comparison, Metaphor, and Alle- gory. London, Richard Phillips, 1801. 12mo. The Elements of English Composition. The eighth edition, corrected and enlarged. Edinburgh, John Boyd, 1828, small 8vo, pp. 358. The same, 12th edition, Edinburgh, 1858, small 8vo. 4, Tue Lives of THE ScotisH Poets ; with Preliminary Dissertations on the Literary History of Scotland, and the early Scotish Drama. By David Irving, A.M. Edinburgh, printed by and for Alexander Lawrie & Co. 1804. 2vols. 8vo. Inscribed, “To Mr. Simon Irving these volumes are inscribed in testimony of the Author’s fraternal affection. Edin- burgh, Nov. 10, 1803.” Copies of this work were afterwards issued as a new edition, with a false title-page, as follows :— The Lives of the Scotish Poets, etc. ‘By David Irvine, L.L.D. Edin- burgh, published by Oliver & Boyd, Netherbow, 1810.” A portrait of Burns, and another of Ramsay, wretchedly engraved, are prefixed ; the dedication and two leaves of corrections being cancelled. Other copies have the titles reprinted, giving the author's name in its correct form, “ David Irving, LL.D.,” adding “Second edition, improved. Lon- don, printed for Longman, Hurst, Rees, & Orme; Cadell & Davies, 1810,” but varying in no other respect. XXX WORKS PUBLISHED BY DR. IRVING. 5. Memoirs or tHe Lire anp Writines or George Bucnanan. Edin- burgh, printed for Bell & Bradfute, and A. Lawrie, 1807. 8vo, pp. 318. Memoirs of the Life and Writings of George Buchanan. The second edition. Edinburgh, printed for William Blackwood. 1817. 8vo, pp. 435. 6. A MemoriaL or AnnE Marcaret Anperson, the Wife of David Irving, LL.D. Edinburgh, printed by A. Balfour, 1813, 8vo, pp.17. Printed for private circulation. This Memorial, in the form of a letter to Prin- cipal Brown, Aberdeen, 16th August 1812, is followed by Verses which had been addressed to Miss Anderson by Dr. Leyden, Dr. A. Murray, J.S., and David Carey. 7, OBSERVATIONS ON THE Stupy oF THE Crvi, Law. By David Irving, LL.D. Edinburgh, printed by A. Balfour, 1815. 8vo, pp. 31. Observations, etc. Edinburgh, printed for David Brown, 1820. 8vo, pp. 40. Observations, etc. The Third Edition. Edinburgh, printed by Oliver and Boyd, 1823. 8vo, pp. 78. Dedicated to Gustavus Hugo, LL.D., Pro- fessor of Civil Law in the University of Gottingen. This work was afterwards greatly enlarged, and published, with the same dedication to Dr. Gustaf Hugo, under this title :-— An Introduction to the Study of the Civil Law. By David Irving, LL.D. The Fourth Edition. London, A. Maxwell, 1837. 8vo, pp. 284. In the Appendix, the author inserts two articles on the Civil Law which he had contributed to the Foreign Quarterly Review. 8. TasLe-TALK: BEING THE Discourses oF JoHN SELDEN, Esq.; or his Sense of various matters of weight and high consequence, relating espe- cially to Religion and State. Edinburgh, printed for Fairbairn and Anderson, 1819. 12mo, pp. xxii. 204, The Table-Talk of John Selden: with Notes by David Irving, LL.D. Edinburgh, Thomas Constable & Co. 1854. Demy 8vo, pp. xl. 247. In this edition many of the notes have been enlarged, and the preface extended from 9 to 25 pages. 9. Tus Porms or ALEXANDER Montcomery : with Biographical Notices by David Irving, LL.D, Edinburgh, printed by James Ballantyne & Co., for W. & C. Tait, 1821. Post 8vo, pp. xxix. 319. 10. Taoma Dempsteri Historia Eccresrasrica GEnris ScoToRum, SIVE DE SCnERnaN aus Scotis. Editio altera, Edinburgi, 1828-29, 2 vols, 4to. Printed for the Bannatyne Club. 11, Cuariopus ; a Metrical Romance. Printed from a Manuscript of the Six- teenth Century, Edinburgh, 1830. 4to. Presented by Edward Pyper. Esq., to the Maitland Club. WORKS PUBLISHED BY DR. IRVING. XXX1 12. Tue Morau Fasies or Rosert HENRYSON. Reprinted from the edition of Andrew Hart. Edinburgh, 1832. 4to. Presented by Duncan Stewart, Esq., to the Maitland Club. 13. PutLotus ; a Comedy. Reprinted from the edition of Robert Charteris. Edinburgh, 1835. 4to. Presented by John W. Mackenzie, Esq., to the Bannatyne Club. 14, Davipis BucHanant DE Scriprorisus Scoris Lisri Duo, nunc primum editi. Edinburgi, 1837. 4to. Edited for the Bannatyne Club. 15, Lives or Scotisu Writers. Edinburgh, Adam and Charles Black, 1839. 2 vols. post 8vo. 16. History or Scorisu Porrry. Edinburgh, 1861. 8vo. Now published. THE HISTORY OF SCOTISH POETRY. CHAPTER I THE infancy of literature, like the infancy of man himself, must invariably be feeble. If any particular branch of it should seem to have arrived at sudden maturity, the wonder must rather be apparent than real: Nature pursues a course that is uniform in the midst of all its varieties; nor can we reason- ably suppose the writer who recorded the divine tale of Troy to have been the earliest of the Greeks who cultivated heroic poetry. The history of Scotish poetry does not ascend to a very remote era: it is the poetry of one subdivision of a nation, neither remarkable for its antiquity, nor comprehending any considerable extent of population. In all attempts to estimate the intellectual merits of any particular people, it is of some consequence to recollect their number ; for it certainly would not be reasonable to expect that Scotland, Denmark, and Is- land should exhibit the same height or variety of literary ex- cellence as Italy, France, and England. A dialect of the Celtic language, which was once so widely disseminated in Europe, is still vernacular in nearly one-half of this kingdom. Those who speak the Celtic tongue do not, indeed, amount to one- third of the inhabitants ; but from this distribution of the soil, it is evident that the successful cultivators of Scotish poetry were by no means few in proportion to the number of the people who spoke the Scotish language. The history of Celtic poetry in Scotland has been invested with a false brilliancy, which time is gradually impairing. The A 9 THE HISTORY OF poems ascribed to Ossian, whatever may be their intrinsic merit, have been chiefly admired as the productions of a remote age, and of a nation which, if not utterly barbarous, was, at all events, very imperfectly civilized; and when this charm of antiquity is completely dissolved, they cannot be perused with the same degree of enthusiasm. We are required to believe that these poems were composed in the third century ; that they were composed by the son of a certain Caledonian hero, named Fingal ; and that, by means of oral tradition, they were delivered by one generation to another for the space of nearly fifteen hundred years. If this account could be received as authentic, if these poems could be regarded as genuine, they must be classed among the most extraordinary efforts of human genius. That a nation so rude in other arts, and even un- acquainted with the use of letters, should yet have carried the most elegant of all the arts to so high a degree of perfection, would not only be sufficient to overturn every established theory, but would exceed all the possibilities of rational assent. But if we could suppose an untaught barbarian capable of com- bining the rules of ancient poetry with the refinements of modern sentiment,’ one difficulty is indeed removed; but an- other difficulty, scarcely less formidable, still remains—By what rare felicity were many thousand verses, only written on the frail tablet of the memory, to be safely transmitted through fifty generations of mankind? If Ossian could compose epic poems on the same model as Homer, how was it possible for them, to preserve their original texture through the fearful vicissitudes of nearly fifteen centuries? A series of verses, not exceeding the length of an ordinary ballad, may certainly float 1 Dr. Blair, a firm believer in the genuine- ness of the poems attributed to Ossian, has described them in the following terms :— “«There we find the fire and the enthusiasm of the most early times, combined with an amazing degree of regularity and art. We find tenderness, and even delicacy of senti- ment, greatly predominant over fierceness and barbarity. Our hearts are melted with the softest feelings, and at the same time elevated with the highest ideas of magna- nimity, generosity, and true heroism.” (Cri- tical Dissertation on the Poems of Ossian, p. 11. Lond. 1763, 4to.) According to Mac- pherson himself, the original ‘ contains what is beautiful in simplicity, and grand in the sublime.” (Dissertation concerning the An- tiquity, etc., of the Poems of Ossian, p. xvi., prefixed to Fingal. Lond. 1762, 4to.) Gray makes the subsequent allusion to these poems, which he evidently considers as genuine: ‘‘He would there see that imagination dwelt many hundred years ago, in all her pomp, on the cold and barren mountains of Scotland.” (Works, vol. ii, p. 411. Mitford’s edit.) SCOTISH POETRY. 3 upon the memory of a people for several ages; though it is evident that many changes must be successively introduced, and that every age will be apt to assimilate such traditionary verses to its own peculiar standard ; so that the plan, and per- haps the spirit of a poem, may remain the same, when its diction and phraseology have been subjected to essential trans- formations. But it is utterly incredible that such poems as Fingal and Temora, consisting each of several thousand lines, were thus transmitted from the supposed age of Ossian to the age of Macpherson. The difficulty of accounting for the trans- mission of the Iliad and Odyssey, has been strongly urged by some modern critics. The entire history of these ancient poems has been placed in a very striking light by Wolf, who, after discussing the subject with much learning, and with in- genuity superior to his learning, arrives at the conclusion, that those productions which bear the name of Homer, were com- posed by different poets and in different ages, and were not committed to writing till the time of the Pisistratide ;' so that the venerable name of Homer thus remains, while his indivi- dual character is completely annihilated. These bold opinions, though rejected by some of the ablest critics of the present age,” have been widely disseminated, and particularly in the 1 Dr. Bentley had previously remarked, that Homer ‘‘wrote a sequel, of songs and rhapsodies, to be sung by himself for small earnings and good cheer, at festivals and other days of merriment: the llias he made for the men, and the Odysseis for the other sex. These loose songs were not collected together in the form of an epic poem till Pisistratus’s time, above five hundred years after.” (Remarks upon a late Discourse of Free-Thinking, p. 26, edit. Camb. 1743, 8vo.) According to another computation, the in- terval only extended to about three centuries and ahalf. (See Heyne’s Excursus de Iliade universe, et de ejus Partibus, Rhapsodia- rumque Compage, tom. viii. p. 807-10.) This learned and able writer makes one averment, which can scarcely be cAlled in question : ‘¢ Vidimus fide historica destitui quicquid de Homero traditum est.” After examining all the professed lives of Homer, beginning with that ascribed to Herodotus, and descending to that written by Blackwell, many readers may be apt to imagine that they have been engaged in pursuing a shadow. Respecting the country of Homer, Leo Allatrius, a modern Greek, has composed a treatise of three hundred pages. (De Patria Homeri., Lugduni, 1640, 8vo.) But the historical re- sult of all his disquisitions might very easily be comprised in three lines. Of the earliest era of Greek poetry, some very able views may be found in the publication of a young philologer of the highest promise : ‘‘ Orpheus Poetarum Grecorum antiquissimus : auctore Georgio Henrico Bode.” Gottingsx, 1824, 4to In this work, p. 6, he mentions his intention of preparing a General History of Greek Poetry, distributed into different periods, and written in the German language. 2 Among this number we may class Ruhn- kenius and his excellent biographer, Wytten- bach. (Vita Davidis Ruhnkenii: Opuscula, tom. i. p. 725. Lugd. Bat. 1821, 2 tom. 8vo.) Knight arrives at the conclusion, that the Tliad must have been the production of an earlier poet than the Odyssey ; but he is very far from being inclined to adopt Wolf and 4 THE HISTORY OF universities of Germany. Between the case of Homer and that of Ossian there is some analogy, but no very close resemblance :* the state of the respective countries in which they are supposed to have flourished was widely different ; the Greek poems were never supposed to have been abandoned to the oral tradition of fifteen centuries; nor is it so certain that at the period to which they are referred, the art of writing was unknown to the inhabitants of Greece. It is no longer pretended that any Gaelic poetry has been preserved in early manuscripts; and indeed the period when Gaelic can be traced as a written lan- guage is comparatively modern. That many poems, and frag- ments of poems, were preserved in the Highlands of Scotland, cannot however be doubted ; and it is sufficiently ascertained, that Macpherson was assiduously employed in collecting such popular reliques, some of which had perhaps existed for many ages.” From the materials which he had thus procured, he appears to have fabricated the various works which he delivered to the public under the name of Ossian,? and afterwards to have adjusted the Gaelic by the English text. He thus ex- hibited many strains of genuine poetry, which he himself was apparently incapable of producing. With respect to the poet Heyne’s theory of agreatmultiplicity of poets. “« Feracia maximorum ingeniorum preter om- nem nature rationem modumque fuisse ea secula oportet, que tot greges poetarum enutrirent, quorum quilibet carmina ejus- modi effuderit, que nemo omnium gentium postea per tria millia annorum emulari pos- set, neque nisi unus aut alter probabiliter imitari.” (Prolegomena in Homerum, p. 7.) 1 “Nolo Homerum, é.¢., antiqua carmina Ionum, comparare cum Ossiani carminibus Celticis, que tamen nec unius etatis nec genuina nobis tradita esse puto.” (Wollfii Prolegomena ad Homerum, § xlix. Halis Saxonum, 1795, 8vo.) 2 Dr. Young, the late accomplished Bishop of Clonfert, who, in the year 1784, collected various fragments of Gaelic poetry, has made the following remarks : ‘‘ Mr. Macpherson is by many supposed to be the sole and original author of the compositions which he has published as translations of the works of Ossian ; this charge I am enabled to refute, at least in part, having fortunately met with the originals of some of them. Mr. Macpher- s0n, Iv acknowledge, has taken very great liberties with them ; retrenching, adding, and altering as he judged proper: but we must admit that he has discovered great ingenuity in these variations.” (Ancient Gaelic Poems respecting the Race of the Fians: Transac- tions of the Royal Irish Academy, vol. i. Antiq. p. 43.) 3 “But the Committee has not been able to obtain any one poem the same in title and tenor with the poems published by him. It is inclined to believe that he was in use to supply chasms, and to give connexion, by inserting passages which he did not find, and to add what he conceived to be dignity and delicacy to the original composition, by strik- ing out passages, by softening incidents, by refining the language, in short, by changing what he considered as too simple, or too rude for a modern ear, and elevating what in his opinion was below the standard of good poetry.” (Report of the Committee of the Highland Society of Scotland, appointed to inquire into the Nature and Authenticity of the Poems of Ossian, p. 152. Edinb. 1805, 8v0.) SCOTISH POETRY. 5 whom he professes to trarislate, the traditions of Ireland have represented him as a native of that country,’ and his history is involved in impenetrable obscurity. His name seems to have absorbed all the good poetry that lingered on the stream of popular tradition: the success of Macpherson, which greatly surpassed all expectation, could not fail to produce similar attempts; but no other translator of Gaelic verses had much reason to congratulate himself on his profits or reputation. The poems of Ossian, the son of Fingal, were received with en- thusiastic admiration in all the learned countries of Europe: they have been translated not only into the French and Italian, but even into the Danish? and Polish languages; but their highest celebrity seems at present to be confined to Germany, where many different versions have appeared. Such is the vague and unauthentic history of ancient Celtic poetry in Scotland. The Celtic language is supposed to have been originally spoken in every district of the kingdom; nor has it been found an easy task to account for the introduction of a Gothic dialect, bearing a very close affinity to English. That the Scotish language is merely a dialect of the English, -.« } Baron Harold, an Trish officer in the ser- vice of a German prince, tried the experiment of an Irish Ossian, but his success does not appear to have been very brilliant. This work was published both in English and German. ‘Poems of Ossian, lately dis- covered by Edmond Baron de Harold, Colo- nel-Commander of the Regiment of K6nigs- feld,” etc. Diisseldorf, 1787, 8vo. ‘‘ Neu- entdeckte Gedichte Ossians, tibersetzt von Freiherr von Harold, General-Major,” U. s. w. Disseldorf, 1798, Svo. This latter publica- tion bears zweite Auflage; but it seems to be a first edition with a new title. Dr. Warner, an Englishman, had at an earlier period main- tained the Irish origin of Ossian’s poetry, as well as of his heroes. ‘I must beg leave to be of opinion,” he remarked, “. . that all the famous champions, Cuchullin, Fingal, Ossian, Oscar, etc., were absolutely Irish heroes ; and that it is extremely probable— though I suspend my judgment upon that article—that all the poems in their original composition were fables finely imagined, and jnimitably executed by an old Irish bard.” (Remarks on the History of Fingal, and other Poems of Ossian, by Ferdo. Warner, LL.D., p. 30. Dublin, 1762, 12mo.) See likewise Dr. Campbell’s Strictures on the Ecclesiasti- cal and Literary History of Ireland, p. 177. Dublin, 1789, 8vo. i 2 Ossian has been repeatedly translated into the Danish language; and Professor Magnusen has lately published a copious ex- planation of some passages in his poems, chiefly such as relate to the Scandinavian mythology. His work bears the title of “* Forség til Forklaring over nogle Steder af Ossians Digte, mest vedkommende Skandi- naviens Hendenold.” Kisbenhavn, 1814, 8vo. He soon afterwards published a second tract, intended as a sequel to the first: “‘Om Pic- ternes og deres Nayns Oprindelse.” Kisbenh. 1817, Svo. In their reverence for Ossian, the Swedes do not seem to be inferior to the Danes. Gustavus Rosén wrote an academi- cal dissertation, which begins thus: “ Insti- tuimus comparationem inter par poétarum, Eoi alterum, alteram Septemtrioni ortum insigne decus ac ferme prodigium.” (Com- paratio Homeri et Ossiani. Upsaliz, 1792, 4to.) This writer quotes a dissertation which T have not seen: ‘8. B, Lindblom in Dissert. de Poematis Ossian.” 6 THE HISTORY OF seems indeed to be the more prevalent opinion; and this foreign speech is supposed to have been gradually adopted by our Pictish ancestors, who are at the same time described as a people of Celtic origin. The ancient history of every race of men which is possessed of no ancient records, and which has not attracted much attention from its enlightened neighbours, must ever be involved in doubt and uncertainty. In the pre- sent instance, we have little to guide our inquiries, besides a few scattered and contradictory notices, added to the ordinary and well-ascertained progress of human speech. When other records fail, the history of a nation may be often traced in the history of its language; and a very moderate degree of reflec- tion will enable us to determine the probability of a Celtic people unlearning its native tongue, and from deliberate choice adopting another speech completely and radically different. Dr. Geddes, in a Dissertation on the Scoto-Saxon Dialect, has strenuously maintained this extraordinary opinion, which has likewise been adopted by a more recent writer, possessing no portion of his acuteness or learning.’ “The names,” it is stated, “of all the rivers, mountains, towns, villages, and castles, of any note or antiquity, from Berwick-law to Buchan- ness, and from Buchanness to Arder-Sier, are all evidently Celtic. We must, then, either suppose that the language of the Picts was a dialect of the Celtic; or that they were not the original inhabitants of the country ; or, in fine, that, after the extinction of the Pictish empire, or rather its union with the Irish-Scots, the language of these latter universally prevailed, and effaced the very remembrance of its Gothic predecessor. The second of these suppositions is contrary to history ; the third is belied by experience ; the first, then, is the ouly one that is founded on probability.”? This observation, with re- 1 Chalmers's Caledonia, vol. i. p. 214. The same opinion is likewise maintained by Rit- son, Annals of the Caledonians, Picts, and Scots, and of Strathclyde, Cumberland, Gal- loway, and Murray, vol. i. p. 120. Edinb. 1828, 2 vols. 8vo. In a critical notice of this posthumous publication, inserted in the Quarterly Review for July 1829, Sir Walter Scott zealously espoused the Celtic theory. (Miscellaneous Prose Works, vol. xx. p. 301. Edinb. 1834-6, 28 vols. 16mo.) But in at- tempting to expose the errors and inconsis- tencies of Pinkerton, he appears to have com- mitted not a few himself; and these were very fully detected by Dr. Jamieson, in an elaborate article to be found in the West- minster Review, vol. xvi. p. 125. 2 Transactions of the Society of the Anti- quaries of Scotland, vol. i. p. 408. SCOTISH POETRY. 6 spect to the prevalence of Celtic names, though too strongly stated, is not entirely without foundation; but all terms that are Celtic are not necessarily Gaelic, and we are assured that many of these names are of a Cumraig or Welsh origin. Such a fact as this directs our attention to a different race of Celts: that Scotland was originally peopled by a colony of Cumri, an able writer has shown to be extremely probable ;1 and proba- bility is the only evidence of which so dark a subject appears susceptible. The wandering Celts had, at a very remote era, spread their various tribes over a great portion of Europe ; and in many places they have left a few remnants of their speech, where there are no other vestiges of their progress. Such tribes as these produced no writers of annals; nor would it be very rational to expect that every emigration of every horde of savages or barbarians should be recorded in the page of history. ‘We may therefore admit that the south of Scotland was at some remote period inhabited by a Celtic people; but it is not a necessary inference that this people must be identified with the Picts. Whatever hypothesis may be adopted, it is not denied that many Celtic names of places have been retained where the inhabitants have long ceased to speak any dialect of the Celtic language. It may very naturally be conjectured that this primitive race of Celts was finally supplanted by new settlers ; and that those settlers, whether Scandinavians or some other Gothic tribe, adopted many of the names which the original in~ habitants had applied to mountains, rivers, and other conspicu- ous objects. That a similar process has been followed in innumerable instances, must be obvious to every person ac- quainted with the history of the European settlements in other quarters of the globe: the native appellations are almost always retained to a certain extent ; and these are mingled with other names, borrowed from the language of the colonists. Bede, who died in the year 735, relates that in the island of 1 Pinkerton’s Enquiry into the History of Scotland, vol. i. p. 14. Lond, 1789, 2 vols. 8vo. Professor Magnusen, who has more recently investigated the origin of the Picts, bestows sufficient commendation on the learn- himself unable to approve of all the argu- ments by which that opinion is supported, especially of those which rest upon erroneous interpretations of Scandinavian words and antiquities ; nor does he fail to express his disapprobation of Mr. Pinkerton’s unseason- ing and research of this writer, and to a cer- tain extent is disposed to adopt his leading opinions ; but, at the same time, he declares able invectives against the Celts. (Om Pic- ternes og deres Navns Oprindelse, 8, 56.) 8 THE HISTORY OF Britain the gospel was preached in five languages ; namely, those of the Angles, Britons, Scots, Picts, and Romans.! Here the languages of the south and of the north of Scotland are clearly distinguished from each other ; nor is there any apparent necessity for admitting the explanation of Buchanan, that we are merely to understand five dialects. Adomnan has stated that when St. Columba preached to the Picts, he had recourse to an interpreter.” As this saint was a native of Ireland, we may certainly infer that he spoke a dialect which was then in- telligible to the Celtic tribes of the north ; and both these early notices have a tendency to evince that the language of the Picts, if not a dialect of the Gothic, was at least very different from the Celtic of their northern neighbours. Of the languages anciently spoken in Britain, Henry of Huntingdon has given the same account as Bede ; but his testimony seems more liable to animadversion. According to Dr. Macpherson, he professes his astonishment to find the Pictish tongue was in his time totally extinguished, insomuch that the accounts given of it by writers of former ages have the appearance of downright fiction. Henry wrote his history within less than four hundred years after the Pictish nation was incorporated with the Scots. It is therefore matter of great surprise that no vestige of the Pictish tongue remained in his time, if it differed at all from the Gaelic of the Scots.* But this is by no means a complete exposition of the passage to which he refers. After having enumerated the Pictish among the other languages then spoken in Britain, the Archdeacon of Huntingdon proceeds to state that the Picts and their language seemed to be utterly extinct ;* and if one part of this averment should be found inaccurate, the other must at least be received with caution. The national appella- tion of Picts may then have been commonly merged in that of Scots; but that the nation itself was ever extirpated, is an 1 Bede Hist. Ecclesiast. Gentis Anglorum, nia; Brittonum videlicet, Anglorum, Scot- p. 41, edit. Smith. torum, Pictorum, et Latinorum, que doctrina 2 Adomnani Vita Columb, lib. ii. cap. Scripturarum ceteris omnibus est facta com- XXXIL munis : quamvis Picti jam videantur deleti, 3 Macpherson’s Dissertations on the An- RY eae ee ae seta a cient Caledonians, p. 57. Lond. 1768. 4to. eorum mentio sarc vs (Efenrteh Fan 4 © Quinque autem linguis utitur Britan- tingdonensis Historia, p. 299, apud Savile.) SCOTISH POETRY. 9 opinion which has at length become almost entirely obsolete : at the Battle of the Standard, fought in the year 1138, during the archdeacon’s own lifetime, the Picts are mentioned by different English historians as forming a part of King David's army.’ | If we should suppose the Picts to have been a Celtic people, a very hard problem will remain to be solved: By what extra- ordinary means could a distinct race of men, placed in such circumstances, be induced to reject one language, and to adopt another? This radical and unprecedented change, Dr. Geddes is disposed to ascribe to the operation of such causes as the fol- lowing : to the temporary subjection of the southern provinces of Scotland by the Northumbrians ; to the immense number of captives seized during the ancient wars with the English; to the planting of English garrisons in several of the Scotish towns ; to the amicable intercourse of the Picts with the Eng- lish ; and, finally, to the influence of Malcolm Kenmore’s cour- tiers, whom he supposes to have learnt the English language from Queen Margaret and her retinue. But it may without much temerity be affirmed that, in the entire annals of the human race, such an effect was never produced by such causes. In a more refined state of society, the love of knowledge, the hope of gain, or the influence of fashion, may induce many in- dividuals to betake themselves to the acquisition of foreign languages ; but the great body of the people will ever be dis- posed to rest perfectly satisfied with the speech, whether rude or cultivated, which they have derived from their parents. It is only by some great revolution, by a total conquest, or by an overwhelming extent of colonization, that the current language of a country can be materially changed. After the Norman con- quest, when French became the language of the court, and of the law, and when Norman barons were planted in almost every corner of England, did the combined operation of such causes eradicate the old, and establish a new language in its place? Many new words were unquestionably introduced, but these were merely engrafted on the old stock of the Anglo-Saxon.” “ Had ‘the 1 See Ailred de Bello Standardi, col. 342, lately been illustrated in an able history of apud Twysden, and Lord Hailes’ Annals of their law, written by Dr. Phillips, Professor Scotland, vol. i. p. 88, 3d edit. of Law in the University of Berlin. (Versuch 2 The history of the Anglo-Saxons ha einer Darstellung der Geschichte des Angel- 10 THE HISTORY OF Saxon,” as Dr. Jamieson well observes, “found its way into Scotland in the manner supposed, it would necessarily have been superinduced on the Gaelic. This has always been the case where one language prevailed over another ; unless the people who spoke the original language were either completely or nearly exterminated. Thus was the Norman gradually incor- porated with the Saxon, as the Frankish had been with the Latinized Celtic of France. But the number of Gaelic words to be found in what is called the Broad Scots bears a very small proportion to the body of the language.”’ And this solitary fact is indeed sufficient to evince that the inhabitants of the south of Scotland cannot be sprung from Celtic ancestors. Dr. Geddes must have been greatly at a loss for an illustration when he suggested, that “as the Greek was first propagated among the Romans through their Grecian captives, so might the Eng- lish captives be instrumental in spreading the Saxon among their Pictish masters.” The number of captives whom Malcolm brought from England in 1070 appears to have been immense ;” ~but even when the kingdom changes its masters, it never changes its language, unless the old inhabitants are nearly ex- tirpated ; and shall we impute to captives what could not have been effected by conquerors? Whether the influence of Gre- cian captives was so considerable as this learned writer seems to suppose, may perhaps admit of some dispute ; in one corner of Italy the Greek certainly continued to be a spoken language for many centuries after the foundation of Rome; and some of the inhabitants of the city possessed a familiar knowledge of that language before the commencement of the Macedonian war,’ and consequently before their countrymen could have sichsischen Rechts. Géttingen, 1825, 8vo.) Anglici generis, ita ut etiam usque hodie Omnino multas habet et egregias hic liber nulla non dico villula, sed nec domuncula Jaudes, atque ium non dubitamus unicuique commendare, qui rei publice Britannorum historiz peculiarem navat.” (Bibliotheca Critica nova, vol. iii, p. 265. Lugd. Bat. 1827, 8vo.) The learned author, who is of English origin, has formed the plan of illus- trating the juridical history of other northern nations. 1 Jamieson’s Dissertation on the Origin of the Scottish Language, p. 21. ‘“ Repleta est ergo Scotia servis et ancillis sine his valeat inveniri.’—(Simeon Dunel- mensis de Gestis Regum Anglorum, col. 201, apud Twysden.) 8 The first Macedonian war commenced in the year 540 from the foundation of Rome; but it is evident that some of its inhabitants were not unacquainted with the Greek lan- guage so early at least as the year 514. “ Antiquissimi doctorum,” says Suetonius, “qui jidem et poeta et oratores semigraci SCOTISH POETRY. 11 many Grecian captives; but, at all events, it has never been imagined that the Romans rejected their native tongue, and adopted that of captives and slaves. Dr. Geddes has ventured to specify the reign of Malcolm the Third, which commenced in the year 1057, as the period of a general denization of the Saxon language in Scotland. “That monarch,” he remarks, “had been bred in England. English, in consequence, would become the language of that court. The courtiers would carry it to their respective homes ; their domes- tics would be ambitious to speak the language of their masters ; and thus it would be gradually introduced into every fashionable circle.”’ But to introduce a language into every fashionable cir- cle, is somewhat different from rendering it the current speech of the people. French has long been the court language and the lan- guage of fashionable circles in England, and yet the great body of the people still persists in speaking English. Itis indeed true that Malcolm had spent many of his earlier years at the English court; but there is some reason to suspect that was not the best seminary for acquiring the English language. Into that court the language of France had already been introduced ; and it is extremely probable that this was the fashionable speech of Queen Margaret and her English retinue. Edward the Confessor, under whose protection Malcolm had continued for several years, was educated at the court of his uncle, Richard the Second, Duke of Normandy, and from his long residence in that country, might almost be considered as a Frenchman. Upon his accession to the throne of England in the year 1043, the whole nation, under the influence of the king and his Norman favourites, began to imitate the manners of France; and in particular, Ingulph erant (Livium et Ennium dico, quos utraque lingua domi forisque docuisse adnotum est) nihil amplius quam Grece interpretabantur, ac, si quid Latine ipsi composuissent, przle- gebant.” (De ilustribus Grammaticis, § 1.) Livius Andronicus flourished in the 514th year from the foundation of the city. Ennius was born in 515, and died in 585. The former was a Greek slave, and was employed in in- structing the children of Livius Salinator, to whom he was indebted for his liberty, and for his Roman name of Livius. The latter was a native of Rudie, a city of Magna Grecia. It was from Ennius that Cato the Censor learned the Greek tongue during his old age. 1 Gradenigo, Ragionamento istorico-critico intorno alla Letteratura Greco-Italiana, p. 16. Brescia, 1759, 8vo. 2 Verstegan reasons in nearly the same manner. (Restitution of decayed Intelli- gence, p. 180. Antwerp, 1605, 4to.) See likewise the preface to Dr. Wallis’s Gramma- tica Lingue Anglicane, p. 22, edit. Lond. 1765. 8vo. 12 THE HISTORY OF observes,! that all the nobility in their courts began to adopt the French language as a mark of gentility.” But if the language of Malcolm, his queen, and all his courtiers, had been purely English, and if they had exerted their united influence to sub- stitute it as the national speech, they would speedily have dis- covered the hopelessness of such an undertaking. To conquer a nation would be much easier than to change its current speech. In effecting this supposed transition from one language to another, a late ponderous writer, not entirely satisfied with the aid of the Anglo-Saxons, is disposed to ascribe much influence to Flemish soldiers and merchants. On the accession of Henry the Second, we are told, “ he banished the Flemings and other foreigners, who had come into England in such numbers during. the preceding reign.” His accession took place in the year 1154; and this writer conceives that many of these foreigners, having sought refuge in Scotland, contributed to produce a radical change in the language of the country. The commence- ment of the transitive state, he has deferred, about a century longer than Dr. Geddes; nor is it unworthy of remark, that all those who adopt the Celtic theory, differ most widely from each other as to the causes adequate.to produce the supposed effect. The insuperable difficulty of accounting for such a transition from a Celtic to a Gothic dialect, seems to render the conclusion obvious and unavoidable, that the Gothic speech of Scotland was derived from a Gothic race of ancestors. Nor is this con- clusion altogether free from difficulties, though they are of very inferior weight to those which are to be deposited in the opposite balance. It is the opinion of a late writer, who has investigated the subject with much ability, that the Picts emigrated from Scandinavia ;* and, according to this opinion, 1 Ingulphi Hist. Croyl. p. 62, apud Gale. 2 Warton’s Hist. of English Poetry, vol. i. Scandinavians, originally from Scythia, as they are said to have come over the Northern Sea, Triad 7.” (Roberts’s Sketch of the p. 8, Tyrwhitt’s Essay on the Language and Versification of Chaucer, p. 4. 3 Chalmers’s Caledonia, vol. i. p. 600, 769. 4 Pinkerton’s Enquiry into the History of Scotland, vol. i. p. 168 ‘The Picts, or more properly Phichts, probably a colony of Early History of the Cymry, or Ancient Britons, p. 125. London, 1803, vo.) Ritson has remarked, “that the Scythia of Bede is universally allowed to be Scandia, Scandi- navia, modern Denmark, or Jutland.” (An- nals, vol. i. p. 78.) SCOTISH POETRY. 13 the Picts and Saxons must have spoken two dialects of the same original tongue. The Pictish must have been more ancient than the Anglo-Saxon, which was however the language of a more learned people. If the Picts began to direct their attention to literary composition, they might naturally enough be inclined to study such models as their more cultivated neighbours could then furnish. Whether the Pictish, while it continued unmixed, was a written language, we have indeed no means of ascertain- ing; but it may be presumed that the use of letters was introduced with the knowledge of Christianity.1_ The account which places the conversion of Scotland at the beginning of the third century, is evidently supported by vague and doubtful evidence, inasmuch as it chiefly rests on the authority of some nameless versifier quoted by Fordun.? Tertullian, who flourished about this period, is supposed to afford additional evidence,® when he remarks that those parts of Britain which the Romans had found inaccessible were however subjected by Christ.* But on such authorities as these we cannot very safely rely; the verses were probably fabricated by some zealous monk ; and it has been sufficiently shown that the passage quoted from the ancient father is too indefinite to be received as a proof of this particular fact.° The first authentic account of the propagation of Christianity in this part of the island is to be found in the Ecclesiastical History of Bede, who informs us that the southern Picts were converted by Ninian, Bishop of Whithern ;* and this event Archbishop Usher refers to the year 412.7. Bede further 1 See Ritson’s Annals of the Caledonians, Picts, and Scots, vol. i. p. 126. 2 Forduni Scotichronicon, vol. i. p. 72, edit. Goodall. Layamon also states that the Picts, “‘ folk of much might,” came from Scythia. (Layamon's Brut or Chronicle of Britain, a poetical Semi-Saxon paraphrase of the Brut of Wace, vol. i. p. 423. London, 1847, 3 vols. 8vo.) 8 Forbesii Instructiones Historico-Theolo- gice, p. 171. Amst. 1645, folio. The same conclusion had been drawn by Baronius, Annales Ecclesiastici, tom. v. p. 537. By neglecting to distinguish Scotland from Ireland, the Scotia of the ancients, this writer has been betrayed into several errors. 4 Tertullian. adversus Judeos, cap. vii. “The language,” says Bishop Kaye, in refer- ence to the entire passage, ‘is declamatory, yet such a representation would not have been hazarded, unless it had been realized to a considerable extent in the actual state of Christianity.” (Ecclesiastical History of the Second and Third Centuries, illustrated from the writings of Tertullian, p. 94. Cambridge, 1826, 8vo.) 5 Richardson, Prelectiones Ecclesiastice, vol. ii. p. 91. London, 1726, 2 tom. 8vo. 6 Bede Hist. Heclesiast. Gentis Anglorum, p. 106, 7 Usserii Britannicarum Ecclesiarum Anti- quitates, p. 1094. Dublin, 1639, 4to. ‘‘ Nini- anus Britannus, cujus fama per literas notis- sima omneis Britannic insule partes quas oceanus alluit, inradiat, non est cum de illustribus agitur, temere silentio preetereun- dus.” (Leland. de Scriptoribus Britannicis, tom. i. p. 56.) 14 THE HISTORY OF relates that St. Columba arrived from Ireland in the year 565. Before this period a considerable number of the Picts had perhaps been converted to the Christian faith; but it was not till after the commencement of his mission that the king and the nobility abjured Paganism. Wherever Christianity is propagated, something approaching to civilisation must either be produced, or must previously have existed ; without some power of reasoning and susceptibility of feeling, its doctrines can find no proper receptacle. With this new religion the Picts must have acquired new ideas, and new ideas are apt to introduce new words. Of their progress in literature, however, we have no vestige of evidence. The name of the Pictish nation and tongue was finally merged in that of the Scotish; and the history of the language under this new denomination becomes somewhat more intelligible. It is scarcely to be doubted that our early poets were intimately acquainted with such models of composition as the French language then afforded ; and this circumstance will partly en- able us to account for the correspondent progress of the Scot- ish, as a language distinct from the English. French indeed appears to have been the fashionable speech of the ancient Scotish court. To Alexander the Third, whose reign commenced in the year 1249, the coronation oath was first administered in Latin, and afterwards in French." We cannot but suppose that both languages were understood by some portion of the audience: the coronation being considered as a species of reli- gious ceremony, the oath was administered in Latin, the lan- guage of the church ; and, as there is every reason to infer, was repeated in a language more intelligible to the nobility who were 1 “ Prius Latine, postea Gallice.” (Bower, ants are termed Galli. ‘‘ Rediens autem Scotichronicon, vol. ii. p. 81.) The obvious interpretation of the latter word is, in French ; but Mr. Innes supposes it may here signify, in Gaelic. Mr. Pinkerton avers that “it is French all the world over; and, had Gaelic been implied, it would have been Hibernice ; for writers of a century or two after call it Irish. Gaelic is a very late word, nay, I believe unknown till this present cen- tury.” (Essay on the Origin of Scotish Poetry, p. 64.) The last assertion is perhaps erroneous; for in the Aberdeen Breviary, printed in 1509 and 1510, the Celtic inhabit- Sanctus Irchardus per Pictaviam, Pictos mul- tum per Gallos vidit subjugatos et in servitu- tem redactos.” (Breviarium Aberdonense, tom. ii. Aug. f. 89, a.) But as Bower has never used the word in this sense, we are apparently authorized to conclude that, by the adverb Gallice, he intended to convey the meaning which has now been assigned. In an act of the General Assembly, passed so late as the year 1717, Gaelic is described as the Irish language. (Dundas’s Abridgement, p. 119 ;) and the modern term Earse is mani- festly a corruption of Irish. SCOTISH POETRY. 15 present. The negotiations at Norham, between Edward the First and the Scotish nobles, appear to have been chiefly con- ducted in the French tongue ; and for this circumstance, as Mr. Tyrwhitt observes, it will be difficult to account, unless we sup- pose French to have been the language of both courts. As Latin and French were in both kingdoms the languages of the learned and great, it is sufficiently probable that, when they had occa- sion to speak in their native tongue, they were satisfied with employing the phraseology of the vulgar. The spoken dialects of the two nations might differ much more widely than their written speech. In anassembly of the dignified clergy, Malcolm the Third performed the office of an interpreter to his queen.* It is stated by Bower, that when James the First was detained in England, he heard a language with which he was not previously acquainted ;? and yet of the Scotish poets who flourished about this era, the compositions do not, in point of language, differ so materially from those of their English contemporaries. The history of these kindred tongues may be illustrated from that of some others, derived from the same Gothic origin. The Islandic, Swedish, and Danish languages are all descended from the ancient Scandinavian. Island, which, as Dr. Miiller has re- marked, is entitled to particular attention as the foster-mother of northern history,’ was peopled by a colony of Norwegians in the year 874. This race of men, confined to a remote island, and maintaining but little intercourse either of peace or war with other nations, has preserved its ancient language with singular purity. The Swedes and Danes, more extensively engaged in the pursuits of commerce, and more closely con- nected with the rest of mankind, have exhibited a different progress ; but while both languages have receded very widely 1 Turgoti Vita Margarete, cap. ii. 2 “tsi linguam quam non noverat audi- vit, artes tamen mechanicas, et scientias morales, quas non noverat, didicit et intel- lexit.” (Bower, vol. ii. p. 506.) Baldwyn represents King James as learning the Eng- lish language : ‘‘Seeing he was brought up in England, where he learned the language, hys example also so notable it wer not mete it should be forgotten.” (Myrrour for Magis- trates, f. xxxy. b. edit. London, 1563. 4to.) 3 Miiller’s Sagabibliothek, med Anmeerk- ninger og indledende Afhandlinger, 1 Bind. 8.4. Kistbenhavn, 1817-20, 3 Bind. 8vo. 4 Dr. Sharpe has well stated, that “War, invasion, conquest, treaties, intercourse with different nations, commerce, colonies, rise of arts, logical refinements, controversies, time or age, and the humours of a people, are all causes of alteration in language.” (Two Dis- sertations, upon the Origin of Language, and upon the Original Powers of Letters, p. 35, edit. Lond. 1751, 8vo ) 16 THE HISTORY OF from the Islandic, they have not receded very widely from each other; a similar state of society, similar relations with other countries, and the study of the same foreign authors, have produced corresponding changes in both.’ In the history of these two languages we do not indeed find a complete parallel with that of the Scotish and English; the Swedish and Danish are both dialects of the ancient Scandinavian, while the Scotish is derived from the Scandinavian, and the English from the ancient German. But the Scandinavian and the German proceeded from the same common stock ; and when we ascend to a period sufficiently remote, they are only to be regarded as dialects of the same language.’ “It is to be re- marked,” says Baron Holberg, “that various languages were used in Great Britain from the first arrival of the Anglo- Saxons. The English tongue, or that which was spoken by the Angles, differed very little from the Danish, because the Angles came from Jutland ; on which account their language was also called by ancient writers Cimbric, or Gothic. This language was spoken in the provinces which lay north of the river Thames, as the Saxon was in the south. Although they differed from each other, yet the distinction was not so great but that each of them could be understood by both nations, the Angles and the Saxons. These languages flourished together in the country, till the heptarchy was abolished, and the seven small kingdoms united ; for then the Saxon began to prevail together with the Saxon kings, and the English or Danish fell gradually into disuse. But afterwards, when a new swarm of Danes established themselves in the country, the Danish again came into use, although it was not the same that the Angles or South 1 The spoken language of Norway only differs from that of Denmark as the dialect of one province differs from that of another; the written language is the same in both countries. ‘‘ Norvegi, quamvis Danice lo- quantur, ex diverso enunciandi sono, a Danis dignoscuntur.” See Pauli Vidalini de Lingue Septentrionalis Appellatione Danica, Com- mentatio, p. 222, subjoined to Sagan af Gunn- laugi. Hafnie, 1775, 4to. Capt. De Capell Brooke has remarked, that “the Norwegian language, which hardly differs from the Dan- ish, resembles English very much; and a Scotchman, in particular, will find many of the words, and even phrases, so exactly simi- lar to those of his own country, and spoken with the same accent, that the acquisition of it will be extremely easy to him.” (Travels through Sweden, Norway, and Finmark, to the North Cape, p. 162. Lond. 1823, 4to.) 2 Unde Normanni? unde, nisi ex Dania et Norvegia? Unde Anglo-Saxones? Ex eadem Dania et Cimbrica Chersoneso, Germanias et Gallias tum suo tum aliis nominibus oc- eupantes.” (Sperlingii de Danica Lingua Commentariolus, p. 2. Hafnie, 1694, 4to.) SCOTISH POETRY. 17 Jutlanders had brought with them.”! “The Danish and Anglo- Saxon,” says Mr. Ellis, “the supposed parents of the Scotish and English languages, were distinct dialects of the elder Gothic ; but, in the infancy of literature, the poets of both countries, being equally dissatisfied with the poverty of their respective jargons, and conscious of the superior elegance which appeared in the French minstrel compositions, vied with each other in borrowing from these favourite models as many words and phrases as it was possible to incorporate with their native forms of speech. In consequence of this practice, the two languages seem to have attained, about the middle of the four- teenth century, their greatest degree of similarity. But these foreign words, being once naturalized, could not fail of under- going considerable alterations, because the broader vowel- sounds, the gutturals, and the strongly-aspirated accents of the Scots, differed equally from the French and English pronuncia- tion; and this difference was preserved and increased, on both sides, by discordant and capricious systems of orthography. At the same time, as the number of readers increased, the writers became desirous of accommodating themselves to the general taste; and, consequently, began to transplant from col- loquial into literary language a variety of popular expressions, which, being peculiar to the one country, were obscure, or even unintelligible, to the natives of the other.”? As an insuperable objection to the theory which we have adopted, it has been urged, that in the Scandinavian dialects, the definite article is uniformly postpositive, coalescing with the substantive ; that in those dialects there is a simple passive voice, instead of its being formed, as in all the languages of Germanic origin, by the perfect participle and the substantive verb ; and that most of the particles in the Scotish language are manifestly of a Germanic, not Scandinavian origin.*? This objection is very plausible in itself, and has been ably stated ; but perhaps it may in some measure be obviated by a reference to the history of Orkney and its language. It is not disputed 1 Dannemarks Riges Historie ved Ludvig 2Ellis’s Specimens of the Early English Holberg, i B. 1508S See Herbert’s Works, Poets, vol. i. p. 395, 4th edit. vol. i. p. 183. 3 Quarterly Review, vol lv. p. 361. 2s B 18 THE HISTORY OF that those islands were peopled by the Scandinavians. They were long subject to the Norwegians or Danes, nor were they finally ceded to the crown of Scotland till the year 1469, when James the Third married a princess of Denmark. “ All,” says Dr. Wallace, “speak English, after the Scots way, with as good an accent as any county in the kingdom; only some of the common people, amongst themselves, speak a language they call Norns, which they have derived to them either from the Picts, or some others who first planted this country.”’ Norns evidently signifies Norse or Norwegian ; and this writer has subjoined the Lord’s Prayer in the Scandinavian dialect of Orkney. “For many years past,” says Dr. Barry, “it has been almost entirely forgotten, except in one parish in the heart of the Mainland, where the people are said, till of late, to have retained some acquaintance with it. In Shetland it continued much longer; for within these thirty years, there were some people in Fula, and even perhaps in other places, who not only recollected words, such as the names of things, but could repeat many stanzas, if not whole poems, in that language. Here it now exists only in a few vulgar and obsolete words, and in the names of men and places.”” The people, from their remote and secluded situation, were not much exposed to foreign influence on their ordinary pursuits and current speech. The Scandi- navian inhabitants were doubtless mixed with Scotish settlers of different denominations ; but although those settlers might, 1 Wallace’s Account of the Islands of Ork- ney, p. 68. Lond. 1700, 8vo. He has pub- lished one very curious document, dated at Kirkwall, in 1403, and bearing the form of an consisting of fourteen pages, is reprinted in the Appendix to Orkneyinga Saga. Hafnice, 1780, 4to. It is likewise reprinted in the Appendix to Dr. Barry’s History of the Ork- epistle, addressed to Eric, king of Norway, by Thomas, bishop of Orkney, the canons of St. Magnus, “ legifer, ceterique proceres, no- biles, populus, ac communitas ejusdem.” The King had directed them to investigate the claims of William Sinclair to the Earldom of Orkney. Here, among other historical state- ments, we find the following: “Sed verum est quod tune non denominabatur Orcadia, sed terra Petorum, sicut clare verificatur hodie adhuc, cronica attestante, per mare dividens Scociam et Orcadiam, quod usque ad hodiernum diem mare Petlandicum ap- pellatur.” According to their statements, Orkney was, at a very early period, denomi- nated the land of the Picts. This document, ney Islands, where it is accompanied with a Scotish translation, executed in 1554, by Tho- mas Gule, or more probable, Yule, a monk of Newbattle Abbey. The translation seems to be very inaccurately printed. I shall quote one curious specimen : ‘‘ With certane sawlis of others faythfull parsonis of the cuntrie, till thair presents ar to-Hangit at Kirkwaw in Orchadie.” We ought manifestly to read seillis, and ar to-hangit—‘‘ sunt appensa.” The history of these islands is copiously de- tailed by Torfeus, Oreades, seu Rerum Or- cadensium Historie libri tres. Havnie, 1697, fol. 2 Barry’s History of the Orkney Islands, p. 222. Bdinb. 1805, 4to. SCOTISH POETRY. 19 from time to time, engraft a variety of new words, it is scarcely to be imagined that they were so numerous as to plant a new language. We may suppose the inhabitants of Orkney, like those of the lowlands, to have effected a slow and gradual modification of the dialect which their ancestors brought from the shores of the Baltic; and as they were evidently a more recent body of emigrants, the present dialect of their posterity was more recently formed. It is not to be concealed that Barbour, Winton, Henry, and other early poets of Scotland, have described their native lan- guage as English.’ This application of the name has been explained, with at least some degree of plausibility, by referring to the circumstance of the Gaelic being then denominated the Scotish language.” A Celtic and a Gothic dialect could not be described by the same term; and “when, by a necessary con- tingency, the Gothic language had in the same space, though in different nations, retained much the same hues, the name of that dialect, which was spoken by the greater and politer people, was imparted to the other inhabiting a contiguous part of the very same island.”® Mr, Pinkerton is less fortunate in another suggestion, namely, that it is not more strange to perceive that the Italian, French, and Spanish languages were originally termed Romance. They were all described by this common name, because they were all derived from one common source, the language of the Romans ; but we are not inclined to believe that Scotish and English stand in precisely the same relation to each other. It is worthy of remark, that Douglas, one of the most learned of our early poets, has evidently represented the Scotish and English as two distinct languages :-— And zit forsoith I set my besy pane, As that I couth, to mak it brade and plane, 1 This wes the spek he maid, perfay ; Like to the Scottis be mekill gouernance, And is in Inglis toung to say. Saiff off his tong, for Ingliss had he nane. Barzour’s Bruce, p. 72. Henry’s Wallace, p. 231. Allsua set I myne intent, 2 Duabus enim utuntur linguis, Scotica My wyt, my wyll, and myne talent, videlicet et Teutonica; cujus lingue gens Fra that I sene had storis sere maritimas possidet et planas regiones : lingue In cronnyklys quhare thai wryttyne were, vero gens Scotice montanas inhabitat, et in- Thare matere in-tyl fowrme to drawe sulas ulteriores.” (Forduni Scotichronicon, Off Latyne in-tyl Ynglys sawe. vol, i. p. 44.) Winron’s Cronykil, vol. i. p. 4. 3 Pinkerton’s Essay on the Origin of Scot- Lykly he was, manlik off contenance, ish Poetry, p. Ixxi. 20 THE HISTORY OF Kepand no Sodroun, bot oure awin langage, And speke as I lerned quhen I wes ane page: Na zit so clene all Sudroun I refuse, Bot sum worde I pronunce as nychboure dois ; Like as in Latine bene Grewe termes sum, So me behuffit quhilum, or be dum, Sum bastard Latyne, Frensche, or Ynglis ois, Quhare scant wes Scottis, I had nane vther chois ; Not that oure toung is in the seluin skant, But for that I the fouth of langage want.t As our ancestors apparently derived their language, they may likewise be supposed to have derived their poetry, from the Scandinavians. There is scarcely any nation so rude and bar- barous ag to be utterly inaccessible to the Muses ;’ even the dreary wastes of Greenland are occasionally cheered by the strains of poetry and music. We are informed that the natives chiefly display their wit in satirical songs, which they compose against each other ; and that he who is victorious in this species of contest, is applauded by the rest of the assembly. “There is not to be expected great ingenuity or sallies and points of wit in their poesies, yet there is some cadence and number in their verses, and some kind of rhime in them.”* The various tribes of Scandinavians have generally been distinguished by their love of poetry ; many ancient reliques of Islandic poetry are still preserved, and are regarded as very curious specimens of the literature of the various ages to which they belong ; nor are the kindred nations of Sweden and Denmark without their early and recent poets, some of whom have attained to high reputa- tion. Of the ballad poetry of these northern nations, many early remnants have descended to our times; and ample collec- 1 Douglas's Virgil, pref. p. 5, edit. Edinb. 1710, fol. :—‘‘ Gif ze throw curiositie of no- uationis hes forget our auld plane Scottis, quhilk zour mother lerit you, in times cum- ing I sall wryte to zou my mynd in Latin ; for I am nocht acquyntit with zour Southeroun.” (Winzet’s Buke of four-scoir-thre Questions, tueching Doctrine, Ordour, and Maneris, sig. H. 4. Antwerp, 1563, 8vo.) Inanother publication, the same writer expresses him- self thus :—‘‘ And zit I hoip yat yow sal think me to speik propir langage, conforme to our auld brade Scottis.” (Vincentius Lirinensis for the Antiquitie and Veritie of the Catho- lik Fayth, aganis ye prophane Nouationis of al Heereseis, translatit in Scottis be Niniane Winzet, a Catholik Priest, sig. a. 4b Ant- werp, 1563, 8vo.) 2 In climes beyond the solar road, Where shaggy forms o’er ice-built mountains roam, The Muse has broke the twilight gloom, To cheer the shivring natives’ doll abode. Gray’s Progress of Poesy. 8 Egede’s Description of Greenland, trans- lated from the Danish, pp. 153, 154. Lond. 1745, 8vo. SCOTISH POETRY. 21 tions of Danish,’ Swedish,” and even Feroese* ballads have re- cently been published by respectable editors. This species of composition seems in several countries to be referable to a very remote age. “The songs mentioned by Tacitus in his account of the Germans,” says Mr. Jamieson, “ those collected by the order of Charlemagne, and those which the Goths brought with them out of the east, are now not to be found; yet it is more than probable, that much more of them is preserved, in however altered a form, than we are aware of ; in the elder northern and Teutonic romances, the Danish and Swedish, Scottish and Eng- lish popular ballads, and those which are sung by old women and nurses, and hawked about at fairs in Germany.”* The same ingenious and well-informed writer has elsewhere expressed his conviction, that many of the traditionary ballads still current in this kingdom have been preserved in the north of England and the lowlands of Scotland, ever since the arrival of the ancient settlers in Britain.? Many of our historical ballads may at all events be considered as the productions of a remote period ; but it is not to be supposed that they have been transmitted from one generation to another without innumerable transformations. A great proportion of them have doubtless been preserved by oral tradition, and they seem in general to have undergone such changes as brought them nearer to the current speech of each successive generation ; for, without this progressive adaptation, the lapse of a few centuries would have rendered them unintel- ligible to a great majority of the people ; nor is it usual for any ! Udvalgte Danske Viser fra Middelalde- ren ; efter A. S. Vedels og P. Syvs trykte Ud- gaver og efter haandskrevne Samlingerudgivne paa ny af Abrahamson, Nyerup, og Rahbek. Kidbenhavn, 1812-14, 5 Bind. 8vo. 2 Svenska Folk-Visor fran Forntiden, sam- lade och utgifne af Er. Gust. Geijer och Arv. Aug. Afzelius. Stockholm, 1814-16, 3 del. Svo. 3 Ferdiske Qveeder om Sigurd Fofnersbane og hans At, med et Anhang: samlede og oversatte af Hans Christian Lyngbye, Sogne- prest i Gjesing ; med en Indledning af P. E. Miller, Dr. og Prof.-i Theol. Randers, 1822, 8vo. Debes mentions that, at their weddings and at Christmas, the Feroese were accus- tomed to “recreate themselves with a plain dance, holding one another by the hand, and singing some old champion’s ballad.” (De- scription of the Islands and Inhabitants of Foeroe, Englished by Dr. Sterpin, p. 273. Lond. 1676, 12mo.) These islands were peopled in the ninth century by a colony of Norwegians. (Torfei Commentatio historica de. Rebus gestis Foreyensium seu Farden- sium, p. 7. Havnie, 1695, 8vo.) The lan- guage of the people, as it appears in these pallads, is removed to a considerable distance from the Islandic as well as the Danish. 4 Illustrations of Northern Antiquities, p. 245. Edinb. 1814, 4to. 5 Jamieson’s Popular Ballads and Songs, vol. ii. p. 87. Edinb. 1806, 2 vols. 8vo. See however, Mr. Finlay’s Scotish Historical and Romantic Ballads, vol. i. p. xxv. Edinb. 1808, 2 vols. 8vo. 22 THE HISTORY OF combination of words to be retained in the memory without being understood. Thus, for example, we have reason to believe that the ballad of Sir Patrick Spence derives its origin from a very early age; but the variations to which it must gradually have been subjected, may easily be inferred from a comparison of the different copies which are now to be found.’ A story may. thus be preserved, when most of the original words have been changed. The close affinity between the old. Danish and the old Scotish and English ballads has been noticed by various writers, by Pinkerton, Jamieson, Nyerup, Geijer, and Grimm ;? their resemblance is to be traced in the general spirit and contrivance of the poems; while some of the Danish and Scotish ballads exhibit a remarkable coincidence in their parti- cular stories. "Whether these effects are to be imputed to so remote a cause as the emigrations of the ancient Scandinavians, may however admit of much doubt and hesitation. Fiction moves from one region to another with very elastic steps, and in many instances it is impossible to trace her progress. Dr. Percy, the late worthy bishop of Dromore, has very ably attempted to prove that the romances of chivalry may be deduced in a lineal descent from the historical songs of the ancient Gothic bards and scalds; and as a strong indication of this descent, he remarks, that many of those songs, still preserved in the north, exhibit all the seeds of chivalry before it had assumed the appearance of a regular institution.® This romantic spirit of gallantry had likewise been described by Mallet as an early characteristic of the northern nations,‘ and as having long pre- ceded the order of chivalry, which formed a branch of the feudal system, and is referred to so recent a period as the eleventh cen- tury.’ A devoted and respectful attachment to the fair sex, a 1 Percy’s Reliques of Ancient English Poetry, vol. i. p. 81. Scott’s Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border, vol. i. p. 7. Jamie- son’s Popular Ballads and Songs, vol. i. p. 157. See Mr. Motherwell’s Minstrelsy, An- cient and Modern, p. xliv. Glasg. 1827, 4to. 2 Pinkerton’s Enquiry, vol. i. p. 364. Jamie- son’s Ballads, vol. ii. p. 87. Nyerup, Danske Viser, 5 Bind. s. 12. Geijer, Svenska Folk- Visor, 1 del. s. liv. The affinity between the old English and the old Danish ballads is no- ticed in the preface (s. xxxi.) to “ Altdanische Heldenlieder, Balladen, und Marchen, tiber- setzt von Wilhelm Carl Grimm.” Heidelberg, 1811, 8vo. 8 Percy’s Essay on the Ancient Metrical Romances. Reliques, vol. iii. p. 3. 4 See Dr. Stuart’s View of Society in Eu- rope, p. 51. Edinb. 1778, 4to. 5 Mallet’s Northern Antiquities, vol. i. p. 318; vol. ii. p. 234. This opinion respecting the progress of chivalry from the north, has been recently controverted by Depping, Histoire des Expéditions maritimes des Normands, et SCOTISH POETRY. 23 romantic deference to their opinions and wishes, were but little felt by the most celebrated people of antiquity ; nor could the Romans, by the influence of their manners or literature, impart to the conquered provinces a tender elevation of sentiment of which they were themselves unconscious. Of the merits of a beautiful mistress or chaste wife, we cannot suppose them to have been insensible ; but the gallantry of the ancient Romans was very different from the gallantry of the chivalrous ages. After the fall of the Roman empire, new sentiments of devoted- ness to the softer sex began to be widely diffused ; and, as Mallet remarks, these sentiments, so peculiar to the northern nations, could only be diffused by themselves. With this characteristic spirit of gallantry, they are likewise supposed to have conveyed to more southern climates, that appropriate vein of composition which belongs to romance. About the beginning of the tenth century, the Northernmen, under the command of Rollo, made a formidable descent upon the coasts of France, and obtained possession of a considerable territory, which was afterwards de- nominated Normandy. The Scandinavian chiefs were com- monly attended by their scalds, and at that period the scaldic art, that is the art of northern poetry, had arrived at a high degree of perfection. It is scarcely to be doubted, although the fact is not recorded in history, that these warriors were accompanied by various scalds, ready to celebrate the achievements of which they themselves were witnesses ; and the northern vein of com- position seems thus to have been communicated to another cli- inate.” The conquerors were not sufficiently numerous to intro- de leur Etablissement en France au dixiéme 8vo.) The trouveres of the north differed Siécle, tom. ii. p. 252. Paris, 1826, 2 tom. very materially from the troubadours of the 8vo. south, not merely in the language, but like- 1 See Meiners, Geschichte des weiblichen Geschiechts, i. Th. 8. 198. Hannover, 1788- 1800, 4 Theile, 8vo. This writer, relying on the authority of Pelloutier’s Histoire des Celtes, confounds the Gothic and Celtic nations, which are sufficiently distinguished from each other. 2 It was in Normandy that some of the earliest specimens of French poetry made their appearance. (La Ravalliére, Poésies du Roy de Navarre, tom. i. p. 128, 166. Roque- fort del’Etat de la Poésie Frangaise dans Jes xi, et xine. Siécles, p. 39, Paris, 1815, wise in the general complexion of their poetry : the lively tales of the former are still capable of affording much entertainment ; in the compositions of the latter we find more of sentiment and less of character. Many of the ancient fabliauz have been preserved in the French libraries, and some ample collec- tions ;have been given to the public. The collection originally formed by Barbarzan has been enlarged and improved by Meon : ‘ Fa- pliaux et Contes des Poétes Francois des XI. XII. x1. xIv. et xve. Siécles.” Paris, 1808, 4 tom. Svo. The same meritorious edi- 24 THE HISTORY OF duce their native language into this new settlement ; they gra- dually adopted the language of the more numerous inhabitants, imparting to it some of the peculiarities of their northern speech. With the language, they likewise adopted the religion of the people with whom they were thus associated. They were appa- rently unwilling that the memory of the Scandinavian heroes should perish ; for Holger the Dane, under the name of Ogier Danois, became a conspicuous character in romance ;' but, as the Bishop of Dromore has remarked, they generally substituted the heroes of Christendom for those of their pagan ancestors, and began to celebrate the exploits of Charlemagne, Roland, and Oliver, whose genuine history they embellished with the scaldic figments of dwarfs, giants, dragons, and enchantments. He adds that the earliest mention of those personages as heroes of chi- valry, occurs in the song of a Norman minstrel at the battle of Hastings. Such is the hypothesis of this accomplished prelate, which, if not completely satisfactory, is at least plausible and ingeni- ous ; but other writers have endeavoured to trace this romantic fabling to a very different source. Salmasius supposed it to have been borrowed from the Arabians ; a similar opinion was adopted by Bishop Warburton,” and was copiously illustrated by Mr. Warton ;? but, notwithstanding his powerful support, it tor has likewise published another collection, entitled, ‘‘ Nouveau Recueil de Fabliaux et Contes inédits.” Paris, 1823, 2 tom. Svo. A very readable and pleasant book was formed by Le Grand, who transfused a copious selec- tion of fabliaum into prose, and illustrated them in a lively and graceful manner. ‘“Fa- blianx ou Contes, de xe. et du xure. Siécle, traduits ou extraits d’aprés plusieurs Manu- scrits du tems.” Paris, 1779-81, 4 tom. 8vo. Paris, 1781, 5 tom. 12mo. To the second edi- tion he has added a dissertation on the trou- badours, in which the merits of those southern poets are not very favourably estimated. From this publication of Le Grand, the late Mr. Way selected a considerable number of tales, and translated them into English verse with uncommon felicity : and the value of the work was not a little enhanced by the preface and notes of Mr. Ellis, written with his usual taste and information. ‘ Fabliaux or Tales. abridged from French Manuscripts of the xuth and ximth Centuries, by M. Le Grand, selected and translated into English verse.” Lond. 1796-1800, 2 vols. vo. 1 The story of this hero has been industri- ously, but not very critically investigated by Thomas Bartholinus, in a little volume, en- titled, ‘‘De Holgero Dano, qui Caroli Magni Tempore floruit, Dissertatio historica.” Haf- nize, 1677, Svo. 2 Warburton, in a long and rambling note on Love’s Labour Lost, makes the following remark: ‘Nor were the monstrous embel- lishments of enchantments, etc., the inven- tion of the romancers, but formed upon eastern tales, brought thence by travellers from their crusades and pilgrimages.” Shak- Speare, vol. iv. p. 470.) 8 Warton’s Dissertation on the Origin of Romantic Fiction in Europe. Another writer of ingenuity and learning has very recently supported the same opinion. (Fairy Mytho- logy, vol. i. p. 46. Lond. 1828, 2 vols. 8vo.) SCOTISH POETRY. 25 has not been generally admitted in its full extent. Bishop Percy and Mr. Tyrwhitt’ have clearly demonstrated that the superstructure rests on no adequate foundation. Other writers persuade themselves that Armorica was the cradle of romantic fiction ;? nor is this opinion entirely destitute of plausibility. The natives of that country were of a Celtic origin; and they are said to have afforded a place of refuge to a large colony of Britons, who, flying from their Saxon conquerors, carried along with them such historical records or traditions as they pos- sessed. In this manner we may suppose the marvellous tales of King Arthur, and his knights of the round table, to have been imparted to the early poets of France; and it is at least certain, that even the Norman poets frequently profess to have derived their stories from the lays of Armorica. It is not per- haps very safe to adopt any one of these hypotheses, to the exclusion of the other two; and Mr. Ellis is of opinion, that that they are by no means incompatible. There is, as he con- ceives, no absurdity in supposing that the scenes and charac- ters of romantic story were, to a great extent, derived from the Armoricans, or from the Welsh; that much of the colouring, and perhaps some particular adventures, may be of Scandina- vian origin ; and that occasional episodes, together with some portion of the machinery, may have been borrowed from the Arabians. “In fact,” as he very ably remarks, “there is reason to believe that critics, in their survey of Gothic literature, as well as of Gothic architecture, have too hastily had recourse to a single hypothesis, for the purpose of explaining the probable origin of forms and proportions which appeared unusual, and of ornaments which were thought to arise from a wild and cap- ricious fancy ; and in both cases it will perhaps be found that invention is often nothing more than accidental association, and that what has been attributed to originality of design, was only 1 Shakspeare, vol. iv. p. 473, Edit. 1821. See likewise Ritson’s Dissertation on Ro- tagne et au pays de Galles, dont notre Bré- tagne est sortie.” (Jordan, Histoire de la mance and Minstrelsy (p. li.), prefixed to his Ancient Engleish Metrical Romaneis. Lond. 1802, 3 vols. 8vo. 2 This was the opinion of La Croze, a man of variegated erudition: ‘Tous les romans de chevalerie doivent leur origine Ala Bré- Vie et des Ouvrages de M. La Croze, p. 220. Amst. 1741, Svo.) See likewise Dr. Leyden’s Dissertation on the Complaynt of Scotland, p. 257; and Taylor’s Historic Survey of Ger- man Poetry, vol. i. p. 121, Lond. 1830, 3 vols. Svo. 26 THE HISTORY OF the result of an awkward attempt to combine incongruous materials.” Human nature is in all ages and in all countries essentially the same; and similar customs are to be traced among tribes of mankind the most widely removed from each other in time and place. When some modern writers described the process of tattooing, so prevalent among the savages of the present age, they were not perhaps aware that Herodotus had discovered the very same custom among the Thracians,” and Xenophon among the Cappadocians.? When we trace a similar 1 Ellis’s Specimens of the Early English Metrical Romances, vol. i. p. 37, 2d edit. 2 The practice of imprinting marks on the body is prohibited by Moses: ‘‘ Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you.” (Leviticus, xix. 28.) The first clause refers to a particu- lar occasion, and the second apparently con- tains a general prohibition. This method of imprinting marks was practised by the Arabians, a people of kindred origin. (Hot- tingeri Juris Hebreorum Leges ccux1. p. 392. Tiguri, 1655, 4to.) Among the an- eient Thracians, tattooing was a mark of superior rank. Kal 7d wer éorix Oat, ed- yeves Kéxpirar’ 7d 8 dorixrov dyevés. (Herodotus, lib. v. p. 374, edit., Wesselingii.) This passage affords a sufficient illustration of the following line of Valerius Flaccus, Ar- gonaut. lib. i. v. 150 :— Picta manus, ustoque placet sed barbara mento. Phanocles assigns a poetical origin to the practice of tattooing the Thracian women, re- presenting it as a continued mark of their crime in murdering Orpheus. (Philete Coi, Hermesianactis Colophonii, atque Phanoclis Reliquiz, disposuit, emendavit, illustravit Nicolaus Bachius, p. 200. Halis Saxonum, 1829, 8vo.) “As dNdxous Eorifor, tv’ év xpot ojuar’ eyoucat Kudvea, orvyepod ph AeAdOowro ovou" Tlowas 8 'Opdqe Krapévy: orifover ~yuvatKas Els ére vv, xeiwns elvexev dumrda- Kgs. 3 Ilouxtdous 8€ ra vra, Kal rd éep- mpoaGev rdvra eorrypévous dvOeusov, eer)- Tour d€ kal rats éraipacs als fyov ol ‘EX- Anves, €upavds cvyyevés bar vbuos yap Tv opiow otros. (Xenophon de Cyri Expe- ditione, lib. v. p. 375, edit. Hutchinson. Cantab. 1785, 4to.) Those who are described as marked in this manner, were the children of the rich; and among these tribes tattooing may likewise have been a distinction of rank. The last sentence it is not necessary to trans- late. The first is thus rendered by Dr. Hut- chinson: ‘ Tergis vario colore imbutis, ante- rioribusque partibus omnibus pictura florida distinctis.” Mr. Spelman translates it thus: “Their backs were painted with various colours, and all their fore parts impressed with flowers.” But, as I have elsewhere remarked, it ought rather to be translated, “‘ Pricked or punctured with a florid colour;” and the passage then exhibits a description of the process of tattooing. Both these sentences may be very aptly illustrated from Dr. Hawkesworth’s Voyages, vol. ii. p. 387; vol. iii. p. 24, 8d edit. Isidorus Hispalensis, a writer of the sixth century, has stated that the Picts derived. their name from the circumstance of théir bodies being punctured, or, to express the same meaning by another word, tattooed: “Nec abest genti Pictorum nomen a corpore, quod minutis opifex acus punctis et ex- pressos nativi graminis succos includit, ut has ad sui specimen cicatrices ferat pictis artubus maculosa nobilitas.” (Origines, lib. xix. cap. xxiii.) In the Islandic language, the verb picka signifies to prick or puncture. (Gudmundi Andres Lexicon Islandicum, p. 191. Havnie, 1683, 4to. Haldorsonii Lexicon Islandico-Latino-Danicum, vol. ii. p. 171. Haynie, 1813, 2 tom. 4to. Magnus- en om Picternes og deres Navns Oprindelse, 8. 44.) This etymology, borrowed, not from the Latin, but from the Scandinavian, in- volves nothing absurd or improbable: we may naturally enough suppose this northern tribe to have described itself as that of the tattooed men, in contradistinction to some neighbouring tribes who were not accus- tomed to decorate their bodies in the same manner, When Claudian, de wr. Cons. SCOTISH POETRY. oN vein of poetry in very remote regions, we must not in every instance impute this similarity to the force of imitation; the Scandinavians and the Arabians, without any mutual commu- nication, might each devise their peculiar order of giants, dra- gons, and enchantments; nor is it necessary to have recourse to the agency of the Crusades, in order to account for the pro- pagation of those excrescences of imagination which seem to be the spontaneous production of almost every climate. The Arabians are supposed to have produced another material change in the literature of Europe, by disseminating the use of rhyme; and as this ornament is generally regarded as so essen- tial to modern poetry, the subject appears entitled to some share of our attention in the course of these preliminary in- quiries.1 “Rhymes, it will be said, are a remnant of monkish stupidity,” an innovation upon the poetry of the ancients. They are but indifferently acquainted with antiquity who make this assertion. Rhymes are probably of older date than either the Greek or Latin dactyle or spondé.”* This opinion of Goldsmith is not so paradoxical as it may at first appear; the most an- cient poetry with which we are acquainted occurs in the Old Testament ; and the Hebrew poets, as many learned writers aver, employ that recurrence of similar sounds which we de- nominate rhyme.* The same form of composition seems to have been very extensively cultivated by the eastern nations, by the Arabians and Persians, and even by the Hindus, Chinese, and Tartars; nor has it been neglected by the ruder people of Honor. v. 54. mentions our ancestors as tura, poiche, il commercio de’ Gotti e de Van- “nee falso nomine Pictos,” he may there- fore be understood as employing terms suffi- ciently appropriate. 1 With respect to the origin of rhyme, six different theories have been enumerated by Massieu, Hist. de la Poésie Francoise, p. 76. Paris, 1739, 12mo. See likewise Velasquez, Origines de Ja Poesia Castellana, p. 80. Malaga, 1754, 4to. 2 Gravina is one of those critics who have visited rhyme with the heaviest censure. Among other animadversions, he makes the following : ‘‘ Tanto l'ignoranza naturale delle nazioni barbare, quanto il giudizio gid cor- rotto delle nazioni Latine convennero all’ estinzion del metro antico,-ed alla produzion della rima, Vi concorse l'ignoranza della na- dali stemperd l’orechio, e sconcerto la pro- nunzia.” (Della Ragion Poetica, p. 144, ed. Napoli, 1716, 8vo.) In consequence of such censures as these, Quadrio thought it neces- sary to demonstrate “‘ che la rima é@ cosa pre- gevole, e che malamente fu da alcuni ri- presa.” (Storia e -Ragion d’ogni Poesia, tom. i. p. 725.) 8 Goldsmith’s Enquiry into the present State of Polite Learning in Europe, p. 151. Lond. 1759, 8vo. 4 Le Clerc, Bibliothéque Universelle, tom. ix. p. 230. Fourmont, Dissertation sur l’Art Poétique et sur les Vers des Anciens Hé- breux: Mémoires de l’Académie des Inscrip- tions et Belles Lettres, tom. iv. p. 470. 28 THE HISTORY OF Africa and America! We may even venture to affirm that the ancient classics did not altogether despise this species of embellishment. Rhymes may undoubtedly be produced by ac- cidental combinations; and in a language which abounds with words of similar terminations, it must often be difficult to avoid them. But an occasional recurrence of the same sound is enumerated by the ancient rhetoricians, and even by Aristotle himself, among the graces of oratorical compositions ;? and an ancient biographer of Homer has particularized the admission of rhyming verses as one of the various merits of his poetry? It is indeed obvious to every reader of his works, that such verses are very numerous: how far they are to be ascribed to accident or to design, we cannot so easily determine ; but when critics and rhetoricians commended poets and orators for this introduction of rhyming verses and clauses, they evidently pre- supposed a deliberate intention of producing what they con- sidered as a pleasing effect. Rhymes are to be found in most of the classical poets; but I shall at present content myself with producing a very few examples. pitas & guays ovre Suvioeat, GAN dard Cypod MaAXov éeuol eveat, 7d 8 Tou Kal piyvov éorar, 1 Vossius de Poematum Cantu, et Viribus Rythmi, p. 25. Oxonii, 1673, 8vo. Turner’s Inquiry respecting the early Use of Rhime. Archeologia, vol. xiv. p. 169.—‘* Les vers Chinois les plus anciens sont rimés, et on en a depuis prés de quarante siécles.” (Mé- moires eoncernant les Chinois, tom. viii. p. 201.) See Davis on the Poetry of the Chinese, p. 22. Macao, 1835, 8vo. ‘So naturall a melody is it, and so universall, as it seems to be generally borne with all the nations of the world, as an hereditary clo- quence proper to all mankind. The vniuer- sallitie argues the generall power of it: for if the barbarian vse it, then it shews that it swais th’ affection of the barbarian ; if ciuil nations practise it, it proues that it workes vpon the hearts of ciuil nations : if all, then that it hath a power in nature on all.” Daniels’ Defence of Ryme, sig. F. 3. Lond. 1603, 8vo.) See Mémoire sur la Versification, et Essais divers, par le Comte de Saint Leu, p. 13. Florence, 1819, 4to. 2 Aristoteles de Rhetorica, lib. tii. cap. ix. Pp. 223, edit. Oxon. 1820, Svo. 8 After quoting several examples of the duotoréXevroy cXFuo, this writer, who is sometimes supposed to be Plutarch, subjoins the following remark: Ta 6é elpyuéva cal Ta Towra pddiora mpocribyar TH Abyw xdpw Kal pSoviy. (Plutarchi Mo- ralia, tom. v. p. 1096, edit. Wyttenbach.) 4 Professor Thorlacius of Copenhagen has lately published a prolusion, “De homote- leutis Grecorum et Latinorum Versibus.” Havni, 1$18, 4to. See his ‘‘ Prolusiones et Opuscula Academica, argumenti maxime philologici,” tom. iv. p. 31. Havnie, 1806- 22,5 tom. Svo. The general result of his in- quiries appears in the following passage: “«Id quidem nos effecisse credimus, ut pateat, Grecis Latinisque id rythmi genus, quod eosdem in versuum yel continuorum vel alternantium sine sonos adoptat, haud igno- tum fuisse; sed illos, exactionem pedum syllabarumque numerum amantes, istam soni paritatem ceu mollem et inanem tinnitum plerumque sprevisse.” In Mr. Turner’s In- quiry respecting the eariy Use of Rhime, this subject has received much new and curious illustration. SCOTISH POETRY. 29 Ki 8 ovtw totr éoriv, guol wéAAe pidrov eivas. "AAN dxéovera KédSnoo, eu emimeideo pte My vi rot od xpaicpworwy, Scot Oeot cia’ év 'OAtprw.? In this passage of Homer we find two successive couplets with unexceptionable rhymes. The same poet furnishes other in- stances of a different kind, namely, of rhymes occurring in the middle and termination of his verses :-— “Lowere viv jsot, Motoat, ddAvprw, Siuar’ Exovorat.2 The following quotations from Euripides, Theocritus, and Horace, exhibit other varieties of rhyme :— Tuvaixes, eis pev éo OX’ dunxavdrara, Kakdy 8 ravrwv téxtoves copdrarat3 Pours 8’ ad0’ otras, bxxa yAvads varvos xy pe, Oixn & edOus iotca, dka yAuKbs dirvos dvi pet Non satis est pulchra esse poemata ; dulcia sunto, Et quocumque volent, animum auditoris agunto.® A passage in Aristophanes contains a more singular specimen of rhyme. In order to render the passage intelligible, it is ne- cessary to recollect that, instead of xépets, bugs, the speaker makes a ludicrous and satirical substitution of KopivOcoe, Corinthians :— Adxvovol p’ é&éprovres of KoptiOtoe pe &€ép piv Aco, Kat ras rAevpas, Sapddmrovery, pas, Sap \ Kat tiv poy éxmivovery, 7 X1 fy at TOUS O, ELS ECEAKOUC LY, K * * px efer i Kat rév mpwxrov Siopttrovew, Kat p’ daroAotow.® Anacreon supplies us with a very good specimen of alternate rhymes :—-- "Ey & écomtpov «inv, "Orws det AEs pe "Ey® xiTav ‘yevoiuny, 'O. + % ~ i TOS det Popys pL. The poetry of the Emperor Nero may be supposed to have 1 Homeri Ilias, lib. i. 562. 5 Horat. de Arte Puetica, 99. Sect peento 6 Aristophanis Nubis, 710, edit. Dindorf. 3 Euripides Medea, 409. 4 Theocriti Idyl. xi. 22. " Amacreon, Od. xx. 30 THE HISTORY OF abounded with rhyming verses. Persius has quoted two differ- ent specimens for the purpose of exposing them to ridicule. The first is a specimen of a rhyming couplet :—- Berecynthius Attin, Et qui ceruleum dirimebat Nerea delphin. The other is a specimen of alternate rhymes :— Torva Mimalloneis implerunt cornua bombis ; Et raptum vitulo caput ablatura superbo Bassaris, et lyncem Meenas flexura corymbis, Evion ingeminant ; reparabilis adsonat Echo. In the elegiac compositions of the Latin poets, rhyme occurs so frequently, and produces so pleasing an effect that its intro- duction cannot always be regarded as unintentional: Ovid, Tibullus, and Propertius were apparently of opinion that it con- tributed to improve the soft and plaintive cadence of the verse. The rhyme is not placed in proximate or alternate lines, but at the middle and close of the same pentameter ; and when such verses are read with due attention to the ceesura, these corre- sponding sounds fall very agreeably on the ear. The following passage of Propertius contains five pentameter lines, none of which is without its rhyme :— Osculaque opposito dicat sibi debita vento, Et nihil infido durius esse viro. Tu patrui meritas conare anteire secures, Et vetera oblitis jura refer sociis. Nam tua non etas unquam cessavit amori, Semper at armatz cura fuit patric. Et tibi non unquam nostros puer iste labores Afferat, et lachrymis omnia nota meis, Me sine, quem semper voluit Fortuna jacere, Hance animam extreme reddere nequitie? In the elegiac poetry of the Greeks, instances of this kind are more rarely to be found; but of ancient Greek elegies, which properly deserve that name, no considerable reliques have descended to our times; for the moral sentences of Theognis, and various epigrams of other poets, though written in elegiac verse, are “not to be regarded as elegies. Yet several instances 1 Persii Sat. i. 93-99. 2 Propertius, lib. i. eleg. vi. 17. SCOTISH POETRY. 31 of such rhymes might easily be produced, and I shall only quote the following passage from Tyrteus and Mimnermus :— Aag yap ctpravtt ré00s Kpatepodppovos avdpos OvicKovtos, (duy 8 a&vos Hucbewv. “Qorep yap pv Tipyov ev dPOaApotcry épdcu’ "Epdet yap ToAAGY G£va podves édv2 Tis 8& Bios, ri 82 reprvdv arep ypuaojs ’Adpodizys ; TeOvainy Gre poe pyxére Tatra pedo? Casaubon and Huet suppose the Romans to have been ac- quainted with rhyming verse of another description: on the authority of Servius, they represent the Saturnian verses, sung by the ancient rustics, and by the soldiers in triumphal proces- sions, as depending upon rhyme for their chief embellishment.’ But it can scarcely be doubted that the expression of this ancient commentator is solely applicable, not to rhyme, but to rhythm ;* for the word rhythmus is certainly not employed to denote rhyme by any writer who preceded the most barbarous ages of Latinity. Rhythmical are distinguished from metrical verses by their cadence depending upon emphasis instead of quantity : they contain a regulated number of syllables, but are not reducible to the rules of prosody; and to an unprac- tised ear they make some approach to the melody of that par- ticular species of metre for which they exhibit an imperfect substitute. Such verses, we may conceive, were generally com- posed by writers who wanted sufficient skill or promptitude to follow the more severe model. Many specimens of this mode of versification are still to be found. Of an ancient date, the most extensive specimen with which I am acquainted oc- curs in the Instructiones adversus Gentiwm Deos, written by Commodianus, who is supposed to have lived, we can scarcely describe him as having flourished, about the year 270. His lines so far resemble hexameter verses that they contain the 1 Tyrteei que supersunt omnia, edidit C. A. Klotzius, p. 98. Altenb. 1767, Svo. The elegy which contains these lines, has some- 8 Casauboni ad Persium Commentarius, p. 133. Paris, 1615, 8vo. Huetiana, p. 187. times been ascribed to Callinus. 2 Brunckii Analecta Veterum Poetarum Grecorum, tom. i. p. 60 4 “Td est, carminibus Saturnio metro com- positis, quod ad rhythmum solum vulgares componere consueverunt.” (Servius in Vir- gilii Georgic. ii. 386, p. 112, edit. Daniel.) 32 THE HISTORY OF requisite number of syllables ; and they are therefore to be considered as quasi-hexameters. Each sub-division of the work contains an acrostich. As a specimen of this composition, I shall transcribe the introductory lines, containing an acrostich of the word Prefatio. Preefatio nostra viam erranti demonstrat, Respectumque bonum, cum venerit seeculi meta, Aeternum fieri quod discredunt inscia corda. Ego similiter erravi tempore multo, Fana prosequendo, parentibus insciis ipsis. Abstuli me tandem inde, legendo de lege. Testificor Dominum ; doleo pro civica turba, Inscia quod perdit, pergens deos querere vanos. Ob ea perdoctus ignaros instruo verum.* The same spurious versification was introduced among the Greeks ; and many early specimens, particularly in the works of Constantinus Manasses and Tzetzes, have been transmitted to our times.” About the year 1150, Manasses wrote a metri- cal compendium of chronology, deduced from the creation of the world to the year 1081. The following verses, relating to the history of Nero, may serve as a specimen :— KAavdfov pappaxGévros 8 Népwv 6 pytpoxrdvos TlapeepOdpyn kdxirra tots TOV ‘Popatoy oxjrrpots. *Hy & doeAyis Kat Bdedupss kal TAHpys dowreias, "Hrrwv yaorpis kal rv yaotpds, pidouvos, prromdrys: Ovros roAXods trjyaye Gavdrous mixpordrors, Kat riv pytrépa obv adrois. etzros Tus dy Suxatws “Ort kaxdv cioiveyKe ToLotToy Tots év Biw.3 The accomplished Dean of Manchester states that he has ex~ amined a large part of this work ‘ without discovering any 1 The work of Commodianus is subjoined meri Hymmnos, etc., p. 656. Gaisford ad to Dr. Davies’s edition of Minucius Felix. Cantab. 1712, 8vo. 2Q. J. Vossii Institutiones Poetic, lib. i. cap. viii. Is. Vossius de Poematum Cantu, p. 21. Du Cange, Glossarium ad Scriptores Medic et Infime Latinitatis, v. Politict Ver- sus. Glossarium ad Seriptores Mediz et In- fime Grecitatis, v. [oAerixol Drixot. Fos- ter’s Essay on Accent and Quantity, p. 202, 2d edit. Mitford’s Inquiry into the Harmony of Language, p. 333, 2d edit. Ilgen ad Ho- Hephestion, p. 247. Maltby Lexicon Graco- Prosodiacum, p. lxiv. Struve iiber den Poli- tischen Vers der Mittelgriechen, eine Ab- handlung, verbunden mit einer Recension des Textes der neuesten Ausgabe von Tzetzes’ Chiliaden. Hildesheim, 1828, 8vo. ‘‘ Ilgen,” says Dr. Parr, ‘has given the best explana- tions I ever saw of the principle upon which are constructed the Versus Politici.” 3 Constantini Manassis Breviarium His- torie metricum, recognovit Immanuel Bek- kerus, p. 88. Bonne, 1837, Svo. SCOTISH POETRY. 33 lines that offend against the following rules. The verse shall consist of 15 syllables, and shall be divided into hemistichs of 8 and 7, An accent shall invariably fall on the 14th, and no expressed accent, grave, acute, or circumflex, shall fall on any odd syllable, saving the 1st and 9th, in which the aberration is permitted, excepting in the case of monosyllables, and acute accents, thrown by an enclitic upon a circumflexed word, which may occupy any of the odd places except the last. This metre is not connected, as some have imagined, with the catalectic iambic, which has not that division, and seldom that cadence ; but it is an accentual form of the trochaic, quantity being dis- regarded. . . . Not long after, Tzetzes wrote verses exactly similar; but although they are accented like our poetry, and clearly derive their whole harmony from those accents, he, the same Tzetzes, wrote also strict iambic verse.”! He has like- wise written many hexameters; but his learned editor Jacobs has had occasion to remark that, either from want of skill or attention, he has frequently violated the rules of metre? Of accentual verses we have an ample specimen in his Chiliades, an historical rhapsody comprehending a great variety of discus- sion. Those nations of modern Europe whose language is chiefly derived from the Latin, have apparently derived their art of versifying from the rhythmical verses of the ancients.* And other nations of a different origin have borrowed the same art from the French and Italian poets. In the classical poetry of the ancients, the length of every syllable is regulated and ascertained : but modern languages being differently organized, do not admit of the same degree of nicety ;> and no success has yet attended any project of making English verses move on 1 Works of the Hon. and Very Rev. William lus Kiesslingius, Ph.D., etc. Lipsize, 1826, Herbert, Dean of Manchester, vol. ii. p. 45. Lond. 1842, 2 vols. 8vo. 2 Joannis Tzetze Antehomerica, Homerica, et Posthomerica. E codicibus edidit et com- mentario instruxit Friedericus Jacobs. Lip- siz, 1793, 8vo. 8 Joannis Tzetze Historiarum variarum Chiliades. Grace textum ad fidem duorum .codicum Monacensium recognovit, brevi adnotatione et indicibus instruxit Theophi- 8vo. 4Muratori de Rhythmica Veterum Poesi. et Origine Italice Poeseos, Dissertatio: An- tiquitates Italicee Medii Alvi, tom. iii. col. 702. 5“ This new way consisted in measure or number of feet and rhyme ; the sweetness. of rhyme, and observation of accent, supplying the place of quantity in words, which could neither exactly be observed by those bar- 34 THE HISTORY OF Roman feet. Although English words contain long and short syllables, yet the quantity of every syllable is not fixed by specific rules; and the harmony of English verse depends rather upon emphasis than quantity. Those nations which derive their language from the Latin are very plausibly sup- posed to have received the art of rhyming from the same source ;* nor is it necessary to have recourse to the agency of the Arabians, who are represented as producing so many won- derful effects upon the literary tastes of the western world? According to the theory of Huet, compositions in rhyme were not common in Europe till after their invasion of Spain. But this invasion did not take place till the year 712, and Latin rhymes appear to have been common at a much earlier period ; they are to be traced not merely in the eighth, but even up to the fourth century. Such rhymes are chiefly to be found in hymns and other ecclesiastical compositions. barians who knew not the rules of it, neither was it suitable to their tongues, as it had been to the Greek and Latine.” (Dryden’s Essay of Dramatick Poesie, p. 44. Lond. 1684, 4to.) 1 See Historical and Critical Remarks upon the Modern Hexametrists, and upon Mr. Southey’s Vision of Judgment. By the Rev. 8. Tillbrook, B.D., Fellow of Peterhouse. Cambridge, 1822, Svo. 2 Crescimbeni, Istoria della Volgar Poesia, tom. i. p. 11. Muratori, ibid. col. 705. 3 Andres has written a long chapter “ Dell’ influenza degli Arabi nella moderna coltura delle belle lettere.” (Dell’ Origine, de’ Pro- gressi ¢ dello Stato attuale d’ogni Letteratura, tom. ii. p. 245, 8vo.) He supposes the poets of Spain and Provence to have derived the art of rhyming from the Arabians; but his opinion was speedily confuted by Arteaga, in a work on the “ Rivoluzioni del Teatro Musicale Italiano.” Of the controversy which thus took place, an account may be found in a publication of the learned Asse- mani, “Se gli Arabi ebbero alcuna Influenza sull’ Origine della Poesia Moderna in Europa, Dissertazione.” Padova, 4to. He inclines to the opinion of Andres, which was likewise adopted by Tiraboschi, by Ginguené, Histoire Littéraire d’Italie, tom. i. p. 250, and by Sismondi, Littérature du Midi de lEurope, They are re- tom. i. pp. 38, 78. The supposed influence of the Arabians is strongly contested by Whyte, Histoire des Langues Romanes et de leur Littérature, tom. i. p. 439. “Ils ont communiqué 4 l’Europe occidentale,” says Schlegel, ‘‘quelques connoissances en ma- thématiques, en médecine, en chimie, en leur absurde traduction d’Aristote. Mais les sectateurs de Mahomet n’ont jamais eu la moindre influence sur rien de ce que con- stitue le génie original du moyen ge.” (Ob- servations sur la Langue et la Littérature Provengales, p. 68.) 4 Huet, Traité de Origine des Romans, p. 25, 8me edit. Paris, 1711,12mo. Huetiana, p. 190.—Gebauer, an eminent professor of the Civil Law in the University of Gottingen, has written a Dissertatio pro Rhythmis seu 6/4010- TedevTots poeticis, adversus ea que in Hue- tianis leguntur ;” which occurs in his An- thologicarum Dissertationwm Liber, p. 265. Lipsie, 1733, 8vo. In this collection he has inserted two dissertations, by E. Major and R. Moreau, on Leonine verses. A learned professor of physic has written, “De Versi- bus Rhythmicis et Carmine Leonino Disser- tatio ;” which may be found in a publica- tion entitled, “Regimen Sanitatis Salerni, sive Schole Salernitane de conservanda bona Valetudine Precepta: edidit, Studii Medici Salernitani Historia premissa, J. C. G. Ackermann, M.D.,” etc. Stendalie, 1790, 8yo. SCOTISH POETRY. 35 peatedly to be found in the hymns of Ambrosius! and Damasus, who both flourished during the fourth century ; and one of the hymns of this Bishop of Rome exhibita series of rhymes almost entirely regular :— Martyris ecce dies Agathe Virginis emicat eximiz, Christus eam sibi qua sociat, Et diadema duplex decorat. Stirpe decens, elegans specie, Sed magis actibus atque fide, Terrea prospera nil reputans, Jussa Dei sibi corde ligans. Fortior hec trucibusque viris Exposuit sua membra flagris ; Pectore quam fuerit valido Torta mamilla docet patulo. Delicize cui carcer erat Pastor ovem Petrus hanc recreat, Letior inde magisque flagrans, Cuncta flagella cucurrit ovans. Ethnica turba rogum fugiens, Hujus et ipsa meretur opem, Quos fidei titulus: decorat His venerem magis ipsa premat. Jam renidens quasi sponsa polo, Pro misero regita Damaso. Sic tua festa coli faciat, Se celebrantibus ut faveat.? The next two centuries produced Sedulius, Fortunatus, and other Christian poets, who likewise betrayed a predilection for this species of ornament. Leonine verses, which became so current among the monkish Latinists, are by some writers sup- posed to derive their appellation from Pope Leo, perhaps the second of that name, who, towards the close of the seventh century, introduced various improvements into the chants and hymns of the Church? Others indeed ascribe the invention as well as the name to Leonius, a canon of St. Victor at Paris, who 1 See the ample collection of Georgius Fab- notis M. M. Sarazanii, p. 143. Paris, 1672, ricius, entitled, Poetarum veterum Ecclesias- 8vo. ticorum Opera Christiana, col. 363. Basil. 1564, 4to. 8 Fauchet de l’Origine de la Langue et 2 §. Damasi Pape Opera que extant, cum Poésie Francoise, p. 52 Paris, 1581, 4to. 36 THE HISTORY OF wrote about the year 1154 ;* but whatever may have been the origin of this particular name, it is evident that Latin rhymes are of a more ancient date. In the vernacular poetry of the northern nations, rhyme does not appear to have been adopted at a very remote era.” It is occasionally to be traced in the reliques of Saxon poetry ; and Olfrid, a monk of Weissenberg, composed a work in German rhyme about the year 870. This is commonly regarded as the earliest specimen that now remains of rhyming verses written in any of the modern languages of Europe. There are, however, many Welsh poems in rhyme which are referred to so remote a period as the sixth century ; and their genuineness is main- tained by Mr. Turner, whose laborious and able researches have illustrated various subjects of history and literature? The oldest specimen that now remains is not necessarily to be viewed as the first attempt in any particular language; and Olfrid, who has left a poem of a formidable length, probably imitated such domestic models as he deemed most popular.* According to Mr. Tyrwhitt, rhyme was introduced into English poetry about the age of Henry the Second. “Except a few lines in the Saxon Chronicle upon the death of William the Conqueror, which seems to have been intended for verses of the modern fashion, and a short canticle, which, according to Matthew Paris, the blessed Virgin was pleased to dictate to Godric, an hermite near Durham, I have not been able to discover any attempts at riming poetry, which can with probability be re- ferred to an earlier period than the reign of Henry the Second. In that reign, Layamon, a priest of Ernleye near Severn, as he calls himself, translated (chiefly) from the French of Wace a _ 1 Pasquier, Recherches de la France, liv. vii. chap. ii, p. 596, edit. Paris, 1621, fol. A more recent author contends that Pasquier and other writers have confounded the poet, who was a canon of Notre-Dame, with an- other ecclesiastic of the same name, who was a canon of St. Victor. (Histoire Littéraire de la France, tom. xiii. p. 434.) 2 Wormii Literatura Runica, p. 177. Haf- ni, 1636, 4to.—The Ransom of Egill Scala- grim, a rhyming poem of some length, is however of considerable antiquity. It occurs in this work of Olaus Wormius, p. 227, and in Bishop Percy’s Five Pieces of Runic Poetry, translated from the Islandic Language, p. 92. Lond. 1768, 8vo. 3 Turmer’s Vindication of the Genuineness of the ancient British Poems of Aneurin, Taliesen, Liywarch, Hen, and Merdhin. Lond. 1803, 8vo. 4 Olfrid’s paraphrase of the gospel history is inserted in Schilter’s Thesaurus Antiquita- tum Teutonicarum, tom. i. An account of this curious relique may likewise be found in Gley’s Langue et Littérature des Anciens Franes, p. 208. Paris, 1814, 8vo. SCOTISH POETRY. 37 fabulous history of the Britons, entitled ‘Le Brut, which Wace himself, about the year 1155, had translated from the Latin of Geffrey of Monmouth, Though the greatest part of this work of Layamon resembles the old Saxon poetry, without rime or metre, yet he often intermixes a number of short verses, of unequal lengths, but riming together pretty exactly, and in some places he has imitated, not unsuccessfully, the regular octosyllable measure of his French original.”’ But the allite- rative anapestic measure of the Anglo-Saxons was frequently adopted at a much later period. From these historical notices, it is evident that the European poets were not indebted to the Arabians for the art of rhyming ; and it is equally evident that there is no room for supposing this art to have originated with the troubadours, or early -poets of the southern provinces of France. The troubadours began to write in a language which arose from the gradual corruption of the Latin ; but from the researches of Raynouard, who has dis- played unrivalled knowledge of the subject, it clearly appears that the new dialect was formed with a more uniform reference to analogy than has commonly been imagined. In the best provinces of the Roman empire, those who spoke the Latin tongue were mingled with various tribes of a different origin. It long continued to be a maxim of government, or a point of national pride, that the ascendency of the Latin language should be scrupulously maintained :* the inhabitants of those provinces had many inducements, as well as many opportunities, for making it an object of particular attention ; nor must we forget the influence of the colonists and soldiers, who propagated their race and language in some of the most fertile countries which had been subjected to the Roman yoke.’ The people of Italy were at length overpowered by the Goths, and were thus asso- ciated with new tribes. The modern languages of Italy, France, Spain, and Portugal were formed of similar materials: the 1 Tyrwhitt’s Essay on the Language and Versification of Chaucer, p. 54. 2 See Dr. Taylor's Elements of the Civil Law, p. 5138. A very elaborate dissertation on the public use of foreign languages among the Romans, has lately been published by Dr. Dirksen, a distinguished professor of the civil law in the university of Kénigsberg. (Civi- listische Abhandlungen, Bd. i. 8.1. Berlin, 1820, 2 Bde. 8vo.) 8 Aldrete del Origen y Principio de la Len- gua Castellana 6 Romance que oi se usa en Espafia, pp. 53-103. Roma, 1606, 4to. 38 THE HISTORY OF words of each are to a great extent derived from the ancient Latin, but are blended with words of a different origin ; and in all of them the most essential rules of grammar seem to be in a great measure the same. The Latin terminations were altered or retrenched, the vowels were very frequently interchanged, the definite article was formed from the first or the second syl- lable of the pronoun ile, and the introduction of auxiliary verbs completed this transformation of one language into another. We have already seen that in the declining ages of Latin poetry, rhyme supplied the place of more classical ornaments ; nor can it reasonably be doubted that those who communicated the lan- guage in this new form, likewise communicated its new system of versification. Raynouard supposes the Romance to have been a widely extended language, which derived its origin from the modifica- tion and corruption of the Latin during the middle ages ; and instead of arriving at the conclusion that a similar process must have taken place in the gradual formation of the Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, and French languages, he endeavours to trace them all to the Romance as to a common source. This hypothesis, which he maintains with much ingenuity as well as research, is obviously liable to not a few exceptions; and it has accordingly been rejected by Schlegel, Lewis, Whyte, and other writers who have investigated this curious subject of philological inquiry. Of the language and poetry of the troubadours it is not at present necessary to trace the further progress ;? but it is 1 A. W. de Schlegel, Observations sur la Langue et la Littérature Provengales. Paris, 1818, 8vo. Lewis’s Essay on the Origin and Formation of the Romance Languages: con- taining an examination of M. Raynouard’s Theory of the Relation of the Italian, Spanish, Provengal, and French to Latin. Oxford, 1835, 8vo. Bruce-Whyte, Histoire des Lan- gues Romanes et de leur Littérature. the title-page he describes himself as Jehan de nostre Dame, Procureur en la Cour de Parlement de Prouince; the dedication to the king of France is subscribed Jean de Nostradamus. His work was immediately translated into Italian by Gio. Giudicj, and published under the title of “Le Vite delli piv celebri et antichi primi Poeti Provenzali, che fiorirmo nel tempo delli Ré di Napoli & 2 Nostredame had at an early period writ- ten the lives of the most eminent poets of Provence, but in a slight and superficial man- ner: ‘‘Les Vies des plus célébres et anciens Poétes Provensaux, qui ont floury du temps des Comtes de Provence: recueillies des Giuures de diuers Autheurs nommez en la page suyuante,” ete. Lyon, 1575, 8vo. In Conti di Prouenza, liquali hanno insegnato 4 tutti il Poetar Vulgare.” Lione, 1575, 8vo. From the copious materials collected by Sainte-Palaye, a book was compiled by Mil- lot, under the title of “ Histoire Littéraire des Troubadours.” Paris, 1774, 3 tom. 12mo. But this abbé, though an ingenious man, had no peculiar qualifications for such an under- SCOTISH POETRY. 39 difficult to refrain from alluding to the very singular views of society and manners which here solicit the attention of the curious inquirer. Love and poetry seem to have been among the chief concerns of human life. Sentiments even of devotion were strangely blended with sentiments of gallantry.’ Courts of Love are said to have been instituted for the determination of questions, so important in the estimation of this gay and fantastic people: ladies of exalted rank, one of whom was Eleanor, the consort of Louis the Seventh of France, and after- wards of Henry the Second of England, are represented as presiding in these high tribunals; and, assisted by various assessors of their own sex, as pronouncing formal decisions, which appear to have been confirmed by the irresistible force of opinion, so frequently superior to that of law itself? Nor taking, and his publication has never been held in much estimation. M. de Rochegude has more recently published a work entitled ““Le Parnasse Occitanien, ou Choix des Poé- sies originales des Troubadours.” Toulouse, 1819, 8vo- This collection is accompanied by a separate ‘‘ Essai d’un Glossaire Occitanien, pour servir 4 l’intelligence des Poésies des Troubadours.” Toulouse, 1819, 8vo. But the most indefatigable and the most distin- guished labourer in this department of lite- rature is M. Raynouard, who has lately pub- lished a very curious and valuable work, which is inadequately described as ‘‘ Choix des Poésies originales des Troubadours.” Paris, 1816-21, 6 tom. 8vo. Among other important additions, it contains a grammar of the Romance language, a comparison of the modern languages derived from the Latin, and biographical notices of the troubadours. He had prepared another work, which was published after the lamented death of the author: ‘‘ Lexique Roman: ou, Dictionnaire de la Langue des Troubadours, comparée avec les autres Langues de l'Europe Latine.” Paris, 1836-44, 6 tom. Svo. Nor must we forget M. Roquefort’s ‘ Glossaire de la Lan- gue Romane.” Paris, 1808, 2 tom. 8vo. Supplement. 1820. An interesting volume was published by the late Edgar Taylor, under the title of ‘‘ Lays of the Minnesingers or German Troubadours of the twelfth and thirteenth centuries: illustrated by Speci- mens of the cotemporary Lyric Poets of Pro- vence and other Parts of Europe.” Lond. 1825, 8vo, The lives and writings of the troubadours have been ably illustrated by Diez in three different works. ‘‘ Beitraige zur Kentniss der Romantischen Poesie. Erster Heft.” Berlin, 1825, 8vo. ‘ Die Poesie der Troubadours, nach gedruckten und handschriftlichen Werken derselben dar- gestellt.” Leipzig, 1826, 8vo. ‘Leben und Werke der Troubadours: ein Beitrag zur nihern Kentniss des Mittelalters.” Leipzig, 1829, 8vo. These have been followed by the copious and elaborate work of Mr. Bruce- Whyte: ‘ Histoire des Langues Romanes et de leur Littérature, depuis leur origine jus- qu’au xive siécle.” Paris, 1841, 3 tom. 8vo. 1 Sainte-Palaye, Mémoires sur ]’Ancienne Chevalerie, tom. ii. p. 6. edit. Paris, 1781, 3tom. 12mo. Raynouard, Poésies des Trou- badours, tom. ii. p. xxxiv. 2 The institution of these courts suggested the plan of a facetious work to Martial d’Au- vergne, a French notary, who, according to one account, died in the year 1508. (Le Long, Bibliothéque Historique de la France, tom, iv. p. 184.) His Arréts d’Amowrs were illustrated by the facetious commentary of Benedictus Curtius, or Benoit de Court, written in Latin, and abounding with cita- tions of the civil and canon laws. An edition of the text and the commentary was pub- lished by Lenglet du Fresnoy. (Les Arréts d’Amours, avee ?Amant rendu Cordelier, 4 Vobservance d’Amours; par Martial d’Au- vergne, dit, de Paris, Procureur au Parle- ment: accompagnez des Commentaires juri- diques et joyeux de Benoit de Cour, jurisconsulte. Amst. 1731, 2tom.12mo.) An anonymous volume appeared under the title of “ Die Minnehéfe des Mittelalters und ihre 40 THE HISTORY OF can. we overlook another characteristic institution, which how- ever belongs to a period somewhat more recent ; namely, that of academies of the Gay Saber, or science of poetry. A consis- tory or academy of this denomination was founded at Toulouse in the year 1323 ;* and the ordinances or regulations of its seven maintainers were afterwards embodied in prose and verse by the secretary. On the model of this consistory, another was instituted at Barcelona in the year 1390; and on that impor- tant occasion, the King of Spain thought it necessary to solicit assistance from the King of France.? But we must now return from these warm regions of fancy in order to trace the progress of poetry among a more sedate people; and we shall speedily discover that, even in their sober estimation, the Gay Science occupied a very eminent place. Entscheidungen oder Ausspriiche.” Leipzig, 1821, 8vo. The ordinary account of these courts has been very strenuously disputed by Professor Diez in his Beitrige. 1 Histoire générale de Languedoc, tom. iv. p. 196.—The first association was denomi- nated “La gaie Société de septs Trobadors de Tolosa;” and the institution was after- wards known by the name of ‘ L’Académie des Jeux Floraux de Toulouse.” 2 Sanchez, Coleccion de Poesias Castellanas anteriores al Siglo xv., tom. i. p. 8.” Madrid, 1779-90, 4 tom. 8vo. SCOTISH POETRY. 4l CHAPTER IL THE first name which presents itself is that of Thomas of Erceldoune ; a name which Scotland once viewed with rever- ence scarcely inferior to what Orpheus obtained in Greece. The intellectual attainments of those who at an early period in the history of refinement have exceeded the vulgar standard of excellence, are generally estimated among contemporaries with all the partiality of blind admiration; and the adventitious ° honours which they thus enjoy, are for the most part augmented by the credulity and national prejudices of succeeding genera- tions. Every nation, however insignificant in the eyes of its neighbours, is apt to represent its own genius and valour as unparalleled ; its poets and heroes, if they flourished in an age sufficiently remote, are apt to be blended with mythological personages, to be assimilated with those of more than mortal power. The gift of poetry was often considered as allied to that of prophecy; and, in this respect, the history of Thomas of Erceldoune is similar to that of the earliest poets of Greece ; for he continued till a recent period to be recognised in the venerable character of a prophet and poet. The history of his life and writings is involved in that de- gree of obscurity which may well be supposed to attend so remote an era of our literary annals; nor is his very name ascertained beyond all doubt or controversy. According to Macpherson, the very accurate editor of Winton, he received his surname of Learmont from Hector Boyce: but it seems unnecessary to suppose that the inventive faculties of this his- torian were so unprofitably exercised; and, if credit is due to one of our genealogists, his family name is sufficiently esta- blished by its occurrence in authentic documents. In one charter, says Nisbet, he is called Thomas Rymor, but in others 42 THE HISTORY OF of an earlier date, Thomas Learmount of Ercildoun.’ Certain however it is that no writer who preceded Boyce has yet been found to describe him by the surname of Learmont ; by Robert of Brunne, Barbour, Winton, Bower, and Mair, he is named Erceldoune, while Henry designates him Thomas the Rhymer. In a charter granted to the Trinity House of Soltra, the poet’s son describes himself as Thomas of Ercildoun, the son and heir of Thomas Rymour of Ercildoun ; but whether this addition is to be considered as an ordinary surname, or as an epithet coni- monly applied in allusion to the father’s poetical talents, cannot be positively determined. It must at least be recollected that Rymer is a surname in both parts of the island, and that it has been traced to the poet’s own age, and to the particular district in which he resided.” Thomas the Rymer is the name by which he continues to be best known among the common people of Scotland. Erceldoune, from which he derived his other appel- lation, is a village situated in the county of Berwick at a small distance from Melrose; and the western extremity of this village still exhibits the ruins of a tower which was once honoured by his residence.’ His estate was afterwards acquired by the Earl of March, who at the opposite end of the village possessed another place of strength, called the EKarl’s Tower; and hence the ancient name of Erceldoune is supposed to have been gradually corrupted into Earlstoun. The period of his birth it seems impossible to ascertain ; but it is evident that he must have reached the height of his reputation about the year 1280, the date of his famous pro- 1 Nisbet’s System of Heraldry, vol. i. p. 134.—The same writer has on one occasion styled him Sir Thomas Learmont ; but on what authority, it would not perhaps be easy to dis- cover. (Essay on Additional Figures and Marks of Cadency, p. 158. Edinb. 1702, 8vo.) 2 Scott’s Introduction to Sir Tristrem, p. viii. 3d edit. Under the date of 1220 we find Magister Willelmus de Ercheldune, pro- bably an ecclesiastic, named as one of five arbiters for adjusting certain differences be- tween Walter Bishop of Glasgow and Peter Abbot of Jedburgh. Wallenhope, one of the vicarages to which they direct their atten- tion, is apparently Wauchope, formerly a separate parish, but now merged in that of Langholm. The next vicarage mentioned is Kirkandrews, which now belongs to the county of Cumberland and diocese of Carlisle. (Registrum Episcopatus Glasguensis, tom. i. p. 97. Edin, 1848, 2 tom. 4to.) 8 «The ruin. called the Rhymer’s Tower rears its shapeless form in the midst of a beautiful haugh, on the east side of the Leader, half-way between the river and the town, and about fifty yards from the Edin- burgh road. All that now remains of a man- sion said to have been entire, as well as its outer wall or ‘barbican, within the memory of man, is a corner of the height of two stories, presenting the appearance of having had arched roofs instead of ordinary ceilings. (Chambers’s Picture of Scotland, vol. i. p. 67. Edinb. 1827, 2 vols. Svo.) SCOTISH POETRY. 43 phecy respecting the death of Alexander the Third ; and in the year 1299 his son and heir conveyed the estate of Erceldoune to the convent of Soltra.’ It is therefore obvious that the father must have died during the interval. Patrick Gordon refers his death to the year 1307,” but this cannot be considered as any competent authority. An individual who enjoyed the reputation of a prophet, may very naturally be supposed to have attained a venerable age; nor does there appear to be any degree of inconsistency in referring his birth to the beginning of that century. Whether he himself aspired at the character of a prophet, it may now be fruitless to inquire; but it is at least certain that such a character was long attached to his name. Dempster assures us that Eliza, an inspired nun of Haddington, flourished at the same period; and that from her writings, as well as from personal conferences, he derived much of his celestial intelligence : he further states that she was likewise distinguished by her poetical performances; and her poetry may doubtless be placed on the same shelf with her prophecies. In his prophetic capacity, Thomas is mentioned by many of our early writers. Barbour, who wrote about the year 1370, introduces Bishop Lamberton expressing himself in the following terms :— I hop, Thomas prophecy Off Hersildoune sall weryfyd be In him ; for, swa our Lord help me, I haiff gret hop he sall be king, And haiff this land in leding.* Bower, the continuator of the Scotichronicon, who flourished about the year 1430, has furnished us with a circumstantial detail respecting Thomas’s prediction of the king’s premature death. On the night preceding that event, Thomas of Ercel- doune visiting the castle of Dunbar, was interrogated by the Earl of March, in the jocular manner which he was wont to assume with this reputed prophet, what another day was to 1The charter occurs in the Chartulary of 2 Gordon’s Bruce, sig. H. ij. Dort, 1615, 4to. the Trinity House of Soltra, in the Advocates’ 8 Dempsteri Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Library. It has been printed in Sir Walter Scotorum, p. 369. Bononiz, 1627, 4to. This Scott’s Introduction, p. xevii., and in the tale is repeated by Dr. Mackenzie, Lives of Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border, vol. iii. Scots Writers, vol. i. p. 394. p. 169. 4 Barbour’s Bruce, p. 25, Jamieson’s edit. 44 THE HISTORY OF bring forth. Thomas, fetching a heavy sigh from the bottom of his heart, is said to have expressed himself to this effect : “ Alas for to-morrow, a day of calamity and misery! Before the twelfth hour, shall be heard a blast so vehement that it shall exceed all those which have yet been heard in Scotland : a blast which shall strike the nations with amazement, shall confound those who hear it, shall humble what is lofty, and what is unbending shall level with the ground.” In consequence of this alarming prediction, the Earl and his attendants were induced to observe the state of the atmosphere next day; but having watched till the ninth hour without being able to dis- cover any unusual appearance, they began to deride Thomas as a driveller. The Earl however had scarcely sat down to dinner, and the hand of the dial pointed towards the hour of noon, when a messenger arrived at the gate, and importunately de- manded admission: they now found that the prediction was fatally verified ; for this messenger came to announce the intelligence of the king’s death.’ Winton and Henry have likewise represented Thomas as endowed with the spirit of divination ; and they are equally dubious as to the origin of the power which they acknowledge him to have possessed.” Mair and Boyce® have inserted in 1 Bower Scotichronicon, vol. ii. p. 181, edit. Goodall. , 2 Winton’s Cronykil of Scotland, vol. ii. p. 202. Henry’s Wallace, p. 23, Jamieson’s edit.—In the character of a prophet, Thomas of Erceldoune makes a conspicuous figure in three more recent poems on the exploits of Wallace. Hic senior Lermon, cui pristina cuique futura Cognita, et ambigui non nescia pectora fati, Solari satagens, dura incrementa gravesque Commemorare ortus gentisque haud mollia fata Ceepit, et indomitos referebat in ordine casus. PanTERI Valliados, lib. i. From Ercildoun's lone walls the prophet came, A milk-white deer stood lovely by his side :— Oh! long shall Scotland sound with Ry- mour’s name, Forinanunknown cave the seer shall bide, Till through the realm gaunt kings and chiefs shall ride, Wading through floods of carnage, bridle- deep: The cries of terror and the wailing wide Shall rouse the prophet from his tranced sleep ; His harp shall ring with wo, and all the land shall weep. FIntay’s Wallace, p. 48. Such Wallace was ; and many a year Ere he had spirit, form, or limb, They say that voice of gifted seer, Mid tales of wonder, death, and fear, Had prophecied of him— Old Learmont, who, by Leader’s stream, Beneath the wan moon’s sickly gleam, Dar'd to lift up his mortal eye To the glimmering forms that glided by, The unborn people of futurity. Ho.rorp’s Wallace, p. 17. He is likewise mentioned, though not very poetically, in an anonymous poem, supposed to have been written during the earlier part of the last century. See Cheviot, a poetical Fragment, by R. W. p. 41. Newcastle-upon- Tyne, 1817, 8vo. 3 Boethii Scotorum Historia, f. eccii. a. Paris [1527], fol. SCOTISH POETRY. 45 their respective histories the tale so circumstantially related by Bower ; but, with his usual good sense, the former subjoins : “To this Thomas our countrymen have ascribed many predic- tions, and the common people of Britain yield no slight degree of credit to stories of this nature ; which I for the most part am accustomed to treat with ridicule.”' Lesley commemorates Michael Scot and Thomas Learmont as personages of an extra- ordinary character; and he also hints at the famous prediction of the king’s death.” But the period of the union seems to have been the crisis of his reputation as a prophet; for, as we learn from an honest burgess of Edinburgh, “ at this tyme all the 1 Major de Gestis Scotorum, f. Ixviii. a. Paris, 1521, 4to. 2 Lesleus de Rebus gestis Scotorum, p. 282. Rome, 1578, 4to.—It is almost universally allowed, except by a few English writers, that Michael Scot was a native of Scotland. His country is unequivocally mentioned by Boccaccio : ‘‘ Egli non ha anchora guari, que in questa cittd fu un gran maestro in nigro- mantia, il quale hebbe nome Michale Scotto, percio che di Scotia era.” (Decamerone, giorn. viii. nov. ix. f. 221, ed. Firenze, 1527, 4to.) Leland professes to have learned “a fide dignis” from some nameless vouchers, that he was born in the county of Durham (De Seriptoribus Britannicis, tom. i. p. 254) ; and this very loose and unsatisfactory ac- count has been adopted by Bale, Pitts, and various other writers. He is said to have studied at Oxford and Paris, and to have made great progress in mathematics and philosophy. He appears to have resided some time in Spain, where he might attain to proficiency in the Arabic language, though some literary historians have represented him as frequenting the most famous schools of the East. His Latin version of Alpetragius or Alpetraugi’s treatise on astronomy, as we learn from the colophon of one of the manu- scripts, was compiled at Toledo in the year 1217. It was probably after this period that he became a favourite at the court of the Emperor Frederic the Second, to whom he has dedicated his work on physiognomy, Liber Phisionomic. In the colophon of vari- ous editions of the same book, it is described as “De Procreatione et Hominis Phisionomia opus.” An Italian translation appeared un- der the following title : ‘‘ Physonomia, la qual compild Maestro Michael Scotto, a preghi de Federico, Romano Imperatore, huomo de gran scientia: et é cosa molto notabile, e da tenir secreta,” etc. Vinegia, 1537, 8vo. An- other of his works is entitled Mensa Philoso- phica, and it has likewise been repeatedly printed. In the Advocates’ Library there are early editions of both these works, in quarto, without dates. Scot translated, apparently from the Arabic, the history of animals, and some other works of Aristotle. (Fabricii Bibliotheca Latina Mediz et Infime Atatis, tom. v. p. 77. Jourdain, Recherches critiques sur l’Age et 1’Origine des Traductions Latines d’Aristote, p. 180: Paris, 1819, 8vo. Notices et Extraits des Manuscrits de la Bibliotheque du Roi, tom. vi. p. 387. Reliqua Librorum - Friderici 11. Imperatoris de Arte venandi cum Avibus, edidit Jo. Gottl. Schneider, tom. i. p. xii. tom. ii. p. 80. Lipsiz, 1788-9, 2 tom. 4to.) His knowledge of what is termed natu- ral magic procured him the character of an enchanter ; and in this light he is represented by Teofilo Folengo, and by a more celebrated poet. Quell’ altro, che ne’ fianchi é cosi poco, Michele Scotto fu, che veramente Delle magiche frode seppe il giuoco. Dante, Inferno, canto xx. 115. From the charge of magic he was vindicated, when such a vindication might still be neces- sary, by the learning of Gabriel Naudé. (Apologie pour tous les grands Personnages qu’ ont esté fausement soupgonnez de Magie, p. 495.) A very moderate estimate of his talents has been formed by Picus of Miran- dula. Alluding to Alphonzo, king of Spain, who encouraged the study of astrology, he remarks, ‘‘In ejus gratiam, Arabum et Gre- corum multa ejus artis monumenta ad nos pervenerunt, per Joannem presertim His- palensem et Michaelem Scotum, scriptorem nullius ponderis, multz vero superstitionis.” (Disputationes in Astrologiam, lib. xii. cap. vii.) 46 THE HISTORY OF haill comons of Scotland that had red or understanding, wer daylie speiking and exponeing of Thomas Rymer hes prophesie, and of uther prophesies quhilk wer prophesied in auld tymes.”* Nor was it among the vulgar alone that such expositions took place: John Colville,-in an oration composed at this period, expresses his surprise at the fulfilment of the prophecies ascribed to Thomas the Rhymer ;? and the Earl of Stirling, in the dedi- cation of his Monarchicke Tragedies to King James, introduces the following allusion to the same subject :— Ere thou wast borne, and since, heaven thee endeeres, Held back as best to grace these last worst times ; The world long’d for thy birth three hundreth yeeres, Since first fore-told wrapt in propheticke rimes. Nor was this topic neglected by Drummond :— This is that king who should make right each wrong, Of whom the bards and mysticke Sibilles song, The man long promis’d, by whose glorious raigne This isle should yet her ancient name regaine, And more of Fortunate deserve the stile Than those where heauens with double summers smile.3 Archbishop Spotswood has remarked that “the prophesies yet extant in Scotish rhymes, may justly be admired; having foretold, so many ages before, the union of England and Scot- land in the ninth degree of the Bruce’s blood, with the succes- sion of Bruce himself to the crown, being yet a child, and other divers particulars which the event hath ratified and made good.” * Lord Hailes considers it as amazing that Spotswood, “a man of sense and a scholar, should imagine that this prophecy was ancient, or that it did so much as bear the name of Thomas the Rhymer. The language throughout is scarcely more ancient than the times of the archbishop himself.” But the texture of this poem seems to belong to a period considerably removed 1 Birrel’s Diarey : Fragments of Scotish History, p. 59. Edinb. 1798, 4to. 2 “Nonne hee Saturnii seculi argumenta indubitata? Que mihi in memoriam exulce- ratam revocant, quod cum puer essem audive- ram balathrones ceraulas nomine Thoma Rythmici fatidici numerare quedam carmina trivialia, que tune ludicra, nune vero seria atque efficacia esse agnosco: verum si Del- phice an divinitus inspirata sint, definire non audeo cum teste Augustino.” (Colvilli Oratio Funebris Exequiis Elizabethe nupere Angliz Regine destinata, p. 24. Paris, 1604, 8vo.) 8 Drummond’s Forth Feasting, sig. B. 3. Edinb. 1617, 4to. 4 Spotswood’s Hist. of the Church of Scot- land, p. 47. 5 Hailes’s Ancient Scottish Poems, p. 312. See likewise his Remarks on the History of Scotland, p 89. Edinb. 1773, 12mo. SCOTISH POETRY. 47 from the age of Archbishop Spotswood ; and it is at least cer- tain that such a production was known to Sir David Lindsay when he composed the epistle prefixed to his Dreme.’ The progress of knowledge and of reason has gradually impaired the veneration with which his name was once regarded ; though it cannot be affirmed that even now his reputation as a prophet is completely extinct : it still lingers among the rustic readers of his native land; and “The whole Prophecies of Scotland, Eng- land, Ireland, France, and Denmark, prophecied by Thomas Rymer, marvellous Merling, Beid, Berlington, Waldhave, Eltrain, Bannester, and Sybilla,” continue to be printed for the worship- ful company of flying stationers. Of this curious collection, the earliest edition that has hitherto been traced was printed by Waldegrave in the year 1603. The prophecies ascribed to Ber- lington and Waldhave, Bishop Percy supposes to be of higher antiquity than the rest.” The collection chiefly consists of poems ‘written in the alliterative blank verse, of which the author of Piers Plowman has exhibited so conspicuous a specimen; but the Rhymer’s prophecies are written in a more common mea- sure: they are not produced as the composition of the prophet himself, who is thus introduced at the beginning of the poem : Still on my ‘ wayis’ as I went Out through a land beside a lea, I met a bairn upon the bent,’ Methought him seemly for to see. T ask’d him wholly his intent :— Good Sir, if your will be, Since that ye bide upon the bent, Some uncouth tidings tell you me. When shall these wars be gone; That leil men may live in lee; 1 Lindsay’s Works, vol. i. p. 189. Than spake a berne upon the bent, 2 Percy’s Essay on the Alliterative Metre Of comforte that was not cold. in Pierce Plowman’s Visions, p. 315. The Battle of Otterbourne, 17, prophecies of Beda, etc., says Mr. Pinkerton, Percy, vol. i. p. 22. “are the best remains of the English poetry of the fifteenth century ; and there is an ex- We saw a bousteous berne cum ovir the cellent ms. in the Marquis of Lansdowne’s bent. library.” (Hist. of Scotland, vol. i. p. 418.) Linpsay’s Works, vol. i. p. 237. 8 To mony gracious grome he maid his record How the busteous beirne met him on the bent. Quhat bairnis ar yon upon the bent? Taill of Rauf Coilzear. Vol. i. p. 407. 48 THE HISTORY OF Or when shall Falsehude go from home, And Lawtie blow his horn on hie ? The poet concludes his prolusion by revealing the name and abode of this prophet :— ‘When all these ferlies were away, Then saw I none but I and he ; Then to the beirn could I say, Where dwellest thou? in what country ? Or who shall rule the isle Britain, From the north to the south sea ? The French wife shall bear the son Shall rule all Britain to the sea, That of the Bruce’s blood shall come As near as the ninth degree. I frained fast what was his name ? Whence that he came? in what country ?— In Erslingtown I dwell at hame ; Thomas Rymer men call me. The claims of Thomas of Erceldoune to the character of a prophet, do not seem to require any further investigation ; but his claims to the character of a poet may perhaps be considered as more legitimate. That he was admired for his poetical talents, is evident from the testimony of a writer who approached very near his own age: Robert of Brunne, who flourished about the year 1303, commemorates him as the author of an incom- parable romance of the story of Sir Tristrem :— I see in song in sedgeyng tale Of Erceldoun and of Kendale, Non tham says as thai tham wroght, And in ther sayng it semes noght. That may thou here in Sir Tristrem ; Quer gestes it hes the steem, Ouer all that is or was, If men it sayd as made Thomas, Bot I here it no man so say, That of som copple som is away. So thare fayre saying here beforne, Is thare trauayle nere forlorne. Thai sayd it for pride and nobleye, That non were suylk as thei And alle that thai wild ouerwhere, Alle that ilk wille now forfare. SCOTISH POETRY. A9 Thai sayd in so quainte Inglis, That manyone wate not what it is ; Therfore heuyed wele the more In strange ryme to trauayle sore, And my witte was oure thynne, So strange speche to trauayle in, And forsoth I couth noght So strange Inglis as thai wroght ; And men besoght me many a tyme, To turne it bot in light ryme. From this passage it is evident that some poet of Erceldoune was classed among the most distinguished writers of gestes or romances, Here we have the Christian name Thomas, which may indeed belong to either of the two poets who are thus mentioned, but which we may without much hesitation sup- pose to belong to the rhymer of Erceldoune. The history of Kendale is altogether unknown, and his baptismal name cannot be ascertained.” A romance on the story of Sir Tristrem, and doubtless of a very early date, was discovered in the Advocates’ Library by the late Mr. Ritson ; a man of restless and indefatig- able research, to whom the lovers of black letter would have been more willing to acknowledge their obligations, if he had not mingled so large a portion of acid in all his compositions.’ Of this very curious relique of British literature, an elaborate and valuable edition, including all the necessary illustrations, was published by Sir Walter Scott in the year 1804. The manuscript which contains Sir Tristrem was presented to the library in 1744 by Alexander Boswell, called by courtesy Lord Auchinleck, a judge of the Court of Session: it is an ample quarto, written on vellum, and including upwards of forty poems and fragments of poems, the great body of which are manifestly English.* It is supposed to have been transcribed about the middle of the fourteenth century. This valuable manuscript, like many others, has been exposed to various discover any other vestige of his history. 1 Robert of Brunne’s Chronicle, vol. i. p. xcix. 2 Kendal is the name of a considerable town in Westmoreland ; and from this town it is highly probable that the poet mentioned by Robert of Brunne may have derived his ap- pellation. The industrious Ritson could.not (Bibliographia Poetica, p. 13.) 8 Tam censorius haud fuit vel ille Quem risisse semel ferunt in evo. Srponrus APOLLINARIS, Carm. xxiv. 12. 4 Of the contents of the Auchinleck ms. Sir Walter Scott has given a satisfactory ac- count, in an appendix to his Introduction. 50 THE HISTORY OF injuries from the miserable practice of cutting out the illumi- nations: Sir Tristrem has unfortunately been curtailed in this manner; a few stanzas at the conclusion are entirely lost, and in other places the poem is considerably mutilated. The defi- ciency at the close has been supplied by the editor, who has with much felicity adopted the language and versification of the ancient poet. Here we have at least discovered a romance of Sir Tristrem which apparently belongs to the age of Thomas of Erceldoune ; but the very first stanza of this romance mentions Thomas in the third person :— I was at Erceldoune.' With Tomas spak Y thare ; Ther herd Y rede in roune, Who Tristrem gat and bare ; Who was king with croun ; And who him forsterd yare ; And who was bold baroun, As thair elders ware, Bi yere. Tomas telles in toun |. This auentours as thai ware. If Thomas of Erceldoune was the author of the poem, why should he introduce himself in this unusual manner? why should he adopt a mode of expression so remote from that of a writer who might have been expected to appear in his own character? We cannot but entertain a strong suspicion that this is the language of another poet, who borrowed his materials ; but it may not perhaps be considered as altogether absurd to suppose that he was nevertheless the real author, and that he had recourse to this method of recording his own claims. At that period, there was no reading public, no numerous class of society who perused books for pleasure or instruction; reading and writing were branches of education into which even knights and barons seem to have been but rarely initiated ; they were very generally disposed to leave every vestige of learning to two 1 “There is a blank where the word Ercel- Y was at Ertheldoune. doune is inserted, occasioned by cutting out The faint vestiges of the text, as well as pro- the illumination ; but fortunately the whole bability, dictated the spelling, which how- line is written at the bottom of the preceding ever ought not to be adopted without ac- page by way of catch-word, and runs thus :— knowledgment.”—Scorr. SCOTISH POETRY. 51 different orders of men, the clergy and the minstrels.!_ Thomas, although he was certainly a poet, does not appear to have been a professional reciter of poetry; we have already seen that he possessed landed property of some value ; and it is therefore pro- bable that he committed to others the task of reciting his com- positions. It was chiefly by means of recitation that any literary work could then be extensively communicated to the public ; to transcribe an ample number of copies was attended with no small labour or expense; and many individuals unable to read might still be anxious to hear a story of arms or a lay of love. The halls of barons, and even the courts of princes, were accord- ingly frequented by the minstrels, who by their music and reci- tations beguiled the tedious hours of knights and ladies, unac- quainted with most of the intellectual pursuits which a more refined state of society must necessarily introduce. Of these servants of the muses, some were poets as well as musicians, while others only aspired at the humbler task of reciting the strains of others. If Thomas of Erceldoune composed this romance, he probably wished to solicit the notice of his coun- trymen in the usual manner ; nor is it unreasonable to imagine that he was anxious to prevent the audience from transferring to the reciter the honour due to the poet. On this hypothesis, the introduction of the author's name may not appear so un- natural : the first stanza recommends him to the notice of the hearers, and his name is repeatedly mentioned in the progress of the narrative, where the story is professedly continued “as Tomas hath ous taught.” , The language of this romance unquestionably belongs to a very early period of British literature ; but, as it presents itself in the only copy known to exist, we cannot suppose it to be the 1 “The knights in romance are seldom represented as deficient in this respect, still it is spoken of as anaccomplishment. When Gawain wins the espee aux estranges renges which had belonged to Judas Maccabeus and Joseph of Arimathea, he finds an inscription upon it, and the writer tells us that he could read well:—‘Et Gauvain, qui bien sgavoit lire, tendit la main,’ etc. Perceval, f. 68. It appears that Perceval himself could not read, ‘Perceval ne scavoit pas lyre, mais bien en avoit ouy parler,’ etc, f.177. Inthe Partidas there are reasons given why it is proper that the sons of a king should be taught to read and write.” (Southey’s Preface to the Lyf of Kyng Arthur, p. xxxiii.) Bishop Percy, speaking of an Earl of Northumberland who died in the year 1527, observes that he lived “at a time when many of the first nobility could hardly read or write theirnames.” (Pre- face to the Northumberland Household-Book, p. xxii.) 52 THE HISTORY OF unmixed and genuine language of any Scotish poet. It is how- ever necessary to recollect that the transcript appears to have been executed, not in Scotland, but in England; and that it was the common practice of transcribers to take consider- able liberties in varying the orthography or forms of words, according to the standard of their respective age and district. This was evidently the practice of English transcribers at a very early period, and it may indeed be traced to a more remote era in the history of literature ; such a process, for example, must have taken place in some particular copies of the treatise of Ocellus Lucanus “De Universi Natura:” this very ancient philosopher was a Dorian by birth, and that he wrote in his native dialect, is sufficiently clear from the extracts to be found in Stobzeus ; and yet his entire treatise has descended to us in an Attic dress. Sir Tristrem contains many idioms which are still Scotish, but which have ceased to be English. But the same remark is likewise applicable to all the English poets of an early date; for, after a certain period, the languages of the two countries seem gradually to have receded from each other. Barbour and Chaucer approach much nearer than Douglas and Surrey to the same standard of phraseology and composition. Robert of Brunne, as we have already seen, characterizes the two poets of Erceldoune and of Kendale as writers of quaint English, not easily understood by a vulgar audience ; and he particularly mentions, that the verses of Sir Tristrem were com- monly marred in the recitation. This description seems not inapplicable to the work now under our review: it exhibits a pregnant brevity of style which distinguishes it from most of the ancient romances that have reached our times, and the struc- ture of the stanza is artificial and complicated, consisting of eleven verses, in nine of which there are only two rhymes. It appears that the reciters were apt to mar the poet’s verses ; “that of some copple som is away.” By the word copple the editor of Sir Tristrem understands a stanza, but according to a more recent writer, it is clearly equivalent to the modern term couplet ;* and, in his opinion, it would be difficult to specify 1 According to Mr. Guest, “the term cop- mean a rhiming couplet, nor (as Price conjec- ple does not (as Sir Walter Scott conjectured) tured) an alliterative couplet, but merely the SCOTISH POETRY. 53 any period in the history of the language, when the expression implied more than the simple connexion of two distinct bodies. But, admitting the truth of this latter remark, it is obvious that the term may naturally enough be understood as denoting the connexion of two lines in the same stanza which rhyme with each other; and the ancient chronicler’s allusion will thus be found sufficiently applicable to this romance, which is written, not in couplets, but in stanzas. But another passage in the same chronicler seems likewise to require a commentary :— And men besoght me many a tyme To turn it bot in light ryme. Thai sayd, if I in strange it turne, To here it manyon suld skurne : For [in] it ere names fulle selcouthe, That ere not vsed now in mouthe. And therfore for the comonalte, That blythely wild listen to me, On light lange I it began, For luf of the lewed man, To telle tham the chaunces bolde, That here before was don and told. From this passage, Mr. Price, the able and accomplished editor of Warton, has endeavoured to prove that the writer could not allude to the romance of Sir Tristrem with which we are ac- quainted. “Of these ‘selcouthe names, what traces do we find in the romance of Sir Tristram, that are not to be met with in equal abundance in the poems of De Brunne? If the former be a specimen of that ‘quaint Inglis, which could justify De Brunne in saying it contained ‘ names not used now in mouthe,’ upon what principle can we allow this cloistered versifier to have avoided the same peculiarity in his own compositions ? His own poems are equally quaint and equally prolific of that correspondence which exists between two rhiming lines, whetherimmediately connected or widely separated from each other.” (His- tory of English Rhythms, vol. ii. p. 288. Lond. 1838, 2 vols. 8vo.) The Spanish word copla denotes a stanza. Whatever may be the meaning of the word copill in the following stanza of King James, it certainly cannot be understood as signifying a couplet :— And on the small grene twistis sat The lytil suete nyghtingale, and song So loud and clere the ympnis consecrat Of luvis use, now soft, now lowd among, That all the gardynis and the wallis rong Rycht of thaire song, and on the copilJ next Of thaire suete armony, and to the text. King’s Quair, p. 75, Tytler’s edit. 54 THE HISTORY OF same obsolete phraseology which limited the popularity of his admired predecessors.”* But what was the task which this worthy canon of Brunne was frequently urged to undertake ? Certainly not to translate the poems of Erceldoune and Ken- dale, but the chronicle of England, as he found it written by Peter Langtoft and other authors. He was requested to turn it, that is, the chronicle, into light or easy rhyme, and was advised not to turn it into strange, that is, complicated or difficult thyme. The “selcouthe” or uncommon names to which he alludes, are therefore to be sought, not in the romance, but in the original chronicle. Having duly considered all these doubts and probabilities, some readers may possibly be disposed to conclude, that there is not much more difficulty in supposing this to be the modified work of Thomas of Erceldoune, than in supposing two very con- spicuous romances on the same story to have been produced by two British poets at nearly the same period. But it must on the other hand be admitted that the subject was uncommonly popular. Tristrem or Tristram, whom the French and Germans commonly call Tristan,? is one of the most celebrated heroes of romance ;* his exploits have likewise been commemorated by the writers of France, Italy, Spain, Germany, and even of Greece* and Island. He is commonly represented as one of the knights of the round table, and some of the later romancers assign the honour of his birth to Bretagne; but the poem ascribed to Thomas of Erceldoune makes no allusion to the history of King Arthur, and it refers the hero’s origin to the kingdom of Cornwall. In what language his story was first exhibited, it is not so easy to ascertain ; but we learn from com- 1 Warton’s History of English Poetry, vol. i p. 184, edit. Lond. 1824, 4 vols. 8vo. 2 The French writers occasionally give him the name by which he is most generally known in England. Coment Paris ravi Helayne, Les max qu'il en ot et la paine De Tristram qui a chievre fist. Roman du Renart, tom. i. p. 1. 8 Vidi Paris, Tristano ; e pid di mille Ombre mostrommi, e nominolle a dito, Ch’ amor di nostra vita dipartille. Dante, Inferno, Canto v. 67. Ecco quei che le carte empion di sogni, Lancilotto, Tristano, e gli altri errauti ; Onde conven che ’1 volgo errante agogni. Vedi Ginevra, Isotta, e 1’ altre amanti. Petraroa, Trionfo d'Amore, cap. lii. #As a specimen of his Monumenta Medit 4ivi, Professor von der Hagen has lately pub- lished a Greek poem “‘ De Rebus gestis Regis Arturi, Tristani, Lanceloti, Galbani, Palame- dis, aliorumque Equitum Tabule Rotunde.” Vratislavie, 1821, 8vo. The verses are TOt- Tixol orlxot, and the work may be considered as a literary curiosity. SCOTISH POETRY. 55 petent authority that a romance of Tristrem and Yseult must once have existed in the language of the troubadours.! In the opinion of Raynouard, this subject was one of the most popular among the writers of the middle ages, both in the north and south of France, and likewise in other countries. Rambaud, Count of Orange, a notable troubadour who died about the year 1173, makes the following allusion to the adventures of Tris- trem and his paramour :— Car ieu begui de l’amor, Que ja us deia ainar celada, Ab Tristan, quan la il det Yseus gen... Sobre totz aurai gran valor, 8 aital camisa m’ es dada Cum Yseus det a ’amador, Que mais non era portata : Tristan mout presetz gent presen... Qu’ Yseutz estet en gran paor, Puois fon breumens conseillada, Quwilh fetz a son marit crezen C’anc hom que nasques de maire Non toques en lieis mantenen.? Many other allusions to the same hero and heroine occur in those works of the troubadours which are still preserved; and the subject was indeed so popular and common that a trou- badour, reproaching a jongleur with his ignorance, avers that he is not even acquainted with the adventures of Tristrem :— Ni no sabetz las novas de Tristan.3 Chrestien de Troyes, a French poet, is said to have composed a metrical romance of Sir Tristrem before the close of the twelfth century;* and about the same period Heinrich von Veldig, a German minnesinger, refers to the tale of Tristrem and the queen as familiarly known.’ At the beginning of the ensuing century the brave King of Navarre makes a similar allusion. Marie de France, an Anglo-Norman poetess, who 1 Raynouard, Poésies des Troubadours, 4 Histoire Littéraire dela France, tom. xv. tom. ii. p. 316. p. 193-4. 5 Lays of the Minnesingers, p. 109. Lond. 2 Ibid. tom. ii. p. 312. 1825, Svo. 6 Poésies du Roy de Navarre, tom. ii. p. 7. % Ibid. tom. ii. p. 316. 145. Paris, 1742, 2 tom. 8vo. 56 THE HISTORY OF likewise flourished about this period, and who appears to have drawn the subjects of most of her lays from the poets of Bre- tagne, takes occasion to quote a written account of Tristrem and Yseult :— Plusurs le m’ unt cunté é dit, E jeo I’ ai trové en escrit ; De Tristam ¢ de la reine, De lur amur qui tant fu fine. It is therefore evident that the exploits of Tristrem were celebrated by the continental poets long before the birth of Thomas of Erceldoune. If we may rely on the authority of the Welsh annals, they were recorded at a much earlier period, and his character belongs to authentic history.” It has been re- marked that the scene of Tristrem’s life and adventures is laid in countries inhabited by the Celtic tribes, and that the names of all the principal personages are of genuine British origin.® Some of these names however do not seem to be exclusively British. Mark is evidently derived from the Latin Marcus, 1 Poésies de Marie de France, publiées par B. de Roquefort, tom. i. p. 388. Paris, 1820, 2 tom. 8vo. Marie is supposed to be the author of ‘‘ Le Couronnemens Renart,” which forms a branch of the series of metrical fables, written by different individuals, and known by the general title of ‘‘Le Roman du Re- nart.” The earlier portion of this work ob- tained such popularity, that, with certain changes and modifications, it was transfused, - either in prose or verse, into various lan- guages, into German, Flemish, English, Danish, and Latin. On the Low German ver- sion of Reynike Voss, a curious specimen of language and verse, many observations may be found in Sir Herbert Croft’s “Letter on the English and German Languages.” Ham- burgh, 1797, 4to. See likewise Kinderling’s “Geschichte der Nieder-Saichsischen, oder sogenannten Plattdeutschen Sprache,” 8. 350. Notwithstanding the celebrity of the French original, it has very recently been printed for the first time. (Le Roman du Renart, pub- lié par M. D. M. Méon. Paris, 1826, 4 tom. 8vo.) The branch ascribed to Marie de France is inserted in the fourth volume. With respect to her claim to be considered as the author, the reader may consult the pre- face of M. Méon, p. vii. and M. Robert’s “Essai sur les Auteurs dont les Fables ont précédé celles de La Fontaine” (p. cxxix. cliv.), prefixed to ‘‘ Fables inédites des xu11°, xii¢ et x1ve Siécles, et Fables de La Fontaine rapprochées de celles de tous les Auteurs qui avoient, avant lui, traité les mémes Sujets.” Paris, 1825, 2 tom. 8vo. 2 Trystan the son of Tallwch is mentioned in the Dream of Rhonabwy: “‘ This person- age is better known as the Sir Tristrem of metrical romance, than in his proper charac- ter as a chieftain of the sixth century. In the Triads, he is mentioned as one of the three compeers of Arthur’s court, as one of the diademed princes, as one of the three heralds, and as one of the three stubborn ones, whom no one could deter from their purpose. His chief celebrity however is derived from his unfortunate attachment to Essyllt, the wife of his uncle, March ab Meirchion, which gained him the appellation of one of the three ardent lovers of Britain. It was owing to the circumstance of his hav- ing tended his uncle’s swine, whilst he de- spatched their usual keeper with a message to this lady, that he became classed as one of the three swineherds of the island. There is a further Triad concerning Trystan, in which he is represented as able to transform him- self into any shape he pleased.” (The Mabi- nogion, from the Llyfr Coch o Hergest, and other ancient Welsh manuscripts, with an English translation and notes, by Lady Char- lotte Guest, p. 441.) 5 Scott's Introduction, p. xxv. SCOTISH POETRY. 57 which under certain varieties of termination has found its way into most countries of Europe, Rouland Rise, the appellation of the hero’s father, is perhaps of a mixed character: Roland has for many centuries been a French name; and Rise, what- ever it may signify in the Celtic dialects, is conspicuous in the Gothic as denoting a giant or hero.’ In the ancient Danish ballads we meet with Langben Rise and Berner Rise ;? and Roland Rise is apparently a name of a similar formation, denot- ing the giant or hero Roland. On the story of Tristrem, several metrical romances in the German language are still preserved; the most conspicuous of which is that of Gottfried von Strassburg. A passage in the introduction of his poem has been supposed to contain an allu- sion to the Scotish poet :— Aber, als ich gesprochen han, Daz si niht rehte haben gelesen, Daz ist als ich iv sage gewesen, Sine sprachen in der rihte niht Als Thomas von Britanie giht, Der aventure meister was, Vnde an Britvnschen buchen las Aller der landherren leben, Vnde ez vns zu kvnde hat gegeben.? Here Gottfried appeals to the authority of Thomas von Britanie, or Thomas of Britain; but Von der Hagen and Biisching, the learned historians of German poetry, have suggested a doubt whether the chronology will authorize us to conclude that this precursor was Thomas of Erceldoune* The precise period at which Gottfried wrote his romance it seems very difficult, if not impossible, to ascertain ; but some manuscripts of it are de- scribed as belonging to the middle of the thirteenth century ;° and Thomas appears to have been still alive in the year 1286. Ag the intercourse between Scotland and Germany was not 1 © Rese, gigas, homo insolite magnitudi- nis. Isl. hrese, risur. V. Verelii Index, p. 194, Al. riso. Belg. reus. Germ. riese. L. B. risius. Terram quam incolebant hi Gigantes, veteres historiz Risaland nuncupant.” (Ihre Glossarium Suiogothicum, tom. ii. col. 424.) 2 Danske Viser, 1 Bind, 8. 25, 55. 3 Tristan von Meister Gotfrit von Strass- burg, mit der Fortsetzung des Meisters Ul- rich von Turheim, herausgegeben von EB. von Groote, 8. 5. Berlin, 1821, 4to. 4 Von der Hagen und Biisching’s literari- scher Grundriss zur Geschichte der Deut- schen Poesie, 8. 133. Berlin, 1812, Svo. 5 E. von Groote’s Einleitung, 8. xlix. 58 THE HISTORY OF then very frequent or familiar, it may therefore be suspected that the Scotish romance could not so expeditiously have been translated into French, and circulated on the Continent. In the outline of the story, as told by the British and the German poet, there is indeed a general coincidence ; but Von Groote, the late editor of the German romance, has pointed out many variations in the detail. Gottfried von Strassburg’s work, al- though it extends to nearly twenty thousand verses, was left incomplete ; and it has been continued by other two poets, Heinrich von Friberg and Ulrich von Turheim. The first of these continuators likewise alleges the authority of Thomas of Britain :— Als Thomas von Britania sprach Von den zwein siizen jungen, In Lampartischer zungen Also han ich iu die warheit In Diutsche von in zwein geseit.! As he supposes this Thomas to have written in the language of Lombardy, we can scarcely understand him as referring to Thomas of Erceldoune; and he is very far from adhering to the narrative of the romance with which we are acquainted. True indeed it is that such writers are often abundantly licen- tious in devising authorities: they sometimes make serious protestations of deriving their materials from British or Armori- can, and even from Latin or Greek sources ; and their protesta- tions are entitled to the same degree of credit that is due to Cervantes when he gravely reveals the discovery of the Arabic manuscript. But another early poet, Wolfram von Eschenbach, in his romance of Titurel, quotes as one of his sources of infor- mation the Chronicle of Cornwall by Thomas von Brittanien.” The very able editor of Warton has already remarked that this is evidently the same Thomas quoted by the other German romancers ; and that many of the inferences respecting the 1 Gottfrieds von Strassburg Werke, heraus- languages ; and, among others, the romance gegeben durch Friedr. Heinr. von der Hagen, ascribed to Thomas of Erceldoune, and some ii. Band, S, 97. Breslau, 1823, 2 Bde. 8vo.— fragments of the romance of Tristan by Eil- Besides the continuations of Ulrich von Tur- hart von Hobergen. heim and Heinrich von Friberg, the learned 2 See the preface (p. v.) to Lohengrin, ein and industrious editor has added various Altteutsches Gedicht, herausgegeben von J. poems on the same subject, written in various Gorres. Heidelberg, 1813, 8vo, SCOTISH POETRY. 59 extended fame of the Scotish poet, must consequently be re- garded as erroneous. It is highly probable that this chronicle was written in Norman French: that it was written at a very early period, is sufficiently obvious; for Wolfram, by whom it is quoted, flourished about the year 1207. At a period so remote as the year 1226, a romance of Tristrem and Ysonde was, at the command of Hakon king of Norway, translated into the Islandic language by a monk named Robert.’ This version has never been printed; but the manuscript preserved at Copenhagen has been inspected by Dr. Miiller, who supplies us with some important information. An incident related in Grettirssaga he states to be unquestionably borrowed from the romance of Tristrem: the mistress of Dromund has recourse to the same casuistical expedient as the royal mistress of Tristrem, in order to prepare her for taking an oath of purga- tion. Such an incident might possibly have been derived from some other source, or might have been devised by the writer of the saga; but it is of more consequence to learn that the Is- landic and the British romance of Tristrem closely adhere to the same order.” The chronology of Thomas of Erceldoune’s life will not permit us to imagine that his romance preceded that which was translated into Islandic at this very early period; and we must therefore conclude that both authors borrowed the story from one common original. The tale of Tristrem, after having been very widely circulated by the minstrels, was at length extended and modified into a prose romance, written originally in French, and afterwards translated into Spanish and Italian.? It has never been ex- hibited in an English dress; but Syr Trystram is a conspicuous character in the book compiled from the French romances by 1 Kinari Scagraphia Historie Literariz Is- landice, p. 105. Havnie, 1777, Svo. tom. i. p.1. Paris, 1782,4tom.12mo. See likewise the Bibliotheque wniverselle des Rom- 2 Miiller’s Sagabibliothek, 1 Bind, 8. 261.— The same romance is likewise mentioned in Professor Nyerup’s Almindelig Morskabsles- ning i Danmark og Norge igiennem Aarhun- drider, 8. 119. Kidbenhavn, 1816, 8vo. 8 See Scott’s Introduction, p. lxxi.—An abridgment of the prose romance of Tristan de Léonois occurs in the Comte de Tressan’s “Corps d’Extraits de Romans de Chevalerie,” ans, Avr. 1776, tom. i. p. 53. Of most of the French romances in prose, connected with the story of King Arthur and the round table, an account may be found in Dr. Southey’s preface to ‘‘The Birth, Lyf, and Actes of King Arthur,” Lond. 1817, 2 vols. 4to. This is a republication of the work compiled by Sir Thomas Malory, and first printed by Cax- ton in the year 1485, 60 THE HISTORY OF Sir Thomas Malory, and commonly known by the title of Morte @ Arthur. The romance ascribed to Thomas of Erceldoune is deservedly regarded as a precious relique of early British poetry ; it is highly curious as a specimen of language, and not less curious as a specimen of composition. The verses are short, and the stanzas somewhat artificial in their structure; and amid the quaint simplicity of the author’s style, we often distinguish a forcible brevity of expression. But his narrative, which has a certain air of originality, is sometimes so abrupt as to seem obscure, and even enigmatical. After the exordium of the poem, we are presented with a rapid glance at a war between Duke Morgan and Rouland Rise of Ermonie. Victory having inclined to the side of Rouland, the two chiefs conclude a truce for seven years, and both repair to England, where they visit the court of Mark King of Corn- wall. Here they are courteously entertained, and are entreated to dwell with him in peace. The “child of Ermonie” appears with the first lustre at a tournament, and gains the affections of Blaunche Flour, sister to the king. Having afterwards been wounded in battle, he is favoured with a visit from this princess, who may be supposed to have attended him in a medical capa- city ; for during the ages of chivalry, ladies of high rank and conspicuous beauty were often distinguished for their skill in physic and surgery." But the practice of these useful arts occasionally exposed their tenderness to dangerous trials ; and the early romances, which in this case may easily be imagined to exhibit a picture of real life, sometimes trace the origin of a hero to such an interview. The fruit of the princess’s visit is a “knave” child, named Tristrem. Morgan having broken the truce, Rouland takes his departure for Ermonie, and is accom- panied by Blaunche, to whom he is married on his arrival. In a bloody battle which soon afterwards ensues, he is treacher- ously slain. The tidings reach Blaunche Flour during the 1“T) étoit d’un usage commun, du temps mens, le danger d’étre blessés dans les com- de l’ancienne chevalerie, que les dames et de- bats, tournois ou jofites.” (Tressan, Corps moiselles du plus haut parage apprissent la d’Extraits de Romans de Chevalerie, tom. i. chirurgie, pour se rendre utiles 4 leurs péres, p. 32.) See likewise Mr. Mill’s History of maris ou parens, qui couroient, 4 tous mo- Chivalry, vol. i. p. 187. Lond. 1825, 2 vols. 8vo. SCOTISH POETRY. 61 pains of childbirth; and having consigned to their faithful vassal Rohant a ring well known to King Mark, she expires immediately after the birth of her son. Morgan now seizes the territories of the deceased chief: Tristrem, under the disguised name of Tramtrist, is educated by Rohant as his own child, and is carefully instructed in all the knightly accomplishments of the time. After he has attained the age of fifteen, a ship arrives from Norway, freighted with treasure, and with “haukes white and grey ;” and Tristrem being informed that the shipmaster had challenged any person to play at chess, goes on board accompanied by his preceptor, together with Rohant and his sons. ‘Tristrem wins six hawks and one hundred pounds, which the treacherous mariner has no inclination to pay. Rohant and his sons having quitted the ship, the Norwegians suddenly put to sea, and provide the tutor with a boat and an oar to retrace his course to the land. They continue at sea for nine weeks, and are overtaken by a dangerous tempest, which has the effect of rousing them to a sense of their own violence and injustice : they accordingly land Tristrem in an unknown country, and not only pay him his winnings, but likewise make him a rich present. Notwithstanding the character of his late associates, his heart becomes cold when they leave him : Winde thai hadde as thai wolde, A lond bilaft he ; His hert bigan to cold, Tho he no might hem nought se.1 After meeting with some inconsiderable adventures, he ascer- tains that he is in Cornwall, and is presented to the king, who retains him at his court. In the meantime, Rohant is inconsol- able for the loss of his foster-son, and having undertaken a general quest, travels through more than seven kingdoms, and 1 This simple and touching sentiment may likewise be traced in the classical as well as in the modern poets. The editor of Sir Tris- trem has quoted a similar passage from Thomson’s Agamemnon, and another is to be found in Sophocles :— Zv 8h, réxvov, wolay w dvacrdow Soxels,. Abréy BeCwray, €& trvou orjvat Tore ; s A ie ia Jlo?? éxdaxpdoat ; wot’ dromafat, Kad ; ‘Oparra wey vats, ds éxwv évavaorddovp, Ildcas BeBwoas, dvipa & obdév’ évroroy, Ovx doris dpKéceer, ob6 Baris vicou Kédpvorre avAdadborro = wdvra 6é oxordy, Hibpicxoy ovdev why avidicOat maypdv Tovrou 5& modi evudpecar, & Téxvor. Sopruocuis Philoctetes, 276, edit. Brunck. 62 THE HISTORY OF at length traces him to the court of Cornwall. Soon after his arrival, he communicates to King Mark the story of Tristrem’s birth, and produces Blaunche’s ring as a voucher for its truth. Tristrem, who is now acknowledged as the king’s nephew, also learns the secret of his own parentage, and is eager to revenge the wrongs of his family : having received the honour of knight hood, and being furnished with a thousand chosen men, he sails for Ermonie, and fixes his residence in the castle of Rohant. Having for some time remained inactive, he at length presents himself at the court of Morgan, with fifteen of his knights, and begins a taunting conversation with the duke, which leads to a speedy termination of their differences. Tristrem speke bigan ; “Sir King, God loke the, As I the love and an, And thou hast served to me.” The Douke answerd than ; “Y pray, mi lord so fre, Whether thou bless or ban, Thine owhen mot it be, Thou bold : Thi nedes telle thou me, Thine erand what thou wold.” “Amendes ! mi fader is slain, Mine hirritage Hermonie.” The Douk answered ogain, “Certes thi fader than slough Y. Seththen thou so hast ‘ sayn,’ Amendes ther ought to ly, Therefore, prout swayn, So schal Y the for thi: Right than Artow comen titly Fram Marke thi kinsman. “Yongling, thou schalt abide, Foles thou wendest to fand ; Thi fader thi moder gan hide, Tn horedom he hir band : How comestow with pride ? Out, traitour, of mi land ! SCOTISH POETRY. 63 Tristrem spac that tide ; ‘ Thou lext ich understand, And wot.” Morgan with his hand With a lof Tristrem smot. On his brest adoun Of his nose ran the blod : Tristrem swerd was boun, And ner the Douke he stode.! With that was comen to toun Rohant with help ful gode And gayn: Al that oyain him stode, Wightly were thai slayn. To prisoun thai gun take Erl, baroun, and knight ; For Douke Morgan sake, Mani on dyd doun right. Schaftes they gun schake, And riven scheldes bright ; Crounes thai gun crake, Mani, ich wene, aplight, Saunfayl : Bituene the none and the night Last the batayle. The forces of Morgan being routed, and himself slain, Tris- trem recovers his paternal dominions, which he conveys to Rohant to be held of him in vassalage. On his return to Corn- wall, he finds the king and people in great dismay on account of a grievous tribute exacted by the king of Ireland: it consists of a certain annual payment in gold, silver, and tin, and, every fourth year, of three hundred free-born children. After con- ferring with Mark and his council, Tristrem determines to resist this unjust exaction; and having sought Morant, a gigantic knight who is sent to demand the children, he formally declares that no tribute is due. Morant gives him the lie direct, and they exchange gages of battle ; a long and terrible combat en- sues, and the Irish knight is at length slain. Tristrem having 1 “ when such a faculty is displayed by a poet blind from his infancy, it is chiefly to be referred to his accurate recollec- tion of the descriptive language employed by other poets ; but what notions he himself attaches to words expressive of the visible qualities of objects, it might be extremely difficult for a blind poet to explain. The following is Henry’s description of morning :— The mery day sprang fra the oryent, With bemys brycht enlumynyt the occident. Eftir Titan Phebus wp rysyt fayr ; ~ Heich in the sper the signes maid declayr. state would direct, nor stop where the con- currence of interest has produced an alliance. 1“ The story of Wallace,” says Burns in his letter to Dr. Moore, “‘ poured a tide of Scottish prejudice into my veins, which will poil along there till the flood-gates of life shut in eternal rest.” 2‘ Hear,” says Dr. Ferguson, ‘ the pea- sants on different sides of the Alps, and the Pyrenees, the Rhine, or the British channel, give vent to their prejudices and national passions ; it is among them that we find the materials of war and dissension laid without the direction of government, and sparks ready to kindle into a flame, which the statesman is frequently disposed to extinguish. The fire will not always catch where his reasons of “My father,’ said a Spanish peasant, ‘would rise from his grave, if he could foresee a war with France.’ What interest had he, or the ones of his father, in the quarrels of princes?” (Essay on the History of Civil Society, p. 54. Edinb. 1767, 4to.) 3 Spence’s Life of Blacklock (sect. iv.) pre- fixed to his Poems. Lond. 1756, 4to. Burke has remarked that “few men blessed with the most perfect sight can describe visual objects with more spirit and justness than this blind man.” (Enquiry into the Sublime and Beautiful, p. 324, edit. Lond. 1812. 8vo.) 190 THE HISTORY OF Zepherus began his morow courss, The swete wapour thus fra the ground resourss ; The humyll breyth doun fra the hewyn awaill, In every meide, bathe fyrth, forrest, and daill ; The cler rede amang the rochis rang, : Throuch greyn branchis quhar byrdis blythly sang, With joyus woice in hewynly armony.’ Such strokes of description as this passage contains must have been produced by recollecting the terms which former poets had applied to similar subjects; but it cannot be supposed that some of those terms conveyed the same meaning to Henry and to his readers; to the words bright and grcen he could not possibly affix any definite signification. With respect to colours, his associations, like those of Blacklock, must have been chiefly of the moral kind. His description of Wallace’s encounter with the spectre of Fawdoun is highly picturesque. This unfortunate individual, whose fidelity was strongly suspected, had recently been slain by the Scotish chief, while they were flying before an English blood-hound? and a formidable detachment of English soldiers, Wallace retreated to Gask Hall with only thirteen of his follow- ers, and was afterwards left alone in this solitary castle. Quhen he allayne Wallace was lewyt thar, The awfull blast aboundyt mekill mayr. Than trowit he weill thai had his lugyng seyne ; His suerd he drew of nobill mettall keyne, Syn furth he went quhar at he hard the horne. With-out the dur Fawdoun was him beforn, As till his sycht, his awne hed in his hand ; A croyss he maid, quhen he saw him so stand. At Wallace in the hed he swaket thar ; And he in haist sone hynt [it] by the hair, Syne out agayne at him he couth it cast; In-till his hart he was gretlye agast. Rycht weill he trowit that was no spreit of man ; Tt was sum dewill, at sic malice began. 1 Henry’s Wallace, Jamieson’s edit. p. 206. In Gyllisland thar was that brachell brede, 2 This blood-hound had been reared in Seker off sent to folow thaim at flede : Cumberland, in the barony of Gilsland, and So was scho vsyt on Esk and on Ledaill ; had formerly hunted its human prey in the Quhill scho gat blude no fléyng mycht awaill. neighbouring dales of Esk and Liddal. SCOTISH POETRY. 191 He wyst no waill thar langar for to bide, Vp throuch the hall thus wicht Wallace can glid, Till a closs stair ; the burdis raiff in twyne, Fyftene fute large he lap out of that in. Wp the wattir sodeynlye he couth fair ; Agayne he blent quhat perance he sawe thair. Him thocht he saw Faudoun that hugly syr ; That haill hall he had set in a fyr ; A gret raftre he had in-till his hand. Wallace as than no langar walde he stand, Off his gud men full gret meruaill had he, How thai war tynt throuch his feyle fantasé. Traistis rycht weill all this was suth in deide, Supposs that it no poynt be of the creide.? The death of good Sir John Graham, and the subsequent retreat of Wallace from the field of Falkirk, are thus related : The worthy Scottis weryt fer on bak, Sewyn akyrbreid, in turnyng off thair bak. Yeit Wallace has thir twa delyueryt weill Be his awn strenth and his gud suerd off steill. The awfull Bruce amang thaim with gret mayn, At the reskew, thre Scottismen has he slayn : Quham he hyt rycht, ay at a straik was ded. Wallace preyst in tharfor to set rameid. With a gud sper the Bruce was serwyt but baid : With gret inwy to Wallace fast he raid ; And he till him assonyeit nocht for thi. The Bruce him myssyt as Wallace passyt by, Awkwart he straik with his scharp groundyn glaive, Sper and horsscrag in-till sondyr he draive ; Bruce was at erd or Wallace turned about. The gret battaill off thousandis stern and stout, Thai horssyt Bruce with men off gret walour. Wallace allayn was in that stalwart stour. Graym pressyt in, and straik ane Ingliss knycht, Befor the Bruce, apon the basnet brycht. That seruall stuff and all his othir weid, Bathe bayn and brayn, the nobill suerd throuch yeid. 1 Heury’s Wallace, Jamieson’s edit. p. 72. deed, but onely that it appeared so. And —Of this passage there is a judicious enough it was no maruell, that a man of so great defence, in the preface to Andrew Hart’s spirite beeing nowe left alone in a desert edition, 1620, 8vo. ‘‘The other doubt is of _ place, ina great perplexitie, and ouer-wearied the vision that befell him at the Gask-Hall, with excessiue trauels, long forwaked with- the which is no derogation to the trueth of out any refreshment of meat or drinke all the this history: For the booke affirmeth not day before, that he was rauished with such these thinges to haue beene done in verie foolish visions or fantasies.” THE HISTORY OF The knycht was dede ; gud Graym retornet tyte. A suttell knycht tharat had gret despyt, Folowyt at wait, and has persawyt weill Gramys byrny was to narow sumdeill, Be-neth the waist, that closs it mycht nocht be. On the fyllat full sternly straik that sle, Persyt the bak, in the bowalys him bar, Wyth a scharp sper, that he mycht leiff no mar. Graym turnd tharwith, and smate that knycht in teyn, Towart the wesar, a litill be-neth the eyn. Dede off that dynt, to ground he duschyt doun. Schyr Jhon the Graym swonyt on his arsoun. Or he our com, till pass till his party, Feill Sotheroun men, that was on fute him by, Stekit his horss, that he no forthir yeid ; Graym yauld to God his gud speryt, and his deid. Quhen Wallace saw this knycht to dede was wrocht, The pytuouss payn so sor thryllyt his thocht, All out off kynd at alteryt his curage ; His wyt in wer was than bot a wod rage. Hys horss him bur in feild quhar so him lyst ; For off him selff as than litill he wyst. Lik a wyld best that war fra reson rent, As wytlace wy in to the ost he went, Dingand on hard ; quhat Sotheroun he rycht hyt, Straucht apon horss agayn mycht neuir syt. In-to that rage full feill folk he dang doun ; All hym about was reddyt a gret rowm. Quhen Bruce persawyt with Wallace it stud sa, He chargyt men lang sperys for to ta, And sla hys horss, sa he suld nocht eschaip. Feyll Sotheroun than to Wallace fast can schaip, Persyt his hors with sperys on athir syd ; Woundys thai maid that was bathe deip and wyd. Off schafftis part Wallace in sondyr schayr, Bot fell hedys in till his horss left thair. Sum wytt agayn to Wallace can radoun, In hys awn mynd so rewllyt him resoun ; Sa for to de him thocht it no waslage. Than for to fle he tuk no taryage ; Spuryt the horss, quhilk ran in a gud randoun Till his awn folk was bydand at Carroun. The sey was in, at thai stoppyt and stud ; On loud he cryt and bad thaim tak the flud ; “To gyddyr byd, ye may nocht loss a man.” At his commaund the watter thai tuk than. SCOTISH POETRY. 1938 Hym returned, the entré for to kepe, Quhill all his ost was passyt our the depe ; Syn passyt our, and dred his horss suld faill, Hym selff hewy cled in-to plait off maill ; Set he couth swom, he trowit he mycht nocht weill : The cler watter culyt the horss sumdeill ; Atour the flud he bur him to the land, Syn fell doun dede, and mycht no langar stand. Henry is the most ancient Scotish poet who has presented us with an extensive specimen of the heroic couplet ; a species of versification which Chaucer had cultivated with eminent success. But to this form of composition he does not uniformly adhere ; for he sometimes admits alternate rhymes, as well as an extension of the same assonance beyond the limits of a couplet. The additional ornament of alliteration he does not entirely reject, and he occasionally heightens his poetical ex- pression by the aid of a skilful inversion. Upon the whole, he may be pronounced an excellent versifier: many of his lines possess much of the smoothness of modern English verse. But he appears to have been less ambitious of being con- sidered as a great poet, than as a faithful recorder of the exploits of the Scotish hero. His credit as a historian is not however of the highest order. “A few examples,” says Lord Hailes, “may serve to prove the spirit of this romancer: He always speaks of Aymer de Valloins, Earl of Pembroke, as a false Scottish knight. He mentions Sir Richard Lundin as one of Wallace’s coadjutors at the battle of Stirling; whereas he was of the opposite party ; and indeed was, to all appear- ance, the only man of true judgment in the English army. B. 6, ¢. 4, he says, that one Sir Hew, sister’s son of Edward 1, went, in the disguise of a herald, to Wallace’s camp, was detected, and instantly beheaded ; that: Wallace surprised Ed- ward’s army at Biggar, and with his own hand slew the Earl of Kent; that many thousands of the English fell in the engagement, particularly the second son of the king of England, his brother Sir Hew, and his two nephews.”” A more glaring inaccuracy might perhaps have been detected: he avers that 1 Henry’s Wallace, p. 292, Jamieson’s edit. 2 Gailes’s Annals of Scotland, vol. i. p. 299. N 194 THE HISTORY OF Sir John Graham had been knighted by Alexander the Fierce ; whereas it is evident that the knight was not born till about a hundred and forty years after that king’s death. But every reader who considers the unfortunate situation of the author must be disposed to treat his errors with lenity ; and we may safely presume that many of the inaccuracies which appear in his work are not to be ascribed to the poet, but to his copyists. He could not himself commit his verses to writing, nor are we certain that he could always procure a skilful amanuensis. In some instances, a slight emendation will restore sense or con- sistency to the most exceptionable passages: thus if we read Alexander the Thryd instead of the Ferss, and in some antique hands the letters are not very dissimilar, a gross anachronism is completely removed. But after every reasonable indulgence has been extended to him, a sufficient number of errors must still be imputed to the poet himself: many portions of his work present an air of complete romance, though at the same time it is highly probable that all or most of these romantic tales had long been floating on the stream of popular tradition, and had been gradually swelling in their progress.‘ The poet’s imagination was apparently warmed by his familiarity with the romances of chivalry, a very material branch of the literature of that age: Dr. Jamieson has remarked that his acquaintance with these compositions may be inferred from his style of writing; and the history of Wallace is repeatedly illustrated by the history of Arthur and Charlemagne :— Wallace ansuerd ; Off your gold rek we nocht ; It is for battaill that we hydder socht. We had leuir haiff battaill off Ingland, Than all the gold that gud king Arthour fand On the mont Mychell, quhar he the gyand slew: Gold may be gayn, bot worschip is ay new.? The principal source from which he professes to have derived his materials was a Latin chronicle, chiefly compiled by John Blair, who had been the school-fellow of Wallace, and was after- 1 The authenticity of that part of Wallace’s other poet. (Adamson's Muses Threnodic, history which is connected with his exploits p. 72.) in France, is strenuously maintained by an- 2 Henry's Wallace, p, 197, Jamieson’s cdit. SCOTISH POETRY. 195 wards one of his most faithful adherents. According to the poet’s account, Blair was a brave and worthy clerk, who had formerly resided at Paris, apparently as a member of the uni- versity :— Maister Jhone Blayr was offt in that message, A worthy clerk, bath wyss and rycht sawage. Lewyt he was befor in Paryss toune, Amang maistris in science and renoune, Wallace and he at hayme in scule had beyne : Sone eftirwart, as verité is seyne, He was the man that pryncipall wndirtuk, That fyrst compild in dyt the Latyne buk Off Wallace lyff, rycht famouss of renoune ; And Thomas Gray persone off Libertoune. With him thai war, and put in story all, Offt ane or bath, mekill of his trauaill.t Of Thomas Gray, parson of Liberton, he has not given so parti- cular an account; but Blair is frequently mentioned in the course of his narrative, and is not less commended for his cour- age than for his learning. When Wallace’s ship was attacked by John of Lynne, Gray acted as steersman, and the other worthy chaplain fought with distinguished bravery :— Bot maister Blayr spak nothing off himsell, In deid off armes quhat awentur he fell : Schir Thomas Gray, was than preyst to Wallace, Put in the buk how than hapnyt this cace.? Such acts of clerical prowess were by no means rare: Anthony Beck, Bishop of Durham, more eminent as a warrior than as a theologian, was one of the principal leaders of the English chivalry at the Battle of Falkirk ; and at a much later period the Archbishop of St. Andrews was slain at the Battle of Flod- den. Towards the conclusion of his narrative, Henry introduces a further account of this original chronicle :— Off Wallace lyf quha has a forthar feill, May schaw furth mair with wit and eloquence ; For I to this haiff don my diligence, Eftyr the pruff geffyn fra the Latyn buk, Quhilk Maister Blayr in his tym wndyrtuk, 1 Henry’s Wallace, p. 83, Jamieson’s edit. 2 Ibid. p. 308. 196 THE HISTORY OF In fayr Latyn compild it till ane end ; With thir witnes the mar is to commend. Byschop Synclar than lord was off Dunkell, He gat this buk, and confermd it him sell - For werray trew ; thar-off he had no dreid, Himselff had seyn gret part off Wallace deid. His purpos was till haue send it to Rom, Our fadyr off kyrk tharon to gyff his dom. Bot Maister Blayr, and als Schir Thomas Gray, Eftir Wallace thai lestit mony day, Thir twa knew best off gud Schir Wilyhamys deid, Fra sexteyn yer quhill nyne and twenty yeid.’ In the course of his narrative, he frequently refers to “the buk” and to “myn autor;” nor is it easy to conceive that he should thus venture to quote a book which had no existence except in his own imagination. This chronicle, however, is no longer to be found, and it is therefore impossible to ascertain with what fidelity he may have availed himself of such mate- rials.) Among other works on the same subject, Sir Robert Sibbald published a meagre chronicle under the title of cer- tain Relations of Arnald Blair, a monk of Dunfermline, and chaplain to Sir William Wallace ;* and it has been supposed, though certainly not very plausibly, that this is the identical work so frequently quoted by the minstrel. We are assured that, after Wallace’s death, John Blair retired to the Abbey of Dunfermline, and having, according to a common practice, changed his name, devoted himself to the monastic life. This account, which contains nothing in itself improbable, would however require more legitimate evidence; especially as the Relations ascribed to Arnald Blair seem merely to consist of undigested transcripts from the Scotichronicon, Another au- thority quoted by Henry is “Conus cornykle.”* Perhaps there may be some reason to suspect that this chronicle has only been introduced by a mistake of the transcriber; though, as will speedily appear, the name may easily be supposed of Scotish 1 Henry’s Wallace, p. 358, Jamieson's edit. + And Wilyame als, as Conus cornykle beris 2 De Gestis illustrissimi Herois Gulielmi on hand.—Jamieson’s edit. p. 2. Valle, Scotie olim Custodis, Collectanea Instead of this long line, the edition of Hart varia, Edinb. 1705, 8vo. substitutes the following :— 3 Sibbaldi Commentarius in Relationes Ar- And William too, as chronicles beares on naldi Blair, p. 14. hand. SCOTISH POETRY. 197 origin. Conn, a Scotish writer of the seventeenth century, avers that the exploits of this hero had been celebrated in distinct volumes,’ and it appears that great “gestis of his gud dedis” had been composed so early as the time of Winton.” The numerous impressions of Henry’s Wallace sufficiently testify the extent of its popularity.? The earliest edition that has yet been traced was printed by Lekprevik in 1570, and another made its appearance in 1594. After many impressions in black letter, the poem was again reprinted in 1790,* this edi- tion, which contains a few illustrations by the late Mr. Scott of Perth, is professedly published from the ancient manuscript in the Advocates’ Library ; but the transcript seems to have been executed with no uncommon degree of fidelity, From the same manuscript, written in the year 1488, and containing both the Bruce and Wallace, the most valuable edition that has yet appeared, was published by Dr. Jamieson, in 1820.° During the last century, Henry’s poem has been most commonly known among his countrymen through the unfavourable medium of a modernized copy, published by William Hamilton of Gilbert- field. We are informed “that nothing more was intended in this new edition, than making the original copy intelligible, putting the book in modern Scots, and making the numbers run smooth and easy ;” but the editor or translator has executed his task in such a manner, that the strains of the minstrel are for the most part completely vulgarized. This work still continues to be widely circulated ; and it is perhaps to be regretted that the common people have not access to cheap editions of Bar- bour and Henry, containing no alterations except in the ortho- 5 The Bruce and Wallace, ete. Edinb. 1820, 2 vols. 4to. 6 A new edition of the Life and heroic Ac- 1 “ Miranda plane sunt que de hoc viro traduntur: cujus gesta justis voluminibus nostrates descripserunt.” (Conzus de duplici Statu Religionis apud Scotos, p. 70. Rome, 1628, 4to. 2 Winton’s Cronykil of Scotland, vol. ii. p. 102. 3 The meikle tasker, Davie Dallas, Was telling blads of William Wallace : My mither bad hir second son say What he’d by heart of Davie Lindsay. PENNECUIK’s Streams from Helicon, p. 75. Edinb. 1723, 8vo. 4 Perth, 1790, 3 vols. 12mo. tions of the renoun’d Sir William Wallace, etc. Glasgow, 1722, 8vo. A similar task was undertaken at a more recent period, but the publication did not extend beyond the first book. It bears the following title :—‘‘ Wal- lace, a Poem, in eleven books; composed about the year 1361, by Henry, a blind Bard ; and now translated into modern English poetry, from the most authentic and correct Edition, by Anthony Macmillan. With a Dis- sertation, etc. In four volumes. Vol. 1 Edinb. 1799, 12mo. 198 THE HISTORY OF graphy; but as their poems have a tendency to excite or foster a strong antipathy to the Southrons, a short preface, conveying an antidote against this infection, might be a suitable addition to each. The valour and patriotism of Wallace have frequently been celebrated in more recent times. Few heroes have enjoyed a more ample share of domestic renown :' the glory which ac- crued to him in his own age can scarcely be considered as impaired in the present; his memory is still consecrated in the national songs, and is still incorporated with the national feeling. This perpetuated fame, this freshness of reputation, may perhaps be in some measure imputed to his being the hero of such a country, small, mountainous, and romantic ; where the inhabitants being few in number, each individual is more disposed to regard him as an object of personal grati- tude and of general admiration.’ 1 A fair renown, as years wear on, 2 The eulogy of this hero has been pro- Shall Scotland give her noblest son: nounced by Boyce in the following senten- The course of ages shall not dim tious manner: ‘‘Hunc finem habuit vir The love that she shall bear to him. clarissimus, ac solus ea tempestate liber, cum omnes reliqui turpissime Anglo sese ac patriam in servitutem dedissent.” (Scoto- rum Historia, f. ecex. a.) Bai.iie’s Metrical Legends of Exalted Characters, p. 78. SCOTISH POETRY. 199 CHAPTER IX. THE number of Scotish poets whose names have been recorded, is sufficient to impress us with a very favourable opinion of the national love of literature. Where the writers of poetry were so many, the readers could not be few. In these colder and more barren regions, poetry seems less congenial to the mind ; nor are we entitled to expect the same fertility of fancy that distinguishes some warmer climates. At Oxford, as Sir Wil- liam Jones informs us, there is a manuscript containing the lives of a hundred and thirty-five of the finest Persian poets ; and a collection of the select verses of five hundred and forty- nine Turkish poets was published at Constantinople about the beginning of the seventeenth century.’ Of such literary exu- berance Scotland cannot indeed boast; but the number of our ancient poets must be regarded as comparatively ample. Many of them however are only known by name; if any of their works are now preserved, they can no longer be traced to their respective authors. Sir John Rowll, one of the pope’s knights, is the author of a strange performance, described by the title of Rowlis Cursing. Of this surname however there were two different poets, who are both commemorated in Dunbar’s Lament for the Deth of the Makkaris :— He hes tane Rowll of Abirdeen, And gentill Rowll of Corstorphyne. One of them is likewise celebrated by Sir David Lindsay among other Scotish poets of reputation :—- Quintyn, Merser, Rowl, Henderson, Hay, and Holland, Thocht thay be deid, thair libellis bene levand, Quhilkis to reherse makith reidaris to rejose.” 1 Jones’s Essay on the Poetry of the Eastern Nations (pp. 190, 197) subjoined to his Poems Oxford, 1772, 8vo. 2 Lindsay’s Works, vol. i. p. 285. 200 THE HISTORY OF Whether the poem under our consideration was written by Rowll of Aberdeen or gentle Rowll of Corstorphine, we have no means of ascertaining ; but from the poem itself it appears that the author was a vicar, and that he must have written about the year 1500. And now of Rome that beiris the rod, Vndir the hevin to lowse and bind, Paip Alexander that we do fynd With that power that Petir gaift Lord Hailes has remarked that “the pontiff here meant must have been the virtuous Alexander vi. who was Divine Vice- gerent from 1492 to 1503.” As Dunbar’s Lament was printed in 1508, Rowll must have died between that date and the com- mencement of Alexander’s pontificate. His poem is a rambling and ludicrous denunciation against those who had stolen his fowls and other property; and if he was the vicar of Corstor- phine, his geese and apples must have been exposed to divers contingencies, on account of their convenient distance from the metropolis. Of this poem, consisting of two hundred and sixty- two verses, the following specimen may enable the reader to form an adequate judgment :— Godis braid malesone nixt thay haif, And all the blude about thair hairt ; Blak be thair hour, blak be thair pairt, For fyve fat geiss of Sir Johne Rowlis, With caponis, henis, and vthir fowlis ; Resettaris and the preve steilaris ; And he that saulis saisis and dammis, Beteich the Devill thair guttis and gammis, Thair toung, thair teith, thair handis, thair feit, And all thair body haill compleit, That brak his yaird, and stall his frutt, And raif his erbis vp be the rute, His quheit, his aitis, his peiss, his beir, In stowk or stak to do him deir, In barne, in houss, in kill, or mill, Except it had bene his awin will ; His wow, his lamb, his cheis, his stirk, Or ony teyndis of haly kirk, 1 Laing’s Select Remains of the Ancient 2 Hailes’s Notes on Ancient Scottish Popular Poetry of Scotland. Poems, p. 272. SCOTISH POETRY. 201 And all that lattis, vnkind or knawin, The vicar to dispone his awin. Kirkland hay or gerss to awaill Be thair support, red, or counsall : Now cursit and wareit be thair werd : Quhill thay be levand on this erd ; Hungir, sturt, and tribulatioun, And nevir to be without vexatioun, Of vengance, sorrow, sturt, and cair, i Graceless, thriftles, and threid-bair ; All tymes in thair legasie Fyre, sword, watter, and woddie. David Steele, another rhyming priest, is frequently men- tioned, though not in terms of the highest respect, as the writer of a poem known by the title of “ The Ryng of the Roy Robert.” It is preserved in the Maitland mss. at Cambridge, and has been printed with no appearance of accuracy. It contains a magna- nimous and indignant answer, supposed to have been returned by Robert the Third, when Henry the Fourth of England summoned him to do homage for his kingdom. The author's patriotism may be more safely commended than his poetry, which is of a very inferior order. With his personal history we are entirely unacquainted. Although the title of Dean is prefixed to his name, this circumstance is not sufficient to prove that he was a dignitary of the church; for by the courtesy of _ the age, that title was very promiscuously bestowed. This fact is unequivocally attested by Sir David Lindsay, in whose works we trace many curious vestiges of domestic manners :— The pure priest thinkis he gettis na richt, Be he nocht stylit lyke ane knicht, And callit Schir afore his name, As Schir Thomas and Schir Williame :* 1 It appeared under the title of ‘ Robert the ur. King of Scotland his Answer to a Summonds sent by Henry the rv. of England, to do Homage for the Crown of Scotland.” Edinb. 1700, Svo. It is reprinted in Wat- son’s Collection, part iii. and in two different publications of Mr. Laing, Fugitive Scotish Poetry, and Barly Metrical Tales. 2 I am informed by my learned friend Mr. Repp that a similar practice still prevails in Island, where a clergyman is always honoured with the title of Sira or Séra. This practice does not appear to have been generally adopted till after the Reformation, which took place between 1530 and 1540: before that period, a clergyman was usually styled Prestr, that is, Priest, the title being al- ways subjoined to the name, as Gisli Prestr, Arni Prestr. It is this clerical title that con- stantly appears in the Sagas. But after the Reformation, we find every clergyman, under the rank of a bishop, described as Sira, with the title prefixed to the name, as Sira Arni, Sira Gudmund; and the omission of this title is by the common people considered as an instance of great rudeness. 202 THE HISTORY OF All monkis, ye mey here and se, Are callit Denis for dignite ; Howbeit his mothir milk the kow, He mon be callit Dene Androw.' Quintin Shaw is mentioned by Douglas and Lindsay as a poet of eminence.” Kennedy styles him his “cousin Quintene and his commissar ;” and he may likewise .have been a native of Carrick, a district of Ayrshire. One of his poems, consist- ing of six stanzas, and containing “ Advice to a Courtier,” has recently been printed ;? nor is another known to be extant. Patrick Johnston, who is likewise enrolled by Dunbar in his catalogue of deceased poets, is the author of a short but curious poem entitled, “The thre deid Powis,” or the three death’s heads. These powis deliver lessons of morality in such strains as the following :— O sinfull man ! into this mortall sé, Quhilk is the vaill of mournyng and of cuir, With gaistly secht behold our heidis thré, Oure holkit eine, oure peilit powis bair. As ye ar now, into this warld we wair, Als fresche, als fair, als lusty to behald : Quhan thou lukis on this suth exemplair, Off thy self, man, thow may be richt unbald. For suth it is that every man mortall Mon suffer deid and dé, that lyfe has tane ; Na erdly stait aganis deid ma prevaill ; The hour of deth and place is uncertane, Quhilk is referrit to the hie God allane: Herefoir haif mynd of deth, that thow mon dy ; This fair exampill to sé quotidiane ; Sowld cause all men fro wicket vycis flé, O wantone yowth ! als fresche as lusty May, Farest of flowris, renewit quhyt and reid, Behald our heidis, O lusty gallands gay ! Full laithly thus sall ly thy lusty heid, Holkit and how, and wallowit as the weid, Thy crampland hair, and eik thy cristall ene ; Full cairfully conclud sall duleful deid, Thy example heir be us it may be sene.* 1 Lindsay’s Works, vol. iii. p. 103. 3 Pinkerton’s Ancient Scotish Poems, vol. i. 2 Douglas's Palice of Honour, part ii. st. 17. p. 183. Lindsay’s Works, vol. & p. 285. 4 Hailes’s Ancient Scottish Poems, p. 139. SCOTISH POETRY. 203 Mersar is commemorated by Dunbar as a poet of peculiar merit :— He has reft Mersar his indyte, That did in luve so lyfly wryte, So schort, so quick, of sentens hie ; Timor mortis conturbat me. At present he is only known as the author of a few stanzas, printed under the title of “ Perrell in Paramours.” This is an effort too inconsiderable to enable us to ascertain how far he may have merited the commendation bestowed upon him by Dunbar and Lindsay. His verses however are not destitute of spirit :-— Allace! so sobir is the micht Of wemen for to mak debait, Incontrair menis subtell slicht, Quhilk ar fulfillit with dissait ; With tressone so intoxicait Are mennis mowthis at all ouris, Quhome in to trest no woman wait ; Sic perrell lyis in paramouris. Sum sueris that he luvis sa weill, That he will dé without remeid, Bot gife that he hir friendschip feile, That garris him sic langour leid ; And thocht he haif no dout of speid, Yet will he sich and schaw grit schouris, As he wald sterfe in-to that steid ; Sic perrell lies in paramouris. Athis to suere, and giftis to hecht, Moir than he has thretty fold, And for hir honour for to fecht, Quhill that his blude becommis cold ; But fra scho to his willis yold, Adew, fair weill thir somer flouris, All grows in glass that semit gold ; Sic perrell lyis in paramouris. Than turnis he his saill annone, And passis to ane uthir port ; Thocht scho be nevir so wo-begone, Hir cairis cauld ar his confort. 204 THE HISTORY OF Heirfoir I pray in termys schort, Chryst keip thir birdis bricht in bowris Fra fals luvaris, and thair resort ; Sic perrell lyes in paramouris.1 Clapperton, whose Christian name is likewise unknown, is the writer of a song, entitled “Wa worth Marriage,”* which, according to Mr. Pinkerton, is possessed of the most exquisite neatness and simplicity. The author's history is totally un- known ; but from the language and style of this production we may conjecture that he was contemporary with Dunbar. Among other poets enumerated in Dunbar’s Lament, are the following nine :—Sir Mungo Lockhart of Lee, Sir John Ross, John Clerk, James Affleck, Alexander Trail, Ettrick, Heriot, Brown, and Stobo. A poem by one Clerk, and another by Walter Brown, are preserved in Bannatyne’s Ms. ; but there is reason to apprehend that the compositions of all the rest are irretrievably lost. With respect to the first of these poets, says Lord Hailes, “I do not find this name in the family of Lee, one of the most ancient and honourable in Scotland. I sus- pect that the person here meant has been some priest officiating in a chapel belonging to that family.”* It is probable that Sir John Ross was likewise a secular priest, one of the pope’s knights. To him Dunbar addresses his first invective against Kennedy. The gentle Stobo is mentioned as recently dead ; and his name occurs in one of Kennedy’s invectives :— Pas to my commisare and be confest, Cour before him on kneis, and cum in will ; And syne ger Stobo for thy lyf protest. A Scotish poet named Dundas is very fiercely attacked in some of the doggrel rhymes of Skelton, an English poet who died in the year 1529. George Dundas is celebrated by Boyce as eminently skilled in the Greek and Latin languages, and as a distinguished ornament of the College of Montaigu in the University of Paris: the historian subjoins that he was at length appointed master of the knights of St. John of Jerusalem 1 Hailes’s Ancient Scottish Poems, p. 156. 3 Hailes’s Notes on Ancient Scottish Poems, p. 271. 2 Pinkerton’s Ancient Scotish Poems, vol. i. 4 Sibbald’s Chronicle of Scottish Poetry, p. 135. vol. i. p. 855. SCOTISH POETRY. 205 within the kingdom of Scotland; but whether this was the same individual, it is not so easy to determine. It appears that the poet had written some verses in derision of the English, and, among other topics of ridicule, had animadverted upon their long tails :— Skelton laureat After this rate Defendeth with his pen All English men, Agayn Dundas The Scottishe asse, Shake thy tayle, Scot, lyke a cur, For thou beggest at euery mannes dur. Out Scot, I say, Go shake thy dog, hey, Dundas of Galaway, With thy versyfying rayles How they haue tayles.2 Nor had this topic of ridicule escaped the notice of the French poets. In one of the Norman chansons of an early date, the following verses occur :— Du pays de France ils sont tous deboutez : I] west plus mot de ces Engloys couez.? Cretin, a Norman poet who flourished about the beginning of the sixteenth century, employs the same expression :— Si acquerrez loz, Rides, angelotz, Lor, la chair, et los Des Angloys couez.* Some of the anonymous poems of this period cannot be passed without a cursory notice. One of these is a song of fifteen octave stanzas, described by the title of Tayis Bank, and appa- 1 “ Georgius Dundas, Gracas atque Latinas literas apprime doctus, equitum Hierosoly- mitan orum intra Scotorum regnum magis- tratum multo sudore, superatis emulis, posted adeptus.” (Boethii Aberdonensium Episco- porum Vite, p. 61, edit. Edinb. 1825, 4to.) 2 Pithy pleausaunt and profitable Workes of Maister Skelton, p. 273, edit. Lond. 1736, 12mo. 3 Choix de Chansons Normandes, subjoined to the Vaux-de-Vire d’Olivier Basselin, p. 172. Caen, 1821. S8vo. 4M. du Bois, the editor of Basselin, has remarked, ‘‘ Quand les Anglois furent chassés de Paris au commencement d’Avril 1436, les Parisiens leur criaient avec dérision et ma- lice, A la queue, dla queue!” P. 266. 206 THE HISTORY OF rently not more modern than the age of Dunbar. According to Mr. Weber, it appears to have been composed in honour of a lady bearing the name of Margaret, and belonging to the noble family of Perth ; and this lady he conjectures to have been the eldest daughter of Sir John Drummond.’ She is said to have been privately betrothed to James the Fourth, to whom she bore a daughter, who was married to the Earl of Huntley.” But this conjecture seems to be fallacious ; for it must chiefly rest on no better foundation than the following passage :— This myld meik mergrite, This perle polist most quhyt, Dame Natouris deir dochter discreit, The dyamant of delyt.® The word mergrite ought apparently to be considered, not as a proper name, but as a common noun, derived from the Latin margarita, and, according to the term immediately subjoined, denoting a pearl The eyes of this fair damsel are of crystal, and she herself is first a rose, afterwards a pearl and a diamond; but certainly her name was neither Diamond, Pearl, nor Rose. To connect her with the family of Perth, or any family whatsoever, no other circumstance, except the mention of Scotshaw and the banks of Tay, is to be traced in the poem itself; which contains no allusions to a high lineage, or to a royal lover. This poem, as the following specimen may serve to evince, is not without some portion of grace and harmony :— Rasing the birdis fra thair rest, The reid gone raiss with rawis ; The lark sang lowd, quhill lycht myclit lest, A lay of luvis lawis ; The nythingall woik of her nest, Singing, the day vpdawis ; The mirthfull maveis merriest Schill schowttit throw the schawis. All flouris grew that firth within, That man cowth haif in mynd ; And in that fiud all fische with fyn, That creat wer be kynd : 1 British Bibliographer, vol. iv. 8 Laing’s Select Remains of the Ancicut 2 Douglas’s Peerage of Scotland, vol. ii, Popular Poetry of Scotland, No. 10. p. 361. SCOTISH POETRY. 207 Vndir the rise the ra did ryn, Our ron, our rute, our rynd ; The don deir dansit with a dyn, And herdis of hairt and hynd. Wod winter with his wallowand wynd, But weir, away wes went : Brasit about with wyld wodbynd Wer bewis on the bent. Allone vnder the lusty lynd I saw ane lusum lent, That fairly war so fare to fynd Vndir the firmament. The exquisite poem entitled “The murning Maiden” seems from internal evidence to have been composed during the age of Dunbar. The first verse is quoted by Wedderburn, whose work was printed in the year 1549. “ This piece, for the age it was written,” observes Mr. Pinkerton, “is almost miraculous. The tender pathos is finely recommended by an excellent cadence. An age that produced this might produce almost any perfection in poetry.”” The plan of the poem is however inferior to its execution. Under the green leaves, the poet overhears a beau - tiful maiden lamenting the inconstancy of her lover. As she carries a bow in her hand, with broad arrows under her belt, he pretends to make her a prisoner for having slain the “ deer of pride ;” but he afterwards addresses her in a more tender strain, and she suddenly transfers her affections to this new admirer. 1 Complaynt of Scotland, p, 100. 2 Pinkerton’s Ancient Scotish Poems, vol. ii, p. 424. 208 THE HISTORY OF CHAPTER X. Among the Scotish poets who flourished during the latter part of the fifteenth century, Robert Henryson merits a conspicuous place. He is described as chief schoolmaster of Dunfermline, and this is almost the only particular of his life that is suffi- ciently ascertained. According to one writer, he was a notary- public, as well as a schoolmaster; and another is inclined to identify him with Henryson of Fordell, the father of James Henryson, who was king’s advocate and justice-clerk, and who perished in the fatal Battle of Floddon. This very dubious account seems to have originated with Sir Robert Douglas, who avers that Robert Henryson appears to have been a person of distinction in the reign of James the Third, and that he was the father of the king’s advocate. Douglas refers to a certain char- ter, granted by the abbot of Dunfermline in 1478, where Robert Henryson subscribes as a witness ;* but in this charter he cer-- tainly appears without any particular distinction, as he merely attests it in the character of a notary-public. A later writer is still more inaccurate when he pretends that the same witness is described as Robert Henryson of Fordell:? in this and other two charters which occur in the Chartulary of Dunfermline, he is described as a notary-public, without any other addition.’ That the notary-public, the schoolmaster of Dunfermline, and the proprietor of Fordell, were one and the same individual, is by no means to be admitted upon such slender and defective evidence. Henryson, or, according to its more modern and less correct 1 Douglas’s Baronage of Scotland, p. 518. charters which occur in the same record, f. 2 Sibbald’s Chronicle of Scottish Poetry, 63, a. b. His only mark of distinction is that vol. i. p. 88. of being designated Magister, while the names 3 Chartularium de Dunfermline, f. 64, a. of several other witnesses appear without Robert Henryson is a witness to other two this title. He was perhaps a master of arts. SCOTISH POETRY. 209 form, Henderson, was not at that period an uncommon surname. It not however improbable that the schoolmaster may have exer- cised the profession of a notary. While the canon law prevailed in Scotland, this profession was generally exercised by ecclesias- tics,’ and some vestiges of the ancient practice are still to be traced ; every notary designates himself a clerk of a particular diocese ;* and by the act of 1584, which, under the penalty of deprivation prohibited the clergy from following the profession of the law, they still retained the power of making testaments ;* so that we continue to admit the rule of the canon law, which sustains a will attested by the parish priest and two or three witnesses. If Henryson was a notary, it is highly probable that he was also an ecclesiastic, and if he was an ecclesiastic, he could have no legitimate offspring. The poet, in one of his works, describes himself as “ane man of age ;” and with respect to the period of his decease, it is at least certain that he died before Dunbar, who, in his Lament, printed in the year 1508, commemorates him among other departed poets -— In Dunfermling he hes tane Broun, With gude Mr. Robert Henrysoun. The compositions of Henryson evince a poetical fancy, and, for the period when he lived, an elegant simplicity of taste. He has carefully avoided that cumbrous and vitiated diction which had begun to prevail among the Scotish as well as the English likewise Hearne’s glossary to Robert of Glou- cester, v. clerc. But clerk, subjoined to a person’s name as his proper designation, al- ways denoted a clergyman. 1 The clergy being the only persons know- ing in the laws civil and canon, were most qualified to examine these notaries, and it is probable that in all the kingdom there were none so fit. Besides, in the ancient times, and when the above act was made [that is, in 1469], none other than the clergy either aspired to this office, or were admitted to it.” (Ars Notariatus : or, the Art and Office of a No- tary-Public, p. 18, 2d edit. Edinb. 1762, 12mo.) 2 It is indeed true that the word clericus is generally, applied to a man of learning, whether an ecclesiastic ora layman. ‘‘Scho- lares,” says a learned civilian, ‘qui et ipsi quarundam regionum consuetudine clerici appellantur quamvis non sint theologiz stu- diis-addicti.” (Rittershusii Jus Justinian- eum, p. 171, edit. Argent. 1629, 4to.) See 3 «That nane of thame presentlie being in that functioun, or that salbe admittit thairto in tyme cumming, sall in ony wayis accept, vse, or administrat ony place of judicature: in quhatsumeuir ciuill or criminall caussis, not to be of the College of Justice, commis- sionaris, aduocatis, court clerkis, or notaris in ony materis (the making of testamentis onlic exceptid), vnder the pane of depriua- tioun from thair benefices, levingis, and func- tioun.” (Acts of the Parliaments of Scotland, vol. iii. p. 294.) 4 Decretal, Gregorii 1x. lib. iii. tit. xxvi. cap. X. 210 THE HISTORY OF poets. To his power of poetical conception he unites no incon- siderable skill in versification: his lines, if divested of their uncouth orthography, might often be mistaken for those of a much more modern poet. His principal work is a collection of Fables, thirteen in number.’ They are written in a pleasing manner, and are frequently distinguished by their arch simpli- city; but in compositions of this nature, brevity is a quality which may be considered as almost indispensable ; nor can it be denied that those of Henryson generally extend to too great a length. The collection is introduced by a prologue, and another is prefixed to the fable of the Lyon and the Mouse. The latter prologue exhibits a curious specimen of the literature of that age. In a delightful morning of June, the poet wanders into a wood, and reclines himself, in the midst of flowers, under the shade of a hawthorn ; having made the sign of the cross, he falls asleep, and fancies himself to be accosted by a person of a very goodly appearance :— His goun was of a claith als quhyt as mylk, His chymers wer of chamelet purpure brown, His hude of skarlet, bordowrit with silk, In heckle wyss, untill his girdle down ; His bonat round wes of the auld fassoun : His heid was quhyt, his een was grene and gray, With lokar hair, quhilk our his shulderis lay. A row of paper in his hand he bair, A swanis pen stickand under his eir, An ynkhorn, with pretty gilt pennair, A bag of silk all at his belt he weir : Thus wes he guldlie graithet in his geir ; Of stature large, and with a feirful face, Evin quhair I lay he come a sturdy pace, And said, God speid, my sone ; and I was faine Of that couth word, and of his company. With reverence I salust him agane, Welcom, fader ; and he sat down me by Displeis you not, my gude maister, thocht I Demand your birth, your facultie, and name, Quhy ye com her, or quhair ye dwell at hame. 1 The morall Fables of Esope, the Phry- master of Dvmfermeling. Newlie reuised and gian: compyled into eloquent and ornamen- corrected. Edinburgh, printed by Andro tall Meeter, by Robert Henrisoun, Schoole- Hart, 1621, 8vo. SCOTISH POETRY. My sone, said he, I am of gentle blude, My natall land is Rome, withouttin nay ; And in that town first to the scoullis yude, And science ‘ ther’ studied mony a day : And now my winning is in hevin for ay. Esope I hecht ; my wryting and my wark Is couth and kend to mony cunnand clerk. O maister Esope, poet laureat, God wat ye are full deir weleum to me: Are ye not he that all thir fables wrate, Quhilk in effect, suppois they fenyeit be, Are full of prudens and moralitie ? Fair sone, said he, I am that samyn man. God wait gif that my hairt was merry than. 211 /Esop, who is thus represented as a Roman and a poet, it is impossible to recognise as the reputed author of the fables writ- ten in Greek prose.” Mr. Tyrwhitt, who was equally familiar with classical and with Gothic literature? has remarked that in many passages quoted from Alsop by writers of the middle ages, it is not easy to ascertain what author they mean. “The 1 Sibbald’s Chronicle of Scottish Poetry, vol. i. p. 91. 2 Walter Burley gives the following curious account of sop :—‘‘ Esopus adelphus poeta elaruit tempore Cyri regis Persarum. Fuitau- tem Grecus de civitate Attica; vir ingeniosus et prudens, qui confinxit fabulas elegantes, quas Romulus postmodum de Greco transtulit in Latinum : in quibus docet quid observare debent homines ; et, ut vitam hominum os- tendat et mores, inducit aves, arbores, bestias- que loquentes, pro probanda cujuslibet fabula: quas qui. diligenter inspexerit inveniet joca apposita, que et risus misceant, et ingenium acuant.” (Burleus de Vita et Moribus Philo- sophorum et Poetarum, cap. xxiiii.) The history of A’sop is involved in much obscurity. A critical account of his life has however-been written by Mezeriac ; whose Vie d’Esope is reprinted with the learned author’s Commen- taires sur les Epistres d’Ovide. Haye, 1716, 2tom. 8vo. With respect to the genuineness of the fables ascribed to Msop, he expresses some doubt :— “Je n’asseure pas pourtant que celles que Planudes a publiées, soient les mesmes qu’Hsope avoit escrites; tant parce que Planudes nous a donné trop de sujets de douter de sa foy, qu’ cause qu’en son recueil il a obmises plusieurs fables que des anciens et graves autheurs attribuent 4 Hsope.”—P. 68. Vavassor was of opinion that the work was entirely composed by Planudes, but that this work must have gleaned from tradition as well as from books, various apologues ascribed to the ancient sage. (De Ludicra Dictione, p. 20. Paris, 1658, 4to.) Bentley undertook to prove that these fables were not written by Esop ; and he was even persuaded that ‘‘’tis very uncertain if sop himself left any fables behind him in writing.”—P. 445. But this latter opinion, as well as several others con- tained in his Dissertation upon the Fables of ZEsop, has not been so generally adopted See Tyrwhitt’s Dissertatio de Babrio, p. 25. Lond. 1776, 8vo. Maximus Planudes could neither be the author of the fables, nor of the life of sop, which is commonly attributed to him: he was still living in the year 1353 ; but the Florentine ms. containing the fables, and nearly the same biographical narrative, appears to have been written about the be- ginning of the preceding century. See the preface to Fabule Asopice, cura et studio Francisci de Furia. Florent, 1809, 2 tom, 8vo. 8 “Ex iis qui nune critici in Britannia numerantur, dubito an quisquam ullo sit genere laudis Thome Tyrwhitto anteponen- 212 THE HISTORY OF name of Aisop,” he adds, “ was chiefly appropriated to the anony- mous author of sixty fables in Elegiac metre, which were printed in Nevelet’s collection, under the title of Anonimi Fabule Aisopice. 1 have seen an edition of them in 1503, by Wynkyn de Worde, in which they are entitled simply, Hsopi Fabule. The subjects are for the most part plainly taken from Phedrus : but it may be doubted whether the author copied from the original work of Phedrus, or from some version of it into Latin prose, Several versions of this kind are still extant in Ms. One of very considerable antiquity has been published by Nilant, Lugd. Bat. 1709, under the title of Fabule Antique, together with another of a later date, which is pretended to have been made from the Greek by an Emperor Romulus, for the use of his son Tiberius.”? Henryson’s “Taill of the uponlandis Mous and the burges Mous” may be regarded as one of his happiest efforts in this department. The same tale, which is borrowed from Atsop, has been told by many other poets, ancient as well as modern. Babrius has despatched the story of the two mice in a few verses,’ but Henryson has extended it over a surface of seven quarto pages. To this fable of the Scotish poet, it does not, in the opinion of Dr. Nott, seem improbable that Sir Thomas Wyatt might have been indebted, if not for the idea of his first satire, at least for the manner.of telling the story.? Henryson’s “Tale of Sire Chantecleire and the Foxe” is evidently bor- rowed from Chaucer’s “ Nonnes Preestes Tale.” From these apologues some curious fragments of information may be gleaned. That of “The Dog, the Wolf, and the Scheip,” con- tains all the particulars of an action before the consistory court, and probably as complete an exposure of such transactions as the author could prudently hazard. The proceedings of the dus. Non enim vanis incertisque conjecturis lectorem ludit, aut ingenii ostentatione las- vivit, sed critice discipline severitate usus, sententiam cujusque seriptoris amplectitur, ex eaque in omnes partes versata facile elicit quod prius seriptum erat. Has autem tam felices emendationes non, qui multorum mos est, Thrasonico flatu jactat, sed summa modes- tia viris eruditis Judicandas proponit.” (Bi- bliotheca Critica, vol ii. par. iv, p. 85.) 1 Tyrwhitt’s Glossary to Chaucer, v. Ysope, p. 280. : 2 Babrii Fabularum choliambicarum, libri tres, collegit Fr. Xav. Berger, p. 9. Mona- chii, 1816, 8vo, 8 Nott’s Essay on Wyatt's Poems, p. exliiic In the Appendix, No. vi. Dr. Nott has printed Henryson’s fable from the Harleian MS. SCOTISH POETRY. 213 ecclesiastical court seem about this period to have been felt as a common grievance ; and they are still more decidedly repre - hended in the Satyre of Sir David Lindsay, whose works fur- nish many valuable contributions to the history of manners and customs.. Another conspicuous production of Henryson is the Testa- ment of Cresseid, which is a sequel to Chaucer’s Troylus and Creseyde, and is commonly printed among the works of that poet. It presents many vestiges of a poetical imagination ; and if it is not free from incongruities, they are such as may be expected in all, or nearly all, the literary reliques of that age. It commences with the following stanzas :— Ane doolie sessoun to ane cairfull dyte Suld correspond and be equivalent. Richt sa it wes quhen I began to wryte This tragedie: the wedder richt fervent, Quhen Aries, in middis of the Lent, Schouris of haill can fra the North discend, That scantlie fra the cauld I micht defend. Yit nevertheles within myne oratur T stude, quhen Titan had his bemis bricht Withdrawin doun, and sylit under cure, And fair Venus, the bewtie of the nicht? Uprais, and set unto the west full richt Hir goldin face, in oppositioun Of god Phebus, direct discending doun. Throwout the glas hir bemis brast sa fair, That I micht se on everie syde me by The northin wind had purifyit the air, And sched the mistie cloudis fra the sky : The froist freisit, the blastis bitterly Fra pole Artick come quhisling loud and scbill, And causit me remufe aganis my will. For I traistit that Venus, luifis quene, To quhome sum tyme I hecht obedience, My faidit hart of lufe scho wald mak grene : And therupon with humbill reverence I thocht to pray hir hie magnificence. t Yhis poem is quoted as Chaucer's, by Mr. Mr. Douce in his Illustrations of Shakspeare, Strutt, in his view of the Dress and Habits of vol. ir pp. 15, 487. the People of England, vol. ii. p. 279, and by 2 Quene of the sey and bewtie of the nicht. ‘ . Laypsav’s Works, vol. i. p. 208. 214 THE HISTORY OF Bot for greit cald as than I lattit was, And in my chalmer to the fyre can pas. Thocht lufe be hait, yit in ane man of age It kendillis nocht sa sone as in youtheid, Of quhome the blude is flowing in ane rage, And in the auld the curage doif and deid ; Of quhilk the fire outward is best remeid. To help be phisike quhair that nature faillit, I am expert, for baith I have assalit. I mend the fyre, and beikit me about, Than tuik ane drink my spreitis to comfort, And armit me weill fra the cauld thairout : To cut the winter nicht, and mak it schort, I tuik ane quair, and left all uther sport, Writtin be worthie Chaucer glorious, Of fair Cresseid and worthie Troylus.? Resuming the narrative where it is discontinued by Chaucer, he proceeds to relate the punishment of the false Cresseid.? Having been abandoned by Diomede, she returns to the house of her father Calchas in a despondent and querulous condition. She retires to an oratory, and bitterly upbraids Venus and Cupid for having permitted her to sink into such hopeless misery :— Quhen this was said, doun in ane extasie, Ravischit in spreit, intill ane dreame sho fell, 1 The Testament of Cresseid, compylit be M. Robert Henryson, Sculemaister in Dun- fermeling. Imprentit at Edinburgh be Hen- rie Charteris, 1593, 4to. 2 “For the author of this supplement,” says Sir Francis Kinaston, “‘ called the Testa- ment of Creseid, which may passe for the sixt and last booke of this story, I have very sufficiently bin informed by Lr. Tho. Eres- kin, late earle of Kelly, and divers aged schollers of the Scottish nation, that it was made and written by one Mr. Robert Hender- son, sometimes chiefe schoole-master in Dumfermling, much about the time that Chaucer was first printed and dedicated to King Henry the sth by Mr. Thiane, which was neere the end of his raigne. This Mr. Henderson wittily observing that Chaucer in his 5th booke had related the death of Troi- lus, but made no mention what became of Creseid, he learnedly takes upon him in a fine poeticall way to expres the punishment and end due to a false unconstant whore, which commonly terminates in extreme , misery.” See the Loves of Troilus and Cre- seid, written by Chaucer; with a Commen- tary by Sir Francis Kinaston, p. xxx. Lond. 1796, 8vo. Kinaston had translated into Latin rhyme two books of Chaucer's Troylus and Creseyde, and published them under the title of Amorum Troili et Creseide libri duo priores Anglico-Latini. Oxonie, 1635, 4to. He completed his version of the poem, to- gether with a commentary; and his manu- script at length came into the possession of Mr. Waldron, who announced his intention of committing it to the press, but did not find encouragement to proceed beyond a short specimen. SCOTISH POETRY. 215 And be appearance hard quhair scho did ly Cupide the king ringand ane silver bell, Quhilk men micht heir fra hevin unto hell ; At quhais sound befoir Cupide appeiris The sevin planetis discending fra thair spheiris. The seven planets, or the seven divinities who preside over them, are successively introduced, and are portrayed with some strong but grotesque touches. The picture of Saturn, although it presents some disgusting features, is drawn with a bold and vigorous hand :— His face frosnit, his lyre was lyke the leid, His teith chatterit, and cheverit with the chin, His ene drowpit, how sonkin in his heid, Out of his nois the meldrop fast can rin, With lippis bla, and cheikis leine and thin: The ice shoklis that fra his hair down hang Was wonder greit, and as ane speir als lang. Atouir his belt his lyart lokkis lay Felterit unfair, ouirfret with froislis hoir, His garmound and his gyes full gay of gray, His widderit weid fra him the wind out woir: Ane busteous bow within his hand he boir, Under his girdill ane flashe of felloun flanis, Fedderit with ice, and heidit with hailstanis. The attributes of Mercury, as described by Henryson, cannot easily be reconciled with classical notions. He is properly characterized as “richt eloquent and full of rethoric ;” but why did the worthy schoolmaster of Dunfermline invest him with a doctor’s gown, and commend him for his honesty ? Boxis he bair with fine electuairis, And sugerit syropis for digestioun, Spycis belangand to the pothecairis, With mony hailsum sweit confectioun, Doctour in phisick cled in skarlot goun, And furrit weill, as sic ane aucht to be, Honest and gude, and not ane word culd lie. The honesty of Mercury has long been considered as more than _ 4 This word is erroneously printed slanis. Ane bent a bow, sic sturt coud steir him, Flane, which is allied to the Islandic flein, Grit skayth wes’d to haif skard him, the Anglo-Saxon flan, signifies an arrow. He cheset a flane as did affeir him. Then cleverly my flen soone ean I feather. Christis Kirk of the Grene, Apamson’s Muses Threnodie, p. 4. St. § 216 THE HISTORY OF doubtful ; nor has Horace given the same account of his char- acteristic qualities’ It is to be hoped that Henryson taught one system of mythology to his scholars, and adopted another for the embellishment of his poetry. These divinities having assembled together, they chuse Mercury speaker of the parlia- ment: Cupid proceeds to charge Cresseid with having uttered blasphemies against his mother and himself; and sentence is finally pronounced that she shall terminate her career in beg- gary and wretchedness :— Thus sall thow go begging fra hous to hous, With cop and clapper lyke ane lazarous. In awaking from this fearful dream, she finds that her punish- ment has already commenced, that she has been seized with the direful disease of leprosy. .A tender scene ensues between the father and the daughter, and she expresses a wish to conceal her miseries in a lazar-house :— Than in ane mantill and ane bawar hat, With cop and clapper wonder prively, He opnit ane secreit yet, and out thairat Convoyit hir, that na man suld espy, Unto ane village half ane myle thairby, Delyverit hir in at the spittaill house, And daylie sent hir part of his almous. It has been justly remarked that “ want of cleanliness, of linen,” of vegetables, of fresh meat in winter, but, above all, sloth and hardship, concurred to render the leprosy as common in Europe, during the middle ages, as it is in some eastern countries at this day. Nor were its ravages confined to the poor and destitute. Robert de Bruce died of this disorder, as did Constance, Duchess of Bretagne, and Henry tv. of England. Various hospitals were founded by the pious for the reception of those miserable objects, whose disease, being infectious, required their exclusion from society. For the same reason, when they begged through 1Te canam, magni Jovis et deorum 2 In my mind,” says Dr. Lister, ‘a fair Nuntium, curveeque lyre parentem ; linen shirt every day is as great a preserva- Callidum, quidquid placuit, jocoso tive to neatness and cleanness of the skin and Condere furto. health, as daily bathing was to the Romans.” Horati Carm. lib. i. od. x. (Journey to Paris, p. 33.) SCOTISH POETRY. 217 the streets, they usually carried the cup and clapper mentioned in the text. The former served to receive alms, and the noise of the latter warned the passenger to keep aloof, even while bestowing his charity.”’ A disease, which was doubtless re- garded as one of the greatest scourges of mankind, could not but make a deep impression on the imagination ; and it fre- quently forces itself on the attention of poets as well as histo- rians. Cresseid, on finding herself in this forlorn situation, begins a pathetic lamentation of her fate : she continues awake during the whole night, “chydand with her drerie destenie,” when another leper-lady endeavours to rouse her from her despondency :— Sen thy weiping dowhbillis bot thy wo, I counsall the mak vertew of ane neid, To leir to clap thy clapper to and fro, And leir efter the law of lipper leid. Thair was na buit, bot furth with thame scho yeid, Fra place to place, quhill cauld and hounger sair Compellit hir to be ane rank beggair. She is not long destined to bear so great a load of misery. A company of these lepers soon afterwards accost Troilus, as he is returning from a successful and brilliant attack on the Greeks : they demand alms in the usual manner, and his attention is arrested by a countenance which he can no longer recognise, but which, though deprived of its former beauty, is still capable of reviving dormant images, and of kindling a spark of love in his heart :— Than upon him scho kest up baith her ene, And with ane blenk it come into his thocht That he sumtime hir face befoir had sene, Bot scho was in sic plye he knew her nocht ; Yet than hir luik into his mynd it brocht The sweit visage and amorous blenking Of fair Cresseid, sumtyme his awin darling. Na wonder was, suppois in mynd that he Tuik hir figure sa sone, and lo now quhy : 1 Scott’s Notes to Sir Tristrem, p. 302. Sec ease effected by the Progress of Civilisation,” a very interesting little work by Professor p. 96. Lond. 1844, 16mo. It is translated Marx of Gottingen, ‘ On the Decrease of Dis- from the German by Dr. Willis. 218 THE HISTORY OF The idole of ane thing in cace may he Sa deep imprentit in the fantasy, That it deludis the wittis outwardly, And sa appeiris in forme and lyke estait, Within the mynd as it was figurait. Ane spark of lufe than till his hart culd spring, And kendlit all his bodie in ane fyre ; With hait fewir ane sweit and trimbling Him tuik, quhill he was reddie to expyre. To beir his scheild his breist began to tyre ; Within ane quhyle he changit mony hew, And nevertheles not ane ane uther knew. From knightly piety, and as a memorial of the fair Cresseid, by whom his ardent love had been so ill requited, he throws a purse of great value into the skirt of her garment, and without uttering a word resumes his march with heavy cheer. They separate without either party recognising the other; but on learning from one of her companions the name of this gentle knight, she is immediately struck to the heart, and after lament- ing her inconstancy, and framing her last will and testament, she yields up her perturbed spirit. And some say that Troilus prepared for her a tomb of grey marble, and in letters of gold inscribed it with her name and epitaph. This poem, it is evident, rises above the ordinary standard of that period, and on some occasions evinces no mean felicity of conception. The silent interview between Troilus and Cresseid is skilfully delineated ; and the entire passage has been described as beautiful by a very competent judge of old poetry.’ It is unnecessary to remark, that for “the tale of Troy divine,” neither Chaucer nor Henryson had recourse to the classical sources :” this, like some other subjects of ancient history, had been in- vested with all the characteristics of modern romance; nor has the Scdtish poet thought proper to deviate from the models which delighted his contemporaries. Sir Troilus is commended for his knightly piety ; a temple is converted into a kirk; Mer- cury is elected speaker of the parliament ; and Cresseid, on being afflicted with a leprosy, is consigned to a spittal-house in 1 Scott's Notes to Sir Tristrem, p. 363. vol. ii. p. 220, and Douce’s Illustrations of 2 See Warton’s Hist. of English Poetry, Shakspeare, vol. ii. p. 65. SCOTISH POETRY. order to beg with cup and clapper. 219 The personages are ancient, but the institutions and the manners are all modern. Henryson’s tale of Orpheus is not free from similar incon- gruities, and possesses fewer attractions ; it is indeed somewhat languid and feeble, and may have been a production of the author's old age. Sir Orpheus is represented as a king of Thrace, and is first despatched to heaven in search of the lost Eurydice :— Quhen endit was the sangis lamentable, He tuke his harp, and on his brest can hyng, Syne passit to the hevin, as sais the fable, To seke his wyf, bot that auailit no thing: By Wadlying Strete’ he went but larying, Syne come doun throu the spere of Saturn ald, Quhilk fader is of all thir sternis cald.? Having searched the sun and planets without success, he directs his course towards the earth, and in his passage he is regaled with the music of the spheres :— In his passage amang the planetis all, He herd a hevynly melody and sound, Passing all instrumentis musicall, Causid be rollyng of the speris round, 1 Watling Street is a name given to one of the great Roman ways in Britain. (Horsley’s Roman Antiquities of Britain, p. 387. Lond. 1732, fol.) This passage, which to some per- sons may appear so unintelligible, will be pest explained by a quotation from Chaucer’s House of Fame, book ii. :— Lo, quod he, caste up thyne eye, Se yonder, lo, the Galaxie, The whiche men clepe the Milky Way, For it is whyte; and some parfay Callen it Watlynge Strete. In the Towneley Mysteries, p. 308, one de- mon thus addresses another :— Let us go to this dome up Watlyn Strete. Bishop Douglas has employed the same ex- pression in translating a passage in the third book of the Eneid, where the original con- tains no corresponding term :— Sidera cuncta notat tacito labentia ceelo, Arcturum, pluviasque Hyadas, geminosque Triones, Armatumque auro circumspicit Oriona. Of euery sterne the twynkling notis he, That in the stil heuin moue cours we se, Arthurys hufe, and Hyades betaiknyng rane, Syne Watling Strete, the Horne and the Charle wane, The feirs Orioun with his goldine glaue. An ancient Roman building, which once stood on the banks of the Carron, but was long ago demolished by the Gothic owner of the soil, bore the name of Arthur's Hof or Arthur's Oon. ‘It is remarkable,” says Mr. Ritson, “that Gawin Douglas, bishop of Dunkeld, a noted poet, has described this erection in the milky way.” (Life of King Arthur, p. 96. Lond. 1825, 8vo.) But it is necessary to recollect that Virgil mentions the star Arcturus, and that his translator could make no reference to the hero of ,the Round Table. 2 Heire begynnis the traitie of Orpheus Kyng, and how he yeid to Hewyn and to Hel to seik his Quene ; and ane othir Ballad in the lattir end. Edinburgh, Chepman & Myl- lar, 1508, 4to. 220 THE HISTORY OF Quhilk among throu all this mappamound. Quhill moving cesse, vnyt perpetuall, Quhilk of this warld Pluto? the soul can call. His subsequent adventures are circumstantially, but not very poetically detailed. In enumerating the various characters whom he finds in the domains of Pluto, the poet is guilty of a glaring anachronism: here Orpheus finds Julius Cesar, Nero, and even popes and cardinals; and it is likewise to be re- marked that the heathen and the Christian notions of hell are blended together. Thare fand he mony carefull king and quene, ‘Wyth croun on hede of brasse full hate birnand, Quhilk in thair lyf rycht maisterfull had bene, Conquerour of gold, richesse, and of land. Ketor of Troy and Priam thare he fand, And Alexander for his wrang conquest, Anthiocus thare for his foule incest. Thare fand he Julius Cesar for his crueltee, And Herode with his brotheris wyf he sawe, And Nero for his grete iniquitee, And Pilot for his breking of the lawe. Syne vnder that he lukit, and coud knawe Cresus the king, non mithiar on mold For couatise, yett full of byrnand gold. Thare fand he Pharo for oppressioun Of Goddis folk, on quhilk the plagis fell, And Saul eke for the grete abusioun Off iustice to the folk of Israell : Thare fand he Acab and quene Iesabell, Quhilk sely Nabot, was a prophet trewe, For his wyne yarde wyth-outyn pitee slewe. Thare fand he mony pape and cardinall, In haly kirk quhilk dois abusioun, And bischopis in thair pontifical], Be symony for wrang ministratioun ; Abbotis, and men of all religioun, For euill disponyng of thair placis rent, In flambe of fyre were bitterly turment. Such anachronisms are very frequently to be found in the 4 Instead of Pluto, we must evidently read Plato. SCOTISH POETRY. 221 writers of the middle ages. Mr. Warton remarks that Chaucer has been guilty of a very diverting, and what may be termed a double anachronism, by representing Cresside and two of her female companions as reading the Thebaid of Statius’ Like the fables of Henryson, his tale of Orpheus is followed by a long moral ; and here he professes to have derived his materials from Boethius and one of his commentators. Lo, worthy folk, Boece that senature To wryte this feynit fable tuke in cure, In his gay buke of Consolatioun,? For oure doctryne and gude instructioun : Quhilk in the self suppose it fenyeit be, And hid vnder the cloke of popesie, Yit Maister, trowit Doctour Nicholas, Quhilk in his tyme a noble theolog was, Applyis it to gude moralitee, Rycht full of frute and seriostee. Faire Phebus is the god of sapience, Caliopee, his wyf, is eloquence. Thir twa maryit gat Orpheus belyve, Quhilk callit is the part intellectiue Of mannis saule, etc. The Bludy Serk is an allegorical poem of considerable in- genuity. The poet represents the fair daughter of an ancient and worthy king as having been carried away by a hideous giant, and cast into a dungeon, where she was doomed to linger until some valiant knight should achieve her deliverance. A worthy prince at length appeared as her champion, vanquished the giant, and thrust him into his own loathsome dungeon. Having restored the damsel to her father, he felt that he had received a mortal wound : he requested her to retain his bloody 1 In Shakspeare’s Troilus and Cressida, says Mr. Douce, ‘‘ Hector quotes Aristotle ; Ulysses speaks of the bull-bearing Milo, and Pandarus of a man born in April. Friday and Sunday, and even minced-pies with dates in them, are introduced.” (Illustrations of Shakspeare, vol. ii. p. 291.) 2 Boethius de Consolatione Philosophiz, lib. iii, met. xii. 2 “On est redevable 4 Nicolas Crescius Florentin, moine de Jordre de Citeaux, d’avoir rétabli les livres de la Consolation de Boece dans leur premiére pureté sur les meil- leurs et les plus anciens manuscrits, qu’il chercha avec beaucoup de soin dans toutes les bibliothéques d’Italie. Avant Védition qu’il en fit faire 4 Florence, on ne pouvoit pas les reconnoitre tant ils étoient corrompus et différents des originaux.” (Gervaise, His- toire de Boece, part i. p. 290. Paris, 1715, 12mo0.) 222 THE HISTORY OF shirt, and to contemplate it whenever a new lover should pre- sent himself :— This king is lyk the Trinitie Baith in hevin and heir, The manis saule to the lady, The gyane to Lucefeir, The knycht to Chryst, that deit on tre, And coft our synnis deir, The pit to hell, with panis fell, The syn to the woweir. The lady was wowd, but scho said nay With men that wald hir wed: Sa suld we wryth all syn away, That in our breistis bred. I pray to Jesu Chryst verray, For ws his blud that bled, To be our help on domysday, Quhair lawis ar straitly led. The saule is Godis dochtir deir, And eik his handewerk, That was betrasit with Lucifeir, Quha sittis in hell full merk. Borrowit with Chrystis angell cleir, Hend men, will ze nocht herk ? ea For his lufe that bocht ws deir, Think on the bludy serk.? This poem of Henryson bears an obvious resemblance to two distinct tales which occur in the Gesta Romanorum. In the first of these, a noble lady having been cruelly oppressed by a tyrant, is relieved by a valiant pilgrim, who falls in the moment of victory. According to his injunctions, she places his staff and scrip in her chamber; but on being addressed by three kings, in whom we are instructed to recognise the Devil, the World, and the Flesh, she afterwards removes these memorials, and forgets her obligations. The other tale represents the daughter of a king as having suffered dishonour from a tyran- nical duke. When reduced to poverty and wretchedness, she is accosted at the wayside by a certain valiant knight, who, on condition of obtaining her hand, undertakes to fight the tyrant, 1 Laing’s Select Remains of the Ancient Popular Poetry of Scotland. SCOTISH POETRY. 223. and to recover her inheritance. A mortal combat ensues: before he slays his antagonist, he receives a mortal wound, which after an interval of three days terminates his life. She hangs up his bloody armour in a chamber, and on being ad- dressed by any new suitor, she surveys this memorial of her deliverer, and declares her resolution to form no new attach- ment." The Abbay Walk is of a solemn character, and is not alto- gether incapable of impressing the imagination. Its object is to inculcate submission to the various dispensations of provi- dence, and this theme is managed with some degree of skill. Some of his other poems are of the same religious tendency, but of inferior merit. The following stanzas are entitled the Garment of gude Ladyis: Lord Hailes has remarked that “the comparison between female ornaments and female virtues, is extended throughout so many lines, and with so much of a tire- woman’s detail, that it becomes somewhat ridiculous.” Wald my gud lady lufe me best, And wirk after my will, I suld ane garment cudliest . Gar mak hir body till. Of hé honour suld be her hud, Upoun hir heid to weir ; Garneist with governance so gud, Na demyng suld hir deir, Hir sark suld be hir body nixt, Of chestetie so quhyt ; With schame and dreid togidder mixt, The same suld be perfyt. Hir kirtill suld be of clene constance, Lasit with lesum lufe, The mailyeis of continwance For nevir to remufe. Hir gown suld be of gudliness, Weill ribband with renowne, Purfillit with plesour in ilk place, Furrit with fyne fassoun. 1 Gesta Rhomanorum, cum applicationibus old English Versions of the Gesta Roman- moralizatis ac mysticis, f. xiii. xxvii. edit. orum,” edited by Sir Frederic Madden, p. 22. Hagenaw, 1508, 4to.—See likewise Wright's Lond. 1838, 4to. . Selection of Latin Stories, p. 182, and ‘‘ The 224. THE HISTORY OF Hir belt suld be of benignitie, About hir middill meit ; Hir mantill of humilitie, To tholl bayth wind and weit. Hir hat suld be of fair having, And hir tepat of trewth, Hir patelet of gude pansing, Hir hals-ribbane of rewth. Hir slevis suld be of esperance, To keip hir fra dispair ; Hir gluvis of the gud govirnance, To hyd hir fyngearis fair. Hir schone suld be of sickernes, In syne that scho nocht slyd ; Hir hois of honestie, I ges, I suld for hir provyd. Wald scho put on this garmond gay, I durst sweir by my seill, That she woir nevir grene nor gray That set hir half so weill.? But the most beautiful of Henryson’s productions is Robene and Makyne, the earliest specimen of pastoral poetry in the Scotish language. I consider it as superior in many respects to the similar attempts of Spenser and Browne: itis free from the glaring improprieties which sometimes appear in the pastorals of those distinguished writers, and it exhibits many genuine strokes of poetical delineation. The Shepherd’s indifference is indeed too suddenly converted into love; but this is almost the only instance in which the operations of nature are not faith- fully represented. The story is skilfully conducted, the senti- ments and manners are truly pastoral, and the diction possesses wonderful terseness and suavity.? 1 Hailes’s Ancient Scottish Poems, p. 103. 2 This poem contains some obscure pas- sages, which have not been very happily illustrated by its latest editor, Mr. Chalmers. (Robene and Makyne, and, the Testament of Cresseid ; by Robert Henryson. Edinb. 1824, 4to.) I shall produce a single example :— “J dern with the ; bot gifI dail.” This line he endeavours to illustrate by the follow- ing note:—‘‘This is a difficult verse. The dern, herein, may be the derne derayne, of Gawyn Douglas: signifying.:to behold, see, perceive ; and then the meaning would be, I perceive, unless with thee I deal, or have con- nection, I must doubtless die.” - - SCOTISH POETRY. 225 CHAPTER XI. But the greatest name that adorns our poetical annals during the reign of James the Fourth, is that of William Dunbar, who is indeed regarded as the most eminent of all the early Scotish poets. Notwithstanding the high reputation which he enjoyed among his contemporaries, the records of his personal history and character are extremely scanty: although he belonged to the church, his progress is not to be traced by successive pre- ferments ; and there is too much reason to believe that many of his days were consumed amidst the gloom of poverty and disappointment. He appears to have been born about the middle of the fifteenth century. Kennedy represents him as related to the Earl of March: but this perhaps is only to be considered as a poetical fiction, introduced for the purpose of heightening his invective. The same writer seems to insinuate that the place of his birth was Mount Falcone. To what par- ticular place he alludes, it is not easy to conjecture ; but Dunbar apparently represents himself as a native of Lothian. There is some reason to suppose that he studied in the Univer - sity of Oxford: “Quod Dunbar at Oxinfurde,” is the colophon of one of his poems ;’ and I need scarcely remark that Oxen- ford was once the current name of this seat of the Muses. But it is likewise to be recollected that the poet might visit Oxford in some other capacity than that of a student; and that Oxen- ford Castle is the name of a place not many miles distant from Edinburgh. In his youth he appears to have been a novice of the order of St. Francis. His sentiments with regard to this profession we are enabled to glean from a poem, describing “ How Dunbar wes desyred to be ane Frier ;” and these senti- 1 Pinkerton’s Ancient Scotish Poems, vol. i. p. 106. P wt 226 THE HISTORY OF. ments I shall endeavour to transfuse into plain prose. “ Before the dawn of day,” says Dunbar, “methought St. Francis appeared to me with a religious habit in his hand, and said, Go, my ser- vant, clothe thee in these vestments, and renounce the world. But at the sight of him and his habit I was scared like one who sees a ghost. And why art thou terrified at the sight of the holy weed? St. Francis, reverence attend thee, and thanks for this intended benefit ; but with regard to those garments of which thou art so liberal, it has never entered into my mind to wear them: sweet confessor, take it not in evil part. In holy legends have I heard it alleged that bishops are more frequently canonized than friars; if therefore thou wouldst guide my soul towards heaven, invest me with the robes of a bishop. Had it ever been my fortune to become a friar, the season is now long past: between Berwick and Calais, in every flourishing town of the English dominions, have I made good cheer in the habit of thy order ; in friar’s weeds have I mounted the pulpit at Dern- ton and Canterbury, in them have I also crossed the sea at Dover, and instructed the inhabitants of Picardy; but this mode of life compelled me to have recourse to many a pious fraud, from the guilt of which no holy water could cleanse me. What had thus appeared to me as St. Francis, was a fiend in the likeness of a friar :. he vanished away with stench and fiery smoke ; methought he carried the end of the house along with him, and I awoke like a wight in perplexity.” From this and some other passages of his works, it is evident that Dunbar had, to a certain extent, imbibed the spirit of a re- former; and it is obvious that in all countries which have in any degree been extricated from the superstitions and delusions of the Romish church, the poets have contributed to prepare the 1 Buchanan has manifestly imitated this Mentior, aut peragra saxo fundata vetusto poem in his Somniwm. (Fratres Fraterrimi, xxxiv.) He has adopted the very same plan, and his best epigrammatic turn is borrowed from Dunbar. In haly legendis have I hard allevin Ma sanctis of bischoppis nor freiris be sic sevin ; Of full few freiris that hes bene sanctis I reid ; Quhairfoir ga bring to me ane bischopis weid, Gife evir thow wald my saul gaid unto hevin. Delubra, et titulos per simulacra lege : Multus honoratis fulgebit episcopus aris, Rara cucullato sternitur ara gregi. Atque inter monachos erit hee rarissima vestis : Induat hang, si quis gaudeat esse miser. Quod si tanta mee tangit te cura salutis, Vis mihi, vis anime consuluisse mee ? Quilibet hac alius mendicet veste superbus ; At mihi da mitra, purpureamque togam. SCOTISH POETRY. 227 way for the theologians. ‘Wit and satire, when thus directed, are formidable weapons ; and although ridicule is no test of truth, it is often found a most powerful instrument for exposing inveterate error. The best arguments may be employed in vain, and force commonly interposes in behalf of established opinions : but poets have in all ages claimed and exercised considerable freedom of animadversion ; and as light troops are sometimes more serviceable than the heavy-armed soldiery, the gay satirist is sometimes more successful in his attacks than the learned disputant. Another inference to be drawn from this poem is equally obvious: as the author had preached in England and France, he must have been familiarly acquainted with the lan- guages of both countries ; or if we suppose him to have preached at Canterbury in his native tongue, we must at least conclude that he spoke French when he instructed the inhabitants of Picardy. His travels are likewise mentioned in Kennedy’s Flyting, where we must however make some allowance for sati- rical exaggeration. Fra Etrike forest furthward to Drumfreiss Thou beggit wyth a pardoun in all kirkis, Collapis, cruddis, meill, grotis, gryce, and geis, And under nycht quhylis stall thou staggis and stirkis. Because that Scotland of thy begging irkis, Thou schaipis in France to be a knycht of the felde, Thou has thy clamschellis and thy burdoun kelde, * Unhonest wayis all, wolrounn, that thou wirkis. Dunbar, in one of his invectives against Kennedy, has fur- nished us with some further information respecting his own adventures :— Or thow durst move thy mynd malitius, Thow saw the saill abone my heid vp-draw, Bot Eolus full woid, and Neptunus, Mirk and moneless, wes met with wind and waw, And mony hundreth myll hyne cowd ws blaw By Holland, Seland, Zetland and Northway coist, In desert ‘ place’ quhair we wer famist aw; Yit come I hame, fals baird, to lay thy boist. After the period of his travelling noviciate, Dunbar appears in the character of a court poet, and of a candidate for prefer- 228 THE HISTORY OF ment. On one occasion he speaks of his dancing “ in the quene’s chalmer.” Than cam in Dunbar the mackar ;1 On all the flure thair was’ nane frackar, And thair he daunsit the Dirry-dantoun ; He hoppet lyk a pillie wantoun ; For luiff of Musgraiffe, men tellis me : He trippet quhill he tint his pantoun. A mirrear dance micht na man see. Than cam in Maistriss Museraiffe ; Scho mycht haiff lernit all the laiffe. Quhen I saw hir sa trimlye dance, Hir gud convoy and countenance, Than for hir saik I wissit to be The grytast erle or duke in France. A nirrear dance inicht na man see. But neither his dancing nor his solicitations seem to have pro- cured him any considerable preferment. From the strain of his earlier compositions, it is evident that his first hopes were suf- ficiently sanguine, and from that of his later compositions, that those hopes have been completely frustrated. “ Why shouldst thou,” says the desponding poet, “be induced to hope for pre- ferment, when an Italian impostor finds means to thrust himself into the chair of an abbot? How the affairs of the church are managed, I know not; but assuredly its benefices are not dis- tributed with an impartial hand. While some priests enjoy seven, I am not possessed of one ; and some, unworthy as they are to fill a stable, would fain climb to the rank of cardinal, a bishopric being too mean an object for their ambition.”? He addressed some stanzas “To the King, quhen mony benefices vakit ;” he frequently renewed his petition, and frequently complained that his life was suffered to wear away in poverty and neglect. From his “ Prayer that the King war Johne Thomsoun’s Man,” it would appear that Queen Margaret was 1 “ The Greekes,” says Sir Philip Sidney, “called him a poet, which name hath as the most excellent gone thorough other languages. It cometh of this word poiein, which is, to make: wherein, I know not whether by lucke or wisedome, wee Englishmen haue mette with the Greekes, in calling him a maker ; which name, how high and incomparable a title it is, I had rather were knowne by marking the scope of other sciences, then by my partiall allegation.” (Apologie for Poetrie, sig. C. Lond. 1595, 4to.) 2 Dunbar’s Dream: Hailes, p. 23. On the Warld’s Instabilitie: Pinkerton, vol. i. p. 117. SCOTISH POETRY. 229 anxious to promote his interest; the tenor of his prayer is, that the King were more subservient to the wishes of his consort. My advocat bayth fair and sueit, The hale rejosing of my spreit, Wald speid into my errandis than, And ye war anis Johne Thomsounis man.! Whether Dunbar’s advancement was in any degree retarded by his own imprudence, can only be conjectured. The clergy of that age do not appear to have been generally promoted for their piety or learning; and so very moderate was the ordi- nary standard of external decency, that it must only have been the most gross and flagrant profligacy that could operate as a dis- qualification for preferment. It must however be acknowledged that some of his strains are highly reprehensible: his com- positions are occasionally tinctured with expressions which we cannot but regard as grossly indecent and profane; one of his addresses to the Queen is such as might offend a modern courte- zan; the more solemn observances of the church he has con- verted into topics of ridicule; the litanies are burlesqued in a parody which is not easily to be paralleled for its profanity. 1 “ This,” says Mr. Pinkerton, “is a pro- of his wife? ‘“ Better be John Thomson's verbial expression, meaning a hen-pecked husband. I have little doubt but the ori- ginal proverb was Joan Thomson’s man.” There is indeed a ballad entitled John Thom- son and the Turk, to which Mr. Motherwell supposes this expression to bear an allusion. “ Pinkerton,” he remarks, ‘“‘ was ignorant of the existence of the ballad: had he been ac- quainted with it, he would have saved him- self the trouble of writing a foolish conjec- ture.” (Minstrelsy, ancient and modern, intr. app. p. ix. Glasg. 1827, 4to.) But ac- cording to this ballad, John Thomson was a Scotch warrior who fought against the Turks ; and when his lady forsook him for a Turkish gallant, he inflicted ample vengeance upon both :— This Turk thee in his castel burnt, That stood upon yon hill so hie ; John Thomson’s gay ladie they took, And hanged her on yon green-wood tree. Where then do we find John Thomson’s man, or the husband complying with the humours man, than Ringand Dinn’s, or John Knox’s,” is a proverb which Kelly has thus explained : “John Thomson’s man is he that is com- plaisant to his wife’s humours; Ringand Dinn’s is he whom his wife scolds; John Knox’s is he whom his wife beats.” Collec- tion of Scotish Proverbs, p. 72. Lond. 1721, 8vo.) This explanation, which is irreconcil- able with the incident of the ballad, is com- pletely applicable to the prayer of Dunbar’s petition. The same proverbial form of ex pression occurs in various other poets. To this talking ye should tak tent, Or afterward ye shall repent: When ye are made John Thomson’s man, Then shall ye brawl, then shall ye ban, And when remead none finde ye can, But all with shame ouershent. Ro.tanp’s Seven Sages, Sig. M. 3. Bedla, with Towcross and Woodhall, John Thomson’s man, plague on them all. CLELAND’S Poems, p. 43. 230 THE HISTORY OF But it is more than probable that such indecent levities ex- cited little or no disgust in his contemporaries: the age was not distinguished by any uncommon share of piety, nor had it attained to that degree of refinement which frequently secures a certain ostensible decorum, a decent appearance of virtue, where virtue itself is not to be found. To whatever cause his failure may be attributed, it seems too evident that he never obtained a benefice; but we learn from an authentic record that he was at least indebted to the king for occasional grants of money. On the 24th of December 1512 he received, by the king’s command, the sum of forty pounds “for his Martin- mas fee ;” an expression which might lead us to conjecture that he held some office connected with the royal household, and that this was one of his stated payments. In that case, how- ever, we might have expected his name to occur more frequently in the Treasurer's Accounts ; but I am only aware of another entry, which relates to the payment of so small a sum as forty- two shillings, on the first of April 1513.1. How long he sur- vived this period, has not yet been ascertained ; but it is at least certain that he was dead in the year 1530, when Sir David Lindsay composed his Complaynt of the Papingo.* He describes himself as having attained to an advanced age; nor does he appear to have been so unwise as to continue his levities to the utmost verge of life; several of his poems are written in a moral and religious strain, not unbecoming an aged priest. The poems of Dunbar are numerous and miscellaneous, but none of them extends to any considerable length. He evi- dently unites a brilliant imagination with an elegant taste; nor is he less conspicuous for his skill in the mechanical part of poetry. The elasticity of his mind, and the versatility of his talents, enabled him to arrive at eminence in different depart- ments of composition : his allegorical poems display a rich and 1 [In the Treasurer’s Accounts, as shown half-yearly, from Martinmas 1507 ; and lastly by Mr. Laing in his valuable edition of Dun- of forty pounds half-yearly, from 1510 to bar's Poems (vol. i. p. 68), there are regular 1513. There are several other entries of occa- entries of payments to Dunbar of a pension sional gifts in money, etc., but none later than of five pounds half-yoarly, from Martinmas the fatal year 1513.} 1500 to Whitsunday 1507; then of ten pounds 2 Lindsay's Works, vol. i. p. 285. SCOTISH POETRY. 231 fertile invention ; and he is equally distinguished for his powers of description and satirical humour.. His diction is often re- markable for its terseness and forcible simplicity ; but it is not always free from the vicious and pedantic phraseology with which the English poetry of that period is so deeply infected. Dr. Nott observes that Dunbar, “a poet of a rich and lively fancy, and possessing great natural command of language,” was induced to use such pedantic diction as occurs in the opening of his beautiful moral poem, entitled the Goldin Terge.’ He has employed a great variety of measures ; and his versification, when compared with that of his most eminent contemporaries in both kingdoms, will in general appear highly ornamental and poetical. Mr. Ellis, after having quoted three of his shorter poems, sub- joins the following remarks : “In these specimens we see much good sense and sound morality, expressed with force and con- ciseness. This indeed is Dunbar’s peculiar excellence. His style, whether grave or humorous, whether simple or ornamented, is always energetic; and though all his compositions cannot be expected to possess equal merit, we seldom find in them a weak or redundant stanza.” The accomplished historian of English poetry likewise mentions him with no faint approbation, “I am of opinion,” says Mr. Warton, “that the imagination of Dunbar is not less suited to satirical than to sublime allegory ; and that he is the first poet who has appeared with any degree of spirit in this way since Pierce Plowman. His THISTLE AND Ross, and GoLpEN TERGE, are generally and justly mentioned as his capital works: but the natural complexion of his genius is of the moral and didactic cast.” “But this remark,” subjoins Mr. Pinkerton, “must not be taken too strictly. The Golden Terge is moral; and so are many of his small pieces; but humour, description, allegory, great poetical genius, and a vast wealth of words, all unite to form the complexion of Dunbar’s poetry. He unites in himself, and generally surpasses, the qualities of the chief old English poets; the morals and satire 1 Nott’s Dissertation on the State of Eng- 2 Ellis’s Specimens of the Early English lish Poetry befure the Sixteenth Century, Poets, vol. i. p. 385. p. exci. ‘ 3 Warton’s Hist. of English Poetry, vol. iii. p. 109. 232 THE HISTORY OF of Langland ; Chaucer's humour, poetry, and knowledge of life ; the allegory of Gower; the description of Lydgate.”* But the most striking proofs of his genius are certainly to be found in his two allegorical poems. The Thistle and the Rose was composed in celebration of the nuptials of James the Fourth and Margaret Tudor; an event productive of very important consequences to both kingdoms, inasmuch as it ultimately led to that happy union, which the nature of the territory and the kindred origin of the people rendered so suitable and so desir- able. In the plan of this poem, Dunbar displays boldness of invention and beauty of arrangement; and some particular passages are remarkable for their strength and even beauty of colouring.” It opens with these picturesque and beautiful stanzas :— Quhen Merche wes with variand windis past, And Appryll had, with hir silver shouris, Tane leif at Nature with ane orient blast, And lusty May, that muddir is of flouris, Had maid the birdis to begyn thair houris Amang the tendir odouris reid and quhyt, Quhois harmony to heir it wes delyt: In bed at morrow, sleiping as I lay, Methocht Aurora, with her cristall ene, In at the window lukit by the day, And halsit me with visage paill and grene ; On quhois hand a lark sang fro the splene, Awalk, luvaris, out of your slomering, Sé how the lusty morrow dois upspring. Methocht fresche May befoir my bed upstude, In weid depaynt of mony diverse hew, 1 Pinkerton’s List of the Scotish Poets, p. xciv. “It is evident,” says Dr. Drake, “that a union of talents of this wide range must necessarily be of rare occurrence ; nor can we wonder that a century should elapse before a poet in any high degree approaching the genius of Chaucer made his appearance in our island. Not indeed until Dunbar arose in the sister kingdom, had we another instance of the combination of first-rate abilities for humour and comic painting, with an equally powerful command over the higher regions of fiction and imagination.” (Mornings in Spring, vol ii, p. 4. Lond. 1828, 2 vols. 8vo.) 2 Dr. Langhorne, in his poem entitled Genius and Valour, has specified this as Dun- bar’s principal work. (Poetical Works, vol. £ p. 55. Lond. 1804, 2 vols. 8vo,) Yet still some pleasing monuments remain, Some marks of genius in each later reign. In nervous strains Dunbar’s bold musi¢ flows, And Time yet spares the Thistle and the Rose. SCOTISH POETRY. 233 Sobir, benyng, and full of mansuetude, In brycht atteir of flouris forgit new, Hevinly of color, quhyt, reid, broun, and blew, Balmit in dew, and gilt with Phebus bemys, Quhyll all the house illumynit of hir lemys. Slugird, scho said, awalk annone for schame, And in my honor sumthing thow go wryt : The lark hes done the mirry day proclame, To rais up luvaris with confort and delyt ; Yit nocht incressis thy curage to indyt, Quhois hairt sumtyme hes glaid and blissfull bene, Sangis to mak undir the levis grene. The poet excuses himself on account of the ungenial aspect of the spring, which has hitherto been little cheered by the usual songs of the birds, and the wholesome and benign air; Lord AZolus having maintained the ascendency during her season, and blown such boisterous blasts that he had forborne his accustomed walks under the vernal boughs. May, answering with a sober smile, still urges him to do his observance, and to fulfil his promise to describe “the rose of most plesance.” He follows her into a delightful garden; and in the meantime the purple sun appears in the east, as bright as an angel :— The purpour sone, with tendir bemys reid, In orient bricht as angell did appeir, Throw goldin skyis putting up his heid, Quhois gilt tressis schone so wondir cleir, That all the world tuke confort, fer and neir, To luke upone his fresche and blissfull face, Doing all sable fro the hevynis chace. And, as the blissful soune of cherarchy, The fowlis sung throw confort of the licht : The birdis did with oppin vocis cry, O luvaris fo, away thou dully nicht, And welcum, day, that confortis every wicht ; Hail May, hail Flora, hail Aurora schene, Hail princes Nature, hail Venus, Luvis quene. Dame Nature now presents herself, and enjoins the powers that preside over the water and air to preserve the atmosphere calm and serene. After this preparation, she commands every bird and beast, as well as every herb and flower, to appear in her 234 THE HISTORY OF presence, and pay their annual homage; the beasts are sum- moned by the Roe, the birds by the Swallow, and the flowers by the Yarrow.! They are all assembled in the twinkling of an eye. The Lion being first called, presents his bold countenance ; and here, as Mr. Warton remarks, the poet has adopted “an elegant and ingenious mode of blazoning the Scottish arms, which are a lion with a border, or tressure, adorned with flower de luces. We should remember that heraldry was now a science of high importance and esteem.” This awfull beist full terrible wes of cheir, Persing of luke, and stout of countenance, Rycht strong of corpis, of fassoun fair, but feir, Lusty of shaip, lycht of deliverance, Reid of his cullour as is the ruby glance ; Tn feild of gold he stude full mychtily, With floure-de-Lycis sirculit lustely. The Lion receives due homage from his subjects, and the Eagle is next crowned King of the Fowls. She admonishes him to extend the same equal justice to curlews and owls as to peacocks, parrots, or cranes, and to apply the same law to the strongest fowls and to wrens; a political lesson which it was not superfluous to inculcate on the mind of an ancient Scotish monarch. In the subsequent passage, the author displays no mean address in recommending to the king the virtue of con- jugal fidelity :-— Than callit scho all flouris that grew on feild, Discryving all their fassiouns and effeirs ; Upon the awfull Turisstuz scho beheld, And saw him keipit with a busche of speiris ; Considering him so able for the weiris, A radius croun of rubeis scho him gaif, And said, In feild go furth, and fend the laif. And sen thou art a King, thou be discreit, Herb without vertew thow hald nocht of sic pryce As herb of vertew and of odor sweit ; 1 “The yarrow is Achillea or millefoliwm, posed to be derived from arrow, being held a vulgarly sneeswort. I know no reason for remedy for flesh wounds inflicted by that selecting this plant to go on the message to weapon.” (Hailes’s Notes on Ancient Scot- all flowers, but that its name has been sup- ish Poems, p. 225.) ‘ SCOTISH POETRY. 235 And lat no nettill vyle and full of vyce Hir fallow to the gudly flour-de-lyce ; Nor lat no wyld weid full of churlicheness Compair hir till the lilleis nobilness : Nor hald no udir flour in sic denty As the fresche Rois, of cullour reid and quhyt ; For gif thou dois, hurt is thyne honesty, Considdering that no flour is so perfyt, So full of vertew, plesans, and delyt, So full of blisful angellik bewty, Imperiall birth, honour and dignite. Nature now addresses the Rose, and extols its lineage above that of the lily : an oblique method of extolling the house of Tudor above that of Valois. The Rose being crowned in due form, is acknowledged as queen of the other flowers ; and the birds raise so general and loud a song of congratulation that the poet is roused from his dream. It is not unusual with our early writers to exert all their energy in embellishing the opening of their poems, and yet to conclude them in a remiss and frigid manner. The first stanzas of the Thistle and the Rose have already been quoted ; it concludes with the following couplet : — And thus I wret as ye haif hard to-forrow, Off lusty May upone the nynt morrow. Dunbar’s Goldin Terge, which is written in a different stanza, is another allegorical poem of nearly equal merit. The object of this poem is to demonstrate the general ascendency of love over reason: the golden terge, or the shield of reason, is found an insufficient protection against the assaults of the train of love. The opening stanzas are replete with poetical concep- tions and poetical imagery :—- Bricht as the sterne of day begouth to schyne, Quhen gone to bed war Vesper and Lucyne, I raise, and by a rosier did me rest ; Up sprang the goldin candill matutine, With cleir depurit bemys cristallyne, 1 Where now Dunbar? The bard has run his Nor lightning’s flash, the glorious orb race 3 deface. But glitters still the Golden Terge on high, : Nor shall the thunder storm that sweeps G. Dver’s Poems, p. 89. the sky, Lond. 1801, 8vo. 236 THE HISTORY OF- Glading the mery foulis in thair nest : Or Phebus wes in purpour cape revest, Up raise the lark, the hevyns menstrall fyne In May, intill a morrow mirthfullest. Full angelyk thir birdis sang thair houris Within thair courtyns grene, in-to thair bouris, Apperrellit with quhite and reid, with blomes sweit : Ennamellit was the feild with all cullouris, The perly droppis schuke in silvir schouris, Quhyle all in balme did branche and levis fleit To part fra Phebus, did Aurora greit ; Hir crystall teiris I saw hing on the flouris, Quhilk he for lufe all drank up with his heit. For mirth of May, with skippis, and with hoppis The birdis sang upon the tendir croppis, With curious nottis, as Venus chapell-clarkis. The rosis yong, now spreiding of their knoppis, War powderit bricht with hevinly berial droppis, Throw bemis reid birnyng as ruby sparkis ; The skyes rang with schouting of the larkis The purpour hevin owreskailit in silver sloppis Owregilt the treis, branchis, levis and barkis. Doun throu the ryce, ane ryvir ran with stremis So lustily agayn the lykand lemis, That all the lake as lamp did leme of licht, Quhilk schaddowit all about with twynkling glemis ; The bewis baithit war in fecound bemis. Throw the reflex of Phebus visage brycht ; On every syde the hegeis raise on hicht, The bank wes grene, the bruke wes full of bremis, The stanneris cleir as sternis in frosty nicht. The crystall air, the sapheir firmament, The ruby skyis of the orient, Kest berial bemis on emerant bewis grene ; The rosy garth depaynt and redolent, With purpour, azure, gold, and goulis gent, Arrayit wes be Dame Flora the quene Sa nobilly, that joy wes for to sene The roche agayn the ryvir resplendent As low enlumynit all the levis schene.! 1 This, together with several other poems of Goldyn Terge, compilit be Maister Wilyam Dunbar, was printed by Chapman and Millar. Dunbar.” Here begynnys ane litil tretie intitulit the SCOTISH POETRY. 237 He reposes himself on the mantle of Flora, and is lulled asleep by the singing of the birds, and by the murmuring of the river. In the phantasy of his dream, he perceives a gorgeous ship approaching like “blossom upon the spray,” and with its golden mast arriving at the blooming meadows, where it lands a hundred lusty ladies, clothed in green kirtles. To describe this scene, would exceed the ornate style of Homer and the rhetoric of Cicero. Here he sees Nature, Venus, Aurora, Flora, Juno, Latona, and other “michty quenis.” May, the queen of mirthful months, is seen walking up and down the garden between her two sisters April and June :— Thair saw I Nature present till her a goun, Riche to behald, and noble of renoun, Of every hew that undir the hevin hes bene Depainit, and braid be gud proportioun. Full lustely thir ladeis all in feir Enterit within this park of maist pleseir, Quhair that I lay our-helit with levis rank : The mery fowlis, blisfullest of cheir, Salust Nature, methocht, in thair maneir, And every blome on branche, and eik on bank, Opnit and spred thair balmy levis dank, Full law inclyneand to thair Quene so cleir, Quham of thair nobill norising thay thank. His attention is next attracted by another court, consisting of Cupid the king, Mars, Saturn, and various other divinities, among whom is “ Pluto the elrich incubus.” And eviry one of thir in grene arrayit, On herp or lute full merily thay playit, And sang ballatis with michty nottis cleir : Ladeis to daunse full sobirly assayit, Endlang the lusty ryvir so thay mayit, Thair observance rycht hevinly wes to heir: Then crap I throw the levis, and drew neir, Quhair that I was richt suddaynly affrayit, All throw a luke, quhilk I haif boucht full deir. And schortly for to speik, be Luvis Quene I was espyit, scho bad hir archeris kene Go me areist, and thay no tyme delayit. 238 THE HISTORY OF Than ladyes fair lete fall thair mantillis grene, + With bowis big in tressit hairis schene, All suddenly they had a feild arrayit ; And yit rycht gritly was I nocht affrayit, The pairty was so plesand for to sene : A woundir lusty bikkir me assayit. And first of all, with bow in hand ybent, Come Dame Bewty, richt as scho wald me schent ; Syne followit all her dameselis yfere, With mony divers awfull instrument ; Into the preiss Fair-Having with hir went, Fyne-Portrature, Plesance, and Lusty-Chere : Than come Ressoun, with Schelde of Gold so clere, In plait of maill, as Mars armipotent, Defendit me that noble chevallere. He is likewise assailed by tender Youth with her young virgins, by green Innocence, humble Obedience, and a long train of combatants; who raise their high banner, and discharge a cloud of arrows, but, after having spent their artillery, are obliged to retreat. When Venus perceives this repulse, she commands Dissimulation to make an attempt to pierce the golden shield; and the archers selected for this service are Presence, Fair-Calling, Cherishing, and Hamelines or Famili- arity. Beauty now returns to the charge with all the choice of Venus’s chivalry, and another perilous combat ensues. Thik was the schott of grundin arrowis kene ; Bot Ressoun, with the Scheld of Gold so schene, Warily defendit quhosoevir assayit : The awfull stour he manly did sustene, Quhill Presence kest ane powdir in his ene. By Presence, as Mr. Warton remarks, “the poet understands that irresistible incentive accruing to the passion of love by society, by being often admitted to the company of the beloved object.” When the powder is thus thrown into his eyes, Reason begins to reel like a drunken man. The poet being nearly wounded to death, is taken prisoner by Beauty, who now appears more lovely and engaging, as Reason can no longer assert his proper influence. Dissimulation is assiduous in her 1 Warton’s Hist. of English Poetry, vol. iii. p, 102. SCOTISH POETRY. 239 attentions ; Fair-Calling frequently smiles upon him ; Cherish- ing feeds him with fair words; New-Acquaintance embraces him for a short season, but takes a sudden and final leave. He is at length haunted by Danger, who delivers him into the custody of Grief. The god of the winds now blows his bugle, till the leaves tremble with the blast; and in the twinkling of an eye all the shadowy personages regain the ship. In twynckling of ane ee to schip thay went, And swift up saill unto the top thay stent, And with swift course attour the flude they frak : Thay fyrit gunnis with powder violent, Till that the reik raise to the firmament, The rockis all resoundit with the rak, For reird it semit that the rane-bow brak : With spreit afrayit upoun my feit I sprent Amangis the clewis, sa cairfull wes the crak. And as I did awalk of this swowning, The joyfull fowlis mirrily did sing For mirth of Phebus tendir bemis schene : Sweit wes the vapouris, and soft the morrowing, Hailsum the vaill, depaynit with flouris ying, The air attemperit, sobir, and amene ; In quhyt and reid was all the felde besene, Throw Naturis nobill fresch ennameling, In mirthfull May, of every moneth quene. Before he concludes the poem, he introduces a high encomium on Chaucer, Gower, and Lydgate, which, as it serves to mark the direction of his poetical studies, it may be proper to tran- scribe :— O reverend Chaucere, rose of rethoris all, As in oure toung ane flour imperiall That raise in Britane evir, quha reidis richt, Thou beiris of makars the triumph riall, Thy fresche ennamallit termes celicall This matir coud Uluminit haif full bricht : Was thou nocht of our Inglisch all the licht, Surmounting eviry tong terrestrial, As far as Mayis morrow deis midnycht ? O morale Gower, and Lidgate laureate, Your suggarat lippis, and-toungis aureate, Bene to our eiris cause of-grete delyte : 240 THE HISTORY OF Your angel mouthis most mellifluate Our rude langage hes cleir illumynate, And faire ouregilt our speiche, that imperfyte Stude, or your goldin pennis schup to wryt : This Ile befoir wes bair, and desolate Of rethorike, or lusty fresche indyte. Some of his short poems, of a serious character, are likewise to be distinguished from the ordinary compositions of that period. The stanzas bearing the title “Lair is vane without Governance,” possess superior merit as a moral descant. His “ Meditatioun writtin in Wyntir,” is also to be classed among the best of his serious pieces. Some of the stanzas are beauti- ful and pathetic ; and they may all be perused with more than common interest, as the solitary musings of neglected genius. The following little poem exhibits Dunbar in the character of a lover; a character which he has scarcely assumed on any other occasion :— Sweit rois of vertew and of gentilnes, Delytsum lyllie of everie lustynes, Richest in bontie, and in bewtie cleir, And every vertew that [to hevin] is deir, Except onlie that ye ar mercyles. Into your garthe this day I did persew : Thair saw I flouris that fresche wer of dew, Baythe quhyte and reid most lustye wer to seyne, And halsum herbis upone stalkis grene : Yet leif nor flour fynd could I nane of rew.! I doute that Merche, with his cauld blastis keyne, Hes slane this gentill herbe, that I of mene ; Quhois petewous deithe dois to my hart sic pane, That I wald mak to plant his rute agane, So confortand his levis unto me bene. Nor are his satirical less remarkable than his serious produc- tions. His poem entitled the Daunce exhibits many admirable strokes of comic and grotesque description. On the eve of 1 “This is a pretty poem, tho’ it turns on pity, and perhaps no pun is meant.” (Pin- a pun, the herb rew, and rve or pity. The kerton, vol. ii. p. 467.) herb rew was, however, also an emblem of SCOTISH POETRY. 241 Lent, the poet falls into a trance, and is presented with a glimpse of heaven and hell. Mahoun, or the Devil,’ proclaims a dance of those wretches who have died without absolution ; he commands them to prepare a mummery, and to “cast up gamountis” of the newest French fashion. The seven Deadly Sins immediately present themselves, and are each accompanied by a select band of votaries, Pride is with evident propriety represented as leading the dance, and is dressed in the first fashion of that period: his hair is thrown back, his bonnet is placed awry, and his gown flows to his heels in ample folds. Lat sé, quoth he, now quha beginis : With that the fowll sevin deidly sinis Begowth to leip at anis. And first of all in dance wes Pryd, With hair wyld bak, and bonet on syd, Lyk to mak vaistie wanis ; And round about him as a quheill, Hang all in rumpillis to the heill His kethat for the nanis. Mony proud trumpour with him trippit ; Throw skaldan fyre ay as they skippit, They girnd with hyddous granis. This group is succeeded by holy harlots ; but Mahoun and the other fiends are not much entertained till a company of priests present their shaven crowns. Heilie harlottis in hawtane wyis Come in with mony sindrie gyis ; Bot yet leuche nevir Mahoun, Quhill preistis cum with bair schevin nekks ; Than all the feynds lewche, and maid gekks, Black-belly, and Bawsy-Broun. 1 Mahoun is evidently Mahomet ; whom and it must have been supposed that they the ignorance and zeal of our ancestors con- worshipped the founder of their faith. verted into a demon. Sir David Lindsay, in The fyrst matere of Mawmentry, his Satyre of the three Estaitis, likewise uses That clerkis callis ydolatry. the same word as synonymous with the Devil. Winton’s Cronykil, vol. i. p. 18. I wald the officiaris of the toun, I purpose nocht to mak obedience That suffers sic confusioun, To sic mischeant musis, nor Mahumetrie, That thay war harbreit with Mahoun, Afore tyme usit intill poetrie. Or hangit on ane gallows. Linpsay’s Works, vol. ii. p. 332. Maumentry is frequently used to denote Lat Virgil hald his maumentis till him self, idolatry, and Mawment to denote an idol. I wourschip nowthir ydole, stok, nor elf. The Mahometans were regarded as idolaters ; Dovexas’s Virgil, p. 311. 242 THE HISTORY OF Anger, who next makes his appearance, is very forcibly de- scribed in a single couplet :— Than Yre come in with sturt and stryfe ; His hand wes ay upoun his knyfe. He is attended by a band of ruffians, who follow in pairs, all equipped for war; and as they move along, they frequently wound each other with swords and knives, The train of Anger is followed by that of Envy. “For pryvie hatrent that tratour trymlit.” He is attended by many a dissembler, flatterer, and backbiter, “ with rownaris of fals lesingis,’ or whisperers of lies," from whom the poet cannot avoid expressing his regret that the courts of princes are never free. The next prominent figure in the dance is Avarice, who is accompanied by caitiffs, wretches, usurers, and hoarders of wealth. From their throats they discharge at each other torrents of molten gold; and when this ammunition is exhausted, the fiends replenish them with the same metal :— Next him in dans come Cuvatyce, Rute of all evill, and grund of vyce, That nevir cowd be content ; Catyvis, wrechis, and ockeraris, Hud-pykis, hurdaris, and gadderaris, All with that warlo went. Out of thair throttis shot on udder Hett moltin gold, methocht, a fudder, As fyre-flaucht maist fervent : Ay as thay tumit thame of schot, Feynds fild thame new up to the thrott, With gold of allkyn prent. Sloth, after being twice called, joins unwillingly in the dance, attended by many suitable companions. He drags them along with a chain, and Belial lashes them on the loins; but their motion is nevertheless so tardy, that they are occasionally roused by being scorched in fire. The succeeding group con- 1 To roun or round is an old English as well ‘Then spake my lord chamberlain unto as Scotish verb, signifying to whisper. It them in French, declaring my lord cardinal’s oceurs in Chaucer and various other writers : mind, and then rounding him again in the And nere the fend he drow, as nought ne were, car.” (Cavendish’s Life of Cardinal Wolsey, Ful prively, and rowned in his ere. p. 53.) Canterbury Tales, v. 7181, SCOTISH POETRY. 243 sists of Lust and his loathsome train : he snorts like a stallion, is led by Idleness, and is attended by many foul associates who have died in their sins. When they engage in the dance, their visages become as red as the turkis-stone. The foul monster Gluttony next presents himself, followed by many a drunkard and prodigal. When they become clamorous for drink, the fiends drench them with melted lead. All these terrific exhi- bitions might have been expected to satisfy Mahoun himself ; but he is nevertheless pleased to close the entertainment with a Highland pageant :— Than cryd Mahoun for a Heleand padyane : Syn ran a feynd to fetch Makfadyane, Far northwart in a nuke: Be he the correnoch had done schout, Ersche men so gadderit him about, In hell grit rume thay tuke. Thae tarmegantis, with tag and tatter, Full loud in Ersche begowth to clatter, And rowp lyk revin and ruke. The devill sa devit wes with thair yell, That in the depest pot of hell He smorit them with smuke. Dunbar’s tale of “The twa maryit Wemen and the Wedo” presents us with the only specimen of blank verse which the ancient Scotish language affords. The rhythm is of that species which the author of Pierce Plowman, or some of his predecessors, borrowed from the Anglo-Saxon poets, and which appears to have derived its origin from a remote era. It was employed by the Islandic as well as by the Anglo-Saxon poets, and was constructed with some degree of nicety.' Their lines are gene- rally short, and they do not rigorously confine themselves to a definite number of syllables. Here alliteration supplies the place of rhyme; the corresponding sounds are at the commence- 1 Wormii Literatura Runica, p. 178. Haf- 195, 217. Bosworth’s Elements of Anglo- nie, 1636, 4to. Olafsen om Nordens gamle Digtekonst, dens Grundregler, Versarter, Sprog og Foredragsmaade, 8. 57. Kidben- havn, 1786, 4to. Rasks Veiledning til det Islandske eller gamle Nordiske Sprog, 8. 211. Kidbenh. 1811, 8vo. Rasks Angelsaksisk Sproglere, S. 108. Stokholm, 1817, Svo. Hickesii Grammatica Anglo-Saxonica, pp. Saxon Grammar, p. 215. Lond, 1823, 8vo. Conybeare’s Illustrations of Anglo-Saxon Poetry, p. Ixv. Guest’s History of English Rhythms, vol. i. p. 140. Percy’s Essay on the Metre of Pierce Plowman’s Visions: Reliques, vol. ii. p. 298. Whitaker's Intro- cuctory Discourse on P, Plonghman, p. x. 244 THE HISTORY OF ment, not at the termination of words. In two adjacent and connected lines there must be three words beginning with the same letter; and, according to the strictest rule, two of these words ought to occur in the first, and the other ought to begin the second line. It was on such a model that Dunbar and the author of Pierce Plowman constructed their verses, though they have not observed all the niceties of their predecessors. In the editions and indeed in the manuscripts of their respective poems, what is exhibited as a single verse is in reality a distich, and admits of a division without any degree of violence. _ This work of Dunbar presents us with a lively though in- delicate picture of ancient manners, and is a very curious re- lique of ancient poetry. Bishop Percy considers it as equal to one of the most humorous productions of Chaucer. The pecu- liarity of the versification has compelled the author to adopt many uncouth terms; and accordingly the language of this tale is more difficult to be understood, and appears more obsolete than that of his other poems; but his shrewdness of remark and strength of description shine though the mist of obscure phraseo- logy in which they are sometimes involved. Soon after mid- night in a morning of June, the poet walks by a goodly garden, and on hearing the sound of voices, is induced to look through the lofty hedge, where he perceives three ladies seated in a green arbour, and regaling themselves with wine: he secretly listens to their conversation, of which he professes to give a faithful report :-— Upon the Midsumer evin, mirriest of nichtis, I muvit furth alane, quhen as midnicht wes past, Besyd ane gudlie grene garth full of gay flouris, Hegeit, of ane huge hicht, with hawthorne treis ; Quhairon ane bird on ane bransche so birst out hir notis, That never ane blythfullar bird was on the beuche harde. Quhat throw the sugarat sound of hir sang glaid, And throw the savour sanative of the sweit flouris, I drew in derne to the dyke to dirkin eftir myrthis. The dew donkit the dail, and dynarit the foulis. I hard, under ane holyn hevinlie grein hewit, Ane hie speiche at my hand, with hautand wourdis, With that in haist to the hege so hard I inthrang, That I was heildit with hawthorne and with heynd leivis: SCOTISH POETRY. 245 Throw pykis of the plet thorne I presandlie luikit, Gif ony persoun wald approche within that plesand garding. I saw Thre gay Ladeis sit in ane grene arbeir, All grathit into garlandis of fresche gudelie flouris ; So glitterit as the gowd wer thair glorious gilt tressis, Quhil all the gressis did gleme of the glaid hewis : Kemmit was their cleir hair, and curiouslie sched Attour thair schoulderis doun schyre, schyning full bricht , With kurches cassin thame abone, of krisp cleir and thin. Thair mantillis grein war as the gress that grew in May sesoun, Fastnit with thair quhyt fingaris about thair fair sydis. Off ferliful fyne favour war thair faceis meik, All full of flurist fairheid, as flouris in June, Quhyt, seimlie, and soft, as the sweet lillies, New upspred upon spray as new spynist rose. Arrayit ryallie about with mony rich wardour, That Nature full nobilie annamilit fine with flouris Of alkin hewis under hewin, that ony heynd knew Fragrant, all full of fresche odour fynest of smell.? As the wine circulates, they become more communicative ; and, at the suggestion of the widow, they successively detail their experience of the married state. And as thai talkit at the tabil of mony taill funde, Thay wauchtit at the wicht wyne, and warit out wourdis, And syne thai spak more spedelie, and sparit no materis. The sentiments which they utter are as profligate as can well be imagined ; and it is to be hoped that Dunbar did not intend this as a general representation of the ladies of his own age and nation. One of them breathes her wishes in the following terms :— Chenyeis ay ar to eschew, and changes are sweit. Sic cursit chance till eschew had I my chois anis, Out of the chenyeis of ane churle I chaip suld for ever. God gif matrimony wer made to mell for ane yeir ! It war bot monstrous to be mair, bot gif our mindis plesit. It is againe the law of luif, of kynd, and of nature, Togidder hartis to strene, that stryvis with uther. Birdis hes ane better law na bernis be meikill, That ilk yeir, with new joy, joyis ane maik, And fangis thame ane fresche feyr, unfulyeit and constant, 1 Pinkerton, vol. i. p. 44. 246 Among other information which may be gleaned from this poem, we find a splendid account of female dresses. the following passage, the widow describes her appearance as THE HISTORY OF And lattis thair sukert feyris flie quhair thai pleis. Chryst gif sic ane consuetude war in this erth holdin ! Than weill war us wemen, that ever we may be fre, We suld have feiris as fresche to fang quhen we wald, And gif all larbaris thair leveis quhan thai lak curage. Myself suld be full semlie with silkis arrayit ; Gymp, jolie and gent, richt joyous and gentryce, I suld at fairis be found, new faceis to spy; At playis, and preichings, and pilgrimages greit, To schaw my renoun royaly, quhair preis was of folk, To manifest my makdome to multitude of pepill, And blaw my bewtie on breid, quhair bernis war mony, That I micht cheis, and be chosin, and change quhen me lykit. the wife of a wealthy merchant :—- Of her behaviour at church, the widow gives an account which He graythit me in gay silk, and gudelie arrayis, In gounis of engranyt clayth, and greit goldin chenyeis, In ringis ryallie set with ryche rubie stanis, Quhill helie rais my renoun amang the rude peipil. is sufficiently characteristic :— Quhen that I go to the kirk, cled in cair-weids, As fox in ane lambis fleise feinyé I my cheir. Than lay I furth my bricht buik on breid on my kné, With mony lustie letter iuminit with gold, And drawis my clouk fordwart our my face quhyt, That I may spy, unaspyit, ane space be my side. Full oft I blenk by my buke, and blinnis of devotioun, To-sé quhat berne is best branit, or braidest of schulderis, Or forgeit is maist forslie, to furneis ane bankat In Venus chalmer, valiantlie withouttin vane ruse. And as the new moon all pale, oppressit with change, Kythis quhillis hir cleir face throw cluddis of sabill, So keik I throw my clokis, and castis kynd lukis To knychtis, and to clerkis, and to courtlie persouns. Quhen freyndis of my husbandis behaldis me on far, IT have my watir sponge for wa, within my wide ronkis, Than wring I it full wylelie, and weitis my cheikis ; With that watiris my ein, and welteris doun teiris. Thus, in SCOTISH POETRY. 247 After many details of a very peculiar nature, the poet concludes with a pertinent enough question :— Of thir Thré Wantoun Wyfiis that I have writtin heir, Quhilk wald ye waill to your wyf, gif ye suld wed ane? Two of his satirical poems relate to a certain Italian, whom James the Fourth had collated to the abbacy of Tungland in Galloway. This adventurer appears to have been an empiric and an impostor, and to have persuaded the king that he had discovered the secret of converting baser metals into gold; nor is it surprising that Dunbar should feel some degree of indigna- tion on seeing high preferment bestowed upon such a person. The abbot having failed to produce the promised gold, made a still more desperate attempt to maintain his reputation as an adept in science and art; he provided himself with a pair of wings, and appointed a particular day for taking his flight from the walls of Stirling Castle; when the day arrived, he indeed plunged from the rampart, but, instead of mounting in the air, he fell to the ground, and broke his thigh-bone. These anec- dotes do not rest on the authority of a satirical poet, for this must commonly be regarded as a very dubious authority; but they are circumstantially related by Bishop Lesley in his history of that reign ;* and the one account may so far be considered as a confirmation of the other, although the poet has added many particulars of ludicrous exaggeration. Thus, according to Dun- bar’s dream, he slew a friar in Lombardy, in order to obtain pos- session of his habit; and having fled to France, he began to practise physic, and in this way committed many new murders. The course of his adventures at length conducted him to Scot- land, where he followed his leechcraft with similar success. When raised to the dignity of a prelate, he was not to be seen at mass ; he did not appear at matins in his stole and scarf, but was generally to be found in his Jaboratory, as sooty as a black- smith :— In leichcraft he was homecyd ; He wald haif for a nycht to byd 1 Lesleus de Rebus gestis Scotorum, p. tur, dicam) Italum quendam, cujus faceto 345. ‘ Eadem tempestate rex (ut hoc quoque, sermone ingenioque delectatus erat, abbatem quod vulgo non sine risu hucusque memora- Tunglandie creavit.” 248 THE HISTORY OF A haiknay and the hurtman’s hyd, So meikle he was of myance. His yrins was rude as ony rawchtir, Quhaire he leit blud it was no lawchtir,! Full mony instrument for slawchtir Was in his gardevyance. He cowth gif cure for laxative, To gar a wicht horse want his lyve ; Quha evir assay wald, man or wyve, Thair hippis yied hiddy-giddy. His practikis never war put to preif But suddane deid or grit mischief ; He had purgation to mak a thief To die without a widdy. Unto no mess pressit this prelat, For sound of sacring bell nor skellat ; As blacksmyth brinkit was his pallatt For battring at the study. Thocht he come hame a new maid channoun, He had dispensit with matynis cannoun ; On him come nowthir stole nor fannoun, For smuking of the smydy.? His unfortunate flight is afterwards related in a very ludicrous manner. The abbot of Tungland has furnished Dunbar with the subject of another poetical dream ; which contains one pas- sage remarkable for the strength of its satirical conception :— He sall ascend as ane horrible griphoun, Him meit sall in the air ane scho dragoun ; Thir terrible monsteris sall togidder thrist, And in the cludis gett the Antechrist, Quhill all the air infeck of their puysoun. Many of the comic and satirical compositions of Dunbar are valuable memorials of ancient manners; and, if incapable of gratifying the reader of taste, they are at least objects of curiosity to the antiquary. Of this description are the stanzas entitled the Sweirers and the Devill; which strongly evince that our 1“ Lors que mon frere fut en Escosse, il bjers qui tondoient seulement.” (Scaligerana, n'y avoit qu’un medecin, qui estoit medecin p. 223.) ‘le la reyne, et de mon temps en Angleterre, il n’y avoit gueres de medecins. En Escosse 2 The fenyet Frier of Tungland: Hailes, un menuisier saignoit, et il y avoit des bar- p. 20. SCOTISH POETRY. 249 ancestors were grossly addicted to profane swearing. “It might,” as Dr. Ogden remarks, “puzzle a philosopher to trace the Jove of swearing to its original principle, and assign its place in the constitution of man.” This vice is now regarded as a charac- teristic of the vulgar, of those who are truly vulgar in their habits and associations, whatever may be their external circum- stances ; but during the age of Dunbar it seems to have been practised by all ranks and denominations. To swear like a Scot, was once a proverbial expression.” In this general muster of swearers, the priest takes precedence :— Methocht as he went throw the way, Ane preist sweirit braid, by God verey, Quhill at the alter ressavit he : Thow art my clerk, the devill can say, Renunce thy God, and cum to me. Bishop Douglas, who certainly did not fall below the common standard of clerical decorum, has not scrupled to bedeck his compositions with abundance of oaths; which are generally introduced with as much significance as the frequent ejacula- tions of the ancient classics.* The vice of profane swearing at 1 Ogden’s Sermons, vol. ii. p. 78. Cam- Their little king G—— damn was Henry the bridge, 1780, 2 vols. 8vo. Sixth, who succeeded his father at a very 2<*T have never been able to discover,”: tender age. M. du Bois, the editor, has says Lord Hailes, ‘‘ from what cause our an- quoted a similar passage from Cretin, a Nor- cestors became so monstrously addicted to man poet who wrote about the beginning of profane swearing. I remember Tom Brown the sixteenth century : somewhere uses, ‘ swear like a Scotsman,’ as Cryant qui vive aux Godons d’ Angleterre. a proverbial expression. There certainly 3 In the biography of the Greek philoso- must be a tradition upon the Continent, that phers, the oaths which they were pleased to the inhabitants of the whole island were apt adopt constitute a frequent subject of in- to swear in common conversation ; for in quiry. Socrates, for example, is said to have Holland, the children, when they see any imitated the Cretan, who swore by the fir, British people, say, ‘there come the G—— by the plane-tree, by the dog. and by the dams ;’ and the Portuguese, when they ac- goose. (Porphyrius de Abstinentia, lib. iii. quire a smattering of English, say, ‘How do § 16. Philostratus de Vita Apollonii Tyanzi, you do, Jack, G— damn you?’ Queen p. 257, edit. Olearii.) This practice, as we Elizabeth was a common swearer.” (Notes learn from Hesychius and Suidas, was intro- on Ancient Scottish Poems, p. 241.) Of the duced by Rhadamanthus, who was solicitous truth of one of these remarks, I find a curious that his countrymen should refrain from confirmation in the collection of Norman naming the gods on trivial occasions. We chansons subjoined to the ‘“Vaux-de-Vire . may perhaps suppose Socrates to have been d@Olivier Basselin.” Caen, 1821, 8vo. actuated by a similar motive, though some of Mauldicte en soit trestoute la lignye ! the fathers have formed a more severe esti- Ils ont chargé l’artellerye sus mer, mate of his conduct. (Tertulliani Apologeti- Force bisquit et chascun ung bydon, cus, cap. xiv. Lactantii Divine Institu- Et par la mer jusy’ en Bisquaye aller tiones, lib. iii. § 19.) Zeno swore by the tree Pour couronner lewr petit roy Godon. called Kdmwmapts. (Diogenes Laertius de Choix de Chansons Normandes, p. 172. Vitis Philosophorum, p. 385, edit. Meibomii.) 250 THE HISTORY OF length arrived at so scandalous a height as to require the inter- ference of the legislature, and it was found necessary to extend the penalties to the clergy,’ as well as to the laity : by an act of Queen Mary in 1551, a “ prelate of kirk,” earl, or lord was to be fined in twelve pence for the first offence committed within the next three months; different penalties were apportioned for different ranks during the first year ; and for the fourth offence committed after the expiration of that period, a prelate, earl, or lord was to be banished or imprisoned for the space of a year and a day.” Dunbar has left some examples of a motley species of com- position, which at that period was not uncommon, and in which shreds of different languages are fantastically combined. It does not properly come under the denomination of Macaronic poetry, in which Latin are mingled with vernacular words of Latin terminations, and in which the rules of prosody are observed with some degree of care.? The earliest macaronic poet Nor was the common oath of the Pythagoreans less remarkable: they swore in a solemn manner by the founder of their sect ; but from a principle of modesty refrained from naming him in direct terms, and only referred to him as the inventor of the tetractys. (Jamblichus de Vita Pythagore, p. 126, edit. Kusteri):— Nal pa tov duerépg puxg mapaddvra TETPAKTOY, Tlayav devdou picews. Aurea Carmina, v. 47. Concerning this oath, however, several very learned writers have adopted a different con- jecture: they suppose that the tetractys of the Pythagoreans was the identical tetragram- maton of the Hebrews, which consists of four letters. (Selden, De Diis Syriis, lib. ii. cap. i. Cudworth’s Intellectual System, chap. iv. § xx. Gale’s Court of the Gentiles, p. ii. b. ii. ¢. viii.) According to their notion, the pas- sage now quoted must be explained in the following manner :—“I swear by the tetra- grammaton, or Jova, who has communicated himself, the fountain of eternal nature, to the human soul.” But this opinion, in which it seems very difficult to acquiesce, has been re- jected by subsequent inquirers, and among others, by Dr. Burnet. (Archxologiz Philo- sophice, p. 215, edit. Lond. 1728, 8vo.) The subject of ancient oaths has been treated at some length by Alexander ab Alexandro (Geniales Dies, lib. v. cap. x.), and on con- sulting his work, the reader will be gratified with much curious information ; butit is the perpetual fault of this writer that he neglects to quote his authorities. 1 Priestes, curse no more, And not your heartes indure, Bot on your flocks take cure, Or God sall curs yow sore. Booke of Godly Songs, sig. L. 7. 2 Acts of the Parliaments of Scotland, vol. ii. p. 485. See likewise p. 482. . 3 Dr. Good has made the subsequent re- marks in reference to the English translators of Blainville’s Travels through Italy:—‘‘ When they tell us that macaronic poetry, which is a mixture of Italian and Latin words, pos- sessing a Latin termination, ‘is so called from its being supposed to resemble (as being a mixture) the Italian maccheroni, these being composed of flowr, cheese and butter,’ they display a woful ignorance of the subject they attempt to elucidate. Maccherone is a term in the Italian language, significative of a blockhead, an ignoramus, or in equivalent English, a pudding-pated fellow; and Mac- cheronéa (Macaronics) are obviously, there- fore, burlesque imitations of the unclassical style of such writers.” (Memoirs of Geddes, p. 256. Lond. 1803, S8vo.) The style of block- heads must generally be unclassical ; but the origin of the term macaronic, as applied to this motley species of composition, is never- SCOTISH POETRY. 251 is sometimes supposed to have been Teofilo Folengo, a Benedic- tine monk, better known by the name of Merlinus Cocaius, who was born near Mantua in the 1491.1 Of his Macaronics the first complete edition bears the date of 1518; but during the preceding century a work had appeared under the title of “Typhis Odaxii Patavini Carmen Macaronicum de Patavinis quibusdam Arte magica delusis.”* ‘This model was followed by Folengo, and soon afterwards by Antonius Arena, or An- toine du Sablon, a French lawyer,’ and these two are the most celebrated poets of this fantastic school. Among the Scotish poets they found a few imitators, particularly Drummond‘ and Dr. Geddes. But Dunbar has not adhered to the same model ; without regarding the rules of prosody, he intermingles Latin with Scotish lines, and produces an effect sufficiently ludi- crous. Of this particular mode of composition, much earlier specimens are to be found; and Dante himself has written a canzone which contains a mixture of three languages: Latin, Romance, and Italian. It concludes with the following lines:— Chanson, vos pogues ir per tot le mond ; Namque locutus sum in lingua trina, Ut gravis mea spina theless very truly explained by the transla- tors. For this explanation we have the authority of Folengo himself; who in the Apologetica prefixed to his Opus Macaronico- rum speaks in the following manner :—‘ Ars ista poetica nuncupatur ars macaronica, a macaronibus derivata, qui macarones sunt quoddam pulmentum, farina, caseo, botiro compaginatum, grossum, rude et rusticanum ; ideo macaronice nil nisi grassedinem, rudi- tatem, et vocabulazzos debetin se continere.” See likewise Menage’s Origini della Lingua Italiana, p. 301. A splendid edition of the Macaronica, in 2 vols. 4to, was published at Mantua in 1768 and 1771, with the life of the author, by Gianagostino Gradenigo, Bishop of Ceneda. (Roscoe’s Life and Pontificate of Leo the Tenth, vol. iii. p. 234. Liverpool, 1805, 4 vols. 4to.) The first edition bears the date of 1518. Gianagostino Gradenigo, Gravina, i. § 44. 1 Tiraboschi, Storia della Letteratura Ita- liana, tom. vii. p. 1469. 2 Morellii Bibliotheca Pinelliana, tom. ii. p. 456, Tiraboschi, tom. vii. p. 1468. 3 Meygra Entreprisa Catoliqui Imperatoris, quando de anno Domini M.D.xxxvI. veniebat per Provensam bene corrossatus in postam prendere Fransam cum Villis de Provensa, propter grossas et menutas gentes rejohire : per Antonium Arenam bastifausata. Lug- duni, 1760, Svo. This facetious work was first printed at Avignon in 1536. Another writer of the same class is Cesar Ursinus, or Orsini, who published a little volume under the title of ‘‘ Magistri Stopini, poet Ponza- nensis, Capriccia Macaronica.” Venetiis, 1653, 16mo. ‘There are several other edi- tions. 4 Of the Polemo-Middinia, Bishop Sage remarks, “‘ it is reprinted here almost every year.” (Life of Drummond, p. v.) I have seen various editions without dates ; and that of Bishop Gibson, published at Oxford in 1691, was certainly not the earliest that appeared. An English version of this poem was printed under the title of ‘‘ An Essay upon Polemo-Medinia, or the Midden-Fight, between Vitarva and Neberna.” Edinb. 1704, 4to. The translator, J. C., was then a pri- soner, and he dedicates his performance to the governor of the jail. 252 THE HISTORY OF Si saccia per lo mondo, ogn’ uomo il senta:: Forse pieta n’avra chi mi tormenta. Skelton, the contemporary of Dunbar, has occasionally indulged in this vein of humour; and a poem of the same description occurs among the works of Dr. Arbuthnot, though it has like- wise been attributed to Meston.” The following stanzas, which form the conclusion of Dunbar’s Testament of Kennedy, may be considered as a sufficient specimen :— I will na preistis for me sing Dies illa, dies iree,? Nor yet na bellis for me ring, Sicut semper solet fieri ; Bot a bag-pyp to play a spring, Et unum ale-wisp ante me ; Insteid of torchis, for to bring Quatuor lagenas cervisie : 1 Opere di Dante Alighieri, tom. iv. p. 342, ed. Venezia, 1758, 4 tom. 4to.—Rodrigo de Valdes, a Jesuit, has written a long and ex- traordinary poem, containing a mixture of Latin and Spanish, and entitled ‘‘ Poema heroyco Hispano-Latino panegyrico de la Fundacion y Grandezas de la muy noble y leal Ciudad de Lima.” Madrid, 1687, 4to. 2 William Meston, A.M., was born in the parish of Mid-Mar, and county of Aberdeen, about the year 1688. Having completed his education in Marischal College, he was chosen one of the masters of the grammar school, and was afterwards engaged as domestic tutor to the two sons of the Earl Marischal. About the year 1714, he was nominatcd one of the professors of philosophy in the same college, but this office he did not long enjoy; for in the ensuing rebellion he followed the fortune of the noble family of Keith, and was ap- pointed governor of Dunottar Castle. The hopes of his party having been speedily anni- hilated, he continued to skulk among the unfrequented wilds till his fears were at length removed by the act of indemnity. He still continued unshaken in his Jacobitical principles, and therefore could no longer hope for preferment. The death of the Countess Marischal having left him without the means of subsistence, he successively opened a school at Elgin, Tureff, Montrose, and Perth ; but, as his biographer informs us, ‘‘ economy was none of his talent, for he entertained a most perfect contempt for money.” Soon after his last removal, he was employed in the capacity of a tutor in the family of Oli- phant of Gask, where he continued for several years. He now fell into a languishing state of health, and retired to Peterhead for the benefit of the mineral waters: at this period he was chiefly supported by the bounty of the Countess of Errol. The remainder of his life was spent among his relations at Aberdeen, where he died in the spring of 1745, before he saw the issue of a final attempt to restore the miserable remnant of a family which the na- tion had no reason to love or regret. A col- lection of his poems was afterwards published under the title of “‘ The Poetical Works of the ingenious and learned William Meston, A.M.” Edinb. 1767, 12mo. Although the title-page bears the sixth edition, the writer of the bio- graphical sketch observes that ‘‘ the whole were never before collected into one volume, nor published in an uniform manner.” His merits are somewhat partially estimated in a Latin epitaph, written by another northern poet. (Skinner’s Works, vol. iii. p. 90.) 3 This is an allusion to an ancient sequence, known to’many English readers from the translations of Drummond and the Earl of Roscommon. It begins in the following manner :— Dies ire, dies illa Solvet seclum in favilla, Teste David cum Sybilla. The day of wrath, that dreadful day, Shall the whole world in ashes lay, © As David and the Sibyls say. Roscommon’s Poems, p. 56. SCOTISH POETRY. 2538 Within the graif to set sic thing, In modum crucis juxta me, To flé the feyndis, than hardely sing De terra plasmasti me. Walter Kennedy, the object of Dunbar’s unsparing satire, appears to have been a native of Carrick, a district of Ayrshire, and, like himself, to have belonged to the church ; of which, if we admit their mutual representations, they were both very unworthy members. In different passages of the Flyting, he communicates some information respecting himself; but how far we can rely on the authority of such a document, it is not very easy to determine. Quhare as thou said that I stall hennis and lammys, T latt thé witt I haue land, store, and stakkis : Thou wald be fayn to gnaw, lad, with thy gammys Undir my burde, smoch banis behynd doggis bakkis : Thou hes a tome purse, I haue stedis and takkis ; Thou tynt culter, I haue culter and pleuch : For substance and gere thou has a widdy teuch On Mont Falcone about thy craig to rax. .. . I am the kingis blude, his trew speciall clerk, That newir yet ymaginit hym offense, Constant in myn allegiance, word, and werk, Only dependand on his excellence, Traistand to haue of his magnificence Guerdoun, reward, and benefice bedene, Quhen that the ravyns sal ryve out bayth thine ene, And on the rattis salbe thy residence. The Flyting of Dunbar and Kennedy is an. extraordinary effort of unrefined wit, and is at least sufficient to evince that the ancient Scotish tongue was not deficient in terms of abuse. Lord Hailes is inclined to believe that this altercation may have been a mere play of illiberal fancy, without any real quarrel between the antagonists; and this opinion he supposes to be confirmed by the affectionate manner in which Dunbar after- wards speaks of Kennedy, and of Quintin Shaw, who in this literary duel seems to have acted the part of Kennedy’s second. A similar altercation was maintained by Luigi Pulci and Matteo Franco: although for the amusement of their readers they loaded each other with the grossest abuse, yet the intimacy of 254 THE HISTORY OF their friendship is said to have continued without interruption.’ The example of Dunbar and Kennedy was followed by James the Fifth and Sir David Lindsay, and at a later period by Mont- gomery and Hume. It is not to be imagined that a king and one of his courtiers were engaged in actual hostilities ; and in the verses prefixed to the “Flyting betwixt Montgomery and Polwart,” it is expressly stated that their altercation was not the result of a real quarrel, but an effort of what is there de- scribed as generous emulation. Kennedy appears to have enjoyed a large share of reputation ; Douglas and Lindsay have mentioned him among the greatest poets of his country: but very few of his productions have been preserved, or at least are now current under his name. Besides his two invectives against Dunbar, he is the author of a little poem entitled “The Prais of Aige,” and of another against mouth-thankless. His stanzas in praise of age are writ- ten in a more pious strain than Dunbar’s delineation of his character would lead us to expect; and although the scanty specimens with which we are acquainted cannot enable us to estimate his general merits as a writer, they at least serve to evince that he was not destitute of poetical spirit, or of talents for versification. 1 Roscoe's Life of Lorenzo de’ Medici, vol. i. p. 252. SCOTISH POETRY. 255 CHAPTER XII. ANOTHER distinguished poet of that era was Gavin Douglas, bishop of Dunkeld; a man illustrious by his birth, and still more illustrious by his talents and virtues. He was the third son of Archibald Earl of Angus, and of Elizabeth the daughter of Robert Lord Boyd, who for some time enjoyed the office of high chamberlain ;' and he appears to have been born in 1474 or the ensuing year. With the place of his birth or education we are not acquainted, but we may suppose his course of study to have been suitable to his profession. Having entered into holy orders, he was presented to the rectory of Hawick ;? and as the dormant energies of the human mind are awakened by external objects, his early residence amid the fine pastoral scenery of Teviotdale may have had a strong tendency to cherish in his imagination the seeds of genuine poetry. In the year 1509 we find him described as provost of the colle- giate church of St. Giles’ in Edinburgh This preferment was in the gift of the crown: it placed him in a situation of no small dignity and emolument ; and he appears to have held it with his other benefice. It was while he filled these less ele- vated stations, that he composed the very ingenious works which have rendered his name so conspicuous in the literary annals of his country. His father, who is sometimes denominated the great Earl of A work with 1 Crawfurd’s Lives of the Officers of State, p. 315. ‘2 Alexandri Myln Vite Episcoporum Dun- keldensium, p. 72. Edinb. 1823, 4to.—Myln was canon and official of Dunkeld, afterwards abbot of Cambuskenneth, and the first presi- dent of the College of Justice. His work, recently printed from the ms. in the Advo- cates’ Library, is dedicated to Bishop Douglas and the Chapter of Dunkeld. the following title is dedicated to Myln him- self: ‘‘ Exegesis in Canonem Divi Augustini, recens edita per Fratrem Robertum Richar- dinwn, celebris Ecclesie Cambuskenalis Ca- nonicum.” Lutetise, 1530, 16mo. 3 Keith’s Catalogue of the Scottish Bishops, by Dr. Russell, p. 93. Edinb. 1824, 8vo. 256 THE HISTORY OF Angus, and sometimes Bell-the-cat, followed the standard of James the Fourth when he invaded England ; but finding his prudent counsels disregarded, he excused himself on account of his advanced age, and withdrew from the army.' His two eldest sons, George and William, together with about two hundred gentlemen of the name of Douglas, perished in the fatal battle of Floddon-field. This calamity to the nation in general, and to his own family in particular, made so deep an impression on his heart, that having retired to St. Mains, a religious house in Galloway, he died there within the space of twelve months.’ His title and estates descended to his grand- son Archibald, a young nobleman whose personal attractions were so unrivalled that he speedily obtained the tender regard of the widowed queen; and their nuptials were solemnized before she had completed the year of mourning.* This pre- cipitate match, which had been concluded without the con- currence of the principal nobility, excited general indignation : the Queen was no longer willingly acknowledged as regent ; the pre-eminence of her husband rendered him odious in the eyes of the more powerful subjects; and the house of Douglas was involved in persecutions which arose from this resentful spirit of jealousy. Among those who perished at Floddon were the Archbishop of St. Andrews, the Bishop of the Isles, the Abbot of Kilwin- ning, the Abbot of Inchaffray, and other warlike sons of the church. The Archbishop of St. Andrews, Alexander Stewart, who was the king’s natural son, and a young man of very promising talents, had likewise held the abbacies of Aberbro- thock and Dunfermline, together with the priory of Colding- ham. In a letter addressed to Pope Leo the Tenth, the Queen, after extolling Gavin Douglas as second to none in learning and virtue, earnestly requested that he might be secured in the possession of the abbacy of Aberbrothock, till his singular merits should be rewarded by some more ample benefice.* 1 The Earl of Angus was at that time pro- 2 Hume's Hist. of the Houses of Douglas vost of Edinburgh. From the city records it and Angus, p. 235. Edinb. 1644, fol. appears that on the 30th of September 1513 3 Buchanani Rerum Scotic. Hist. p. 255, his son Gavin Douglas was chosen a burgess, edit. Ruddiman. “pro communi bono ville, gratis.” (Sibbald’s 4 Epistole Regum Scotorum, vol. i. p. 183. Chronicle of Scottish Poetry, vol. i. p. 423.) Edinb. 1722-4, 2 tom. Svo. SCOTISH POETRY. 257 After the death of the late primate, William Elphinstone, bishop of Aberdeen, had been nominated to the vacant see ; but his modesty or infirmities induced him to decline this splendid. preferment,’ and the Queen afterwards attempted to elevate Douglas to the primacy. Confiding in the royal nomi- nation, and in the influence of his own family, he took posses- sion of the archiepiscopal palace ; but his claims were disputed by two powerful rivals, John Hepburn, prior of St. Andrews, and Andrew Foreman, bishop of Moray in Scotland, and arch- bishop of Bourges in France. Hepburn having prevailed upon the canons to elect him to the see, laid siege to the castle, and after meeting with some resistance, expelled the retainers of his competitor ; nor did the Earl of Angus, with a party of two hundred horse, succeed in his attempt to recover the pos- session of the stronghold.” In the meantime, Foreman, who was a person of great influence, found means to obtain from Rome a grant of the archbishopric of St. Andrews, and the other benefices which had been enjoyed by the late primate.” Douglas, actuated by a decent spirit of moderation, resolved to abandon the pursuit of this high object of ecclesiastical ambi- tion ; but the other competitors seem to have been alike insen- sible to motives of private virtue and of public decorum. Foreman, being afraid to publish the papal bulls, prevailed upon Lord Hume, by bestowing on his brother the priory of Coldingham, to undertake the support of his cause ; and this border chieftain enabled him to appear at Edinburgh, attended by ten thousand men in arms. Having there performed the necessary ceremony, they hastened to St. Andrews in order to complete their pious task, but there they found the prior suffi- ciently prepared for their reception: he had placed so con- siderable a garrison in the castle and in the church, that Fore- man was unwilling to hazard an attack, and deemed it more prudent to adjust their claims by an amicable negotiation ; it was finally stipulated that he should be put in quiet possession of the primacy, that Hepburn should receive a yearly allow- 1 Boethii Abcrdonensium Episcoporum 2 Buchanani Rerum Scotic. Hist. p. 256. Vite, f. xxxiii, a. Paris, 1522, 4to. Lesleus Pinkerton’s Hist. of Scotland, vol. ii. p. 124. de Rebus gestis Scotorum, p. 372. 8 Epistole Regum Scotorum, vol. i. p. 269. R 258 THE HISTORY OF ance from the bishopric of Moray, and should retain such rents as he had already levied from the archbishopric of St. Andrews.’ From this negotiation Douglas derived no advantage ; and, to complete the measure of his disappointments, the abbacy of Aberbrothock, which he had regarded as secure, was transferred to James Beaton, Archbishop of Glasgow, and chancellor of the kingdom.’ The death of George Brown, bishop of Dunkeld, which occurred in the month of January 1515, presented him with new prospects, and exposed him to new mortifications. The Queen nominated him to the vacant see ; and, as is sup- posed, by the intervention of her brother the King of England, obtained a papal bull in his favour. But in the meantime, the Earl of Athole had induced the canons to postulate his brother Andrew Stewart, prebendary of Craig, who had not yet taken sub-deacon’s orders? The enemies of the Queen did not neglect this opportunity of disgracing an individual so nearly allied to her husband : Douglas was cited before the competent judges, and was accused of having violated the laws, by procuring bulls from Rome. Such practices had indeed been prohibited by several statutes, but they had very seldom been enforced. Of this offence he was however convicted ; and being committed to the charge of his former rival Hepburn, he was successively confined in the castles of Edinburgh, St. Andrews, and Dunbar, and again in that of Edinburgh. Before the period of his trial, the Queen’s party had almost entirely lost its influence: the Duke of Albany, who was the grandson of James the Second, and the cousin of the late king, arrived from France on the 10th of May, and within the space of about two months was declared regent of the kingdom. A compromise at length took place between the two factions: Douglas obtained his liberty after an imprisonment of more than twelve months; and his 1 Buchanan, p. 257. Lindsay's Cronicles of Scotland, vol. ii. p. 291. 2 Lesleus de Rebus gestis Scotorum, p. 381. 3 It may not be unnecessary to remark that in the Catholic church there are seven orders, namely, those of ostiarii, lectores, exorcista, acolyti, sub-deacons, deacons, and priests ; and that no person can be regularly elected a bishop, unless he has at least taken sub- deacon’s orders. Although he cannot be elected, he may however be postulated by the chapter; and if this postulation is ad- mitted by the pope, he is then considered as elected and confirmed. ‘‘ Postulatio est ejus, qui eligi non potest, in prelatum concors capituli facta petitio.” (Lancellotti Institu- tiones Juris Canonici, lib. ii. tit. viii.) There are other canonical impediments, which we need not enumerate; for Stewart's disquali- fication is particularly specified by Myln. SCOTISH POETRY. 259 claim to the bishopric was secured by Beaton’s mediation with the new regent. He was consecrated at Glasgow by the same prelate, who defrayed the expenses attending this ceremony ; and having paid a visit to the metropolitan city of St. Andrews, he proceeded to Dunkeld, where the clergy and laity testified the utmost joy at the arrival of so noble, learned, and decent a bishop. The bulls being with the usual solemnities read at the high altar, he retired to the residence of the dean, George Hep- burn, by whom he was suitably entertained. The episcopal palace was still occupied by the retainers of Stewart; and the bishop finding next day that they had likewise seized the tower of the cathedral, was obliged to perform divine service at the deanery. In the afternoon he held a consultation with the nobility, gentry, and clergy, by whom he was attended: but their deliberations were speedily interrupted by the intelligence that Stewart had taken up arms, and was advancing to support his adherents; and at the same time they were alarmed by the commencement of a fire from the palace and the cathedral. Lord Ogilvy, with the eldest son of the Earl of Crawford, and many other friends, including a considerable number of eccle- siastics, with the dean among the rest, immediately began to prepare for action ; and messengers having been despatched to the neighbouring districts, his party was next day strengthened by the arrival of a formidable reinforcement of armed men. Stewart, who did not find himself strong enough to hazard an attack, retired into the woods. His retainers, who garrisoned the palace and the cathedral, were now summoned to surrender, under the pain of excommunication ; and on their refusing to obey this summons, the bishop’s servants, led by a valiant pre- bendary and by James Carmichael, took possession of the cathedral. Intimidated at this event, those who occupied the palace requested that a truce might be granted, and the sentence of excommunication delayed, for a few hours; but when the stipulated time had elapsed, they still refused to surrender. The interference of the Regent at length enabled Douglas to take possession of his palace without the effusion of blood; a circumstance, as one of his biographers has remarked, “ which was certainly very acceptable to the good bishop, who in all 260 THE HISTORY OF the actions of his life discovered a gentle and merciful disposi- tion, regulating the warlike and heroic spirit of his family by the excellent laws of the Christian religion.”’ After these events, Stewart hastened to court, accompanied by his brother the earl; and Douglas having likewise made his appearance, their respective claims were taken into consideration by the Regent and Council. It was finally agreed that Stewart should relinquish his pretensions to the see of Dunkeld, but should retain such rents as he had already levied, and should be con- firmed in the possession of the two benefices of Alyth and Cargill, under the condition of paying the bishop a certain yearly contribution in grain? Although Douglas had so re- cently been punished for soliciting bulls from Rome, yet the Regent did not scruple to apply to the pope for a ratification of this agreement : in a letter dated on the 28th of September 1516, he entreated his holiness that all informalities might be removed, and the contract rendered valid by his sanction.’ Having at length been installed in his cathedral, he was speedily called from the discharge of his episcopal functions. In the ensuing year, an ambassador arrived from France with a proposition for the renewal of the ancient league between the two kingdoms; and it was thought expedient that the Duke of Albany should himself repair to Paris, accompanied by Bishop Douglas, and by Patrick Panter, chancellor of Dunkeld, and secretary of state. The negotiation having been brought to a satisfactory conclusion, the bishop was employed to convey the earliest intelligence to Scotland.* His professional duties seem to have been again interrupted during some part of the follow- ing year : inthe Cotton Library there is an original letter, signed by the Earl of Angus and others, and recommending him to the English king as a proper person for transacting certain affairs in which they were concerned.° Though in this manner exposed to occasional distractions, he yet presided over his diocese with exemplary piety. The various troubles in which he was formerly involved had not merely prevented him from 1 Sage's Life of Bishop Douglas, p. 7. 4 Lesleus de Rebus gestis Scotorum, i. 385- 2 Myln Vitee Episcoporum Dunkeldensium, 389. Pinkerton’s Hist. of Scotland, ii. 165. Dp. 75. 6 Pinkerton’s List of the Scotish Poets, 8% Epistole Regum Scotorum, vol. i. p. 222. p. xev. SCOTISH POETRY. 261 accumulating riches, but had even encumbered him with debts ; yet the benevolence of his disposition prompted him to per- form many acts of charity and munificence.! The revenues of this see are represented as ample,” and he was again so for- tunate as to fix his residence in a delightful part of the coun- try: the situation of Dunkeld, which no intelligent lover of our early literature can visit without recollecting the name of Douglas,’ has a romantic beauty of which it is difficult to con- vey an adequate idea. When the Duke of Albany was preparing to quit the king- dom, he delegated his authority to the archbishops of St. Andrews and Glasgow, and the earls of Arran, Angus, Argyle, and Huntley: but the predominating power of Angus excited the apprehensions of the jealousy of his colleagues; and they determined to unite their strength with the view of circum- scribing the influence of so formidable a rival. On the 29th of April 1520, Arran with many others of the Western nobility assembled at Edinburgh in the house of Archbishop Beaton : they formed the resolution of instantly seizing the person of Angus, whose power, they pretended, was so exorbitant that while he continued at liberty, his fellow-subjects could enjoy no security. Aware of their hostile intentions, he requested his uncle, the Bishop of Dunkeld, to mitigate their resentment, and persuade them to adopt a more legal method of redress. He accordingly addressed himself to the archbishop, whom he found in the church belonging to the monastery of the Black Friars, and entreated him to act the part of a peacemaker : the crafty and turbulent prelate protested that he was at once ignorant of their designs, and unable to prevent them from being carried into execution; and to confirm this averment he made a solemn appeal to his conscience, but having too forcibly 1 Myln Vite Episcoporum Dunkeldensium, But thou, as once the muse’s favourite p. 75. haunt, 2 Winton’s Cronykil of Scotland, vol. i. Shalt live in Douglas’ pure Virgilian p. 167. Pinkerton’s Hist. of Scotland, vol. strain, ii, p. 127. The bishopric of Dunkeld was While time devours the castle’s crumb- reckoned the third see in the kingdom. ling wall, ® Dunkeld, no more the heaven-directed And roofless abbeys pine, low-tottering chaunt to their fall. Within thy sainted walls may sound G. DvEr’s Poems, p. 89. again, Lond. 1801, Svo, 262 THE HISTORY OF applied his hand to his breast, he discovered to his indignant companion, that his sacred habit concealed a coat of mail. “My Lord,” exclaimed the bishop, “I perceive your conscience is not good, for I hear it clattering,” that is, telling tales. He next accosted Sir Patrick Hamilton, requesting him to inter- pose with his brother the Earl of Arran; this gentleman was inclined to peaceable measures, when the earl’s natural son Sir James, a man of a ferocious disposition, rudely upbraided him with cowardice. This charge he repelled with indig- nation: and having drawn his sword, he rushed furiously into the street, where the Earl of Angus had stationed a nume- rous body of his retainers: perceiving him advance before the other assailants, the earl called aloud to his followers to save Sir Patrick Hamilton’s life; but in the heat of battle it is difficult to spare those who are eager to destroy, and he was speedily slain, together with the eldest son of the Earl of Eglin- toun. The encounter, which was long and fierce, was at length decided by the interference of some of the citizens, who were favourably disposed to the Queen, and therefore espoused the cause of her husband. Seventy-two of his antagonists perished in the action. During this scene of disgraceful violence, the Bishop of Dunkeld had. retired to his chamber, and spent the anxious interval in a manner suitable to his profession; but when the contest was decided, he hastened to prevent the wan- ton effusion of blood. The archbishop, who appears to have been personally engaged, had taken refuge behind the altar of Blackfriars’ church, and the rocket was already torn from his shoulders, when the interposition of Douglas saved his life." The Duke of Albany, after an absence of upwards of four years, returned to Scotland in 1521; and one of his earliest measures was to reduce the inordinate power of the Douglases. Angus and his principal adherents, having been summoned to answer for their violent proceedings, fled for refuge to the Kirk of Steyle. Bishop Douglas, who was aware of the Regent’s con- 1 Buchanani Rerum Scotic. Hist. p. 261. Lindsay’s Cronicles of Scotland, vol. ii. p. 285. Hume's Hist. of the Houses of Douglas and Angus, p. 245. Lord Somerville’s Me- morie of the Somervilles, being a History of the Baronial House of Somerville, vol. i: p. 344. Edinb, 1815, 2 vols. Svo. Lindsay re- fers this event to the year 1515, but other historians, with greater probability, add five years to the number. The encounter was long remembered in Edinburgh by the name of Cleanse the Causey. SCOTISH POETRY. 263 tempt for justice,’ and who was too nearly connected with the obnoxious earl to consider himself as perfectly secure, hastened to seek an asylum in England? At the court of Henry the Eighth, where his poetical talents had probably found many admirers, he experienced a very gracious reception; and the king provided for his maintenance by the grant of a liberal pension.’ He now contracted a friendship with Polydore Virgil, who was engaged in composing a history of England. The re- cent publication of Mair’s history of Scotland, in which he ven- tured to expose the Egyptian fables of his predecessors, had excited the indignation of such of his countrymen as delighted to trace their origin to the daughter of Pharaoh. Douglas was studious to warn his Italian friend against the opinions of this worthy doctor of the Sorbonne ;* and presented him with a brief commentary, in which he pursued the fabulous line of our ancestry from Athens to Scotland ;° nor was a poet to be easily induced to relinquish so fine a tissue of romantic narrative. This tract, which was probably written in Latin, seems to have 1 The Duke of Albany appears to have been a man of a very slender capacity, and even destitute of personal courage. The following extract of a letter from the Earl of Surrey to Cardinal Wolsey reflects some light on his character : ‘I am also advertised that he is so passionate that and he bee aperte amongis his familiers, and doth here any thing contrarius to his myende and pleasure, his accustomed manner is too take his bonet sodenly of his hed and to throwe it in the fire; and no man dare take it oute, but let it be brent, My Lord Dacre doth affirme that at his last being in Scotland, he did borne above a dozyn bo- netts after that maner. And if he be suche a man, with God’s grace we shall spede the better with hym.” (Ellis’s Original Letters illustrative of English History, vol. i. p. 226.) See likewise vol. i. pp. 234, 237. 2 Lesleeus de Rebus gestis Scot. p. 396. 8 Holinshed’s Chronicles, vol. iii. p. 872. 4 Douglas is one of the interlocutors in a dialogue prefixed to Mair’s ‘“‘ Commentarii in primum et secundum Sententiarum.” Paris, 1519, fol. It bears this title: “ Dialogus de Materia Theologo tractanda.” Dialogus inter duos famatos viros, Magistrum Gauuinium Douglaiseum, virwm non minus eruditum quam nobilem, Ecclesie Beati Agidii Edin- burgensis Preefectum, et Magistrum Davidem Crenstonem, in Sacra Theosophia Baccala- reum formatum, optime meritum.” To Gavin Douglas and to Robert Cockburn, bishop of Ross, Mair dedicated his ‘‘ Commentarius in quartum Sententiarum.” Of David Crans- toun an account may be found in Dempster’s Hist. Ecclesiast. Gent. Scotor. p. 187. 5 “*Nuper enim Gavinus Douglas Don- cheldensis episcopus, homo Scotus, virque summa nobilitate et virtute, nescio ob quam causam in Angliam profectus, ubi audivit dedisse me jampridem ad historiam seriben- dam, nos convenit: amicitiam fecimus : postea summe rogavit, ut ne historiam paulo ante a quodam suo Scoto divulgatam seque- rer, in rebus Scoticis explicandis, [pollicit- usque est, se intra paucos dies missurum commentariolum de his neutiquam negli- gendum, id quod et fecit.”] Polydori Vir- gilii Anglica Historia, p. 52, edit. Basil. 1556, fol.) Polydore Virgil, a learned Ital- ian who came to reside in England for the purpose of collecting the papal revenues, was appointed Archdeacon of Wells, and en- joyed this preferment till the accession of Edward the Sixth. Besides his history of England, a work of little estimation, he wrote a treatise De Prodigiis, and another De Re- rum Inventoribus, 264 THE HISTORY OF shared the common fate of the manuscripts intrusted to Poly- dore ; who, in order to secure the errors of his work from detec - tion, is said to have destroyed many valuable monuments of antiquity.’ Vossius has stated that Douglas wrote a history of Scotland, consisting of several books; but Bishop Bale, to whose authority he refers, only mentions a single book ;* and it is evident that the historical work to which both these writers and Dempster allude,* is merely the brief commentary quoted by Polydore Virgil. While the accomplished prelate was thus employed in Eng- land, his enemies were not inactive in Scotland. As war had been declared between the two kingdoms, his residence in the English dominions furnished a pretext for accusing him of treason: on the 21st of February 1522 he was declared a trai- tor, and the revenues of his see were placed in a state of seques- tration ; the king’s subjects were prohibited, under the pain of treason, from affording him any pecuniary assistance, or main- taining with him any correspondence either by letters or mes- sages. An account of these proceedings was transmitted to the pope, accompanied with a remonstrance against the nomination or recommendation of the traitor Gavin Douglas to the arch- bishopric of St. Andrews and the abbacy of Dunfermline, or to either of those preferments.> The extent of his influence had manifestly excited the alarm of Beaton, who was determined at ° all hazards to secure these ample benefices, recently become vacant by the death of Foreman. Nor were these the only ex- pedients to which he resorted: as chancellor of the kingdom, he addressed a letter to the King of Denmark, entreating him to represent Douglas to the sovereign pontiff as a person alto - gether unworthy of his favour and protection. Beaton became archbishop of St. Andrews, and Douglas died in exile. He had ? Peacham’s Compleat Gentleman, p. 51, ship-load of manuscripts to Rome.” (Nicol- edit. Lond. 1634, 4to. ‘He is said to have son’s English Historical Library, p. 70.) borrowed books out of the publick library at 2 Vossius de Historicis Latinis, p. 686. Oxford, without taking any care to restore 38 . . ‘ 7 iV them: upon which the university (as they a i a had good reason) declined lending any more, D218. Ney till forced to it by a mandate which he made * Dempsteri Hist. Ecclesiast. Gent. Scotor. a shift to procure from the King. In other Pp. 221. places he likewise pillaged the libraries at his 5 Epistola Regum Scotorum, vol. i. p. 828. pleasure ; ‘and, at last, sent over a whole 6 Ibid. vol. i. p. 833. SCOTISH POETRY. 265 been cited to appear at Rome, and, according to his own de- claration, he intended to obey the summons ;' but in the course of the same year, before he had begun to decline from the vigour of manhood, he was seized with the plague, and speedily fell a victim to its dreadful contagion.” He died at London in 1522, and was interred in the Savoy church on the left side of Thomas Halsay, Bishop of Leighlin in Ireland ; whose monu- ment also contained a short inscription of Douglas’s name and addition.* The character which he left behind him was that of “aman learned, wise, and given to all virtue and goodness.”* To the splendour of his birth and the dignity of his person he united many accomplishments and many virtues. Although he lived in an age of lawless violence, and was connected with a powerful and turbulent family, he was uniformly distinguished by the moderation of his conduct.? The fruits produced by the celibacy of the Romish clergy are sufficiently known: Douglas did not remain childless ; but whether he became a father after he became an ecclesiastic, we are not informed.® 1 Pinkerton’s Hist. of Scotland, vol. ii. p. 194, Ina letter from the bishop of Bath to Cardinal Wolsey, dated at Rome on the 19th of March, the following passage occurs: ““The bishope of Dunkell his servant is come; and I doo the best I cane to helpe and assist hyme in his master’s causes, accordyng your grace is commandment.” (H. Ellis’s Original Letters, second Series, vol. i. p. 316. See likewise p. 823.) The Earl of Morton was accused of treason, and, among other grounds, ‘‘ for the tresonable counsale, help, supportacioun, and assistance, gevin to vmquhile Gawyne, bischop of Dunkeld, in his tresonable passing in Ingland:” but an Act of Parliament, passed in 1524, declared the charge against him, ‘‘in all the punctis it contenit, vane, vntrew, and had na veritie.” (Acts of the Parliaments of Scotland, vol. ii. p. 290.) 2 Polydori Virgilii Anglica Historia, p. 53. According to Hume’s calculation, he had reached the forty-sixth year of his age in 1520. (Hist. of the Houses of Douglas and Angus, p. 246.) Several writers have placed his death in 1521; but this disagreement may have arisen from their different modes of computation, as at that period the year com- menced on the 25th day of March. In that case, however, Sage remarks that ‘‘he must have been dead fourteen days before Arch- It is however bishop Beaton wrote against him to the King of Denmark, which is not very probable.” But the ordinary intercourse between London and Edinburgh must then have been so slow and uncertain, that there seems to be no im- probability in this supposition. Other wri- ters have inadvertently referred his death to the year 1520. (Stillingfleet’s Antiquities of the British Churches, p. lv.) 3 Weever’s Ancient Funeral Monuments, p. 446. 4 Spotiswood’s Hist. of Church of Scotland, p. 101. This historian states that ‘‘ he died of the plague at London in Savoy house.” 5 Buchanan's testimony in favour of a popish prelate cannot be suspected of undue partiality. ‘Is proximo anno, dum Romam proficiscitur, Londini peste correptus obiit, magno sue virtutis apud bonos desiderio relicto. Preter enim natalium splendorem et. corporis dignitatem, erant in eo multe, ut illis temporibus, literee, summa temperantia, et singularis animi moderatio, atque, in rebus turbulentis, inter adversas factiones, per- petua fides et auctoritas. Reliquit et ingenii et doctrine non vulgaria monumenta sermone patrio conscripte.” (Rerum Scoticarum Hist. p. 262.) 6 “This Gawin had a base daughter, of whom the house of Foulewood (Semple) is’ descended.” (Hume, p. 220.) 266 THE HISTORY OF to be recollected that transgressions of this nature were so com- mon, that they must almost have ceased to be regarded as criminal: Patrick Hepburn, Bishop of Moray, had two sons legitimated in one day, and five daughters in another.’ It is the secular learning of Bishop Douglas that has chiefly attracted the attention of posterity; but Myln, who was one of the canons of his cathedral, represents him as eminently skilled in divinity and in the canon law. He was perhaps the most learned of the early Scotish poets. His favourites among the ancient poets were apparently Virgil and Ovid; among the Christian fathers his favourite was St. Augustin, whom he denominates the chief of clerks. Of the Latin language his knowledge was certainly extensive; and as he states that Lord Sinclair had requested him to translate Homer, we may infer that he was likewise acquainted with Greek. It is highly pro- bable that he had completed his education on the Continent, and had thus given his studies a more elegant and classical direction. Nor were his talents less conspicuous than his learning. In all his writings he evinces an excursive fancy, with much of the fervour of genius. His allegorical sketches are efforts of no common ingenuity; but what chiefly renders his works interesting, is the frequent occurrence of those pic- turesque and characteristic touches which can only be pro- duced by a man capable of accurate observation and original thinking. He exhibits perpetual vestiges of a prolific and even exuberant imagination, and his very faults are those of super- abundance rather than deficiency. In his descriptions, which are often admirable, he occasionally distracts the attention by a multiplicity of objects, nor is he sufficiently careful to re- present each new circumstance in a definite and appropriate manner. His style is copious and impetuous, but it cannot be com- 1 Hailes’s Notes on Ancient Scottish Poems, p. 250. In a provincial assembly held at Edinburgh in 1558, we find this worthy bishop maintaining the consistency of his character. They made an act that ‘‘it should not be lesum to no kirk-man to vse whor- dome, quhilk if he did, for the first fault he should pay great. sowmes of money, and for the second fault he should lose his benefice. To this act opponed the bischope of Murray, who was ane great whormaister all his dayes, and committed fornicatioun and adulterie, both with maidenis and menis wyffis; saying he would not put away his whoor more nor the bischope of Sanct Andros, and that it was als lesum to him to have a whoore as he.” (Lindsay's Cronicles of Scotland, vol. ii, p, 526.) SCOTISH POETRY. 267 mended for its purity. In his translation of Virgil he professes to be scrupulous in rejecting Anglicisms, and indeed his diction is often remote from that of the English poets : but he has im- ported many exotic terms from another quarter ; his familiarity with the Latin language betrays itself in almost every page of his writings. His verses, though less smooth and elegant than those of Dunbar, are not unskilfwlly constructed. When he writes in the heroic couplet, he does not restrict himself to ten or eleven syllables, but exhibits the same irregularity which may be traced in all the British poets from Chaucer to Surrey. This irregularity could not escape the notice of Mr. Tyrwhitt, to whom the father of English poetry has so many obligations ; but in the case of Chaucer, he supposes it is not to be imputed to the poet himself, but to the negligence of transcribers, and to the changes in pronunciation. “The great number of verses,” he remarks, “sounding complete even to our ears, which is to be found in all the least corrected copies of his works, authorizes us to conclude that he was not ignorant of the laws of metre. Upon this conclusion it is impossible not to ground a strong presumption, that he intended to observe the same laws in the many other verses which seem to us irregular ; and if this was really his intention, what reason can be assigned sufficient to account for his having failed so grossly and repeatedly, as is generally supposed, in an operation which every ballad-monger in our days, man, woman, or child, is known to perform with the most unerring exactness, and without any extraordinary fatigue ?”! Mr. Tyrwhitt supposes that Chaucer's heroic verse properly consists of eleven syllables; and in order to accom- modate the whole of them to this metrical standard, he places his chief reliance on certain canons of pronunciation. But that these rules for the pronunciation of final syllables are liable to many objections, has, I think, been very clearly shown by a late writer, whose labours have reflected new light on the his- tory of English poetry. In the opinion of Dr. Nott, the early system of versification was not metrical but rhythmical; or, in other words, it was more regulated by the cadence, than by a definite number of syllables. After having treated of octo- 1 Tyrwhitt’s Essay on the Language and Versification of Chaucer, p. 91. 268 THE HISTORY OF syllabic, Alexandrine, and alliterative verse, he proceeds to remark that these three modes of versification had one common principle. They were all rhythmical and not metrical ; that is, they did not consist, as our verses do at present, of a certain number of feet, each foot of two syllables, but they were con- structed so as to be recited with a certain rhythmical cadence ; for which reason they seem to have been called Verses of Cadence. One of the consequences necessarily resulting from the use of cadence, or rhythm, was, that the number of syllables in each line, were they more or less, so long as the number was not extravagant, produced no real effect upon the verse ; for two short syllables occupied no greater time in recitation than one long: so that, to borrow terms from Greek prosody, though it does not appear that our early poets had any knowledge of such artificial arrangements, the anapeest or the dactyl produced on the ear the effect of the spondee; and the tribrachys, that of either the iambic foot or the trochaic, As for the final syllable of each verse, that, without any respect to quantity, was always made long by giving it a strong accent. Verses of seven or eight syllables might be read without any suspension of the voice from one end to the other; at least this seems to have been often the case. But long lines, whether of ten or twelve syllables, or more, had always a ceesura in the middle, where a _ pause was observed; not as long indeed as that which was observed at the conclusion of the line, but sufficiently so to divide cach verse into two distinct hemistichs, each hemistich having a rhythm or cadence of its own.”’ Dr. Nott considers Chaucer's heroic verses as decasyllables, but still retaining some of the old irregularities, and generally depending on the rhyth- mical cadence. It was in a great measure reserved for the elegant and accomplished Earl of Surrey to introduce a metrical versification, and a variety of pauses ; and his learned editor has remarked that “an attentive reader will be surprised to find how little was added afterwards by even Dryden or Pope to the system and perfectness of Surrey’s numbers.” Of Douglas’s original compositions the longest is the Palice of Honour, an allegorical poem which displays much versatility of 1 Nott's Dissertation on the State of English Poetry before the Sixteenth Century, p. cl. SCOTISH POETRY. 269 fancy, and a ready command of striking imagery. Still however it is to be considered as a Gothic structure, and as exhibiting many of the peculiarities which belong to that order : ancient and modern usages, classical and Christian subjects, are almost constantly blended together; and a nymph of Calliope’s train expounds the scheme of human redemption. This poem appears to have been composed in 1501, when the author was twenty- six or twenty-seven years of age. Early in a morning of May, the poet enters a delightful garden, where he falls into a swoon, and is presented with a remarkable vision. He fancies himself conveyed into a dreary forest bordering on a hideous flood, and begins to complain of the cruelty of Fortune ; but his attention is speedily attracted by the arrival of a magnificent cavalcade of fair ladies and goodly men. After they have passed in due order, two caitiffs approach, the one mounted on an ass, and the other on a hideous horse: these prove to be the arch-traitors “ Achitophel and Sinone.” The latter informs him that the caval- cade consists of Minerva and her court ; the twelve dames who surround her are Sibyls ; and that she is likewise attended by Solomon, Pythagoras, Cicero, and other sages, Jewish, Grecian, and Roman. They are all, says Sinon, faring towards the palace of Honour, and their journey lies through this wilder- ness. On his inquiring how such caitiffs as themselves are suffered to attend this court, Ahithophel replies that they make their appearance in the same manner as rain, thunder, and earthquakes are sometimes permitted to deform the face of May. He now betakes himself to a thick covert, from which he perceives Acteeon pursued by his own dogs, and the court of Diana following at a small distance. The goddess herself is mounted on an elephant, and attended only by the pure votaries of chastity; but the poet archly expresses his surprise at the paucity of her followers. Notwithstanding this sneer, he seems to have entertained a very favourable opinion of the fair sex, and to have shown sufficient inclination to support their claims. Dr. Jortin has remarked that his favourite poet Virgil seems not to have introduced a single female into the happy regions of Elysium, “though the Roman and Grecian history might have furnished him with several who deserved admittance as much 270 _ THE HISTORY OF as the best of his heroes”? He is now attracted by the most melodious music ; but instead of dwelling on the solace of these celestial notes, he enters into a disquisition relative to the con- veyance of sound. The court of Venus approaches: the goddess is seated in a gorgeous car, accompanied by her son Cupid, who is represented as a man well-formed, and of square limbs ;? Mars, her true knight, attends her progress, mounted on a barbed courser; and here also are seen every renowned hero and heroine of scriptural, classic, and romantic story. On be- holding their disport and parade, he begins to exclaim against Venus and all her train, but is presently dragged from his re- treat and arraigned at her august tribunal: her assessors are Mars and Cupid; the indictment is read by a clerk named Varius, and the trial proceeds in due form. The prisoner pleads that he is an ecclesiastical person, and ought therefore to be remitted to his judge ordinary ; but Venus is enraged at this declinature of her jurisdiction, and commands the clerk to re- cord his sentence of condemnation. In the meantime however the court of the Muses makes its appearance, and relieves him from his alarm. This court consists of wise and eloquent fathers, and pleasant ladies of fresh beauty: some are engaged in rehearsing Greek and Latin histories, others in chanting to the lyre Sapphic and elegiac verse. Homer is the only Greek poet enumerated among the attendants of the Muses; but— ' Thair was the greit Latine Virgilius, The famous father poeit Ouidius, Dictes, Dares, and eik the trew Lucane : Thair was Plautus, Poggius, and Persius ; Thair was Terence, Donate, and Seruius, Francis Petrarche, Flaccus Valeriane ;° Thair was Esope, Cato, and Allane ;4 1 Jortin’s Dissertations, p. 290. 2 Mr. Douce has remarked ‘ that the blind- ness of the god of love is not warranted by the authority of any ancient classic author, but appears to have been the invention of some writer of the middle ages.” (Illustra- tions of Shakspere, vol. i. p. 223.) This re- mark however admits of some modification: the ancient authorities for his blindness do not indeed appear to be numerous; but the subsequent passage in Theocritus, Idyl x. 19, is sufficient to show that the invention is not to be ascribed to any modern writer : Mopacda uw’ dpxn Tb, TuPdds Sov aurds 6 Tldofros, "AAAG Kal wppdvricros "Epws’ undev heya wvde6, 8 By Flaccus Valeriane, Claudius, and Laurence of the Vale, we are undoubtedly to understand Valerius Flaccus, Claudius Claud- ianus, and Laurentius Valla. 4 This is probably Alanus de Insulis, or of SCOTISH POETRY. 271 Thair was Gaulteir! and Boetius, Thair was also the greit Quintiliane. Thair was the satir poet Juuenall, Thair was the mixt and subtell Martiall : Of Thebes brute thair was the poet Stace ; Thair was Faustus? and Laurence of the Vale, Pompcnius, quhais fame of late sans faill Is blawin wyde throw euerie realm and place :3 Thair was the moral wyse poeit Horace, With mony uther clerk of greit auaill ; Thair was Brunnell ;* Claudius, and Bocchace. Lille, a writer of much celebrity during the middle ages, and known by the name of the Universal Doctor. He was for some time prior of Canterbury, and died in the year 1202. (Oudinus de Scriptoribus Ecclesiasti- cis, tom. ii. col. 1388. Fabricii Bibliotheca Latina Mediz et Infime Htatis, tom. i. p. 35, edit. Mansi. Gyraldus de Poetarum Historia, col. 306. Histoire Littéraire de la France, tom. xvi. p. 896.) He is best known in modern times for his poem entitled Anti- Claudianus, and his explanation of the pro- phecies of Merlin, printed under the title of “« Prophetia Anglicana et Romana: hoc est, Merlini Ambrosii Britanni, ex incubo olim,”’ etc. Francof, 1603, 8vo. Ibid. 1608, 8vo. Of his Anti-Claudianus, first printed at Basel, 1536, 8vo, a notice by Le Grand d’Aussy occurs in the Notices et Extraits des Manu- scrits de la Bibliothéque du Roi, tom. v. p. 546. This writer has given a more par- ticular account of a metrical French version, which he supposes to have been executed in the thirteenth century. 1 Philippe Gualtier de Chatillon, a native of Lille, and a canon of Tournay, flourished about the year 1200. (Fabricius, tom. iii. p. 112, Foppens Bibliotheca Belgica, tom. ii. p. 1033. Histoire Littéraire de la France, tom. xv. p. 100. Warton’s Dissertation on the Introduction of Learning into England, p. elxvii.) His principal work is a poem on the exploits of Alexander the Great, entitled Alexandreidos libri decem, first printed at Strasburg in octavo in the year 1513. I have seen other two editions. Ingolstad, 1541, 8vo. Lugd. 1558, 8vo. The latter is curiously printed with types which imitate manuscript characters. Gualtier’s poem, written in hex- ameter verse, must be regarded as a very elegant relique of that barbarous age ; and it had attained to such popularity in the course of the thirteenth century, that it was read in the grammar schools, to the exclusion of more classical productions. The fifth book contains a verse which is frequently quoted, and which it is probable that few of those by whom it is quoted can refer to its proper author : Incidis in Scyllam cupiens vitare Carybdin. 2 An ecclesiastical writer of the name of Faustus flourished during the latter part of the fifth century. Several of his tracts are inserted in the Maxima Bibliotheca Veterum Patrum. See Cave, Scriptorum Ecclesiasti- corum Historia Literaria, vol. i. p. 453, and Vossii Historia Pelagiana, p. 33. 8 Douglas probably alludes to Pomponius Leetus, who without any great effort of talents or learning seems to have obtained a high reputation. See Vossius de Historicis Lati- nis, p. 613, edit. Lugd. Bat. 1651, 4to. He long filled a professor’s chair at Rome, but was so far from acquiring riches that he ended his life in an hospital. (Jo. Pierius Valeri- anus de Litteratorum Infelicitate, p. 376, edit. Menckenii. 4 The Brunnell mentioned by Douglas I suspect to be, not the name of a poet, but the title of a poem: Brunellus is the name of the ass, which makes the principal figure in the satirical composition, otherwise called Speculum Stultorwm. The author was Nigel- lus Wireker, a monk, and precentor of the church of Canterbury, who flourished during the reigns of Henry the Second and Richard the First. (Leyseri Hist. Poetarum Medii ZEvi, p. 751. Hales Magdeb. 1721, 8vo. Fab- ricii Bibliotheca Latina Medie et Infime ZEtatis, tom. i. p. 285, tom. v. p. 138. Wright, Biographia Britannica Literaria, Anglo-Nor- man Period, p. 354.) In one edition of this poem, he is called Vigellus: ‘ Brunellus Vigelli, et Vetula Ovidii: seu, Opuscula duo auctorum incertorum,” ete. Wolferbyti, 1662, 8vo. The precentor’s poem, which is written in elegiac verse, is by no means despicable for the age in whichit was produced. Among THE HISTORY OF Sa greit ane preis of pepill drew us neir, The hundredth part thair names ar not heir ; Yit saw I thair of Brutus Albyon, Geffray Chauceir, as a per se sans peir In his vulgare, and moral John Goweir : Lydgate the monk raid musing him allone. Of this natioun I knew also anone Greit Kennedie, and Dunbar yit undeid, And Quintine with ane huttock on his heid.! Calliope intercedes so effectually in the poet’s favour, that he obtains his pardon on the condition of his composing a poem in honour of the offended goddess: he immediately pours forth an unpremeditated lay, and Venus declares she is satisfied. Her court then takes its departure, and leaves him with that of the Muses; Calliope commits him to the charge of a sweet and faithful nymph, and the whole train commences a marvellous journey. They at length reach the Castalian fountain, where he is prevented from drinking by the pressure of the crowd. The ladyis fair on diuers instrumentis, Went playand, singand, dansand, ouir the bentis, Full angellike and heuinlie was their soun. Quhat creature amid his hart imprentis The fresche bewtie, the gudelie representis, The merrie speiche, fair hauingis, hie renown Of thame, wald set a wise man half in swoun : Thair womanlines wryithit the elementis, Stoneist the heuin, and all the eirth adoun. The warld may not considder nor discriue The heuinlie joy, the bliss I saw belive, Sa ineffabill, aboue my wit sa hie : I will na mair thairon my foirheid riue, Bot brieflie furth my febill proces drive. Law in the meid an palyeoun picht I se, Maist gudliest, and richest that micht be : My governour ofter than times fiue Unto that hald to pas commandit me. 7 other proofs of its popularity, we might men- tion its being familiarly quoted by Chaucer : I have wel red in dan Burnel the asse Among his vers, how that ther was a cok, That, for a preestes sone yave him a knok Upon his leg while he was yonge and nice, He made him for to lese his benefice. Canterbury Tales, v. 15,318. 1 “This word, which Mr, Pinkerton leaves unexplained, seems to be two French words in disguise—haute toque. Toque is described by Cotgrave to be ‘a (fashion of) bonnet or cap, somewhat like our old courtier's velvet cap, worn ordinarily by scholars, and some old men.’” (Ellis’s Specimens of the Early English Poets, vol. i. p. 403.)—The poet who is here ranked with Dunbar and Kennedy is apparently Quintin Shaw. SCOTISH POETRY. 273 Swa finallie straicht to that royall steid, Tn fellowschip with my leidar I yeid: We enterit sone, the portar was not thra ; Thair was na stopping, lang demand, nor pleid. I kneillit law, and unheildit my heid, And tho I saw our ladyis, twa and twa, Sittand on deissis ; familiars to and fra, Servand thame fast with ypocras and meid, Delicait meitis, dainteis seir alswa. They now enter a rich pavilion ; and the discourse turning on love and valour, Calliope commands Ovid, her Clerk of Register, to declare “quha war maist worthie of thair handis.” He ac- cordingly recounts the deeds of ancient heroes, and also speaks of transfigurations, of the art of love, and of its remedy. He is followed by other poets. Uprais the greit Virgillius anone, And playit the sportis of Daphnis and Corydone ; Sime Terence come ; and playit the comedy Of Parmeno, Thrason, and wise Gnatone. Juuenall, like ane mowar him allone, Stude scornand euerie man as they yeid by. Martial was cuik, till roist, seith, farce and fry, And Poggius stude with mony girne and grone, On Laurence Valla spittand, and cryand fy! With mirthis thus and meitis delicate Thir ladyis feistit according thair estait, Uprais at last, commandand till tranoynt. Retreit was blawin loude, and than God wait Men micht have sene swift horsis haldin hait, Schynand for sweit, as they had bene anoynt. Of all that rout was neuer a prik disjoynt, For all our tary ; and I furth with my mait, Mountit on hors, raid samin in gude point. Ouir mony gudlie plane we raid bedene, The vaill of Hebron, the camp Damascene, Throw Josaphat, and throw the lustie vaill, Ouir waters wan, throw worthie woddis grene ; And swa at last, on lifting up our ene, We se the final end of our trauaill, Amid ane plane a plesand roche to waill, And euerie wicht, fra we that sicht had sene, Thankand greit God, thair heidis law deuaill. 5 574 THE HISTORY OF With singing, lauching, merines and play, Unto this roche we ryden furth the way— Now mair to write for feir trimblis my pen : The hart may not think nor mannis toung say, The eir nocht heir, nor yet the eye se may, It may not be imaginit with men, The heuinlie blis, the perfite joy to ken, Quhilk now I saw: the hundredth part all day I micht not schaw, thocht I had toungis ten. Thocht all my members toungis war on raw, T war not able the thousand fauld to schaw, Quhairfoir I feir ocht farther mair to write : For quhidder I this in saull or bodie saw, That wait I nocht ; bot he that all dois knaw, The greit God wait, in euerie thing perfite. Hik gif I wald this auisioun indite, Janglaris suld it backbite, and stand nane aw Cry out on dremis quhilks are not worth an mite. Having renewed their journey, they at length reach the place of their destination. He perceives a lofty rock, of a hard and slippery appearance, and like glass reflecting the rays of the sun; with many paths winding round it, but only one leading to the summit. The Muses and the rest of their train imme- diately ascend, leaving the poet and his attendant nymph behind; she leads him by the hand, and encourages him to proceed ; but when they have nearly reached the pinnacle, he finds their path crossed by an abominable ditch, as deep as hell, and burning with brimstone, pitch, and lead. Here are seen floating many ghastly wretches ; some already suffocated, others still yelling amidst the flames. The nymph informs him that these are individuals who once pretended to pursue the path of honour, but in the sequel, being allured by pleasure or sloth, have stumbled into this dismal lake. Seizing him by the hair, she conveys him to the summit, as Habakkuk was conveyed to Babylon. From this eminence, he beholds the world tossed in a tempest of misery, and many perishing amidst the weltering waves ; he perceives a goodly barge labouring against the fury of the storm ; and at length, bulging against a sand-bank, some of the crew are swallowed by the waves, while others reach the shore, and begin to ascend the rock. He learns that this vessel SCOTISH POETRY. 275 is called the Carvell of the State of Grace ; that those who perish are faithless people, and lovers of pleasure; and that those floating ashore on planks are saved by performing good works through Christ. He is next presented with a view of the Palace of Honour, splendid and magnificent beyond description. Within the gate he beholds many stately tournaments and many lusty sports. The nymph then conveys him to a garden, where he finds Venus, seated on a gorgeous throne, with a fair mirror quaintly placed before her; and in this mirror he gees an adumbration of the most remarkable actions recorded in history. Among many other remarkable personages, he discerns— Greit Gowmakmorne and Fyn Makcoul, and how Thay suld be goddis in Ireland, as thay say.1 In this enchanted mirror, he also sees divers tricks of legerde- main performed by Roger Bacon and other necromancers :— The nigromansie thair saw I eik anone Of Benytas, Bongo, and Frier Bacone, With mony subtill point of juglairy ; Of Flanders peis maid mony precious stone, Ane greit laid sadill of a siching bone, Of ane nutmeg thay maid a monk in hy, Ane paroche kirk of ane penny py: 1 Here the reader may with some diffi- culty recognise Gaul the son of Morni, and ~ the redoubtable Fingal himself. See above, p. 170. The same heroes are mentioned by a much earlier poet :— He said, Me think, Marthokys son, Rycht as Golmakmorn was wone To haiff fra ‘ Fyngal’ his mengne, Rycht swa all his fra ws has he. Barsour’s Bruce, p. 43, Jamieson’s edit. ~ Instead of Fyngal, the ms. reads hym all; but one of the editors remarks, “it appears tome that the transcriber of this ms., not knowing Fyngal, has, by mistake, put hym all ; for the passage is not sense as it stands in the text. The passage also stands as in this note in the Edinburgh edition, 1616, Svo, the earliest known, and in all the others which the edi- tor has seen.” (Barbour’s Bruce, by Pinker- ton, vol. i. p. 66.) The following passage occurs in one of Sir David Lindsay’s inter- ludes (Pinkerton’s Scotish Poems reprinted from scarce editions, vol. ii. p. 18) :— But dowt my deid yone man hes sworne, I trow yone be grit Gow Mak Morne. Colville, a poet of the seventeenth century, introduces an allusion to Fingal, under the less dignified appellation of Finmacoul. (Whigg’s Supplication, part ii. p 24. Lond. 1681, 8vo):— One man, quoth he, oft-times hath stood, And put to flight a multitude, Like Sampson, Wallace, and Sir Bewis, And Finmacoul beside the Lewis, Who in a bucking time of year Did rout and chase a herd of deer, Till he behind and they before Did run a hundred miles and more, Which questionless prejudg’d his toes, For Red-shanks then did wear no shoes ; For to this day they wear but calf ones. Or, if of older leather, half ones. He chased them so furiouslie, That they were fore’d to take the sea, And swam from Cowel into Arran, In which soil, though it be but barren, As learned antiquaries say, Their off-spring lives unto this day. 276 THE HISTORY OF And Benytas of ane mussill maid ane aip, With mony uther subtill mow and jaip. The nymph at last informs him that the mirror possessed of such wonderful properties, signifies nothing else— Bot the greit bewtie of thir ladyis facis, Quhairin louers thinks thay behald all graces. After he has for some time contemplated these wonders, Venus recognises her former prisoner, and presenting him with a book, which we must suppose to be the Aineid, commands him to translate it into his native tongue. He is next conducted to a station from whence he has an opportunity of observing the multitude that presses for admission into the Palace. He per- ceives Ahithophel and Sinon endeavouring in vain to scale the walls. Cataline makes a bold effort to enter by a window, but Cicero, armed with a book, repels him with a mighty blow. Many thousands are foiled in their attempts to ascend the lofty walls. The nymph and her ward are admitted by Patience, the portress of King Honour. He enumerates the various officers of this august court, and describes the wonders which now present themselves. His conductress informs him that those, whom he has observed in the court of Honour, are such as during their lives were con- stantly directed by the laws of truth, equity, and valour ; in battle they were found of most prowess, with spear, sword, and dagger ; to their promises they always adhered with fidelity and plain- ness ; they abounded in worth, and were illumined by liberality. In these domains, honour differs very widely from what obtains the same appellation among mankind : there, it is only worldly pomp and parade, and conferred with a reference to birth or station ; here, it is never bestowed even on princes and prelates, except their claims be founded in virtue. Having descanted on the rewards of virtue and the punishment of vice, the nymph conducts him to a delightful garden, where the Muses are culling the flowers of rhetoric, and where trees bear precious stones instead of fruit; it is surrounded by a deep moat, abounding in fish and aquatic birds, and on the trees which adorn its margin fowls are seen growing by the bill. The access to this garden is by a single tree laid across the ditch ; the nymph passes this slender bridge; but in attempting to follow her, he becomes SCOTISH POETRY. Bit giddy and falls headlong into the water. Being now awakened from his trance, he composes a lay in praise of Honour, and concludes his poem by inscribing it to his sovereign James the Fourth. Such is a very imperfect outline of Douglas's Palice of Honour ; in which, according to one of his biographers, the author everywhere “discovers a vast and comprehensive genius, an exuberant fancy, and extraordinary learning, for the time he lived in. He seems to have taken the plan of it from the palace of happiness, described in the Picture of Cebes; and it is not improbable that his countryman, Florentius Volusenus, hath had in his view and improvd his design, in his admir- able (but too little known) book, De Tranquillitate Animi.”? Between the respective plans of Cebes and Douglas, the resem- blance is not perhaps very close and striking. The dialogue of Florence Wilson, on tranquillity of mind, was published in 1543 ;” the Palice of Honour is supposed to have been first printed in 1553; but there is nothing improbable in the suppo- sition of its having been extensively circulated in manuscript. It has likewise been surmised that Douglas’s poem is probably founded on the Sejour d@Honneur® of Octavien de St. Gelais.* The titles have indeed an obvious resemblance to each other, but there is little or no affinity in the plan and execution of the two works. The successive appearance of the different courts described in the Palice of Honour, may possibly remind some readers of the Triumphs of Petrarch, in which various shadowy trains succeed each other in a somewhat similar manner ; but notwithstanding these different suggestions, Douglas’s poem must still be regarded as entitled to the praise which belongs to an original design. King Hart, another allegorical poem of the same author, ex~ hibits a very ingenious adumbration of the progress of human life. It is a singular composition, and may remind the reader of Phineas Fletcher’s Purple Island ; a work which furnishes a rend pere en Dieu Messire Octouien de Sainct 2 De Animi Tranquillitate Dialogus, Flo- Gelaiz, Euesque d’Angoulesme, nouuellement rentio Voluseno autore. Lugduni apud Gry- imprimé. Paris, 1519, 8vo. phium, 1543, 4to. 4 Pinkerton’s Scotish Poems, vol. i. p. xiv. 3 Le Sejour d’Honneur, composé par reue- Ellis’s Specimens, vol. i. p. 392. 1 Sage’s Life of Douglas, p. 15. 278 THE HISTORY OF striking example of the misapplication of fine poetical talents. From several incorrect passages, it has been supposed to be one of Douglas’s earliest performances. Incorrect passages we may expect to find in all the vernacular poetry of that age ; and the versification appears to me superior to that of the Palice of Honour. As he has not enumerated it among his early works, we may perhaps venture to conclude that it was written after his translation of Virgil. The Heart, being the fountain of vital motion, is here personified as man himself, and is conducted through a great variety of adventures. This mystical King is at first represented with all the fervour of youth, and surrounded by Strength, Wantonness, and many other gay companions. King Hart into his cumlie castell strang, Closit about with craft and meikill ure, So seimlie was he set his folk amang, That he no dout had of misaventure ; So proudlie wes he polist, plaine, and pure, With youtheid and his lustie levis grene ; So fair, so fresche, so liklie to endure, And als so blyth as bird in symmer schene. For wes he never yit with schouris schot, Nor yit our-run with ronk or ony rayne ; Tn all his lusty lecam nocht ane spot, Na never had experience into payne, But alway into lyking mocht to layne ; Onlie to love, and verrie gentilnes, He wes inclynit cleinlie to remane, And woun under the wyng of wantownes. Yit was this wourthy wicht king under ward, For wes he nocht at fredome utterlie : Nature had lymmit folk, for thair reward, This gudlie king to governe and to gy ; For so thai kest thair tyme to occupy : In welthis for to wyne for thai him teitchit, All lustis for to love and underly, So prevelie thai preis him and him preitchit.! In order to defend him against treason, five of his vassals, the senses, are stationed at the outworks of his castle, but are some- times guilty of betraying their master. Honour arrives at the 1 Pinkerton’s Ancient Scotish Poems, vol. i. p. 3. SCOTISH POETRY. 279 king’s gate, but is refused admittance by these watchmen, who inform him that the laird is seated at a feast: he however forces a passage, and ascends the great tower. So strang this king him thocht his castel stude, With moni toure and turrat crounit hie : About the wall their ran ane water voud, Blak, stinkand, sour, and salt as is the sey, That on the wallis wiskit, gre by gre, Rolding to ryis the castell to confound ; Bot thai within maid sa grit melodie, That for thair reird thai micht not heir the sound. With feistis fell, and full of jolitee, This cumlie court thair king thai kest to keip, That noy hes none, but newlie novaltie, And is nocht wount for wo to woun and weip, Full sendill sad, or soundlie set to sleip, No wandrethe wait, ay wenis welthe endure, Behaldis nocht nor luikis nocht the deip, As thame to keip fra all misaventure. Ata small distance from this castle stands the delightful palace of Plesance, which is “parald all about with pryd.” This fair Queen is constantly attended by a troop of lovely nymphs, among whom are Beauty, Freedom, Gentleness, Kindness, and Mirth. Happenit this wourthie Quene upon ane day, With hir fresche court arrayit weill at richt, Hunting to ryd hir, to desport and play, With mony ane lustie ladie fair and bricht ; Hir baner schene displayit and on hicht, Wes sene abone their heidis quhayr thai rayd : The grene ground was illuminyt of the licht ; Fresche Bewtie had the vangarde and wes gyde. This formidable array approaches the castle of King Hart: alarmed at the unusual appearance, the day-watchers hasten to inform their master; and after several of his messengers have been seized and detained, he rushes to the war with all his comely host. Plesance arranges her forces in proper order : the troops of the king being defeated, he is himself taken prisoner, and delivered to Beauty, in order to be cured of the wound which he has received from the Queen; but the 280 THE HISTORY OF + more she applies herself to its cure, the more his malady increases. King Hart his castell levit hes full waist, And Hevenes maid capitane it to keip. Radour ran hame, full fleyit and forchaist, Him for to hyde crap in the dungeoun deip : Langour he lay upon the walls but sleip, But meit or drink ; the watche horne he blew : Ire was the portour, that full sair can weip, And Jelousy ran out ;—he wes never trew. Jealousy having followed his master to the castle of Plesance, perceives Lust in fetters, and love with a block about his neck : Youth roams at large ; Desire lies in the stocks at the door of a dungeon; Honesty has the power of preserving him from harm, but Prodigality.constantly attends him. This court is crowded with many other personages, whom. it would be tedious to enu- merate. Discretioun wes as then bot young of age ; He sleipit with Lust quhairevir he micht him find, And he agane wes crabbit at the page : Ane ladill full of luif, stude him behind, He suakit in his ene, and made him Dlinde. Pity having at length released King Hart and his attendants, they assault the Queen, and make themselves masters of the fortress ; but she throws herself upon his courtesy, and he is deeply smitten with her charms. Freschlie to feist thir amouris folk ar went : Blythnes wes first brocht bodwart to the hall ; Dame Chastetie, that selie innocent, For wo yeid wode, and flaw out owr the wall. The lustie Quene scho sat in mid the deis, Befoir hir stude the nobil wourthy King: Servit thai war of mony dyvers meis, Full sawris sueit and swyth thai culd thame bring ; Thus thai maid ane [richt] mirrie marschalling ; Beutie and Love ane hait burde hes begun : In werschip of that lustie feist so ding, Dame Plesance has gart perce Dame Venus’ tun. SCOTISH POETRY. 281 Quha is at eis, quhen bayth ar now in blis, Bot fresche King Hart, that cleirlie is above, And wantis nocht in warld that he wald wis, And traistis nocht that evir he sall remove ? Scoir yeirs and moir, Schir Lyking and Schir Luif Off him thai have the cure and governance, Quhill at the last befell and sua behuif Ane changing new, that grevit Dame Plesance. A morowing tyde, quhen at the sone so schene Out raschit had his bemis frome the sky, Ane auld gude man befoir the yet wes sene, Apone ane steid that raid full easilie. He rappit at the yet, but curtaslie ; Yit at the straik the grit dungeoun can din : In at the last he schowted fellonlie, And bad thame rys, and said he wald cum in. Wantonness having hailed him from the battlements, the stranger announces that his name is Age, and that he must enter the castle: Wantonness hastens to convey this intelli- gence to the king, who begins to murmur at the early arrival of so unwelcome a guest. Youth immediately craves his dismis- sion and reward ; and having warned his brethren Disport and Wantonness to prepare for their departure, they all retreat by a postern-gate without taking any formal leave; while Age, at- tended by five hundred score of unlovely companions, enters the castle, and shocks the delicate feelings of Dame Plesance. Scarcely has he arrived, when Conscience appears before the walls, and testifies his indignation at being so long excluded. Terrified at the boldness of Conscience in proceeding to acts of violence in the presence of more than five hundred of the king’s retainers, Folly and Vice conceal themselves in a corner, and several other wicked counsellors likewise make their retreat. While Conscience is employed in chiding the king, Wisdom and Reason begin to knock very loudly at the gate, and to demand instant admittance: upon this occasion, Conscience acts as porter ; Reason immediately runs to Discretion, and removes the films that have long obscured his sight. After various in- cidents, Plesance begins to manifest the inconstancy of her natural disposition ; and the King is persuaded by his new 282 THE HISTORY OF associates to regain his own castle. But the formidable host of Decrepitude soon assaults this fortress, and takes it after a regular siege; the most redoubtable of his champions being Head-ache, Cough, and Palsy. He inflicts a mortal wound on King Hart, who immediately prepares for death by making his last will and testament. But the most remarkable of Douglas’s works is perhaps his translation of the Aineid. In the original poems which accom- pany it, he has fortunately specified the origin and progress of this undertaking ; he there informs us that it was begun at the request of his cousin,’ Lord Sinclair, whom he represents as a zealous collector of books, and protector of science and litera- ture; and that it was the labour of only sixteen months, being completed on the 22d day of July 1513, about twelve years after he had composed the Palice of Honour, This task must apparently be understood to comprehend, not merely a version of Virgil’s twelve books, but likewise of the supplementary book of Mapheus Vegius,? together with the original poems which he has interspersed in the volume. Whether we con- sider the state of British literature at that period, or the rapidity with which he executed so extensive a work, it is impossible to withhold from the translator a large share of our approbation. In either of the sister languages few translations of classical authors had hitherto been attempted: it has been remarked that even in England no metrical version of a classic had yet appeared ; except of Boethius, who scarcely merits that appel- lation? On the destruction of Troy, Caxton had published a kind of prose romance, which he professes to have translated from the French; and the English reader was taught to con- sider this motley composition as a translation of the Aineid. Douglas bestows severe castigation on Caxton for his perver- sion of the classical story ; and affirms that his work no more 1 Gawane zour cousing, Provest of Sanct thousand years. (Elogia Virorum Literis Geill. Dove.as’s Virgil, p. 481. 2 Mapheus Vegius, a native of Italy, flou- rished about the middle of the fifteenth cen- tury. Paulus Jovius observes, in hyperboli- cal terms, that he excelled almost every poet who had flourished during the space of a illustrium, p. 196.) L. Gregorius Gyraldus has formed a more moderate estimate of his poetical character. (De Poetis suorum Tem- porum, col. 530.) 8 Warton’s Hist. of English Poetry, vol. iii, p. 112. SCOTISH POETRY. 283 resembles Virgil than the devil resembles St. Austin. He has however fallen intg one error which he exposes in his precur- sor; proper names are often so completely disfigured in his translation, that they cannot be recognised without some degree of difficulty. In various instances, he has been guilty of modernizing the notions of this original: the Sibyl for example, is converted into a nun, and admonishes A®neas, the Trojan baron, to persist in counting his beads.’ This plan of reducing every ancient notion to a modern standard, has been adopted by much later writers: many preposterous instances occur in Dr. Blackwell’s Memoirs of the Court of Augustus; and Dr. Middleton, who, if not a more learned, is certainly a more judi- cious writer, has in his Life of Cicero been repeatedly betrayed into the same species of affectation. Balbus was general of the artillery to Cesar; Cicero procured a regiment for Curtius ; Tedius took the body of Clodius into his chaise; Celius was a young gentleman of equestrian rank. In the following passage, which is Dr. Doig’s translation of a quotation from the scholiast on Pindar, we encounter ladies at a very early period in the history of society, inasmuch as they are found in the very act of discovering the use of petticoats : “ The same ladies, too, from a sense of decency, invented garments made of the bark of trees.” A late historian of Greece speaks of a dil/ being pro- posed in the Athenian assembly, and of the light dragoons of Alexander the Great.’ Douglas’s translation of Virgil is certainly executed with no mean ability: it is the effort of a bold and energetic writer, whose knowledge of the original language, and prompt com- mand of a copious and variegated phraseology, qualified him for the performance of so arduous a task.* It is indeed to be 1 Henryson, in his Testament of Cresseid, exhibits the same incongruity of ideas : He hath maruayl so long on groufe ye lye, And sayth your beedes beth to longe somdele : The goddes wote al your entent full wele. See Chaucer’s Workes, f. 214, b. edit. Lond. 1542, fol. In the edition of Henryson’s poem printed by H. Charteris in 1593, we meet with a different reading :— And sayis your prayers bene to lang sum deill. 2 Encyclopedia Britannica (art. Philology), vol. xiv. p. 533. 8 Gillies’s Hist. of Ancient Greece, vol. ii. p. 243; vol. iv. p. 259. 4 The learned Francis Junius, in a letter to Dugdale, has made some remarks on Doug- las’s version. ‘‘ Fora chaunge, I took your archpoet Chaucer in hand; and though I thinke that in manie places he is not to bee understood without the help of old ms. copies, which England can afforde manie, yet doe I perswade my selfe to have met with innume- 284 THE HISTORY OF regretted that he did not devote a much longer time to this undertaking : he might thus have been enabled to render his versification more terse and finished ; but the work, in its pre- sent state, is a smgular monument of his genius and industry. One of his principal objects was to write in plain and intel- ligible language, so that his favourite poet might be readily understood by his countrymen; and by keeping this object constantly in view he has frequently attained to less elevation of style than might have been expected. His translation pos- sesses one merit which he probably did not contemplate ; as a version of a well-known classic, it presents an ample fund of philological information ; and Ruddiman’s excellent glossary has long recommended it to all those who have paid particular attention to the etymology of the Scotish language. The felicity of this translation has been very warmly commended by another Scotish prelate, Dr. Lesley, the celebrated Bishop of Ross; who, in enumerating its various excellencies, has stated that it always renders one verse by another.’ But this regularity of corre- spondence, for which it is likewise praised by Dempster, must not be too literally understood : and it may be proper to recol- lect that the verses of the two poets, although they might be equal in number, could not be equal in length ; as a hexameter line may consist of seventeen, and cannot consist of fewer than thirteen syllables. The Bishop of Dunkeld’s version of the A‘neid seems to have rable places, hitherto misunderstood, or not understood at all, which I can illustrate. To which work I hold the Bishop of Dunkel his Virgilian translation to be very much conducing, and in my perusing of this pre- late his book (to say so much by the way) I stumbled upon manie passages wherein this wittie Gawin doth grossly mistake Virgil, and is much ledd out of the way by the infection of a monkish ignorance then prevailing in church and common wealth; yet is there verie good use to be made of him.” (The Life, Diary, and Correspondence of Sir William Dugdale, edited by William Hamper, Esq. p. 383. Lond. 1827, 4to.) It is however evident that in those passages which depart most widely from the original, Douglas has not been misled by his ignorance of the lan- guage, but by his adherence to the prevalent taste of his own time. 1 “Nostram linguam multis eruditionis sue monumentis illustravit ; in quibus illud fuerat ingenii sui signum longe preclarissi- mum, quod Virgilii Hneida nostro idiomate donavit, ea dexteritate, ut singulis Latinis versibus singuli Scotici respondeant ; eo sen- tentiarum pondere, ut nostre lingue si in- telligas vim occultam, mireris; ea denique felicitate, ut nullam ego antiquorum poeta- rum lauream cum ejus in hoe genere laude facile comparem: quippe quo videtur nostra lingua asperior, ac ab ea copia, que Latinam commendat, alienior, eo fuit Douglasii laus reliquis Latinis poetis illustrior, quod in Virgilio vertendo versuum suavitatem, senten- tiarum pondera, verborum significationes, ac singulorum pene apicum vim nostra lingua plene enucleateque expresserit.” (Lesleus de Rebus gestis Scotorum, p. 396.) SCOTISH POETRY. 285 suggested a similar plan to the Earl of Surrey, who translated the second and fourth books into English. In this translation he has exhibited the earliest specimen of blank verse that occurs in the history of English poetry. Dr. Nott has remarked that “we meet with so many expressions which Surrey has evidently borrowed, with so many lines adopted with hardly any other alteration than that which the difference of the dia- lect and of the measure made necessary, and so many taken without any alteration at all, that all doubt ceases. It becomes a matter of certainty that Surrey must have read and studied the Scottish translation before he began his own.”! This asser- tion he has verified by a long series of parallel passages, which it is impossible to read without acquiescing in his opinion. The annals of Scotish literature present us with only two com- plete translations of Virgil, namely, those of John Ogilby and the Earl of Lauderdale. The name of Ogilby, who appears to have been an industrious and worthy person, is too well known to the readers of Pope.” Lauderdale’s version was communi- cated in manuscript to Dryden, who has mentioned it with commendation, and has given a further proof of his approbation by adopting a considerable number of the lines. “ Having this manuscript in my hands,” he remarks in his dedication of the Aineis, “I consulted it as often as I doubted of my author's sense ; for no man understood Virgil better than that learned works, chiefly historical and poetical. Hay- ing assiduously resumed the study of the 1 Nott’s Dissertation on the state of Eng- lish Poetry before the Sixteenth Century, p. ceiv. 2 John Ogilby was born in or near Edin- burgh in the year 1600. He belonged to a genteel family, but his father having spent his estate, was’ imprisoned in the King’s Bench, and the son was obliged to maintain himself by his own exertions: it must be re- corded to this poet’s honour, that his indus- try enabled him to release his father from prison. He followed the occupation of a dancing-master in London till he received a isevere sprain in his leg by “his high dancing and cutting of eapers:” he afterwards be- came a trooper in the Earl of Strafford’s guard in Treland, and was appointed master of the revels in that kingdom. The civil war compelled him to return to England, where he now embraced the trade of authorship, and published many large and splendid Latin language, he at length produced ‘‘ The Works of Publius Virgilius Maro, translated by John Ogilby.” Lond. 1650, 8vo. Lond. 1654, fol. By his unwearied diligence, he «did learn the Greek tongue of one of his country-men called David Whitford--and be- ing in a manner master of it,” he published “« Homer his Iliads translated, adorn’d with sculpture, and illustrated with annotations.” Lond. 1660, fol. He died on the 4th of Sep- tember 1676. (Wood’s Athenz Oxonienses, vol. iii. col. 740.) 4 His Greek preceptor, David Whitford, A.M. student of Christ Church, Oxford, was a son of Dr. Walter Whitford, bishop of Brechin. Having been deprived of his student’s place in 1648, he became usher to James Shirley the poet, when he kept a school in White- friars: he was reinstated after the restora- 286 THE HISTORY OF nobleman.” This translation was afterwards published, and it reached a second edition.’ The several books of Douglas’s translation are introduced by prologues, which, in the opinion of Warton, are often highly poetical, and show that his proper walk was original poetry. They have likewise received warm commendation from Hume of Godscroft, who was himself a scholar and a poet. “In his prologues before every book,” he remarks, “ where he hath his liberty, he showeth a natural and ample vein of poesy, so pure, pleasant, and judicious, that I believe there is none that hath written before or since, but cometh short of him. And in my opinion, there is not such a piece to be found as his prologue to the eighth book, beginning Of drevilling and Dreams, etc., at least in our language.’ This poem, which he admires so highly, is written in the same stanza as the romances ascribed to Sir Hugh Eglintoun. Of this mode of composition, allitera- tion seems to have been regarded as an essential ingredient ; and Douglas has on other occasions shown a considerable pre- dilection for the same species of ornament. The following pas- sage is from his prologue to the seventh book :— Bank, bray, and boddum blanschit wox and bare, For gourl weddir growit beistis hare, The wynd maid waif the rede wede on the dyk, Bedowin in donkis depe was euery sike : Ouer craggis and the frontis of rochys sere Hang grete yse-shokkillis lang as ony spere : The grund stude barrane, widderit, dosk and gray, Herbis, flouris and gerssis wallowit away : tion, and was appointed chaplain to the Duke of Lauderdale, He died at Oxford in the year 1674. (Wood, vol. iii. col. 1017.) He wasa man of literature, and published ‘“ Muszi, Moschi et Bionis, que extant omnia; quibus accessere queedam selectiora Theocriti Eidy]- lia: impressa majore charactere, sculptura adornata, Latinoque camine reddita, Grecis e regione appositis, autore Davide Whitfordo.” Lond, 1659, 4to. 1 Richard Maitland, the fourth Earl of Lauderdale, was born on the 20th of June 1653. Among other offices, he obtained that of Lord Justice-General, but all his prospects were ruined by the revolution; for he had embraced the Catholic religion, and was so weak as to follow the fortunes of King James, by whom he was very ungenerously treated during his exile. He died at Paris in the year 1695, leaving no issue by his lady, a daughter of the unfortunate Earl of Argyle. (Douglas’s Peerage of Scotland, vol. ii. p. 72. Shiels’s Lives of the Poets, vol. v. p. 143.) His trauslation of Virgil has likewise been commended by Dr. Trapp, who remarks that “he shows a true spirit, and in many places is very beautiful.” A curious notice of the noble poet may be found in Lord Fountain- hall’s Chronological Notes of Scottish Affairs, p. 215. Edinb. 1822, 4to. 2 Hume's Hist. of the Houses of Douglas and Angus, p. 220. SCOTISH POETRY. 287 Woddis, forestis with naket bewis blout Stude stripit of thare wede in euery hout: Sa bustouslie Boreas his bugill blew, The dere full derne doun in the dalis drew : Small birdis flockand throw thik ronnys thrang, In chirmynge and with cheping changit thare sang, Sekand hidlis and hirnys thame to hyde Fra ferefull thuddis of the tempestuus tyde : The wattir-lynnys rowtis, and euery lynd Quhislit and brayit of the souchand wynd : Pure lauboraris and byssy husband-men Went weet and wery, draglit in the fen. His prologues to the seventh and twelfth books display an admirable view of descriptive poetry; and they have been recommended to the English reader by the elegant version of Mr. Fawkes.’ The prologue to the supplementary book of Mapheus Vegius contains a poetical description of an evening in June. In some of these original poems, Douglas has ex- hibited occasional specimens of his talent for description ; nor did Bishop Warburton himself extract deeper mysteries from the account of Aineas’s descent to the infernal regions. He appears to have consulted the commentary of Servius and the Saturnalia of Macrobius ; among other writers of a more recent period, he refers to Boccaccio, Laurentius Valla, and Jo. Badius Ascensius ; and it may be presumed that, in the progress of his undertaking, he had recourse to many other critics and mythologists, whose names he has not thought it necessary to mention. : These are the only works of Bishop Douglas with which we are now acquainted. On concluding his translation of Virgil, he avowed a resolution to devote his future days to the service of the commonwealth and the glory of God. Now is my werk al finist and complete, Quhom Jouis yre nor fyris birnand hete, Nor trenscheand swerd sal defays nor doun thring, Nor lang proces of age, consumes all thing : Quhen that vnknawin day sal him addres Quhilk not but on this body power has, And endis the date of myne vncertane eild, The bettir part of me sal be vpheild 1 Original Poems and Translations, by Francis Fawkes, A.M., p. 225. Lond. 1761, 8vo. 288 THE HISTORY OF Aboue the sternis perpetualy to ring, And here my name remane, but emparing : Throw-out the yle yclepit Albione Red sal I be, and soung with mony one.! Thus vp my pen and instrumentis ful zore On Virgillis post I fix for euermore, Neuir from thens sic matteris to discriue : My muse sal now be clene contemplatiue, And solitare, as doith the bird in cage ; Sen fer by-worne all is my chyldis age, And of my dayis nere passit the half date, That nature suld me granting, wele I wate. Thus sen I feile doun sweyand the ballance, Here I resigne up zounkeris obseruance, And wyil direk my labouris euermoir Vnto the commoun welth and Goddis gloir. He elsewhere hints a suspicion of being too much captivated by secular learning, and too negligent of divine studies; and, to increase his apprehensions, the story of St. Jerome intrudes itself on his remembrance, Qhow he was doung and beft into his slepe, For he to Gentilis bukis gaif sic kepe. He might however have derived some consolation from recol- -lecting that, if Jerome was warned in a vision against the perusal of profane authors, Dionysius of Alexandria was ad- monished by a voice from heaven to study them without restraint.* The earliest of Douglas’s performances appears to have been a translation of Ovid De Remedio Amoris; but of this trans- 1d; amque opus exegi, quod nec Jovis ira nec ignis Nec poterit ferrum, nec edax abolere vetus- % See Dr. Middleton’s Free Inquiry, p. 106. tas. —tTyrie the Jesuit was favoured with a divine Cum volet illa dies, que nil nisi corporis vision of the same complexion. ‘‘ Nocte 2 Douglas’s Virgil, p. 451, \. 17. hujus Jus habet, incerti spatium mihi finiat avi ; Parte tamen meliore mei super alta perennis Astra ferar, nomenque erit indelebile nos- trum. Quaque patet domitis Romana potentia terris, Ore legar populi, perque omnia secula fama, Si quid habent veri vatum presagia, vivam. Ovrpr1 Metamorp. xv. 871. ‘quadam apparuit illi Sanctus P. N. Ignatius, et graviter increpitum, quod plus literis quam pietati acquirende se impenderet, paterne hortatus est ut literis quidem operam daret, sed non tanto ardore, ut spiritus exinde man- eret oppressus. Que admonitio ita infixa per totam vitam ejus inhesit memorize, ut magno ei semper stimulo fuerit ad omnem perfectionem.” (Stovelli Bibliotheca Scrip- torum Societatis Jesu, p. 390, b. Rome, 1676, fol.) SCOTISH POETRY. 289 lation no copy is known to be extant. He mentions it in the following terms :— Lo thus, followand the floure of poetry, The battellis and the man translate haue I, Quhilk zore ago in myne undantit youth, Unfructuous idilnes fleand, as I couth, Of Ovideis Lufe the Remede did translate, And syne of hie Honour the Palice wrate. Bale mentions another of his compositions under the title of “ Aurez Narrationes ;”1 which Sage supposes to be the short commentary noticed in the concluding address to Lord Sin- clair :— T haue also ane schorte commend compyld, To expone strange historiis and termes wylde ; And gif ocht lakis mare, quhen that is done, At zoure desir it sall be writtin sone. This comment, as the same biographer conjectures, may have been merely a brief explanation of the classical mythology. If we may rely on the authority of Bale and Dempster,’ he likewise composed comedies ; but both these writers are apt to multiply books as well as authors. Another biographer is in- clined to suppose that he may have written the Flowers of the Forest, a song which displays no small portion of pathetic simplicity. “It may be conjectured,” says Mr. Scott, “that he was the author of that celebrated elegiac song, which de- scribes the devastation occasioned by the battle of Flowdon, in that part of the country with which he had long been well acquainted.”* It was published by Mr. Lambe in the year 1774, and is described by him as an old Scotish song ;* and Mr. Ritson, who thought it “as sweet and natural a piece of elegiac poetry as any language can boast,” had no hesitation in believing it to have been composed immediately after the battle of Floddon-field ;° a decision which sufficiently evinces that, notwithstanding his confidence in his own judgment, and 1 Balei Scriptores Britannie, cent. xiv. 4 History of the Battle of Floddon, with p. 218. notes by Robert Lambe, Vicar of Norham- 2 Dempsteri Hist. Ecclesiast. Gent. Scotor. upon-Tweed, app. p. 129. Berwick-upon- p. 221, Tweed, 1774, 12mo. 3 J. Scott's Life of Douglas (p. xxvi.) pre- fixed to his Select Works. Perth, 1787, 12mo. 5 Ritson’s Ancient Songs, p. 117. “T 290 THE HISTORY OF his undisguised contempt for almost all his predecessors, his critical opinions on such subjects were very far from being in- fallible. According to a more authentic account, the tune and two detached verses of this song are ancient; and all the others were composed by a lady connected with the county of Roxburgh.’ The language and versification are evidently of a more recent date than the year 1513; nor could such a com- position be safely referred to any period preceding the last century. 1 Scott's Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border, to have been Jane Elliot, who was born at. vol. iii. p. 127.—This lady is elsewhere said Minto in the year 1726. SCOTISH POETRY. 291 CHAPTER XIIL A comic tale, entitled the Freirs of Berwik, and possessing a large fund of genuine humour, seems to have been composed about the period to which our researches have now descended. Mr. Pinkerton supposes it to have been written by Dunbar ; but this opinion is founded on no historical evidence, nor can the internal evidence of style and manner be considered as very striking or satisfactory. “ But this tale,” he remarks, “cannot at any rate be above thirteen years later than Dunbar, who must have died about 1525. In 1482, Berwick was wrested from Scotland, and was ever after in the possession of the Eng- lish. Now this poem speaks of all the monasteries as actually standing and flourishing while it was written; and it is well known that in 1535, Henry vil. suppressed the lesser monas- teries, and in 1539, the greater. It follows that this tale must, at all events, have been written before 1539.”1 The poet’s description of Berwick, with its castle, monasteries, and other public buildings, is contained in the subsequent lines :— As it befell, and hapint upon deid, Upon ane rever the quhilk is callit Tweid : At Tweidis mouth thair stands ane noble toun, Quhair mony lords hes bene of grit renoune, And mony wourthy ladeis fair of face, Quhair mony fresche lusty galand was. Into this toune, the quhilk is callit Berwik, Apon the sey, thair standis nane it lyk, For it is wallit weill about with stane, And dowbil stankis castin mony ane. And syne the castell is so strang and wicht, With staitelie towrs, and turrats hé on hicht, 1 Pinkerton’s Ancient Scotish Poems, vol. ii. p. 394. 292 THE HISTORY OF With kirnalis wrocht craftelie with-all ; The portculis most subtellie to fall, Quhen that thame list to draw thame upon hicht, That it may be into na mannis micht, To win that hous by craft or subtiltie. Thairto it is maist fair alluterrlie ; Into my tyme, quhairever I have bein, Most fair, most gudelie, most plesand to be sene : The toun, the castel, and the plesand land, The sea wallis upon the uther hand, The grit Croce kirk, and eik the Masondew ;1 The freirs of Jacobinis, quhyt of hew, The Carmelites, Augustins, Minors eik, The four ordours of freiris war nocht to seik.? From the conclusion of this passage it is easy to perceive that the poet, whoever he may have been, does not speak of the monasteries of Berwick as actually flourishing when he com- posed his tale: what he avers is merely this ; when the adven- tures took place, friars of these different orders were not to seek, but were dwelling in the town. It is therefore evident that this chronological argument is by no means satisfactory, and that the tale may have been written after the suppression of the English monasteries. Allan and Robert, two White or Jacobine friars of Berwick, returning from a visit to some of their brethren in the country, are overtaken by the twilight, and stop at the house of Simon Lauder, a gay ostleir or innkeeper. They begin to make toler- able cheer, and linger till the gates of the abbey. are closed :— The freirs woxe blyth, and mirrie tales culd tell, And ewin so thai hard the prayar bell Of that abbay ; and than thai war agast, Becaus thai wist the yetts war lokit fast, 1 Masondew is evidently a corruption of Maison de Dieu, which signifies an hospital. An account of Berwick was published by a physician, who long resided in it; but here the reader will search in vain for its ecclesi- astical antiquities. (Fuller's Hist. of Ber- wick-upon-Tweed, Edinb. 1799, 8vo.) 2? In quoting the Freirs of Berwik, I have chiefly adhered to the edition which occurs among the Maitland Poems, but have bor- rowed several readings from Bannatyne’s Ms. Of this poem there were at least two early editions, but all the copies seem to have perished. At the end of his edition of the Priests of Peblis, Robert Charteris acquaints the reader that he has “ printit sindrie uther delectabill discourses undernamit, sic as are David Lindesayes Play, Philotus, Freirs of Berwick, and Bilbo.” In 1622, ‘‘ The merie Historie of the thrie Freirs of Berwick” was printed at Aberdeen by Edward Raban. (Pin- kerton’s List of the Scotish Poets, p. ci.) Bilbo is a production altogether unknown. bo co eo SCOTISH POETRY. That thai micht nocht fra thyn get enterie : The gudwyf than thai pray, for charité, To grant thame harborie thair for that nicht. Dame Alesoun, however, protests that a regard for her reputa- tion will not suffer her to harbour friars during her husband’s absence ; but Allan, whose age and infirmities render him unwilling to venture abroad at so late an hour, persists in his entreaties, and at length makes some impression on the hostess. “The gudwyf luikit at the freyris tuay.” She declares that the only bed she can promise them is a truss of straw in the barn : they gladly accept even of this accommodation ; with manifest impatience she urges them to retire, and they accordingly take refuge in the hay-loft. Freyr Allane liggis doun as he best micht : Freyr Robert sayd, “I oucht to walk this nicht ; Quha wait perchance sum sport I may espy ?” Thus in the loft I lat the freyris ly, And of this fayr wyff I will tellyne mair. Scho was full blyth that thai war closin thair, For sho had mace ane tryst, that samyn nicht, Freyr Johne hir luffis supper for to dicht, Thairfoir scho wald nane uther cumpany, Becaus Freyr Johne all nicht with hir wald ly ; Quhilk duelland was within that nobill toun ; Ane gray freyr he was of greit renoun. He governit all the haly abbasy ; Silver and gold he had aboundantlie. He had ane previe postroun of his awin, That he micht usché, quhen him list, unknawin. Thus in the toun I will him leven still, Bydand his tyme ; and turne agane I will To this fayr wyf, how scho the fyre culd beit : Scho thrangis on fat capouns on the speit ; And fat cunyngs to the fyre can lay, And bade hir madin, in all haste scho may, To flame, and turne, and tost thame tendyrlie ; Syn till hir chalmer scho is went in hie. Scho castis on ane kirtil of fyne reid, Ane quhyte curchey scho cast upon hir heid. Hir kyrtil belt was silk and silver fyne, With ane proud purs, and keyis gingling syne, On ilkane fyngar scho wars ringis tuo : Scho was als pround as ony papingo. 294 THE HISTORY OF And of ane burde of silk, richt costlie grein, Hir tusché was, with silver weil besene. And but scho come into the hall anone, And syn scho went to se gif ony come. And ewin so Freyr Johne knokt at the yet, His knok scho knew, and in scho culd him lat. She welcomes this Franciscan friar with sufficient cordiality, and they proceed to caress each other without reserve.’ In the mean- time, Robert, a young and sly brother, is not much inclined to sleep ; he suspects there must be some very particular reason for excluding them; and having with the help of his bodkin, made a hole in the thin partition which separates the barn from the dwelling-house, he amuses himself with observing their motions. Their supper is by no means despicable ; for Alesoun furnishes rabbits, capons, and wild-fowl, in addition to the store provided by the amorous friar, which consists of a couple of partridges, with plenty of claret and bread of main; but it is scarcely placed on the table when they are alarmed by the unexpected arrival of the husband, who loudly knocks and calls at the gate. Friar John is thrown into a state of no small tre- pidation, and, as he finds it impossible to escape, is fain to shel- ter himself under a large kneading-trough : Alesoun orders her maid to remove every vestige of the supper, and hastens to bed, when Simon, wearied with calling to his faithful wife, comes round to the window of her bed-chamber, and at length gains admittance. He sits down to a tolerable supper, and begins to wish for some good companion -— He sittis doun, and sweiris, “Be Allhallow, I fayr richt weill, had I but ane gud fallow.” 1 Mneas Sylvius, afterwards known by the vacet, quale apud Scotos : namapud nos rarius name of Pius the Second, made the following remarks on the people of Scotland :—‘‘ Viros statura parvos, et audaces, feminas albas, et venustas, atque in venerem proclives: basa- tiones feminarum minoris illic esse, quam manus in Italia tractationes.” (Commentarii Rerum memorabilium que Temporibus suis contigerunt, p. 4, edit. France, 1614, fol.) 2 Cardan, who had himself visited Scotland, has commemorated the exemplary hospitality of the natives:—‘‘ Est vero inter amicitiz feedera non vulgare, hospitii jus quod invidia est, et omnes jam ad cauponas divertunt. Ar- gumcntum id est, nos factos deteriores ma- joribus nostris.” (De Utilitate ex Adversis capienda, p. 41.) This singular person had been invited to Scotland by Archbishop Hamilton ; who endeavoured by the tempta- tion of an ample stipend, to retain him as his domestic physician. (Cardanus de propria Vita, p. 193, edit. Nandi.) Cardan has pre- served a letter of the archbishop, written in Latin, and dated at Edinburgh, on the 4th of February 1552. (Liber de Libris propriis, p. 176. Lad. 1557, 8vo.) SCOTISH POETRY. 295 Dame eit with me, and drink gif that ye may.” The gudwyf answert meiklie, “ Hop I nay. It war mair tyme into your bed to be, Than now to sit desyrand cumpanie.” The freyris tua, that in the loft can ly, They hard him weill desyrand cumpany. Freyr Robert said, “ Allane, gud brother deir, I wald the gudman wist that we war heir. Quha wait perchance the better we may fayr ? For sickerlie my hart will ewir be sair Gif yon scheip’s heid with Symon birneist be, And thair so gud meit in yon almorie.” And with that wourd he gave ane hoist anone. The gudman heird, and speirit, “Quha is yon? Methink that thair is men into yon loft.” The gudwyf answerit with wourdis soft, “Yon are your awin freyris brether tuay.” “T pray the, dame, tell me what freyrs are thay?” “Yon is Freyr Robert, and sillie Freyr Allane, That all this day has gane with meikle pane. Be thay war hier it was sa verray lait, Houris was roung, and closit was the yet, And in yon loft I gave thame harborye.” The gudman said, “Sa God have part of me, Thay freiris, tua ar hartlie wylcum hidder ; Gar call thame doun, that we may drink togidder.” The gudwyf said, “I reid yow lat thame ly : Thay had lever sleip nor be in laudery. To drink and dot, it ganis nocht for thame.” “Lat be, fair dame ; thay wourdis are in vane : I will thame have, be Goddis dignité ; Mak no delay, bot bring thame doun to me.” Allan and Robert accordingly descend from the hay-loft, and meet their jolly host with due cordiality. When Allan begins to commend the fare, Simon protests that he would give a golden crown for something more suitable to his wishes ; Robert, who had cast a wistful eye on the supper intended for the grey- friar, undertakes to procure, by the aid of a certain art which he had acquired at Paris, a richer supply of provisions, with wine of Gascony ; and the mention of such a power, whether science, necromancy, or art, excites the eager curiosity of Simon :— Than Symon said, “ Freyr Robert, I yow pray, For my saik that science ye wald assay, 296 THE HISTORY OF To mak us sport.” And than the freyr uprais, And tuke his buik, and to the flure he gayis, And turnis our, and reidis on ane space ; And in the eist he turnit ewin his face, And maid ane croce ; and than the freyr cuth lout, And in the west he turnit him ewin about, Than in the north he turnt, and lowtit doun, And tuke his buke and said ane orisone ; And ay his e was on the almerie, And on the trouche, quhar that the freyr euth ly. He sit him doun and kaist abak his heid, He girnt, he glourt, he gapt as he war weid, And quhylum sat still in ane studying, And quhylum on his buik he was reyding, And quhylum bayth his handis he wald clap, And uther quhyls he wald bayth glour and gaip ; And on this wyse he yeid the hous about, Weil twys or thrys ; and ay the freyr cuth lout Quhen that he came ocht neir the almerye— Thairat our dame had wounder grit invy. After his spells have arrived at the proper point, he commands Alesoun to open the cupboard, and to display the dainty cheer which his art has procured. The artful hostess, who strongly suspects the real origin of his magic, makes a virtue of neces- sity, and, with pretended astonishment, produces the supper and wine which she had destined for her favourite friar. Simon was not a little surprised at the effects of Friar Robert's en- chantments, but has no hesitation in partaking of the comfort- able cheer which he has thus provided. After they have regaled themselves during the greater part of the night, Simon cannot refrain from alluding to the wonderful science of his guest ; and the roguish friar promises to gratify his curiosity so far as to conjure up his ministering spirit, but not in his proper form :-- Freyr Robert said, “Sen that your will is so, Tell onto me, withouttin wourdis mo, Into quhat stait ye list that he appeir.” Than Symon said, “In lyknes of ane freyr, In quhyte habite, sic as yourself can weir ; For colour quhyt it will to no man deir, And ewill spreitts quhyte colour ay will fle.” Freyr Robert said, “I say it may nocht he, SCOTISH POETRY. 297 That he appeir intil our habite quhyt ; For till our ordour it war grit dispyt, That ony sic unwourthy wicht as he Into our habite ony man suld se. Bot sen it plesis yow that now is here, Ye sall him se in lyknes of ane freyr, In gray habite, as is his kynd to weir, Into sic wys that he sall no man deir, Sua that ye do as I sall you devys, To hald you clois, and rewle you on this wys ; Quhat sua it be that outher ye se or heir Ye speik nothing, nor yit ye mak no steir, Bot hald ye clois quhil I have done my cuir. And, Symon, ye man be upo the flure Neir besyd me ; I sall be your warrand, Have ye no dreid, bot still be me ye stand.” Than Symon said, “TI consent it be sua.” Than up he stert, and tuik ane libberlay Intill his hand, and on the flure he stert, Sumthing effrayt, thoch stalwart was his hart. Friar Robert, unwilling to expose the holy culprit to utter dis- grace, conducts his operations in such a manner as to suffer him to escape without detection, but not without a little wholesome castigation. Resuming his book, and turning towards the kneading-trough, he thus addresses the reputed spirit :— “ How, Hurlbasie ! anone I conjure thee, That up thow ryse, and syne to us appeir In gray habite in lyknes of ane freyr. Out fra the trouche, quhair that thow can ly, Thow rax thee sone, and mak us na tary : Thow turne our the trouche, that we may see, And syn till us thow schaw thé openlie ; And in this place se na man that thow greif, Bot draw thy handis bayth into thy sleif, And pow thy cowl down owttour thy face, For thow sall byd na langar in this place.” With that the freyr under the trouche that lay, No wounder thoch his hart was in effray : Than off the trouche he tumblit sone anone, And to the dure he schapis him to gone, With ewill cheyr and dreyrie countynance, For never befoir him happint sic ane chance. Bot quhen Freyr Robert him saw gangand by, Than on Symon he cryis hastelie, 298 THE HISTORY OF “ Stryk hardelie, for now is tyme to the.” With that Symon ane felloun flap leit flie ; With his burdoun he hit him in the nek, He was so fers he fell attour ane fek, And brak his heid upon the mustarde stone. Be that the freyr attour the stair was gone, In sic ane wys he missit hes the trap, He fell in ane meikil myre, as wes his hap, Was fourtie fute on breid, under the stayr, And thus his pairt was nathing wounder fayr Into that tyme, considdering how it stude. Out of the myre full smertlie at he woude, And on the wall he clame full haistely, Was maid about, and all with stanis dry, And of that ’schape in hart he wes full fane ; Now he sall be richt layth to come agane. Every reader acquainted with the poems of Allan Ramsay must here recognise the original of the Monk and the Miller’s Wife; and I will venture to add that the ancient is greatly superior to the modern tale. Ramsay’s tale, says Lord Wood- houselee, “ would of itself be his passport to immortality, as a comic poet. In this capacity he might enter the lists with Chaucer and Boccaccio, with no great risk of discomfiture. Though far their inferior in acquired address, his native strength was perhaps not widely disproportionate. Of this admirable tale, I conceive he has the merit of the invention; as the story is not to be found in any of the older writers, as Sachetti, Boc- caccio, or in the Cento Novelle antiche. In a few circumstances there is indeed a small resemblance to the 73d of the Cent nowvelles Nouvelles, entitled ‘L’Oiseau en la Cage,’ which barely affords a presumption that Ramsay may have read that story ; put in all the material circumstances, his Monk and the Miller’s Wife is original. The earliest Scotish poets who are mentioned by name as having versified a portion of the Psalms, are John and Robert Wedderburn : their father was a merchant in Dundee; and their elder brother James will afterwards be commemorated as a dramatic poet. John Wed- derburn having embraced the doctrine of the Reformers, was persecuted as a heretic, and made his escape to Germany ; from whence he ventured to return to Scotland after the death of James the Fifth, but was again driven from his native country, and having sought refuge in England, he died there in the year 1556.4 Robert Wedderburn was vicar of Dundee: having resorted to Paris, he there associated with the reformers ; and after the death of Cardinal Beaton, he returned to Scotland. We are informed by Calderwood that “he turned the tunes and tenour of many profane ballads into godlie songs and answer to the beginning of the second stanza 1 Catalogus Librorum Manuscriptorum quos Collegio Corporis Christi in Academia Cantabrigiensi legavit Mattheeus Parker, Ar- chiepiscopus Cantuariensis, edidit Jacobus Nasmith, A.M., p. 318. Cantab. 1777, 4to. 2 Knox’s Hist. of the Reformatioun, p. 49, edit. Edinb. 1732, fol.—Dr. M‘Crie has re- marked that the two lines quoted by Knox of the fifty-first psalm, inserted in the Booke of Godly Songs. (Life of Knox, vol. i. p. 364, 4th edit.) 3 Knox’s Hist. of the Reformatioun, p. 96. 4 Cursory Remarks on ane Booke of Godly Songs, p. 35. M‘Crie’s Life of Knox, vol. ii. p. 440. 384 THE HISTORY OF hymnes, which were called the Psalmes of Dundie ; whereby he stirred up the affections of many.” His brother John had likewise exercised his talents in the same manner; and it is highly probable that many of their compositions are preserved in a singular collection, entitled “Ane compendious Booke of godly and spirituall Songs.” This collection contains a metri- cal version of various psalms, with a much larger number of original poems, fully corresponding to the description given by Calderwood. It is not improbable that these poems were composed by various authors, and that some of them were even composed by Catholics. The last poem in the volume bears the name of James the First. After a short introduction in prose, the poetical part of the volume is preceded by the following rubric: “Heir followis the Catechisme put in meter, to be sung with the tune, and first the ten Commandis.” This paraphrase of the Ten Com- mandments begins with the following stanzas :— Moyses vpon Mount Sinay With the grit God spake face to face, Fastand and prayand but delay, The tyme of fourtie dayis space. O God be mercifull to vs. And God gaif him thir ten commandis, To teach to mankynd euery ane, And wraite them with his awin handis Twyse on twa tablis made of stane. O God be mercifull to vs. . Tam thy God allanerly, Serue me in feir and faith thairfoir, Wirschip na kynd of imagery, And geue na creature my gloir. O God be mercifull to vs. 1 Ane compendiovs Booke of Godly and Spiritvall Songs, collectit out of sundrie partes of the Scripture, with sundrie of other Ballates changed out of prophaine Sangis, for avoyding of sinne and harlotrie, with aug- mentation of sundrie gude and godly Bal- lates, not contained in the first Bdition. Newlie corrected and amended by the first originall Copie. Edinburgh, printed by Andro Hart, 1621, 8vo.—Of this very rare volume there is a copy in the Advocates’ Library. The first edition, which I have not seen, was printed at Edinburgh in the year 1597. (Her- bert’s Typographical Antiquities, vol. iii. p. 1519.) Lord Hailes published ‘A Speci- men of a Book, intituled, Ane compendious Booke of Godly and Spiritual Sangs.” Edinb. 1765, 8vo. And the entire collection is in- serted in a book entitled ‘‘Scotish Poems of the sixteenth Century.” Edinb. 1801, 2 vols. 12mo. SCOTISH POETRY. 385 Take nocht the name of God in vaine, Bot lat your talke be nay and ye, Except ane judge do yow constraine To testifie the veritie. O God be mercifull to vs. Work na euill wark on haly day, Fle from all filthie lust and sleuth, Walk and be sober, fast and pray, Heir him that preiche the word of treuth. O God be mercifull to vs. The Creed and the Lord’s Prayer are paraphrased in a similar manner. The version of this prayer contains an expression relative to the Lollards, which it is not easy to reconcile with the supposition of its having proceeded from one of the reformed poets. Defend vs frome temptatioun, The feind and his vexatioun, The warld sa fals, the fragill flesche ; Saif vs frome schame and from dispair, From vnbeleue and Lollareis lair, And deuillis doctrine mair and les. The sacraments are afterwards discussed in two different poems; which are succeeded by “certane Graces to be sung or said befoir meit, or efter,” and by various spiritual songs, among which is a dialogue between the flesh and the spirit. In due time, “followis the Forlorne Sone, as it is writtin in the 15 chap. of Sainct Luc.” The parable of the prodigal son, as the subsequent quotation will sufficiently evince, is here detailed with abundant simplicity :—- And kindlie to them can he say, Ye bring me furth the best cleithing, And cleith my sone courtlie and gay, And on his finger ye put ane ring, Ye set on schone vpon his feit, The quhilk ar trim and wonder meit, That he be honest in all thing. And slay that calf quhilk now is maid Sa fat, and lat vs mak gude cheir ; For this my sone, the quhilk now was deid, Agane on life is haill and feir ; 2B 386 THE HISTORY OF My son was lost, and now is found. And they within a lytill stound Began to mirrie be but weir. The eldest to the feild was gone, And quhen that he hame command was, And hard the menstrallie anone, The dansing, and the greit blithnes, Ane of his seruandis he did call, And said to him, quhat menis all This glaidnes and this merynes. Than answeret he, and said him till, Thy brother is cum home againe, Thairfoir his father hes gart kill His weill fed calf, and is full faine That saif ressauit him hes he. The eldest wraith was and angrie, And yeid not in throw greit disdaine. In a similar strain, “ followis ane Sang of the rich Glutton and pure Lazarus ;” and after a song on the passion of Christ, and another on the effects of the gospel-dispensation, “ followis ane Sang of the Birth of Christ; with the tune of Baw lulalaw.” Various “ Ballatis of the Scripture” are next introduced; and “heir endes the spirituall Sangs, and begins the Psalmes of Dauid, with others new pleasant Ballates, translated out of Enchiridion Psalmorum, to bee sung.” These psalms, nineteen in number, are generally translated in a paraphrastic manner, and much elegance is not to be expected. The version of the ninety-first may be produced as a favourable specimen. Quha on the hiest will depend, And in his secret help sall traist, Almighty God sall him defend, And guide him with his haly gaist. Therefore with mind ripe and digest, Thow say to God, my trew releue, My hope, my God of mightis maist, Only in him I will beleue. He sall deliuer thee at need; And saue thy life from pestilence : His wings are thy werely weed, Tis pens are thy strang defence ; SCOTISH POETRY. 387 And thou sall haue experience, That his trew promeis is thy sheild, His word of great magnificence, Sall be thy bucklar and thy beild. Na wicked sprit sall thee affray, Nor thee delude into the night ; The fleeand darts be the day To trouble thee sall haue na might : No sudden chance of vncouth slight Sall cummer thee nor made thee red, Nor thee perturbe in mirk nor light, But from all plague thou sall be fred. And thou sall see at thy left hand A thowsand haue a sudden fall ; And als thow sall see ten thousand, At thy right hand whilk perish sall ; Yet noght to thee sall cum at all, Bot thou sall with thine eine behald Sinners put fra memoriall With plagues greit and monifald. O Lord, my hope and all my grace, Thow saif me for thy greit mercie. The gyrth is set in sicker place, For he sall saif thee michtfully, And na mischance shall cum to thee, Nor malady shall thee molest, Na misfortune thy house sall see, But all things wirk sall for the best. His angels he sall giue ane charge, That they on thee sall take the cure, In all thy wayes to be ane targe, To keip thee from misauenture ; And with their hands they sall thee sure, That thou hurt not agains ane craige Thy fute, but sall preserue thee sure From perils, pains, and from the plague. Thow sall strampe on the edders stang, And tred on the cruell cockatrice, The lyons craig thow sall ouergang, The dreidfull dragon thow sall chace, Sen thow me traistis in all cace, Sayis God, I sall saue thee fra all shame, And thee defend in every place, For cause thow knaws my godly name. 388 THE HISTORY OF Quhen thow sall call, I sall thee heir, And in distres sall be with thee, — I sall restoir thee haill and feir, And als I sall thee magnifie. With lang life doutet sall thow be, And at thy last I sall thee bring Quhair thow eternal gloir sall see Or euermoir with me to ring. The psalms are succeeded by a large collection of spiritual songs, many of which are not a little curious. “It is a received tradition in Scotland,” says Bishop Percy, “that at the time of the Reformation, ridiculous and obscene songs were composed to be sung by the rabble to the tunes of the most favourite hymns in the Latin service. Green sleeves and pudding pies’ (designed to ridicule the popish clergy) is said to have been one of these metamorphosed hymns: Maggy Lauder was another ; John Anderson, my jo, was a third. The original music of all these burlesque sonnets was very fine.”” This was one mode of exer- cising their poetical talents, and another consisted in endea- vouring to supplant ridiculous and obscene songs by adapting pious words to the same tunes.? Of the spiritual songs which occur in this collection, the profane tunes can frequently be recognised : the first lines and the burdens of many songs or ballads which were then current, are still retained. This re- mark will be sufficiently confirmed by the subsequent quota- tions :— Quho is at my windo, who, who ? Goe from my windo, goe, goe. Quha calles thare, so like ane stranger ? Goe from my window, goe. Intill ane mirthfull May morning, Quhen Phebus vp did spring, Waking I lay in ane garding gay, Thinkand on Christ sa free, 1 “But they do no more keep place toge- ther than the hundredth psalm to the tune of Green Sleeves.” (Shakspeare’s Merry Wives of Windsor, act ii. sc. i.) Mr. Steevens re- marks that this song was entered in the books of the Stationers’ Company in September 1580: ‘Licensed unto Richard Jones, a newe northerne dittye of the Lady Green Sleeves.” 2 Percy's Reliques, vol. ii. p. 131. 3 « But one Puritan amongst them, and he sings psalms to hornpipes.” (Shakspeare’s Winter's Tale, act. iv. sc. ii.) This, says Mr. Douce, is “an allusion to a practice, common at this time among the Puritans, of burlesqu- ing the plein chant of the Papists, by adapt- ing vulgar and ludicrous music to psalms and pious compositions.” (Illustrations of Shak- speare, vol. i. p. 355.) SCOTISH POETRY. 389 Quhilk meikly for mankind Tholit to be pynd On croce cruelly, la, la. ‘My lufe murnis for me, for me, My lufe that murnis for me : I am not kinde, hes not in mind My lufe that murnis for me. The Lord sayes, I will shaw My will and eike my minde : Marke well my scripture and my law, Wherein that thou sall finde, That with my faith I make ane vow And knittes it with ane knot: The trueth is so, I loue thee now, Be war I hate thee not. Johne, cum kis me now, Johne, cum kis me now, Johne, cum kis me by and by, And make no more adow. The wind blawis cald, furious and bald This lang and mony day: But Christs mercy we mon all die, Or keep the cald wind away. With hunts vp, with huntis vp, It is now perfite day : Jesus our king is gane in hunting, Quha likes to speed, they may. The air of the composition from which this last stanza is quoted, seems to have been very popular before the era of the Reforma- tion : it is thus mentioned in one of the fables of Henryson :— The cadgear sang, Hunts vp, vp vpon hie.! The spiritual scion is on some occasions very rudely engrafted 1 Henryson’s Fables, p. 68. Edinb. 1621, Svo. See the notes of Steevens, Ritson, and Malone, on Shakspeare, vol. vi. p. 163, edit. 1821, and Douce’s Illustrations of Shakspeare, vol. ii. p. 191. Various allusions to this tune are to be found in the early Scotish poets. In May gois gallandis bringin symmer, And trymly occupyis thair tymmer, With Hunts vp every morning plaid. Scort’s Poems, p. 27. Now who shall play The Day it daws, Or Hunt wp when the cock he craws? Sempre’s Piper of Kilbarchan. Courage to give was mightilie then blown Saint Johnstons huntsup, since most famous known By all musitians, when they sweetlie sing With heavenly voice and well concording string. ADAMSON'S Muses Threnodie, p. 57. 390 THE HISTORY OF on the profane stock ; and the nakedness of many expressions can only be palliated by the general simplicity of the age to which they belong. In the midst of these pious prolusions, satirical animadversion is by no means neglected: a singular specimen is to be found in a song against the pope and his re- tainers ; and notwithstanding the excessive plainness of the language, I venture, though certainly not without considerable hesitation, to quote the following stanzas on account of their quaint and characteristic vein :— The sisters gray before this day Did crune within their closter : They feeit a frier their keyis to beir, The feind ressaue the foster ; Syne in the mirk he weill culd wirk, And kittill them wantonly. Hay trix, trim goe trix vnder the greene-wod-tree. The blind bishop he could not preich, For playing with the lassis : The silly frier behuifit to fleech For almous that he assis ; The curat his creid he could not reid, Shame fall the cumpany. Hay trix, trim goe trix vnder the greene-wod-tree. The bishop wald not wed ane wife, The abbot not perseu ane, Thinkand it was ane lustie life, ik day to haue ane new ane, In every place an vncouth face His lust to satisfie. Hay trix, trim goe trix vnder the greene-wod-tree. The parson wald nocht haue an hure, But twa, and they were bony ; The viccar, thoght he was pure, Behuifit to haue as mony ; The parish priest, that brutal beist, He polit them wantonly. Hay trix, trim goe trix vnder the greene-wod-tree. Of Scotland well the friers of Faill,? The limmery lang hes lastit : 1 Faill, in the district of Kyle, was a priory wood’s Account of the Religious Houses in dependent on the abbey of Paisley. (Spotis- Scotland, p. 413, Russell’s edit.) The old SCOTISH POETRY. 391 The monks of Melros made gude kaill On Fryday quhen they fastit. The silly nunnis cast vp their bunnis, And heisit their hippes on hie. Hay trix, trim goe trix vnder the greene-wod-tree. It is not surprising that the church should be considered as in danger from such attacks; but it was not to be expected that an opulent and powerful body of churchmen were to be induced to support the real dignity of their order by reviewing their doubtful doctrines, or amending their profligate lives. In such cases, it is the usual practice to commend whatever has been censured, to extol the wisdom of our ancestors, and to supply any deficiencies of logie by arguments of another kind. The wisdom of our ancestors, it may at any particular era be affirmed, has not been more conspicuous than their folly; and it would be of some consequence to ascertain within what specific period the range of their wisdom has been most manifest! But when the church is defended by secular weapons, other arguments are more apt to be disregarded. The provincial council, con- voked by Archbishop Hamilton in 1549, enjoined every ordi- nary to make diligent inquiry within his diocese whether any person had in his possession certain books of rhymes of vulgar songs, containing scandalous reflections on the clergy, together with other heretical matter; and the reading or the retaining of such dangerous books was to be punished according to the tenor of certain acts of parliament, which are not particularly specified.” The acts which they apparently thought sufficient for their purpose, were passed in the years 1525 and 1535, and provide for the punishment of those who may progagate the heterodox opinions maintained by Luther and his followers.’ To treat the clergy with disrespect, will sometimes be regarded as the worst species of heresy; and this was doubtless the opinion entertained by the Archbishop of St. Andrews, and by poet mentions it as a favourite resort of 1 TG wh por marépas Tod’ duoln evOeo Thomas of Erceldoune :— TYLA. Thomas Rimour in-to the Faile was than, Homer, Iliad, lib. iv. 410. With the mynystir, quhilk was a worthi 2 Wilkins’ Concilia Magne Britanniz, vol. man. iv. p. 58. He wsyt offt to that religiouss place. 3 Acts of the Parliaments of Scotland, Henry's Wallace, p. 23. vol. ii. pp. 295, 341. 392 THE HISTORY OF most of the bishops, abbots, and priors of his province. But it is supposed that Hamilton afterwards perceived their interpre- tation of this statute was liable to strong objections, and in the year 1551, procured the enactment of another statute more suitable to his purpose." The version of the Psalms first adopted by the Church of Scotland was that begun by Thomas Sternhold, groom of the robes to Henry the Eighth. He died in 1549, and his version of fifty-one psalms was published before the close of that year : the work was afterwards completed by John Hopkins, with the aid of other English versifiers; and having received all the necessary additions was printed in 1562, and, for the first time conjoined with the book of common prayer. The general as- sembly which convened at Edinburgh in the month of Decem- ber of the same year, advanced to Robert Lekprevick the sum of two hundred pounds “for printing of the Psalmes;” and after an interval of two years, the book must have been ready for circulation, as every minister, exhorter, and reader was then enjoined to provide himself with a copy.” For this Sco- tish psalter, twenty psalms “were metrified by two indivi- duals ; six by Robert Pont, minister of St Cuthbert’s,? and the 1 «That na prentar presume, attempt, or tak vpone hand to prent ony bukis, sangis, blasphematiounis, rymis, or tragedeis, outher in Latine or Inglis toung in ony tymes tocum, vnto the tyme the samin be sene, vewit, and examit be sum wyse and discreit persounis depute thairto be the ordinaris quhatsum- euer, and thairefter ane licence had and ob- tenit fra our Seuerane Lady and my Lord Gouernour for imprenting of sie bukis vnder the pane of confiscatioun of all the prentaris gudis, and banissing him of the realme for euer.” (Acts of the Parliaments of Scotland, vol. ii. p. 489.) 2 Tam not aware that any copy of this earliest edition has been preserved. Some of the subsequent editions I shall here enu- merate. Edinb. R. Lekprevik, 1565, Svo. Edinb. T. Bassandyne, 1575, 8vo. Edinb. T. Bassandyne, 1578, Svo. Lond. J. Vau- troullier, 1587, Svo. Middelbvrgh, Richard Schilders, 1594, 8vo. Edinb. H. Charteris, 1594, 8vo, Edinb. H. Charteris, 1595, 8vo. Dort, Is. Canin, 1601, 8vo. Edinb. A. Hart, 1611, 8vo. Edinb. A. Hart, 1615, 8vo, Aberd. E. Raban, 1633, 8vo. Edinb. Heires of A. Hart, 1635, 8vo. In some of these editions, the initials of the contributors’ names are omitted. 3 Robert Pont, the son-in-law of Knox, died in 1608 in the eighty-first year of his age. (M‘Crie’s Life of Knox, vol. ii. p. 349.) In 1575, he had been appointed a lord of session, by the title of Provost of Trinity College ; and he resigned his seat in 1584, when an act of parliament prohibited the clergy from following the profession of the law. He is the author of the subsequent publications. Parovs Catechismus, quo examinari possunt juniores qui ad sacram Coenam admittuntur: carmine iambico, per R. P. Andreapoli, ex- cudebat R. Lekprevik, 1578, 8vo. Against Sacrilege, three Sermons. Edinb. 1599, 8vo. A newe Treatise of the right Reckoning of Yeares, and Ages of the World, and Mens Liues, and of the Estate of the last decaying Age thereof. Edinb. 1599, 4to. De Unione Britannie, sue de Regnorum Anglie et Seotie, omniumque adjacentium Insularum Britannicarum in unam Monarchiam Con- solidatione, deque multiplici ejus Unionis Utilitate, Dialogus, per R. B. Edinb. 1604, Svo. De Sabbaticorum Annorum Periodis, SCOTISH POETRY. 393 rest by some nameless labourer, who is designated by the initials J.C. William Kethe, who appears among the coadju- tors of Sternhold and Hopkins, has been represented as a native of Scotland! The name seems to betray a Scotish origin, and he had some connexion with John Knox; but these are per- haps the only circumstances on which the opinion is founded. He was among the English exiles at Frankfort during Queen Mary’s persecution, and is supposed to be the same person who about the year 1570 wrote “A Perspective, with the Prayer of Daniel in metre; to the Nobles in England.” He appears to have been a clergyman, and is recognised as the author of some other metrical reliques.? As a specimen of the Scotish part of this psalter, I shall present the reader with Pont’s version of the seventy-sixth psalm :— In Jurie land God is wel known, Tn Israel great is his name. He chose out Salem for his owne, His tabernacle of great fame Therein to raise, and mount Sion To make his habitation, And residence within the same.® There did he break the bowmens shafts, Their fierie darts so swift of flight, Their shields, their swords, and al their crafts Of war, when they were bound to fight. More excellent and more mightie Art thou therefore then mountains hie Of rauenous wolues void of all right. The stout hearted were made a prey, A sudden sleep did them confound ; And all the strong men in that fray Their feeble hands they haue not found. At thy rebuke, O Jaakob’s God, Horses with chariots ouer-trod, As with dead sleep were cast to ground. chronologica, a Mundi Exordio ad nostra pression was not without considerable diffi- usque Secula et porro, Digestio. Lond. culty excluded from English poetry :— 1619, 4to. Ah! spare your swords, where beauty is 1 Warton’s Hist. of English Poetry, vol. iv. to blame ; p. 244, Love gave th’ affront, and must repair the 2 Ritson’s Bibliographia Poetica, p. 262. sine. 3 This very convenient and very flat ex- WALLER’s Poems, p. 2. 394 THE HISTORY OF Fearefull art thou, O Lord our guide, Yea, thou alone ; and who is he That in thy presence may abide, If once thine anger kindled bee ? Thow makest men from heaven to heare Thy judgements just, the earth for feare Stilled with silence then wee see. When thou, O Lord, begin’st to rise, Sentence to giue as iudge of all, And in the earth doest enterprise To ridde the humble out of thrall, Certes the rage of mortall men Shall be thy praise ; the remnant then Of their furie thow bind’st withall. Vow, and perform your vowes therfore Vuto the Lord your God, all yee That round about him dwell, adore This fearefull one with offrings free, Who may cut off at his vintage The breath of princes in their rage ; To earthlie kings fearefull is hee. In enumerating the poets of this period, we must not omit the name of Alexander Cunningham, Earl of Glencairn, one of the chief instruments of the Reformation, which he greatly pro- moted by his personal influence, and which he likewise endea- voured to promote by his poetical talents. He and his father were among those individuals of rank and distinction who first avowed their attachment to this cause. He bore a principal command in the army which took the field against Queen Mary in the year 1567; and when she was conveyed to the castle of Lochleven, his zeal prompted him to remove from the Chapel- Royal of Holyrood-house what he perhaps considered as rem- nants of idolatry ; attended by a body of his retainers, he tore down the pictures, and demolished the altar and the images. He died in the year 1574.1 Knox has inserted in his history a satirical effusion of this nobleman, under the title of “Ane Epistill direct fra the halie Hermeit of Alareit, to his Brethren the Gray Freirs.” Thomas, the hermit of Loretto, admonishes his brethren that a new degree of vigilance is now required on 1 Douglas’s Peerage of Scotland, vol. i. p. 635. ames SCOTISH POETRY. 395 account of the Lutherans, who assiduously read the New Testa- ment in English, and daily persecute the order of Franciscans, using such blasphemies as these :— Sayand that we ar heretyckis, And false loud lying mastiis tykes, Cumerars and quellars of Christis kirk, Sweir swongeors that will not wirk, Bot idillie our leving wynis, Devoiring woilfis into scheipis skynis, Huirkland with huidis into our neck, With Judas mynd to jouk and beck, Seikand Christis pepill to devoir, The doun-thringers of Christis gloir, Professors of hyocrisie, . And doctours in idolatrie, Stout fischeiris with the feindis net, The upclossers of hevins yet, Cankcart corruptors of the creid, Humlock-sawers among gud seid, To trow in trators, that do men tyist The hie way kennand thame fra Christ, Monsters with the beistis mark Doges that nevir stintis to bark, Kirkmen that ar to Christ unkend, A sect that Satanis self hes send, Lourkand in hoils, lyik trator toddis, Manteiners of idollis and fals goddis, Fantastik fuillis and fenzeit fleicheors, To turne fra treuth the verray teichers.' In order to fortify themselves against such assaults, he proposes to make a procession of our Lady in Argyle, and to perform such miracles as they may advise: here the author apparently introduces the name of a real friar, and alludes to some well- known event :— I dreid this doctrine, and it last, Sall outher gar us wirk or fast ; Thairfoir with speid we mene provyde, And not our profite overslyde. I schaip myself, within schort quhill, To turse our Ladie in Argylle,? 1 Knox's History of the Reformatioun, p. 25. 396 THE HISTORY OF And thair on craftie wayis to wirk, Till that we biggit have ane kirk, Syne miracles mak be your advyce, They ketterells, thocht they had bot lyce, The twa parte to us they will bring. Bot, ordourlie to dress this thing, A gaist I purpois to gar gang, Be consaill of Frier Walter Lang, Quhilk sall mak certane demonstratiounis. To help us in our procuratiounis, Your halie Ordour to decoir : That practick he provit anis befoir, Betwix Kirkaldie and Kinghorne, Bot lymmaris maid therat sick scorne, And to his fame maid sick digressioun. Sensyne he hard not the kingis confessioun. The Chapel of Loretto, dedicated to the Blessed Virgin, and situated at the east end of Musselburgh, evidently borrowed its name from a famous chapel in Italy, and was not without its share of reputation : to this shrine James the Fifth made a pil- grimage in 1536, after being compelled by stress of weather to return from his meditated voyage to France :* it was much frequented by pilgrims of a less exalted rank ; and about this period the hermit of Loretto was represented as a saint, endowed with the gift of working miracles.” He is repeatedly mentioned by Sir David Lindsay, who describes the devotees that visited this shrine as being less actuated by sentiments of devotion than of gallantry :— Thave sene pass ane mervellous multitude, Young men and wemen, flingand on thair feit, Under the forme of fenyeit sanctitude, For till adore ane image in Laureit : Mony came with thair marrowis for to meit, Committand thare foull fornicatioun ; Sum kissit the claggit taill of the armeit : Quhy thole ye this abhominatioun? .. . Quhy thole ye under your dominion Ane craftie preist, or fenyeit false armeit, Abuse the pepill of this regioun, Only for thair particular profeit, 1 Lesleus de Rebus gestis Scotorum, p. 2 See Dr. M‘Crie’s Life of Knox, vol. i, p. 442, 324, SCOTISH POETRY. 397 And speciallye that hermeit of Laureit ? He pat the commoun pepill in beleif, That blynd gat sicht, and crukit gat thair feit, The quhilk that palyeard na way can appreif.! The history of this chapel is detailed in the following manner by Horatius Tursellinus, a learned Jesuit :—“I find by approued authors that manie yeares agone, two churches were erected to our B. Ladie of Loreto in the kingdome of Scotland ; the one in the towne of Perth,’ otherwise called 8S. John; the other by the highway that goeth to Missilburrow, not far from Edenburrow, the chiefe cittie of Scotland. In both places, the B. Virgin of Loreto was most religiouslie reuerenced, and that in the suburbs of Missilburrow was most famous for the resort and concourse ‘of pilgrims, and the miracles of our B. Ladie, as long as the catholicke religion remayned in Scotland. But after Caluins pestiferous doctrine began to rage and raigne in that kingdome (heretofore most religious), those furies destroied that sacred house of our B. Ladie, but so notwithstanding that the ruines therof might remaine both as tokens of their madnes, and also as manifest signes of the ancient religion of the Scottish people. And this (as we vnderstand) was the beginning of the Chappell of Missilburrow. Manie yeares agone, in the attire of a pil- grime, a Scottish eremite came to Loreto to salute the B. Virgin who at his departure carried with him into his countrey, a small part of the sacred roofe, and begging money of godlie men, not far from the towne of Missilburrow, erected a litle church some thing like to the sacred house of Loreto, which was verie famous, aswell for reuerence of the sacred reliques, which were placed there, as also for the deuotion of the people to the B. Virgin herself (whose name was illustrious among them) vutil, as we gaid before, the mad furie of hereticks threw it downe.” * Another early and steady friend of the Reformation was Henry Balnaves of Hallhill; who appears to have been a writer 1 Lindsay’s Works, vol. iii. p. 20. (You know the cloister monks write ney’r a leasing.) 2 The chappell of the rood, and sweet Saint Apamson’s Muses Threnodie, p. 69. Anne, 3 The History of our B. Lady of Loreto, And Loret’s chappell, from Romes Vaticane translated out of Latyn into English, p. 236. Transported hither, for a time took seising, Imprinted with licence, 1608, 8vo. 398 THE HISTORY OF of verse as well as prose. He was of humble parentage, and born in the town of Kirkcaldy, which he quitted at avery early period of life, with the view of cultivating his mind and im- proving his fortune: he was admitted to a free-school at Cologne, and along with the rudiments of liberal knowledge imbibed the principles of the reformed faith. On his return to Scotland, he embraced the profession of the law, and for some time followed the practice of the consistory court of St. An- drews, which at that period was plentifully supplied with litigations. The force of his talents successively raised him to various offices of honour and emolument; he became a member of Parliament, a judge of the Court of Session, and Secretary of State; but his avowed attachment to the Reformation having exposed him to danger, he sought refuge in the castle of St. Andrews, when it was held by those implicated in the murder of Cardinal Beaton. During the siege, he was despatched to the Court of England, in order to solicit a supply of money ;’ and when the fortress at length surrendered, he was conveyed to France with the other prisoners, and was long detained in captivity. In the castle of Rouen he composed a Confession of Faith, which was not printed till some years after his death. When the Reformation was fully established, he regained his former consideration, and was restored to a seat in the Supreme Court. He died in the year 1570,> leaving behind him, accord- ing to Sir James Melville, the character of “a godly, learned, wise, and long-experienced counsellor.” Under the name of Balnevis, a poem consisting of 112 verses, is preserved in Banna- tyne’s Ms. This is a different spelling of the same name, which never appears to have been common; and the poem was most probably written by Balnaves of Hallhill. Under the form of advice to hunters, it contains allegorical admonitions to men of gallantry conveyed with very considerable ingenuity.’ 1 Burnet’s Hist. of the Reformation, ii. p. 7. 2 The Confession of Faith, conteining how the troubled man should seeke refuge at his God, therto led by faith, etc., compiled by M. Henry Balnaues of Halhill, and one of the Lords of Session and Counsell of Scot- land, being as prisoner within the old pallaice of Roane, in the yeare of our Lord 1548. Direct to his faithfull brethren, being in like trouble or more, and to all true professours of the sincere worde of God. Edinb. 1584, 8vo. This work Dr. Mackenzie has evidently split into two. (Lives of Scots Writers, vol. iii. p. 147.) 8 Hailes’s Catalogue of the Lords of Ses- sion, p. 5. See M‘Crie’s Life of Knox, vol. i. p. 51. 4 Ramsay’s Ever-Green, vol. ii. p. 197. SCOTISH POETRY. 399 With the poets of this age and class we must likewise rank John Davidson, a regent in St. Leonard’s College at St. Andrews, and afterwards successively minister of Liberton and Preston- pans. He was a native of Dunfermline, where he possessed some property in houses and land; and he became one of the most zealous and intrepid supporters of the reformed church of Scotland.’ His earliest publication seems to have been a metri- cal panegyric on John Knox, printed at St. Andrews in 1573, under the title of “Ane brief Commendatiovn of Vprichtnes.”? In this work he scarcely aspires at the character of a poet ; it appears to have been his principal object to record in popular rhyme the unrivalled services of the individual to whom it relates. Of Knox’s literary qualifications he speaks in the following stanza :— For weill I wait that Scotland never bure In Scottis leid ane man mair eloquent : Into perswading also, I am sure, Was nane in Europe that was mair potent. In Greik and Hebrew he was excellent, And als in Latine toung his propernes Was tryit trym quhen scollers wer present ; Bot thir wer nathing till his vprichtnes. There is some portion of fancy in the subsequent distich, which anticipates the evils likely to ensue when the restraint of Knox’s vigilance and intrepidity is finally withdrawn :— And sair I feir we sall heir schortly tell, Schir Wink-at-vice beginnis to tune his bell. Every stanza of this poem concludes with the word vprichtnes ; and as the sixth must always rhyme with the last line, the fluency of the writer's versification is somewhat retarded by the necessity of securing a perpetual recurrence of the same sound, 1 “Mr. Davidsone, minister of the gospel that walk in it, amplifyit chiefly be that at Salt Prestoun,” says a writer of more zeal than judgment, ‘may be truly here instanced as one of an extraordinary prophetic spirit.” (Fleming’s Fulfilling of the Scripture, p. 361.) Several of his prophecies are recorded in due form. 2 Ane breif Commendatiovn of Vprichtnes, in respect of the surenes of the same, to all notabill document of Goddis michtie protec- tioun, in preseruing his maist vpricht seruand, and feruent Messinger of Christis Euangell, Johne Knox. Set furth in Inglis meter be M. Johne Dauidsone, Regent in 8, Leonard’s College.” Imprentit at Sanctandrois be Ro- bert Lekpreuik, 1573.—This poem is reprinted in the supplement to Dr. M‘Crie’s Life of Knox. 400 THE HISTORY OF The commendation of uprightness is followed by “ Ane schort Discurs of the Estaitis quha hes caus to deploir the Death of this Excellent Seruand of God.” It is written in a different stanza, and begins with lamenting that the church is equally exposed to the tiger and the fox. Thow pure contempnit Kirk of God, In Scotland scatterit far abrod, Quhat leid may let the to lament, Sen baith the Tyger and the Tod Maist cruellie cummis the to rent ? Thow wants ane watcheman that tuke tent Baith nicht and day that nocht suld noy the ; Allace, thow wants the instrument That was thy lanterne to conuoy the. About the same period, Davidson composed a poem which involved him in many difficulties. For the purpose of retain- ing at his own disposal a larger proportion of the thirds of ecclesiastical benefices, the Regent Morton, in 1573, issued an order in council for uniting two, three, or even four parishes ; and this measure, as it tended to revive the popish system of pluralities, was highly unpopular. It was accordingly exposed by Davidson, in a poem bearing the title of “Ane Dialog betuix ane Clerk and ane Courteour,” which appears to have been printed without his knowledge or consent. The work was published without his name; but as he was either known or avowed himself as the author, he was summoned before a court of justice-aire at Haddington ; and on being convicted of the alleged offence of writing this poem, he was sentenced to im- prisonment. He was however admitted to bail, in the hope that he might himself be induced to retract, or that the church might be induced to censure what he had written. The General Assembly, although it did not venture to approve his work, did not formally condemn it; and the author being too honest and too intrepid to make a recantation of his real and deliberate sentiments, had recourse to the only remaining expedient, of seeking a voluntary exile. After having for some time con- cealed himself in the West of Scotland, he made his escape into England, nor was he permitted to return to his native country SCOTISH POETRY. 401 till after the Earl of Morton’s death.’ Robert Lekprevick, the printer of the obnoxious poem, did not escape with impunity, but was for some time committed to the Castle of Edinburgh. They were indicted on the Act of 1551, “against blasphemous rymes or tragedies,” and from the manner in which the law was then administered, it is no wonder that the author of a work condemning the measures of the Court should be subjected to punishment. Davidson’s dialogue is however free from violent invective, and may be considered as a sober discussion of a topic in which the King’s subjects were generally interested. It is written with more vivacity than his other poems, and may be perused with some degree of interest. The author professes to have been travelling on horseback between Kinghorn and Dundee, and to have been accompanied as far as Kennoway by a Clerk and a Courtier, who were proceeding to St. Andrews, and who, after touching upon various other subjects, entered into a long discussion respecting the recent measure of uniting parishes :— The tane of thame appeirit to be Ane cunning Clerk of greit clergie, Of visage graue and maneris sage, His toung weill taucht but all outrage, Men micht haue kend that he had bene Quhair gude instruccioun he had gene. The vther did appeir to me Ane cumlie Courteour to be, Quha was perfite and weill be-sene In thingis that to this land pertene. Be we had riddin half ane myle, With myrrie mowis passing the quhyle, Thir twa, of quhome befoir I spak, Of sindrie purposis did crak, And enterit in, amang the rest, To speik how that the Kirk was drest.? 1 M‘Crie’s Life of Melville, vol. i. p. 126. % Ane Dialog or mutuall Talking betwix ane Clerk and ane Courteour, concerning four Kirks till ane Minister : collectit out of thair mouthis, and put in verse by ane zoung man quha did forgather with thame in his jornay, as efter followis.—This poem, printed in black letter, extends to two sheets in oc- tavo; and the only copy known to exist be- longs to the Advocates’ Library. The title has suffered considerable mutilations, and is here exhibited as Dr. M‘Crie has supplied the deficiencies from collateral information. Al- though the work has no imprint, it appears from the legal proceedings to have been printed by Lekprevick in the month of Jan- uary 1573, or, according to our present com- putation, 1574. 2¢ 402 THE HISTORY OF The cunning Clerk, who evidently speaks the sentiments of the author, offers many solid reasons against such a measure, and pleads very strenuously for the rights of the church. In the midst of his zeal to protect the spiritual interests of the people, he does not entirely neglect the temporal interests of their pastors. He maintains one position of a very dubious nature ; namely, that “the patrymonie of the kirk,” that is, whatever valuable property had been vested in the Catholic clergy, be- longed to the Protestant clergy by whom they had been sup- planted. Whether it might have been competent for the Legis- lature to make such a plenary transfer, is not the present question ; for the Clerk’s argument proceeds on the supposition of such a transfer being unnecessary with respect to “thair awin just patrimony.” The Clerk said tak the superplus, Quhen Kirk and pure ar weill prouydit, And let the mater sa be gydit, That thay of kirk do not abuse it, Bot be controllit how thay vse it, Becaus thay ar bot mortall men, That na wayis thay thair selfis misken. The Courteour answerit fra hand, Tt will be countit to thair hand ; The teindis will not cum in thair neuis Sa lang as ony of vs leuis. The Clerk said, Goddis curs thairfoir Sall not depart quhill thay restoir The Kirk agane to hir awin richt, Thocht of the mater they pas licht.! 7 In his Memorial of Campbell, he likewise denounces the vengeance of heaven against those who detain the popish tithes from the Presbyterian clergy. The half teinds of hale Vchiltrie He did giue ouer most willinglie, Quhilk his forbears had possest, For sacriledge he did detest: ; The minister he put therein: God grant that. as he did begin, ‘That all the rest that dois possesse The teinds of Scotland more and lesse, Maist wrangouslie, wald them restore, As gude Robert hes gone before : Bot no appearance we can see, That they will do it willinglie, For all the summoning hes bene By Gods herawlds these yeares fyftene ; Though I think they should feare to touch them, Because that teinds did neuer rich them, That hes meld with them to this day; Yet no appearance is, I say, That euer they shall with them twin, While God of heauen himselfe begin, With force quhilk no man may withstand, To pluck them cleane out of their hand, Quhilk shall be to their wrak and wo, Because they would not let them go, For no forewarning he could send, When they had time and space to mend. SCOTISH POETRY. 403 A passage in this poem gave great offence to the head of one of the houses at St. Andrews: John Rutherford, provost of St. Salvator’s College, conceived himself to be the subject of a satirical allusion contained in the following lines :— Thair is sum Collages, we ken, Weill foundit to vphald leirnit men, To teiche the youth in letters gude, And vtheris also that ar rude. Amang the rest foundit we se The teiching of theologie, With rentis sum studentis to sustene, To that science to giue thame clene. Lat anis the counsell send and ge Gif thir places weill gydit be, And not abusit with waist rudis, That dois nathing bot spendis the gudis, That was maid for that haly vse, And not to feid ane crukit guse. Soon after the appearance of his dialogue, Davidson composed “ A Memorial of Robert Campbel and his Wife Elizabeth Camp- bel,” which was not however printed till the year 1595.’ If it does not excite any high idea of his poetical talents, it is at least creditable to his feelings. Campbell had cherished and protected him during his concealment in the West: having ac- companied Davidson to Rusko, a seat belonging to Gordon of Lochinvar, he was attacked with an illness which speedily proved fatal, and within the space of two months his wife followed him to the grave. The Earl of Morton terminated his career on the scaffold ; and Davidson returned to his native country, where he long continued to be a zealous and disinterested supporter of the Presbyterian discipline. For several years he officiated as minister of Prestonpans without receiving any stipend, and he there built a church and a parsonage house at his own expense. He died in the year 1604,’ having bequeathed the whole of his estate for the foundation of a grammar-school in that parish. 1 A Memorial of the Life and Death of two 2 Davidson’s catechism was printed by worthye Christians, Robert Campbel of the Waldegrave in 1602, under the title of Some Kinyeancleugh, and his Wife Elizabeth Camp- Helpes for young Schollers in Christianity. It pel. In English meter. Edinburgh, printed was long afterwards republished, with a pre- by Robert Walde-graue, Printer to the Kings face by Mr. Jameson, lecturer on History in Maiestie, 1595, Svo. the University of Glasgow. Edinb. 1708, 8vo. 404 THE HISTORY OF The master was bound to teach the Hebrew, Greek, and Latin languages.' The same spirit which produced a reformation of religion had likewise produced a reformation of learning. “The Greek language,” says the able and indefatigable biographer of Knox, “long after it had been enthusiastically studied on the Continent, and after it had become a fixed branch of education in the neighbouring kingdom, continued to be almost unknown in Scotland. Individuals acquired the knowledge of it abroad : but the first attempts to teach it in this country were of a pri- vate nature, and exposed their patrons to the suspicion of heresy. The town of Montrose is distinguished by being the first place, as far as I have been able to discover, in which Greek was taught in Scotland; and John Erskine of Dun is entitled to the honour of being regarded as the first of his countrymen who patronized the study of that elegant and useful language. As early as the year 1534, this enlightened and public-spirited baron, on returning from his travels, brought with him a French- man skilled in the Greek tongue, whom he settled in Montrose ; and, upon his removal, he liberally encouraged others to come from France and succeed to his place. From this private semi- nary, many Greek scholars proceeded, and the knowledge of the language was gradually diffused over the kingdom.”* A know- ledge of the Hebrew tongue was likewise introduced by the reformers, The first professed teacher of Hebrew in Scotland — was John Row, LL.D., who after having practised as an advo- cate at St. Andrews, visited the Continent in order to improve himself in professional learning, but was induced to apply him- self with zeal and success to the study of the Greek and Hebrew languages. In his capacity of a lawyer, he was intrusted by the Scotish clergy with the management of some of their causes at Rome ; but having returned to his native country, he became a convert: to the reformed religion, and in 1560 was appointed minister of Perth, where he began to teach, what had not hitherto been taught in the universities, the original language of the Old Testament.’ 1 M‘Crie’s Life of Melville, vol. ii. p. 301. 2 M‘Crie’s Life of Knox, vol. i. p. 5. 3 Tbid. vol. ii. p. 16. SCOTISH POETRY. 405 CHAPTER XVIIL Sir RIcHARD MAITLAND is entitled to the remembrance of pos- terity, both as a cultivator and as a preserver of Scotish poetry. He descended from an ancient family; and one of his ancestors, who appears to have lived about the year 1250, is celebrated in the popular strains of his country under the name of Auld Mait- land. The poet was the son of William Maitland of Lething- ton, and of Martha the daughter of George Lord Seaton, and was born in the year 1496. Weare informed by Dr. Mackenzie, that he completed his course of literature and philosophy in the University of St. Andrews, and afterwards visited France in order to prosecute the study of the law :*.it seems however to have been a common practice of this biographer to substitute conjecture for facts; and although it is sufficiently probable that this may be a’true account of Maitland’s academical studies, we cannot safely receive it without better evidence. On his return to Scotland, he is said to have recommended himself to the favour of James the Fifth. Sir John Scot affirms that he was appointed Lord Privy Seal during the regency of the Queen-dowager ;* and from his own congratulatory poem on the arrival of Queen Mary, it would at least appear that he had borne some office. Madame, I was trew servand to thy mother, And in hir favour stud ay thankfullie Of my estait alls weil as ony other : Prayand thy Grace I may resavit be 1 Scott’s Minst. of Scottish Border, i. p. 15. 3 Scot's Staggering State of the Scots 2 Mackenzie’s Lives of Scots Writers, vol. Statesmen, p. 108. iii, p, 207. 406 THE HISTORY OF In siclyk favour with thy Majestie, Inclynand ay to me thy gracious eiris, And amang other servands think on me.— This last request I lernit at the freiris. In the year 1554, he was appointed an Extraordinary Lord of Session. As early atleast as the year 1561, he was deprived of his sight ; for in the poem addressed to the Queen on her arrival, an event which happened during that year, he thus speaks of his situation :— And thoch that I to serve be nocht sa abil As I wes wont, becaus I may not see, Yet in my hairt I sall be firme and stabil. But he was possessed of an active and cheerful mind, nor did his blindness render him incapable of public business. In 1561, he was admitted an Ordinary Lord of Session ‘by the title of Leth- ington, and in the following year he was nominated Lord Privy Seal. The latter office he resigned in 1567 in favour of his second son; but notwithstanding his infirmities, he retained his seat on the bench till he reached the eighty-eighth year of his age. The king’s letter respecting his resignation is dated on the 1st of July 1584, and states “that Sir Richard Maitland had served his grandsire, goodsire, goodame, mother, and himself in many public charges, whereof he dutifully and honestly acquitted himself ; and having been many years a senator, he has with much sincerity and integrity served therein; and being grown greatly debili- tated through age, though nothing in spirit and judgment : whereupon the Lords have granted him immunity and license to attend when he pleases, having all commodities as if he were present, yet moved in conscience, lest judgment should be re- tarded by his absence, he has willingly demitted his room in our hands in favour of Sir Lewis Ballenden.”! The salary was reserved to Maitland during his life, which was prolonged till the 20th of March 1586, when he died at the mature age of ninety. His wife died on the day of his interment.? By this lady, Mary the daughter of Sir Thomas Cranston of Corsby, he Hailes's Catalogue of the Lords of Ses- See Lord Somerville’s Memorie of the Somer- sion, notes, p. 4. villes, vol. i. p, 334, where the noble author 2 Sir Richard’s sister, Janet Maitland, was gives a circumstantial account of her recep- the second wife of Hugh fifth Lord Somerville. tion at the tower of Carnwath. SCOTISH POETRY. 407 had several children: an unpublished poem, addressed to Sir Aichard, mentions his seven sons ;! but if this enumeration does not include sons-in-law, four of them must have died at an early age. His eldest son was William Maitland, the famous secretary of Queen Mary; a man distinguished by his talents, but not equally distinguished by his virtues. His wavering politics exposed him to the satirical animadversion of Buchanan, who has exhibited him under the emblem of a chameleon, and they finally exposed him to the vengeance of the Regent Morton, which he completed by poisoning himself in prison. His brother Sir John, afterwards Lord Maitland of Thirlstane, and chancellor of the kingdom, seems to have been a person of a more amiable character, and was likewise eminent for his talents, Like seve - ral other members of the same family, he evinced his love of polite literature: he is known as the author of some Latin epi- grams,” and of a satire “ Aganis sklanderous Toungis.”* Thomas Maitland, a younger son of Sir Richard’s, is less remembered on account of his Latin poems* than as one of the interlocutors in the celebrated dialogue of Buchanan, “De Jure Regni apud Scotos.” His daughters were Helen, married to Sir John Cock- burn of Clerkington, Margaret, to James Herriot of Trabroun, Mary, to Alexander Lauder of Hattoun, and Isabel, to William Douglas of Whittingham.’ Mary was the partner of her father’s studies, and was herself a writer of verses.° Sir Richard Mait- land is celebrated as a man of learning, talents, and virtue, and his poems, which seem to have been the recreations of a cheer- ful old age, breathe an amiable spirit of charity and benevolence. The privation of sight, and other infirmities incident to a very advanced period of life, he evidently supported with an uncom- mon degree of equanimity. Contemporary poets have extolled 1 The following lines occur in ‘ Ane con. 2 Delitie Poetarum Scotorum, tom. ii. p. solator Ballad to the richt honorabill Sir 138. Richart Maitland of Lethingtoune, Knicht.” 8 Pinkerton’s Ancient Scotish Poems, vol. Richerd he wes, Richerd ye ar also, i. p. 156. And Maitland als, and magnanime ar ye, 4 Delitie Poetarum Scotorum, tom. ii. p. In als great aige, als wrappit ar in wo: 143, Sewine sones ye haid, micht contravaill 5 Douglas's Peerage of Scotland, vol. ii. Bot Pet ye haiwe behind as he. p. 66. Pinkerton’s List of the Scotish Poets, Poemes of S*. Richard Metillan, PC f f. 71, a. MS. 6 See Pinkerton, vol. ii. p. 471. 408 THE HISTORY OF him as a model of piety and virtue: the following sonnet on his death was written by Thomas Hudson :— The slyding tyme so slilie slips away, It reaves from us remembrance of our state ; And quhill we do the cair of tyme delay, We tyne the tyde, and so lament to late. Then, to eschew such dangerous debait, Propone for patrene manlie Maitland knycht : Leirne be his lyf to leive in sembil raite, With luif to God, religion, law, and rycht. For as he was of vertu lucent lycht, Of ancient bluid, of nobil spreit and name, Belov'd of God and everie gracious wycht, So died he auld, deserving worthie fame ; A vair exempil set for us to see Quhat we have bene, now ar, and aucht to be. Maitland is supposed to have commenced his poetical career at a period of life when that of other authors has more generally closed ; it has been conjectured that he did not begin to write verses till he had attained the sixtieth year of his age.’ But if no earlier verses have been preserved, it is not so certain that they did not once exist: nor can it be considered as very pro- bable that he only began to cultivate poetry at this advanced period of his life ; it is much more probable that he endeavoured to solace his age by the favourite amusement of his youth. By the care of him and his family, many valuable reliques of our ancient poetry have been preserved : two manuscript volumes, containing the verses of various other poets as well as his own, are deposited in the library of Magdalene College, Cambridge ; and from these an interesting selection was published by Mr. Pinkerton in the year 1786.” One of the volumes is in the 1 Menage wrote his Anti-Baillet at the age of about seventy-eight ; and yet that work, as a very competent judge has remarked, “est plein d’un bout 4 autre d’une littéra- ture exquise.” Theophrastus composed the most curious of his works after he had reached the venerable age of ninety-nine ; Kal Bebewkms ern évverijxovra évvéa. The common reading of the passage is sanctioned by all the manuscripts which were inspected by Casaubon, the ablest of his commentators. (Ad. Theophrasti Characteres Commentarius, p. 96.) 2 Ancient Scotish Poems, never before in print, but now published from the ms. Collec- tions of Sir Richard Maitland, etc. Prefixed are an Essay on the Origin of Scotish Poetry, a List of all the Scotish Poets, with brief re- marks ; and an Appendix is added, contain- ing, among other articles, an account of the contents of the Maitland and Bannatyne mss. Lond. 1786, 2 vols. 8vo. SCOTISH POETRY. 409 handwriting of Mary Maitland, a daughter of the venerable poet, who has herself contributed a few verses. A third volume, entitled “ The selected Poems of 8". Richard Metillan’ of Lyd- ington,” was presented by Drummond to the library of the University of Edinburgh : it contains several of his pieces which do not occur in Mr. Pinkerton’s collection, and a few by Ar- buthnot and other writers.’ The verses of Maitland do not aim at any high degree of poetical excellence ; but as they contain the thoughts, serious and gay, of an amiable old man extensively acquainted with the world, they cannot be considered as destitute of interest. The following stanzas may be selected as no unfavourable specimen of his lighter vein :— Sumtyme to court I did repair, Thairin sum errands for to dres,2 Thinkand I had sum freindis thair To help fordwart my beseynes : Bot, not the les, I fand nathing but doubilnes. Auld kyndnes helpis not ane hair. To ane grit court-man I did speir, That I trowit my friend had bene, Becaus we war of kyn sa neir ; To him my mater I did mene : Bot with disdene He fled as I had done him tene, And wald not byd my teill to heir. I wend that he in word and deid For me, his kynsman sould have wrocht, 1 Two of his unpublished works, namely, an account of the family of Seaton, and re- ports of cases decided in the Court of Session from 1550 to 1565, are preserved in the Advo- cates’ Library. The former of these works is inscribed to George Lord Seaton, the fifth of that name, and the dedication presents Mait- Jand in a very amiable light. The work was afterwards enlarged by Lord Kingston, a branch of the Seaton family. ‘‘ The histori- call Genealogie of the ancient and noble House of Seton: written by Sir Richard Maitland of Ledington, one of the Senators of the Colledge of Justice, in the year 1545; enlarged by Alexander Viscount of Kingston, in the year 1687.” ms. fol. 2 To dress an errand, is not the English, but it is exactly the Danish idiom. In the first part of the old ballad entitled Hr. Ebbes Doltre, we find this expression: ‘‘ Mr. Ebbe should to Island fare, his master’s errands to dress.” Herr Ebbe skulde til Island fare, Sin Herres Hrende at régte. Danske Viser, ii. Bind, 8. 273, 410 THE HISTORY OF Bot to my speiche he tuke na heid ; Neirnes of blude he sett at nocht. Than weill I thocht, Quhan I for sibnes to him socht, It wes the wrang way that I yeid. My hand I put into my sleif, And furthe of it ane purs I drew, And said I brocht it him to geif ; Bayth gold and silver I him schew : Than he did rew That he unkindlie me misknew,— And hint the purs fest in his neif. ‘Fra tyme he gat the purs in hand, He kyndlie Cousin callit me, And baid me gar him understand My beseynes all haillalie ; And swair that he My trew and faythful friend suld be In courte as I ples him comand. For quhilk better it is, I trow, Into the courte to get supplé, To have ane purs, of fyne gold fow, Nor to the hiast of degré Of kyn to be. Sa alters our nobilitie, Grit kynrent helpis lytil now. Thairfoir, my freinds, gif ye will mak All courte-men youris as ye wald, Gude gold and silver with yow tak ; Than to tak help ye may be bald ; For it is tauld, Kyndnes of courte is coft and sald : Neirnes of kyn na thing thai rak.! Some of the poems contain gleanings of information respect - ing the manners and practices of the age. Sir Richard Mait- land was not so powerful a satirist as his contemporary Six David Lindsay; but he has selected some of the same topics, and in particular has animadverted on the dress of the ladies, and on a more important subject, the oppressive conduct of the 1 Pinkerton’s Ancient Scotish Poems, vol. ii. p. 324. SCOTISH POETRY. 411 landholders. It has already been stated that the clergy were kinder landlords than the laity; and this statement is very pointedly confirmed by a passage in his poem against oppression of the commons :— Sum comouns, that hes bene weill stakit Under kirkmen, ar now all wrakit, Sen that the teynd and the kirk landis Came in grit temporale mennis handis. Thai gar the tennents pay sic sowmes As thai will ask, or quha ganestandis Thai will be put sone fra thair rowmes, The teynd, quhilk tennents had befoir Of thair awin malings, corne, and stoir, Thair laird hes tane it our thair heid, And gars thame to his yaird it leid : Bot thair awin stok thai dar not steir, Thoch all thair bairnis sould want breid, Quhill thai have led that teynd ilk yeir. Sic extorsioun and taxatioun Wes never sene into this natioun, Tane of the comouns of this land ; Of quhilk sum is left waist liand, Becaus few may sic chairgis beir. Mony hes quhips now in thair hand, That wont to have bayth jak and speir.t It may be presumed that this venerable judge finally em- braced the reformed doctrines ; but he has spoken with suffi- cient impartiality of Protestants as well as Papists, and has not hesitated to condemn the practices of the “ fleshlie gospellaries.” The following passage occurs in his poem on the miseries of the time, written in the year 1570 :— Sumtyme the preistis thocht that thai did weil, Quhone that thai maid thair beirds, and shuif thair croun, Usit round caps, and gounis to thair heil, And mes and mateyns said of thair fassoun, Thoch that all vyces rang in thair persoun, Lecherie, gluttunrie, vain gloire, avarice, With swerd and fyre, for rew of relegioun. Of Christin peple oft maid sacrifice. 1 Pinkerton, vol. ii. p. 321. 412 THE HISTORY OF For quhilk God hes thame puneist richt scharplie. Bot had thai left thair auld abusioun, And turnit thame fra vyce to God trewlie, And syne forthocht thair wrang intrusioun Into the kirk be fals elusioun, The word of God syn preitchit faythfullie, Thai had nocht cum to sic confusioun, Nor tholit had as yit sic miserie. Now is Protestains rysin us amang, Sayand thai wil mak reformatioun, Bot yet as now ma vyces never rang [In ony former tyme or ony natioun]; As pryd, invy, and fals dissimulation, Thift, reif, slauchter, oppressioun of the puir, Of policy a plaine [ill] alteratioun ; Of wrangous geir now na man takis cuir. Thai think it weil and thai the Paip do call The Antechryst, and mess idolatrie, And syne eit flesche upon the Frydays all, That thai serve God rycht than accordinglie, Thoch in all thing thai leif maist wickitlie. Bot God commandis us his law to keip, Fyrst honour him, and syne have cheritie- With our neichbours, and for our synnis weip. We learn from one of his poems, that even at this early period, complaints of tedious and vexatious law-suits were loud and frequent ; nor can we suppose that what was then felt as a grievance has been diminished by the lapse of nearly three cen- turies. In order to provide a remedy for such evils, Maitland recommends to the king two different measures ; namely, to increase the number, and to augment the salaries of the judges. To enable them to maintain their independence of mind, it is certainly advisable to render judges independent in their cir- cumstances ; but prompt and equitable decisions are not to be secured by placing a great number of judges in the same court. The worthy old senator recommends his project in terms of great simplicity :— Causis ilk day so faist dois multiplie, That with this Sait cannot ourtaken be ; Bot wald thy hienes thairof eik the nummer 1 Pinkerton, vol. ii. p. 302. SCOTISH POETRY. 413 Of Senatours ; men cunning and godlie Wald monie mater end that makis cummer. Schir, at thy gift is monye Abeceis, Personagis, Provestreis, and Prebendareis, Now sen doun is the auld religioun. To eik sum lordis, gif sum benefeis, And sum to help the auld foundatioun : Becaus the lordis hes our Iitil feis, Bot of uncertaine casualiteis, Of quhilk thay never get payment complei ; And now sic derthe is resin, all men sayis What coist Ane pound befoir, now costis Thrie,t Another grievance of that age arose from the unceasing depredations of the Border Thieves. Maitland complains that his house and barony of Blythe had in the time of peace been plundered by Sir Roland Foster, captain of Wark, with a party of three hundred men ; in another poem, he recites the formid- able incursions of the thieves of Liddesdale, and mentions the names of several individuals whose exploits are celebrated in the border ballads of an early date :— Thai theifs that steills and tursis hame, Tlk ane of thame hes ane to-name ;— Will of the Lawis, Hab of the Schawis, to mak bair wawis Thay think na schame. They spuilye puir men of thair pakis, Thay leif thame nocht on bed nor bakis : Bayth hen and cok, With reil and rok, the Lairdis Jok! All with him takis. Thay leif not spendil, spone, nor speit, Bed, bolster, blankit, sark, nor sheit : Johne of the Parke Ryps kist and ark ; for all sic wark He is richt meit. 1 Pinkerton, vol. ii. p. 337. was scarcely necessary for the correction of 2 This name is erroneously printed, “The the passage. The Laird’s Jock is a conspicu- Landis Jok.” The reading of the quarto ms. ous person in the ballad of “Jock 0’ the in the University library is ‘“‘ The Lairdis Side.” (Scott's Minstrelsy of the Scottish Jok” (f. 4, b.); and indeed such an authority Border, vol. ii. p. 232.) 414 THE HISTORY OF He is weil kend, Johne of the Syde, A gretar theif did never ryide : He never tyris For to brek byris ; our muir and myris Our gude ane gyide. Thair is ane, callit Clement’s Hob, Fra ilk puir wyfe reffis the wob, And all the laif, Quhatever thay haif ; the devil resave Thairfoir his gob. These specimens of Maitland’s verses I shall close with the following “ Gude Counsals;” every line of which produces the same sense, whether it be read from the beginning or the end :— Luif vertew ever and all vycis fle, Wickitnes hait alway gudenes imbrace, Remuve rancour and ay keip chirritie, Proudnes deteist invy fra ye far chace, Gredenes never lat in the tak place, Be honorable and weil credence keip, Beseynes [to give ever] tyme and space, Trewle serve God and als for synnis weip. George Bannatyne, another eminent preserver of Scotish poetry, is likewise entitled to our grateful commemoration. He was himself a writer of verses, and several of his compositions are to be found in the manuscript which has so frequently been mentioned in the progress of this work; but of his personal history no memorials have hitherto been discovered. Mr. Tytler, who describes him as a canon of the cathedral of Moray,® seems to have confounded him with Dr. Bellenden, who was arch- deacon of Moray, and canon of Ross. To Bannatyne’s taste and industry we are indebted for the most ample and valuable col- lection of Scotish poetry that is now extant ; and it appears from his own notices, that this collection was formed in the year 1568, when he was a young man, and when the plague was raging in the kingdom. It is neatly transcribed, and extends to about eight hundred pages in folio: it was, as he clearly states, 1 Pinkerton, vol. ii. p. 332. 8 Tytler’s Dissertation on the Scotish Mu- 2 Tbid. vol. ii. p. 313. sic, p. 245. SCOTISH POETRY. 415 the labour of three months; and we may suppose that during this interval the dread of infection confined him very closely at home. Of the poems inserted in his collection, some belong to an age considerably removed from that of the transcriber : here we find Christis Kirk of the Grene, ascribed to James the First, and Holland’s Howlat, written during the reign of his successor. In the following verses, which occur at the beginning as an address of “ The Wryttar to the Reidaris,” he states that he was under the necessity of having recourse to old, defective, and mutilated copies :— Ye reverend redaris, thir workis revolving richt, Gif ye get crymes, correct thame to your micht, And curss na. clark that cunnyngly thame wrait, But blame me baldly brocht this buik till licht In tenderest tyme quhen knawlege was nocht bricht ; But lait begun to lerne and till translait My copeis awld, mankit, and mvtillait ; Quhais trewth as standis yit haif I, sympill wicht, Tryd furth, thairfoir excuse sum pairt my stait. Now ye haif heir this ilk buik sa provydit, That in fyve pairtis it is dewly devydit, The first concernis Godis gloir and ouir saluatioun ; The nixt ar morale, grave, and als besyd it Grund on gud counsale ; the third, I will nocht. hyd it, Ar blyith and glaid, maid for ouir consollatioun ; The ferd of luve and thair richt reformatioun ; The fyift ar tailis and storeis weill discydit :— Reid as ye pleiss, I neid no mair narratioun. In the sequel of the collection he introduces. some of his own compositions ; the most considerable of which are two amatory poems, the one consisting of eight and the other of nine stanzas. He concludes his labours with the following address of “The Wryttar to the Redare :”— Heir endis this buik, written in tyme of pest, Quhen we fra labor was compeld to rest, Into the thre last monethis of this yeir, From our Redemaris birth, to knaw it heir, Ane thowsand is, ffyve hundreth, thre scoir awcht : Of this purpois na mair it neidis be tawcht. Swa, till conclude, God grant ws all gude end, And eftir deth eternal lyfe ws send. 416 THE HISTORY OF The manuscript bears the name of “ Jacobus Foulis, 1623 ;” and this possessor is supposed to have been Sir James Foulis of Colinton, whose uncle, George Foulis of Ravelston, married one Janet Bannatyne in the year 1601. In 1712, it was presented by Sir William Foulis to the Hon, William Carmichael, whose © relation, the Earl of Hyndford, deposited it in the Advocates’ Library in 1772. By Mr. Carmichael it was communicated to Allan Ramsay ; who derived from it a large proportion of his materials for the two volumes published under the title of the _Ever-Green.’ It was his original intention to prepare one or two volumes more, but no sequel ever made its appearance, nor can it excite much regret that the editor should have failed to perform his promise ; his extreme licentiousness in adding or retrenching according to his own fancy, amounted to a complete disqualification for such an undertaking. His publication, however, was not without its utility; it tended, in a consider- able degree, to revive among his countrymen a taste for verna- cular poetry, and to direct the attention of more learned anti- quaries to Bannatyne’s precious collection. After an interval of forty-six years, Lord Hailes, a man distinguished by his accu- rate scholarship and solid judgment, formed a more judicious and a more faithful selection from this manuscript; and the notes which he has subjoined, contain much curious and in- teresting illustration.? Since that period, many other editors have drawn materials from the same copious source ; and the name of George Bannatyne is inseparably connected with the history of Scotish poetry. 1 The Ever Green, being a Collection of 2 Ancient Scottish Poems, published from Scots Poems, wrote by the Ingenious before the ms. of George Bannatyne, M.D.LXVIII. 1600: published by Allan Ramsay. Edinb. Edinb. 1770, 12mo. 1724, 2 vols. sm. Syo. SCOTISH POETRY. 417. CHAPTER XIX. OnE of the most sprightly and elegant poets of that age was Alexander Scott ; of whose personal history and character very few memorials have hitherto been discovered. It is conjectured that he may have been the son of Alexander Scott, prebendary of the chapel-royal of Stirling, whose two sons, John and Alexander, were legitimated on the 21st of November 1549.1 This date corresponds with the chronology of his life, for he addressed a poem to Queen Mary in the year 1562; but the poet’s name and surname were both so common, that the author of this conjecture has urged it with a proper degree of caution. Another conjecture, which places his residence at Dalkeith, is founded on the circumstance of his-describing the scene of the Justing as “wp at the Drum,” a house formerly belonging to Lord Somerville, and situated between Dalkeith and Edin- burgh ; but as the adventures are concluded “up at Dalkeith that day,” it is evident that we can draw no material inference from either of those expressions. His profession is as doubtful as his parentage. In one or two instances he betrays some degree of fondness for the technical language of the law, which is not particularly calculated to adorn an amatory stanza; thus, he speaks of holding his lady’s heart in blanch tenure for the payment of a certain annual acknowledgment :* it is however obvious that he might be familiar enough with such phraseology, though he did not himself belong to the legal profession. He appears from his writings to have been a rational friend of the 1 Laing’s Introductory Notice (p. ix.) pre- 8 Having thy ladeis hart as heretaige, fixed to Poems by Alexander Scott. Edinb. In blenche-ferme for ane sallat every 1821, 8vo. May. ; 2 Hailes’s Notes on Ancient Scottish Poems, Scot?’s Poems, p. 40. p. 315. . 2D 418 THE HISTORY OF Reformation ; and indeed the same cause was espoused by almost all the Scotish poets of that era. From his own infor- mation, we also learn that he was married, and that he was subjected to the deepest mortification which an affectionate husband could experience: one of his poems was written “quhen his wyfe left him;” and he expressly states that the cause of her leaving him was “sum wantoun man.” But this poet appears to have been somewhat of a philosopher ; after expressing his sorrow at being thus deserted by so sweet and smiling a companion, he avows his determination to choose an- other and forget her. He seems to have inherited a gay and elastic spirit, not easily depressed by the accidents or even dis- asters of life; and whatever might be his condition or circum- stances, his poems contain no peevish complaints or mean solicitations. If he is the individual mentioned in the follow- ing passage of a sonnet addressed by Montgomery to Robert Hudson, we may conclude that he had reached an advanced age :— Ye knaw ill guyding genders mony gees, And specially in poets: for example, Ye can pen out tua cuple and ye pleis, Yourself and I, old Scot and Robert Semple : Quhen we ar dead, that all our dayis bot datffis, Let Christian Lyndesay wryt our epitaphis.! The productions of Scott may be classed with the most ele- gant Scotish poems of the sixteenth century. They are gene- rally founded on subjects of an amatory kind, and discover no inconsiderable degree of fancy and harmony. His lyric measures are skilfully chosen ; and his language, when compared with that of contemporary poets, will be found to possess an uncom- mon share of terseness and precision. He professes to have studied the female character; and the result of his observa- tions is not very flattering to the vanity of the sex. In his poem “Of Wemen-Kynd” the following significant stanzas occur :— I mvse and mervellis in my mynd, Quhat way to wryt or put in verss 1 Montgomery’s Poems, p. 75. Edinb. 1821, 8vo. SCOTISH POETRY. 419 The quent consaitis of wemen-kynd, Or half thair havingis to reherss, I fynd thair haill affectioun So contrair thair complexioun. For quhy? no leid vnleil thay leit, Vntrewth expresly thay expell ; Yit thay are planeist and repleit Of falset and dissait thair sell ; So find I thair affectioun Contrair thair awin complexioun. Thay favour no wayis fuliche men, And verry few of thame ar wyiss ; All gredy personis thay misken, And thay ar full of covettyiss ; So find I thair affectioun Contrair thair awin complexioun.! But his unfavourable opinion of the sex in general did not prevent him from placing his affections on some fair individual. The following poem may be produced as a specimen of his amorous effusions :— Hence hairt with hir that mvst departe, And hald thé with thy souerane ; For I had lever want ane harte, Nor haif the hairt that dois me pane : Thairfoir go with thy lufe remane And let me leif thus vnmolest, And se that thow cum nocht agane, Bot byd with hir thow luvis best. Sen scho that I haif seruit lang Is to depairt so suddanly, Address thé now, for thow sall gang And beir thy lady cumpany : Ffra scho be gon, hairtless am I : Ffor quhy ? thow art with hir possest ; Thairfoir, my hairt, go hence in hy, And byd with hir thow luvis best. Thocht this belappit body heir Be bound to seruitude and thrall, My faithful, hairt is fré inteir, And mynd to serf my lady at all. 1 Scott's Poems, p. 57. 420 THE HISTORY OF Wald God that I wer perigall Vnder that redolent ross to rest ! Yit at the leist, my hairt, thow sall Abyd with hir thow lufis best. Sen in your garth the lilly quhyte May nocht remane amang the laif, Adew the flour of haill delyte, Adew the succour that me saif. Adew the fragrant balme suaif, And lamp of ladeis lufliest : My faythfull hairt scho sall it haif To byd with hir it luvis best. Deploir, ye ladeis cleir of hew, Hir absence, sen scho most departe, And specially ye luvaris trew ; That woundit bene with luvis darte : For sum of yow sall want ane harte Alsweill as I; thairfoir at last- Do go with myn, with mynd inwart , And byd with hir thow luvis best.* Scott has written another addtess to his heart, which is re- markably smooth and elegant :— Returne thé, hairt, hamewart agane, And byd quhair thow was wont to be ; Thow art ane fule to suffer pane For luve of hir that luvis not thé : My hairt, lat be sic fantesie, Luve nane bot as thay mak thé causs, And lat hir seik ane hairt for thé, For feind a crum of the scho fawis. To quhat effect sowld thow be thrall But thank, sen thow hes thy fre will ? My hairt, be not sa bestiall, Bot knaw quho dois thé guid or ill: Remane with me and tary still, And se quha playis best their pawis, And lat fillok ga fling hir fill, For feind a crum of thé scho fawis. Thocht scho be fair, I will not fenyie, Scho is the kynd of vtheris ma; 1 Scott's Poems, p. 29. SCOTISH POETRY. 421 For quhy ? thair is a fellone menyie That semis gud and ar not sa. My hairt, tak nowdir pane nor wa For Meg, for Meriory, or yit Mawis, But be thow glaid, and latt hir ga, For feind a crum of thé scho fawis. Becaus I find scho tuik in ill, At hir departing thow mak na cair ; Bot all begyld go quhair scho will, Beschrew the hairt that mane makis mair. My hert, be mirry lait and air, This is the fynall end and clauss, And latt hir fallow ane filly fair, For feind a crum of thé scho fawis.! The subsequent “Rondel of Luve” is not destitute of what may perhaps be termed prettiness :— Lo quhat it is to lufe Lerne ye that list to prufe, Be me, I say, that no wayis may The grund of greif remuve, Bot still decay both nycht and day : Lo quhat it is to lufe. Lufe is ane fervent fyre, Kendillit without desyre ; Schort plesour, lang displesour, Repentance is the hyre ; Ane pure tressour without mesour : Lufe is ane fervent fyre. To lufe and to be wyiss, To rege with gud adwyiss, Now thus, now than, so gois the game, + Incertane is the dyiss : Thair is no man, I say, that can Both lufe and to be wyiss. Fle alwayis frome the snair, Lerne at me to be ware ; It is ane pane and dowbill trane Of endles wo and cair : For to refrane that denger plane, Fle alwayis frome the snair.’ 1 Scott’s Poems, p. 50. 2 Ibid. p. 64. 422 THE HISTORY OF But the most curious of his love poems is that which he composed on the infidelity of his wife : it displays a singular mixture of conjugal affection and stoical indifference :— To luve unluvit it is ane pane ; For scho that is my souerane, Sum wantoun man so he hes set hir, That I can get no lufe agane Bot brekis my hairt, and nocht the bettir. Quhen that I went with that sweit may, To dance, to sing, to sport and pley, And oft tymes in my armis plet hir ; I do now murne both nycht and day, And brekis my hairt, and nocht the bettir, Quhair I wes wont to se hir go, Rycht trymly passand to and fro, With cumly smylis quhen that I met hir ; And now I leif in pane and wo, And brekis my hairt, and nocht the bettir. Quhattane ane glaikit fule am I, To slay my self with melancoly; Sen weill I ken I may not get hir ; Or quhat suld be the caus, and quhy, To brek my hairt, and nocht the bettir ? My hairt, sen thow may nocht hir pleiss, Adew ! as gude lufe cumis as gaiss ; Go chuss ane vthir and forget hir : God gif him dolour and diseiss, That brekis his hairt, and nocht the bettir.1 The longest of Scott’s compositions is “Ane New-Yeir Gift to the Quene Mary, quhen scho come first hame ;” which how- ever is less valuable for its poetry, than for the light that it reflects on an important era of the national history. His «Justing betuix Adamsone and Sym” is an imitation of “Christis Kirk of the Grene ;” and although inferior to the admirable original, it is distinguished by many happy strokes of humorous description. It begins with the following stanzas :— The grit debait and turnament, Off trewth no toung can tell, 1 Scott's Poems, p. 60. SCOTISH POETRY, 423 Wes for a lusty lady gent, Betuix twa freikis fell (For Mars, the god armipotent, Was nocht sa ferss him sell, Nor Hercules, that aikkis vprent, And dang the devil of hell ~ With hornis), Vp at the Drum that day. Doutles wes nocht so duchty deidis Amangis the dowsy peiris,! Nor yit no clerk in story reidis Off sa tryvmphand weiris ; To se so stowtly on thair steidis Tha stalwart knychtis steiris, Quhyll bellyis bair for brodding bleidis With spurris als scherp as breiris And kene, Vp at the Drum that day. Vp at the Drum the day wes sett, And fixit was the feild, Quhair baith thir noble chiftanis mett Enarmit vndir schield : Thay wer sa haisty and sa hett, That nane of thame wald yeild, Bot to debait or be doun bett, And in the quarrell keild Or slane, Vp at the Drum that day. Thair wes ane bettir and ane worss, I wald that it wer wittin ; For William wichttar was of corss Nor Syn, and bettir knittin. Sym said, he sett nocht by his forss, Bot hecht he sowld be Littin, And he micht counter Will on horss, For Sym wes bettir sittin Nor Will, Vp at the Drum that day. ‘To se the stryfe come yunkeirs stowt, And mony galyart man ; 1 Dowsy peiris is a corruption of douze pairs, denoting the twelve peers of Charlemagne. In the Taill of Rauf Coilyear, the expression is more completely corrupted :— Baith dukis and duche-peiris, Barrounis and bacheleiris. 424 THE HISTORY OF All denteis deir wes thair bot dowt, The wyne on broich it ran. Trumpettis and schalmis with a schowt Playid or the rink began, And eikwall juges sat abowt, To se quha tynt or wan The feild, Vp at the Drum that day. With twa blunt trincher speiris squair, It wes thair interpryiss To fecht, with baith thai facis bair, For lufe, as is the gyiss. “Ane freynd of thairis throw hap come thair, And hard the rumor ryiss, Quha stall away thair styngis baith clair, And hid in secreit wayiss, Ffor skaith, Vp at the Drum that day. Although it is not to be supposed that such a joust ever took place, it is highly probable that Adamson and Sym were real characters, and that the poet alluded to some quarrel decided without the forms of chivalry. From the subsequent passage we may infer that these combatants were both skinners; and they might therefore be competitors, not merely in love, but likewise in trade :— Will schortly to his horss he slydis, And sayis to Sym be name, Better we bath wer byand hyddis And weddir skynnis at hame. Several of the Scotish poets have exercised their satirical powers in descriptions of imaginary combats ; but we find an earlier example in “The Turnament of Tottenham,” written by Gilbert Pilkington, an English poet who flourished during the fifteenth century.” Dunbar has described an encounter between a shoemaker and a tailor, and Lindsay between two gentle leeches belonging to the king’s household; but both their poems are inferior, in point and humour, to the similar attempt of Scott. 1 Scott’s Poems, p. 17. Poetry, vol. ii. p. 18. Ritson’s Bibliographia 2 Percy’s Reliques of Ancient English Poetica, p. 93. SCOTISH POETRY. 425 To the earlier part of the sixteenth century belong various poets, who have left very few and scanty specimens of their talents, and of whose personal history little or nothing is ac- curately known. Among other names we find that of Sir John Moffat, who was probably an ecclesiastic, and who is the author of some moral stanzas, containing seasonable. advice “To re- membir the End.”’ In Bannatyne’s ms. the name of Moffat is also subjoined, though in a different hand, to the Wife of Auch- termuchty, a very humorous ballad which still maintains its popularity. A certain man, who dwelt in Auchtermuchty, and who neither loved hunger nor cold, returned one rainy day from the plough ; and on finding his wife sitting very comfortably at home, expressed much dissatisfaction at his own lot. She readily acceded to his surly proposal that they should on alter- nate days undertake to follow the plough, and to manage the household affairs : next morning she proceeded with alacrity to her new employment: during her absence, the husband was exposed to a succession of ludicrous disasters, and after this experiment was anxious to escape from his domestic avocations. There is another early tale which so far resembles this, that it represents a husband and a wife as making a similar interchange of duties ; but the details are materially different, and some of the incidents are of a more tragic nature.” In the prologue to Sir David Lindsay’s Complaynt of the Papingo, we find the names of several poets who seem to have been contemporary with himself :— Kid in cunnyng and practik richt prudent, And Stewart, quhilk desyrith ane staitly style, Full ornate warkis daylie dois compyle. Stewart of Lorne will carpe richt curiouslie ; Galbraith, Kinlouch, quhen thay list thame applie, Into that art are craftie of ingyne.* Kidd, Galbraith, and Kinloch, are at present only known from this incidental notice. Under the name of Stewart, several little poems have been preserved by Bannatyne; but whether they 1 Hailes’s Ancient Scottish Poems, p. 187. dix to Mr. Laing’s Select Remains of the 2 This story, extracted from the first part Ancient Popular Poetry of Scotland. Edinb. of the Silva Sermonum jucundissimorum, — 1822, 4to. Basil, 1568, 8vo, may be found in the Appen- 3 Lindsay’s Works, vol. i. p. 286. 426 THE HISTORY OF are to be ascribed to Stewart of Lorne, or to the other poet of this surname, cannot now be determined. In one of these he enumerates, not without various strokes of satire, the new-year's gifts which he had received at court; and Lord Hailes has demonstrated from internal evidence that this poem must have been written in-1527. He begins with the king his chief ; who approached as quietly as a thief, and slipped into his hand a magnificent present of two shillings :— First lerges of the king my cheif Quhilk come als quiet as a theif, And in my hand sled schillings tway , To put his lergnes to the preif, For lerges of this new-yeir day.’ The names of Norval and of Allan Watson likewise occur in Bannatyne’s Ms.; but their compositions have not been ad- mitted into any of the printed collections. Poems by Tethy, Fleming, and Jobn Blyth, have been published by Lord Hailes. The various writers, whose names appear in this muster-roll, may not all have flourished at the very same period; nor would it be of much consequence to establish the chronology of their respective lives. They could not properly be passed without a cursory notice, and have been permitted to occupy a scanty space in this short chapter. 1 Hailes’s Ancient Scottish Poems, p. 151. SCOTISH POETRY. 427 CHAPTER XX. AMONG the respectable names which occur in our literary annals of the sixteenth century, we find that of Alexander Arbuthnot, principal of King’s College, Aberdeen, who is highly commended for his learning and moderation, two qualities which are not always united in the same individual. The academics of that period who cultivated the study of poetry, have generally evinced a decided predilection for the Latin language; and when they compared the terseness and harmony of the ancient poets with the rude and halting rhymes of more recent versifiers, it is not wonderful that they selected the classical models for their imitation. Arbuthnot, however, appears to have sought a relaxation from his severer studies in the composition of Scotish verses. He was born in the year 1538, and was the descendant of an ancient family, afterwards ennobled by Charles the First : his father was Andrew Arbuthnot of Futhes, the fourth son of Sir Robert Arbuthnot of Arbuthnot, in the county of Kincar- dine.’ The earlier part of his academical education he re- ceived in the University of St. Andrews. He visited France in 1561, and for the period of five years prosecuted the study of the civil law under the renowned Cujacius, who was then a pro- fessor in the University of Bourges.” This was the ordinary course of study pursued by those who were destined for the legal profession.* The law of Scotland is, to a great extent, founded on the principles of the Roman law; but as the civilians have never been very conspicuous in our universities, 3“ Ka enim etate sapere, nisi Romano jure, homines non videbantur.” (Gadendam Hist. Juris Cimbrici, p. 54. Hamb. 1770, 8vo.) 1 Nisbet’s System of Heraldry, ii. app. p. 90. 2 Berriat St. Prix, Histoire du Droit Ro- main suivie de l'Histoire de Cujas, p. 388. Paris, 1821, 8vo. 428 THE HISTORY OF the Scotish students were compelled to seek for able preceptors in other countries. The reputation of Cujacius, Donellus, Govea, Balduinus, Contius, Hotman, and many other great names, elevated the French schools of law above all competi- tion : their celebrity, however, was at length eclipsed by the more modern universities of Holland;* and our countrymen then repaired to Leyden and Utrecht, instead of Bourges and Toulouse. Having taken the degree of Licentiate of Laws, Arbuthnot returned to Scotland with the view of following the profession of an advocate; but he was afterwards induced to relinquish the study of law for that of divinity; and on the 15th of July 1568, he was presented to the living of Logie- Buchan. The Principal, as well as some other members of King’s College having been expelled by the visitor, he was pre- sented to the vacant office on the 3d of July 1569; and on the 25th of the same month he was presented to the living of Arbuthnot, which he continued to hold with his academical preferment.? Archbishop Spotswood has remarked that, “by his diligent teaching and dextrous government, he not only revived the study of good letters, but gained many from the superstitions whereunto they were given.” 1 “Jn plerisque negotiis,” said Sir Thomas Craig about the year 1600, ‘‘jus civile sequi- mur, non quidem edocti, et in eo instituti, quod nulli adhuc quod sciam apud nos juris ‘fuerint professores qui jus publice docerent, quod sane dolendum est.” (Jus Feudale, p. 14, edit. Edinb. 1732, fol.) I may here take an opportunity of remarking that Dr. Wenck, the able successor of Haubold in the Univer- sity of Leipzig, has lately furnished a very curious contribution to the history of the eivil law in England. This work bears the title of Magister Vacarius, primus Juris Ro- mani in Anglia Professor. Lipsie, 1820, 8vo. The errors of Selden, Duck, and many other writers are detected with much patience and acuteness ; and the entire volume, for it ex- tends to 338 pages, affords a singular proof of the author’s learning and assiduity. The history of Vacarius has more recently been discussed by Savigny, Geschichte des Rom- ischen Rechts im Mittelalter, iv. Band. 8. 350. 2 “ Tnterea autem in Belgii septentrionalis partibus et apud Batavos, publica libertate firmata, omnes discipline et artes humaniores efflorescebant. Quantum hie populus in me- dicina et scientiis naturalibus prestiterint, omnibus notum est; quantumque auctorum veterum studium iis debeat, neminem fugit. Nec minus autem apud illos erudita jurispru- dentia colebatur, tantique nominis atque ponderis Batavorum sunt jurisconsulti, ut inter juris Romani intepretes primum locum obtinuerint. Servabat ad nostra usque tem- pora Batava juris schola Cujacianam in jure veteri tractando rationem, que in ipsa hujus viri immortalis patria neglecta erat. Neque fortasse tam facile recentissimis temporibus cultior jurisprudentia restituta fuisset, sine jurisconsultorum illorum studiis.” (Warn- keenig Commentarii Juris Romani Privati, tom. i. p. 100. Leodii, 1825, 8vo.) 8 M‘Crie’s Life of Melville, vol. i. p. 283.— For an account of this distinguished member of the University, Professor Ker refers to a work which he had prepared under the title of Athenw Aberdonenses. See the notes (p. 19) to his “‘Donaides: sive Musarum Aber- donensium de eximia Jacobi Fraserii, J.-U. D. in Academiam Regiam Aberdonensem Mu- nificentia, Carmen eucharisticum.” Edinb. 1725, 4to. Ker was then Professor of Greek SCOTISH POETRY. 429 The name of Arbuthnot is frequently mentioned in the eccle- siastical history of that period, and is always mentioned with respect. On two different occasions, in 1573 and 1577, he was elected moderator of the General Assembly ; and on many other instances his brethren testified their confidence and esteem. His name is connected with one very singular anecdote of litera- ture. To the General Assembly, which convened at Edinburgh on the Ist of July 1568, it having been reported that Thomas Bassenden, a printer in that city, “had printed a booke entitled, The Fall of the Roman Church, naming the king, the supream head of the church ; and that he had printed at the end of the Psalm-book a bawdy song; he is ordained to call in all these books that he hath sold, and sell no moe untill he changed that title, and delete the bawdy song; and that in time coming he print not without licence of the supream magistrate, and revis- ing the books appertaining to religion, by those that shall be appointed by the church for that purpose; and they appoint Alexander Arbuthnot to revise that book, and report his judg- ment of it.” The taste and decency of the printer certainly cannot be commended; but it is equally obvious, that the Assembly, if its proceedings are correctly reported, was suffi- ciently disposed to extend its jurisdiction, and to exercise a judicial and a legislative authority to which it had no proper claim. The regulation thus introduced respecting the licensing of books, could only be established by the legislature of the king- dom. In the Assembly of Edinburgh, 6th March 1574, he was nominated among the commissioners, who were to summon before them the chapter of Moray, accused of presenting a testimonial in favour of George Douglas, bishop of that see, “ without just at Aberdeen, and afterwards became Pro- fessor of Humanity at Edinburgh. His lite- rary History of Aberdeen was never printed ; nor have I ascertained whether the manu- script is still preserved. It may scarcely be worth while to remark that, on the classi- cal authority of Anthony 4 Wood, he has adopted a very absurd title. To his history of the University of Leyden, Meursius has given the title of Athence Batave, that is, the Athens of Holland; a title sufficiently appro- priate, or at least intelligible ; but what are we to understand by the Athens of Oxford, or the Athens of Aberdeen? To this publica- tion of Ker is subjoined ‘‘A Poem in imitation of Donaides, by David Malloch, A.M.” Dr. Johnson’s account of Mallet’s changing his name seems therefore to have been founded on proper evidence. Dr. Fraser, the subject of the poem, was secretary of Chelsea Hos- pital, and a considerable benefactor to King’s College. (Kennedy’s Annals of Aberdeen, vol. ii. p. 382.) 1 Petrie’s Hist. of the Catholick Church, cent. xvi. p. 359. Hague, 1662, fol. 430 THE HISTORY OF trial and due examination of his life and qualification in litera- ture.”! This Assembly also authorized Arbuthnot, together with Dr. Row and others, to prepare a plan of ecclesiastical polity. In October 1577, the Regent Morton intimated to the Assembly that the Protestants of Germany intended to hold a general council at Magdeburg, for the purpose of establishing thé Augsburg Confession ; and he requested to be informed whether they wished to send a deputation to attend the deliberations of their continental brethren. They accordingly presented a list of eight members, leaving him the power of selecting any two or three whom he might consider as best qualified for such a mission : his choice fell upon Arbuthnot, Melville, and George Hay ; but to whatever motive his conduct may be imputed, he could not be induced to send them to Germany.’ A copy of the Book of Discipline was presented to the Regent by this Assembly ; and for the discussion of any doubts or diffi- culties that might occur, he was referred to Arbuthnot, Mel- ville, Adamson, and other nine commissioners.* When a copy was presented to the king during the following year, Arbuthnot received a similar nomination ;° and by the Assembly which convened at Stirling in the month of June, he was authorized, along with Buchanan, Sir Peter Young, and others, to confer with several of the prelates, nobility, and gentry, relative to the polity of the church.® These, and other particulars which might be adduced, are sufficient to evince that he was always classed among the leaders of his party. In the year 1583, he was nomi- nated to one of the churches of St. Andrews; but the king, for. some reason that is not fully ascertained, was induced to inter- pose the royal authority, and to prohibit his removal from Aber- deen. There he died in the course of the same year, on the six- teenth of October, before he had completed the age of forty-five. Few conspicuous individuals of that turbulent period have 1 Calderwood’s History of the Church of Scotland, p. 64. ‘George, Bishop of Murray, is ordained to be summoned to give his pur- gation of the fornication alledged to be com- mitted by him with the Lady Ardross.” (Petrie, p. 382.) This bishop was the natural son of Archibald, Earl of Angus. (Keith’s Catalogue of the Scottish Bishops, p. 151.) 2 Calderwood’s History of the Church of Scotland, p. 65. 8 M‘Crie's Life of Melville, vol. i. p. 193. * Calderwood's History of the Church of Scotland, p. 79. 5 Petrie, p. 394. 6 Calderwood’s History of the Church of Scotland, p. 83. SCOTISH POETRY. 431 left so fair and irreproachable a character. Andrew Melville, in an elegy on his death, has pronounced a high eulogium on his virtues and accomplishments; and James Melville describes him as “a man of singular gifts of learning, wisdom, godliness, and sweetness of nature.” This is indeed the representation of a friend, but it is confirmed by the more impartial testimony of Archbishop Spotswood: “He was greatly loved of all men, hated of none, and in such account for his moderation with the chief men of these parts, that, without his advice, they could almost do nothing; which put him in a great fasherie, whereof he did often complain. Pleasant and jocund in conversation, and in all sciences expert; a good poet, mathematician, philo- sopher, theologue, lawyer, and in medicin skilful, so as in every subject he could promptly discourse, and to good purpose.” ” The same prelate avers that he was favourably inclined to the general form of episcopal government in the church? Bigotry often resides in the temper as well as in the understanding; and we may infer that his native moderation of mind, and rectitude of judgment, prevented him from regarding mere rites and regu- lations as not less important than religion itself. Arbuthnot was highly admired for his various learning and skill in different sciences. Of his juridical knowledge he is said to have published an adequate specimen in the year 1572; but this book, if actually printed, is of such extreme rarity as to have evaded the researches of all those who have recently endeavoured to trace it, either in libraries, or in catalogues of libraries.* The 1 Delitiz Poetarum Scotorum, tom. ii.p.120. 2 Spotswood’s History of the Church of Scotland, p. 335. The papists themselves seem to have respected his character. Nicol Burne, who, in the “‘ Admonition to the An- tichristian Ministers of the deformit Kirk of Scotland,” prefixed to his prose work, has treated the rest of the Protestant clergy with the utmost contempt, seems unwilling to extenuate the merits of Arbuthnot. (Dispu- tation concerning the controversit Headdis of Religion, halden in Scotland 1580, with the pretendit Ministeris of the deformit Kirk of Scotland. Paris, 1581, 8vo) :— Bot yit, gude Lord, quha anis thy name hes kend, May, or they de, find for their saulis re- meid. With thy elect, Arbuthnot I commend, Althocht the lave to Geneve haist with speid. 8 Spotswood Refutatio Libelli de Regimine Kcclesiz Scoticane, p. 44. Lond. 1820, 8vo. 4 Orationes de Origine et Dignitate Juris. Edinb. 1572, 4to. (Mackenzie’s Lives of Scots Writers, vol. iii. p. 194.) On this work of Arbuthnot, Thomas Maitland has written an encomiastic poem, inserted in the Delitiz Poetarum Scotorum, tom. ii. p. 153. Arbuth- not left in manuscript a work entitled ‘ Ori- ginis et Incrementi Arbuthnotice Familie Descriptio historica, ubi vere nobilitatis ratio et series succincte ac explicate pertractatur.” (Nisbet's System of Heraldry, vol. ii. app. p. 86.) 432 THE HISTORY OF only known compositions which now bear his name are some Scotish poems, preserved in the Maitland mss. at Cambridge and Edinburgh. That he was a successful cultivator of poetry, is evident from the testimony of Spotswood: the poems in ques- tion appear to have been written by a professed scholar; they were written during the age of the learned principal of King’s College, and they breathe the humane and liberal spirit by which he was distinguished. It may however be considered as unfa- vourable to the supposition of their identity, that in “The Mise- ries of a pure Scolar,” a poem which bears the date of 1572, the author describes himself as poor, and as waiting for some reput- able occupation : this description, it may be imagined, cannot apply to an individual who at that very time was the head of a college and the parson of a parish. But the emoluments arising from both preferments might not be very ample; and we are indeed informed that his popish predecessor, from a principle of hostility to the Protestant establishment, had attempted to re- duce the college to poverty." From the specimens which have been preserved, Arbuthnot may be pronounced an ingenious and pleasing poet. The most sprightly of his productions is entitled “The Praises of Wemen ;” a poem consisting of 224 lines, and containing a very hearty encomium on the fair sex. It is apparently directed against an ironical composition on the same subject ; for in one manuscript it bears the title of “Ane Contrapoysone to the ballait falslie intitulit the Properteis of gude Wemen.”” It opens with the following stanzas :— Quha dewlie wald decerne The nature of gud wemen, Or quha wald wis or yairne That cumlie clan to ken, He hes grit neid, I say indeid, Of toungis ma then ten : That plesand sort ar al confort And mirrines to men. The wysest thing of wit That ever Nature wrocht ; 1 Middleton’s Appendix to Spotswood, p. 2 Selected Poemes of S'. Richard Metellan 24, Kennedy’s Annals of Aberdeen, vol. ii. f. 54, b. p. 369. SCOTISH POETRY. 433 Quha can fra purpose flit, Bot fickilnes of thocht. Wald ye now wis ane erthlie blis, Solace gif ye have socht ; Ane marchandyce of gritest pryce That ever ony bocht. The brichtest thing, bot baill, That ever creat bein, The lustiest and [maist] leil, The gayest and best gain : The thing fairest and langest lest, From all canker maist clein ; The trimmest face with gudlie grace, That lichtlie may be sein. The blythest thing in bour, The bonyest in bed, Plesant at everie hour, And eithe for to be sted : An innocent, plaine and patent, With craftiries oncled ; Ane simple thing, sueit and bening, For deir nocht to be dred. To man obedient, Evin lyk ane willie wand ; Bayth faythfull and fervent, Ay reddie at command. Thay luif maist leill, thoch men do feill, And schaikis oft of hand ; Quhair anes thay love thay not remove, Bot steidfastlie thay stand. And, rychtlie to compair, Scho is ane turtill trew ; Hir fedderis ar rycht fair, And of an hevinlie hew: Ane luifing wicht, bayth fair and bricht, Gud properteis anew, Freind with delyte, fo but dispyte ; Quho luves hir sall not rew.! “The Miseries of a pure Scolar,” as Mr. Pinkerton remarks, is a most interesting poem, and does great honour to the heart and 1 Pinkerton's Ancient Scotish Poenis, vol. i. p. 138. 25 434 THE HISTORY OF head of its author.” The subsequent quotation will afford an adequate specimen :— T luif larges and liberalitie, Yet povertie to spend dois mak me spair ; I hate averice and prodigalitie, To get sum geir yet maun I haif grit cair, In vanitie syn I man it outwair, Woun be ane wretch, and into waistrie spent. Quhat marvel is thoch I murne and lament ? I luif the vertew honest chaistitie, To bawdische bourdis yet man I oft gif ear ; To satisfie ane fleshlie cumpanie, Lyk ruffian I man me sumtyme beir. In Venus scule I man sum lessoun leir, Gif I wald comptit be courtees and gent. Quhat marvel is thoch I murne and lament ? I luif delyt, and wrappit am in wo, I luif plesour, and plungit am in pane, J list to rest, yet man I ryde and go, And quhen I list to flie I maun remain. With warldlie cair a gentil hart is slane. I feil the smart, and dar nocht mak my plent. Quhat marvel is thoch I murne and lament ? I hait flatterie, and into wourdis plane, And unaffectit language, I delyte, Yet man [ leir to flatter, glois, and fayne, Quhidder I list to speik or yit to wryte, Or els men sall nocht compt me worth a myte, I sall be raknit rude or negligent. Quhat marvel is thoch I murne and lament ? Scorning I hait, yet maun I smyle and smirk ; Quhen I the mokkis of uther men behald, Yea oft-times man I lauch, suppose I irk, Quhen bitterlie thair tauntis thai have tauld ; And sumtyme als, quhidder I nyl or wald, Ane scorne for scorne to gif I man tak tent. Quhat marvel is thoch I mume and lament?! The following stanzas, in which he alludes to the prevalence of 1 Pinkerton's Ancient Scotish Poems, vol. i. p. 151. SCOTISH POETRY. 435 domestic feuds, likewise furnishes an interesting picture of his mind :— I luif justice, and wald that everie man Had that quhilk richtlie dois to him perteine, Yet all my kyn, allya, or my clan, In richt or wrang I man alwayis mantene : I maun applaud, quhen thai thair matters mene, Thoch conscience thairto do not consent. Quhat marvel is thoch I murne and lament ? Sua thoch I luif the richt, and nocht the wrang, Yet gif ane freyndis case sall cum in hand, It to assist I maun bayth ryde and gang, And, as ane scolar, leir to understand, That it is not repute vyce in this land, For wrang to rander wrang equivalent. Quhat marvel is thoch I murne and lament? In another passage, he supplies us with some hints respecting the literary history of that period :— In poetrie I preis to pas the tyme, When cairfull thochts with sorow sailyes me ; Bot gif I mell with meter or with ryme, With rascal rymours I sall rakint be : Thay sal me bourdin als with mony lie, In charging me with that quhilk never I ment. Quhat marvel is thoch I mume and lament ? I wald travel, and ydlenes I hait, Gif I culd find sum gude vocation ; Bot all for nocht ; in vain lang may I wait, Or I get honest occupatioun : Letters are lichtliet in our natioun, For lernyng now is nother lyf nor rent. Quhat marvel is thoch I murne and lament ? These are almost the only poems of Arbuthnot which have hitherto been published, but several others are preserved in manuscript. They are however of inferior interest, nor would their publication have much tendency to increase the repu- tation of the author. One of them is of considerable length ; and its general scope may be understood from the first two lines :— 436 THE HISTORY OF Religioun now is rackinit as ane fabill, And fear of God is compted folischnes.’ A more copious versifier of this period was Robert Semple, whom some writers, on very doubtful evidence, have represented as a Scotish peer.” The evidence indeed amounts to little more than this: the fourth Lord Semple bore the same name, and after the year 1570 the poet changed his signature to Semple. The identity of the names is itself a very slender proof, and requires no particular consideration. In Bannatyne’s ms. he appears as Semple, without the addition of his Christian name ; but if this circumstance is to be admitted as evidence, Dunbar, Henryson, Scott, and various other poets may in the same manner be elevated to the dignity of the peerage. Lord Semple succeeded his grandfather in 1572,> and the manuscript was written in 1568; it is evident that in 1568, Robert Semple was was not a peer, though we find him here mentioned by his sur- name. In the “Legend of the Bischop of Sanctandrois Lyfe,” which, as it mentions the prelate’s journey to London, must have been written so late as the year 1583, the author describes himself by his initials R. 5. It is admitted that Lord Semple continued to profess the Catholic religion ; but the poems of Robert Semple contain the most unequivocal proofs of having been written by a Protestant, and the Legend was manifestly written by a very zealous Presbyterian. According to Demp- ster, the poet died in 1595; but the peer is known to have survived till 1611. Whatever credit may be due to this lite- rary historian, there are other circumstances more than suffi- cient to render his identity extremely dubious. In a sonnet addressed to Robert Hudson, Montgomery specifies Semple as not exempted from the ordinary misfortunes of poets; and as this sonnet appears to have been written when he was advanced 1 Selected Poemes of S'. Richard Metellan, f. 60, a. ms. in the University Library. The same manuscript contains another poem of Arbuthnot, consisting of five stanzas. One half of it has been printed by Dr. M‘Crie, Life of Melville, vol. i. p. 11% It begins with the following lines :— Giwe it be trew as storeis dois reherse, That sorrow souppis suitiletie and sence. F, 67, a. 2 Sibbald’s Chronicle of Scottish Poetry, vol. iii. p. 397. Preface to Semple’s Sege of the Castel of Edinburgh. [Lond. 1813] 4to. Essay on the Poets of Renfrewshire (p. xvii.) prefixed to the Harp of Renfrewshire. Pais- ley, 1819, 12mo. 8 Douglas’s Peerage of Scotland, vol. ii. p. 494, SCOTISH POETRY. 437 in years, it affords another presumption against the identity of the poet and the peer :— Ye knaw ill guyding genders mony gees, And specially in poets : for example, Ye can pen out tua cuple and ye pleis, Yourself and I, old Scott and Robert Semple. It is not perhaps to be considered as very probable that Mont- gomery would have applied these expressions to the presump- tive heir of a baron; and it is certain that he would not thus have described the baron himself. There is some reason to believe that Semple was a captain in the army: he speaks of himself as having been present at the siege of Edinburgh castle ;” in the progress of his narrative,. he specifies particular incidents which he had not himself an opportunity of observing, and he distinctly mentions a captain of his own name :— Four capitanis followit, at thair bak to byde, Sempill and Hectour, Ramsay, and Robesoun. Dempster represents Semple as exhibiting the combined ex- cellencies of Propertius, Tibullus, Ovid, and Callimachus ;? a eulogium which cannot but be regarded as extravagant by those who have perused such of his compositions as are now to be found. Here it is certainly very difficult to discover any por- tion of poetical spirit. His “Sege of the Castel of Edinburgh” is a poem of considerable length, and contains some circum- stantial details, but is in a great measure destitute of force and animation. A few stanzas will probably be deemed a sufficient specimen :— 1 Montgomery’s Poems, p. 75. Edinb. Quhill force did fail; and than I saw 1821, 8vo. thame fane To ery peccavi with the waithman noit. 2 The walis wes heich, we culd not weil 8 “ Semple claro nomine poeta, cui patrius persew thame, sermo tantum debet, ut nulli pius debere eru- Bot quhen we gat thame doun, full diti fateantur : felix in eo calor, temperatum deir thay bocht it: judicium, rara inventio, dictio pura ac can- Be-syde the woil at sundrie tymes we dida; quibus dotibus regi Jacobo charissi- slew thame ; mus fuit. Scripsit Rythmos vernacule, lib. i. That euer thay saw vs, sum of thame Carmina armatoria, ut Propertii sanguinem, forthocht it. Tibulli lac, Ovidii mel, Callimachi sudorem eequasse plerisque doctis videatur.” (Demp- Thay schot gud Manfeild in athort the steri Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Scotorum, throit, p. 602.) 438 THE HISTORY OF The castel segit, and all beset about With fowseyis wyde, enuironit be slycht ; Montanis and myndis leit neuer man luik out, For ordinance thay dang at day and nycht By weirlyk volyis : thocht the wallis wes wycht, Yit dowball battrie brak thame all in inschis : Of Daueis toure, in all the toune-menis sycht, Thay riggan stanes come tumbland ouir the trinschis. The vehement schot yeid in at either syde, By threttie cannonis plasit at partis seuin, Quhill thay thair-in mycht not thair heidis hyde, For pot-gun pellettis falland from the heuin : The bumbard stanis directit fell sa euin, That in to dykes by dint it deidly dang thame, Quhill all the houssis in the place wes reuin, The bullatis brak sa in-to bladis amang thame. Continewand this ane dosand of dayis or mair, Quhill tyme apointit neuer man durst steir : The larum rang, the regent self wes thair, My lord ambassat to stuid verry neir ; The manlie generall, lyke the god of weir, Not vsit to sleip quhen sing thingis ar a-do ; Our cronall als, quha is ane freik bot feir, With all his capitanes, reddie to ga to.’ An English poet of some note, Thomas Churchyard, has likewise written a poem on “ The Siege of Edenbrough Castell ;” and this siege he conducts with more animation than Semple. Tn the following stanza he introduces an allusion to the name of the Maiden Castle, sometimes bestowed upon this for- tress :-— A castel strong, that neuer none assayld, A strength that stode on mount and mighty rock, A peerles plot, that alwaies hath preuaild, And able was to suffer any shock, The enmy chose ; and sure the seat was sutch That might harme al, and few or none could tutch, And thought to be the onely fort of fame, Most meite and fit to beare a maiden’s name.” { Semple is the author of another poem entitled “The Legend 1 The Sege of the Castel of Edinburgh. 2 Churchyard’s Chips concerning Scotland, Imprentit at Edinburgh be Robert Lepreuik p. 146. Lond. 1817, 8vo. anno M.D.LXXIII. . The author’s name appears in the colophon : Quod Sempill. SCOTISH POETRY. 439. of the Bischop of Sanctandrois Lyfe.” This is a very persever- ing, and a very illiberal attack on the character of Archbishop Adamson, who was a scholar and a man of talents, but was not free from the glaring errors into which churchmen are some- times betrayed by the fatal allurements of ambition. Having re- linquished his pastoral charge at Ceres, he accompanied to France the eldest son of Sir James Mackgill; and in the University of Bourges, which was then a renowned school of law, he applied himself for several years to a new course of study, with the in- tention of following the profession of a lawyer. On his return to Scotland, however, he resumed his clerical functions, after having begun to practise at the bar; and he became succes- sively minister of Paisley, chaplain to the Regent, and Arch- bishop of St. Andrews. These honours were not obtained with- out loud impeachments of his consistency and sincerity. The cause of Episcopacy was very far from being a popular cause : the attempt to ingraft it on the Reformed Church of Scotland was strenuously resisted ; and when the Archbishop was rapidly sinking into poverty and contempt, Semple employed himself in the composition of this cruel invective. The spirit of the writer certainly cannot be commended; his poem cannot be read without disgust, even by those who are least disposed to admire Adamson’s character and conduct. Nor is it entitled to much commendation as a literary production. This Legend com- mences with the following passage, which in virulence and abuse is surpassed by many others that ensue :— To all and sundrie be it sene, Mark weill this mater quhat I meine, The legend of a lymmeris lyfe, Our metropolitane of Fyffe ; Ane schismatyke, and gude swyne hogge, Com of the tryb Gog Magoge ; Ane elphe, ane elrasche incubus, Ane lewrand lawrie licherous ; Ane fals, forloppen, fenyeit freir, Ane ranungard for greid of geir, Still daylie drinckand, or he dyne, A wirriare of the gude sweit wyne ; Ane baxters sone, ane beggar borne, That twyse his surnaime, hes mensuorne ; 440 THE HISTORY OF To be called Constene he thocht schame, He tuke vp Constantine to name.’ Some to the schoolis this knave convoyes : Beggand his breid amonges the boyes, He come to letters at the lenth ; Then when he grew to witt and strenth, He tuike the ministrie on hand, And servit at Syres vp-a-land. Bot through presumptious height and pryde, He layed that office sone asyde ; Manna and quales he thocht no fude. The pottis of Egypt was tuyse as gude. Thinking that poore professione vaine, He changed his surname over agane, Now Doctour Adamsone at last.’ Of the poems of Semple, several printed during his lifetime are of such rare occurrence, that they are scarcely known to be extant.’ Other three have been published from Bannatyne’s Ms.; they are not written in a strain of the utmost decorum, but are more sprightly than those which have already been mentioned.* We are informed by a contemporary writer, that a play, composed by Robert Semple, was performed before the Regent and others of the nobility, on the 17th of January 1568.° This is supposed to have been the comedy of Philotus: but the supposition is apparently attended with one difficulty ; in the concluding speech of Philotus we find a loyal wish for the safety of the King, without any allusion to the Regent. The King was at that period a mere infant ; and it may not be considered as very probable that, in a drama, exhibited before the Regent, the author would neglect such an opportunity of paying his court to this powerful individual. The difficulty may indeed be removed 1 See Dr.'M‘Crie’s Life of Melville, vol. i. containing six eight-line stanzas. Finis quod p. 445. Robert Sempill, 1570. Broadside. The Bi- 2 Scotish Poems of the Sixteenth Century, schoppis Lyfe and Testament. In 27 eight- vol. ii. p. 309. This poem of Semple is sup- line stanzas ; and ends Quod Sempill. Striui- posed to have been printed from a manu- ling be Robert Lekpreuik, 1571, fol. Four seript ; but where the manuscript is to be leaves. My Lord Methwenis Tragedie. In found, the editor has not thought proper to 24 nine-line stanzas. Finis quod Sempill : inform us. then 4 lines. Sanet Androis, Lekprenik, 8 The following poems are mentioned in 1572, fol. Ames’s Typographical Antiquities. . 582, 583. Lend. 1749, 4to. he Hogentia Tage. = Rameay’s Ever-Green, vol. i. pp. 67, 71, die, ending with ane Exhortatioun. In 17 ATG: nine-line stanzas: and the tragedies Lennoy, ® Birrel’s Diary, p. 14. SCOTISH POETRY. 441 by supposing him to have made a skilful alteration when he prepared his work for the press. Several anonymous poems, relating to recent and interesting events, made their appearance about the same period; but they are only curious as expressing the sentiments of individuals who lived when such events took place, and as containing some contri- butions to the history rather than the poetry of that age. One of these is “ The Testament and Tragedie of umquhile King Henrie Stewart of gude memorie ;” another, “ Ane Declaratioun of the Lordis just Quarrel :” they were both printed by Lekprevick, in the year 1567, and are both very hostile to the Queen. “Ane Tragedie in forme of ane Diallog,” published in the year 1570, commemorates the merits and the fate of the Regent Murray. It is more easy to commend the author’s zeal for a good cause, than his poetical talents. Some notion of his taste may be derived from an inspection of the following couplet, in which he represents the unfortunate nobleman as— Nakit and bair, schot throw pudding and panche, Abone the nauill, and out abone the hanche. In the subsequent passage, he gives a distinct enough account of some of the Regent’s public services : — Sone eftir this, to Liddisdaill he went, Quhairof the theifis and sic war not content ; For to thair chyftanis he maid biggingis bair, As efterwart thay did repent full sair. Than come he north schortly, he tuke na rest, Till all that countrie had componit and drest : The hiest of thame all, that wald rebell, He maid him stoup, and als to knaw him sell. This being done, amang all vther thing, He maid thame all subscriue vnto the King, Baith far and neir, of hie and low degre, Acknawledgeing the Kingis authoritie: Except Lord Fleming, nane war in this land, Bot to the kingis grace had thay geuin thair band. Sa hauing stablischt all thing in this sort, To Liddisdaill agane he did resort, Throw Ewisdaill, Esdaill, and all the daills raid he, And also lay thre nychtis in Cannabie, Quhair na prince lay thir hundreth yeiris befoir, Na theif durst steir, thay did him feir so soir, THE HISTORY OF And that thay suld na mair thair thift alledge, Thre scoir and twelf he brocht of thame in pledge, Syne wardit tham, quhilk maid the rest keip ordour ; Than mycht the rasche bus keip ky on the bordour. “The Lamentation of Lady Scotland,” which made its appear- ance in 1572, is a poem of nearly the same denomination. As a literary production, it excites little interest; but it is not without a few gleanings of information relative to the state of the kingdom at that particular period. The oppressive conduct of the landholders is a frequent topic with the Scotish writers of the sixteenth century ; nor has it been overlooked by this anonymous versifier, who designates himself by the initials PLR. — Your tennents plenyeis that thay ar opprest Be yow and yours, that dois thame soir molest : Ye hicht thair mailis, thair pleuchs ye dowbil on thame, Thay tyne thair tyme at sic things to opone thame. For na rest will ye get into your rages, Gif sum sect knaw that thay haue geir or baggs. Your nichtingaills will sing sa in your eiris, That ye sall nichtily haue domestik weiris : Yone carle, quod scho, my joy, dois beinly dwell, And all prouisioun hes within him sell, In barne, in byre, in hall, girnell, and seller, His wyfe weiris weluot on hir gowne and coller. Thay ar sa riche that thay do vs misknaw ; Than better sone to drug nor lait to draw. Sone is his gersum hichtit and his maillis, Himself growis waik, his geir and houshald failis. Quhair sic wont to haue guse, cok, and hen, Breid, drink, and bedding, to treit honest men, Now drink thay mylk and swails, in steid of aill, And glaid to get peis breid and watter caill. Quhair sic wer wont to ryde furth to the weir With jak and sword, gude hors, knapscall and speir ; Quhair sic wer wont brauely to mak thame bowne With lord or laird to ryde to burrowis towne ; Quhair sic wer wont at all games to be reddy, To schuit or loup, for to exerce thair body ; Now mon thay wirk and labour, pech and pant, To pay thair maisters maillis exhorbitant ; 1 Ane Tragedie in forme of ane Diallog be- heirof in ane Trance, Imprentit at Edinburgh tuix Honour, Gude Fame,’ and the Authour be Robert Lepreuik, An. Do. 1570, 8vo. SCOTISH POETRY. 443 Ryne out the mures, the bestialls gers intak ; Thay ar sa waik thay dow not beir a jak. After discussing various topics of a graver nature, he concludes his poem with a brief story of the following tenor :— For to mak all or sum lauch at the last, Than all and sum sall heir in tyme bypast, Quhen fornicatioun haldin was na cryme, How that sum prelats did walk, pray, and fast, And serue in kirk according to that tyme. A prelat ane day in his bed to sport him, Did clap his lufe with kissis soft and sweit : In this meane tyme thair was, to recomfort him, Peirtryks and pleuers pyping on the speit : Than vp he rais, and maid him for thame meit, With gude quhyte wyne and all the partinence ; Quhen he had tane this on his conscience, He gaif ane greit pech lyke ane weill fed stirk : Och Lord, quod he, now gif me patience ; Quhat stres thoill we to serue thy haly kirk ! 1 The Lamentatioun of Lady Scotland, com- gedie and the Lamentatioun are preserved in pylit be hir self, speiking in maner of ane the Advocates’ Library. They are both re- Epistle, in the moneth of Marche, the zeir of printed in Scotish Poems of the Sixteenth God 1572. Imprentit at Sanctandrois be Century, vol. ii. Robert Lekpreuik, 1572, 8vo. Both the Tra- 444 THE HISTORY OF CHAPTER XXII. In a former chapter we have traced, however imperfectly, the history of the Scotish drama from avery remote period : it may now be proper to prosecute the same subject, and to continue this meagre narrative to the commencement of the seventeenth century. By thus departing from the strict order of chronology, we shall be enabled to collect various fragments of information, which, if considered separately, are of little value or interest, but, when combined together, may reflect some light on the taste and recreations of our ancestors. Sir David Lindsay was not the only dramatic poet who endea- voured to promote the reformation of religion. About the period when he produced his Satyre of the thrie Estaits, a black or Dominican friar, named Kyllor, composed a mystery on the subject of Christ’s Passion ; in which he ventured to expose the odious nature of persecution, and the immoral lives of the clergy, with a degree of freedom which proved fatal to the author. It was acted at Stirling ona Good Friday in presence of the King; and “this plain speiking so enflamit the hairtis of all that buir the beistis mark, that thai ceissit not till” the unfortunate friar was convicted of heresy, and committed to the flames: he suf- fered on the Castlehill of Edinburgh, on the last day of February 1539, together with a gentleman named Robert Forrester, Friar Beverege, Duncan Symson, and Thomas Forrest, canon regular of St. Colm, and Vicar of Dollar.’ So dangerous it was for a poet, who was not protected by his rank and connexions, to exercise his satirical talents on churchmen whose power was equal to their profligacy. Another dramatic poet of that period was James Wedderburn. He was the author of two plays, which 1 Knox’s Hist. of the Reformatioun, p. 22. Spotswood's Hist. of the Church of Scot. p. 66. SCOTISH POETRY. 445 were both acted at Dundee: one of them was founded on the history of John the Baptist, the other on that of Dionysius the Sicilian tyrant. He likewise ventured to expose the corruptions of the church ; but as his dramas were represented before a more obscure audience, they did not subject the author to the same fate.’ Of the dramatic works of Kyllor and Wedderburn, it is to be regretted that not a single fragment is known to have descended to our time. This period abounded with entertainments which, if not strictly dramatic, were at least allied to the drama. Some of these appear to have produced so much disorder, that they were prohibited by an Act of Parliament passed in the year 1555. It is there provided “that in all tymes cumming na maner of per- soun be chosin Robert Hude nor Lytill Johne, Abbot of Vnres- soun, Quenis of Maij, nor vtherwyse, nouther in burgh nor to landwart in ony tyme to-cum ; and gif ony prouest, baillies, counsall, and communitie chesis sic ane personage as Robert Hude, Lytill Johne, Abbottis of Vuressoun, or Quenis of Maij within burgh, the chesaris of sic sall tyne thair fredome for the space of fyue yeiris, and vtherwyse salbe punist at the quenis grace will, and the acceptar of siclyke office salbe banist furth of the realme.”? But the people could not so easily be pre- vented from recurring to their usual recreations ; and six years after the date of this Act of Parliament, a formidable tumult took place in Edinburgh in consequence of such a prohibition. “The papists and the bischopes,” says John Knox, “ disapointed of thair principall purpois and interprys, did yet mak broylle for trouble: for the rascall multitude were steired up to mak a Robin Huid, quhilk inormity was of mony yeirs left and damned by statute and act of parliament; yet wald they not be forbiden, bot wald disobey and truble the toun, especially upoun the nicht: quhareat the bailyeis offendet, tuk from thame sum swords and ane enseyne, quhilk was occasioun that they the same nicht made a mutiny, kepit the ports of the toun, and intendit to have persewit sum men within thair own houses, bot that upoun restitutioun of thair swords was stayet. Bot yet 1 Calderwood’s ms. Hist. of the Church of 2 Acts of the Parliaments of Scotland, Scotland, 1540. vol. ii. p. 500, 446 THE HISTORY OF they ceassit not to molest, alswell the inhabitants of Edinburgh, as divers cuntreymen, taking from thame money, and threaten- ing sum with farder injuries : quharewith the magistrates of the toun hiely offendet, tuk more deligent heid to sick as resortet to the toun, and apprehendet ane of the principall of that mis- ordour called Kyllone, a cordinar, quhome they put to ane assyis; and being convicted (for he culd not be absolved, for he was the cheif man that spoylled Johne Moubry of ten crowns of the Sone) they thocht to have executed jugement upoun him, and erectet a gibbet benethe the Croce. Bot (quhider it came be pactioun with the provest and sum uther, or by insti- gatioun of the craftsmen, quho ever have bene bent over mekle to mantean sick vanity and ryotousnes, we fully know not) sud- danely thair did rys a tumult, the Tolbuthe was brokin upe, and not onely the said Kyllone was violently taiken furthe, bot also all uther malefactours war set at freedome, the gibbet was pullet doun, and despytfully broken.”’ After an interval of more than thirty years, the enactments of the Parliament and the censures of the church had not been able to suppress these festivities : in the year 1592, the General Assembly complained that the Sabbath was still profaned by the plays of Robin Hood.? The nature of this entertainment cannot perhaps be very clearly defined.’ On the subject of Robin Hood and the Friar, Lord Hailes refers to an English drama, entitled “A new Play for to be played in Maye games, very plesaunte, and full of pas- tyme ;” in which the friar is represented as a profligate knave, and is introduced singing a song full of the most licentious ribaldry. “Hence it may be conjectured,” he adds, “that the interludes of Robin Hood were occasionally employed to expose the friars to obloquy. The clergy, all-powerful in Parliament at the time of enacting this statute, could not much relish the plesaunte pastyme of slandering the most useful members of their community ; and this will serve to account for the severity of the statute in suppressing entertainments of so dangerous a ten- dency.”* The commendation which Bishop Lesley bestows upon 1 Knox’s Hist. of the Reformatioun, p. 269. 3 Sce Ritson’s Rubin Hood, vol. i. p. xevii. [Laing’s Works of Knox, vol. ii. p. 157.] Lond. 1795, 2 vols. 8vo. 2 Arnot’s Hist. of Edinburgh, p. 79. Edinb. 4 Hailes’s Specimens of Notes on the Sta- 1779, 4to. tute Law of Scotland, part ii. p. 25. SCOTISH POETRY. 447 the same statute,’ might be regarded as a confirmation of this conjecture ; but if to expose the vices of any order of ecclesias- tics had been an ordinary part of the entertainment, it would probably have received a more favourable mention from the pen of Knox. The Abbot of Unreason is supposed to have been a personage somewhat similar to the Abbot of Misrule ; or, as he was denominated after the Reformation, Lord of Misrule ; an officer who in the houses of the English nobility “ presided over the Christmas gambols, and promoted mirth and jollity at that festive season.”” According to the opinion of Lord Hailes, “he was probably a farcical character in the interludes of those days, who, under the garb of a dignified churchman, uttered and acted absurdities for the entertainment of a licentious rabble.” But it is evident that this description does not include all his attri- butes: if he was known as a character in the interludes, it appears that he was likewise invested with certain official powers, corresponding to those of the Abbot of Misrule. The following anecdote, derived from an authentic source, reflects some light on his history. In the year 1547, a writ of excom- munication was issued by the consistory court of St. Andrews, at the instance of George Hay of Mynzeane, against Lord Borth- wick, on account of the contumacy of certain witnesses, who had perhaps been violently withheld by that powerful baron ; and William Langlands, an apparitor of the court, proceeded to Borthwick to enjoin the curate of that parish to publish the writ in the church. He accordingly signified his intention of reciting it after the celebration of high mass ; but a certain per- sonage, commonly called “the Abbot of Unressone of Borth- wick,” beset the unfortunate messenger of the law, and being aided by various accomplices, conducted him to a mill-dam at the south side of the castle, and compelled him to plunge into the water. The abbot declared that this was not a good and sufficient ducking ; and seizing him by the shoulders, gave the 1 Lesleus de Rebus gestis Scotorum, p. 524, ‘ 2 Percy’s Notes on the Northumberland Household-book, p. 441. See likewise War- ton’s Hist. of English Poetry, vol. iii. p. 207. Brand's Popwar Antiquities, vol. i. p. 387. Archeologia, vol. xviii. p. 313. The council for the household of the Lady Mary inquires at Cardinal Wolsey, whether they ‘‘shall ap- poynte any Lord of Mysrule for the said honorable householde, provide for enterluds, disgysyngs, or pleys in the said fast, or for banket on twelf nyght.” (H. Ellis’s Original Letters, vol. i. p. 271.) 448 THE HISTORY OF apparitor a complete immersion. Having returned to the church, Langland delivered the document to the curate ; but he was still haunted by the unrelenting abbot, who snatched the paper, and having reduced it to the smallest fragments, mingled them with a glass of wine, and compelled him to swallow this bitter potion : this act he accompanied with a declaration that if any similar writ should arrive while he continued in office, it should go the same road. The curate of Borthwick was immediately cited to depose to the names of the abbot and his accomplices, in order that sentence of excommunication might be issued against them. All these transactions took place in the month of May ; and it may be inferred that this abbot had been appointed for cele- brating the May-games. In the city of Aberdeen, the same or a similar character was distinguished by the title of Abbot of Bon-Accord ;? and it was a part of his duty to superintend the representations of the mysteries. “In process of time,” says Mr. Kennedy, “such religious exhibitions became secular amusements, and profane subjects were introduced as the favourite topics of plays, which were performed by the citizens. These recreations, it would 1 Scott's Provincial Antiquities of Scotland, pp. 37, 48. 2 Bon-Accord, which had been the watch- word of the citizens of Aberdeen in a battle fought with the English in the year 1308, was afterwards assumed as the motto of the city-arms, (Kennedy’s Annals of Aber- deen, vol. i. p. 21.) To this motto we find many allusions. In a poem written by David Wedderburn, master of the grammar school of Aberdeen, and entitled ‘ Propemp- ticon Charitum Abredonensium, the following passages occur :— = Scilicet his placuit Bona sie Concordia (nostre Lemma urbis) nostris adscripti ut civibus omen Firment, jam leges Fatorum poscere, gentem Utraque ut auspiciis gens his coalescat in unam., Namque, ut nos hilares solida inter gaudia noctes Egerimus, secundo Que fremuere vie, Bon-Accord, Abredonia testis, Testes tot chorez Bacchi inter pocula late testes vestro hoc clamore See Adamson’s Planctus et Vota Musarum in Aug. Monarche Jacobi Recessu e Scotia in Angliam, pp. 16,17. Edinb. 1618, fol. This poem, with the omission of a considerable number of lines, is likewise to be found in the Delitia Poetarum Scotorum, tom. ii. p. 566. Here the sense as well as the prosody of the second verse is marred by reading “Limina urbis.” In the life of Dr. William Forbes,. Bishop of Edinburgh, prefixed to his posthumous work, we find a passage which must be unintelligible to those who are not aware of the allusion. This learned man was a native of Aberdeen; and on returning from his travels, ‘“‘ Consul senatusque Abredonen- sis, omnibus humanitatis officiis complectun- tur, et juxta Bone Concordie pristinam con- suetudinem, ad testandum tam eximio viro, concivis filio, fceliciter reduci benevolen- tiam, municipem creant.” (Forbesii Con- siderationes modeste et pacific Controver- siarum. Lond. 1658, 8vo.) His biographer and editor was T. G. that is, Thomas Gallovi- diensis, Thomas Sydserff, Bishop of Galloway. (Murray’s Life of Samuel Rutherford, p. 351. Edinb. 1828, 18mo.) SCOTISH POETRY. 449 seem, had been too frequently practised ; for they were after- wards ordained by the magistrates, to be restricted to certain days of the year, namely, the anniversary of Saint Nicholas, the tutelary saint of the burgh, the Sundays of May, and to other such festival days. On these occasions, the citizens dressed in their gayest array, assembled at the Woolmanhill and Playfield, where they received the Abbot and Prior of Bon- Accord with pompous ceremony. These personages, and their train of atten- dants, mounted on steeds, afterwards proceed in parade through the streets of the town. The remainder of the day was devoted to mirth and festivity, to dancing, and to the exhibition of games, farces, and plays, concluding with a banquet, which ap- pears to-have been not unfrequently attended with tumult and disorder. To be absent however on these festivals, was an offence which was punished with forfeiture of the offender’s lease, if he held such of the community, or with a pecuniary fine, to be applied for the expense either of the lights or repairs of Saint Nicholas’ Church. In the beginning of the sixteenth century, these lords of Bon-Accord assumed the characters of Robin Hood and Little John, two bold adventurers, who lived in England in the twelfth century, and are commemorated in entertaining songs and tales, for their predatory excursions and daring exploits. While exhibiting their games, in these new characters, they and their attendants were apparelled in green clothes, with yellow bows and brass arrows. But these ancient games, dances, farces and plays, often had a tendency to en- gender irregularities among the citizens; they were attended with unnecessary expenses to the lords of Bon-Accord, who vied with each other in their sumptuous banquets on Senzie day, the first Sunday of May, and the Tuesday after Pasche, being the ordinary days appropriated for these exhibitions ; and, at length, the people having become weary of such recrea- tions and amusements, they appear to have gradually declined. There were various other plays and pageants, both secular and scriptural, exhibited towards the close of the fifteenth, and the beginning of the sixteenth centuries, by the artificers, peculiar 1 It signifies such a procession, in honour tries, when thcir images are carried through of the saints, as is common in Popish coun- thé streets. Pasche signifies Easter. 2F 450 THE HISTORY OF to themselves. These consisted of processions of the artificers through the streets of the town, on Candlemas day, on the feast of Corpus Christi, and on other festivals, with pageants and banners, which were displayed by the several corporations, bearing the emblems of their respective tutelary saints. The members, exhibiting the badges of their occupations, walked in pairs ; and the whole was concluded with a religious or secular drama, in honour of the occasion.”? In reference to the election of Queens of May, who are mentioned in the statute of 1555, Lord Hailes has remarked that “this was certainly a Pagan institution. It seems to have been a feast in honour of the goddess Vesta, and of Celtic origin. Learned men sometimes confound it with other festivals, which were celebrated in honour of Flora and of Castor and Pollux.”* The Queen of May is familiarly mentioned in Peblis to the Play, a poem written by James the First, who died in the year 1437. Than thai come to the townis end Withouttin more delai, He befoir, and scho befoir, | To see quha was maist gay. All that luikit thame upon, Leuche fast at thair array : Sum said that thai were merkat folk, Sum said the Quene of May Was cumit Of Peblis to the Play. The May festivities gradually subsided into an entertainment for the mere populace. Alexander Scott, who flourished during the reign of Queen Mary, mentions them in the following terms : In May quhen men yeid everichone With Robene Hoid and Littill Johne, To bring in bowis and birkin bobbynis ; 1 Kennedy’s Annals of Aberdeen, vol. i p. 91. Mr. Kennedy, whose work is entitled to much commendation, has collected many other notices respecting the plays and pa- geants of this city. His materials are with much industry drawn from the municipal re- eords. ‘‘In the year 1532,” he remarks, “another drama, which is partly scriptural, partly legendary, is particularly mentioned ; and was enjoined to be performed by the artificers, on Corpus Christi and Candlemas festivals, in honour of God, and the blessed Virgin Mary.” The different companies fur- nished St. Sebastian and his tormentors, St. Laurence and his tormentors, St. Stephen and his tormentors, St. Martin, the corona- tion of our Lady, St. Nicholas, St. John, St. George, the Resurrection, and the bearers of the Cross. (Vol. i. p. 96.) a 2 Hailes’s Notes on the Statute Law, part ii, p. 27. SCOTISH POETRY. 451 Now all sic game is fastlingis gone, Bot gif it be amangis clovin Robbynis.! The statute further enacts that “gif ony wemen or vthers, about simmer trees singand, makis perturbatioun to the Quenis liegis in the passage throw burrowis and vthers landwart townis, the wemen perturbatouris for skafrie of money or vtherwyse, salbe takin, handellit, and put vpone the cukstulis of euerie burgh or towne ;” that is, of every town where they appeared in this character. Here the penalties of the law are chiefly directed against female delinquents ; and in consequence per- haps of this circumstance, a King was substituted for a Queen of May. In the year 1577, the General Assembly supplicated the Regent “that his grace would discharge the plays of Robin Huid, King of May, and sic utheris, on the Sabbath-day.”? Bishop Percy has remarked that Sunday appears to have been the day originally selected for theatrical representations, pro- bably because the first dramatic pieces were of a religious cast ; and that during a great part of Queen Elizabeth’s reign, the playhouses were only licensed to be opened on that day.’ But in Scotland these profane exhibitions attracted the attention of the church soon after the era of the Reformation. In 1574, the General Assembly had “thought meit and concludit that na clerk playes, comedies or tragedies, be maid of the canonical scriptures, new or auld, on Sabboth-day nor wark-day, in time coming: the contraveners hereof, if they be ministers, to be secludit fra the function; and if they be utheris, to be punished be the discipline of thé Kirk : and ordaines an article to be given into sick as sitts upon the policie, that for uther playes, come- dies, tragedies, and utheris profaine playes, as are not maid upon authentic pairtes of the scriptures, may be considered before they be proponit publicklie ; and that they be not played upon the Sabboth-dayes.”* In 1576, the Assembly refused permission to the bailie of Dunfermline to represent on Sunday afternoon 1 Poems by Alexander Scott, p. 27. Edinb. the proceedings of the General Assembly, this 1821, 8vo. learned writer has collected some curious 2 Hailes’s Historical Memorials concerning passages regarding the history of the drama. the Provincial Councils of the Scottish 8 Percy’s Essay on the Origin of the Eng- Clergy, p. 41. Edinb. 1769, 4to. From the lish Stage, p. 155. Book of the Universal Kirk, an early record of 4 Hailes’s Historical Memorials, p. 41. 452 THE HISTORY OF a certain play, which was not founded on the canonical parts of the Scriptures! The following question was proposed in the year 1579: “Quhat ought to be done to sik persones, that after admonition, will pass to May-playes ; and specially elders and deacones, and utheris quha beares offices within the Kirk ?” It was answered by the Assembly that “they aucht not to be admittit to the sacraments without satisfaction ; in special, elders and deacons.” These detached notices tend to evince - that dramatic exhibitions were among the favourite recreations of our ancestors, nor can the interference of the clergy be con- sidered as the result of illiberal zeal. “This sentence of lesser excommunication,” says Lord Hailes, “is not too severe a punishment for those who, in matters indifferent at best, disre- gard the admonitions of authority.”* For many years subsequent to this period, no regular theatre was established in the Scotish metropolis. Plays were long represented in the open air; and the play-jield was at Green- side, probably under the declivity of Calton Hill, a situation equally pleasant and convenient. Thus Windmill Hill at Aberdeen, and the Castle Hill at Cupar, were selected for the same purpose.* Before the year 1633, no fewer than nineteen play-houses had been opened in London,” so different was the progress of the drama in these two countries. The records of the city of Edinburgh contain various entries respecting dra- matic exhibitions. The following “ Precept anent the Expensis of the Play” occurs under the date of June 15, 1554: “The provest, baillies, and counsale ordanis the thesaurer Robert Grahame to pay to the werkmen, merchandis, carteris, paynteris, and utheris that furneist the graith to the convoy of the Moris 1 Hailes’s Historical Memorials, p. 41. 2 Ibid. p. 41. 8 Hailes’s Notes on the Statute Law, part ii. p. 80. 4 To the general history of the drama I find a curious contribution in Mr. Sargent’s Me- moir of the Rev. Henry Martyn, B.D., p. 424, 2d edit. Lond. 1819, 8vo. At Shiraz in Per- sia, Mr. Martyn ‘‘ went to the vizier’s, to see part of the tragedy of Hosyn’s Death, which they contrive to spin out so as to make it last the ten first days of the Mohwrun. All the apparatus consisted of a few boards for a stage, two tables, and a pulpit, under an im- mense awning, in a court where the company were assembled. The dramatis persone were two; the daughter of Hosyn, whose part was performed by a boy, and a messenger : they both read their parts. Every now and then loud sobs were heard all over the court. After this several feats of activity were ex- hibited hefore the talar, where the vizier sat with the Moolahs.” 5 Percy’s Essay on the Origin of the English Stage, p. 151. SCOTISH POETRY. 453 to the Abbay, and of the play maid thairat Saturday the tent day of Junii instant, the sowme of xxxvij li. xv s. ijd. as the compt producit be Sir William Makdowgall, maister of werk, thairupoun proportit : provyding alwayis that the said Sir Wil- liame deliver to the dene of gyld the hand-senze and canves specefiit in the said tikkit to be kepit to the behoof of the toun.” On the 27th of the same month, “the baillies, counsale, and dekinnis ordanit the thesaurer Robert Grahame to content and pay to the maister of wark of the makar of the playing-place, the sowme of xxiiij li. for compleiting thairof; quhilk ‘being payit, salbe allowit.” In the records of the same year, 12th October 1554, we find a curious enumeration of play-geir : “ The provest, baillies, and counsale ordanis the thesaurer Robert Grahame to content and pay to Walter Bynnyng the sowme of v li. for the making of the play-graith and paynting of the hand-scenze and the playaris facis : providand alwyse that the said Walter mak the play-geir underwrittin furthcumand to the toun quben thay haif ado thairwith, quhilks he hes now ressavit, viz. vilj play-hattis, ane kingis crowne, ane myter, ane fulis hude, ane sceptour, ane pair angell wyngis, twa angell hair, ane chaiplet of triumphe.” In the year 1558, on the occasion of the Queen’s first marriage, the magistrates voted various sums of money for plays and triumphs. They ordain “ James Adamsoun thesaurer to deliver to William Adamsoun, for his travell takin to make a playe, maid at the tryumphe of our soverane ladyis mariage, the sowme of foure lib—Ordanis William Lamb, the sowme of aucht lib. by the fourtie schil- lingis quhilkis he hes ressavit, for his travell and lawboris tane upon him in setting furth of the playe maid at our souerane ladyis mariage——Ordanis Patrick Doran, for his travell taken on him in making of certane playis agane the tryumphe of our souerane ladyis mariage, the sowme of four lib.” Among other payments we likewise find a sum of forty shillings “to Wiliam Lauder for setting furth the play maid at the said marriage.”? 1 The same records contain a curious notice catioun gevin in be James Lawder, prebendar respecting another individual of the name of of thair queir, grants licence to the said James Lauder, 26th January 1552-53: “The quhilk to pas furth of the realme to the partis of day the provest, baillies, counsale, and dek- Ingland and France, thair to remaine for the ynis, sittand in jugement anent the suppli- space of ane zeir nixt efter the dait heirof, to 454 THE HISTORY OF The sum is so scanty that we can scarcely consider it as a re- muneration for the composition of a play. In the year 1599, a company of English comedians obtained the royal license to act plays in Edinburgh. This permission gave offence to the clergy, who began to “exclaim in their sermons against stage-players, their unruliness and immodest behaviour ;”! and they even ventured to prohibit the people, under the pain of ecclesiastical censures, from attending the theatre. As the act of the church-session or consistory was a direct attempt to annul the King’s license, it was resented as a contempt and indignity offered to his Majesty. An act of Privy Council, passed on the 8th of November, “ ordanis ane officiar of armes to pas to the mercat-croce of Edinburgh, and thair be oppin proclamacioun in his hienes name and auctoritie to com- mand and charge the haill personis of the saidis foure sessionis, becaus thay ar ane multitude, to convene thame-selffis in thair accustomat place of convening within thrie houris next eftir the said charge, and thair be ane speciall act, to cass, annwll, and discharge the vther act forsaid, and with that to gif ane speciall ordinance and directioun to thair haill ministeris, that thay eftir thair sermonis vpoun the nixt Sonday publischlie ad- monische thair awne flockis to reuerence and obay his maiestie, and to declair to thame that thay will not restreane nor censure ony of thair flokis that sall repair to the saidis commedeis and playis, considering his maiestie is not of purpois or intention to awthorize, allow, or command ony thing quhilk is prophane, or may cary ony offence or sclander with it: and to charge thame heirto vnder the pane of rebellioun and putting of thame to the horne.” With these peremptory injunctions they found it expedient to comply ; and on the 10th of the same month the Privy Council passed an act of the following tenor : “ Forsamekle as the kingis maiestie haueing grantit ane warrand and libertie to certane Inglische commedianis to play within the burgh of Edinburgh, yit vpoun some sinister and wrangous reporte maid to the foure sessionis of the Kirk of Edinburgh be certane the effect that he mon have and get better Kathyranis alter be ane preist quhill the said eruditioun in musik and playing nor he hes: zeir be done.” proyding alwyse that the said: James caus 1 Spotswood’s Hist. of the Church of ane chaiplane to keip his fundatioun of Sanct Scotland, p. 457. SCOTISH POETRY. 455 malicious and restles bodyis, quha vpoun euerie licht occasioun misconstrewis his maiesties haill doingis and misinterpreitis his hienes gude intentionis quhatsumeuir, the saidis foure sessionis wer moved verie raschlie and vnaduisitlie to contramand be ane publict act his maiesteis said warrand, and thairwithall ordanit thair ministeris to publische the said contramand, and to threatine the censure of the kirk aganis the contravenaris thairof, vnaquenting his maiestie of befoir with ony lawfull ground or caus moveing thame thairto; with the quhilk thair errour and ouersicht thay being now bettir aduisit, and haueing all convenit on this mater, and willing nawise to be contentious with his maiestie, bot in all reuerence and humiletie to obay his hienes as becumis gude and obedient subiectis, in respect of the pruif quhilk thay haue euir had of his maiestie, that his hienes hes not commandit nor allowit ony thing careying with it ony offence or sclander, thay, eftir the dew acknawlegeing of thair formar errour, rasche and vnaduised proceidingis, haue now be ane vthir act cassit, annwilit and dischargeit thair for- mar act forsaid, and hes ordanit the same to be ineffectual heir- eftir, with the admonitionis gevin conforme thairto be the ministeris to thair floikis, in maner forsaid, sua that now not onely may the saidis commedianis friely inioy the benefite of his maiesteis libertie and warrand grantit to thame, bot all his maiesties subiectis inhabitantis within the said burgh, and vtheris quhatsumeuir, may friely at thair awne plessour repair to the saidis commedeis and playis without ony pane, skaith, censureing, reproche or sclander to be incurrit be thame thair- throw, and to be vncensureit, or fund fault with be the minis- teris, magistratis, or sessionis of the said burgh in ony wise, notwithstanding the first act forsaid, and admonitionis gevin conforme thairto, or ony vtheris the like actis and admonitionis to be maid and gevin heirefter without his maiesties consent and allowance: and ordanis officiaris of armes to pas to the mercat-croce of Edinburgh, and thair be oppin proclamatioun mak publicatioun heirof, quhairthrow nane pretend ignorance of the same.” Soon after this period, another English company visited Edinburgh. “In the year 1601,” says Mr. Kennedy, “ James 456 THE HISTORY OF made an application to Queen Elizabeth for her company of comedians to be sent down to Scotland, which was readily complied with ; and, after they had tired his Majesty and the people of Edinburgh with their entertainment, the King ordered them to repair to Aberdeen, to amuse the citizens with the exhibition of their ‘plays, comedies, and stage plays.’ They were recommended by his special letter, addressed to the magis- trates, and were under the management of Lawrence Fletcher, who, with the celebrated William Shakspeare, and others of their company, obtained the first license to perform plays in Britain. It was granted. Sy King James, within two months after he had ascended the throne of England. The company of players who came to Aberdeen performed several times in the town, and were presented by the magistrates with thirty-two merks for their. services ; besides being entertained with a supper on one of the nights of performance. At the same time, the freedom of the town was conferred upon Lawrence Fletcher, the manager, and each of his company.”! At Edinburgh, in the year 1603, was published “ Ane verie excellent and delectabill treatise, intitulit PHILoTus,” a comedy in rhyming stanzas. From the language and style of this curious play we may infer that the composition and publica- tion were nearly of the same date ; though it is not improbable that an edition somewhat earlier may have existed. There is no evidence, and indeed no great probability of its having been written by Robert Semple, who has sometimes been suggested as the author. The work seems of a more modern date than the reign of James the Fifth; and from the following passage we may conclude that it was not composed during the reign of Queen Mary :— Last, Sirs, now let vs pray with one accord For to preserue the persoun of our King, 1 Kennedy’s Annals of Aberdeen, vol. i. 1612, 4to, the work is described, not as a p. 173. Treatise, but as a Comedie, Of this curious production there is a reprint in Pinkerton's 2 Ane verie excellent and delectabill Trea- Scotish Poems, vol. iii, To the first edition tise intitulit Philotus : qvhairin we may per- save the greit inconveniences that fallis out in the Mariage betwene age And zouth. Im- printed at Edinburgh be Robert Charteris, 1608, 4to.—In a subsequent edition, Edinb. is subjoined a song, borrowed from Campion, which Mr. Crowe mentions as “ the most ex- traordinary combination of English verse that is perhaps any where to be found.” (Treatise on English Versification, p. 105.) a SCOTISH POETRY. Accounting ay this gift as of the Lord, Ane prudent prince above vs for to ring. The comedy of Philotus exhibits a plot sufficiently complex. The principal character, from whom the play derives its name, is a very rich and very old man, deeply enamoured of Emily, the young and beautiful daughter of Alberto. As she feels little inclination to listen to the addresses of such a lover, he employs a maerell, or procuress, “ to allure the madyn ;” though with his honourable intentions, it is not very obvious why he should have had recourse to an agent of this class. In the course of a long conference, she endeavours, but without success, to persuade Emily to marry Philotus. Some of her suggestions may be supposed to reflect considerable light on the usages of that period ; and the subsequent passage may be quoted as an example :— Till suppertyme then may ye chois Unto your garden to repois, Or merelie to tak ane glois, Or tak ane buke and reid on :1 Syne to your supper ar ye brocht, Till fair full far that hes bene socht, And daintie disches deirlie bocht, That ladies loves to feid on. The organes than into your hall, With schalme and tymbrell sound thay sall, The vyole and the lute with all, To gar your meate disgest : The supper done than vp ye ryse, To gang ane quhyle as is the gyse ; Be ye haue rowmit ane alley thryse, It is ane myle almaist. Than may ye to your chalmer gang, Begyle the nicht gif it be lang, With talk and merie mowes amang, To eleuate the splene. 1 Of the fashionable literature of that period, the following quotation from Alex- ander Hume’s epistle to the reader will en- able us to form an opinion: “In such sort that in princes courts, in the houses of greate men, and at the assemblies of yong gentilmen and yong damesels, the cheife pastime is to sing prophane sonnets, and vaine ballats of loue, or to rehearse some fabulous faits of Palermine, Amadis, or other such like raue- ries ; and such as ather haue the art or vaine poetike, of force they must shew themselves cunning followers of the dissolute ethnike poets, both in phrase and substance, or else they shall be had in no reputation.” (Hymnes, or Sacred Songs. Edinb. 1599, 4to.) 458 THE HISTORY OF For your collation tak and taist Sum lytill licht thing till digest : At nicht vse Rense wyne ay almaist, For it is cauld and clene, And for your back I dar be bould That ye sall weir euen as ye would, With doubill garnischings of gould, And craip abone your hair: Your veluote hat, your hude of stait, Your myssel quhen ye gang to gait, Fra sone and wind, baith air and lait, To keip that face sa fair. Of Pareis wark wrocht by the laif, Your fyne half-cheinyeis ye sall haue, For to decoir ane carkat craif That cumlie collour-bane ; Your greit gould cheinyie for your neck : Be bowsum to the carle and beck, For he hes gould aneuch, quhat reck ? It will not stand on nane. And for your gownes ay the new guyse Ye with your tailyeours may deuyse, To haue them louse with plets and plyis, Or clasped clois behind : The stuffe, my hart, ye neid not haine, Pan veluot, raysde, figurit or plaine, Silk, satyne, damayse or grograine, The fynest ye can find. Philotus afterwards addresses himself to Alberto, who very willingly listens to his proposal and endeavours to obtain his daughter's consent ; but she declares her repugnance to such a match, and thus excites the violent indignation of her father. Flavius, a youthful lover, now makes his appearance, and finds amore favourable reception. He commences with a long and pedantic oration, interspersed with divers. notices of Apollo, Daphne, Mars, Venus, Demosthenes, and other notable person- ages. We may suppose the young gentleman to be newly dis- missed from the ancient University of St. Andrews, but the young gentlewoman seems to be equally familiar with Parnassus and Helicon :-— SCOTISH POETRY. 459 Last, sen ye may my meladie remeid, Releiue your Sysiphus of his restles stane : Your Titius breist that dois full ryfely bleid, Grant grace thairto, befoir the grip be gane, Cum stanche the thrist of Tantalus anone, And cure the wounds geuin with Achilles knyfe : Accept for yours fair maistres, such a one, That for your saik dar sacrifice his lyfe. Emity.—Your orisoun, Sir, sounds with sic skil, In Cupids court as ye had been vpbrocht, Or fosterit in Parnassus forkit hill, Quhair poetis hes thair flame and furie socht, Nocht taisting of sweit Helicon for nocht, As be your plesant preface dois appeir, Tending thairby, quhill as we haue na thocht, To mak vs to your purpois to adheir. Emily assumes the dress of a young gentleman, and in this dis- guise leaves her father’s house. In the meantime, her brother Philerno, returning after a long absence, is mistaken for Emily, to whom he bears a striking resemblance ; he concurs in his sister’s stratagem, and consents to marry Philotus ; who commits his supposed bride to the custody of Brisilla, his daughter by a former marriage :— Use hir even as your awin my dow, Keip hir, for sho sall ly with yow, Quhill I may lawfullie avow To lay yow be my syde. PuiterNo.—I sall your dochter, husband sweit, Na les nor my companyeoun treit, And follow baith at bed and meit, Quhill that I be ane bryde. This youthful pair find themselves pleased with each other’s company ; and after certain invocations, Philerno pretends to be metamorphosed into a man :— T am ane man, Brisilla, lo, And with all necessaris thairto, May all that onie man may do, I sall gar yow considder. Now sen the Goddis abone hes brocht This wonderous wark, and hes it wrocht, And grantit all euin as wee socht, Let vs be glaid togidder. 460 THE HISTORY OF Brisitta.—Now sen the gods hes succour sent, And done euen as wee did invent, My joy, I hartly am content To do as ye deuyse : Throw Gods decreit, my onlie choyse, In mutuall luif wee sall rejoyce ; Our furious fathers baith suppose Thay wald skip in the skyis. An interval of a month is supposed to elapse between the elopement of Emily and the nuptials of Philotus; but the period at length arrives, and a clergyman performs the marriage ceremony with sufficient formality. Flavius, who had beén secretly married to Emily, is struck with astonishment on wit- nessing the marriage of this old man to a person whom he supposes to be the real daughter of Alberto ; and after various conjurations, he dismisses her as an evil spirit who had assumed an earthly shape. She returns to her father’s house, and is there met by Philotus; the one complains of her husband, the other of his wife, and a comical situation is thus produced. The mystery being at length explained, Emily returns to Flavius, and Brisilla is married to Philerno. After this arrangement of their family affairs, Philotus expatiates on his own folly, and a person named the Messenger makes a concluding address to the audience. This comedy, in its plan and execution, discovers a much nearer approximation to the modern drama than Sir David Lindsay’s Satyre. It possesses the merit of easy versification, but the speeches are frequently too long and declamatory. The author has not divided his play into acts and scenes. The pro- bability of the incidents is sometimes impaired by the introduc- tion of a certain personage denominated the Pleasant, who, without any apparent concern in the business of the drama, intrudes himself into the most private conferences for the mere purpose of aiming at a joke. SCOTISH POETRY. 461 CHAPTER XXII THE court of James the Sixth was frequented by many indi- viduals distinguished by their talents and learning, and was eminently conspicuous for its love of poetry. The King himself was a copious writer of verse : Buchanan, the most illustrious of his subjects, was keeper of the privy seal; the great seal was afterwards in the custody of Lord Thirlstane, another votary of the Muses; and the Archbishop of St Andrews, Patrick Adam- gon, was more celebrated for his skill in Latin poetry, than in scholastic divinity. Many other officers or dependants of the court were greatly indebted to their literary talents ; and among these we may perhaps class Thomas Hudson, who, though a native of England, appears to have cultivated Scotish poetry. But his principal work is an English translation of Du Bartas’s poem on the story of Judith :’ it was printed by Vautroullier in the year 1584, and was afterwards incorporated in several edi- tions of the “ most delightfull Workes” of Josuah Sylvester. From his dedication to the King it appears that Hudson under- took the translation at his Majesty's request, and that the King corrected it with his own hand. Like his royal patron, he boasts that in the number of his verses he has not exceeded the origi- nal. James has honoured the translator with a commendatory sonnet ; in which, among other circumstances, he mentions that he was a foreigner :— Who though a straunger, yet he lovde so dere This realme and me, so as he spoilde his awne. In the Return from Parnassus, a drama acted in St. John’s Col- 1 The Historie of Judith in forme of a G. Salust, Lord of Bartas: Englished hy Poeme : penned in French by the noble poet Tho. Hudson. Edinb. 1584, 8vo. 462 THE HISTORY OF lege, Cambridge, in the year 1606, Hudson is not mentioned with much respect ;' but he has been commended by Sir John Harrington,” and many specimens of his poetry have found a place in England’s Parnassus.’ His Majesty's poetical compli- ment he returned in a sonnet prefixed to the Essayes of a Pren- tise ; for it can scarcely be doubted that the initials T. H. denote this court poet. Another sonnet, subscribed with his name, is prefixed to Fowler's unpublished translation of the Trivmphs of Petrarke. If conquering Cupid, captane of renoune, Who chaines his captiwies to the chariot bright, By Chastetie is chaist and beaten doune, And by her virtew spoyled is of might ; If Deathe, the daunter of the humane wight, Triumphe vpon that dame, and doeth hir thrall, Surviving Fame clames bot hir propper right, To liue through land or lak, as doth befall. But thow, O Tyme, that long and short we call, The triumphes of the rest thow wouldest retane, Wer not Eternitie confounds tham all, As nothing more triumphant may remane. Than what abyds to Fowlar, thame hes pend? Eternitie, to which he dois pertend. It is however to be remarked that these two sonnets, and another which was formerly quoted, have little that is Scotish except the orthography ; and the same remark is equally applicable to those of Robert Hudson. To this latter poet Montgomery has addressed several of his sonnets ; and in one of them he extols his friend in magnificent terms :— Thy Homer’s style, thy Petrark’s high invent Sall vanquish death, and live eternally ; Quhais boasting bou, thoght it be aluayis bent, Sall neuer hurt the sone of Memorie. 1 “Yocke and Hudson, sleep you quiet, shavers, among the shavings of the press, and let your books lie in some old nooks amongst old boots and shoes, so you may avoid my censure.” (Acti. sc. ii, Hawkins’s Origin of the English Drama, vol. iii. p. 214.) What is stated by Mr. Hawkins in the follow- ing sentence, seems to be merely an inference from the text: ‘‘ Locke and Hudson were the Bavius and Meevius of that time.” 2 “Which story the Lord Du Bertas, and rare French poet, contrived into an excellent poeme in French, and the same is translated into a verie good and sweet English verse by one M. Thomas Hudson.” (Orlando Fvrioso in English heroical verse, by Sir John Harring- ton, notes on book xxxv. p. 296, edit. Lond. 1684, fol.) 8 Englands Parnassus: or the choysest Flowers of our Moderne Poets. Lond.1600,8vo. SCOTISH POETRY. 463 Thou onlie brother of the Sisters Nyne, Shau to the King this poor Complant of myne.! As a specimen of Robert Hudson’s versification, I insert his son- net in commendation of Fowlev’s translation from Petrarch :— I saw ones all the Muses in my thought, With poets als, bedeckt in scarlet gownes ; Before with sacred troupe Mercurius brought A youth vpon whose face was yet bot downes. Thair saw I thame present him laurell crownes, And with the rest the Toscan Petrarch came ; Who said, my sonne, receawe these right renownes, As he who dewlie dois deserve the same : Bot more triumphant hes thow maid thy name Vpon the throne of memorie to stand, To chwise for patron suche a worthye dame, Who onely is the Laura of this land. Than Fowlar’s laude so lowde I herd them sound, That through the world his praise sall ay rebound. It is probable that these two poets were brothers, or were otherwise nearly related, and that they were originally from the north of England, where Hudson is a common name. Their profession was that of musicians. Four violers of this name, Thomas, Robert, James, and William, belonged to the original establishment of the king’s household in the month of March 1567; and all of them appear to have been still retained in the year 1590.” One of them is described as “ mekill Thomas Hud- sone.” On the 5th of June 1586, he was appointed master of the Chapel Royal; and this appointment was ratified by two successive Acts of Parliament, passed in 1587 and 1592.3 Another court poet of that period was William Fowler, most of whose compositions still remain unpublished. In the title- page of one of his manuscripts, he describes himself as “P. of Hauicke,” which is supposed to signify parson of Hawick, nor does it seem to admit of any other explanation. The same living, as we have already seen, was formerly held by Gavin Douglas, and the situation was far from being unfavourable to a 1 Montgomery’s Poems, p. 77. son [and also another by Thomas Hudson] on 2 Ibid. Notes, p. 302. Edinb. 1821, 8vo. the death of Sir Richard Maitland, is printed 8 Acts of the Parliaments of Scotland, vol. in Pinkerton’s Ancient Scotish Poems, vol. ii. iii. pp. 489, 563. A sonnet by Robert Hud- p. 351. 464 THE HISTORY OF youthful poet. To what proficiency Fowler had attained in his professional studies, we have no means of ascertaining ; but it is evident that he had devoted a considerable share of his at- tention to the art of love, or at least to the art of writing love- verses, which indeed have very often been produced without the aid of real passion. Fowler had prepared a complete version of the Triumphs of Petrarch, which he evidently intended for publication: the manuscript is transcribed with much neatness, and besides a dedication to the lady of the Chancellor Maitland, it is provided with a considerable apparatus of commendatory poems.’ The first of these is written by the King himself; and Fowler has composed two sonnets in praise of his Majesty’s poetical vein,” one of which was translated into Latin verse by David Hume of Godscroft.? The Italian poets had now begun to be studied in Scotland, but they did not find many Scotish translators. After an interval of more than half a century, an English version of three of the Triumphs of Petrarch was published by Anna Hume, a daughter of the poet lately mentioned, and therefore a member of a family distinguished for its love of letters :* the father is well known as the author of a history of the house of Douglas, and as an elegant writer of Latin verses; and his son James acquired considerable reputation by his proficiency in science as well as literature.’ Fowler’s translation is paraphras- 1 The Trivmphs of the most famovs Poet Mr. Frances Petrarke, translated ovt of Italian into Inglish by Mr. Wm. Fouler, P. of Hauicke. ms. fol. The dedication is dated at Edinburgh on the 17th of December 1587. The King’s sonnet is followed by other two, written by E. D. in praise of her friend the translator; and after three sonnets by R. Hudson, R. Cokburne, and T. Hudson, occurs a hexastich by A. Colville. 2One of these sonnets occurs in his Maiesties Poeticall Exercises, and the other in the Essayes of a Prentise. The latter is only subscribed with the initials M. W. F., but these certainly denote Mr. William Fow- Tér. One of the two sonnets prefixed to Hudson's Historie of Judith is subscribed M. V. F. As v and w were then such con- vertible letters, it is highly probable that these initials refer to the same individual. 8 Humii Daphn-Amaryllis, p. 30. Lond. 1695, 4to, 4 The Triumphs of Love, Chastitie, Death : translated out of Petrarch by Mrs. Anna Hume. Edinburgh, printed by Evan Tyler, Printer to the King’s most excellent Majestie, 1644, 8vo. One of Drummond’s letters is addressed ‘‘ To the learned and worthy gentle- woman Mrs. Anne Hume, daughter to Mr. David Hume of Godscroft.” (Works, p. 139.) 5 It appears from the title of one of his publications that James Hume had taken the degree of Doctor of Physic: ‘‘ Pantaleonis Vaticinta ; Satyra, ad nobilissimum virum Dominum Robertum Therum Ancramium, Equitem Auratum, Serenissimoque Magne Britannie Regi a Camera: authore Jacobo Humio Theagrio, Scoto, Medicine Doctore.” Rothomagi, 1633, 12mo This is a prose composition, on the model of Barclay’s Saty- ricon. Some brief notices of Hume occur in Delambres “ Hist. del'Astronomie Moderne,” tom. ii. pp. 240, 248. SCOTISH POETRY. 465 tical, and cannot be highly commended for its spirit or elegance ; its general characteristic seems indeed to be languor and diffuse- ness. But in order to enable the reader to form his own opinion, I shall transcribe a passage of some length from the beginning of the Triumph of Love :— That tyme that did my sohking sobbs and sorye sighs renew, Through sweitt rememberance of that day on which my lowe first grew, Which was the first beginnar of my pains and future smart, And of my longsome martyrdome that martered had my hart ; The sunn alreddye warmed had the Bull his doubled horne, And Titan’s wyfe Aurora cleir, vprysing reade at morne, All ycye and most frostye lyk had then hir selff adrest Vnto hir wounted ancient place, hir auld frequented rest." Lowe, greif, disdains, and plaining plaintis, and seasoun of the zier, Had caused me to a secreit place my self for to reteir, Whair all the causis and fashereis that did oppries my hart, Might thairby all affected be, and all my doole auert. Thair on the grass and plesant grene, my voyce be plaints maid waik, My watching eyne, orcumd through sleip, at lenth sum rest did tak ; Quhair then I saw a mervellous light, and in the same muche wo, With litill joy and sadnes full ; and, as me seamed, lo, Amidst thairof I saw a duke, victorious, high of might, Lyk on who to the Capitoll triumphs in chariot bright. Than I, who was not muche acquent with such unquented sight, Evin through this noysum wicked world, so full of craft and slight, In whiche to long I live, alace, and it of valeur voyde, But full of pryde, of graces bair, which vertew hes destroyde ; ‘The habit proude, vnsene, vnvsd, all new and unacquent, I thair beheld with cairfull eyes, both heavie, tyrd, and faint : Through lingring lowe and drowsie sleip this sight I did discerne, For that I had no other ioy than such a sight to lerne. Thair than I saw four coursers fair, more whyte than anye snaw, A chyldish boy and youngling raw in fyrie chair to draw ; Who in his hand his bow did beare, his arrowes be his syde, As nother helmet nor yet targe thair pearceing shottis can byde. Abowe his shoulders they wer plaist, twoe fleing feddered wings, Imbrowdered with ten thousand hewis, all bair in other things. And round about him thair did stand, and round about his chaire, A number of suche mortall men that none can tham declair : Wherof than some wer prisoners by him in battall tane, Some pearced by his pearcing darts, and some by him lay slane. Among the translators of Italian poetry we may likewise 1 These two lingering lines are intended as a translation of one verse :— Correa gelata al suo antico soggiorno. 2G 466 THE HISTORY OF place Stewart of Baldynneis, who has compressed into twelve the forty-six cantos of Ariosto. This abridgment is perhaps of an earlier date than Sir John Harrington’s English version of the Orlando Furioso, which was published in the year 1591. Stewart has left an ample volume of his poetry, transcribed with a considerable degree of elegance, and dedicated to the King, who is frequently lauded with all the abject flattery which characterized the courtiers of that period: this manuscript, stamped with the royal crown and initials, came into the pos- session of the late Duke of Roxburghe, and is now deposited in the Advocates’ Library.’ His original poems display very little fancy or feeling, and his versification has no peculiar merit. His diction is generally feeble, and is often very pedantic: he is particularly fond of French words ; instead of timid damsel, he ventures to adopt such a phrase as eraintive pucelle. The author has sufficient reason to apologize for his “inept ortho- graphie.” Of orthography there was indeed no standard at that period ; but Stewart’s general mode of spelling is uncouth and unsettled beyond the common example. The following is an extract from his abridgment of Ariosto :—- For ane at lenth did all the trewth declair, But inquisition, of this cairfull cace, Quhilk vas the pastor, quho in-to that place Be broikin sychis did persawe his vo, And till appaise his pansiwe spreit ane space, Began the histoir of the luifers tuo : First quhow that Medor deedlie vondit so He thair did bring at Angelique’s desyre, Quha cuird his hurt ; than quhow that scho did go For him consuming all in luifis fyre, Sua that of honor thochtles or impyre, Scho to this sempill souldart did inclyn, And band wp mariage for to quenche desyre. Thus he the histoir rycht in euerie lyn Did so discus, quhill that hir braslat fyn. He representit at that instant steed. This vas the ax at last descendan syn Vith deedlie dint, quhilk did ding af his heed : 1 Ane Abbregement of Roland Fvriovs, and last ane Schersing ovt of trew Felicitie ; translait ovt of Aroist: togither vith svm composit in Scotis meiter be J. Stewart of Rapsodies of the Avthor’s zovthfvll braine, Baldynneis. ws. 4to. SCOTISH POETRY. 467 Lang speitchles lay he, strukin almeist deed, Quhill source of sorrow mycht no moir susteine, Bot furiuslie out birstit, but remeed, Sobs from his mouth and teiris frome his eine. Bot most of all quhan solitar he beine, Ane fluid aboundant bouting out besprent His boudin brest all suellit vp in teine, And both his cheaks bebathing but relent. Deip in him now vas cauld dispair imprent : Zit from his birnand bosome fast did flow Hote flamming sychs quhilk neuir could be spent, So fell and feruent vas the fyrie low, Qubilk in his hart ay moir and moir did grow But onie slaiking, thocht it fumit out : His breath bot onlie did as belleis blow, To kendle all his bodie round about ; And als his eine did serue bot for ane spout, The vitale humeur from his lyf to draw ; For sorrow suir, not cled vith former dout, Did all his arters viwe aschunder thraw. Quho may the strese intolerabile schaw, Quhilk did this valzant varior so torne ? Leile lychtleit luifers onlie may it knaw, Quho haples fruite of jelousie hes schorne. In bed he restles tumblit thus forlorne, Quhilk did moir dour than dourest stone appeir : Tik softest fedder vas as poyntit thorne, To prik his persone, or the scharpest breir. This poem has so far the character of an original work, that the author has not rigidly confined himself to the text of Ariosto, but has occasionally introduced new thoughts or illus~ trations. Another of his productions bears the title of “Ane Schersing ovt of trew Felicitie.” It is an allegorical poem, both long and tedious, discovering little invention in the design, and little spirit in the execution. His miscellaneous verses chiefly relate to subjects either pious or amatory. As a favourable specimen, I select the subsequent stanzas, addressed “To his awin Maistres :”— Vith spreit opprest quhan I haid done depart From my renownit Dian maist formose, Quhais companie did reconfort my hart, For plesours past to panse vas my repose. 468 THE HISTORY OF In this estate vncertane quhat to chose, Dame Fortoune led me solitar, alon, In to ane garth quhair fouth of flours vprose, Depaint vith hews of monie pretius ston ; Sum rubie reed, and sum lyk topas scheine, Sum jassink hewit, and sum as sapheir blew, In valeis fair all cled vith emerauld greine Quhois blossums clein maist seimlie schaddows schew, Sum purpour fyn, and sum of cramsie hew, Sum quhyt, sum van, broune, blae and violat, Vith holsum smell my sensis to renew, All glorious gilt in glansing aureat. I did espy thair perfyt properteis Rycht curabill for all contagius thing : Than said I thus, O Flora’s tapestreis, Great vertew rair zour qualiteis dois bring ; Bot zit, helas, no vertew sic dois spring Vithin zour verdeur as may ons remeed The maladie of luif quhilk dois me vring Vith dalie dolor duynyng to the deed. Soft vas the seson, blomit vas the meid ; Apollo brycht his baneir so desplayt, That Eolus durst not approtche for dreid : Thair euerie trie agains him stuid arrayt. Diana’s troup mycht bathe thame vneffrayt In ane depurit siluer spring past by, Quhais christall streams maist purefeit essayt To sound maist sueit beneth the sproutand spray. The osile and the mawes meed great beir, Quhois suggurit throts did merrie nots out bring: Fair Philomela algo did I heir, Quhill all the rocks did vith the echo ring ; And vther birdis merelie did sing On tender tuists about me quhair I sat, And sum surmonting in the air did spring, Vith heawanlie vocis hicher eleuat. The christall skyis vith color cleir celest Maist cleinlie glistrit sched in siluer slops : The bussie bies thair doucest honie drest, Rycht blythlie buming on the flurist crops, Decorit all vith daintie balmie drops, As perle preclair or proper opals fyne, SCOTISH POETRY. 469 All tuinkling on the flouris tender tops, Quhill birnand Tytan, vith his vult deuyne, Drank vp for drouthe that recent liquor sueit, Ascending in his royal gouldine chair : Helas, thocht I, God gif I var repleit Vith mycht as thow, O fyrie Phebus fair ! Than suld I sie my ladie maist preclair, Vith quham my thrallit hart dois ay remain ; For heir all confort turns me vnto cair, Be laik of hir, so that I most complaine. That tractiwe Dictane is ane souueraine cuir, For to pull bak againe the deedlie dart From sauuage deir ; bot I sic duill induir, That nothing suir may eise my painfull part : I froune, I fant, I freise, I flam, I smart, Vpheyst vith hoip, and drounit in despair : The onlie reullar of my martrit hart Is absent now, quha may confort my cair. To atone for his barrenness of invention, this votary of the Muses has on some occasions resorted to a very fantastic mode of versification. A poem consisting of nearly one hundred lines, is composed upon the following laborious model :— This rym I form to zour excellent grace, Grace gyd zow ay, for God zow hes lent grace. Grace lent from God ouwerns fra all mis deid : Misdeid finds grace be doing almisdeid : Deid dochtie done is justice to menteine ; Menteind vith mycht, thocht it do to men teine, Tein sould we not, thocht vickit men vold greif vs : Greif ws men may, bot zow to greif is greifus. The subsequent verses, which he entitles “ Ane literall Son- net,” exhibit a curious specimen of alliteration :— Dull dolor dalie dois delyt destroy, Vill vantith vit, vaist vorn vith vickit vo, Cair cankert causith confortles conwoy, Seueir sad sorrow scharplie schoris so, My myrthles mynd may meruvell monie mo. Promp peirles proper plesand perll preclair, Fair fremmit freind, firm fellest frownyng fo, Rythche rubie, rycht renownit, royall, rair, 470 THE HISTORY OF Send succor soone, so suadge sall sourest sair : Grant griwous gronyng gratious guerdon guid. For fauor flowing from fresche faces fair, Restoris rychtlie restles rancor ruid ; Bot beutie, breding bittir boudin baill, Dois dalie deedlie duynying dartis daill. About the same period an insipid allegory was produced by John Burell, a burgess of Edinburgh. It is entitled, “The Passage of the Pilgremer, devidit into twa parts,” and is evi- dently formed on the model of Montgomery’s Cherrie and Slae, but possesses a very slender degree of merit. The worthy bur- gess is at least to be commended for his love of an elegant art ; and he has further indulged his inclination for rhyme by writ- ing “The Description of the Queens Maiesties maist honorable Entry into the Tovn of Edinburgh, vpon the 19. day of Maii, 1590.”" This composition, if it exhibit no flights of fancy, con- tains a few gleanings of curious information. In the following stanzas, written in his usual homely style, he enumerates the various musical instruments employed on this festive occa- sion :— Organs and regals thair did carpe With thair gay goldin glittring strings, Thair wes the hautbois and the harpe, Playing maist sweit and. pleasant springs ; And sum on lutis did play and sing, Of instruments the onely king. Viols and virginals were heir, With girchorns maist iucundious ; Trumpets and timbrels maid gret beir With instruments melodious, The seistar and the sumphion, With clarche pipe and clarion. A more illustrious individual, who flourished at this period, is likewise to be classed among the writers of Scotish verse : this is John Napier of Merchistoun, who is universally known to men of science, but is seldom mentioned among the lovers of poetry. He was born in 1550, and died in 1617, after having 1 Burell’s poems are both reprinted in Watson's Collection of Scots Poems, part ii. SCOTISH POETRY. 471 acquired high reputation as an improver of science.’ As his favourite investigations were remote from vulgar apprehension, and required days and nights of studious seclusion, his rustic neighbours considered him as a conjuror; and, according to a tradition which has been preserved, his familiar spirit attended him under the form of a large black cock.” At the summit of Merchistoun-tower, his chief place of residence, there is a small apartment to which he is supposed to have retired while em- ployed in the construction of the Logarithms.? This venerable mansion, which belongs to his noble descendant, cannot but be regarded as an object of curiosity : it stands at the distance of about a mile from Edinburgh ; although the original building has been retained, it has received some modern additions which are far from harmonizing with the first style of the architecture. Before Napier was distinguished as a mathematician, he pub- lished an exposition of the book of Revelation ; and here, among other curious matter, he introduces some specimens of his poetry.* Antichrist :—- 1 According to the common account, he died on the 3d of April 1617, and was buried in St. Giles’s Church ; but according to James Hume, ‘il mourut l’an 1616, et fut enterré hors la porte occidentale d’Edinbourg, dans Veglise de Sainct Cudbert.” (Traité de la Tri- gonometrie, povr resondre tovs Traingles Rectilignes et Spheriques, avec les Demon- strations de duex celebres Propositions du Baron de Merchiston, non encores demon- strées, p. 116. Paris, 1636, 8vo.) This pub- lication of Hume is inscribed to the Earl of Ancram, whom he has likewise commended in some Latin verses. 2 Douglas’s Peerage of Scotland, vol. ii. p. 290. 8 Scott’s Provincial Antiquities of Scot- land, p. 93. Another tradition transfers him to Gartness in Stirlingshire. ‘‘ Napier,” says Dr. Anderson, “ resided much for some years, when he was making his calculations, at Gartness, where there are some remarkable falls of the Endrick. When I visited the spot where the castle stood, in August 1804, the ruins were scarcely discernible.” (Life of Smollett, p. 10, 5th edit. Edinb. 1806, svo.) But the tradition mentioned in the- text seems to be that of his. own family. (Douglas’s Peerage, vol. ii. 290.) A contem- His work is prefaced by the following address to porary collector of scraps has preserved the following curious notive of Napier: 1598, “The 23 of October, ane proclamatione of the laird of Merkistoun, that he tuik upone hand to make the land mair profitable nor it wes befoir, be the sawing of salt upone it.” (Birrel’s Diarey, p. 47.) This notice has not found a place in the Rev. Mr. Dacre’s Testi- monies in favor of Salt as a Manure. Man- chester, 1825, 8vo. Virgil mentions the practice of fertilizing the seed, by mixing it with saltpetre and with the lees of oil. Georg. i. 193. Semina vidi equidem multos medicare serentes, Et nitro prius et nigra perfundere amurca, Grandior ut fetus siliquis fallacibus esset. 4 A plaine Discouery of the whole Reuela- tion of Saint John, set downe in two Treatises, ete. Set foorth by John Napeir, L. of Mar- chistoun younger. Wherevnto are annexed eertaine Oracles of Sibylla, agreeing with the Reuelation and other places of Scripture. Edinbvrgh, printed by Robert Walde-graue Printer to the Kings Majestie, 1593, 4to. A French translation was soon afterwards pub- lished by George Thomson, who distinguished himself by a Latin treatise against Lipsius. 472 THE HISTORY OF The book this bill sends to the Beast, Crauing amendment now in heast. God first to John in Pathmos me presents, Who sent me syne the seuen Kirkes vntill, As forth I foore with the two Testaments, Apoc. 1.1, 9. Apoe. 1.11. Apoe. 11, 3, 7. God’s trueth to teache, in witnessing his will: Thou, bloudie Beast, vs cruelly did kill, In sack of schismes sieling vp our sense ; Our corps vukend then stonished lay still, Til seuentie yeares eighteen times passed hence : But now since comd is till our audience God’s worde from heauen the voice of veritie, Quickning these corps with true intelligence, So long supprest by thy subtilitie, I plaine proclaim, and prooue by prophecie, That thou, O Rome, raisd vp on hilles seuen, Apoc. 11.7. Apoe. 11.3. Apoc. 11. 8 Apoc. 11. 3, 9. Apoe. 11.11. & 14. 6, 7. Apoc. 11.12. Apoce. 11. 11. Apoe. 11. 2, & 15. 8. Apoc. 10. 11. Apoc. 17. 9. Citie supreme and seat of Sodomie, Vuder whose reigne our Lord to death was driuen, And many Martyres rudely rent and riuen, Art Heire and Eroy to great Babylone, Whereby her name here God hath to thee giuen, Thou whore that sittest the bloudie beast vpone : Thy daies are done, thy glorie now is gone. Burnt shall thou be, and made a den of Deuills. Flie from her then, my flock, leave her alone, Apoe. 17.18, & 11.8. Apoc. 17. 6, and 18.24, Apoc. 17.5, 18. Apoce, 17. &18. Apoc. 17.1, 3, 6. Apoe. 17. &18. Apoc 18. 2, 8, 9. Apoc. 14. & 17. Lest that yee be partaker of her euills ; For doth at hand approche the latter day, Apoe 14.14, 15. When Christes Church shall reigne with him for ay, Apoc. 11.15. Napier has versified “Certaine Notable Prophecies agreable to our purpose, extract out of the books of Sibylla.”* He “Ouverture de tous les Secrets de l’Apoca- lypse ou Revelation deS. Jean, etc. par Jean Napeir (c. a. d.) Nonpareil, Sieur de Mer- chiston: revue par lui-mesme; et mise en Francois par Georges Thomson Escossois.” Rochelle, 1602. 4to. This was followed by a German translation, of which there were at least three editions. ‘ Johannis Napeiri, Herren zu Merchiston, eines trefflichen Schott- Jandischen Theologi, schéne vnd lang gewiin- schte Ausslegung der Offenbarung Johannis, u.s. w. Auss Begierdt der Warheit vnnd der Offmung ihrer Geheymniissen, nach dem Frantzdsischen, Englischen vnnd Schott- ischen Exemplaren, dritter Edition, jetzund auch vnserm geliebten Teutschen Verstandt vbergeben.” Franckfurt am Mayn, 1627. 8vo. The preface is dated at Basel on the first of August 1615, and is subscribed by Wolffang Maget, H. 8. D., that is, doctor of divinity. 1 Professor Thorlacius of Copenhagen has recently illustrated the Sibylline oracles in two different publications. The first of these is entitled ‘‘ Libri Sibyllistarum veteris Ec- clesiz, crisi, quatenus Monumenta Christiana sunt, subjecti.”. Havnie, 1815, 8vo. The other, entitled ‘ Conspectus Doctrine Chris- tiane, qualis in Sibyllistarum Libris contin- etur,” occurs in the “ Miscellanea Hafnien- sia theologici et philosophici argumenti, edidit Dr. Fridericus Miinter, Selandie Epis- copus,” tom. i. Little more than a century has elapsed since a writer of some note main- tained not only the genuineness, but even the divine inspiration of a certain portion of SCOTISH POETRY. 473 apparently follows, not the Greek text, but the Latin version of Castalio. A fragment of the eighth book he has rendered thus :— O Rome, vpraised now with thy toppis hie, The like ruine from heauen shall fall on thee : Plaine beis thou made, down shall thy toppes turne, Apoe. 18, 21. And flaming fire all whollie shall thee burne : Far shalt thou flit into an vncouth land, Anes Lees Thy riches shall be reft out of thine hand : Apoc. 18.17. In thy wall-steds shall Wolues and toddes convene, Apoc. 18. 2. Wast shall thou be, as thou had neuer bene, Ter. 50. 39. Where then shall be thy Oracles deuyne ? Isay, 47. 12, 13. What golden gods shall keepe or saue thee syne ; What god, I say, of copper or of stone ? Where then shall be the consultation Of thy Senate? What helps thy noble race Of Saturne, Joue, or Rhea in this cace ? Whose sensles soules and idoles thou before Religiouslie did worship and adore : Of whose greene graues vnhappie Crete avants, Their figures dead vp doest thou set like Sants.* Alexander Hume, the brother of a poet already mentioned, was likewise a votary of the Muses. He was the second son of the baron, that is, the proprietor of Polwarth, and was originally destined for the bar. He followed the usual method by com- pleting his academical studies in France ; but being disgusted with the profession of a lawyer, he afterwards endeavoured to obtain preferment at court, where his elder brother possessed considerable influence. In an epistle, written when he was about thirty years of age, and addressed to Dr. Moncreiff, nuestro Sefior entre los Gentiles.” Cuenga, 1621, 4to. It may not be improper to men- tion that an additional book of the Sibylline oracles has lately been discovered by Angelo these oracles. ‘ Providence has therefore so far taken care in this matter, that we have still, at this day, preserved and extant among us those very Sibylline oracles, and that in good measure compleat and uncorrupt, which were anciently so very famous amongs the heathens, Josephus the Jew, and the first Christians ; and which of old were generally allow'd to be sacred books, and deriv’d from divine inspiration.” (Whiston’s Vindication of the Sibylline Oracles, p. 48. Lond. 1715, 8vo.) See likewise p. 82. Some of this writer's conclusions might have been worthy of the licentiate Balthasar Porrefio, who pub- lished a work under the title of ‘‘Oraculos de las doce Sibilas, Profetisas de Christo Mai, the very meritorious keeper of the Vati- can Library. Hight books have long been in circulation; but this being numbered as the fourteenth, five must still be wanting. Sibylle liber xiv. editore et interprete Angelo Maio. Mediolani, 1817, 8vo.) 1"Hkee col wor dvwbev ton, bwadbyeve ‘Podun, Ovpdxos ANH, K.T.A. Sibyllina Oracula, lib. viii. p. 225, edit, Basil. 1555, 8vo. 474 THE HISTORY OF physician to the King, his “tender friend Montcreif medicinar,” he communicates several particulars of his early history :— Quhen that I had employed my youth and paine Foure yeares in France, and was returned againe, I langd to learne, and curious was to knaw, The consuetude, the custome, and the law, Quhairby our natiue soile was guide aright, And iustice done till everie kind of wight : To that effect three yeares, or neare that space, I hanted maist our highest plaiding place, And senat quhair great causses reasoned were : My breast was brusd with leaning on the bar, My buttons brist, I partely spitted bloud, My gowne was trald and tramped where I stood, Mine eares were deafd with maissars cryes and din, Quhilk procutors and parties called in : I dayly learnd, but could not pleased be ; I saw sick things as pittie was to see. His experience of the court was not more satisfactory ; and having finally directed his views to the church, he was ap- pointed minister of Logie near Stirling. The rest of his history is imperfectly known ; but he appears to have died before the year 1633, and to have left no male issue.’ One of his brother's descendants, as we have already seen, was elevated to the peerage. His poems are contained in a small volume, printed by Wal- degrave in the year 1599, and are almost entirely of a spiritual denomination.” They are creditable to the moral and religious feelings of the author, nor are they altogether destitute of energy : they cannot indeed be commended as containing much that deserves the name of poetry ; but they are at least superior to most of the pious effusions of that age. His sacred songs are eight in number, including a poem, chiefly descriptive, “ Of the Day estivall,” and another on the defeat of the Spanish Armada. His description is rather equable and pleasing than vivid and striking; when he has selected proper images, he 1 Douglas's Peerage of Scotland, vol. ii. ander Hume. Wherevnto are added, the Ex- p. 178. perience of the Author’s youth, and certaine Precepts, seruing to the practise of Sanctifi- 2 Hymnes, or sacred Songs, wherein the cation. Edinb. 1599, 4to.—These precepts, right vse of Poésie may be espied. Be Alex- which conclude the volume, are in prose. - SCOTISH POETRY. 475 seldom exhibits them with any powerful effect. The following stanzas contain a fair specimen of his descriptive vein :— Begaried is the saphire pend With spraings of skarlet hew, And preciously from end till end Damasked white and blew. The ample heauen, of-fabrik sure, In cleannes dois surpas The chrystall and the siluer pure, Or clearest poleist glas. The time sa tranquil is and still, That na where sall ye find, Saife on ane high and barren hill, Ane aire of peeping wind. All trees and simples great and small, That balmie leife do beir, Nor thay were painted on a wall, Na mair they move or steir. Calme is the deepe and purpour se, Yee, smuther nor the sand ; The wals that woltring wont to be, Are stable like the land. Sa silent is the cessile air, That euery cry and call, The hils, and dails, and forrest fair Againe repeates them all. Hume seldom reaches any considerable elevation of fancy, and he sometimes mars a passage by introducing mean thoughts or trivial expressions. His Recantation contains these lines : That gaue thy seruant Dauid king A scepter for a staffe, Syne made him sacred Psalmes to sing, A hundreth and a halfe? To his spiritual poems he has subjoined “Ane Epistle to 1 Dr. Leyden, who is not a very scrupulous the two kings of Brentford. (Rehearsal, act editor, has improved this passage by reading vy. 8¢. i.) “passing wind.” (Scotish Descriptive Poems, p. 206.) To peep, is to emit a small and shrill sound. 2 This prosaic enumeration may remind some readers of a certain dialogue between 1 Kina. Here, take five ginneys for those warlike men. 2 Kine. And here's five more ; that makes the sum just ten. 476 THE HISTORY OF Maister Gilbert Mont-creif, Mediciner to the Kingis Majestie, wherein is set downe the experience of the Author's youth.” In this epistle, which may be perused with interest, he ex- presses himself with a considerable degree of freedom and boldness. The corruption of the judges he mentions without reserve :— Sum senators, als weill as skaffing scribes, Are blinded oft with blinding buds and bribes, And mair respects the persone nor the cause, And finds for diuers persones diuers laws. Of the Scotish court he speaks in the subsequent strain of bold animadversion :-— I neede not now sick properties apply, Thou knawes our Scottish court als weill as I. Our princes ay, as we haue heard and sein, Thir mony yeares infortunat hes bein, And if I sould not speike with flattring tung, The greater part bot sluggishly hes rung. Our earles and lords, for their nobilitie, How ignorant and inexpert they be, Upon the priuie counsell mon be chused, Or else the king and concill ar abused, And if the prince augment not ay their rents, Quhat is their mair? they will be mal-contents. .. . Sum officers we se of naughtie braine, Meere ignorants, proud, vicious, and vaine, Of learning, wit, and vertue all denude, Maist blockish men, rash, riotous, and rude: And flattering fallowis oft ar mair regarded ; A lying slaue will rather be rewarded, Nor they that dois with reasons rule conferre. Thair kinde of life and actions, least they erre, Nor men discreit, wise, vertous, and modest, Of galland spreit, braue, trew and worthie trest, Quhilk far from hame ciuilitie hes sein, And be their maners shawis quhair they haue bein, Quhilk haue the word of God before their eyes, And weill can serue, but cannot princes pleis ; For sum with reason will not pleased be, But that quhilk with their humour dois agree. Hes thow not heard in oppin audience, The purpos vaine, the feckles conference, SCOTISH POETRY. 477 Th’ informall reasons and impertinent Of courtiours, quhilks in accouttrement War gorgious, maist glorious, yong and gay ? Bot in effect compare them weill I may Till images quhilks ar in temples set : Decorde without, and all with gold ou’rfret, With colors fine, and carued curiouslie, The place where they are set to beautifie ; Bot when they are remarked all and sum, They are bot stocks and stains, bos, deid, and dum. James Melville was another Presbyterian clergyman, who frequently gratified his propensity for Scotish rhyme. He was the son of Richard Melville, and was born at Baldovy near Mon- trose on the 25th of July 1556: here his father possessed a small estate, and was minister of the adjoining parish of Mary- toun. The son was educated in the University of St. Andrews, and for some time taught mathematics, logic, and ethics in that of Glasgow. When his uncle was appointed principal of St. Mary’s College, he returned to St. Andrews, where he was ad- mitted professor of oriental languages, and was chiefly employed in teaching Hebrew. Having resigned his academical office in the year 1586, he settled in Fifeshire as a country clergyman, first at Anstruther, and three years afterwards at Kilrenny. His uncle Andrew Melville was a man of superior learning, and his commanding talents gave him great influence in the eccle- siastical affairs of that age: it is not however so easy to com- mend him for the moderation of his conduct; and although moderation partakes of the nature of passive virtue, and seasons or enterprises of difficulty or danger require boldness and deci- sion, it must yet be admitted that he sometimes exceeded the limits of a becoming zeal in his attempts to support the autho- rity of the church.’ That the authority of Christ is superior to 1 Dr. Harris has formed a very impartial estimate of the character of Melville and his adherents. ‘“‘The behaviour of the clergy was very rough, and bordered upon rudeness. They treated majesty with too much fami- liarity. They prostituted their pulpits to affairs of state, and rebuked aftersuch a man- ner as tended more to provoke than to re- claim. In these things they were blame-wor- thy. But I should not do them justice were Ito omit their zeal for what they thought truth, their labour and diligence in the busi- ness of the ministry, and their speaking the truth with all boldness. These were virtues for which James’s clergy were eminent ; and therefore they were held in high esteem by the major part of that kingdom.” (Historical and critical Account of the Life and Writings of James the First, King of Great Britain, p. 30. Lond. 1753, 8vo.) 478 THE HISTORY OF. the authority of the King, is not to be controverted : but the application of this maxim by any order of men who aver that, His authority is delegated to them, may be attended with very dangerous consequences, and it would in all cases be prudent and necessary to require some unequivocal proof of their special commission." On one occasion, when the King commanded him to be silent, he took his Majesty by the sleeve, and calling him “God’s silly vassal,” proceeded to inform him that in Scotland there were two kings and two kingdoms ;? an expres- sion obviously capable of this interpretation—the church is independent of the state. King James was not, however, dis- posed to adopt the same opinion ; and his reseritment of their factious conduct was not satisfied till both the uncle and the nephew were banished from their native country ; but it must be admitted that in the proceedings against them the forms of law were very little regarded. The nephew was at first confined to Newcastle and a circumference of ten miles; and was after- wards permitted to reside at Berwick, where he died on the 19th of January 1614, in the fifty-ninth year of his age, and the eighth of his banishment. He was twice married, and left several children. He appears to have been an upright and dis- interested man : his zeal, less fiery than that of his uncle, was equally uniform and consistent ; nor did the offer of a bishopric shake his confidence in the divine right of presbytery, which was mnaintained with as much pertinacity and success as the divine right of episcopacy. His talents, as well as his taste, were much inferior to those of Andrew Melville, who wrote Latin verses with spirit and elegance, and who was indeed one of the most conspicuous characters of that age. The Scotish verses of James Melville can scarcely be said to reach medio- crity. His invention is barren, and his rhymes are rude: his poems are almost entirely of a spiritual denomination, and he 1 Unde igitur dvurevOuvias privilegium arassent, qui, quamvis se Apostolorwm Suc- cesores preedidicent, nequaquam his pares sunt, nullis extraordinariis donis preediti, et modo moreque humano tantum vocati?” (Barbeyracii Oratio de Magistratu, forte pec- cante, e Pulpitis sacris non traducendo, p. 40.) This oration, written with the author's usual judgment, is subjoined to the fifth edition of Barbeyrac’s translation of Puffendorf’s Droit de la Nature et des Gens. Amst. 1734, 2 tom. 4to. He has translated it into French, and inserted it in the second volume of his Recueil de Discours sur diverses Matiéres impor- tantes. Amst. 1731, 2 tom. 12mo. 2 MCrie's Life of Andrew Melville, vol. ii. p. 66. Edinb. 1819, 2 vols. 8vo. SCOTISH POETRY. 479 seems to have been less anxious to delight than to edify his readers. One of his publications bears the title of a Morning Vision, and is subjoined to a prose work of the same pious tendency. In the dedication of the volume to his spiritual flock at Kilrenny, he speaks thus: “ Vnderstaning your custome to be, to ease the langour of time and irksomnes of your labours with singing, whilk is a gift naturallie given be God to many for that effect, and the mater of that musick amongst the common sorte to be vaine and profane, seruing to sop the saule in sinne and vncleannes, and steir vp the corrupt and filthy affectiones thereof to euill lustes, and seiking of occa- siones to fulfill the wicked desires thereof; I thought it my dutie to indeuour to draw you to the right vse of musick and singing, the whilk being sanctified be gud and honest matter and holy disposition of heart, makes meikle for godlie edifica- tion and comfort. For the measures of poesie and harmonie of musick (as I finde be daily experience in my awin familie) delytes the mind, and sa helpes the memorie very meikle to embrace and keip fast the matter, and stirres vp and sets the force of the soules affectiones towards God in pleasand medita- tion thereof.” His rhymes are homely enough to have been understood by the whole parish ; and this Morning Vision chiefly consists of diffuse and feeble paraphrases of the Lord’s Prayer, the Apostles’ Creed, and the Ten Commandments, in- troduced by means of a small apparatus of allegorical machi- nery. Instead of selecting any specimen of this work, I shall transcribe a dedicatory sonnet, addressed “To my gracious and dreade Soveraigne, James the Sext, King of Scottes, and Prince of Poets in his language,” and subscribed, “ Your Majesties maist humble Oratour and new Prentise in Poesie, Ja. MELUILL.” Redouted king, how dare I thus addresse My simple poéme to your excellence, Whome poéts all maist justlie mon confesse Als high in verse as in preeminence ? Let not my bauldnesse work your offence ; For I was forst, to flie ingratitude, And not commit a misschant negligence, Miskenning him of whom I gat the gude. 480 THE HISTORY OF Your precepts, Sir, and practise vnderstude, How finely they poetick speitches frame, This small essay of me your prentesse rude Might shewe, gif I had rightlie seene the same. But, Sir, your censure spare, your fauour grant: I meane to mend, and mair your Muses hant.t Another of Melville’s metrical works is “The Black Bastel,” a lamentation over the Church of Scotland, written at Berwick in the year 1611. An abridgment of it was published in 1634, and the entire poem is still preserved.” A manuscript, contain- ing a very considerable collection of his verses, was lately pre- sented to the Advocates’ Library.? One of the principal poems in the volume is entitled “The wandering Sheepe, or David's tragique Fall ;” which is however a very poor performance. Cupid, wandering up and down the earth, chances to fix his eyes upon Jerusalem ; in due time he stations himself in the fair eyes of Bathsheba, and King David is led into a fatal snare. 1 A Morning Vision: or, Poeme for the Practise of Pietie, in Devotion, Faith, and Repentance; wherein the Lordes Prayer, Beleefe, and Commands, and sa the whole Catechisme, and right vse thereof, is largely exponed. Edinbvrgh, printed by Robert Walde-graue, Printer to the Kings Maiestie, 4to. The prose part of the volume is entitled ‘‘ A Spiritvall Propine of a Pastour to his People.” The dedication is dated “from Ansteruther, the 20. day of November 1598.” 2 The Black Bastel; or a Lamentation in name of the Kirk of Scotland, composed by M. James Melvil, when he was confined at Berwick anno 1611. Abridged by N. 8vo. The only copy which I have ever seen belongs to the Advocates’ Library. Thedate has been eut away by the bookbinder, but it is ascer- tained from a manuscript Catalogue of the Library of Robert Mylne. This abridgment is reprinted in Mr. Laing’s Fugitive Scotish Poetry. Edinb. 1825, 8vo. The entire com- position, consisting of 93 stanzas, is pre- served in a Ms. belonging to Robert Graham, Esq. of Eskbank, who has very politely af- forded me an opportunity of examining this volume. In the printed copy, the poem is greatly curtailed and altered. The same volume contains another poem, supposed to be written by Melville, and entitled ‘‘Thrie may keip Counsell giue twa be away: or Exfsebius, Democritus, Heraclitus.” It ex- tends to 69 stanzas, and is of the same spirit andtendency. Specimens of both these poems may be found in Dr. M‘Crie’s Life of Andrew Melville, vol. ii. p. 506-8. 8 By the Rev. William Blackie, minister of Yetholm. This manuscript had been exposed to some mutilations at the beginning and end, but is now in a better state of preservation. In the handwriting of James Melville, and doubtless of his composition, a translation of the first and part of the second book of the Zo- diacus Vite of Marcellus Palingenius, occurs at the end of a manuscript belonging to the University Library, and bearing the title of “D. Andree Melvini Epistole, Londini e turri earceris ad Jacobum Melvinum Novo castri exulantem scripte, cum ejusdem Jacobi non- ullis ad eundem.” This version is extremely feeble and paraphrastic. The first distich of the second book is rendered by eight very languid verses. Traxisti longam portu, mea cymba, quietem : Jam tempus dare vela Notis, et solvere funem. My schip hes lyen in the herbrie long : Now is it tym to louse our cables strong, To wey our ankers and to weind our seals, For to receaue the gentle wastring geals, And cheirfully to lainche furth in the deepe, By skill and compas constant course to keepe, Till we haue weill an vther voyage maid, As doeth our Zodiac ws in order laid. SCOTISH POETRY. 481 Of the author’s taste and judgment in the construction of his poem, this may be considered as a sufficient specimen ; nor are the defects of the design compensated by the merits of the exe- cution. Beside several shorter poems, the volume likewise contains “The Song of Moses, translated out of Hebrew, and put in meter, first shortly, neere the text, and then more at large, paraphrasticallie ; for the most necessarie vse of the church and everie faithfull member thairof in this declining and most vuthankfull and corrupt age of the world ;” together with “The Song of Songs, which is Solomons, exponed by a large paraphrase in metree, for memorie and often meditatioun.” From his shorter poems I select a sonnet, addressed to Sedan and St. Andrews ; and in order to understand the allusions, it is neces- sary to recollect that after Andrew Melville had been deprived of his office at St. Andrews, he became professor of divinity at Sedan, a Protestant University in France :— Sincerly long Christ’s treuth thow hes profest, Oft hes thow lodged his exyled men, Sweit Sedan ; now thy seid hes weill increst, Thy talent thow hes multiplied to ten. Sainctandros sorowfull may be thy song, For smoring seid and talent vnder ground : Therfore is Sedan vantag’t be thy wrong, Whom flemed Melvin hes a mother found. Trew is that treuth quhilk Christ in gospell spak, That such as hes shall grow and yit haue more ; And from the emptie he will even tak What ev’r it was which they enioyed before. Then Sedan bruik that God hes to the given, Sainctandros sich that thou art all wanthriven. Elizabeth Melville, better known by the name of Lady Cul- ross, was the daughter of Sir James Melville of Halhill, and the wife of John Colville, who in the year 1640 succeeded to the honours of Lord Colville of Culross, but did not assume the title, apparently because his fortune was not adequate to his rank." At an early period of life, she seems to have been distinguished as a pious lady, and as a writer of pious verses. Four years before the publication of her Dreame, Hume dedicated to her 1 Douglas’s Peerage of Scotland, vol. i. p. 355. 2H 482 THE HISTORY OF the collection of his Hymnes or sacred Songs, and in the dedi- cation he expresses himself in the following terms: “I know ye delite in poesie yourselfe, and, as I vnfainedlie confes, excelles any of your sexe in that art, that euer I hard within this nation. I haue seene your compositiones so copious, so pregnant, so spirituall, that I doubt not but it is the gift of God in you.” Almost the only composition of which she is known to, be the author is her Godly Dreame ; which, although it may not per- haps be thought to justify this friendly panegyric, is yet supe- rior to many of the effusions of her contemporaries. It appears to have produced a powerful effect on the youthful imagination of Dr. Armstrong, a man of fine poetical talents. “Who was it,” he asks, “that threw out those dreadful wild expressions of distraction and melancholy in Lady Culross’s Dream? an old composition, now I am afraid lost, perhaps because it was almost too terrible for the ear." From the remarks which precede and follow this passage, it may be inferred that the Dreame occurred to his recollection as a composition set to music: it however consists of no fewer than 480 verses, and, if connected with music, must have been chanted rather than sung. We may con- jecture that the dreadful strains which had so strongly impressed his mind before he quitted the banks of Liddal, were such as appear in the subsequent stanzas :— Into that pit quhen I did enter in, I saw ane sicht quhilk maid my heart agast, Puir damnit saullis, tormentit sair for sin, In flaming fyre war frying wonder fast, And vyglie spreits ; and as me thocht them past, My heart grew faint, and I begouth to tyre. Or I was war, ane gripit mee at last And held me heich aboue ane flaming fyre. The fyre was greit, the heit did peirs me sair, My faith grew waik, my grip was wondrous smal ; I trembellit fast, my feir grew mair and mair, My hands did shaik, that I him held withall ; At lenth thay lousit, than thay begouth to fall. Teryit, O Lord, and caucht him fast againe : _ Lord Jesus, cum and red me out of thrall. Courage, said he, now thou art past the paine.? 1 Armstrong’s Miscellanies, vol. ii. p. 254. 2 Ane Godly Dreame, compylit in Scottish Lond, 1770, 2 vols. 8vo. : meter be M[rs.] M[elvill] Gentilwoman in Cul- SCOTISH POETRY. 483 One of Lady Culross’s younger sons, Samuel Colville, was likewise a poet of considerable reputation. He is described as a gentleman ; an expression which is perhaps intended to sig- nify that he belonged to no profession ; and his name occurs in a “bond of provision,” executed by his father on the 5th of May 1643. His popularity as a poet seems at least to have equalled his merit. His “Whiggs Supplication” was circulated before it appeared in print, and manuscript copies of it are still to be found: it was published in the year 1681, and has passed through several editions.’ Colville is manifestly an imitator of Butler, but he displays a slender portion of Butler’s wit and humour. The language of his poem was apparently intended for English, but is interspersed with many Scotish words and idioms. James Cockburne belongs to the same class of poets with Lady Culross and Alexander Hume, and wrote about the same ross, at the requeist of her freindes. Edin- bvrgh, printed be Robert Charteris, 1603, 4to. The second edition, which bears no date, is likewise printed by Charteris: A Godly Dreame, compyled by Eliz. Melvil, Lady Cul- ros yonger, at the request of a friend, Edinb. 4to. Both these editions are printed in black letter. The subsequent editions are nume- rous. Edinb. R. Charteris, 1606, 4to. Edinb. A. Hart, 1620, 8vo. Aberdeen, printed by Ed- ward Raban, Laird of Letters, 1644, 8vo. Edinb. 1680, 12mo. Printed in the year 1686, 12mo. Printed in the year 1692, 18mo. Edinb. 1698, 18mo. Edinb. 1737, 12mo. The latest edition occurs in Mr. Laing’s Early Metrical Tales. Edinb. 1826, 8vo. ‘‘A Sonnet sent to Blackness-Castle, to Mr. John Welsh, by the Lady Culross” was printed in a publica- tion of half a sheet, entitled ‘‘ A Collection of several Papers, some whereof were never be- fore published.” Printed in the year 1720, 12mo. 1 Charters’s Short Account of Scots Divines, p. 15. ms. Adv. Lib, His elder brother, Alexander Colville, D.D., who did not assume the title of Lord Colville of Culross, was pro- fessor of divinity in the University of Sedan, and afterwards principal of St. Mary’s College at St. Andrews. He died in the year 1666. (Murray’s Life of Samuel Rutherford, pp. 243-321. Edinb. 1828, 8vo.) ‘‘ He was learned in the Hebrew, and was a great textuary, and well seen in divinitie.” (T. Middleton’s Ap- pendix to Spotswood, p. 20.) “8, Colville is mentioned by Cunningham as a strenuous defender of the Protestant religion. (Hist. of Great Britain, vol. i. p. 27.) He published a work under the title of ‘‘The grand Impos- tor discovered ; or an historical Dispute of the Papacy and Popish Religion: part I.” Edinb. 1673, 4to. In the apology prefixed to his poem, he has quoted from one John Cock- burn a stanza which reflects some light on his history :— Samuel was sent to France, To learn to sing and dance, And play upon a fiddle ; Now he’s a man of great esteem : His mother got him in a dream, At Culross on a girdle. 2 Douglas’s Peerage of Scotland, vol. i. p. 355. 3 Mock Poem, or, Whiggs Supplication. Lond. 1681, Svo. Whiggs Supplication, a mock-Poem in two parts. By S.C. Edinb. 1687, Svo. Whiggs Supplication, a mock- Poem in two parts. By Sam Colvil. Edinb. 1695, 8vo. Whiggs Supplication, a mock- Poem in two parts. By 8. C. Printed in the year 1702, 8vo. Mock Poem, or, Whiggs Supplication. Edinb. 1711, 8vo. The Whigs Supplication, or, the Scotch-Hudibras, a mock-Poem in two parts. By Samuel Colvil. Glasg. 1751, 8vo. The Whigs Supplication, or, the Scots Hudibras, a mock-Poem in two parts. By Samuel Colvil. St. Andrews, 1796, 12mo. , 484 THE HISTORY OF period. His dedication “To the honovrable Ladie of highest hope Mistresse Jeane Hammiltone, Lady Skirling,” is dated at Cambusnethan, and it is probable that he was minister of that parish. He appears to have maintained some literary inter- course with William Alexander, afterwards Earl of Stirling, who has honoured his “heauenlie Muse” with eight commendatory lines, and has received as many in return. Cockburne displays a tolerable share of poetical spirit, but is more deficient in cor- rectness and elegance of taste. One of his poems is entitled “Gabriels Salvtation to Marie.” The situation of the Virgin Mary on the appearance of the angel is thus described :— Amazde at first, but not greatlie agast, To see his glorie great, she changed hew : A blushing rednes swiftlie came and past, And dayntilie her whitenes did subdew. The lightning rayes that from her eye-lids flew, When sodaine ioy made tumbling teares overflow, Would soone haue set an heape of hearts on low. The first seene signe of her trew chastitie Round fleeting flew, and cannopyed her skinne : Two frothie globes of equall quantitie Playde on her breast, with vaynes blew, blushing, thin : Her tempting mouth aboue her dimpled chin, Her rankis of pearle, her half vp-spreading roses Still other kist, while still each other closes. Betweene the branches of her body lay Great Egypts wonders in the holy print ;+ Whereon she reade, and hauing reade would stay To meditate how Moses meeke was sent To that proud prince who neuer would repent, Till all his chariotes wheeles and assle trees Indented were with sandes amidst the seyes. Whiles would she turne and ouer-turne the leafe, Whiles grauelie gather vp some sentence darke, Whiles sadlie sit twixt donbting and beleefe, How the first age was closde within an arke : Whiles with her foremest ioynt she would remarke The trimbling sacrifice that Abram old Made of his tender sonne with courage bold.? 1 Here the necessity of rhyme has induced 2 Gabriels Salvtation to Marie. Made by the author to antedate the invention of print- James Cockbvrne. LEdinbvrgh, printed by ing by fourteen centuries and a half. Robert Charteris, Printer to the Kings most SCOTISH POETRY. 485 She afterwards addresses the angel in a speech, of which the fol- lowing stanzas form a part :— I neuer went to see nor to be seene, To tymbrell sound I neuer caroll song ; I neuer danced in cabinet nor greene Short passages nor mouing measures long : Earings of gold in treasses neuer hang Lyke twinkling stars : I neuer learnde to smyle With rolling eyes nor morging minzearde style. I neuer shew my snow-white swelling globes, To giue the insolent the more delyte ; I neuer walked in silken shyning robes, The feeders of our facill appetyte ; Dittayes of loue I neuer did indyte, I neuer vsde perfumde nor paynted face, Nor cutted courtlie beck with minsing pace. These passages are not destitute of poetical conception ; but a subject of this nature required a more delicate hand. His other poem, “Judas Kisse to the Sonne of Marie,” possesses similar merits and defects. The subsequent passage may be produced as a favourable specimen :— Now had darke silent night, high treasons freend, Ouermantled all the earth in sable hew ; Wrapt was the moone in mist that latelie shynde, The fyrie lampes of heauen themselues withdrew : Horror and darknesse vylde possest the skye, The fittest tyme for foullest tragedye. Within their wings sweete birds their billes they hide, Rockt with the windes on toppes of troubled trees ; Feeld-feeding flocks to cliftes and caues they slide, Such was the raging of the roaring seyes : No sound of comfort-sweete possest the eares, Saue serpents hisse and crocodilishe teares. Excellent Majestie, mpov. 4to. This poem is followed by “‘ Jvdas Kisse to the Sonne of Marie,” which has a separate title with the same imprint. The volume concludes with the subsequent address to W. A.; that is, William Alexander :— Then, Menstrie, thou whose fame out-flees the Greeke, That made the sensles rocks for rueth to speake, Greene wods to weepe, wan waters sound laments, For death of murthred kings in fields and tents ; Intreate thy Muse to quintescence thy vaine, Returne thy mourning pen from kings pro- phaine, Come end the end. by me perbroyled so, Of thine, mine Lord with well-wailde words, of wo. 486 THE HISTORY OF George Muschet, minister of Dunning, shall close our present catalogue of pious versifiers. His “Complaint of a Christian Sovle,” discovers less fancy and vivacity than the two poems of Cockburne, but is not entirely devoid of merit in the versifica- tion. It consists of such quatrains as the following :— On Dauids harpe oft should my finger strike, Yea Davids heart in my breast should be found ; That heuenlie voice which from my lippes shold brek, Most echo-like among the rocks should sound. No musick should but Hebrue songs delight me, Thogh all the Muses with their mirth were broght : I know the lecherous finger will despight me, But all his sonnets should I set at noght. Good Ezechias to thy house should lead me, ‘With David to the temple should I passe ; And holie Moses throgh the courts should guide me, In Sions songs should be our merinesse, But who can sing in such a monstrous graue, Or praise thy name in this infernall place ? Who can be glade who doth not grace receaue To see the sweetnes of thy heauenlie face ?* 1 The Complaint of a Christian Sovle. The author’s name, which is not inserted in Containing certaine remedies and comforts the title-page, is affixed to the dedication to against the trouble and conflict of Conscience, the Earl of Montrose, and again occurs at the Newlie written in meter. Printed at Edin- burgh by Robert Charters, Printer to the Kings most Excellent Majestie, M.p.c.x. 4to. end of the poem: “M. George Muschet, Minister of the Evangell at Dunning.” SCOTISH POETRY. 487 CHAPTER XXIIL THE political character of King James, and the public trans- actions of his reign, have been detailed by writers of every denomination ; but at present we are chiefly interested in his character as a scholar and a poet, and must have less regard to his rank in this kingdom, than in the republic of letters. If his literary attainments are to be estimated by the panegyrics of contemporary writers, he must be viewed as a scholar of the first magnitude: he has been mentioned in terms of the warmest applause by authors of almost every learned nation,’ and several of his encomiasts were themselves of the highest celebrity ; for among their number we discover the names of Bacon, Grotius, and Casaubon ; but the honours which he obtained from his contem- poraries have not been confirmed by the sanction of a more impartial posterity ; the dead author cannot participate in the splendours of the living monarch ; and when he is thus deprived of adventitious support, we can neither regard him as a great poet nor as a great king. His Scotish poems are more remark- able for their number than their excellence, but they are not perhaps so despicable as they have sometimes been represented ; and a royal poet, who affords so unequivocal a proof of his love of letters, may fairly claim a considerable degree of courtesy.” James Charles Stewart, the son of Queen Mary by her second husband, Henry Stewart, Lord Darnley, was born in the Castle of Edinburgh on the 19th of June 1566. His father, the eldest son of the Earl of Lennox, had captivated the Queen by his 1 The following quotation from a work of Commentarius, p. 162. Hanovie, 1607, Scipio Gentilis, an eminent professor of the 8vo.) civil law, may serve as a specimen of the 2 We should in kings, as loth their state to incense which James received from learned touch, foreigners. ‘(Sed eam firmat maximus et Speake sparingly of vice, praise vertue sapientissimus regum, idemque Magne Bri- much. tannie primus monarcha Jacobus I. in lib. Strriinq’s Alexandrean Tragedy, iii, Demonologiz.” (In Apuleii Apologiam, p. 129. 488 THE HISTORY OF handsome person and superficial accomplishments ; but he pos- sessed a weak and capricious mind, and was incapable of securing the affection which he had so easily excited. Her fond love was succeeded by deadly hatred; Henry was murdered in the year 1567, and there are many strong reasons for believing that the Queen was accessory to this foul deed. In the course of the same eventful year, she was imprisoned in the Castle of Lochleven, and compelled to sign a formal abdication of her kingdom.! Her infant son was crowned at Stirling on the 29th of July; and during his long minority the direction of public affairs was committed to four successive Regents, the Earls of Murray, Lennox, Mar, and Morton. Soon after his birth, James had been intrusted to the care of the Earl of Mar, a nobleman of a highly honourable and disinterested character ; and when he arrived at a proper age, the chief superintendence of his edu- cation was left to the earl’s brother, Alexander Erskine, another individual of unblemished reputation. The King’s principal tutor was George Buchanan, and the preceptors associated with him were Peter Young and the two abbots of Cambuskenneth and Dryburgh, both related to the noble house of Mar. So great were the talents, and so elevated the spirit of Buchanan, that he conferred more honour than he received by this employment : if the pupil had been worthy of such a preceptor, he might have transmitted an illustrious name to posterity. His proficiency in literature was however such as reflected no discredit on his early instructors : he acquired a very considerable share of scholastic knowledge, and he now imbibed that love of letters for which he always continued to be distinguished.” In the year 1584, when he had only reached the age of eighteen, he published his ear- liest work under the title of “ The Essayes of a Prentise in the 1 The appendix to a Danish history of Queen Mary, written by M. C. Bergenhammer, contains some original documents relative to the detention of her paramour Bothwell in Denmark. (Den Skotske- Dronning Maria Stuarts Historie, med et Anhang af forhen utrykte Papirer. Kiébenhavn, 1803, 8vo.) 2 Qua tam docta fuit, quamvis privata, ju- ventus ? O decus ingenii, 6 pulsw regalibus aulis Doctrine super una fides, tibi sacra su- pellex Chartarum, quascunque manus scripsere beate, Pro jaculis areuque fuit: nee queerere tan- tum, Si qua Caledoniis fera palaretur in agris, Quantum Pierios juvit lustrasse recessus. Hine studiis reparatus honos, et Scotica nunquam Socraticas tellus animosior ivit in artes Emula nature, palmamque negavit Athe- nis, Groti1 Poemata, p. 64. SCOTISH POETRY. 489 divine Art of Poesie.”’ The title-page does not bear the author's name, which however is sufficiently revealed by the encomiastic verses of some of his admiring subjects. His paraphrase of the Revelation of St. John, a work of a different complexion, must have been composed soon after this period; for, as Bishop Mon- tague affirms, it was written before the author had completed the twentieth year of his age. His subsequent publications amount to a formidable number : his poetical and theological studies seem to have occupied a very considerable portion of his time and attention, while the affairs of the kingdom were conducted with no uncommon degree of political wisdom. He was eager to seize every opportunity of displaying his scholastic attainments; and, if we may credit certain historians, he inspired his subjects with the highest admiration of his erudition and sagacity. Although we can- not at present undertake a complete review of his literary history,” it may not here be improper to mention one of hig theological exploits. Dr. James Gordon, a distinguished Jesuit related to the Earl of Huntley,> had been sent on a mission to his native country with the view of promoting the papal in- terest. The young monarch, as the champion of the Protestant cause, challenged him to a formal disputation in the palace of Holyrood House ; and although he was only in the twenty-first year of his age, he acquitted himself with such dexterity, that the clergy and other spectators either were, or pretended to be, filled with astonishment. He discussed the leading topics of controversy between the two churches ; and after a confutation, which appeared altogether satisfactory to the Protestant part of his auditory, he graciously dismissed his learned antagonist 1 The Essayes of a Prentise in the Divine Art of Poesie. Imprinted at Edinbrugh by Thomas Vautroullier, 1584, 4to. 2 Many particulars of his literary history may be found in Dr. Harris’s Historical and Critical Account of the Life and Writings of James the First, King of Great Britain. Lond. 1753, 8vo. 3 Dr. Geddes has commemorated this Jesuit as ‘‘one of the most acute and artful adver- saries of the present Hebrew text. It was to oppose his little tract De Verbo Dei, that Glassius wrote his Philologia Sacra. Gordon’s style is clear and concise, and his arguments generally conclusive. It must be confessed, however, that he extols the Vulgate above measure, and adyances some unsupportable propositions.” (Prospectus of a new Trans- lation of the Bible, p. 9. Glasg. 1786, 4to.) He is commonly called Huntleus to dis- tinguish him from J. Gordonus Lesmoreus, another learned Jesuit, connected with the family of Lesmore. (Sotvelli Bibliotheca Scriptorum Societatis Jesu, p. 366. Rome, 1676, fol.) 490 THE HISTORY OF whom all his arguments could not convert from the errors of Popery.’ The King was now recognised as a scholar and a poet; and in the course of the same year, 1587, he appeared as a contri- butor to the Cambridge collection of verses on the lamented death of Sir Philip Sidney. The first poem in this volume is a a Scotish sonnet by his Majesty; which is followed by the Latin versions of the author himself and three of his subjects. The following hexastich was likewise contributed by the royal poet :— Vidit ut exanimem tristis Cytherea Philippum, Flevit, et hunc Martem credidit esse suum : Eripuit digitis gemmas, colloque monile, Marti iterum nunquam ceu placitura foret. Mortuus humana qui lusit imagine divam, Quid faceret jam, si viveret, ille, rogo.? James had concluded a treaty of marriage with a daughter of Frederick the Second, King of Denmark, and his future consort had embarked for Scotland, but the fleet which conveyed her was suddenly compelled to seek shelter under the coast of Nor- way. His gallantry being roused by this disappointment, he prepared a squadron with secrecy and despatch ; and, accom- panied by the Lord Chancellor Maitland, and a numerous train of attendants, he arrived on the 22d of October 1589, at a small haven in the vicinity of Upslo, where the Princess Anne was then residing. Their nuptials were solemnized on the 24th of Novem- ber, and they afterwards proceeded to Copenhagen, where they spent the winter and the ensuing spring. The gaiety of so joyful an occasion, added to the usual gaiety of a court, did not render James unmindful of his literary character. The celebrated Danish astronomer Tyge Brahe had before this period begun to distinguish himself as an improver of science: the Scotish king, attended by a train of courtiers, paid him a visit at his Castle of Uraniaborg,? and conversed with him on various 1 Johnstoni Rerum Britannicarum His- fore the contributions of the Cambridge toria, p. 125. Amst. 1655, fol. poets. 2 Academie. Cantabrigiensis Lachryme Tu- 3 “* We passed,” says Dr. Henderson, “ the mulo noblissimi Equitis D. Philippi Sidneii island of Ilveen, famous on account of its sacrate per Alexandrum Nevillum. Lond. having been the residence of the celebrated 1587, 4to. The King’s verses are placed be- astronomer Tycho Brahe. A more eligible SCOTISH POETRY. 491 subjects connected with the studies which he had cultivated with such eminent success. In the library he recognised a portrait of his deceased preceptor Buchanan, which had been presented by Sir Peter Young, during one of his embassies to the court of Denmark.’ James was highly gratified with this interview, and not only presented him with several tokens of his regard, but likewise granted him a formal privilege relative to the circulation of his works in the kingdom of Scotland. Brahe requested his Majesty to adorn one of his publications with a poetical encomium ; and he afterwards had the honour of receiving two copies of Latin verses, written with the King’s own hand.? Nor was James inattentive to subjects more con- nected with the science of government; it has been remarked that he appears from his own works to have spent more time in spot he could not perhaps have found, as the island lies high, and the coasts on both sides being low, a most extensive horizon presents itself to the view. The observatory, which he erected here, and to which, from its des- tination, he gave the name of Uraniaborg, was raised at great expense, part of which was borne by the King of Denmark, and the rest defrayed by the astronomer himself. He is said to have expended no less than 100,000 rix-dollars on its erection. It was not only built in a highly ornamental style, but regu- larly fortified ; yet it did not remain in a per- fect state for more than twenty years, and now there is scarcely a single vestige remain- ing to tell the inquisitive traveller where it stood. Some years ago, I recollect having spent a night here with Major Stuart, a natu- ral son of the Pretender, in whose possession the place at that time was; but all I could discover was merely the remainder of a vault, and a few slight traces of the fortification.” (Iceland, or a Journal of a residence in that Island, vol. i. p. 4. Edinb. 1818, 2 vols. 8vo.) 1 Gassendi Vita Tychonis Brahei, p. 123. Paris, 1654, 4to. For the following document respecting a portrait of Buchanan, I am in- debted to Thomas Thomson, Esq. It consists of the painter’s bill, with a precept for its payment :— Certane portraitures maid be me at his Ma- jesties command, and delyuerit Jaitlie to his hienes, quhairof I haue resauit as yitna payement. Ane portraict of his Majestie, fra the belt vp- ward, last delyverit, price thairof xvj 11. Ane other portraict of Mr. George Buchanane a 2 viij lib Ane portraict of his Majestie, full lenth xl lib. Summa lxiiij lib. Rex. Thesaurair, we greit zow weill. It is our will, and we charge yow, that ye incontinent efter the sycht heirof answer our louit serui- tour Arnold Bronckhorst, our painter, of the sowme of thrie score four pundis restand awand him for the thrie portraictures and pieces abone mentionat, maid and delyuerit to ws at our command, and siclyke of the sowme of ane hundreth merkis money, quhilk we have grantit him as ane gratitude for his repairing to this countrey, to be thankfullie allowit to yow in your comptis, keeping this our precept togither with the said Arnold’s acquittance thairvpoun for your warrand. Subscryuit with our hand, at Halyrudehouse the nynt day of September 1580. JaMEs R. ANGUS. ARGYLL. 2 These two poems, as well the “ Privile- gium Regis Scotorum,” which is dated in the year 1593, are inserted in Brahe’s Astronomie instaurate Progymnasmata. The poems have this colophon :—‘“‘ Jacobus R. f. manuque pro- pria scripsit.” They may likewise be found in Gassendi, Vita Tychonis Brahei, p. 123, and in the Lives of the Scotish Poets, vol. ii. p. 219. Of the King’s sonnet on the Spanish Armada, Gassendi, p. 302, ascribes to Brahe a Latin version which appears to have been written by the Chancellor Maitland. (R. James's Workes, p. 89.) 492 THE HISTORY OF the Danish courts of justice, than in attending upon his consort.! It is however probable that some portion of time was passed in a more riotous manner: one of his letters is dated “from the castell of Croneburg, quhaire we are drinking and dryuing our in the auld maner.” Having spent half a year in Denmark, he conducted his young Queen to Scotland; and on their arrival at Leith on the first of May 1590, they were welcomed by the people with the usual expressions of public joy. He soon resumed his favourite studies, and in the course of the ensuing year published “His Maiesties poeticall Exer- cises at vacant Houres.”? Among the encomiums prefixed to this volume are Greek and Latin verses by Hadrian Damman,? and an English sonnet by Henry Constable. The same year was marked by the death of Archbishop Adamson, who had contributed his share of panegyric to the King’s first publication. He was a man of learning and talents, but lived in difficult and unquiet times. James, who had once distin- guished him by various proofs of his regard, composed the fol- lowing sonnet in commendation of his paraphrase of the book of Job :-— In vandring vealth through burbling brooks and bewis, Of tripping troups and flocks on fertil ground, In cattell great of syndrie schaips and hewis, Vith hoifes all haill or in a parted round, 1 Barrington's Observations upon the Sta- tutes, p. 427. 2 His Maiesties poeticall Exercises at va- cant Houres. At Edinbvrgh printed by Robert Waldegraue, Printer to the Kings Majestie, 1591, 4to. In the general title there is no date, but it occurs in the title of Du Bartas’s version of the Lepanto. Both his Majesty’s poetical volumes have lately been reprinted. 8 Hadrian Damman of Bysterveldt was born in the neighbourhood of Ghent, and there he was for some time employed in teach- ing the classics. (Sanderus de Gandvensibus eruditionis Fama claris, p. 13. Antv. 1624, 4to. Andree Bibliotheca Belgica, p. 9, edit. Lovan. 1643, 4to.) According to these writers, he was invited to Scotland by Buchanan. He was appointed professor of law in the Univer- sity of Edinburgh ; he was the second indivi- dual who filled that chair; but, like his pre- decessor Adam Newton, he only gave public lectures on humanity: and the endowment was finally diverted from its original purpose. (Crawford’s Hist. of the University of Edin- burgh, p. 40.) He retained this office for a few years, and was afterwards resident of the States-General at the court of Scotland. In this country he appears to have purchased some property : for in his paraphrase of Du Bartas he describes himself as ‘‘ Dominus de Fair-hill.” The literary historians of Flan- ders mention some of his poems as having been printed on the Continent; and after his settlement in Scotland, he published the fol- lowing works: Schediasmata. Edinb. 1590, 4to. Bartasias, qui de Mundi Creatione libri septem; e Guilielmi Salustii Dn. de Bartas Septimana, poemate Francico, liberius tralati, et multis in locis aucti. Edinb. 1600, 8vo. Both these volumes were printed by Walde- grave. SCOTISH POETRY. 493 Tn heapes of gold, and riches in all vaies, As Job exceld all vthers micht be found Of monarchs great or princes in his daies ; So this translatour merites no les praise For giftes of spreit nor he for giftes of geir ; And God in grace hath giuen such counterpoise, As his translation to the vork is peir ; He did in him his giftes so visely mell, Whose heauenlie vealth Jobs earthlie vealth doeth tell.1 Before his accession to the English throne, he published several of his prose works, and some of them excited no small degree of attention. Queen Elizabeth died in the year 1603, after having nominated James as her successor,” and on the 5th of April he began his progress towards his new dominions. This addition of power seems to have excited fresh curiosity with respect to his literary character. During the same year, his principal work, the Baowuxov Adpov, which had been printed in 1599, was reprinted in London, was translated into Latin verse by Peacham, was paraphrased in English and Latin verse by William Willymat, and was translated into French by Villiers Hotman, a son of the famous civilian. Two years after his accession, he paid a visit to the University of Oxford, and was accompanied by the Queen, and by their eldest son Prince Henry. The members were highly gratified by this mark of their learned sovereign’s regard, and were equally anxious to convince him of their loyalty and erudition: his ears were soothed by the orations of Dr. Abbot the vice-chancellor, and of other officers of the University ; and the students exerted all their skill in the representation of different dramas. Much 1 Adamsoni Poemata sacra. Lond. 1619, 4to. 2 Davies, the very ingenious author of Nosce Teipsum, a poem more commonly known by the title of ‘The Original, Nature, and Immortality of the Soul,” attended Lord Hunsdon in his mission to Scotland for the purpose of congratulating James on his suc- cession to the English throne. When they were presented to the King, he “ enquired the names of those gentlemen who were in the company of the said lord, and he naming John Davies among those who stood behind them, the King straitway asked, whether he was Nosce Teipsum,; and being answered that he was the same, he graciously embraced him.” (Wood’s Athene Oxonienses, vol. ii. col. 401.) Davies afterwards received the honour of knighthood, and other marks of the royal favour, was at length appointed Chief-Justice of the King’s Bench, but died suddenly before he was admitted to the office. 8 See the Lives of the Scotish Poets, vol. ii. p. 231. Nichols’s Progresses of King James, vol. i. p. 148. 4 Sir Isaac Wake, at that time public orator, published a copious account of the King’s visit to Oxford, under the title of ‘Rex Platonicus : sive de Potentissimi Principis Jacobi Britan- niarum Regis ad Illustrissimam Academiam Oxoniensem Adventu, Aug. 27, an. 1605.” 494 THE HISTORY OF satisfaction was thus received and communicated ; the King occasionally interfered as moderator at the public disputations, and the pulpit was thus stuck into the throne’ In the year 1614, he again honoured this University with his presence.” The University of Cambridge likewise attracted a due portion of his regard; he paid it a visit in March 1615, and again in the following May. On both occasions he was gratified with the representation of Jgnoramus, a comedy written by George Ruggle, Fellow of Clare Hall, and replenished with ridicule of the common lawyers, to whom the King bore no particular affection : it was for the pleasure of seeing this play a second time, that he was so speedily induced to revisit Cambridge? The second representation was rendered still more agreeable by a new prologue, containing a bitter and sarcastic exhibition of Gaspar Scioppius, the most virulent of all his Majesty's literary antagonists. James paid a third visit to Cambridge in the month of March 1623, and was then regaled with the Latin comedy of Loiala, written by John Hacket, afterwards Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry.* Another anecdote of this Univer- sity must not be omitted: and it will appear with most effect in the quaint and pedantic phraseology of Bishop Hacket. “ All the helps of that faculty,” he remarks, in allusion to the King’s eloquence, “were extreamly perfect in him, abounding in wit by nature, in art by education, in wisdom by experience. Mr. George Herbert being prelector in the rhetorique school in Oxonii, 1607, 4to. See likewise Nichols’s May you, my Cam and Isis, preach it Progresses, Processions, and magnificent Fes- long ! tivities of King James the First, vol. i. p. 530. “The right divine of kings to govern 1 0, cried the goddess, for some pedant wrong.” reign ! Some gentle James, to bless the land again ; To stick the doctor's chairinto the throne, Give law to words, or war with words alone, Senates and courts with Greek and Latin rule, And turn the council to a grammar-school ! For sure if Dulness sees a grateful day, ‘Tis in the shade of arbitrary sway. O! if my sons may learn one earthly thing, Teach but that one, sufficient for a king, That which my priests, and mine alone, maintain, Which, as it dies or lives, we fall or reign: Porr’s Dunciad, book iv. 175. 2 Nichols’s Progresses of King James, vol. lil, p. 28, 3 J. §. Hawkins’s Life of Ruggle (p. xli.) prefixed to Ignoramus, comedia, Lond. 1787, Svo. Nichols'’s Progresses of King James, vol. iii. p. 82. 4 Nichols’s Progresses of King James, vol. iii. pp. 835, 1114. We again find him at Cam- bridge in the month of December 1624; but he was then afflicted with the gout, and there seems to have been little parade or entertain- ment. (Nichols, vol. iii. p. 1008.) SCOTISH POETRY. 495 Cambridg anno 1618, passed by those fluent orators that domi- neered in the pulpits of Athens and Rome, and insisted to read upon an oration of King James, which he analysed, shew’d the concinnity of the parts, the propriety of the phrase, the height and power of it to move affections, the style utterly unknown to the ancients, who could not conceive what kingly eloquence was, in respect of which, those noted demagogi were but hire- lings and tributary rhetoricians.”? The rest of his literary career has little connexion with the history of poetry. He engaged in different controversies, em- bracing a mixture of divinity and politics ; and a mere catalogue of the publications relating to those controversies, would occupy several pages.” His antagonists, it may readily be supposed, were all foreigners, or residing in foreign countries, and some of them were persons of high rank and reputation. The violence of the controversial spirit that now prevailed, suggested a pro- ject which at this distant period cannot but appear a little sin- gular. Weare informed by an early historian that Dr. Bancroft, Archbishop of Canterbury, “first brought the king to begin a new college by Chelsey, wherein the choice and ablest scholars of the kingdom, and the most pregnant wits in matters of con- troversies were to be associated under a provost, with a fair and ample allowance, not exceeding three thousand pounds a year, whose design was to answer all popish books, or others that vented their malignant spirit against the Protestant religion, either the heresies of the papists, or the errors of those that struck at hierarchie, so that they should be two-edged fellows that would make old cutting and slashing; and this he forwarded with all industry during his time ; and there is yet a formal act of parliament in being for the establishment of it. But after his death the king wisely considered that nothing begets more contention than opposition, and such fuellers would be apt to inflame rather than quench the heat which would arise from 1 Hacket’s Life of Archbishop Williams, Catholicz et Apostolice adversus Anglicane part i. p. 175. Lond. 1693, fol. Secte Errores, cum Responsione ad Apolo- giam pro Juramento Fidelitatis et Preefatio- 2 As a specimen of these publications, I nem monitoriam serenissimi Jacobi Anglize shall only mention that of Suarez, a Spanish Regis: authore P. D. Francisco Suario Gra- Jesuit, who was professor of divinity in the natensi.” Conimbrice, 1613, fol. The text University of Coimbra: ‘‘Defensio Fidei consists of 780 pages in double columns. 496 THE HISTORY OF those embers; . . . and there is only so much building standing by the Thames-side, as to show that what he tended to plant should be well watered.”’ The same spot was afterwards des- tined for a more useful purpose ; it was converted to the use of fellows accustomed to cutting and slashing with different wea- pons; and all that it now retains of its original destination is the name of “The College,” which is still applied to Chelsea Hospital by the inhabitants of the immediate neighbourhood. Before his departure from Scotland, James had publicly promised to return at short intervals, but many years had now elapsed without his recollecting this engagement. In 1617 he however paid a final visit to his native country, and was re- ceived with demonstrations of joy which had every appearance of being sincere. The men of letters vied with each other in the extravagance of their panegyrics : the Universities published collections of the learned lumber which the loyalty of their members had accumulated ; and almost every inhabitant of the kingdom who was accustomed to write verses in Greek, Latin, English, or Scotish, seemed eager to avail himself of so auspi- cious an occasion.” He paid a formal visit to the University of St. Andrews, when he once more assumed the character of moderator of the schools. Dr. Baron, afterwards Bishop-elect of Orkney, was at that time a beardless youth, but he displayed such learning and dexterity as astonished the King and the rest of the auditory.’ The practice of conferring degrees in divinity had been discontinued in the Scotish universities, as too nearly allied to Popery ; but it was now revived by this erudite mon- arch, who did not entertain the same prejudice. His chaplain Dr. Young created several doctors of divinity ; among whom were different individuals who rose to higher distinction, parti- cularly William Forbes, Bishop of Edinburgh, David Lindsay, successively Bishop of Brechin and Edinburgh, John Strang, 1 Wilson’s Hist. of the Reign of King James, p. 53. Lond. 1658, fol. See the Glory of Chelsey Colledge revived, ete. By John Darley, B.D. and of Northill in the county of Cornwall, Rector.” Lond. 1662, 4to. 2 Of these verses an ample collection was formed by John Adamson, and published under the title of ‘Ta Tw Movewr Eicodta. The Muses Welcome to the high and mightie Prince James by the grace of God King of Great Britaine,” etc. Edinb. 1618, fol. This is followed by a much smaller collection of poems on the King’s departure. % A. Clementii Preef. in Baronii Metaphy- sicam. Lugd. 1657, 8vo. SCOTISH POETRY. 497 Principal of the University of Glasgow, and Robert Howie, Principal of St Mary’s College. The professors of the Univer- sity of Edinburgh were appointed to attend the King at Stirling, and, at his request, they proceeded to regale him with a choice disputation ; at the conclusion of which he was graciously pleased to compliment them in a string of puns upon their several names.” As a further proof of his approbation, he re- quested that their seminary should be distinguished by the name of King James’s College, and this name it accordingly bears, but without any other permanent mark of his royal bounty. In the year 1616 a collection of his prose works had been published by Dr. Montague, Bishop of Winchester, and Dean of the Chapel Royal; and in 1619 they were published in Latin by the same zealous editor. Both editions are inscribed to Prince Charles, and the dedication is followed by such a preface as might have been expected. His premonition to all Christian monarchs is the only prose work which he composed in Latin : this tract, according to the editor, was written by his Majesty both in English and Latin. His declaration against Vorstius,* and his defence of the right of kings, were originally composed in French, and with the author’s permission trans- lated into English. During his latter years he was engaged in a version of the Psalms; but this he did not live to publish, 1 See Sydserff’s Life of Bishop Forbes, pre- a professor of divinity at Leyden, may be fixed to his Considerationes modestie et paci- found in Molleri Cimbria Literata, tom. ii. ficee Controversiarum de Justificatione, Pur- p. 931. See likewise Gualtheri de Vita et gatorio, Invocatione Sanctorum, Christo Obitu Conradi Vorstii Oratio. Fredericopoli, Mediatore, et Eucharistia. Lond. 1658, 8vo. 1624, 4to. The King’s Declaration against This work was reprinted at Helmstad in 1704. Vorstius is dedicated ‘‘To the honovr of ovr (Bibliotheque Choisie, tom. v. p. 396.) Lord and Saviovr Jesus Christ,” ete. Dedica- ? , tions of this kind were not then uncommon. = Muses Welcome #0 King Jamies, Pp. a3) Bishop Hall has inscribed a Passion sermon, Crawford's Hist. of the University of Edin- preached in the year 1609, “To the onely burgh, p. 84. honovr and glory of God my deare and 3 The Workes of the most high and mightie blessed Saviovr (which hath done and suf- Prince, James by the grace of God King of fered all these things for my sovle.”) Baretti Great Britaine, etc., published by James, has correctly stated that ‘‘ many authors and Bishop of Winton, and Deane of his Maiesties editors have the custom in Spain to dedicate Chappel Royall. Lond. 1616, fol. Serenis- pooks to the Almighty, to his angels, to his simi et potentissimi Principis Jacobi, Dei saints, and even to those of their images that gratia, Magne Britannie, Francie, et Hi- are in reputation of being miraculous.” bernie Regis, Fidei Defensoris, Opera, edita (Journey from London to Genoa, vol. ii. p. ab Jacobo Montacuto, Wintoniensi Episcopo, 382.) I have observed various works dedi- et Sacelli Regii Decano. Lond. 1619, fol. cated to miraculous images of the Blessed 4 An ample account af Vorstius, who was Virgin. 21 498 THE HISTORY OF and whether he lived to complete it, may be considered as somewhat doubtful. He died on the 27th of March 1625, in the fifty-ninth year of his age. His mortal disease was appa- rently a fever supervening upon an ague: but some of his con- temporaries ascribed his death to a very different cause; Dr. Eglisham, one of the king’s physicians, publicly charged the Duke of Buckingham with the crime of having effected it by poison.’ This accusation did not perhaps obtain very general credit ; and the accuser seems to have been a person of a morose and perverse disposition. Neither the moral nor the intellectual qualities of King James were of the first order. As a sovereign, he may safely be commended for his love of peace; but his notions of the royal prerogative were extravagant, and the conduct which re- sulted from these notions was often reprehensible and perni- cious.” In private life, his vices were at least as conspicuous as his virtues. To the want of true generosity he added a total want of personal courage, insomuch that the sight of a naked sword inspired him with visible apprehension. His con- versation, which was fluent and copious, was better calculated than his actions to excite a favourable opinion of his capacity. It was a frequent expression of some contemporary observer, that King James was the wisest fool in Christendom : he was a wise man in trivial, but a fool in important affairs? His habits of life were more completely literary than those of any other sovereign of modern times; and his very meals were seasoned with learning. With many of the eminent scholars 1 Reliquiz Wottonianz, p. 554. Nichols’s Progresses of King James, vol. iii. p. 1083. 2 The spirit of his government in England has been very ably discussed by Mr. Rrodie, Hist. of the British Empire, vol. i. p. 327. Lord Bolingbroke is of opinion “that this prince hath been the original cause of a series of misfortunes to this nation, as deplorable as a lasting infection of our air, of our water, or our earth, would have been.” (Disserta- tion upon Parties, p. 15.) 3 Of his personal habits and peculiarities some minute particulars are recorded in Sir Anthony Weldon’s “Court and Character of King James.” Lond. 1650, 8vo. This work was attacked in a publication ascribed to the virulent Dr. Heylin: ‘“‘ Aulicus Coquinarie ; or a Vindication in answer to a pamphlet intituled The Court and Character of King James.” Lond. 1650, 8vo. Weldon had com- municated the summary of the King’s cha- racter to Sir James Balfour, who, after sub- stituting his own vile orthography, inserted it in his Annales of Scotland, vol. ii. p. 108. This character is published, as an original paper, in Fragments of Scotish History. Edinb. 1798, 4to. 4 “Mox ut ad Serenissimum Regem accessi, inveni ipsum illam ipsam Apologiam inter epulas legentem.” (Casauboni Exercita- tiones ad Baronium; p. 44.) SCOTISH POETRY. 499 which that age produced, he affected to maintain a friendly in- tercourse : some of his letters to Scaliger, Casaubon, and other celebrated writers, are still preserved. From contemporary authors, both domestic and foreign, he received the most gross adulation." His Majesty could return poetical compliments, but on some occasions he was less disposed to pay his literary flatterers in the current coin of the realm: Baudius confessed himself to be sadly disappointed when he took a voyage to England, in the expectation of being paid for the poetical honours which he had bestowed on the King and his eldest son.” His literary merits were not more extolled by his contem- poraries than they have been disparaged by posterity ; and it is in this manner that something approaching to an equal dis- tribution of critical justice is at last obtained. But his share of learning was by no means inconsiderable ; and although good sense was not the first characteristic of his mind, he was not destitute of a certain specious talent for disquisition. The age to which he belonged was an age of pedantry, and his taste may be supposed to partake of the general infection ; but the style of his prose compositions, when compared with the ordinary standard of that period, will not be considered as mean or con - temptible. One of his productions most obnoxious to ridicule, namely, the Demonologte, contains the current opinions of his own times; and as every age has its peculiar follies,’ those opinions are not to be censoriously imputed to an individual, who shared them with almost all his contemporaries. he addresses the King, “‘ Princeps omnium quotquot sunt, fuerunt, aut erunt nisi fallunt fata, longe Maxime, et, velint nolint, omnium Optime.” ' 2 “ Sed hac fine stetit omnis regia liberali- tas, nec teruncio factus sum propensior, ut vel meo exemplo liquere possit, magnos ter- rarum dominos posse perdere, non donare.” (Baudii Epistole, 298, edit. Lugd. Bat. 1650, 12mo.) Some of his panegyrists were how- ever more fortunate. In the thirteenth of 1 Lord Bacon has pronounced a high en- commm on the Baotdccdy A@pov. (Of the Advancement of Learning, p. 250.) Sir Henry Savile, in his dedication of St. Chry- sostom to King James, has extolled the same composition as superior to any similar work which had then been produced. But the most singular panegyric on the various merits and endowments of this learned monarch is perhaps to be found in a publi- cation of Thomas Rose, bearing the following title : “Idea, sive de Jacobi Magne Britan- mx, Galli, et Hybernie, prestantissimi et augustissimi Regis, Virtutibus et Ornamen- tis, dilucida Enarratio, ejusque cum laudatis- simis veterum Regibus, Monarchis, et Im- peratoribus, Comparatio exacta et enucleata.” Lond. 1608, 8vo. Op. 330. In his dedication the King’s reign, 1615-1616, Dempster re- ceived a free gift of two hundred pounds. (Nichols, vol. iii. p. 136.) 3 And what is most commended at this time, Succeeding ages may account a crime. StrrRLine’s Darius, p. 67. 500 THE HISTORY OF The censure which has recently been passed on his poetical works may be regarded as too severe. They do not indeed evince any considerable vigour of imagination or elegance of taste; but they are not entirely destitute of fancy, and the versification occasionally rises above mediocrity.’ His most successful effort bears the title of “Ane metaphoricall Inven- tion of a Tragedie called Phoenix.” In this production some traces of a poetical invention may be discovered ; and we ought to recollect that it was published when the author was only about eighteen years of age. The metaphorical invention how- ever it is not very easy to explain. Under the allegory of the Pheenix it has been supposed that “the author attempts to exhibit a sketch of the matchless beauty and sufferings of his unfortunate mother whom he represents as dead ; but performs his task with so much caution, and with such a timid, trembling hand, that one can scarcely recognise the resemblance.” It is indeed so difficult to recognise the resemblance, that we must search for some other explanation ; and it appears much more probable that the poem relates to the author’s kinsman and favourite, Esme Stewart, Duke of Lennox. A powerful faction having compelled James to banish him from the kingdom in 1582, he returned to France, which was his native country, and died there in the course of the following year. The Phcenix, which was published in 1584, contains many passages appli- cable to the story of this lamented favourite ; and an acrostich on the Duke’s name is prefixed to the poem, apparently as an indication of the royal subject. The royal poet commences his longer poem with the following stanzas :— The dyuers falls that Fortune geuis to men, By turning ouer her quheill to their annoy, When I do heare them grudge, although they ken That olde blind Dame delytes to let the ioy Of all, such is her vse, which dois conuoy Her quheill by gess, not looking to the right, Bot still turnis vp that pairt quhilk is too light. “1 Several specimens of King James’s poetry moderne Poets.” Lond. 1600, 8vo. See pp. have found admission into “ Englands Par- 231, 232, 238, 236, 238, 422. nassus, or the choysest Flowers of our 2 Sibbald, vol. iii. p. 475. SCOTISH POETRY. 501 Thus quhen I hard so many did complaine, Some for the losse of worldly wealth and geir, Some death of frends, quho can not come againe, Some losse of health, which vnto all is deir, Some losse of fame, which still with it dois beir Ane greif to them who mereits it indeid : Yet for all this appearis there some remeid. For as to geir, lyke chance as made you want it, Restore you may the same againe or mair : For death of frends, although the same, I grant it, Can noght returne, yet men are not so rair, Bot ye may get the lyke : for seiknes sair, Your health may come, or to ane better place Ye must: for fame, good deids will mend disgrace. Then, fra I saw, as I already told, How men complaind for things whilk might amend, How Dauid Lyndsay did complaine of old His Papingo, her death, and sudden end, Ane common foule, whose kinde be all is kend : All these hes moved me presently to tell Ane Tragedie, in griefs thir to excell, For I complaine not of sic common cace, Which diuersly by diuers means dois fall ; But I lament my Phoenix rare, whose race, Whose kynde, whose kyn, whose offspring, they be all In her alone whome I the Phoenix call ; That fowle which only one at onis did liue, Not liues, alas! though I her praise reviue. In Arabie cald Feelix was she bredd, This fowle, excelling Iris farr in hew, Whose body whole with purpour was owercledd, Whose taill of coulour was celestial blew, With skarlat pennis that through it mixed grew : Her craig was like the yallowe burnisht gold, And she herself thre hundreth yeare was old.' By the race of this Phoenix we are apparently to understand the royal house of Stewart, which, if we compute from the birth 1 This poem occurs in the earliest of his Spanish author of some note, Don Joseph Majesty’s poetical publications. On the sub- Pellicer de Salas y Tobar: ‘El Fenix y su ject of the Pheenix, a large quantity of prose Historia Natural, escrita en veinte y dos and verse may be found in the work of a Exercitaciones,” ete, Madrid, 1630, 8vo. 502 THE HISTORY OF of Robert the Second, had now endured for nearly three hun- dred years. The mysterious fowl abandons Arabia Feelix, and at length arrives in Scotland. Ilk man did maruell at her forme most rare. The winter came, and storms cled all the feild ; Which storms the land of fruit and corne made bare : Then did she flie into an house for beild, Which from the storms might sane her as an sheild : There in that house she first began to tame ; I came, syne took her furth out of the same. In this and the following stanzas we have a dim and shadowy view of Lennox’s gracious reception on his arrival from France, of the high favour which he speedily obtained at court, of the persecution to which this favour at length exposed him, and of his subsequent return to the land of his nativity. The death of the Phoenix is afterwards related, and then follows a stanza which bears an apparent allusion to Lodovick, the young Duke of Lennox, who arrived from France in the month of Novem- ber 1583. Then fra ther newis, in sorrows soped haill, Had made vs both a while to holde our peace, Then he began and said, Pairt of my taill Is yet vntolde ; lo here one of her race, Ane worme bred of her ashe : though she, alace, ° Said he, be brunt, this lacks but plumes and breath To be lyke her, new gendred by her death. The Lepanto, a poem on the famous victory obtained over the Turks in 1571, is of much greater length, but of inferior merit. The subject, though sufficiently animating, has not in- spired his Majesty with any degree of poetical fervour; nor does this production, extending to upwards of a thousand lines, contain a single passage conspicuous for its elevation of thought or felicity of expression. Near the beginning of the poem we encounter the following verses :— Then, as I els began to say, One day it did fall out, As glorious God in glistering throne, With angels round about, SCOTISH POETRY. 503 Did sit, and Christ at his right hand, That craftie Satan came, Deceauer, Lyar, hating man, And God’s most sacred name. This olde abuser stood into The presence of the Lord ; Then in this manner Christ accus’de The sower of discord. I know thou from that city comes, Constantinople great, Where thou hast by thy malice made The faithles Turkes to freat : Thou hast inflamde their maddest mindes With raging fire of wraith, Against them all that doe professe My name with feruent fayth. How long, 6 Father, shall they thus Quite vnder foote be tred By faithles folkes, who executes What in this snake is bred ? Then Satan answerd ; Fayth? quoth he ; Their faith it is too small : They striue me thinke on either part Who farthest backe can fall. Hast thou not giuen them in my hands, Euen both the sides, I say, That I, as best doth seeme to me, May vse them tuery way ? Then Jehova, whose nod doth make The heauens and mountaines quake, Whose smallest wrath the centres makes Of all the earth to shake ; Whose worde did make the worlde of nought, And whose approouing syne Did stablish all even as wee see, By force of voice deuine ; This God began, etc. The author afterwards introduces a description of Venice, but certainly not a poetical description. The angel Gabriel is then represented as assuming the figure of a man, and encouraging the Venetians to make war on the infidels. This towne it stands within the sea, Fiue miles or there about, 504 THE HISTORY OF Vpon no ile nor ground ; the sea Runnes all the streets throughout. Who stood vpon the steeple head Should see a wondrous sight, A towne to stand without a ground, Her ground is made by slight : Strong timber props, dung in the sea, Do bear her vp by art ; An ile is all her market place, A large and spacious part. A duke with senate joynd doth rule, Saint Marke is patron chiefe ; Iik yeare they wedde the Sea with rings, To be their sure reliefe. The angell then arriu’d into This artificiall towne, And chang’d in likenes of a man, He walkes both vp and downe, While time he met some man of spreit, And then began to say, What doe we all? me think we sleep : Are we not day by day By cruell Turks and infidels Most spitefully opprest ? They kill our knights, they brash our forts, They let us neuer rest. Go too, go too, once make a proofe ; No more let us desist : To bold attempts God giues successe, If once assay we list. T shall now present the reader with a specimen of the royal poet’s battle-piece, which is meanly conceived, and meanly executed :-— This warping giuen to Christians, they With Turks yoake heere and there ; And first the sixe aforesaid ships That were so large and fair, And placed were in the former ranks, Did first of all persew With bullets, raisers, chaines, and nailes That from their peeces flew: Their cannons rummisht all at once, Whose mortall thudding draue SCOTISH POETRY. 505 The fatall Turks to be content With Thetis for their graue. The fishes were astonisht all To heare such hideous sound, The azur skie was dim'd with smoke ; The dinne that did abound, Like thunder rearding rumling raue With roares the highest heauen, And pearst with pith the glistering vaults Of all the planets seauen. The piteous plaints, the hideous howles, The greeuous cries and mones, Of millions wounded sundrie waies, But dying all at ones, Conjoynd with former horrible sound, Distemperd all the aire, And made the seas for terrour shake With braying euery way where : Yet all these unacquainted roares, The feareful threatning sound, Joynd with the groning murmuring howles, The courage could not wound So farre of Turquish chieftaines braue, As them to lit or fray With boldest speed their greeuous harmes With like for to repay ; Who made their cannons bray so fast, And hagbuts cracke so thicke, As Christians dead in number almost Did countervaile the quicke. His expressions are sometimes so mean as to become ridicu- lous. In confirmation of this remark, I need only quote the following instances :—- A rude recounter then they made. Together galleis clipt, And each on other rasht her nose, That in the sea was dipt. A Macedonian souldier then, Great honour for to win, Before the rest in earnest hope To Basha bold did rin, And with a cutlace sharpe and fyne Did whip mee off his head. 506 THE HISTORY OF As a specimen of his tropes and figures, I subjoin the follow- ing simile :— ” Then as into a spacious towne, At breaking of the day, The busie worke-men doe prepare Their worklumes every way ; The wright doth sharpe his hacking axe, The smith his grinding file, Glasse-makers beets their fire that burnes Continual, not a while, The painter mixes colours viue, The printer letters sets, The mason clickes on marble stones, Which hardlie drest he gets : Euen so, how soon this warrior world With earnest eies did see Yon signe of warre, they all prepared To win or else to die : Here hagbutters prepard with speed A number of bullets round, Their cannoners their canons steild, To make destroying sound, Here knights, etc. The original of the Lepanto was accompanied by a French version, executed by Du Bartas, a poet of no small celebrity, whose name was afterwards rendered familiar to English readers by the persevering labours of Josuah Sylvester. James had formerly done him the honour of translating one of his poems ; and in order to insure a return of the same service, he had invited him to Scotland, and had treated him with peculiar attention ; besides defraying the expense of his voyage, he pre- sented him at his departure with a thousand pounds, and with a gold chain of the same value ; he also conferred upon him the cheaper favour of knighthood, and having accompanied him to the sea-shore, exacted a promise that he would pay him a second visit. He had conducted his distinguished guest to St. Andrews, where they were entertained by the Archbishop, and where they heard Adamson and Melville enforce their respec- tive notions of ecclesiastical polity.’ They likewise partook of a collation in St. Mary’s College, of which the undaunted Mel- 1 M‘Crie’s Life of Melville, vol. i. p. 868. SCOTISH POETRY. 507 ville was at that time Principal. All these courtesies, which took place in the year 1587, could not fail to excite the grati- tude of Du Bartas ; and as gratitude has a tendency to foster admiration, there might be a considerable mixture of sincerity in his extravagant commendation of the royal author and his work. In the preface, he speaks of the Lepanto as a production worthy of Homer ; and in an introductory poem, he insinuates that the author marches with more than mortal steps.’ Of these royal strains, which appeared so sublime to the French poet, and which appear so humble to us, a Latin translation was pub- lished by Thomas Murray in the year 1604.” King James’s translation of “The Uraine, or Heavenly Mvse” of Du Bartas, entitles him to considerable praise as a versifier : his couplets sometimes approach much nearer to the elegance and compression of modern English poetry than could be ex- pected by those who have read the preceding extracts from the Lepanto. It opens with the following lines :— Scarce had I yet in springtyme of my years, When greening great for fame aboue my pears Did make me lose my wonted chere and rest, Essaying learned works with curious brest. But as the Pilgrim, who for lack of light, Cumd to the parting of two wayes at night, He stayes assone, and in his mynde doeth cast ‘What way to take while moonlight yet doth last ; So I amongst the paths vpon that hill Where Phoebus crownes all verses euer still Of endle8 praise, with Laurers euer grene, Did stay confusde, in doubt what way to mene. I whyles essaide the Grece in Frenche to praise, Whayles in that toung I gaue a lustie glaise 1 The Earl of Stirling has contrived to in- troduce into his poem of Dooms-day (hour iv. st. 65) a splendid compliment to the Le- panto :— What turband band abandons Thetis bowres, By their misfortune fortunate to fame, Who by a royall pens eternall powers Reft back from death, life, whilst men breath do claime? How those, still Turks, were baptiz’d in few houres, Where azure fields foam’d forth a hoarie streame ; This my great Phoebus tun’d to trumpets sounds, Whose stately accents each strange tongue rebounds. 8 Naupactiados, sive Lepantiados Jacobi Magni, Britanniarum, Francie, et Hibernie Regis, Metaphrasis poetica, authore Thoma Moravio Scoto. Lond. 1604, 4to. Thomas Murray was tutor to the Duke of York, and afterwards provost of Eton College, where he succeeded Sir Henry Savile in 1622, and was himself succeeded by Sir Henry Wotton in 1623. He died on the 9th of April 1623, at the age of fifty-nine. 508 THE HISTORY OF For to descryue the Troian kings of olde, And them that Thebes and Mycens crowns did holde : And whiles I had the storye of Fraunce elected, Which to the Muses I should have directed : My holie furie with consent of nane Made Frenche the Mein, and nowyse Dutche the Sein. Whiles thought I to set foorth with flattering pen The praise vntrewe of kings and noble men ; And that I might both golde and honours haue, With courage basse I made my Muse a slaue. And whyles I thought to sing the fickle boy Of Cypris soft, and loues té-swete anoy, To lofty sprits that are therewith made blynd ; To which discours my nature and age inclynd. But whill I was in doubt what way to go, With wind ambitious tossed to and fro, A holy beuty did to mee appeare, The Thundrers daughter seeming as she weare : Her potre was angellike with angels face, With comely shape and toung of heuenly grace ; Her nynevoced mouth resembled into sound The daunce harmonious making heauen resound. The subsequent passage may even boast of somewhat of the enthusiasm of genuine poetry :-— So Hesiod, Line, and he whose lute they say Made rocks and forrests come to hear him play, Durst well their heauenly secrets all discloes In learned verse that softly slydes and goes. O ye that wolde your brows with Laurel bind, What larger feild I pray you can you find,, Then is his praise who brydles heauens most cleare, Maks mountaines tremble, and lowest hells to feare ; That is a horne of plenty well repleat, That is a storehouse riche, a learning seat, An ocean hudge, both lacking shore and ground, Of heauenly eloquence a spring profound ? From subiects base a base discours dois spring, A lofty subiect of it selfe deth bring Graue words and weghtie, of it selfe diuine, And makes the authors holy honour shine. In this translation he confesses that he has not rigidly adhered to the rules which he has himself prescribed in his treatise on Scotish poetry, and for this deviation he assigns SCOTISH POETRY. 509 several apologetic reasons. “I must also desire yow to bear with it, albeit it be replete with innumerable and intolerable faultes, sic as ryming in tearmes, and dyuers others whilkis ar forbidden in my own treatise of the art of poesie, in the hinder end of this booke ; I must, I say, praye you to appardone mee for three causes. First, because that translations are limitat and restrained in some things more then free inuentions are ; therefore reasoun would that it had more libertie in others. Secoundlie, because I made noght my treatise of that intention, that eyther I or any others behoued astricktly to follow it; but that onely it should shew the perfection of poesie, wherevnto fewe or none can attaine. Thirdly, because that (as I shewe alreadye) I auow it not for a iust translation. Besydes that, I haue but ten feete in my lyne, where he hath twelue, and yet translates him lyne by lyne.” This translation appeared in his Essayes of a Prentise; and his Poeticall Exercises include a version of Du Bartas’s Furies, written in the same measure as the Lepanto. It is the more ancient English verse of fourteen syllables, divided into two lines. As four verses require only a single rhyme, the poet is not much restrained in his course, and is very apt to fall into a species of doggrel. Where the lines frequently run into each other, the verse is more fully recognised by the eye than the ear. His Majesty’s translation of the Furies, which extends beyond 1500 verses, contains many feeble, and some ludicrous passages. James has written a considerable number of sonnets, which possess very unequal degrees of merit. One of them has already been quoted, and I now subjoin his “Sonnet decifring the Per- fyte Poete.” Ane rype ingyne, an quicke and walkned witt, With sommair reasons, suddenlie applyit, For every purpose vsing reasons fitt, With skilftunes, where learning my be spyit, With pithie wordis for to expres you by it His full intention in his proper leid, The puritie quhairof weill hes he tryit ; With memorie to keip quhat he dois reid, With skilfulnes and figuris, quhilks proceid From rhetorique, with euerlasting fame, 510 THE HISTORY OF With vthers woundring, preassing with all speid For to atteine to merite sic a name: All thir into the perfyte poete be. Goddis grant I may obteine the laurell trie. The sonnet which he has prefixed to the Bacvducov Adpov contains some tolerably sonorous lines :— God giues not kings the stile of Gods in vaine, For on his throne his scepter doe they swey ; And as their subiects ought them to obey, So kings should feare and serue their God againe. If then ye would enioy a happie raigne, Obserue the statutes of your heauenlie King And from his lawe make all your lawe to spring : Since his lieuetenant heere ye should remaine, Reward the iust, be stedfast, true, and plaine, Represse the proude, maintayning aye the right, Walke alwaies so as euer in his sight Who guardes the godlie, plaguing the profane ; And so ye shall in princelie vertues shine, Resembling richt your mightie King diuine.' But the sonnet subjoined to his Lepanto affords a more favour- able specimen of his Majesty’s vein :— The azur’d vaulte, the crystall circles bright, The gleaming fyrie torches powdred there, The changing round, the shyning beamie light, The sad and bearded fyres, the monsters faire, The prodiges appearing in the aire, The rearding thunders and the blustering winds, The foules, in hew, in shape, in nature raire, The prettie notes that wing'd musiciens finds ; In earth the sau'rie fioures, the metall’d minds, The wholesome hearbes, the hautie pleasant trees, The syluer streames, the beasts of sundrie kinds, The bounded roares, and fishes of the seas : All these for teaching man the Lord did frame, To do his will whose glorie shines in thame. It has already been hinted that the genuineness of the com- plete version of the Psalms which bears his name, is somewhat doubtful. In his funeral sermon, preached by Dr, Williams, 1 Baowdixdv AGpov: or his Maiesties In- Prince. Edinbvrgh, printed by Robert Walde- strvctions to his dearest Sonne, Henry the graue, Printer to the Kings Majestie, 1603, 8vo. SCOTISH POETRY. 511 afterwards Archbishop of York, it is clearly stated that his labours did not extend beyond the thirty-first psalm ;’ but several years after the King’s death, a complete version was printed at Oxford under the title of “The Psalms of King David translated by King James.” On the one side we have the averment of this prelate, and on the other that of the sup- posed translator's son and successor.” According to Sir Henry Wotton, he translated some of the Psalms for the use of his grandson the young Prince of Bohemia ;? but we have his own authority for asserting that he had made some progress in such an undertaking so early as the year 1591.4 A translation of the hundred and fourth psalm appears among his Essays, printed in 1584, but it has no resemblance to that which occurs in the complete version, and indeed it is not written in a mea- sure adapted to church music. In the genuine verses of King James, and particularly in those of his later volume, the phraseo- logy is not very decidedly Scotish ; but the- phraseology of the Psalms is so materially English, that they must all have passed through other hands. It is therefore highly probable that his portion was revised, and the translation completed, by some court poet ; and this poet appears to have been William Alexander, afterwards Earl of Stirling. Ina letter addressed to Drummond, and dated in the year 1620, he apparently speaks of the King and himself being both employed in versifying the Psalms. “TI received your last letter, with the psalm you sent, which I think very well done: I had done the same long before it came, but he prefers his own to all else, tho’ perchance, when you see it, you will think it the worst of the three. No man must meddle 1 “ Hee was in hand (when God call’d him to sing psalmes with the angels) with the trans- it being found to be exactly and truely done, wee doe hereby authorize the same to be im- lation of our church psalmes, which hee in- tended to haue finished and dedicated withall to the onely saint of his deuotion, the church of Great Britaine, and that of Ireland. This worke was staied in the oneand thirty psalme.” (Williams’s Great Britains Salomon ; a Sermon preached at the magnificent Funerall of the most high and mighty King James, p. 42. Lond. 1625, 4to.) 2 This publication bears the following pri- vilege : “Charles R. Haueing caused this translation of the Psalmes (whereof oure late deare father was author) to be perused, and printed according to the patent granted there- vpon, and doe allow them to be song in all the churches of our dominiones, recommending them to all oure goode subjects for that ef- fect.” 3 Reliquize Wottoniane, p. 558. 4 In the preface to His Maiesties poeticall Exercises, he expresses himself thus: “Rough and vnpolished as they are, I offer them vnto thee : which beeing well accepted, will moue mee to hast the presenting vnto thee of my Apocalyps, and also such nomber of the Psalmes as I haue perfited.”’ 512 THE HISTORY OF with that subject, and therefore I advise you to take no more pains therin.”’ In 1627, two years after the King’s death, Sir William Alexander obtained a patent securing to him the sole right, for thirty-one years, of printing or causing to be printed the Psalms of King David translated by King James ;? and if the version had experienced a favourable reception, and been willingly adopted by both Churches, this privilege might have proved a source of great: emolument. From the circumstances which have already been stated, it is sufficiently probable that his interest in this production was not merely pecuniary ; and certain it is that some of his contemporaries supposed him to possess a valid claim to be considered as its principal author.’ In the handwriting of the King, a version of thirty of the psalms has been preserved among the royal manuscripts in the British Museum ;* but it differs very widely from the version published under the name of the royal poet. His genuine ver- sion of the twenty-ninth psalm stands thus :— Ye princes sonnes yeild to the Lorde, Yeild him all force and gloire, And yeild to him the honoure deu Unto his name thairfoire. Inclyne and bou youre selfis adoune ; Adore Jehoua great, Quho sittis most gloriously upon His throne and holy seat. The uoyce of God on uattiris ringis And makis a wondrousse sound ; Strong gloriouse God doth thunder, his uoyce On uattiris that abound : 1 Drummond’s Works, p. 151. Edinb. 1711. fol. ‘The revising of the Psalms he made 3 «The people call them Menstries Psalmes ; bot we heir that another, if not others, also his own labor, and at such hours as he might spare from the publick cares went through a number of them, commending the rest to a faithful and learned servant, who hath therein answered his Majesties expectation.” (Spots- wood’s Hist. of the Church of Scotland, p. 466.) 2 The writ of Privy Seal has been printed in the appendix to a book entitled a Memorial for the Bible Societies of Scotland, No. xxi. Edinb. 1824, 8vo. I have been informed that there is a record of an English patent to the same effect, hath had ane hand in them, and that these have revised King James his part.” See Reasons against the publick Vse of this new Metaphrase of the Psalmes, p. 13, printed in the Bannatyne Miscellany. 4 MSS. Reg. 18, B. xvi. The same volume likewise contains a paraphrase of the twelfth chapter of Ecclesiastes, of the Lord’s Prayer, and of the Song of Moses. Mr. Ritson informs us that “in the library of St. Martin’s parish, Westminster, is a Ms. voluine, containing all the King’s short poems that are not printed.” SCOTISH POETRY. 5138 The uoyce of God cummis semely furth, His uoyce cummis furth with micht ; Jehouas uoyce the cedres brekis, Kuin Lebans cedres uicht, And makis thaime as a calf to skipp : Hudge Liban, Sirion eik, Lyke to the faune of vnicornis, Will leap quhen he doth speik. His uoyce makis wildernesses murne, And quenchis flammes of fyre ; Euen the desertis of Kades large May not abyde his yre. Jehouas uoice makis hyndis to calue, And tirris the forrestis grene ; Bot in his temple all his gloire He shouis and makis be sene. ” Jehoua satt in the deluge, And sittis a King for aye, He also to his people giues The force thay haue alluaye. The same Jehoua great doth blesse His people well belouid. With great tranquillitie and peace, Pray it be not remouid. But every reader will find some difficulty in recognising the same version in the printed editions :— Giue freely to the Lord, O yee That doe excell in micht, Giue glory to the Lord, and strength, As due to him of right. Giue him the glory of his name, And, humbly bow’d, afford, With holynesse well beautified, Due honour to the Lord. The Lord his voice on waters is, The God of glory high : He thunder doth, the Lord he doth On many waters flie. The Lord his voice is full of power, And doth in state exceed : It breaks the cedars, cedars breaks, That Lebanon doth breed. 2K 9 14 THE HISTORY OF Hee makes them like a calfe to leap, Which once most solid stood, Even Lebanon and Schirion, Like vnicornes young brood. The Lord his voyce doth cut the flames, The wildernesse doth shake, The wildernesse of Kadesh oft It doth astonish’d make. The Lord his voyce makes hindes to calue And makes the forrests bare : And in his temple every one His glory doth declare. The Lord doth sit vpon the floods, The Lord for ever raignes ; The Lord will give his people strength, And blesse with peace their paines. As a further specimen of this version, I shall likewise tran- scribe the twenty-seventh psalm from the first edition :— The Lord my light and safety is, How can I frighted be ? The Lord is of my life the strength, And who can trouble me ? When wicked foes to eat my flesh, Against me warre did make, They straight did stumble and fell downe, A prey for me to take. Though even an hoast against me pitch, No feare can taint my brest, .Though roaring warre against me rise, In this secure I rest. This one thing aske I from the Lord, And earnestly request, That all the dayes I haue to liue, Tin his house may rest, There to contemplate and behold The beauty of the Lord, And in his temple to enquire According to thy word. For his pavilion mee shall hide, When trouble doth molest, SCOTISH POETRY. 515 His tents derne part it shall mee hide, He makes a rocke my rest. He shall aboue my foes about My head with glorie raise ; T in his tabernacle glad Shall offer, sing, and praise. Heare me, O Lord, when with my voice I call aloud to thee ; Thy gratious favour then extend, And yeeld thine eare to mee. When in thy presence to repaire Thou will’d me by thy grace, My ravish’d heart did answer, Lord, Lord, I will seeke thy face. Hide not thy face, nor put away Thy servant in thine yre : Thou hast me help'd, my safeties God, Doe not from mee retire. My father and my mother both, Though they doe mee forsake, Yet thou, O Lord, even then of mee Wilt the protection take. Teach thou, O Lord, thy way to mee, And guide mee by thy grace A straight plaine path, because of foes That all my steps doe trace. To satisfie my foes desires, Doe not deliver mee : False witnesses with malice rise, . And cruelties decree. I fainted had, but that I hop'd Thy goodnesse to enjoy, Even in the land of them that liue As yet design’d for joy. Doe thou vpon the Lord attend, With courage alwaies stor'd, For he will fortifie thy heart, Wait therefore on the Lord. 1 Derne is a Scotish word, signifying secret. In the subsequent editions, these four verses are completely changed :— For his pavilion me shall hide In his tents secret me shall hide, In stormy times, and he And on a rock set me. 516 THE HISTORY OF King Charles appears to have felt a considerable degree of anxiety that this version should be sung in the churches, and he recommended it to all his good subjects for that purpose : but his recommendation produced very little effect in England ;* and in the sister kingdom, the royal version encountered violent opposition, because it had not been undertaken with the appro- bation of the Church, and was regarded as too. full of poetical phrases to be sufficiently intelligible to the common people.” It was associated with the liturgy introduced into the Church of Scotland in the year 1637; but although it passed through several editions,’ its success was neither great nor permanent. Another version of the Psalms was completed by Zachary Boyd,* 1 Todd’s Observations upon the metrical Version of the Psalms, made by Sternhold, Hopkins, and others, p. 69. Lond. 1822, 8vo. 2 Among Wodrow’s mss. in the Advocates’ Library, there are several papers against King James’s version of the Psalms (M. vi. 9.) They have lately been printed in the Banna- tyne Miscellany. The papers contained in the volume appear to have been collected by David Calderwood. 8 The Psalmes of King David translated by King James. Oxford, 1631,12mo. Without place or date, 8vo. Lond. 1636, fol. Edinb. 1712, 8vo. This last edition is printed with the Scotish liturgy. The edition which I suppose to be the second has the same orna- ments with that of 1631, and was probably printed at Oxford. The first and second edi- tions differ very widely from each other ; and the third varies, though not so materially, from the second. Many of the expressions were at first considered as too poetical ; and Lord Stirling seems to have laboured with no small assiduity to introduce a more familiar phraseology ; nor are these numerous changes confined to one part of the version. It is therefore evident that a very small share, if indeed any share, of the property can be ad- judged to King James. A short quotation from Psalm exlviii. will convey some idea of the process by which the poetical ornaments were withdrawn :— His praise at length dilate, You flaming lord of light, And with the starres in state, Pale lady of the night. Edit. 1631, p. 316. His praise at length dilate, Thou sun that shin’st so bright 4 Praise him with stars in state, Thou moon that clear’st the night. Edit. 1636, p. 146. 4 The Psalmes of David in meeter: by Mr. Zachary Boyd, Preacher of Gods Word. The third edition. Printed at Glasgow by George Anderson, anno 1646, 12mo. AS a specimen of this work, I shall transcribe his version of the Twenty-third Psalm :— The Lord’s my shepheard, I’le not want ; He makes me by good will Ly in green pastures, he me leads Beside the waters still. My soul likewise he doth restore, And me to lead doth take Into the paths of righteousnesse, And that for his names sake. Yea, though through valley of deaths shade I walk, Ile fear no ill, For thou art with me, thy rod and Thy staffe me comfort still. Thou set’st in presence of my foes A table me before, Mine head with oyl thou dost anoint, My cup it runneth o’re. Goodnesse and mercy all the dayes Of my life surely shall Me follow, and in the Lords house For ever I will dwell. Zachary Boyd, though a very unsuccessful votary of the Muses, seems to have been a person of a respectable character; and, as Mr. Pinkerton remarks, his just fame as a benefactor to learning has been obscured by a cloud of miserable rhymes. In the preface to his Last Battell of the Sovle, he informs us that he had spent sixteen years of his life in France, “ where it pleased God to mak ‘him’ SCOTISH POETRY. SL and a third by Sir William Moore of Rowallan: the latter was never printed, but the original manuscript is still preserved, though not without some mutilations. The version finally adopted, after innumerable alterations, was that of Francis Rouse, which was approved by the Westminster Assembly, and reprinted in the year 1646. One of Baillie’s letters, dated in 1644, reflects some light on this subject: “An old most honest member of the House of Commons, Mr. Rous, has helped the old Psalter, in the most places faulty. His friends are very pressing in the assembly that his book may be examined, and helped by the author in what places it should be found meet, and then be commended to the Parliament, that they may enjoin the publick use of it. One of their considerations is the great private ad- vantage which would by this book come to their friend: but many do oppose the motion ; the most, because the work is not so well done as they think it might. Mr. Nye spake much against a tie to any Psalter, and something against the singing of paraphrases, as of preaching of homilies. We underhand will mightily oppose it; for the Psalter is a great part of our uniformity, which we cannot let pass till our church be well advised with it. I wish I had Rowallan’s Psalter here; for I like it much better than any yet I have seen.”* Rouse had been appointed Provost of Eton College, and afterwards became a preacher of his word the space of foure yeares.” After his return, he was appointed minister of the Barony church at Glasgow ; and at his death he bequeathed to the Univer- sity, of which he had for some time been Vice- chancellor, the sum of 20,0001. in Scotish money ; a sum by no means inconsiderable at that period. (Macure’s View of the City of Glasgow, p. 228.) His portrait may be found in Pinkerton’s Iconographia Scotica. The most extensive of his metrical publications is entitled ‘‘The Garden of Zion: wherein the life and death of godly and wicked men in Scriptures are to be seene, from Adam unto the last of the Kings of Judah and Israel, with the good uses of their life and death.” Glasg. 1644, 2 vols. 8vo. But he undertook a work of still greater extent, a metrical paraphrase of the Scriptures ; and the manuscript is pre- served in the public library of the University of Glasgow. This singular performance was long ago ridiculed by Colville in the apology prefixed to his poem. Among other prose works, Boyd published the following :—The last Battell of the Sovle in Death, diuided into eight conferences. Edinb. 1629, 2 vols. 8vo. The Sword of the Lord and of Gideon: to which is subjoined a Prayer for an Armie going to Battell, and a thanksgiving after the Victorie. Glasg. 1643, 8vo. 1. Crosses; 2. Comforts ; 3. Counsels : needful to be consi- dered, and carefully to be laid up in the Hearts of the Godly, in these boysterous broiles, and bloody times. Glasg. 1643, 8vo. 1 The Psalms of David in English meeter. London, printed by Miles Flesher, for the Company of Stationers, 1646, 12mo. Dr. Cotton has inadvertently divided Rouse’s paraphrase into two. (List of the Editions of the Bible in English, pp. 68, 69. - Oxford, 1821, 8vo.) Wood supposes that all or most of it had been printed in 1641. (Athene Oxonienses, vol. iii. col. 468.) 2 Baillie’s Letters and Journals, i. p. 411. 518 THE HISTORY OF a member of Cromwell’s House of Lords.’ In the year 1647, after hig version had received the approbation of the Westmin- ster Assembly, the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland having considered the report of a committee to which the sub- ject had been referred, found that a further revision was still necessary; and accordingly appointed John Adamson to exa- mine the first ‘forty psalms, Thomas Crawford the second forty, John Row the third forty, and John Nevey the remaining thirty. The act enjoins that, “in their examination, they shall not only observe what they think needs to be amended, but also to set down their own essay for correcting thereof; and for this purpose recommends them to make use of the travels of Row- allen, Master Zachary Boyd, or any other on that subject, but especially of our own paraphrase, that what they finde better in any of these works may be chosen.”* The next Assembly ordered that the corrections which had been proposed by the persons thus appointed, should be transmitted to the different presbyteries for the benefit of their remarks. It was at the same time recommended to Adamson and Crawford, who were both members of the University, “to revise the labours of Mr. Zachary Boyd upon the other scriptural songs, and to prepare a report thereof to the commission for publick affairs.”* Both of them must have possessed too much taste to think very favourably of Mr. Zachary’s “travels.” In the Assembly of 1649 the subject of Rouse’s paraphrase was again resumed : six individuals were appointed to complete the revision, and to make a final report to the commission at its meeting in the month of November; the commission was authorized to sanction the corrected para- phrase, and to publish it for general use.* The version of Rouse was thus subjected to innumerable changes and modifications ; nor would it have been suffered to retain many poetical orna- ments if it had originally possessed them.° 1 Wood’s Athens Oxonienses, iii. col. 466. versifiers of the Psalms, has made the follow- * Acts of the General Assemblies, p. 353. ing remark in the preface to the Psalms trans- 1682, 8vo, lated or paraphrased in English verse, 2d 3 . edit. Reading, 1766, 12mo. ‘‘The translator ; ai of the General Assemblies, p. 428. knew not how, without neglecting the poetry, Ibid. p. 479. to write in such language as the common sort 5 Mr. Merrick, one of the most poetical of people would be likely to understand.” SCOTISH POETRY. 519 CHAPTER XXIV. It is remarked by Bishop Hurd that there is “in the revolu- tions of taste and language, a certain point which is more favourable to the purposes of poetry than any other. It may be difficult to fix this point with exactness. But we shall hardly mistake in supposing it lies somewhere between the rude essays of unconnected fancy, on the one hand, and the refinements of reason and science, on the other.” The Scotish nation seemed nearly to have reached this point, when an event occurred which was ultimately productive of many advantages, but which for the space of nearly a century, had nevertheless an obvious ten- dency to retard the progress of intellectual improvement. This was the union of the two crowns; an event which was not com- pleted by conquest and submission, but by the quiet succession of the King of Scotland to his relative the Queen of England. After all the open hostilities and jealous alliances which had subsisted between the two countries for three hundred years, King James, the descendant of Henry the Seventh, succeeded to the English throne as peaceably as a private person commonly succeeds to his inheritance. The population and the wealth of England were at that crisis, as they are at present, much greater than the population and the wealth of Scotland ; and although the latter might originally appear to stand on the vantage~ ground, in consequence of its native sovereign’s succession to the rival kingdom, it was yet an unavoidable consequence of such a union that the poorer country should in some respects be treated like a conquered province, rather than like an inde- pendent state. Its ancient capital, being deserted by the court, subsided to the level of a provincial city, and was deprived of 1 Hurd’s Moral and Political Dialogues, vol. i. p. 197. 520 THE HISTORY OF many of those incitements which influence literary exertion. The language spoken by Wallace and Bruce, by Buchanan and Napier, having ceased to be the language of courtiers, began to be considered as a provincial dialect. Poets who expected to please politer ears were constrained to adopt a foreign speech ; and as it was difficult for them to reject their native idioms, they were apt to write without sufficient purity and elegance ; for when they professed to write in English, their compositions were to be tried by the English standard. It was only by a few men of rank or fortune, who had better opportunities of refining their taste, that such verses as an English reader could approve were now. produced. Nor was it the national taste alone that was depressed by this material change in the domestic relations of the kingdom : the policy pursued by four successive monarchs was generally unwise, and was often deeply reprehensible ; the power and the resources of the one kingdom encouraged them to exercise a tyrannical sway in the other; and the measures adopted in Scotland by the two last princes of the house of Stewart, were equally disgraceful to themselves and pernicious to their subjects. Under the galling yoke of those heartless despots, who were incapable of deriving wisdom from experience, and whom their fathers’ fate had not reclaimed from their fathers’ errors, the ancient kingdom of Scotland was miserably sunk and degraded ; nor was it to be expected that the studies of poetry and eloquence should flourish in so troubled and ungenial an atmosphere.’ The remainder of our subject presents little more than a bar- ren waste, an extended wilderness interspersed with very few spots of verdure. Our inquiries are professedly restricted to poets who wrote in the Scotish language ; but the succession of those who wrote with any considerable degree of fancy or feeling, was exposed to so long and dismal an interruption, that it may not here be improper to devote a few digressive pages to the most conspicuous Scotish writers who cultivated English poetry soon after the period of the Union. Among these we cannot fail to place Sir William Alexander, Earl of Stirling, who enjoyed a : The influence of the Union on the national genius has been ably unfolded by Dr. Robertson, Hist. of Scotland, vol. iii. p. 196. : SCOTISH POETRY. 521 high reputation during his lifetime, and whose name is still mentioned with respect. His remote ancestor was Alexander Macdonald, who obtained in few from the noble family of Argyle the estate of Menstrie in the county of Clackmannan, and whose posterity assumed the name of Alexander from hig Christian name.’ The poet was the son of Alexander Alexander, and was born in the year 1580. He is said to have been educated in the University of Glasgow :? his accomplishments recommended him as a proper person to accompany the Earl of Argyle on his travels ; and his reputation as a poet had perhaps a still stronger tendency to establish his interest at court. He attracted the particular notice of Prince Henry, and afterwards received many marks of favour from King James and his successor. By a charter, dated on the 10th of September 1621, he obtained a grant of the territory of Nova Scotia in America. As an en- couragement for the colonization of this new settlement, an extraordinary expedient was now devised: he was authorized to divide the land into one hundred parcels, and to dispose of these, along with the title of Baronet, to such individuals as were able and willing to pay the stipulated price, which amounted to about two hundred pounds for each title ;* for this was in reality a sale of titles, nor would the parcels of land themselves have attracted many purchasers.* Another expe- dient, not more unexceptionable, consisted in granting to the founder of this colony the privilege of issuing a base copper 1 Douglas’s Peerage of Scotland, vol. ii. p. 535. 2 Macure’s View of the City of Glasgow, p. 229. Glasg. 1736, 8vo. 3 King James devised a similar plan, which was never carried into execution. Twenty- four gentlemen of a certain fortune were “to be moved to disburst £300 sterling each man in monie or victuals, for maintainance of the gold mynes of Scotland ; for which disburse- ment each was to have the honour of Knight- hood bestowed upon him, and so for ever to be called the Knight of the Golden Mynes, or the Golden Knight.” (Atkinson’s Discoverie and Historie of the Gold Mynes in Scotland, p. 45. Edinb. 1825, 4to.) 4 Sir Thomas Urquhart, apparently scan- dalized at this sale of knightly honours, men- tions the noble poet with some degree of in- dignation. ‘‘ The purity of this gentleman's vein was quite spoiled by the corruptness of his courtiership; and so much the greater pity; for ‘by all appearance, had he been contented with that mediocrity of fortune he was born unto, and not aspired to those gran- deurs of the court, which could not without pride be prosecuted, nor maintained without covetousness, he might have made a far better account of himself. It did not satisfie his ambition to have a laurel from the Muses, and to be esteemed a king amongst poets, but he must be king of some new-found-land ; and, like another Alexander indeed, searching after new worlds, have the soveraignty of Nova Scotia.” (ExoxuBadavpov: or, the Discovety of a most exquisite Jewel, p. 207. Lond, 1652, 8vo.) 522 THE HISTORY OF coin, denominated Turners. About this period he built a large house in Stirling ; and having inscribed upon it his family motto, “ Per mare, per terras,” some person parodied it, in allu- sion to the sources of his wealth, “ Per metre, per turners.” He gradually rose to various offices of dignity and emolument: in 1625, we find him described as Master of Requests for Scot- land ; he was appointed Secretary of State in 1626, Keeper of the Signet in 1627, a Commissioner of Exchequer in 1628, and one of the Extraordinary Judges of the Court of Session in 1631. Having been raised to the peerage, he was finally created Earl of Stirling, Viscount of Canada, and Lord Alexander of Tulli- body, by a patent dated at Dalkeith on the 14th of June 1633. In 1635, he obtained from the council of New England an ex~ tensive grant of land, including what was then called Stirling, and afterwards Long Island ; and he is to be considered as the founder of that settlement which after the lapse of a century and a half produced the State of New York. The Earl termi- nated his busy and prosperous career at London in the month of February 1640; and his body having been embalmed, was conveyed by sea to Stirling, where it was interred in the church on the 12th of April? By his wife, Janet the daughter and co- heiress of Sir William Erskine, related to the noble family of Mar, he left several children. His literary offspring was likewise numerous.? He is rather the poet of sentiment than of imagination: his works are less frequently distinguished by bold flights of fancy, than by a philosophical vein of reflection ; but he often displays consider- able vigour of conception, and expresses his thoughts with suit- able force and dignity. The Earl of Orford has characterized him as a poet “greatly superior to the age ;”* and if we compare 1 He is so described in the dedication of a work entitled ‘‘ Encovragements for such as shall have intention to bee Vnder-takers in fol. A Supplement of a Defect in the Dublin, 1621, Lond. in prose. third Part of Sidney’s Arcadia. the new Plantation of Cape Briton, now New Galloway, in America, by mee Lochinvar.” Edinb. 1625, 4to. The author of this tract, Sir Robert Gordon of Lochinvar, had obtained a grant of the island ; and in endeavouring to recommend his new settlement, he displays considerable address. 2 Balfour's Annals of Scotland, vol. ii. p. 427. % His lordship is the author of some works An Encouragement to Colonies. 1625, 4to. This tract afterwards appeared under a different title: A Map and Descrip- tion of New England, with a Discourse of Plantation and the Colonies, etc. Lond. 1630, 4to. 4 Orford’s Catalogue of Royal and Noble Authors, vol. v. p. 73. The Earl of Stirling received many compliments from the English poets of his own age, and, among the rest, SCOTISH POETRY. 523 him with such writers as Donne and Cowley, he certainly appears to no small advantage. His style, though not entirely free from Scoticisms, and from harsh combinations, is frequently conspicuous for its nervous simplicity, while many of the celebrated poets of that period are alike remarkable for their affectation of thought and harshness of expression :— And all that is affected, hath no grace. Among the most prominent of his compositions we must evi- dently class his Monarchicke Tragedies, which are four in num- ber ; namely, Croesus, Darius, the Alexandrean Tragedie, and Julius Cesar.2 The author does not appear to have intended them for representation, nor is their spirit very dramatic. The reader’s attention is not attracted by plots and incidents: there is too little action, and too much disquisition ; almost all the characters are apt to indulge in moral and political reflections ; and some of the speeches extend to a most unreasonable length ; there is in short little that bears any striking resemblance to the manners and passions of real life. The Alexandrean Tragedie commences with a speech of five folio pages, delivered by the ghost of Alexander the Great ;* and the Tragedie of from Drayton, in his Epistle to Henry Rey- nolds, Esquire, from Daniel in the Epistle pre- fixed to the Tragedy of Philotas, from Habing- ton in his Castara, p. 114, edit. Lond. 1640, 12mo. 1 Stirling’s Parenesis to Prince Henry, st. 12. 2 Of the different editions of Lord Stirling’s tragedies I shall here subjoin a brief notice. The Tragedie of Darivs. Edinb. 1603, 4to. The Tragedy of Croesus, with Darius. Lond. 1604, 4to. The Monarchicke Tragedies, Croe- sus, Darius, the Alexandrean, Julius Cesar, newly enlarged. Lond. 1607, 4to. The Mo- narchicke Tragedies. The third edition. Lond. 1616, vo. In his Recreations with the Muses. Lond. 1637, fol. To the first edition of Darius he has prefixed a poetical dedica- tion to the King, and a prose address to the reader. His tragedy is commended in two sonnets by John Murray and Walter Quin, and jn a Latin tetrastich by the latter. ‘The language of this poeme,” says the author, ‘‘is, as thou seest, mixt of the English and Scot- tish dialects ; which perhaps may be vn- pleasant and irksome to some readers of both nations. But I hope the gentle and judicious Englishe reader will beare with me, if I retaine some badge of mine owne countrie, by vsing sometimes words that are peculiar therevnto, especiallie when I finde them propre and sig- nificant. And as for my owne countrymen, they may not justly finde fault with me, if for the more part I vse the English phrase, as worthie to be preferred before our owne for the elegancie and perfection thereof.” Many passages were corrected in the subse- quent editions. 8 Langbaine has bestowed sufficient com- mendation on the dramatic performances of the noble poet. ‘‘ These plays,” he remarks, “seem to be writ with great judgment, and (if I mistake not) the author has propos’d the ancients for his pattern, by bringing in the chorus between the acts. They are grave and sententious throughout, like the tragedies of Seneca ; and yet where the softer and more tender passions are toucht, they seem as moying as the plays so much in vogue with the ladies of this age.” (Account of the Eng- lish Dramatick Poets, p. 1. Oxford, 1691, 8vo.) 4 The opening of this Tragedie is not unlike that of the Hecuba of Euripides. 524 THE HISTORY OF Julius Cesar commences with another of the same length, de- livered by Juno. Each of those four dramas exhibits a series of events, not sufficiently interwoven with each other. One of them is indeed, as his lordship describes it, a “ polytragicke tragedie ;” it comprehends the fortunes and fate of all the chief leaders who, after the death of Alexander, contended for empire and for life. He has so far conformed to the model of the ancients as to introduce a chorus into each of his tragedies ; but he has not paid much attention to the unities of time, place, and action. He seems rather to have formed his taste by the study of Seneca, than of the Greek dramatists: both poets are equally fond of declamation and of pointed sentences. His familiarity with the classics may perhaps be inferred from his various imi- tations, and yet his false quantities in several ancient names might lead us to doubt the accuracy of his classical knowledge. Thus he speaks of Darius, Ixion, Mausoléum, Nicanor, Orion, Pandion, Euménes, and Thomiris. Nor are his dramas entirely free from anachronisms; for example, he represents the contem- poraries of Creesus as familiar with the Stoic philosophy, which derived its origin from a much more recent era. Errors of this kind may however be detected in the greatest of the ancient, as well as modern poets. In the Electra of Sophocles, the charac- ters are very familiar with the Pythian games; and in the Pheenisse of Euripides, the war between Eumolpus and the Athenians is placed in the same period with the contention between the sons of CEdipus, that is, about four generations too late’ The dramatic poets of a more recent age abound with similar errors ; and not a few have been detected in Milton’s Samson Agonistes, a very striking production formed upon the ancient model.” “Such anachronisms,” says Lord Holland, “affect not the interest of the plot, the justness of the senti- ments, or the consistency of the characters. They are frequent in our early tragedies, where they neither excite nor deserve the attention of judicious critics. As far as they diminish the pro- bability of the story, and offend the recollections of a well- 1 Grotii prolegomena in Euripidis Phoenis- 2 See the Rambler, No. 140, and the pre- sas. Paris, 1630, 8vo. Valckenaer ad Phoe- face to Mr. Glasse’s Greek version of Samson niss. v. 861. Franeq. 1755, 4to. Agonistes. Oxon. 1788, 8vo. SCOTISH POETRY. 525 informed audience, they are blemishes; but as they neither impair the beauty of the design, nor deaden the effect of the execution, they can in no degree detract from the character of a poet.”? The Earl of Stirling has adopted a mode of versification by no means suited to dramatic composition.2 Sir John Davies had employed the quatrain measure, and with no mean energy, in his philosophical poem on the Soul; Sir William Davenant afterwards employed it in his heroic poem of Gondibert, and his choice is strongly condemned by Rymer, an early critic of no small reputation among his contemporaries. More modern poets have with superior taste and judgment appropriated it to tender and pathetic subjects, to which its cadence is peculiarly adapted. The quatrains of Stirling are occasionally interspersed with couplets, particularly where, in imitation of the Greek dramatists, he distributes the dialogue into alternate verses. Of his style and manner, the following extract from a speech of Darius may afford a fair specimen :— Whilst loftie thoughts tumultuous mindes do tosse, Which are puft up with popular applause, ‘A state extended by our neighbour's losse, For further trouble but procures a cause. If Fortunes dark ecclipse cloud glories light, Then what avails that pomp which pride doth claim ? A meere illusion made to mock the sight, Whose best was but the shadow of a dreame. Of glassie scepters let fraile greatnesse vaunt, Not scepters, no, but reeds, which rais’d up, break ; And let eye-flatt’ring shows our wits enchaunt, All perish’d are, ere of their pomp men speak : 1 Holland’s Lives of Lope de Vega and Guillen de Castro, vol. ii. p. 117. 2 Lord Stirling has left no specimens of blank verse ; and with respect to couplets, he had perhaps adopted the opinion of an emi- nent English poet. ‘‘I must confesse,” says Daniel, ‘‘that to mine owne eare those con- tinuall cadences of couplets vsed in long and continued poems are very tiresome and yn- pleasing, by reason that stil me thinks they runne on with a sound of one nature, and a kind of certaintie, which stuffs the delight rather than intertaines it.” (Defence of Ryme, sig. H. 6. Lond. 1603, 8vo.) 8 “The sort of verse he made choice of, might, I suppose, contribute much to the vitiating of his stile; for thereby he obliges himself to stretch every period to the end of four lines. Thus the sense is broken per- petually with parentheses, the words jumbl’d in confusion, and a darkness spread over all; that the sense is either not discern’d, or found not sufficient for one just verse, which is sprinkl’d on the whole tretrastick.” (Rymer’s preface to Rapin’s Reflections on Aristotle’s Treatise of Poesie. Lond. 1694, S8vo.) 526 THE HISTORY OF Those golden palaces, those gorgeous Halls, With furniture superfluously faire, Those stately Courts, those skie-encountring walls, Do vanish all like vapours in the ayre, O! what affliction jealous greatnesse bears, Which still must travell to hold others downe, Whilst all our guards not guard us from our fears, Such toile attends the glory of a Crowne ! Where are they all who at my feet did bow, Whilst I was made the idoll of so many ? What joy had I not then? what have I now? Of all once honour’d, and now scarce of any. Our painted pleasures but apparrell paine ; We spend our nights in feare, our dayes in dangers, Balls toss’d by Starres, thrals bound to Fortunes raigne, Though known to all, yet to our selves but strangers. A golden Crowne doth cover leaden cares ; The Scepter cannot lull their thoughts asleep, Whose souls are drown’d with flouds of cold despaires, Of which base vulgars cannot sound the deep. The Bramble grows, although it be obscure, Whilst loftie Cedars feele the blust’ring windes, And mild plebeian souls may live secure, While mighty tempests tosse imperiall mindes.t As a further specimen, I quote the subsequent passage from a speech of Olympias in the fourth act of the Alexandraan Tragedie . . O happie woman, of true pleasure sure, Who in the Countrey lead’st a guiltlesse life ! From Fortunes reach retyr’d, obscure, secure, Though not a Queene, yet a contented wife. Thy Mate, more deare to thee then is the light. Though low in state, loves in a high degree, And with his presence still to blesse thy sight, Doth scorne great Courts whilst he lives courting thee. And as thou wound’st him not with hid disgrace, He with no jealous thought doth rack thy brest : Thus both lye downe to rest, and rise in peace, Then, if they strive, they strive who should love best. What though thou have not, as the mighty ones, Thy neck surcharg’d with chains—ah, chains indeed !— Nor eares weigh’d down with orientall stones, Nor Robes, whose worth may admiration breed ? 1 Recreations with the Mvses, p. 96. SCOTISH POETRY. 527 So want’st thou that which we have ever had, Sad mis-contentments, jealousie, and spite ; And though thy back be not with purple clad, Thy thoughts are deck’t with innocencies white. As birds, whose cage of gold the sight deceives, Do seeme to sing whilst they but waile their state, So with the mighty match’d, made glorious slaves, We happy seeme whilst we but curse our fate. That blesse whose shew in us vaine eyes doth please, Makes thee indeed with pleasures spend thy breath, Who liv’st while yong in mirth, whilst ag’d in ease, And know’st not what it is to dye till death. One of his biographers has quoted the following quatrain from the tragedy of Croesus, “to show that this nobleman some- 2 Ton. times wrote in a very good vein : Love is a joy which upon paine depends, A drop of sweet, drown’d in a sea of sowres ; What folly doth begin, oft fury ends, They hate for ever who have lov’d for houres.? In the choruses of the Greek writers we recognise many sub- lime strains of poetry; and those of Mr. Mason, who has en- deavoured to revive the spirit of the ancient drama, are not unworthy of such models. But the choruses of Lord Stirling are sententious, rather than poetical. The subsequent stanzas, which may be produced as a specimen, form a part of the con- cluding chorus of Darius :—- Yet princes must be serv’d, and with all sorts ; Some both to do, and counsell what is best, Some serve for Cyphers to set out the rest Like life-lesse pictures which adorne the ports. Fair Palaces replenish’d are with feares, Those seeming pleasures are but snares, The royall robe doth cover cares, Th’ Assyrian dye deare buys he who it beares : Those dainty delicates, and farre-fetch’d food, Oft, through suspition, savour out of season, Embrodred beds and tapestries hatch treason, The golden Goblets mingled are with bloud. Such shows the shadows are when Greatnesse shines, Whose state by them the gazing world divines. 1 Jacob’s Poetical Register, or Lives and Characters of all the English Poets, vol. i. p. 4. Lond. 1728, 2 vols. 8vo. 2 Ibid. p. 20. 528 THE HISTORY OF O happie he who farre from Fame at home, Securely sitting by a quiet fire, Though having little, doth not more desire, But first himselfe, then all things doth o’recome. His purchase weigh’d, or what his parents left, He squares his charges to his store, _ And takes not what he must restore, Nor eats the spoyles that from the poore were reft. Not proud nor base, he, scorning creeping art, From jealous thoughts and envy free, No poyson feares in cups of tree ; No treason harbours in so poore a part : No heavy dreame doth vex him when he sleeps, A guiltlesse minde the guardlesse cottage keeps. The longest of his poems bears the title of “ Dooms-day, or the great Day of the Lord’s Judgment.” It is divided into twelve Hours, four of which were printed in 1614,’ and the whole in 1637. In reference to a poem on the same subject, written by a more modern author, it has been remarked by Dr. Johnson that “the plan is too much extended, and a succes- sion of images divides and weakens the general conception.”” If the objection is applicable to the Last Day of Dr. Young, it applies with sevenfold force to the Dooms-day of Lord Stirling, which contains more than eleven thousand verses. The poem is indeed extended to so extravagant a length, that it would have required a singular degree of talent and address to prevent his pages from appearing tedious. The same theme has been more briefly discussed by other two poets of the same age and nation : Drummond has left his Shadow of the Judgment in- complete ; and the Doomes-day of Sir William Moore is chiefly to be commended for its moderate length. This worthy knight, who was an assiduous writer of English verse, has commonly directed his attention to religious topics; and one of his poems, “ The trve Crucifix for true Catholickes,” is of no inconsiderable extent ; but he very seldom evinces any tolerable portion of 1 Doomes-day, or, the great Day of the author did not think it advisable to reprint. Lord’s Jvdgement. By Sr. William Alexan- The first two books of Doomes-day were long der, Knight. Printed by Andro Hart, 1614, afterwards edited by A. Johnstoun, 1720, 4to. The work is dedicated to the Earl of 8vo. Somerset, and is preceded by Drummond's 2 Johnson's Lives of English Poets, vol. iv. commendatory sonnet. This dedication the p. 423, SCOTISH POETRY. 529 fancy or taste.’ It may easily be imagined that the noble author does not strictly confine himself to his professed subject : as he has not merely considered the day of judgment, but like- wise the motives and the actions which are then to affect the destiny of the human race, he has found occasion to introduce an immense variety of characters, allusions, and details, bor- rowed from sacred and profane history. We cannot but admit that he has evinced a singular degree of perseverance, nor is this the only commendation to which he is entitled : his varied knowledge, his power of reflection, and his vigour of intellect, are oh many occasions conspicuously displayed ; but to have supported the fervour of poetry through so extended a work on such a subject, would have demanded genius of the first order. Some of his speculations are strangely minute, some of his opinions are too uncharitable, and some of his inquiries are perhaps too presumptuous. The exhortation or Pareenesis to Prince Henry” is generally considered as his most classical performance. Mr. Pinkerton, who is not commonly inclined to scatter praise with too lavish a hand, has characterized it as “a noble poem, being his master- piece, and a work that does the patron and poet great credit.”* 1 Sir William Moore of Rowallan, Bart., was the representative of a family from which the king derives his descent, through Bliza- beth the consort of Robert the Second. He was a steady adherent of the Covenant, and bore a commission in the army which in- vaded England, but he was very far from ap- proving of the King’s execution. We are in- formed that after living a religious life, he died like a Christian in 1657, in the sixty- third year of his age. He was twice married, and had many children; but the estate finally descended to heirs-female, and is now inherited by the Marchioness of Hastings. His earliest publication seems to have been a poem of nineteen stanzas, addressed to King James, and inserted in Adamson’s Muses Welcome, p. 271. The following metrical works were published during his lifetime: 1. A spiritvall Hymne, or the Sacrifice of a Sinner, to be offred vpon the Altar of a humbled Heart, to Christ our Re- deemer : inverted in English Sapphicks from the Latine of that reverend, religious, and learned divine Mr. Robert Boyd of Trocho- rege. Is also annexed a Poeme entituled Doomes-day, containing Hell’s horrour and Heaven’s happinesse. Edinb. 1628, 8vo. 2. The trve Crvcifixe for true Catholickes ; or the Way for true Catholickes to have the true Crucifixe. Edinb. 1629, 8vo. 3. The Cry of Blood and of a broken Covenant. Edinb. 1650, 4to. His manuscript version of the Psalms has already been mentioned, p. 517. A poem bearing the title of ‘‘ Cale- dons Complaint against infamous Libells,” and published in the year 1641, has been sup- posed from the initials of the author’s name to be the production of Sir William Moore. It isreprinted in Mr. Laing’s Fugitive Scotish Poetry. Edinb. 1825, 8vo. The Rev. Wil- liam Muir, master of Dysart school, has lately published a tract of this author, entitled “‘The Historie and Descent of the House of Rowallane.” Glasg. 1825, Svo. In the first of the three metrical publications mentioned above, he spells his name Mure, but in the second and third he spells it Moore. 2 A Pareenesis to the Prince by William Alexander of Menstrie. Lond. 1604. 4to. 8 Pinkerton’s List of the Scotish Poets, p. exxii. 21 530 THE HISTORY OF It is more uniformly supported with spirit and energy than any portion of his works comprising an equal number of verses. It contains some wholesome counsel, delivered in a strain of manly freedom; and the author even ventures so far as to suggest that princes may sometimes be dethroned for their crimes :— He who by tyranny his throne doth reare, And dispossesse another of his right, Whose panting heart dare never trust his eare, Since still made odious in the people’s sight, Whilst he both hath and gives great cause of feare, I, spoyling all, at last spoil’d of the light ; And those that are descended of his bloud, Ere that they be believ’d, must long be good. Yet though we see it is an easie thing For such a one his state still to maintaine, Who by his birth-right borne to be a king, Doth with the countrey’s love the crowne obtaine, The same doth many to confusion bring, Whilst, for that cause, they care not how they raigne. O! never throne establish’d was so sure, Whose fall a vitious prince might not procure. Thus do a number to destruction runne ; And so did Tarquin once abuse his place, Who for the filthy life he had begun, Was barr’d from Rome, and ruin’d all his race: So he whose father to no king was sonne, Was father to no king ; but in disgrace From Sicile banish’d by the people’s hate, Did dye in Corinth in an abject state. And as that monarch merits endlesse praise, Who by his virtue doth a state acquire, So all the world with scornfull eyes may gaze On their degener’d stemmes which might aspire, As having greater pow’r, their power to raise, Yet of their race the ruine do conspire, And for their wrong-spent life with shame do end : Kings chastis’d once, are not allowed t’amend.} This hopeful prince died in the flower of his youth, and his loss was very generally and very sincerely lamented. His death 1 Recreations with the Mvses, p. 292. SCOTISH POETRY. 531 was bewailed by Stirling, Drummond, Browne, Donne, Wither, Chapman, and many other poets of both kingdoms! The Elegie published by Lord Stirling is, like his other elegies, written in alternate verses of great and unequal length. Another publication of this noble poet which still remains to be noticed, bears the title of AuRoRA,’ borrowed from the poeti- cal appellation of his mistress. This was his earliest collection of verses, printed when he was twenty-four years of age; nor did he afterwards think proper to assign it a place among his Recreations with the Muses,‘ where he appears in a more grave 1 See Nichols’s Progresses of King James, vol. ii. p. 504. James Maxwell, A.M., pub- lished ‘‘ The laudable Life, and deplorable Death of our late peerlesse Prince Henry, briefly represented: together with some other Poemes.” Lond. 1612, 4to. In an- other work, he describes himself as ‘‘sonnes sonne to William, sonne to the laird of Kirkonnell, and once, -man-at-armes to the most Christian King; and seruant to two most noble and renowned Queen Maries, the mother and daughter.” See ‘‘Carolanna, that is to say, a Poeme in honovr of ovr King Charles-James, Qveene Anne, and Prince Charles, etc. By James Anneson, Antiquarie and Maister of Arts.” Lond. 4to. His real name appears towards the end of the little volume, where he introduces a list of twenty-one “such workes as hee hath partly written, partly begun to write in Latine or English, poesie or prose, vpon royall argu- ments, genealogical, historicall, political, or mixt.” He published other works beside those which have now been quoted. One person of his name and surname was groom of the bed-chamber to King Charles, and an- other was usher of the house of lords ; but it does not appear that either of these is to be identified with the poet. In the year 1606, certain parcels of land in the parish of Can- nobie were granted to James Maxwell, gentle- man-usher to Prince Henry, and to Robert Douglas, one of the Prince’s esquires. (Acts of the Parliaments of Scotland, vol. iv. p. 329.) These lands were to be erected into a free barony, to be called the barony of Tarras. But as the poet makes no allusion to his having belonged to the Prince’s household, we can scarcely suppose this to have been the same individual. 7 2 An Elegie on the Death of Prince Henrie. By S*. William Alexander of Menstrie, Gen- tleman of his Priuie Chamber. Edinbvrgh, printed by Andro Hart, 1612, 4to; 1613, 4to. Both editions, of excessive rarity, are to be found in the Advocates’ Library ; and a copy of the first edition belongs to the public library of the University. At the end of the elegy occurs an address of ten lines ‘To his Majestie,” and a sonnet, or at least a poem of fourteen lines, entitled ‘A short View of the State of Man.” 8 Avrora; containing the first fancies of the author’s youth, William Alexander of Menstrie. Lond, 1604, 4to. This little volume is dedicated to the Countess of Argyle. 4 Recreations with the Mvses. By William Earle of Sterline. Lond. 1637, fol. A por- trait of the author is to be found in some copies, but is of such rare occurrence as to sell for a very extravagant price. It has however been engraved for Mr. Park’s edi- tion of Lord Orford’s Royal and Noble Authors. This collection of his poems neither includes the Aurora, nor the Elegie on Prince Henrie. The concluding poem in the collection is printed for the first time: it is entitled ‘‘ Jonathan: an heroicke Poeme intended. The first booke.” Mr. Pinkerton mentions an edition of the Recreations pub- lished about 1727, 12mo. Several of Lord Stirling’s poems and letters may be found among Drummond’s Works. Edinb. 1711, fol. He has furnished commendatory poems to Drayton’s Heroicall Epistles, to Walter Quin’s Elegiac Poem on Bernard Stuart, Lord Aubigni, to Cockburne’s Gabriels Salv- tation, and to Abernethy’s Christian and heavenly Treatise containing Physicke for the Sovle: newly corrected and inlarged by the author. Lond. 1622, 4to. John Aber- nethy, D.D., the author of this treatise, was minister of Jedburgh, and on being appointed Bishop of Caithness, he retained his par- sonage. His work is often quoted in Bur- ton’s Anatomy of Melancholy. 532 THE HISTORY OF and philosophical character. Of these “first fancies of the author’s youth,” the complexion is entirely amorous: the col- lection consists of songs, sonnets, elegies, madrigals, and other short compositions; and the tender descant is here prolonged with the usual mixture of hyperbolical and mythological strains, discovering no mean proportion of fancy and ingenuity inter- spersed with a multitude of quaint conceits. Such strains as these cannot easily be received as the dictates of genuine affec- tion ; and to a very numerous class of love-sick swains we may not unaptly apply the words of the noble writer himself :-— I pitie not their sighes that pierce the ayre ; To weepe at will were a degree of mirth.’ It has been remarked that the pieces which the author denomi- nates songs “are lengthened out to irregular odes.”* Of these amatory poems the sonnets are the most numerous class, amounting to one hundred and six. Three of them I shall transcribe as a specimen ; and the reader will perceive that his rhymes are not always adjusted according to the Italian model. Then whilst that Lathmos did containe her blisse, Chast Phoebe left her church so much admird, And when her brother from that bounds retir'd, Would of the sleepie shepheard steale a kisse. But to no greater grace I craue to clime, Then of my goddesse whiles, whilst she reposes, That I might kisse the stil-selfe kissing roses, And steale of her that which was stolne of him : And though I know that this would onely prove A maim’d delight, whereof th’ one halfe would want, Yet whilst the light did Morpheus power supplant, If that my theft did her displeasure moue, I render would all that I rob’d againe,® And for each kisse I take would giue her twaine.* Lo, now reuiuing my disast’rous stile, I prosecute the tenor of my fate, And follow forth at dangers highest rate In forraine realmes my fortune for a while. 1 Aurora, sonnet 71. Ye shall have leave to take them back 2 Park’s edition of Orford’s Royal and Noble againe. Authors, vol. v. p. 77. Drummonn’s Poems, p. 35. 3 And if displeas’d ye of the match com- plaine, # Aurora, sonnet 28. SCOTISH POETRY. 533 I might haue learn’d this by my last exile, That change of countries cannot change my state : Where euer that my bodie seeke a seate, I leaue my heart in Albion’s glorious yle ; And since then banisht from a louely sight, I married have my mind to sad conceits, Though to the furthest part that fame dilates, I might on Pegasus addresse my flight, Yet should I still, whilst I might breath or moue, Remaine the monster of mishap and loue. Long time I did thy cruelties detest, And blaz’d thy rigor in a thousand lines ; But now through my complaints thy virtue shines, That was but working all things for the best. Thou of my rash affections held’st the raines, And spying dangerous sparkes come from my fires, Didst wisely temper my enflam’d desires, With some chast fauours, mixt with sweet disdaines ; And when thou saw’st I did all hope despise, And look’d like one that wrestled with despaire, Then of my safetie the exceeding care Shew’d that I kept thine heart, thou but thine eyes: For whilst thy reason did thy fancies tame, I saw the smoke, although thou hidst the flame.? Another conspicuous ornament of our literature at that period was William Drummond, one of Lord Stirling’s intimate friends. His father was Sir John Drummond, descended from the family of Carnock, a branch of the more illustrious family of Stobhall, from which the King derives his remote lineage through Ana- bella Drummond, the mother of James the First. The poet’s mother was Anne, the daughter of Sir William Fowler, secretary to Queen Anne ;? and she is described as “a woman of excel- lent breeding, and of a good and virtuous life.” He was born 1 Aurora, sonnet 56. 2 Sonnet 104.—This is evidently the lan- guage of a fortunate lover ; and it is probably an erroneous opinion that his mistress proved eruel, and bestowed her hand upon another and a more aged admirer. (Ellis’s Specimens of the Early English Poets, vol. iii. p. 34.) When in his hundredth sonnet he speaks of seeing the morning matched “‘ With one that’s in the euening of his age,” he may be under- stood as expressing his jealous fears, with- out referring to an event that had actually happened, In the concluding poem of this collection, he declares his devotion to Juno as a patroness of marriage, and welcomes the easy yoke of matrimony. 8 The following extract from the Comp- troller’s Accounts, 1601, describes his office and salary: ‘“‘Item to Mr. William Fowlar, secretar to the quenis grace, for his fee of the termes foirsaidis [Whitsuntide and Martin- mas] as his acquittance producit wpoun compt beris, iiij ¢ ib.” 534 THE HISTORY OF at Hawthornden on the 13th of December 1585. The earlier part of his education he received at the High School of Edin- burgh, where he began to distinguish himself by the superiority of his talents ; and being afterwards removed to the University, which was then a very recent institution, he took the degree of AM. in the year 1605. We are particularly informed that he did not confine his attention to the metaphysical learning com- monly taught in the schools, but likewise applied himself to the study of mathematics and of ancient authors. During the following year, his father sent him to complete his education in France ; and in the University of Bourges he devoted himself with great assiduity and success to the study of the civil law ; a study necessary to a lawyer, and useful to ascholar. After an absence of four years, he returned to his native country in 1610; and his friends now expected that he would devote him- self to the practice of a lucrative profession, for which he seemed to be eminently qualified by his talents and learning, The bar must however have presented very few attractions to a youth of his elegant taste and delicate sensibility : the municipal law was then but a dreary path, beset with thorns which never blossomed ; and, what was particularly discouraging, there was not a single elementary book, there were no institutions of our law, from which a young student could derive a comprehensive knowledge of those principles which were afterwards to direct his practice. His systematic doctrines were indeed to a great extent borrowed from the ancient civilians, and the study of the civil law was generally prosecuted in some foreign university ; but, besides an indispensable attendance in the courts, his final preparation for the practice of his profession consisted in read- ing the Statute Law, the Regiam Majestatem, and such collec- tions of maxims and reports as were then circulated in manu- script. Nor was Drummond compelled by any domestic considerations to overcome his repugnance : he was beyond the reach of that original impulse which has directed many a lawyer to reputation and emolument ; for the death of his father, about the period of his return from the Continent, left him in posses- sion of an estate sufficient to maintain him in the liberal style of a gentleman. He now retired to his family residence at SCOTISH POETRY. 535 Hawthornden, about six miles from Edinburgh, and resumed the study of the Greek and Latin classics. The immediate vicinity presents an air of such romantic beauty, that a poet could scarcely have found a more suitable habitation : his house is erected on the edge of a woody cliff which overhangs the river Esk; and at one extremity of the variegated and sequestered glen stand the ruins of the baronial castle and collegiate church of Roslin. The ancient caves of Hawthorn- den, and the adjacent moor of Roslin, where Comyn and Fraser gained a signal victory over the English, have likewise their peculiar effect in impressing the imagination. Near the poet’s house is a seat hewn in the solid rock, and still described by the name of the Cypress-grove ; a name which it obtained from the circumstance of his having frequented this spot when en- gaged in the composition of a work which bears that title. Here Damon ‘sate’ whose songs did sometime grace The murmuring Esk ;—may roses shade the place. In this delightful seclusion he devoted himself to the general improvement of his mind, and to the occasional exercise of his fine talents ; and many of his poems appear to have been com- posed about this period of his life.’ He chiefly cultivated the familiarity of the University men, and other individuals of genius and learning: among his own countrymen, he enjoyed the particular friendship of the Earl of Stirling, the Earl of Ancram, Dr. Arthur Johnston, and John Adamson ;* and among 1 The first edition of his poems bears the following title : “‘ Poems amorous, funerall, divine, pastorall, in Sonnets, Songs, Sex- tains, Madrigals. By W. D., the author of the Teares on the Death of Moeliades. Edin- burgh, printed by Andro Hart,” 1616, 4to. The same edition was speedily exhibited with a new title: ‘“‘Poems: by William Drvm- mond of Hawthorn-denne. The second Im- pression. Edinbvrgh, printed by Andro Hart,” 1616. 2 John Adamson was the son of Henry Adamson, provost of Perth. He was born in the year 1576, as appears from the dedication which he prefixed to Charles Ferme’s Analysis logica in Epistolam Apostoli Pauli ad Ro- manos. Edinb. 1651, 8vo. He prosecuted his studies in the University of Edinburgh, where he took the degree of a.m. in 1597; and at the beginning of the ensuing year he was appointed one of the Regents. Having retained this situation for about seven years, he was successively minister of North Ber- wick and Liberton. On the 2Iist of Novem- ber 1623, he was admitted to the office of Principal of the University. (Crawford’s Hist. of the University of Edinburgh, pp. 42, 97.) He probably survived till 1653, when we find this office conferred upon Dr. Leigh- ton, afterwards Archbishop of Glasgow. Dur- ing the troubles of those unhappy times, he adhered to the Covenanters ; but from Bail- lie’s Letters it would appear that he did not stand very high in the confidence of that party. ‘‘ As for the College of Edinburgh,” says Bishop Guthrie, ‘‘ there needed no pains 536 THE HISTORY OF the English poets his greatest intimacy and correspondence was with Ben Jonson and Michael Drayton. The grandfather of Jonson was originally from Annandale, where Johnstone is still a very prevalent name.’ In the year 1619, when this cele- brated poet had attained the age of forty-five, he travelled from London on foot, for the express purpose of paying Drummond a visit ; and at Hawthornden he spent three or four weeks with to be taken, in regard Mr. John Adamson, primer thereof, was furious enough in their cause, albeit many thought it was not from persuasion, but in policy, to eschew their wrath.” (Memoirs, p. 63.) Adamson is the author of several works, of which I have only seen the following two: Zrotyetwots Elo- quiorum Dei, sive Methodus Religionis Chris- tiane catachetica, in usum Academiz Jacobi Regis, et Scholarum Edinburgensium con- scripta. Secunda editio priore emendatior. Edinb. 1637, 8vo. Dioptra Gloria divine: seu Enarratio Psalmi xix. et in eundem Me- ditationes. Hdinburgi, in Academia Jacobi - Regis excudebat Georgius Andersonus, 1637, 4to. Other two publications by Adamson are mentioned in Laurence Charters’s Short Account of Scots Divines, p. 10. ms. Adv. Lib. He has already been noticed, p. 496, as the editor of the Muses Welcome to King James. Edinb. 1618, fol. To this collection he has prefixed verses in Greek, Latin, and English. Another of his Latin poems, which he has not reprinted, occurs in the Noorw- Sat: in serenissimi, potentissimi, et invictis- simi Monarche, Jacobi Magne Britannie, etc. Regis, felicem in Scotiam Reditum, Academie Edinburgensis Congratulatio, p. 19. Edinb. 1617, 4to. Adamson afterwards contributed Greek and Latin verses to the Evoodia Musarum Edinensium in Caroli Re- gis, Musarum Tutani, Ingressu in Scotiam. Edinb. 1633, 4to. Some of his Latin and English poems may be found in other pub- lications,: particularly in Ferme’s Analysis, H. Adamson’s Muses Threnodie, Moore’s True Crucifixe, Symson’s Heptameron, Bishop Cowper’s Works, Person’s Varieties, Robert- soni Vita Roberti Rollok, Sibbaldi Commen- tarius in Vitam Buchanani. J. Row Hebraicee Lingue Institutiones. Glasg. 1644, 12mo, See likewise Dr. Pennecuik’s Poems, p. 56. Henry Adamson, whose name is also con- nected with that of Drummond, was the son of James Adamson, provost of Perth from 1609 to 1611. He is said to have been the nephew of Patrick Adamson, Archbishop of St. Andrews (M‘Crie’s Life of Me!ville, vol. i. p. 446); and he certainly was the nephew of Henry Anderson, a merchant of Perth, who appears as a contributor to the Muses Wel- come, p. 142, and to the Delitie Poetarum Scotorum, tom. i. p. 18, That he was of the same family with the Archbishop, appears from a Latin poem, written by Thomas Craw- ford, and prefixed to the Muses Threnodie. Tertius hine ortus, gentilis et ipse nepotis, Clarus in arctoo Phcebus et orbe fuit. That is, this third individual was related to Anderson’s nephew. Adamson, who de- scribes himself as a ‘‘ student in divine and humane learning,” is the author of some facetious poems published under the title of “«The Muses Threnodie ; or, mirthful Mourn- ings on the Death of Master Gall, etc. Printed at Edinburgh in King James’s College by George Anderson,” 1638, 4to. Prefixed is a letter, dated at Edinburgh on the 12th of July 1637, and addressed ‘To my worthie friend Mr. Hen. Adamson.” It is only sub- scribed with the initials W. D., but it is de- scribed as ‘a letter of the prime poet of our kingdome.” Before the publication of his work, Adamson died at a premature age- The poems, which evince some share of humour, were evidently intended for English, but are interspersed with many Scotish words and idioms. They contain some curious par- ticulars connected with the history of his native town; and much topographical and historical information was added in an edition published by Mr. James Cant. Perth, 1774, 8vo. Adamson is the author of a Latin poem inserted in the Muses Welcome, p. 155. 1 Robert Johnstone, LL.D., appears to have been connected with the same district, although Crawford mentions him as the son of an honest citizen of Edinburgh. (Hist. of the University of Edinburgh, p. 140:) He bequeathed legacies to some of his cousins in Annandale, £500 sterling in trust to Lord Johnstone for building a bridge over the river Annan, and £1000 in trust to the same nobleman for the maintenance of a grammar school at Moffat. The amount of his property SCOTISH POETRY. 537 every appearance of satisfaction.’ The heads of some of Jon- son’s conversations on subjects of literature, together with his own impressions of Jonson’s character, he committed to writing, with the manifest intention of occasionally referring to this as a private record: many years after his death, this paper was communicated to the public, apparently in a somewhat muti- lated form ; and as it does not represent his distinguished guest as altogether faultless, the amiable and esteemed writer has incurred the virulent and unmeasured censure of Mr. Gifford, the late editor of Jonson’s works.” If Drummond had resembled some more recent authors, who have violated all the decencies of private life by ministering to the gross appetite of the public with ridiculous or disparaging tales of their friends and ac- quaintance, the justice of this strong condemnation could not safely have been disputed ; but what person of ordinary candour will thus censure an act which, to all human appearance, was very considerable ; and the greatest part of it was left for charitable and benevolent purposes. It is however to be suspected that his laudable intentions were in some cases frustrated: the bridge was never built over the Annan, and the school was never founded at Moffat. He had been appointed one of the executors of Heriot; and he bequeathed £1100 to the hospital. He bequeathed £1000 “towards the maintenance of eight poor scholars” in the University of Edinburgh, where he had himself studied. The destina- tion of his library is thus stated: “‘ As for my books, I do appoint the books of human- ity, Thesaurus Lingue Latine, Lexicon Gra- cum, to be sent unto Moffat, in Annandale, when the aforesaid school is ereckted, with the Latin poets and commentaries: as for the Italian, French, and Spanish books, I would have them changed for books of philo- sophy, to be sent unto the College of Edin- burgh : for my civil law books, and books of history, I give also to the said College of Edinburgh ; and my English books I give unto my said servant Hendr Heron.” Dr. Johnstone’s will, extracted from the register of the prerogative court of Canterbury, may pe found in the Memoirs of George Heriot, p. 163. Edinb. 1822, 8vo. The codicil is dated on the 12th of October 1639, and the probate was granted to one of the executors six days afterwards ; so that the testator must have died in that interval. He de- scribes himself as “Robert Johnstone, of the parish of St. Anne, Blackfryers, London, Esquire.” Dempster mentions him as ‘‘ Bar- oni Killosensi Brusio dum vivebat charus. .. . Vivit adhue Londini virtutis merito, licet non aulicus, regi acceptus.” (Hist. Ecclesiast. Gentis Scotorum, p. 894.) He had prepared a copious history of his own time, and the earliest portion of it appeared under the title of ‘‘Historiarum libri duo.” Amst. 1642, 12mo. Such parts of the volume as relate to Scotish history were afterwards translated into English: ‘‘The Historie of Scotland, during the Minority of King James. Written in Latine by Robert Johnston. Done into English by T. M.” Lond. 1646, 12mo. This translator was perhaps Thomas Middleton, author of the Appendix to Spotswood’s His- tory. Johnstone’s entire work at length made its appearance in an ample volume: “ Historia Rerum Britannicarum, ut et mul- tarum Gallicarum, Belgicarum, et Germani- earum, tam politicarum quam ecclesiasti- earum, ab anno 1572 ad annum 1628.” Amst. 1655, fol. 1 To this visit another poet of exquisite talents makes the following allusion :— Then will I dress once more the faded bower, Where Jonson sat in Drummond’s classic shade.—Co..ins’s Ode to John Home. 2 Gifford’s Memoirs of Jonson, p. exxx.— This charge has been sufficiently repelled by Sir Walter Scott in his Provincial Antiquities of Scotland, p. 133. See likewise Dr. Drake’s Mornings in Spring, vol. ii. p. 286. 538 THE HISTORY OF was entirely unconnected with malevolent or ungenerous motives ? The poet's tranquillity was exposed to a severe interruption from the unfortunate issue of his first love. He became deeply enamoured of a beautiful young lady, the daughter of Cunning- ham of Barnes ; he met with a suitable return, and a day was fixed for their nuptials, but before that day arrived her life was terminated by a rapid fever. Such an event as this, which would have affected a lover of the most ordinary sensibility, could not but sink deeply into the heart of one who had assidu- ously cherished the softer feelings, and whose habits of seclu- sion were so directly calculated to preserve a lasting impression of melancholy. He was so overwhelmed with grief that he found it necessary to try the effect of a change of objects; and he accordingly retired to the Continent, where he spent about eight years. His longest residence was at Paris and Rome ; but he travelled through France, Germany, and Italy, visited the most celebrated universities, and conversed with men of learning. In the course of his peregrination, he is said to have formed an excellent collection, not only of the ancient classics, but likewise of the best writers in the French, Italian, and Spanish languages. He presented to the University of Edin- burgh a collection of books and manuscripts, of which he printed a catalogue in the year 1627, prefixing to it an appro- priate preface written in Latin. Of this well-known collection, the value, that is, the extrinsic or pecuniary value, which was far from inconsiderable at first, has been immensely increased by the lapse of two centuries. It contains many Scotish and English publications of singular rarity; and to these I have frequently been indebted in the course of my researches into the history of poetry. When Drummond returned to Scotland, he found his countrymen divided by fears and animosities. He now spent some time at the residence of his brother-in-law, Sir John Scot of Scotstarvet, a learned man, and an encourager of learning. Having continued in a state of celibacy till the age of forty-seven, he, in 1632, married Elizabeth Logan, the grand- daughter of Sir Robert Logan of Restalrig; a lady in whom he traced a strong resemblance to his first mistress. Of this mar- SCOTISH POETRY. 539 riage there were five sons and four daughters, John, their eldest son, died in his youth ; William was knighted by Charles the Second, and lived to an advanced age ;1 Robert was married, but died about the age of forty without issue ; the two youngest, Richard and James, died in their infancy. Their eldest daughter Elizabeth was married to Dr. Henryson, an eminent physician in Edinburgh ;? but the other three, Margaret, Annabella, and Jane, died very young.” The father was a decided cavalier, and wielded his pen, though not his sword, in the king’s service; and being reputed a malignant, he was exposed to some of the molestations of those unhappy times. The tragical fate of his sovereign is said to have hastened his own dissolution, for we are informed by Bishop Sage that Drummond, being weakened by hard study and disease, was so overwhelmed with extreme grief and anguish that he died on the 4th of December 1649.* But as the King was executed on the 30th of January, an inter- val of more than ten months must have occurred between his + Sir William Drummond is more celebrated for his joviality than for his literature. An honourable instance of his humanity is re- corded in the Memoirs of George Brysson, p. 285. In Dr. Pennecuik’s Poems, pp. 49-52, he is mentioned in the following terms :— Save Coldcoat, none Dalhousie knew Who Jonas could at drink subdue. Brave Nicolson, who’s in his grave, Did from him many a parley crave : Drummond, who’s yet alive, can tell How from them all he bore the bell. No less for Bachus shall kind Colcoats name Be mustered in the registers of fame : For all that brag’d him still the battle lost ; Ask Hawthornden and strong Dalhousie’s ghost. 2 This was probably Henry Henryson, M.D. of Elvingston, whose Latin version of the hundred and fourth psalm occurs in the Ochipla. Edinb. 1696, 8vo. He is more commonly called Henderson, which is a cor- ruption of the other name. Elizabeth the heiress of her father, Dr. Henry Henderson of Elvingston. was married to John Clerk of Pennecuik. (Inquisitionwm Abbreviatio, vol. i. Haddington, 341.) 8 Douglas’s Baronage of Scotland, p. 573, compared with Sage’s Life of Drummond, p. vi. 4 Sir Thomas Urquhart, another poet, is gaid to have expired in a paroxysm of laugh- ter, on hearing of the restoration of Charles the Second; a statement which is rendered sufficiently probable by the record of similar cases, and by the eccentric character of the individual. Aretzus, an ancient physician, specifies unextinguishable laughter as one of the causes of death: yéAws &cBeoros méxpe Oavdrov. (De Causis et Signis Morborum, lib. i. p. 35, edit. Boerhaave. Lugd. Bat. 1735, fol.) And other ancient writers have mentioned the names of different persons who died of excessive joy. (Valerius Maxi- mus, lib. ix. cap. xii. Plinii Hist. Nat. lib. vii. cap. liii.) According to the common ac- count, Sophocles was of thisnumber. Urqu- hart is the author of a little volume published with the following title: Epigrams, divine and moral. By Sir Thomas Vrehard, Knight. Lond. 1641, 4to. The same publication, which is adorned with a very curious and characteristic portrait of the author, appeared with a new title-page, under the date of 1646. The epigrams of this redoubtable knight of Cromarty have very little to recommend them: the thoughts are not sufficiently in- genious to support themselves without the aid of more skilful versification ; and his fancy and vivacity are more conspicuously displayed in his Jewel, and in his translation of Rabelais. One epigram I shall transcribe as a fair specimen of the collection. He that agreeth with his povertie, Is truly rich, while, on the other part, 540 THE HISTORY OF death and that of his faithful subject ; an interval so long as to render the biographer’s inference somewhat questionable. He had nearly completed the sixty-fourth year of his age. His re- mains were interred in the church of Lasswade, which stands at the distance of about a mile from Hawthornden. He appears through life to have maintained a character of uniform respecta- bility, uniting with his other qualities that of consistent piety, and blending morality with his devotion. His death was affectionately lemented by his friend Colonel Lauder,’ who has left several other specimens of his poetical talents, and who was not the only Scotish soldier of this period that evinced his love of the Muses.” Drummond was evidently a man of superior talents and accomplishments. We are informed that he was familiarly acquainted with the best Greek and Latin authors: his long residence on the Continent afforded him an excellent opportu- ‘nity of acquiring a knowledge of the living languages: and he is said to have spoken French, Italian, and Spanish as fluently as his native tongue. He’s poore who ’midst the superfluitie Of wealth, in new desires consumes his heart ; : For ‘tis an empty mind inflicts the curse Of poverty, and not an empty purse. P. 35. 1 His poem, entitled ‘Damon, or a pas- toral Elegy on the death of his honoured friend William Drummond of Hawthornden,” was first printed in the collection of Drum- mond’s Works, where the author is described as “the ingenious Colonel George Lawder of Hatton.” He was a younger son of Alexan- der Lauder of Hatton, by Mary the third daughter of Sir Richard Maitland ; and he is supposed to have been educated in the Uni- versity of Edinburgh, where a person of his name took the degree of a.m. in the year 1620. He embraced the profession of a sol- dier, and a great part of his life appears to have been spent in foreign service. Several of his poems were printed at Breda. His Scottish Souldier and Wight were privately printed by Sir Alexander Boswell (Auchin- leck, 1818, 4to0) who has prefixed a list of Lauder’s poems, amounting to eleven. Three of these may be found in Mr. Laing’s Fugitive Scotish Poetry. The author died at an ad- vanced age. To his graver qualifications he added no 2 Another poetical soldier, Simon Grahame, will be mentioned in the course of the pre- sent chapter, nor must the name of Patrick Hannay be entirely omitted. His father was a younger son of Donald Hannay of Sorbie. (Nisbet's System of Heraldry, vol. i. p. 385.) The poet must have received a learned edu- eation, for he describes himself as Master of Arts. He appears, as Mr. Ellis remarks, to have served in a military capacity under Sir Andrew Gray, colonel of foot, and general of artillery to the King of Bohemia. He is the author of several works. Two Elegies on the Death of our soueraigne Queene Anne: with Epitaphes. Lond. 1619, 4to. A happy Hus- band : or Directions for a Maid to chvse her Mate ; together with a Wives Behaviovr after Marriage. Lond. 1619, 8vo. This last publi- cation is subjoined, with a separate title-page, to Brathwaite’s Description of a good Wife. Hannay afterwards published a volume of poems, containing the Nightingale, Sheretine and Mariana, a Happy Husband, Elegies on the Death of Queen Anne, Songs, and Son- nets. Lond. 1622, 8vo. This volume is orna- mented with the author’s portrait, and is highly valued, but chiefly on account of its rarity. The same copy produced at Mr. Bind- ley's sale, £35, 14s., at Mr. Perry’s, £38, 6s., SCOTISH POETRY. 541 mean proficiency in music; and he occasionally sought a re- laxation of his studies by playing on the lute, “ which he did to admiration.” He seems to have devoted a considerable portion of his time to the invention or improvement of various instru- ments and machines, applicable to various purposes of peace or war. They are curiously enumerated, to the extent of sixteen, in a patent which he obtained in the year 1627, and which se- cured to him the sole right and property within the kingdom of Scotland for the space of twenty-one years.’ His literary productions exhibit considerable variety. His compositions in prose chiefly consist of the Cypress Grove, some political tracts, and the History of the five Jameses: a work which embraces the history of Scotland from 1423 to 1542. “The best of Drummond’s prose works,” says Mr. Head- ley, “is his Cypress Grove, which, though quaint in its style, is worth reading for its vein of dignified morality.” His history, which has alternately been the object of extravagant commen- dation and of unsparing censure, cannot now be regarded as a work of much value or interest: the author’s materials are not generally drawn from recondite sources, and his manner is too rhetorical. For the reputation which he still retains, Drum- mond is chiefly indebted, not to his historical, but to his poeti- cal excellence ; and, in the opinion of competent judges, he is entitled to a distinguished place among the English poets of that age. As few of his poems extend to a considerable length, his genius cannot be estimated by the success of any great and con- tinued effort ; but notwithstanding the shortness of his flight, he generally soars on bright and steady wings. He is con- spicuous for his delicate sensibility and warmth of fancy ; and with these qualities, so essential in an amatory poet, he unites uncommon skill in versification. His taste seems in a great measure to have been formed upon the Italian model, nor are his compositions entirely free from Italian conceits; but he commonly maintains a degree of elegant simplicity to which few English poets of that age have attained. and at Sir Mark M. Sykes’s, £42, 10s. 6d. Davis's Second Journey round the Library of Some of Hannay’s verses may be found in a Bibliomaniac, p. 72. Lond. 1825, 8vo. ; Ellis’s Specimens, vol. iii, p. 135. Beloe’s 1 Drummond’s Works, p. 235. Edinb. Anecdotes of Literature, vol. vi. p. 191, and 1711, fol. 542 THE HISTORY OF The reputation which Drummond enjoyed during his life, appears to have suffered some diminution after his death. He was a gentleman, says Edward Phillips, “who imitating the Italian manner of versifying, vented his amours in sonnets, canzonets, and madrigals, and to my thinking, in a style suffi- ciently smooth and delightful; and therefore why so utterly disregarded and layd aside at present, I leave to the more curi- ous palats in poetry.”’ After an interval of more than a cen- tury, the same complaint of unmerited neglect was repeated by Mr. Headley. “ Without ostentatious praise (which is always to be suspected) it is but truth to observe that many of his son- nets, those more especially which are divested of Italian con- ceits, resemble the best Greek epigrams in their best taste, in that exquisite delicacy of sentiment, and simplicity of expres- sion, for which our language has no single term, but which is known to all classical readers by the word agedera. It is in vain we lament the fate of many of our poets, who have unde- servedly fallen victims toa premature oblivion, when the finished productions of this man are little known, and still less read.”® Drummond’s sonnets form a very considerable proportion of his poetical works. The following eight may be selected as a specimen of the entire collection :— I know that all beneath the moon decaies, And what by mortalls in this world is brought, In Times great periods shall returne to nought ; That fairest states have fatall nights and daies : I know that all the Muses heavenly layes, With toyle of spright which are so dearely bought, As idle sounds of few or none are sought ; That there is nothing lighter than vaine praise : I know fraile beauty like the purple floure, To which one morne oft birth and death affords ; That love a jarring is of minds accords, Where sense and will bring under Reasons power. Know what I list, this all can not me move, But that, alas ! I both must write and love. 1 Phillips’s Theatrum Poetarum, or com- prefixed to Select Beauties of Ancient Eng- pleat Collection of the Poets, part ii. p. 192. lish Poetry. Lond. 1787, 2 vols. 8vo. Lond. 1675, 12mo, 8 Drummaqnd’s Poems, p. 2, edit. Lond. 2 Headley’s Biographical Sketches (p. xlv.) 1656, 8vo. SCOTISH POETRY. 543 Sleep, Silence Child, sweet Father of soft rest, Prince whose approach peace to all mortals brings, Indifferent host to shepheards and to kings, Sole comforter of minds that are opprest, Loe, by thy charming rod all breathing things Lie slumbring, with forgetfulnesse possest, And yet o’re me to spread thy drowsie wings Thou spar’st, alas ! who cannot be thy guest. Since I am thine, O come, but with that face, To inward light which thou art wont to shew, With fained solace ease a true felt woe ; Or if, deafe god, thou do deny that grace, Come as thou wilt, and what thou wilt bequeath, T long to kisse the image of my death.! That learned Grecian who did so excell In knowledge passing sense, that he is nam’d Of all the after worlds Divine, doth tell That all the time when first our Soules are fram’d, Ere in these mansions blind they come to dwell, They live bright Rayes of that Eternall Light, And others see, know, love, in Heaven’s great height, Not toyld with ought to Reason doth rebell. It is most true ; for straight at the first sight My mind me told that in some other place It elsewhere saw th’ idea of that face, And lov’d a Love of heavenly pure delight. What wonder now I feele so faire a flame, Sith I her lov’d ere to this earth she came? With flaming horns the Bull now brings the Yeare, Melt do the mountains rouling flouds of snow, The silver rivers in smooth channels flow, The late-bare woods green anadeams do weare : The nightingall forgetting winter’s woe, Cals up the lazy morne, her notes to heare : Spread are those flowrs which names of princes beare, Some red, some azure, white, and golden grow. Here lowes a heifer, there be-wailing strayes A harmelesse lambe, not far a stag rebounds ; The shepheards sing to grazing flocks sweet layes, And all about the ecchoing aire resounds. Hils, dales, woods, flouds, and ev'ry thing doth change, But she in rigour, I in love am strange.? 1 Drummond’s Poems, p. 6. 2 Ibid. p. 15. 3 Ibid. p. 17. 544 THE HISTORY OF Trust not, sweet soule, those curled waves of gold, With gentle tides that on your temples flow, Nor temples spred with flakes of virgin snow, Nor snow of cheeks with Tyrian graine enrold : Trust not those shining lights which wrought my woe, When first I did their azure raies behold, Nor voice, whose sounds more strange effects do show Than of the Thracian harper have been told. Look to this dying lilly, fading rose, Darke hyacinthe, of late whose blushing beames Made all the neighbouring herbs and grass rejoyce, And thinke how little is ‘twixt Lifes extreames. The cruel tyrant that did kill those flow’rs, Shall one, aye me! not spare that spring of yours.' Deare Wood, and you sweet solitary Place, Where I estranged from the vulgar live, Contented more with what your shades me give, Than if I had what Thetis doth embrace ; What snaky eye, grown jealous of my pace, Now from your silent horrours would me driue, When Sun advancing in his glorious race Beyond the Twins, doth neare our Pole arriue ? What sweet delight a quiet life affords, And what it is to be from bondage free, Far from the madding worldlings hoarse discords,? Sweet flowry place, I first did learne from thee. Ah! if I were mine owne, your deare resorts I would not change with princes stateliest courts.? What doth it serve to see the Suns bright face, And skies enamell’d with the Indian gold, Or the moone in a fierce chariot rold, And all the glory of that starry place ? What doth it serve Earths beauty to behold, The mountaines pride, the meadows flowry grace, The stately comlinesse of forrests old, The sport of flouds which would themselves embrace ? What doth it serve to heare the Sylvans songs, The cheereful thrush, the nightingale’s sad straines, Which in darke shades seems to deplore my wrongs ? For what doth serve all that this world containes, Since she, for whom those once to me were deare, Can have no part of them now with me here ?* 1 Drummond’s Poems, p. 24. 8 Drummond’s Poems, p. 34. 2 Far from the madding crowd’s ignoble 4 Tbid. p. 47. strife. Gray. SCOTISH POETRY, 545 Look as the flow’r which lingringly doth fade, The morning’s darling late, the summer’s queen, Spoy!d of that juyce which kept it fresh and green, As high as it did raise, bows low the head : Right so the pleasures of my Life being dead, Or in their contraries but only seen, With swifter speed declines than erst it spread, And blasted, scarce now shows what it hath been. Therefore, as doth the pilgrim, whom the night ‘By darknesse would’ imprison on his way, Thinke on thy Home, my Soule, and thinke aright Of what’s yet left thee of life’s wasting day. Thy sun posts westward, passed is thy morne, And twice it is not given thee to be borne.'. Of his madrigals, which likewise amount to a considerable number, I shall content myself with quoting a single specimen : This Life, which seems so faire, Is like a bubble blown up in the aire By sporting childrens breath, Who chase it every where, And strive who can most motion it bequeath. And though it sometime seem of its own might Like to an eye of gold to be fix’d there, And firme to hover in that empty height, That only is because it is so light. But in that pompe it doth not long appeare ; For when ’tis most admired, in a thought, Because it earst was nought, it turns to nought.” To some of his compositions, which he has described as songs, this title is by no means applicable ; it is neither applicable to the vein of poetry, nor to the measure of the verse. One striking poem,’ which he entitles a song, is written in heroic couplets, and contains such passages as this :— And tell me, thou who dost so much admire This little vapour, this poore sparke of fire, Which Life is call’d, what doth it thee bequeath But some few yeares which birth draws out to death ? Which if thou paralell with lustres run, Or those whose courses are but now begun, In daies great numbers they shall lesse appeare, Than with the sea when matched is a teare. 1 Drummond’s Poems, p. 104. 2 Ibid. p. 47. 3 [bid. p. 55. 2M 546 THE HISTORY OF But why shouldst thou here longer wish to be ? One yeare doth serve all Nature’s pompe to see, Nay, even one day and night : this moone, that sun, Those lesser fires about this round which run, Be but the same which under Saturnes raigne Did the serpenting seasons interchaine. How oft doth Life grow lesse by living long ? And what excelleth but what dieth young ?? His collection of sacred verses, which he entitles Flowers of Sion,” contains much poetical imagery and expression. Some of the topics cannot be very safely approached by a poet, who must place his chief reliance on the exercise of his fancy; and the subsequent lines of this writer may sometimes occur to the recollection of his reader :— Who would this Eden force with wit or sense, A Cherubin shall find to bar him thence.3 One of the longest poems in this collection, entitled an Hymne on the fairest Faire, contains the following among many other striking passages :— Ah! as a pilgrim who the Alpes doth passe, Or Atlas temples crown’d with winter glasse, The ayry Caucasus, the Apennine, Pyrénes clifts where sun doth never shine, When he some craggy Hills hath over-went, Begins to thinke on rest, his journey spent, Till mounting some tall Mountaine he do find More hights before him than he left behind : With halting pace so while I would me raise To the unbounded limits of thy Praise, Some part of way I thought to have o’re-run, But now I see how scarce I have begun, With wonders new my spirits range possest, And wandring waylesse in a maze them rest.t It has been suggested by Mr. Headley that one would be induced’ to suppose Pope must have remembered these lines when he wrote a well-known passage in his Essay on Criticism :-— 1 *Op ol Geol pirtotcw drobrjcKet véos. his Cypresse Grove. Printed 1623, 4to. MENANDRI Fragmenta, p. 46, Eden-Bourgh, 1630, 4to. edit. Clerici. . Flowres of Sion. By William Drummond * Drummond’s Poems, p. 181. Hawthorne-denne. To which is adjoyned 4 Ibid. p. 131. SCOTISH POETRY. 547 So pleased at first the tow’ring Alps we try, Mount o’er the vales, and seem to tread the sky : Th’ eternal snows appear already past, And the first clouds and mountains seem the last ; But those attain’d, we tremble to survey The growing labours of the lengthen’d way : Th’ increasing prospect tires our wand’ring eyes : Hills peep o’er hills, and Alps on Alps arise. The subsequent couplet, which occurs in the same hymn, is remarkable for its energetic simplicity :— Uncomprehensible by reachlesse hight, And unperceived by excessive light. Another poem of considerable length he entitles the Shadow of the Judgment. It is left in an unfinished state, and is excluded from the collection published under the direction of Sir John Scot ;* but it nevertheless contains many passages worthy of the author’s reputation. An elegant critic has remarked that the following verses, describing God moved to wrath, are in Milton’s manner :2— 1 Poems by that most famous wit William Drummond of Hawthornden. Lond. 1656, 8vo. The editor was Edward Phillips, the nephew of Milton. In 1659, the same edition was exhibited under a new and fantastic title: “‘The most elegant and elaborrate Poems of that great court-wit Mr. William Drummond; whose labours, both in verse and prose, being heretofore so precious to Prince Henry, and to K. Charles, shall live and flourish in all ages whiles there are men to read them, or art and judgment to approve them.” In different copies of this new title I observe some variety in the orthography. Amore extensive collection of his poems is to be found in the Works of William Drum- mond of Hawthornden. Edinb. 1711, fol. Bishop Sage’s life of the author is prefixed to this publication. Some of Drummond's short and fugitive poems may be gleaned from the following works :—Stirling’s Doomes-day. Edinb. 1614, 4to. Gordon’s History of Penardo and Laissa. Dort, 1615,12mo. Miscellanea Poemata Godefridi Vander Hagen, p. 27. Middelburgi, 1619, 4to. Symson’s Hepta- meron, the Seven Dayes ; that is, Meditations and Prayers vpon the Worke of the Lords Creation. St. Andrews, 1621, 8vo. Symson’s Samson’s seaven Lockes of Haire. St. An- drews, 1621, S8vo. Sir Thomas Kellie’s Pallas armata, or Militarie Instructions for the Learned, and all generous Spirits, who affect the Profession of Armes. Edinb. 1627, 4to. Bishop Cowper's Works, p. 816. Lond. 1629, fol. Sir William Moore’s Trve Crvcifixe for true Catholickes. Edinb. 1629, 8vo. Per- son’s Varieties ; or, a Svrveigh of rare and excellent Matters, necessary and delectable to all sorts of persons. Lond. 1635, 4to. Among the commendatory verses prefixed to Phillip’s edition, there is,a poem of two pages, by Mary Oxlie of Morpet. The same poetess seems to be elsewhere mentioned by Phillips in the following terms :—‘‘ Mary Morpeth, a Scotch poetess, and a friend of the poet Drummond, of whom, besides many other things in poetry, she hath a large enco- mium in verse.” (Theatrum Poetarum, part ii. p. 259.) I suspect however that his memory must have deceived him, and that Morpeth is not her name, but that of her place of nativity or residence, a town in Northumberland. Under the name of Mary Morpeth, she appears in Mr. Dyce’s Speci- mens of British Poetesses, p. 64. Lond. 1827, 8vo. 2 Headley’s Select Beauties of Ancient ‘English Poetry, vol. ii. p. 177. 548 THE HISTORY OF So seeing earth, of angels once the inn, Mansion of saints, deflowred all by sin, And quite confus’d by wretches here beneath, The World’s great Sovereign moved was to wrath. Thrice did he rowse himself, thrice from his face Flames sparkle did throughout the heavenly place : The stars, though fixed, in their rounds did quake : The earth, and earth-embracing sea, did shake : Carmel and Hemus felt it, Athos tops Affrighted shrunk, and near the A’thiops Atlas, the Pyrenees, the Apennine, And lofty Grampius, which with snow doth shine. Then to the synod of the sp’rits he swore, Man’s care should end, and time should be no more.1 Drummond’s poem in commemoration of Prince Henry, entitled Tears on the Death of Mceliades,? commences in a strain somewhat bombastic, but it contains some elegant and striking passages. The subsequent lines exhibit a very favourable spe- cimen of his versification ; and it is proper to recollect that the poem was printed so early as the year 1613. He describes the lamented youth as rejoicing to look down to the azure bars of heaven :— And in their turning Temples to behold In silver robe the Moone, the Sun in gold, Like young eye-speaking Lovers in a dance, With majesty by turnes retire, advance. Thou wondrest Earth to see hang like a Ball, Clos’d in the mighty Cloyster of this All ; And that poore Men should prove so madly fond To tosse themselves for a small spot of ground ; Nay, that they even dare brave the Powers above, From this base Stage of Change that cannot move. All worldly pompe and pride thou seest arise Like smoake that’s scatt’red in the empty skies. Other high hils and forrests, other tow’rs, Amaz'd thou findst excelling our poore bow’rs, Courts void of flattery, of malice minds, Pleasure which lasts, not such as reason blinds.’ 1 Drummond’s Poems, p. 38, fol. [printed Flors of the Epitaphs, written on the Death by James Watson, Edin. 1711.] of. the neuer-too-much lamented Prince Hen- 2 Teares on the Death of Mceliades. Edinb. rie.” Edinb. 1618, 4to. The third edition of 1613, 4to. His two sonnets and epitaph, the Teares soon followed. Edinb. 1614, 4to. which appear in this publication, are likewise The second I have not seen. inserted in the ‘ Mavsolevim, or choisest 3 Drummond's Poems, p. 75. [edit. 1656.) SCOTISH POETRY. 549 Among other excellent couplets which have frequently been quoted from this poem, are the following. The poet expresses his regret that Henry died undistinguished as a hero, and that he had not at once finished his life and the Christian warfare with the Turks :— Or, as brave Burbon, thou hadst made old Rome, Queen of the world, thy triumph and thy tombe. In the subsequent couplet, he personifies the river Forth :— And as she rush’d her Cyclades among, She seem’d to plain that heaven had done her wrong. Forth Feasting, a poem written in the year 1617 on the King’s visit to his native dominions,’ may be considered as his best performance ; it abounds with poetical imagery, and the versi- fication possesses uncommon terseness and harmony. In all poems of the same age and denomination, the reader must neces- sarily expect a certain sprinkling of mythology ; this is a pre- vailing vice, an endemic disease, among the poets of that period ; but Forth Feasting is enlivened by an elegant vein of fancy and contains various passages of distinguished felicity. The subsequent lines, which afford an ample specimen, occur near the beginning: I need scarcely remark that the comparison with which they are introduced relates to the Phoenix :— So comes Arabias wonder from her woods, And far far off is seen the Memphis flouds : The feather’d sylvans cloud-like by her flie, And with triumphing plaudits beat the skie ; Nyle marvels, Seraps priests entranced rave, And in Mygdonian stone her shape ingrave ; In lasting cedars they do marke the time In which Apollo’s bird came to their clime. Let Mother Earth now deck’t with flow’rs be seen, And sweet breath’d zephyres curle the meadows green : Let heaven weep rubies in a crimson show’, Such as on Indies shores they use to poure ; Or with that golden storme the fields adorne, Which Jove rain’d when his Blew-ey'd Maid was born. 1 Forth Feasting. A Panegyricke to the 4to. This poem occurs in the Muses Wel- King’s most excellent Majestie. Edinb. 1617, come, p. 25. 550 THE HISTORY OF May never Hours the web of day out-weave, May never Night rise from her sable cave. Swell proud my billows, faint not to declare Your joyes as ample as their causes are : For murmurs hoarse, sound like Arion’s harpe, Now delicately flat, now sweetly sharp ; And you my nymphs, rise from your moist repaire, Strow all your springs and grots with lillies faire : Some swiftest-footed, get them hence, and pray Our flouds and lakes come keep this holy-day ; What e’re beneath Albanias hills do run, Which see the rising or the setting sun, Which drinke sterne Grampius Mists or Ochels Snows ; _ Stone-rowling Tay, Tine tortoise-like that flows, The pearly Don, the Deas, the fertile Spay, Wild Neverne, which doth see our longest day ; Nesse, smoaking sulphur, Leave with mountains crown’d, Strange Loumond, for his floating isles renown’d ; The Irish Rian, Ken, the silver Aire, The snaky Dun, the Ore with rushy haire, The christall-streaming Nid, loud-bellowing Clyde, Tweed which no more our kingdomes shall divide ; Rank-swelling Annan, Lid with curled streames, The Eskes,! the Solway where they lose their Names : To ev'ry one proclaime our joyes and feasts, Our triumphs ; bid all come and be our guests: And as they meet in Neptunes azure hall, Bid them bid Sea-gods keep this festivall : This day shall by our Currents be renown’d, Our Hills about shall still this day resound ; Nay, that our love more to this day appeare, Let us with it henceforth begin our yeare. To virgins flow’rs, to sun-burnt earth the raine, To mariners faire winds amidst the maine, Coole shades to pilgrims which hot glances burne, Are not so pleasing as thy blest Returne. That day, deare Prince, which rob’d us of thy sight—- Day ? no, but darknesse and a dusky night— 1 In Scotland there are six rivers bearing the name of Esk, which in the Celtic tongue is a generic term for Water; but the poet evidently alludes to two rivers in Dumfries- shire. Black Esk, so called from its darker colour, unites with White Esk in the secluded parish of Eskdalemoor: the stream, which then bears the common nam® of Esk, gradu- ally descending to a more tomantic tract of country, beautifully variegated with hills and dales, wood and water, receives several tri- butary streams, particularly Ewes, Wauchope, Tarras, and Liddal, before it enters the ward of Eskdale in Cumberland ; and after a fur- ther course of about eight miles, it discharges itself into Solway Firth. SCOTISH POETRY. 551 Did fill our brests with sighs, our eyes with teares, Turn’d minutes to sad months, sad months to yeares : Trees left to flourish, meadows to beare flow’rs, Brooks hid their heads within their sedgie bow’rs, Fair Ceres curst our fields with barren frost, As if againe she had her Daughter lost ; The Muses left our Groves, and for sweet songs Sate sadly silent, or did weep their wrongs. In the following nervous lines, he pays a warm and not un- merited compliment to the monarch’s love of peace :— Now, where the wounded Knight his life did bleed, The wantone Swaine sits piping on a reed ; And where the canon did Joves thunder scorne, The gawdy hunts-man winds his shrill-tun’d horne : Her green locks Ceres doth to yellow die, The pilgrim safely in the shade doth lye, Both Pan and Pales carelesse keep their flocks, Seas have no dangers save the winds and rocks : Thou art this isles Palladium, neither can, Whiles thou dost live, it be o’re-thrown by Man. Let others boast of bloud and spoyles of foes, Fierce rapines, murders, Iliads of woes, Of hated pompe, and trophees reared faire, Gore-spangled ensignes streaming in the aire, Count how they make the Scythian them adore, The Gaditan, and souldiour of Aurore :— Unhappy boasting ! to enlarge their bounds, That charge themselves with cares, their friends with wounds, Who have no law to their ambitious will, But, man-plagues, borne are human bloud to spill : Thou a true victor art, sent from above, What others straine by force to gaine by love ; World-wandring Fame this praise to thee imparts, To be the only Monarch of all Hearts. Of this poem, which rises so far above the ordinary standard of the age, I shall venture to produce another specimen :— Run on, Great Prince, thy Course in Glories way, The end the life, the evening crowns the day : Heape worth on worth, and strongly soare above Those heights which made the world thee first to love ; Surmount thy selfe, and make thine actions past Be but as gleames or lightnings of thy last, 552 THE HISTORY OF Let them exceed those of thy younger time As far as autumne doth the flowry prime. Through this thy empire range like Worlds bright Eye, That once each yeare surveys all earth and skie, Now glaunces on the slow and resty Beares, Then turnes to dry the weeping Auster’s teares, Hurries to both the poles, and moveth even In the infigur’d Circle of the Heaven. O long long haunt these bounds, which by thy sight Have now regain’d their former heat and light. Here grow green woods, here silver brooks do glide, Here meadows stretch them out with painted pride, Embroydring all the banks ; here hills aspire To crown their heads with the ethereall fire : Hills, bulwarks of our freedome, giant walls, Which never friends did slight, nor Sword made thralls : Each circling floud to Thetis tribute paies, Men here, in health out-live old Nestors daies : Grim Saturne yet amongst our rocks remaines, Bound in our caves with many mettal’d chaines : Bulls haunt our shades, like Ledas lover white, Which yet might breed Pasiphaé delight ; Our flocks faire fleeces beare, with which for sport Endimion of old the moon did court ; High-palmed harts amidst our forrests run, And, not impall’d, the deep-mouth’d hounds do shun ; The rough-foot hare safe in our bushes shrowds, And long-wing’d hawkes do pearch amidst our clouds. . . . Ah, why should Isis only see thee shine ? Is not thy Forth as well as Isis thine ? Though Isis vaunt she hath more wealth in store, Let it suffice thy Forth doth love thee more : Though she for beauty may compare with Seine, For swans and sea-nymphs with imperiall Rheine, Yet for the title may be claim’d in thee, Nor she nor all the world can match with me. Now when, by honour drawn, thou shalt away To her already jealous of thy stay, When in her amorous armes she doth thee fold, And dries thy dewy haires with hers of gold, Much asking of thy fare, much of thy sport, Much of thine absence, long, how e’re so short, And chides perhaps thy coming to the North, Loath not to thinke on thy much-loving Forth. When the successor of this king visited his northern domin- SCOTISH POETRY. 553 ions in the year 1633, Drummond contributed the verses for the pageants which welcomed his arrival in Edinburgh.! These verses, although they do not exhibit passages equal to those which we have lately examined, are not destitute of merit. I shall content myself with quoting the following lines, contain- ing another encomium on his native country :— Here are no Serean fleeces, Peru gold, Auroras gems, nor wares by Tyrians sold : Towns swell not here with Babylonian walls, Nor Nero's sky-resembling gold-seel’d halls, Nor Memphis spires, nor Quinzayes arched frames, Captiving seas, and giving lands*their names. Faith, milke-white Faith, of old belov’d so well, Yet in this corner of the world doth dwell, With her pure Sisters, Truth, Simplicity ; Here banish’d Honour beares them company : A Mars-adoring brood is here, their wealth Sound minds, and bodies of as sound a health ; Walls here are men, who fence their cities more Than Neptune, when he doath in mountaines roare, Doth guard this isle, or all those forts and towrs Amphions harpe rais’d about Thebés bow’rs. Heavens arch is of their roofe, the pleasant shed Of oake and plaine oft serves them for a bed. To suffer want, soft pleasure to despise, Run over panting mountains crown’d with ice, Rivers o’recome, the wastest lakes appall, Being to themselves oars, steerers, ship and all, Is their renown ; a brave all-daring race, Couragious, prudent, doth this climate grace ;? Yet the firme base on which their glory stands, In peace true hearts, in war is valiant hands, Which here, Great King, they offer up to thee, Thy worth respecting as thy pedigree : Though it be much to come of princely stem, More is it to deserve a diadem. 1 Drummond’s verses appeared in a pub- lication entitled ‘‘The Entertainment of the high and mighty Monarch Charles, King of Great Britaine, France, and Ireland, into his auncient and royall City of Edinbvrgh, the fifteenth of June 1633.” Edinb. 1633, 4to. The same collection contains a poem of six pages, written by Walter Forbes, and en- titled “A Panegyricke to the high and mighty Monarch Charles, King of Great Britaine,” etc. 2 Illa pharetratis est propria gloria Scotis, Cingere venatu saltus, superare natando Flumina, ferre famem, contemnere frigora et zestus ; Nec fossa et muris patriam, sed Marte tueri, Et spreta incolumem vita defendere famam.—BucHawnanl Silve, iv. 554 THE HISTORY OF Of the frequent compression and harmony of Drummond’s couplets, every reader who has perused these extracts must be sufficiently aware ; and the excellence of his versification has been highly extolled by an English critic. Waller and Denham are often regarded as the great improvers of a mode of versifica- tion which was carried to greater perfection by Dryden ; but the Tears on the Death of Mceliades, and Forth Feasting, were composed several years before either of those poets had reached the age of manhood. Sir Robert Ayton is here entitled to a cursory notice as one of the first of our poets who wrote English verses with any degree of felicity.’ 1 Neve’s Cursory Remarks on some of the Ancient English Poets, particularly Milton, p. 49. Lond. 1789, 8vo.—‘‘Of these two poems of Drummond,” he remarks, “‘it is observable that the first was written in 1612, the last in 1617. The earliest piece of Waller is that to the King on his Navy, in 1625. The piece in which Sir John Denham’s greatest force lies, Cooper's Hill, was not written till 1640. The harmony of Drummond therefore at a time when those who are usually called the first introducers of a smooth and polished versification, had not yet begun to write, is an honour to him that should never be for- gotten. Nor is his excellence half enough praised or acknowledged.” With respect to the supposed merit of Waller and Denham as improvers of English versification, the reader may consult Mr. Crowe’s Treatise on English Versification, p. 166. Lond. 1827, 8vo. 2 A sonnet by Ayton is prefixed to the Earl of Stirling’s Monarchicke Tragedies, and an- other occurs among ‘The Poeticall Essayes of Alexander Craige, Scotobritane,” sig. F. 3. Lond. 1604, 4to. A third occurs among ‘The Poetical Recreations of Mr. Alexander Craig of Rosecraig,” sig. B. 4b. Edinb. 1609, 4to. An English poem of four stanzas, addressed to Sir James Hay, is prefixed to Ayton’s “Basia, sive Strena Cal. Jan.” Lond. 1605, 4to. Other ten of his poems are to be found in Watson’s Collection, part ii. p. 114, part iii. p. 88, and two more were published from a manuscript in Pinkerton’s Scotish Ballads, vol. i. Alexander Craig mentions Ayton as “his dear friend and fellow-student.” — 1 Watson’s Collection of Scots Poems, part ip. 82. 2 William Lithgow has repeatedly men- tioned Lanark as the place of his nativity ; and he appears to have been born in the year 1582. In a work published in 1645, he takes occasion to state that he was then in his ‘‘climaterick yeare.” (A true, experi- mental, and exact Relation upon that famous and renowned Siege of Newcastle, p. 29. Edinb. 1645, 4to.) I shall subjoin a list of such of his poetical works as I have had an opportunity of inspecting. 1. The Pilgrimes Farewell to his native Countrey of Scotland : wherein is contained, in way of dialogue, the Joyes and Miseries of Peregrination. Edinb. 1618, 4to. 2. Scotland’s Welcome to her native Sonne and soveraigne Lord King Charles. Edinb. [1633], 4to. 3. The gush- ing Teares of godly Sorrow: containing the Causis, Conditions, and Remedies of Sinne. Edinb. 1640, 4to. 4. Scotland’s Parenesis 9 2 to her dread Soveraign, King Charles the Second. Printed in the year 1660, 4to. The last poem is anonymous ; but that it was the composition of Lithgow, appears from a marginal reference to the author’s poem, en- titled “Scotland’s Welcome to King Charles in anno 1633.” He has interspersed many verses in his Travels and in his Siege of New- castle, and one short poem is introduced into his ‘‘ True and experimentall Discourse upon the Beginning, Proceeding, and victorious Event of the last Siege of Breda.” Lond. 1637, 4to. How long he survived the date of his last publication, 1660, I have not been able to discover; but we are informed that he ended his long and wandering life in his native parish, and was buried in the church- yard of Lanark. (Statistical Account of Scotland, vol. xv. p. 33.) Some notices of Lithgow may be found in Granger’s Supple- ment to the Biographical History of England, p. 156. 0 578 THE HISTORY OF Amongst these long goodnightes, farewell ye poets deare, Graue Menstrie true Castalian fire, quicke Drummond in his spheare. Braue Murray, ah! is dead, Aiton supplies his place, And Alens high Pernassian veine rare poems doth embrace.1 There’s manie moe well knowne, whome I cannot explaine, And Gordon, Semple, Maxwell too, haue the Pernassian veine.? Francis Semple, who belongs to the third generation of poets, was the son and heir of Robert Semple: his mother was a daughter of Lyon of Auldbar.* He appears to have been a man of humour, with some degree of eccentricity, and various anec- dotes of him are still circulated in the county of Renfrew. He married his cousin-german, a daughter of Campbell of Arking- lass, and left an impaired estate to his son. After having sold Beltrees, he retained another portion of the family property, called Thirdpart ; and this was alienated by his grandson in the year 1758. Ina poem entitled “The Banishment of Poverty by James Duke of Albany,” he alludes to his having been in- volved in many difficulties by suretiship :*+— Pox fa that poultring Poverty, Wae worth the time that I him saw! Since first he laid his fang on me, Myself from him I dought ne’er draw ; His wink to me hath been a law, He haunts me like a penny-dog ; Of him I stand far greater awe, Than pupil does of pedagogue. The first time that he met with me Was at a Clachen in the West, Its name, I trow, Kilbarchan be, Where Habbie’s drones blew many a blast. There we shook hands ; cald be his cast, An ill deed may that custron die ; For there he gripped me right fast, When first I fell in Cautionrie.® 1 Robert Allen is the author of a commen- datory poem prefixed to Lithgow’s Peregri- nation. Lond. 1616, 4to. It is addressed “To my deere friend, countriman and con- disciple William Lithgow.” 2 Lithgow’s Pilgrimes Farewell, sig. u. 4. 3 Crawfurd’s Hist. of the Shire of Renfrew, continued by Semple, p. 162. 4 Sir Robert Gordon of Lochinvar, among the prevailing misfortunes of the gentry of his own time enumerates “that vniversall plague of cautionarie, throughout the whole kingdome, whereby there is such a generall intercourse of distresse, each one for another, as all are linked into it.” (Encouragements for New Galloway, sig. E. 2. Edinb. 1625, 4to.) 5 Watson’s Collection of Scots Poems, part ip. 11. SCOTISH POETRY. 579 This poem is written in a lively and characteristic manner ; and the author details his own distress and mortifications with no small portion of good humour. He represents Poverty as adhering to him like an inseparable companion : they set out for Edinburgh on foot, and in the course of their journey bait thrice on a Scotish groat :— We held the lang gate to Leith-wyne, Where poorest purses use to be, And in the Caltown lodged syne, Fit quarters for such companie. Yet I the High-Town fain wou'd see, But that my comrade did discharge ; He wou’'d me Blackburn’s ale to prie, And muff my beard, that was right large. The morn I ventur'd up the Wyne, And slundg’d in at the Nether Bow, Thinking that trowker for to tyne, Who does me damage what he dow. His company he does bestow On me to my great grief and pain ; Ere I the throng cou’d wrestle throw, The lown was at my heels again. I green’d to gang on the Plain-stanes, To see if comrades woud me ken ; We twa gaid pacing there our lains, The hungry Hours ’twixt Twelve and Ane. This was no doubt the fashionable hour of dinner at that period ; but as he had not a Reg-Marie in his purse, he dined with St. Giles and the Earl of Murray :-— I din’d with saints and noble men, Ev’n sweet Saint Giles and Earl of Murray. By this expression, which was perhaps proverbial, he evidently means that he spent the dinner hour at St. Giles’s church, where the Earl of Murray was interred. It is equivalent to the old English phrase of dining with Duke Humphrey ; that is, be- guiling the hour of dinner by lingering in St. Paul’s, near the 1 “Tt was the fashion of those times,” says Osborne, ‘‘and did so continue till these (wherein not only the mother but her daugh- ters are ruined) for the principal gentry, lords, courtiers, and men of all professions not merely mechanick, to meet in St. Paul’s church by eleven, and walk in the middle isle till twelve ; and after dinner, from three to six; during which time some discoursed of business, others of news. Now, in regard 580 THE HISTORY OF reputed tomb of Humphrey Duke of Gloucester. After various incidents, the poverty-haunted poet has recourse to the ex- pedient of seeking a refuge within the precincts of the Palace, where no person can be arrested for debt contracted elsewhere ; and here he is speedily released from his embarrassments by the Duke of York, whom he describes by his Scotish title of Albany. It’s but my galloping a mile Throw Canogate with little loss, Till I have sanctuary a while Within the girth of Abbay-closs. There I wan in, and blyth was I When to the Inner-Court I drew, My governour I did defy, For joy I clapt my wings and crew. There Messengers dare not pursue, Nor with their wands men’s shou’ders steir, There dwells distressed lairds enow In peace, tho’ they have little geer. ‘An hour or twa I did not tarry,’ When my blest fortune was to see A sight, sure by the mights of Mary, Of that brave Duke of Albany ; When one blink of his princely eye Put that foul foundling to the flight ; Frae me he banish’d Pouerty, And made him take his last Good-night. Semple is the reputed author of several Scotish ballads of great popularity ; namely, Maggie Lauder, the Blythsome Bridal, Hallow Fair, and She rose and let me in2 Of these the first three are remarkable for their broad and native humour. Maggie Lauder may be considered as almost unrivalled in its own peculiar strain, nor is the Blythsome Bridal less distin- of the universal commerce, there happened little that did not first or last arrive there. (Works, p. 449.) 1 This is apparently the true reading of the line. As it is printed by Watson, it has neither cadence or rhyme :-— TI had not tarry’d an hour or twa, 2 Annual Miscellany, p. 82.—He is else- where mentioned as the author of She rose and let me in, ‘also satires upon the Whigs, some of which still remain in manuscript.” (Statistical Account of Scotland, vol. xv. p. 492.) ‘It is to be regretted,” says a later writer, “that the manuscripts of Francis Sempill are irretrievably lost. They fell into hands which knew not their value, and it is to be feared out of them they will never be recovered.” (Essay on the Poets of Renfrew- shire, p. xx.) SCOTISH POETRY. 581 guished by its strong and rustic vein of merriment. The ludi- crous conceptions of this author are commonly expressed with no small degree of vivacity. William Cleland was a writer of Scotish poetry about the same period. He is supposed to have been a native of Dum- friesshire, but apparently for no better reason than his familiar mention of the county town, and the rivers Nith and Annan. He was the son of Thomas Cleland, who is described as game- keeper to the Marquis of Douglas: he prosecuted his studies in the University of St. Andrews ;* and it appears from his poems that he visited the courts of several princes. He was a zealous adherent of the Presbyterian party; and as indignation has frequently urged a man to write verses, it seems likewise to have prompted Cleland to most of his poetical efforts. The atrocities which were then practised under the colour of law and justice, cannot now be contemplated without sickening the heart of every one who is not rendered utterly callous by in- vincible bigotry or prejudice. It may be affirmed with peculiar emphasis that they “ shed the blood of war in peace.” Nor is it any vindication of the general spirit of the Scotish govern- ment, to aver that the people appealed to arms, and that they were guilty of some acts of violence which admit of no adequate justification : they were rendered desperate by every species of oppression and cruelty; and had recourse to that final appeal which all large bodies of men, if they possess the ordinary cou- rage of men, will at length be disposed to make when oppres- sion arrives at a certain height. The divine right of kings, and the unlimited obedience of subjects, was at that period the standard doctrine of the Church of England; but when James began to assail the Church itself, the clergy did not generally evince any disposition to adhere to this doctrine. When the Presbyterians had recourse to arms in 1679, Cleland, who was then about eighteen years of age, was appointed one of their officers ; and the victory at Drumclog was in a great measure ascribed to his courage and conduct. He bore the rank of cap- tain at the disastrous battle of Bothwell Bridge, where all was 1 Wodrow’s Hist. of the Sufferings of the 2 Memoirs of William Veitch, p. 108. Dr. Church of Scotland, vol. i. p. 524. M‘Crie’s note. 582 THE HISTORY OF lost by the fanaticism of the army, and the imbecility of the leader. He afterwards found a place of refuge in Holland; and it was perhaps about this period that he visited some other countries on the Continent. In the year 1685, he had returned to Scotland, and was then lurking among the wilds of Lanark and Ayr ; but after the Earl of Argyle’s unfortunate expedition, in which he likewise bore arms, he again found himself under the necessity of flying for his life. In 1688, he arrived from Holland as one of the accredited agents of the Scotish exiles, and was instrumental in preparing his countrymen for the revolu- tion. Much of his time appears to have been spent at the resi- dence of the Marquis of Douglas, whose only son, the Earl of Angus, was strongly attached to him. On the raising of the Earl of Angus’s, better known by the name of the Cameronian regiment, Cleland was appointed lieutenant-colonel. He had the satisfaction of seeing the last of the Stewarts precipitate himself from a throne of which he was unworthy; and in the cause which he had maintained by his talents and bravery, he finally shed his own blood. On the 21st of August 1689, before he had completed the twenty-eighth year of his age, he was slain at Dunkeld, where between seven and eight hundred men of his undaunted regiment repulsed a body of 5000 Highlanders. When he felt himself mortally wounded, he made an ineffectual attempt to retire to an adjoining house, in order that the sol- _diers might not be discouraged at the sight of his dead body." The poetry of this brave soldier frequently displays a rough ingenuity, but is too generally deficient in polish and harmony. His volume was meanly and incorrectly printed after the author's death ;? nor is it improbable that many of the palpable errors in grammar are to be imputed to the printer. In some of his 1 Crichton’s Life of Lieut.-Col. Blackader, pp. 90-95. Edinb. 1824, 12mo.—‘‘ His son was the author of the letter prefixed to the Dun- ciad, and is said to have been the notorious Cleland, who, in circumstances of pecuniary embarrassment, prostituted his talents to the composition of indecent and infamous works ; but this seems inconsistent with dates, and the latter personage was probably the grand- son of Colonel Cleland.” (Scott’s Minstrelsy, vol. ii, p. 69.) I am not aware of any early authority for representing Pope’s friend as the son of Colonel Cleland, but William Cle- land, who died in 1741, was the father of John Cleland, the individual who has deservedly incurred this censure. The father is errone- ously described as a colonel by Mr. Nichols, Literary Anecdotes of the eighteenth Century, vol. ii, p. 457. 2 A Collection of several Poems and Verses, composed upon various occasions, by Mr. William Cleland, Lieutenant-Collonel to my Lord Angus’s Regiment. Printed in the year 1697, Svo. + SCOTISH POETRY. 583 shorter pieces he endeavours to adhere to the English phraseo- logy ; and one of them, entitled Hollow, my Fancie, is not with- out a portion of poetical spirit.’ But in his longer poems he has shown a sufficient predilection for his native tongue. One of his most entertaining productions is entitled “ A mock Poem upon the Expedition of the Highland Host, who came to de- stroy the Western Shires, in Winter 1678.” The following is a part of his description of the barbarians who were thus employed in fulfilling the cruel purposes of a most profligate government :— Yea, sure such sights might have inclin’d A man to nauceat at mankind : Some might have judg’d they were the creatures Call’d Selfies, whose customes and features Paracelsus doeth discry In his occult philosophy ; Or Faunes, or Brownies, if ye will, Or Satyres, come from Atlas hill : Or that the three-tongu’d tyke was sleeping, Who hath the Stygian door a-keeping. Their head, their neck, their leggs and thighs, Are influenced by the skies, Without a clout to interrupt them ; They need not strip them when they whip them, Nor loose their doublet when they're hangd ; If they be miss’d, it’s sure they’re ‘wrang’d.. . . Nought like religion they retain, Of moral honestie they’re clean. In nothing they’re accounted sharp, Except in bag-pipe, and in harpe. For a misobliging word, She'll durk her neighbour ov’r the boord, ‘And then she'll flee like fire from flint, She'll scarcely ward the second dint. If any ask her of her thrift, Foresooth her nain sell lives by thift.? His account of Grahame of Claverhouse, the person who had 1“ William Cleland,” says Dr. Nott of Herrick, p. 1. Bristol, 8vo.) This writer is Bristol, ‘‘a poet of no small merit, though evidently mistaken in supposing Cleland’s not very generally known, . . . has a beauti- Poems were first printed in 1658, for the ful ode to fancy, where he speaks and advises author was not born before the year 1661. in a similar tone” with that of Herrick in the address “To his Muse.” (Select Poems of 2 Cleland’s Poems, p. 11. 584 THE HISTORY OF the honour to command this chosen body of men,’ contains several strokes of humour. When he makes his appearance, the Red Shanks are filled with indignation at his omitting to lift his cap when addressing their chiefs ; and from this supposed want of proper deference, they conjecture that he must be the Duke of Lauderdale or the King himself :— While with such grace and state he stood, All the bulk of Highland brood Admir'd their chance and their mishap, When that he did not lift his ‘ cap,’ While he was speaking to the laird ; Had it not been for the life-guard, She would have durkt him when she saw He keeped so the laird in aw. The whole crew stair’d him in the face ; Some asked if it was his Grace, And other some, who knew nothing, Did ask if he could be Sir King. The longest poem in the collection he entitles “ Efigies Cle- ricorum, or a mock Poem on the Clergie when they met to con- sult about taking the Test in the year 1681.” It is indeed so long as to appear tedious, but is not without some instances of a sarcastic and satirical vein of humour. The subsequent pas- sage may be quoted as somewhat characteristic of Cleland’s manner :— No Muses help I will implore, For I was nev’r at Lesbos shoar, Neither did haunt Arcadian glens, Groves, mountains, watersides, and fens ; My feet, ne’er filed that brooky hill Where ancient poets drank their fill. But these who have the Thames and Humber, The Tees and Tyne, need not them cumber To go so farre to fetch a drink ; For I am verie apt to think There’s als much vertue, sonce, and pith In Annan, or the water of Nith, 1 This atrocious murderer of the pious and natyne Club has lately printed a collection of unarmed peasantry of his native country has, “Letters of John Grahame of Claverhouse, with some peculiarity of taste, been described Viscount of Dundee, with illustrative Docu- as a Gallant General. A member of the Ban- ments.’’ Edinb. 1826, 4to. SCOTISH POETRY. 585 Which quietly slips by Drumfries, Als any water in all Greece. For there and several other places, ‘About mill-dams, and green brae-faces, Both elrich Elfs and Brownies stayed, And green-gown’d Fairies daunc’d and played When old John Knox, and other some, Began to plott the baggs of Rome, They suddenly took to their heels, And did no more frequent these fields. Alexander Pennecuik, M.D., another writer of Scotish verses, was born in the year 1652. His father was of the same name and profession : he was, as the son informs us, for some time surgeon to General Bannier in the Swedish wars, and afterwards Surgeon-general to the Scotish army serving in England? He was descended from the ancient family of Pennecuik of Penne- cuik ; and— From old forbeirs much worth he did inherit, A gentleman by birth, and more by merit.’ In the year 1646, he purchased the estate of Newhall, situated in the county of Edinburgh, and in the vicinity of that town from which his family derived its name. James, another of his sons, was educated for the bar, and followed the profession of an advocate. Dr. Pennecuik continued for many years to practise physic in Tweeddale, devoting some portion of his time to the pursuits of a scholar, and to the recreations of a country gentle- man. By his intermarriage with Margaret Murray, an heiress, 1 Cleland’s Poems, p. 58.—Alexander Tyler, a poetaster of this period, published in Eng- lish rhyme, ‘‘Memoires of the Life and Actions of the most invincible and triumph- ant Prince, John the Great, Third of that name, present King of Poland, etc. Done in verse (out of H. G’s. Historical Account of the said Princes Life and Actions) by a Lover of the Peace and Glory of Christendome.” Edinb. 1685, 4to. He was minister of Kinnettles in the county of Forfar; where, he remarks, ‘‘I have now lived these fifteen years past.” His poem is preceded by a dedication in chief to the King, and this is followed by letters to the Duke of Queensberry, the Earl of Perth, the Earl of Strathmore, and Sir George Drummond. The reader will easily discern his spirit, when he is informed that Tyler ventures to characterize James the Seventh as ‘‘the wisest, the valiantest, the most just and generous, most noble and glori- ous prince in the world.” 2 Christopher Irving, M.D., inscribed one of his publications ‘For his honoured friend Alexander Pennycuik of New-hall, sometime Chirurgian to General Bannier, and late Chirurgian-General to the Auxiliary Scotch Army.” This publication is a translation from the Latin of Bloch'wich’s ‘“ Anatomia Sambuci; or, the Anatomie of the Elder.” Lond. 1655, 12mo. The dedication is dated «At the Camp in Athol, June 30, 1651,” and is subscribed C. de Iryngio. 8 Pennecuik’s Poems, p. 58. 586 THE HISTORY OF he acquired the estate of Romanno in the county of Peebles.’ On this estate he resided till the time of his death, when it descended to his younger daughter, the wife of Farquharson of Kirktoun of Boyne in Aberdeenshire, by whom it was after- wards transferred to a new possessor. The destination of his other estate was still more unfortunate: it was settled on his other daughter’s husband, the eldest son of Oliphant of Lanton, in the county of Edinburgh ; and in order to disencumber him- self of debts which he had contracted by his expensive-mode of living, he sold it in 1703, the year after his marriage. Her father long survived this mortifying event, having attained the age of seventy, and closed his career in 1722.” A few years before that period, he had published a topo- graphical and historical description of the county in which he chiefly resided. This work, though not of the most elaborate denomination, contains some gleanings of curious information ; and it is accompanied with the collection of the author's poems, in which the Scotish language generally predominates.* Some of these had already been printed in a detached form.* With respect to the language, he makes the subsequent remarks in his dedication to the Earl of March. “Nor have I, my Lord, in the following sheets affected altogether the English idiom : T love not pedantry, nor do I reckon that dialect preferable to 1 Pennecuik’s Description of Tweeddale, p. 14,—Here the author introduces an account of a singular incident which occurred in his own time. ‘‘ Upon the first of October 1677, there happened at Romanno, in the very spot where now the dovecoat is built, « memor- able polymachy between two clanns of gipsies, the Fawes and Shawes, who had come from Haddingtoun fair, and were going to the Harestains to meet other two clanns of those rogues, the Baillies and Browns, with a reso- lution to fight them, and fell out at Romanno amongst themselves, about divideing the spoyl they had got at Haddington, and fought it manfully ; of the Fawes were four brethren and a brothers son; of the Shawes, the father with three sons, with several women on both sides: old Sandie Faw, a bold and proper fellow, with his wife, then with child, were both killed dead upon the place, and his brother George very danger- ously wounded. February 1678, old Robin Shaw, the gipsie, with his three sons, were hang’d at the Grass-Mercat for the above- mentioned murder committed at Romanno, and John Faw was hang’d the Wednesday following for another murder.” 2 Memoirs of Dr. Pennecuik, prefixed to his Works. Leith, 1815, Svo. 8 A geographical and Historical Descrip- tion of the Shire of Tweeddale; with a mis- cellany and curious Collection of select Scot- ish Poems. By A. P., mp. Edinb. 1715, 4to. The author's name is subscribed to the dedication. The same edition of his poems was long afterwards exhibited with a new title: ‘‘ A Collection of curious Scots Poems, on the following subjects,” ete. Edinb. 1762. 4 The Linton Address was printed on a broadside ; and four leaves contain the origi nal edition of ‘‘The Tragedy of Gray-Beard or the Brandy-Bottle of Kinkegolaw: with an Answer to Mr. Guild’s Vindication,” etc. Printed in the year 1700, 8vo. SCOTISH POETRY. 587 our own, if it be not accounted so in regard it is now turn’d modish, being the general language of the court of Great Britain, and the eehon kingdom of England.” His poems include several imitations of Greek, Latin, fied Italian writers, which are not exe- cuted with much felicity. Many of his original verses relate the characters and incidents of his own immediate neighbourhood, and might once excite a considerable degree of local interest ; and as his works have lately been republished, it may be inferred that this interest is not entirely extinguished. He exhibits occasional strokes of humour and strong painting ; but his versi- fication is too frequently deficient in terseness, and some of his strains are too rustic. In such lines as the following, he thinks proper to address Mr. Guild, minister of Kirkmichael, who had written a reply to his Tragedy of Grey Beard :— Infamous scribler, natw’s fool and shame, O senseless Satyre, beast without a name, Thou scandal to devotion, scurvy priest, Why made thou earnest of a merry jeast ! Base Balladero,' etc. His principal effort is an allegorical poem, entitled Truth’s Travels, which is more in the style of the early Scotish poets than any of his other compositions. The subsequent quotation will afford a favourable specimen :— When kirk was skaeld and preaching done, And men and women baith haime, Nae man call’d Truth to his disjeun, Albeit he was of noble fame. Their was not one that kept a craim, But they had bacon, beef, and ale, Yet no acquaintance Truth could claim, To wish him worth a dish of kail. Except pastors or judges sought him, I trow his dinner was but cauld ; For advocats much skaith they wrought him, He makes their gowns so bare and auld ; And merchant men, that bought and sauld, For sindrie things could not abide him, And poor craftsmen, albeit they wald, They had no portion to provide him. 1 Pennecuik’s Puems, p. 10. 588 THE HISTORY OF Truth could not get a dish of fish, For cooks and kailwives baith refus’d him, Because he plainted of their dish, And paltry men plainly misus’d him ; The baxters boyes came and abus’d him : So Truth got wrang of every one, Yea, not a karline but accus’d him, That sell’d the tripes about the Troan. A tapster took Truth in her sellar, She gave him drink and other cheir, But all the laive were like to fell her, Because she let him come so neir. Quoth they, Thief, if he shelter here, Baith thou and we are clean undone, We shall not winn the haill lang yeir So meikle as will mend our shoon. Then Truth he travelled our the street, For lack of godly company, Till with three blades he chance’d to meet, Who were not of his quality. Falset came first, then Vanity, Who brings great hurt to all estate ; As they forgathered there all three, Then afterward comes in Deceit.' In his imitations of other poets, Dr. Pennecuik has more than once transgressed the proper limit of borrowing a hint, or adopt- ing an expression ; he has transcribed entire lines with very little alteration. In the following passage, he applies to his mistress what an English poet had applied to Sir Charles Sedley :— For, ah! she hath a most prevailing art, And doth with such resistless charms impart Even pleasant wishes to the chastest heart, Raises such tempests, kindleth such a fire, Betwixt resolved vertue and desire, That the cold hermit might in these expire.” The Earl of Rochester, in his imitation of one of Horace’s satires, has supplied him with the entire passage :— Sedley has that prevailing gentle art, That can with a resistless charm impart 1 Pennecuik’s Poems, ). 86. 2 Ibid. p. 127, SCOTISH POETRY. 589 The loosest wishes to the chastest heart, Raise such a conflict, kindle such a fire, Betwixt declining virtue and desire, That the poor vanquish’d maid dissolves away In dreams all night, in sighs and tears all day. But a more glaring instance of plagiarism occurs in his verses “ Against passionate Love ;” the poem consists of twenty-four lines, and twenty of these are stolen from Sir Robert Ayton.’ ‘Alexander Pennecuik, who describes himself as a “burgess and guild-brother of Edinburgh,” lived and wrote about the same period. His Streams from Helicon” are not always very pure streams. He commonly professes to write in English ; but his “ Merry Tales for the lang Nights of Winter” are sufficient to evince that he was capable of employing his native tongue with considerable effect. These tales, which only consist of a few pages, exhibit some curious specimens of broad and unre- fined humour. William Hamilton, of Gilbertfield, who likewise claims a cursory notice, was the son of Hamilton of Ladylands in the county of Fife ; and at an early period of his life he embraced the profession of a soldier, but a lieutenancy seems to have been the highest preferment to which he attained. During his latter years he resided at Letterick in the county of Lanark ; where he died in 1751 at a very advanced age. He has sometimes been confounded with William Hamilton of Bangour, who cultivated English poetry, and who has displayed a more ele- gant taste. The lieutenant’s attempt to modernize Henry the Minstrel’s poem has already been mentioned as idle and in- judicious.’ He was one of the literary friends and correspond- ents of Ramsay; and three of his familiar epistles in rhyme occur among the works of that poet. But he is chiefly noted as the author of a poem entitled “The last dying Words of Bonny Heck, a famous Grey-hound in the Shire of Fife.”* It 1 Compare Pennecuik’s Poems, p. 132, with Ayton’s verses on love, quoted in p. 555. 2 Streams from Helicon; or, Poems on various subjects: in three parts. By Alex- ander Pennecuik, Gent. Edinb. 1720, 8vo. Some copies, with the same date, bear ‘‘ the second edition,” and the imprint of London. He is the author of a prose work, entitled « An historical Account of the Blue Blanket, or Crafts-mens Banner : containing the fun- damental Principles of the good Town, with the Powers and Prerogatives of the Crafts of Edinburgh,” ete. Edinb, 1722, 8vo. 8 See above, p. 197. 4 Watson’s Collection of Scots Poems, part i. p. 68, 590 THE HISTORY OF is written in the manner of Semple’s Piper of Kilbarchan; and Ramsay, in an epistle to Hamilton, professes to have regarded this poem as one of his principal models. But the most poetical production of that period is the ad- mirable ballad of Hardyknute, which was originally published as an ancient fragment.’ It is now universally regarded as a modern composition ; and, according to one conjecture, the real author was Sir John Bruce of Kinross. In a letter ad- dressed to Lord Binning, he gives the following account of his pretended discovery of this poem: “To perform my promise, I send you a true copy of the manuscript I found, some weeks ago, in a vault at Dumfermline. It is written in a fair Gothic character, but so much defaced by time, as you’ll find that the tenth part is not legible.” This is evidently the counterpart of Chatterton’s more recent discoveries in Redcliffe church ; nor can we for a single moment consider such an account as entitled to credit. “Sir John Bruce,” says Mr. Pinkerton, “ forgetting his letter to Lord Binning, used Mrs. Wardlaw, it would appear, as the midwife of his poetry, and furnished her with the stanza or two she afterward produced; as he did not wish his name to be used in the story of the vault.”? The same opinion was at length adopted by Bishop Percy.* The lady here described as Mrs. Wardlaw was Elizabeth Halket, the wife of Sir Henry Wardlaw, and the sister-in-law of Sir John Bruce, who has her- self been frequently represented as the authoress of Hardy- knute. Among other arguments against Bruce’s claim, it has been stated that we find no proof of his having ever written any poetry. But with respect to his private habits or pursuits we possess no information whatsoever ; and that he never wrote any poetry, is certainly not in evidence. Sir Charles Halket 1 Hardyknute, a Fragment. Edinburgh, English orthography, is inclined to believe printed by James Watson, Printer to the King's most excellent Majesty, 1719, fol.— After an interval of five years, this poem was inserted in Ramsay’s Ever-Green, with the addition of several stanzas. It was after- wards published under the title of ‘‘ Hardy- knute, a Fragment ; being the first canto of an epick Poem: with general remarks, and notes.” Lond. 1740, 4to. This anonymous editor, who has endeavoured to introduce the that the poem may have been written before the year 1600. ‘‘There is,” he remarks, ‘a grandeur, a majesty of sentiment diffus'd thro’ the whole ; a true sublime, which no- thing can surpass,” 2 Pinkerton’s List of the Scotish Poets, p. exxviii. [in vol. i. of Ancient Scotish Poems from the Maitland Collection, Lond. 1786.) 3 Percy’s Reliques of Ancient English Poetry, vol. ii, p. 120. SCOTISH POETRY. 591 and Miss Menzies concur in asserting that Lady Wardlaw was a woman of elegant accomplishments, who wrote other poems ; and, to render this proof still stronger, we are assured that she “practised drawing, and cutting paper with her scissors.”’ But it is more material to be informed that the late Mr. Hepburn of Keith often declared he was residing in the same house with this lady when she composed Hardyknute ; and that her daughter Mary, the wife of Charles Wedderburn of Gosford, averred to Miss Menzies that the poem was written by her mother. Al- though this last evidence may appear to be sufficiently direct, it is yet to be remarked that we have no immediate communi- cation with the persons whose names are thus introduced ; that their declarations have not been committed to writing by them- selves. Mr. Hepburn might have been in the same house with Lady Wardlaw when she wrote Hardyknute ; or he might only have been in the same house with Lady Wardlaw when he supposed she must have written Hardyknute. Few persons of education have lived long in the world, without having too many opportunities of hearing bold surmises and rash asser- tions respecting the authors of anonymous works which have excited any high degree of attention. Lady Wardlaw was the second daughter of Sir Charles Halket of Pitferran, was born in 1677, and in 1696 became the wife of Sir Henry Wardlaw, a gentleman of Fifeshire. She died about the year 1727. If she was in reality the writer of Hardyknute, she must have possessed a large portion of poetical genius ; for it would perhaps be difficult to mention any imitation of the ancient ballad combining an equal degree of simplicity and vigour. This poem was admired by Gray :” it appears to have made a strong impression on the imagination of Warton, who has characterized it as a noble poem,’ and introduced its hero into one of his odes :— Haste, let me shroud from painful light, On that hoar hill’s aerial height, 1 Chalmers’s Life of Allan Ramsay, p. xxxi. that lived a few years ago.” (Gray’s Works, 2 “T have been often told that the poem vol. ii. p. 284, Mitford’s edit.) called Hardicanute (which I always admired 3 Warton’s Observations on Spenser, vol. i. and still admire) was the work of somebody p. 156. 592 THE HISTORY OF SCOTISH POETRY. Tn solemn state, where waving wide, Thick pines with darkening umbrage hide The rugged vaults and riven tow’rs Of that proud castle’s painted bow’rs, Whence HarpDYENvtzE, a baron bold, In Scotland’s martial days of old, Descended from the stately feast, Begirt with many a warrior guest, To quell the pride of Norway's king, With quiv’ring lance and twanging string.? Whether the author of Hardyknute has ingrafted his own composition on any fragments of an ancient ballad, may be considered as doubtful. It has indeed been stated that Thom- son the musician, who published the Orpheus Caledonius in 1738, declared he had heard such fragments repeated in his infancy, before the poem was known in its present state.? But traditions of this kind are frequently vague and unsatisfactory ; nor has a single fragment of Hardyknute been hitherto dis- covered in any old book or manuscript. It must not be for- gotten that a second part was long afterwards produced by Mr. Pinkerton,’ who professed to be “indebted for most of the stanzas now recovered, to the memory of a lady in Lanark- shire ;” but in a subsequent publication he confessed that this continuation was entirely written by himself. 1 Warton’s Poems, ii. p. 26, Mant’s edit. 8 Pinkerton's Select Scotish Ballads, vol. i. 2 Percy’s Reliques, vol. ii. p. 106. p. 16. Lond. 1783. GLOSSARY. GLOSSARY. In the old Scotish language, the letters wu, v, w, also ¢ and y (vowel), ave used indiscriminately ; and the Saxon g is alike represented by g, y (consonant), yh, or z, as will be seen in this small Glossary, so that words not found under G, must be sought under Y or Z. Quh corre- sponds to the English wh. The Possessive and Plural cases of Nouns end in ys, or its synonyme is. The Present Tense of verbs generally has ys or 2s for its termination in all the Persons, Singular and Plural. The Present Participle ends in and, like the Islandic in andi, the Saxon in ende, andthe German in end. And there is very great irregularity in the Spelling of all words—a defect inherited in part from the Anglo- Saxon itself. A, AN, on, upon, at; an, one. ‘ Aneven and @ morewe,’ 7.¢., at even and at morn, 74; ‘Hir a schanke blake,’ t.e., her one leg black, 75. Asaisit, abashed, astonished, 138. Asanpoun, at will, completely (Old Fr. & bandon. Ducange), 137. ABaTe, casting down the eye, 138. ABONE, ABOUE, above, 139. Asusioun, abuse, impropriety, 357. Appres. ‘Sal him addres,’ z.¢., shall address itself, shall claim its right (Med. L. adresare, juri stare, from drictum, Fr. droit. Ducange), 287. AFrerme, support, confirm, 118. Acarevis, aggrieves, weighs down, 113. Arr, heir, 168. Arr and uarr, early and late, 458. Arrtu, Atrt, place, corner, quarter of the heavens (G. ort, drte), 566. ALAWE, A LAWE, alow, below, 141. Aw or sum, all or any, 443. ALLANERLY, only, alone, 311, 384. Auanest, along, 162. ALLKYN, ALKIN, all kinds of, 242, 245. ALLUTERLIE, utterly, wholly, 292. Awmoris, press, cupboard, 295. ALMouUs, ALMus, alms, 216, 120. ALS, ALS SO, AL 80, ALSUA, also. Ars-THEN, then (G. alsdann), 64. Amorerris, love-knots, 139. An, give, grant (A.-S. unnan; ic an, I grant), 62. Anp, an, if. ‘And he cummis not in,’ 2.é., of he comes not in, 304. Ayr, an, one. ANIs, ANYS, once. Aventis, in regard to, 129. Apuigat, at once, completely, 63. ARAYE, array, order, 76. ARE, AR, or, ere, before, 64, 88. Arsoun, saddle-bow (Fr. argon), 192. Artow, art thou, thou art, 62. Assis, asks (A.-S. dhsian), 390. ASSOILLZIE, ASO1LIE, assoil, absolve. ASSONE, as soon, instantly, 507. Assonvert, excused (Old Fr. essoigne). ‘He till him assonyeit nocht for thi,’ a.e., he did not make excuse to him- self for that—did not evade the en- counter, 191. AsTert, sTERT, rushed, 138. Avr, that, so that. Av au, wholly, 419. Arur, oath ; pl. aruis (A.-8. ath), 203. Atugr, either, each (A.S. dither.) © Ather ran at uther,’ ¢.e., cach ran at the other, 358. Aryort, athwart, through, 437. Arourg, ATTOUR, over, beyond, around ; moreover, besides. 596 AUISION, AVISION, Vision, dream, 274. AVAIL, in value, esteem, 129, 271. Awcnt, eight, 119. Awcut, ought, owes (AS. dhte). ‘That he awcht,’ 1.e., what he owes, 104. Awrut, venerable. ‘Til his legis all awful,’ t.e., much revered by his sub~ jects, 120. Awant, vaunt, ostentation, 171. AWNTYRE, AWENTUR, adventure, 81, 195. BaBeeD, BOBBED, BOBBIT, 575, 1.¢., moved his body up and down and sideways—danced with the whole of it except the feet, keeping time to the music. Boxsrr is equivalent to hotch’d in Tam o’Shanter : ‘Hen Satan glowr’d, and fidg’d fu’ fain, And hotch’d and blew wi’ might and main.’ Baip, delay. ‘But baid,’ 7.e., without delay, 191. Bages, entrails, 585. Barry, Bern, BERNE, child, man, knight. Batas, kind of rubies (Fr. balais), 138. Banxar, banquet, 246, Banys, bones (A.-S. bd), 105. Barrysyng, baptism, 112. Basyet, helmet, casque, 191. Baxrers, bakers, 439. Bs, by, beside, from (A.-8. be or bi). ‘Knaw ane leill man be ane theif,’ t.e., know an honest man from a thief, 352. Brpow1n, besmeared, muddy, 286. Brepes, prayers (A.-S. bid), 283. Brrrpys, Berrps, beards, 80, 411. Berorng, before. ‘Here beforne,’ 7.e., heretofore, in former times, 48. Bert, buffeted, beaten, 288. Beeaniep, variegated, 475. Begourn, secoupg, began, 235. Bem y, snugly, 442. Bert, ser, mend, mended, made better (A.-S. bétan, bette), 90, 293. Bevaprit, surrounded, hemmed in, 419. Beutay, first of May, 375. Betyve, quickly, presently, 221, 272. Benp, bound, spring, leap, 332. Beno op, strike up, 575. Benz, BEN, am, is, are, be, been. Bent, moor, plain, declivity, country at large, 47. Beriat, beryl, 236. Brseng, beseen, adorned, 294. Bestia1s cers, grass for cattle, 443. Bereicu, betake, give to (A.-S. betec- an), 200.‘ Beteche,’ Chaucer, GLOSSARY. Berraisir wirn, betrayed by, 222. Bewis, boughs, 207, 236. Br cause, by cause, because, 88. Buy, ask, pray (A.-S. biddan, ic bidde; G. ich bitte). Barn, begged, 410. Bing, Br, abide, endure (A.-S. bidan), 47, 107. Bixxrr, bickering, attack, skirmish, 238. Bmart, left. ‘A lond bilaft,’ ie., left on land, 61. Birxiy-bozpbynts, birch seed-pods, 450. Birneist, burnished, picked clean, 295. Bua, svak, blue, livid, 215. Buaps, large portions, 197. Buanscurr, blanched (Fr. blanchir), 286. Buepperep, babbled, 577. Buenx, blink, glance, 217. BieErep HURE EYE, bleared her eye, 377. Butryuis, stops, ceases. Buan, stopped, ceased (A.-S. blinnan, blan), 246. Buomys, blossoms. Buour, naked, bare, 287. Bo, satus, both, 94, 120. Boppum, bottom, valley, plain, 286. Bopwanrt, message, 280. Borrowe, pledge, safe-guard, 136. Borrowrt, defended, guarded, 222. Borrowsrounis, borough-towns, 354. Bos, Boss, Bois, hollow, empty, 477. Bostit, threatened, bullied, 356. Bot, gut, without. Bur meryt, unde- servedly, 112. Bor aire, but if, unless, 203, 245. Boon, ready, 63. Bourpis, scoffs, jests, 434. Bourpw, mock, jeer, 435. Bowsum, buxom, pliant, lively (A.-S. biicsum ; G. biegsam), 458. Braces or wetr, brags of war, war- defiance, 575. Brarp, embroidered, 237. Brasit, embraced, 207. Braunis, calves of the legs, 358. Brawnit, brawned, muscled, 246. Bray, Brag, side of a hill, 286. Bretp, breadth. ‘On breid,’ open, 246. Bremis, brims, edges (A.-S. brymme), 236. : Brennynaz, burning, 88. Brevis, letters, writs, decisions, 113. Brrrrenep, broke, cut up (A.-S. brytan), 76. Broppine, pricking, spurring, 423. Bruit, brook, use, enjoy (A.-8. brican), 481. Brut, srure, bruit, fame, 310. Bry, fierce. ‘Brym as a bair,’ 7.¢,, fierce as a bear, 366. Buns, gifts, boot (A.-S. bét), 476. GLOSSARY. 5OT Burr, stroke, slap, 150. Buirp, board, repast, 90. Bunweep, ragwort, 366. Boros, border, band, 294. Borvoon, staff (Fr. bourdon), 227, 298. Bure, Bur, bore, carried, 332, 192. Bureeans, BuRGEouns, buds (Fr. bour- geon), 107. Busreous, BousTeous, huge, strong, fierce, rough, 47. Burt, out. ‘But scho come into the hall,’ a.¢., out she came into the hall, 294, By nucpe, beheld, 75. By-worne, worn-out, spent. worne,’ 2.¢., far past, 288. Byrny, cuirass, coat of mail (A-S. byrne), 192. Byrxoute, bethought, 74. Camu, KAILL, broth. ‘ Peis breid and watter caill,’ i.e., piece of bread and broth, made without meat, 442. Cam-weips, dress of sorrow, mourning, 246. CaIRFULL, CAREFULL, alarming, sorrow- ful, 239, 220. CarrFuLLy, sorrow- fully, 203. Can, courts, can, could (A.-S. cunnan, te can, ctithe). Can, Gan, began, 213. Gan, can and couth before infinitives often corre- spond to did in modern English. Canxcart, ill-conditioned, cross, 395. Carxat, carkanet, necklace, 458. Caruage, churlish, 172. Caruinais, old women, 358. Carrs, speak, tell, sing, 425. CarvELt, caravel (Span. caravela), 313. Caryar, carrier, conveyer ! 366. Cast, lot, fate, 578. Castiy, cast, thrown, made, 291. Castis, strokes of art, 366. CawrteE is, wiles, sleights ! 366. Cuarrery, merchandise, 303. Cuarr-BLarp, jaw-bone, 376. Cuarr, escape (Fr. échapper), 245. Cueriyin, chain; pl. cuztnyets, 458. Cuerr, cHERE, cheer, mien, aspect, 234. Cuetaunpre, goldfinch, 107. CuEPING, CHEEPING, chirping, 287. Cuerarcay, hierarchy of angels, 233. Cuert, carue, churl (A.-S. ceorl), 88. Curverit, shivered, 215. Cnitp-11, labour pains, 105. Cuirmynex, chirming, cry of birds be- fore a storm, 287. Crop, shop, 303. : Cuymers, cymars, skarfs (Fr. simarre), . ‘Fer by- Ciacuen, cLacnay, small village, 578. Cuais, clothes, 378. Came, climbed (A.-S. climban, clamb). Cramscue.uis, scallop shells, 227. Cueng, clean, entirely, quite. Crewis, cliffs, clefts (A.-S. cleof), 239. Cort, bought (G. kaufen), 222. Comesrow, comest thou, 63. Commun, comment, 289. Comperyne@, comparing, comparison. Conguziss, get, obtain, 88. Continwancx, continence, 223. Coragz, heart, inclination, 137, Corss, corpis, body, 423. Cour, cower, kneel, 204. Cours, curn, could, was able. Couru, known, familiar, 210. Craisrr, ckaBBIt, crabbed. Craig, throat, neck, 378, 501. Craim, shop, stall (G. kram), 587. Crax, crack, talk, chat, 401. Cragg, crack, split, 62. CrampLanp, curling, crisp, 202. CRaMsIE, crimson ih. cramoisi), 468. Crap, crept (A.-S. credpan, credp), 237. CreiLxis, panniers, 358. Crew, crowed (A.-8. crdwan, creow). Cropris, tops, shoots (A.-S.cropp), 236. Croung, fiddle, 64.‘ Crowd,’ Spenser. Cruxir couse, lame goose, 403. CrumBawcuty, Cromarty, 119. Crue, crone, hum, sing placidly, 390. Cunicuxaris, grooms of the chamber, 358. Cuum, tail, 376. Cummer, cumber, vexation, 377. Cumpas, intention, purpose, 87. Cumyy, cump, come, 138, 507. Cunnanp, knowing, skilful, 81. Cunynes, conies, rabbits, 293. Curatt, coral, 141. Courcuey, kerchief, 293. Curg, care, pains. ‘To schaw hes done thair cure,’ i.e., have taken pains to show, 345. Curraiss, courteous, 108. Currws, curious, nice, 81. Custx, kissed, 74. Cusrron, beggar, scullion? 578. Da, RA, HARTIS AND HYNDIS, doe, roe, harts and hinds, 350. Darrw, plays the fool, 418. Darye, decorous, decent, 355. Dé, die. ‘Dep, DEED, death, 192, 458. Decretit, decreed, 351. Derays, deface, 287. Deceist, sedate, composed, 355. Dern, deed. Uvron pzup, indeed, 291. 598 Derr, DERE, injure, hurt; injury (A.-S. dere), 296, 200. Danis, pes, pl. petss1s, chief-seat, throne, (Old Fr. dais), 280, 273. Deriver, active, nimble. Deniverancr, delivery, agility, 234. Denry, dignity, esteem, 235. Deparntr, depainted, 237. Deparrr, divide, separate, 118. Dervrit, depurate, pure, 235. Denne, dark, hidden (A.-S. dearn), 244. Devaitt, bow, bend, 273. Devir, deafened, stunned, 243. Devys, devise, direct, 297. Deyn, dame, 167. Dicut, pycut, dight, arrange, prepare, make (A..S. dzhtan), 293. Diaye (Fr.), Dine, worthy, noble, 138. Disaeysit, disguised, 348. Discraxee, prohibit, forbid, 579. Disese, discomfort, uneasiness. Dissevn, breakfast (Fr. déjediné), 587. Dossina, dubbing, knighthood, 74. Dom, Doms, doom, sentence, 196, 257. Done, to do, 138. Donk, dank, moist, damp, 286. Dootis, mournful, 213. Dorn, dotard, 68. Dousixyess, duplicity, 409. Dovucut, was able (A.-S. dugan, déohte ; G. taugen, taugte), 320. Dovune, struck, pushed, 288. Dounturinerrs, down-pressers, over- throwers, 395 ; see THRING. Dovr, doubt, fear, 303. Dow, can, is able, 579 ; see Doucut. Dragownys, dragons, 119. Draw, drawn, 66. Drei, preve, dread, doubt, 88, 152. Dress, arrange, 396. ‘Dressit him,’ i. e., prepared himself, 368. Drowrrt, weak, 215. Drywyn, driven. Our-prywyn, driven over, passed over, 107. Duet, dwell, halt. Duriime, dwelled, dwelt, 77. Duerg, dear, 74. Dutze-weEI, mourning-dress, 348. Dusnt, puscuyt, dasht, fell suddenly, 150, 192. Doynyne, dwindling, pining (A.-S. dwinan.) ‘ Duynyng to the deed,’ i.e. pining to death, 468. Dyke, ditch, wall. Dvamet, dismal or black art, 304. Dyrz, diction, composition, 82. Dywyne, divine, 117, E, eye, pl. EGINE, ENE, EYEN. GLOSSARY. Erreis, properties, qualities, 234. Ert, after, again. Err-sones, eftsoons. Em, ext (A.-8. ac), also, 82. Erx, add to, increase (A.-S. edcan). ErxwELt, equal, just, 424 Emp, E.pe, age, old age, 113. Errn, easy (A.-S. edith), 318. Exype, EKED, added, 118. Enxis, else, otherwise, 138. Exye, ELNIs, ell, ells, 366. ELrascuE, ELRICHE, ELDRITCH, fiendly, ghastly, 439, 585. Em, me, uncle. Emys, uncle’s (A.-S. edm; G. oheim), 66, 120. Ewptane, along (A.-S. andlang), 140. Ent, any, 88. Enxaciss ? 132 [sic in P.] Ennime, inimical, hostile, 311. ENTENDEN, are intent, 107. Ewnrres, entrance, entry, 356. Exscne, Erse, Gaelic, 243. Ess, ease, comfort, 104. EvericHone, every one, 450. Everitr, every, 308. Exroneg, expound, explain, 289. Exrreme, express, show, 332. Facunp, eloquence (L. facundia), 81. Fartyue, fail or fails, is wanting, 104. Farr, FEIR, manner, appearance. Frinis, manners. ‘Fond in his feiris,’ ie., silly in his manners, 368. Fattow, rival, compare or match with, 235. Fatowe, comrade, companion, 136. Fatset, falsity, falsehood, 419. Fana, take (G. fangen), 246. Farce, stuff (Fr. farcir), 273. Fartyit, wondered, 106. Fanrne, fared ; see FOORE. Fasnenrtes, annoyances (Fr. facherie). Fassoun, custom, manner, 223. Fastiixais, nearly, almost, 451. Favucnt, fought, 359. Faunt, child (Susan), 88. Fecxtss, feeble, 476. Fepperep, feathered. ‘His cap was fedder’d,’ 7.¢., had a feather in it, 577. Fern, Fein, feud, 577. frm, feel. ‘Sen I feile doun sweyand the ballance,’ i.e., since 1 feel the balance swaying downwards, 288. Feit, feeling, grasp, aoa) sey 195. Feit, FEYLL, PELE, many (A-S. féala; G. viele), 192. Fernyg, feign, pretend, 368. Ferr, FERE, compeer, mate, 246; com- pany, 90. . Ferrcrir, stoutly, briskly, 332. GLOSSARY, Ferrrut, reverend, comely, 210. Ferrisyes, fearishness, fright, 358. Feis, fees. ‘Our litil feis,’ ¢.¢, too small fees, 413. Fux, recx, space, distance, bulk (A.-S. fee). ‘Fell attour ane fek,’ ie, fell at some distance, 298. Fecrtenit, felted, entangled, 215. Fenp, defend. ‘ Fend the laif,’ ¢.e., de- fend the rest, 234. Feyvugy, feign, 102. Fsyyrv, feigned, 137. Ferp, fourth, 415. FERLIES, FERLYS, wonders, 48, 88. Feruirun, wonderful, 245. Ferurame, feathering, plumage (A.-S. fether-homa), 167. Feyre, fair, 74. Fuane, Frong, arrow (A.-S. fldn), 150. Frasue, sheaf. ‘Flashe of felloun flanes,’ i.e., sheaf of fierce arrows, 215. Freanp, fleeing, shunning, 289. Freicneours, flatterers, 395, Fetse, fleece, 246. - Fe11, float, abound, 349. Femep, banished (A.-8. Ayman), 481. Fieyanp, flying, 119. Fueyrr, frightened, afraid, 280. Fives, floor. ‘To the flure he gayis,’ a.e., goes upon the floor, 296. Frureist, flourished, flourishing, 350. Fiyrina, scolding, brawling, 354. Foorg, rure, fared, went (A.-S. faran, Sor, ge-Saren), 472. Forseirs, ancestors, 585, Forcuaist, chased away, 280. Forcy, strong, 315. Forpwart, forward, 351. Forraxe, go away, perish, die out (A.-S. forfaran), 48. Forearuerep, met together, 588. Foraerr, shaped, made, 246. For-natny, deny (G. verldugnen), 66. Forte, forsook, quitted (A.-8. forlét; G. verliess), 182. Fortorren, fugitive, vagabond (G. ver-. laufen), 439. Fornorne, lost (A.-S. forloren), 48. Forovrin, ror owrrye, without. Forré, ror To, to, 74, 107. For-rat (A.-8.), for that, therefore, 66. Forrnocat, repented, 412, 437. Forwerit and rorPLerwir, worn with weeping and complaining, 139. Forzet, roryet, forgot, 90. Founnir, tended to, went to (A.-S. fun- dian), 91. Fourn, fulness, plenty, 20. Fow, full, 410. 599 Fowsevis, FousEIs, fosses, 438. Fra, Fras, from, after, since. Frackar, more eager, nimbler, 228. Frainep, asked, inquired (A.-S. freegn ; G. fragen), 48. Frax, moved swiftly, 239. Fret, beautiful, noble, 88. Fremyr, rrew, alien, strange, unkindly, (A.-8. fremed ; G. fremd), 187. Fretwise-coucuit, inlaid, studded, 138. Frotsuis noir, frost-curls hoar, 215. Frosnit, frozen, frosted, 215. Fructis, fruits. Foupner, roruyr, load, large mass (A.-8. other), 242. Furicue, foolish, 419. Fotrue, filth, foulness, 88. Fun, found, 317. Funptyne, foundling. ‘Thy fader fundlyng withal,’ i.e. thy father’s foundling withal, 74. Four, furrow. ‘Haldthe fur,’ z.e., keep the furrow, 304. Fyuuat, fillet, chine (Fr. filet), 192. Fyrertawcnt, lightning (A.-S. fyr- fidh, fire-arrow), 119, 242. Gazinats, idle talk, any sort of speech that comes from the mouth (gab) only, and no farther. Garriinas, children, 577. GamEn, GAMYN, game, diversion (A.-S. gamen), 76. Gamaais, gums or teeth, 200, 253. Gan, con, aun, began. See Can. GANESTANDIS, resists, 411. GanGanpg, going, playing, 16. Gants, suits, befits, 295; sce Gayy. Garr, gaped. ‘ Gaped as he war weid,’ 2.€., gaped as he were mad, 296. Gar, cause, make, 223. GERT, GART, made, caused, 105. ‘ Gart abound,’ z.e., made to abound, 351. Garprvyancg, keeping, 248. Gaxrrn, garden, enclosure (A.-S. geard). Gas, GAYIS, GAES, goes, 79. Gayn, fitting, convenient, 63, 194. GEpDERED, gathered, 577. Gxes, side-motions, aberrations, 418. Gexxs, gecks, scorn, derision, 241. Gent, gentle, noble, neat, 434. Genrrics, gentleness, nobility, 314. GERSOME, GERSUM, GRESSOUME, premium given for a new lease, 129, 442. Gemrssis, grasses, 286. Gersserant, jacket of mail, 141. Gezstes, gests, romances (L. gesta), 48. Gerrerye, cithern, 76. Gir, eirx, yr, errr, if, give (246). 600 Guu, been guilty of, 137. Grenp, Grrnt, grinned, 241, 296. GurvELL, granary, 442. Girtu, sanctuary, 580. Guar, giddy, silly, 422. Guns, glees, 64. Giewmen, glee-men, minstrels, 68. Guots, gloze, flatter, fawn, 434. Guourr, GLowrt, stared wildly, 296.. Gos, gas, mouth, 414. Gomx, man (A.-8. guma), 88. Gong, go (A.-S. gan; G. gehen), 137. Gouuis, gules, red, 236. GovurL WEDDIR, gusty, growling, tem- pestuous weather, 286. Gralp, grope, feel (A.-S. grdpian), 152. GraitHEr, equipped, made ready. Granis, groans (A.-8. grdnan), 241. GRANTYNG, GRANTEN, grant, 288. Grex, grade, degree. ‘The gree he wan,’ t.¢., he won the victory, 576. GReEnina, eagerness, 507. Greenis, desires eagerly. Grett, weep (A.-S. gretan), 236. Grewe, Greek, 20. GrRew-HouNDIs, greyhounds, 75. Greys, degrees (Fr. gré), 118, 120. GROGRAINE, GROGRAIN, grogram, 458. GROUFE; ON GROUFE, AGROUFE, on the ground with face downwards, grovel- ling, 283. Grounpin, ground, sharp, 315. Growit, struck with horror. ‘ Growit beistis hare,’ z.e., made the hair of beasts stand on end, 286. Grunytit, snout, 376. Grwnpyt, Grunpit, grounded. Grv1te, grim, horrible, 107. Grysz, GRYCE, pig, pigs, 377, 227. GYAND, GYANE, giant, 194, 222. Gyes, pl. avis, guise, fashion, 215, 241. Gyrp, strike at. ‘Leit gyrd to,’ te., let fly at, 90. Hastz, enable, make fit, 138. Hazounpanni&, abundantly, 180. Harxnay, hackney, 379. Hau, heal. ‘ Hail baith seek and seir, t,e., heal both sick and sore; 304. Hamuauiz, wholly. ‘Baid me gar him understand my beseynes all haillalie,’ a.e., begged me to make him under- stand my business all wholly, 410. Haine, spare, economize, 458. Harxyne, hawking. Hatzez, wax, whole, 105. Hatsg, neck (A.-8. hals), 75; to clasp round the neck, hail, salute, 232. Han, have, 107. GLOSSARY. Hap, covering of any sort, 303. Happir, covered, covered up, 332. Hanrzoni, harbour, lodging, 293. Hanrtortis, ribalds, 241. Hasrow, hast thou, 68. Havineis, properties, 419. Hawanp, having, 112. : Hawrane, haughty. ‘In hawtane wyis,’ i.e, haughtily, 241. : Hz, high. ‘Hé on hicht,’ ze., high up, 291. ‘Upon hicht,’ te, upward, 292. Hem, highly, 246. Hecat, hight, promised, 211, 213. Heezit, hedged, 244. Heirp1z, covered, hidden (A.-S. hélan), 244, Hei, holy (G. heilig), 241. Hets, health, 64. See Hate. Hetyne, covering, 107. See Hrinpir. Hem, HYM, HUSs, HURE, them or him, his, their, 61, 377. See Hm. Henp, gentle, polite, 222. Hente, uint, caught, took up, 74, 410. Hxzo, she; airs, her, to her, 74. Her, their, 64, 107. Herne, hearts, 107. Here, wer, hear, 48, 107. Hertes, harts, 76. Heryrr, harried, stript, robbed, 307. Hevyep, heavied, grew heavy or diffi- cult. ‘ Heuyed wele the more,’ 7.e., grew much more difficult, 49. Hew, HEwIs, hue, hues. Hewip, head, 107. Hey, ueye, aie, high, dignified. ‘ Hey na law,’ z.e., high nor low. Hicurir, raised, 442. Hipvpet, concealment, secret, 368. Hippy-eippy, see-saw, giddy, 248. Hipus, dens (A.-S. hydels), 287. Hivwyss, hideous. Hie, uy, haste. ‘ Scho is went in hie,’ t.e., she is gone in haste, 293. Him, to him, to them. ‘ Him cometh,’ i.e., come to him, 64. ‘ Thought him,’ z.e., seemed to them, 64. Hirnis, corners, holes (A.-S. hirne), 287. Hrrrrraes, heritage, 62. Hosrtanp, hobbling. Horr, sor, hope, 20, 43. 2.€., | hope not, 295. Hors, hose, 224, 354. Horst, wost, cough (A.-S. hwdsta), 259. Horx11, hollowed, dug out, empty, 202. Hotris, woods, forests. ‘ Holtis hair,’ 2.€., hoary woods, 366. Homecyp, homicidal, 247. Horssoraa, neck of horse, 191. Hoss, whoso, 88. ‘Hop I nay,’ GLOSSARY. Houris, hours, orisons, 232, 236. Hovr, holt, wood, 287. How, hollow, 202, 215. Howat, owl, 167. Hup-pykis, misers, 242. Hurrktanp, cowering. ‘ Huirkland with huidis into our neck,’ i.¢., cower- ing with hoods on our necks, 395. Homuock-sawers, hemlock-sowers, 395. Horparis, hoarders, 242. Hy, nye, haste, 105, 139. Hymsetve, these same, 377. Icu (A.-S. ic; G. ich), I, 63, 66. Tux, 1cH, same, each, every (A.-S. ele). ‘ That ilk,’ z.¢., that same, 48, 64, Tixang, each one, every, 303. Impnis, hymns, 141. In, into. ‘ Brak thame all zn inschis,’ a.e., broke them all into pieces, 438. InpericienT, undeficient, plentiful, 349. Inpine, unworthy, 307. Ixpyre, indite, 233; diction, writing, 203, 240. Ineynz, genius, wit, ability, 349. Inscuts, inches, pieces, 438. In-sonpyr, asunder, 192. Intax, take in, bring in, 443. Intarane, pressed in (G. eindrang), 244. See Trine. Inri1, 1nTO, in, on. ‘ Zntill a morrow,’ i.e ,onamorning ; ‘in-to thair bouris,’ t.e., in their bowers, 236. ‘ Into his slepe,’ z.¢., in his sleep, 288. Invy, mnvy, mnwy, envy, hatred, ill-will. Inymyis, enemies, 137. Iws1, evil, ill. ‘Scho makys yone iwill cher,’ z.¢., she looks so zl, 105. JAK, JACK, coat-of-mail, 442. Janaitt, babble, prate, 137. JAPAND, jibing, jeering, 366. JouxK AND BECK, shift and bow, 395. Karu, cart, cabbage, greens, broth. Karine, carurmy, old woman, 588. Ker, peep (G. gucken), 246. Keurrr, defended, guarded, 234. Kemait, kemBepD, combed, 245. Keng, bold, ardent (G. kiihn), 87. Kers, care, attention (Chaucer). ‘For he gaif sic kepe,’i.e., because he gave such attention, 288. Kernat, robe or cassock, 241. Kerreretts, heretics (G. ketzer ; Old It. gazzari, vulgar for cathari, puritans ; see Muratori Rer. Ital. t. ix.), 396. Kinryx, kingdom, pl. xinrygis (G. ' kénigreich), 100. 601 Kirvaris, battlements (Med. Lat. char- nelli; Fr. carneaux, Ducange), 292. Kisr, chest (A.-S. cyst), 303. Kwapscatz, head-piece, helm, 442. Kyevepen, knelt, 377. Knopris, knobs, buds (A.-8. enep; G. knopf), 236. Kywrenr, kindred (A.-S. cynren), 410. Kyru, show (A.-8. cythan), 304. Kyruanp, showing, 91. Lar, Lairr, Latvz, rest, remainder, 414, 167, 588. Laing, our nats, alone, we only, 579. Lair, teaching, lore (A.-S. ler). Lairaty, loathly, loathsome, 202. Layer, language. ‘On light lange,’ i.e:, in easy language, 53. Larzanis, laggards, 246. Laryine, should be raryine, 219. Lasrt, laced, 223. Lartis, lets, hinders. Lartit, hindered, 214. Lauper, LAupEry, revelling, 295. Lawcutir, laughing-matter, 248. Lawrre, name for the fox, 439. Lawrig, law, loyalty, truth, 48. Lary, lie. ‘Nought to layn,’ ze. not to lie, 66. Laywnpar, laundress, 105. Lrcam, the body (A.-8. lic-homa), 278. Lecues, leeches, physicians, 64. Lepine, leading, governance, 43. Lex, peace, security, 47. Lervety, believeth, 88. Lew, people (A.-S. leode; G. leute), ‘No eid unleil thay leit,’ z.¢., they let oe no dishonest men, 419. Ler, live, 412. Leu, loyal, true, honest, 47. Ler, learn, 217. Lemis, gleams, beams, rays, 236, 348. Lemans, lovers, 80. Levent, lady, 94. Leurir, LEver, liefer, rather (A.-S. leéfre), 194, 295. Lxveis, leave, dismissal, 246. Lewep, ignorant, laic or unclerical, 53. Lewranp, lurking, 439. Lewyt, LEvyt, leit, 190. Lex, liest, speakest falsehood, 63. Lipperway, stick, cudgel, 297. Lrsettis, books, 199. Licurtret, despised, 435. Lirr, air (A.-S. lyft), 358. Lieats, lies (A.-8. liggan), 293. Luoovers, knaves, jades. Limmery, wantonness, 390. Lirprr, leper, leprous, 217. 602 Lisr, it pleased, liked, 137, 293. Locus, Loucuis, lochs, lakes, 350. Lor, laugh, 63. Loxag, curled, 210. Loxg, look on, regard, deal toward, 62. Lonpg, land. ‘A lond,’ ze. on land, expletive: ‘ Who he be a londe,’ #.¢., whoever he may be, 74. Loverp, Lorpine, lord, 74, 94. Lovaeu, tevcs, laughed, 66. Lovng, rascal, rogue, 150. Lovuyng, loving, praising ; praise, 314, 319. See Lowys. Low, tows, flame, blaze, 236. Lows, towse, loose, 319. 200, Lowrt, tout, bow (A.-8. ldtan), 296. - Lowys, lauds, praises, 118. Lowen, praised, 88. Lure, LUWE, love, 137, 79. Lurrir, loved, 332. Lusrity, gaily, beautifully, 234. Lusum, lovesome, lovely, 207. Lyart, grey-haired (A.-S. le, locks, and har, hoar), 215. Lyxanp, grateful, pleasant, 236. Lyxtne, liking, delight, 107. Lymgz, limbo, 316. Lymmaris, knaves, rogues, 396. Lynn, LinD, linden, lime-tree, 207. Lyng, line, thread (of Fate), 137. Lyre, flesh, skin (A.-S. lira), 215, 360. LystE, LuSTE, it pleases, pleased (A.-S. lystan), 74. Lyre, a short while, 138. Lyrae, soften, assuage (A.-8.lithian),74. LyveprE HyM WEL, believed him truly, 377; see Lenvern. Ma, make, 107. Mavyss, makes, 104. Ma, MAE, MAIR, MAR, moe, more. Marx, Make, mate, companion, hus- band or wife (A.-S. maca, mace), 245. Margues, matchless, 114. ‘Of micht he grew maikles,’ 1.e., grew match- less in strength, 171. Mant, rent (A.-S. mel), 129. Maityuis, plates or links of mail, 223. Mary, main, power (A.-S. meegn), 66. Marssars, macers, 474. Makar, MACKAR, maker, poet, 239. MaxpomeE, figure, shape, 246. Maines, MAILINGs, portions, rented farms (A.-S. mel or mal), 411. May, one (G. man.) ‘ Gyff man bad,’ t.e., if one bade, 104. Manact, menace, haughtiness, 138. Maneery, feast. ‘Mak at mangery,’ aie., attempt a feast, 171. Mangtr, defective (I'v. manquer), 415, GLOSSARY. Manyoxe, many a one, 49. Marpamouxp, map of the world, the universe (Fr. mappe-monde), 220. Margit, MERKIT, rode, 356. Mastus tyxes, mastifi-dogs, 395. Mavens, in spite of (Fr. malgré), 137. May, mapyn, maiden, 422, 114. Mepicinar, physician, 358. Meput-erTHE, middle-earth, the outer world (A.-S. middan-eard), 76. Mevprop, moisture, 215. Met, mingle, 245, 140. MEnnIs, MENTS, men’s, 203. Mennys, men’s. ‘ Mennys fute met fyf- tene,’ 2.¢., fifteen feet measure, 119. MEnsuorne, MAINSwory, forsworn, 439. Mercuets, fines on marriage, 129. Merrys, mars, injures, 105. Met, mere, measure (A.-S. mete), 119. MET, MET?TE, dreamt, 139. Minzearve, soft, elegant (Fr.mignarde), 485. Mir, dark (A.-S. myre), 390. Misxen, disavow, ignore, 419, 479. MistyxeEn, mislike, 74. Mirstar, mightier, 220. Motp, mould, earth (A.-S. molde), 220. Mon, may, must, 88, 113. Morave, Moray, 119. Moraine, proud (Fr. morgue), 485. Mor, may, must (A.-S. ic mét, thi mést, he mot, we méston, etc.). Mowar, mocker ; mow, mock, 273, 276. Mows, jests, mockeries, 401. Mopprir, mother, 232. Moumait, mumble, 355. MustarDE-srone, stone for grinding mustard, 298. More, moot, speak, 332. Mvyance, means, fee (Ir. moyen) 248. Mycuars, miser, 171. Mynpis, mounds, 438. Mysrer, need, 120. ‘Gif it be mis- teris,’ ¢.¢., if it be necessary, 129. Myrue, might. ‘Mythe asoilie hem,’ i.e., might absolve them, 377. Nanis. FoR THE NANIS, for the nonce (A.-S. for than anes), 241. NEIr, NEUIS, NEIVIS, fist, fists, 402, 410. Ners-Honpg, at hand, 88. Nempnen, named, 94. NERE, NE were, were not (A.-S. nere), 74. No, not. ‘ No wer it,’ were it not, 66. No yoruer, not another, none other, 68. Nosteve, nobleness, dignity, 48. Nor, than. ‘ Nor to the hiast in degré,’ te., than to the highest in rank, 410. GLOSSARY. Novent-ror-tut, nevertheless, 112. Noveut, noeut, nocut, nought, not. Noy, annoyance. Nucxge, nook, 183. Nycusoure, yycuTsourr, neighbour. Nyt (A.-S.), nz wy, will not, 434. Nytr (A.-8.), se wixt, wilt not, 141. OssERVANCE, respect, habits, 237, 288. Ocut, aught (A.-S. 6h¢ or Gat). ‘Ocht neir,’ z.e., anywise near, 296. OcwEranis, usurers (G. wucherer; A.-S. wocor, increase, usury), 242. Ort-syis, oft-times (A.-S. oft-sith), 319. OGaIn, oraln, again, against, 62, 63, 66. Onts, ought. ‘Whet he speken chte, i.e., what he ought to say, 74. O1s, ovss, use, 20, 95, 120. On tort, aloft, 368. Ons, on, 76, 77. Onctep, unclad, not clad. Orpinance, place, settlement, 356. Ositx, ousel, blackbird (A.-S. osle), 468. Over, ouRE, over, too. ‘My wit was oure thynne,’ i.e., too slender, 49. OvERWHERE, everywhere, 48. Ourrrrer, over-fretted, decked (A.-S. ofer-fretwian), 215. Our-sELIT, covered over (A.-S. ofer- hélan), 237. Ovuraer, either, 297. Owcuat, aught, anything, 20. Owuen, own. ‘Thine owhen motit be,’ i.e., may it (blessing or banning) be thine own, 62. OwrESKALIT, overspread, 236. Owrrour, quite over, over, 297. Pacer, pascue, passover, Easter, 368. Papyane, pageant, 243. PauLat, PELLET? skin? 248. Patmarr, palmer, pilgrim, 171. Parrry-mMen, hucksters, 588. PatyEoun, pavilion, tent, 272. Pays, pains, labour, toil (Fr. eine), 19. Pansg, think of (Fr. penser), 467. Panronis, slippers, 360. Paramouris, love, gallantry, 203. Parponeir, seller of pardons, 171. Parris, party-coloured, 368. ParTINENCE, appurtenance, 443. Parecet, ruff, or neck-band, 224. Parrene, pattern, 408. Parnys, pains, toils, 106. Perce, pris, piece, fragment, 66. Pecu, puff, pant, breathe heavily, 442. Pepper, pedler, 303. Prirrryks, partridges, 443. Psnp, arch, vault, 475. Pennair, pen-case, 210. 603 Penns, feathers, 501. Perr rout, throughout, 316. Perp&, verily, truly, 77. PERELLYS, PIRELLS, perils, 106. PERIGALL, equal, 420. Perquer, perfectly, exactly (Fr. par coeur, Or per quair, by book), 104. Prrsonaais, parsonages, 413. PERsouUNE, parson, minister, 195. Perri, apertly, evidently, 88. PETWYsLY, PETWISLY, PETUISLY, pite- ously, 106. Preruvs, pious, 311. Puiarnrep, complained, Prax, coin, one-third of a penny, 355. Puanetst, replenished, 419. Preyyres, plain, complain, 442. Press, ruesys, please, pleases, 104. Pret, folded, 422. Preuers, plovers, 443. Pieyne, amuse, 138. Prorr, scald, pluck, cleanse, 585. Puyg, plight, 217. Poxiciz, pleasure-ground, 129. Posrroun, postern, 293. Por-aun, mortar, 438. Pourr, purs, poor, 105, 167. Pow, pull, 297. Pracxrixis, practice, 248. Precett, excel, 307. Preir, proof, 248. Preis, press, crowd, 246, 272. Prent, print or stamp, 242. Prim, try, taste, 579. Pring, plum-tree (L. prunus), 88. Prorrmnit, urged, 90. Proryrre, property, reality, 104. Prout, proud, 62. Proves, trials of skill, 87. Proviance, purveyance, provision, 356. Pryss, prize, 104. Purritxrr, embroidered, 223. Purvarr or, provided with, 136. Pyxis, prickles, 245. Pytervneg, pilgrim (It. pellegrino), 120. Pystvt, epistle, 81. Quow (error for quHow), how, 288. Quair, book, 214. Qupair, where. QuHarraNE ANE, what a, 422. QuueEn, when, 292. QuuETHIR, QUHIWDDER, whether, 104, 274. QuHILE, sometimes, 102. Quuttx, which, 291. Quuutt, whilst, until, 167. Quuitum, whilom, at one time, some- times (A.-S. Awilon -um). Quurs, whips, 411. 604 Quuyt, white, 246. : Quix, quick, alive. ‘ Quik thai wald him sle,’ ¢.e., they wished to slay him alive, 66. Quyrs, quit, rid, 377. Qweyne, queen. ‘ Til hys eme qwene,’ z.e., queen to his uncle, 120. Racugs, spaniels (A.-S. r@cc), 75. Ranws, radiant, 234. Rapouy, return, 192. Ravoor, fear, 280; see Rep. RacemeEn, papal bulls, 377. Ragure, reached, got, 377; see Rax. Ratre, rave, 379. Rage, reach, hand (G. reichen), 181. Rak, reck, care for, 410. Rane, reigned, prevailed, 412. Ranunaaxp, renegade, 439. Rarus (A.-8.), quickly, 88. Rawcutir, rack (for torture), 248. Rax, reach, stretch, 258, 297. Resortyt, rebutted, scorned, 167. Rep, RADE, RAD, afraid, 387. Reppir, rid, cleared, 192. Reng, speak, tell, advise, 50, 120. Rerris, reaves (A.-8. redfian), 414. Rez, robbery, pillage, 352. Reirp, clamour, din (A.-8. reord), 239. Rexy, reeky, smoky, 313. RELEscuHE, relaxation, release, 137. Reweype, relief, 386. Rense wyye, Rhenish wine, 458. Reve, plead. ‘ Repleid agane,’ 7.¢., plead against, 305. Repxerr, replete, full, 419. Repure, reputed, considered, 435. Resser, receive, harbour, 357. Reserraris, receivers of stolen goods, 200. Revrue, rewrs, ruth, pity, 74, 224. ReEvertis, revives, 313. Rew, to pity. ‘Ne will rew,’ z.c., will not pity, 105. Rewip, reft from, 107; see Rerrts. Rieaan-sTanes, ridge-stones, 438. Riemarre, 579. ‘ Not a rigmarie’ still in use for ‘ not a farthing,’ in Dum- friesshire. Rigg, rich, potent (A.-S. rice), 64. Riva, reign, 288; see Rana. Rung, ring, course, race, 358. Ron, shrub, 207. Roser, rose-bush, 235. Roruty, wrathful, 88. Rovns, whisper, talk in general. ‘Rede in roune,’ tell in talk, 50. Rovtis, roars, cheers, shouts, 150. Rown, room, space (A.-S8. ram), 192. GLOSSARY. Rowe, cry, shout (G. rufen), 243. Rowz7, rout, noisy company. Rowris, roars, 287. Rumpus, rumples, folds, 241. Russ, praise, boast, 246. Ryatwig, royally, splendidly, 246. Rycr, shrubbery, brushwood, 236. Ryexanp, reigning, 120. Rywo, rime, hoar-frost, 207. Ryps, Ries, rips, rifles, 413. Rys, rise, originate, 118. Sa, sua, Swa, 80. Sacrine, consecrating, 248. Sarius, innocent (A.-S. sacleas), 320. Saizygs, assails, 435. Z Sat, shall, 20. Saxse, shall be, 91. Saxanp, sailing, 366. Saust, saluted, 210, 237. Samin, together, 273. Sarrexy, ‘artfully’ iS amieson), 107. Saunray1, without fail, 63. Savoriovus, savoury, agreeable, 107. Sawaae, undaunted? 195. Sawnis, savours, 280. Sawrrve, psaltery, 76. Scar, sKAR, scare, 305. Scuaip THE, get thee, go (G. schaffen, schaffe dich), 87, 192. Scat, knight, fellow (G. schalk), 87. Scuane, shone (A.-8. scinan, sedn), 76. Scuanxe, shank, leg (A.-5. sceanca). Scuaw, shew. ‘ Syn till us thow schaw thé,’ ¢.¢., then show thou thyself to us, 297. Scuawis, woods, groves, 206. Scuep, parted (G. schetden), 213, 245. Scuevpss, shields, 63. Scueng, shining, bright, 87. Scuent, shend, shame, ruin, confound (A.-8. scendan, G. schéinden), 238. ScHILL, SHILL, shrill. Scuir, SCHYR, SCHER, SERE, sir. Scuourts, battles? showers, 203, 213. Scureviy, shriven, 355. Scurovup, dress, array (A.-S. serdid), 87. Scuryve, shrive, confess (A. 8. scrifan). Scrurr, shaped, ordered, 137. ScuuranD, shooting, spouting, 119. Scuynre, sheer, pure, bright, 245. SEDGEYNG, saying, telling, 48. SEIGHE, saw, 64; see Sen. Serra, seeth, boil, 273. Sexcouras, seldom-known, strange, sin- gular (A.-S. seld-ciith), 53. Setps. ‘ Me ne selde,’ I should not, 74. SELES, sELys, seals, 377. Sex1z, simple, 280. F Sriiice, wonderful (A.-S. séllic), 64. GLOSSARY. SeLUIN, SELVIN, self, same. SEmBLIT, assembled, 163. Sen, see (A.-S. sedn, sedh, gesawen), 66. Senpitz, seldom. SensynE, since, 571. SER, SERE, SEIR, several, many, 107, 118. Serwyt, served, furnished, 191. Ser, sat, suited, 224. SeruTHEN, since (A.-S. siththan), 62. Serren, set, fix, suppose (A.-S. settan), 137. ‘Sett it even ogain,’ i.¢., set it evenly against, or exactly on, 66. ‘Set he couth swom,’ i.e., suppose he could swim, 193. Sry, sea, 303. SEYNE, SEY, SEID, say, said, 138, 88. Srw, sowed, scattered, distributed, 120. SHOKLIS, ICE-SHOKLIS, icicles, 215. Suurr, shaved (A.-8. scafan, scdf), 141. Srp, akin (A.-S. sib, peace, alliance, adoption, affinity). ‘Iam to you als sib as seif is to ane riddil,’ ze, I am as much akin to you as sieve is to a riddle, 368. Srsyes, kinship. ‘I for sibnes to him socht,’ z.e., I sought, or had recourse, to him for kinship, 410. SKAELD, SKAILD, dispersed, 587. SxarrinG, spunging, shifting, 476. Sxarr, share (A.-S. scar), 577. Sxexzart, little bell (G. schelle), 248. Sxrrt, screech, 576. SKREED, scream, 576. Sua, sux, slay ; sLouan, slew, 120, 62. Stzr, sleeve, 410. Storris, gaps, intervals of sky, 236. SLuNDGED, sauntered, sneaked, 579. Smorine, smothering, 481. Sozir, poor, small, weak, 203. Sosirzy, neatly (G. sdiuberlich), 237. Sonern, sung, 366. Sons, soncs, plenty, abundance, 79. SorEWE, SEREWE, sorrow, 74. - Sora rune, in sooth, 66. Soucuanp, souaHann, whistling ! 287. Souprotn, southern (speech), 20. Soune, swoon, 150. Sownys, sounds. ‘Sownys ser,’ ie., sounds manifold, 107. Spanais, spangles, 139. Sranysys, expands, blows, 119. Srer, sphere, 313. Spririr, sPERYT, asked, inquired (A.-8. sptrian), 295. Sprarnes, tints, 475. Spray, spray, sprig, 245. Sprent, sprang, 239. Sprinais, sprightly tunes, 332. Spritis, spirits, 158. 605 Spumyy, srutze, spoil, rob. Srunxs, sparks, fire, 570. Spynist, expanded, 245. Srani, fix, form. ‘ Stabil myne intent,’ z.e., form my purpose, 113. Srap, placed, fixed, 79. See Srepe. Sraxr, situated, accommodated, 411. Srakxenir, staggered, 90. Stax, stole (A.-S. sted), 171. Sratwart, brave, 108. Sranxis, stanks, ditches, 291, Stanneris, banks of gravel or small stones on river-banks, 236. Srepe, srerp, place, station (A.-S. stede), 203. Strem, esteem, value. ‘Quer gestes it hes the steem,’ 7.¢., is superior to romances, 48. Sreix, shut, close, 152. STEILD, sTeLt’p, placed (G. stellen), 506. SrEIR, stout, great, 303; see Srore. Sretr, stir, move, touch, 411, Srexit, stabbed (A.-S. stician), 192. Strenrit, extended, stretched, 105. Sterre, die (A.-8. steorfan), 203. Srernis, stars, 236. Srints, ceases, cease, 395. Sem, young bullock or heifer (A.-S, styre), 201. Store, large, robust (A.-S. stér). Srounp, hour, moment (A.-S. stund), 386. Srour, battle, fight. Srraik, strike ; strarkis, strokes, 358. Srrampe, trample. Srreensg, strain, constrain, 245. Srripiinais, astride, 332. Srrywp, stock, race (A.-S. strynd), 314. Srupy, styppy, stithy (Isl. stedia), 248. Srurr, strife, trouble, vexation, 102. Svarr, suave, sweet, 420. Suerg, neck (A.-S. swira or sweora). SUGGARAT, SUKERT, sweet, 239, 246. ‘Sugred,’ Chaucer. SuITHLY, in sooth, 305. Sutp, should, would, 53. Surrté, supply, money, 410. Surrowa.z, support, 129. Surrrysir, supprest, obscured, 348. Sururastyes, truth (A.-S. sothfestnes), 82. SUYLK, SWILK, SWICHE, sic, such (A.-8, swylc), 48, 105, 64. Swarts, swills ? 442. Swaxer, struck sharply, 190, 280. Swayn, a youth not yet an esquire, a peasant, 62. Swerr, heavy, lazy (A.-S. swer), 395. Swinx, labour (A.-S. sewinc), 64. 606 Swonacors, sluggards, laggards (A.-8. swong, lazy), 395. Swonyt, swooned, 192. Swyrs, swift, strong, 280. Swyrup, soon, quickly, 74. Syxen, sigh, sob (A.-8. sican), 74. Syuit, hidden, 213. Syn ELLuIs, since else, 90. Syneen, sing, 107. Syrue, pl. Syss, time, occasion (A.-S. sith), 107. ‘ Oft syss,’ oft-times, 106. Tasxes, backgammon, 64. Taxyn, token, sign, 138. Tanyace, tarrying. ‘Than for to fle he tuk no taryage,’ 7.¢., then he fled instantly, 192. Tautp, told, 108; see Texuynx. Terinpis, tenths, tithes, 129. TELLYNE, TELLEN, tell, 293 ; rauLD, told (A.-S. tellan, tealde, ge-teald), 108. TENE, TEYN, anger, sorrow, injury (A.-S. teén). ‘ Twa part in tene,’ #.e., more than half angry, 90. Tent, attention, heed, 359. Trynp, tenth, tithes, 411. Tn, thrive, prosper (A.-S. thedn). ‘So mote thou thé,’ ue. so may thou thrive, 88. ‘Sa mote I thrive,’ 90. Tuer, though (A.S. thedh), 64. Tur, THYR, THIS, these, 196, 120, 88. Tno, when, then (A.-S. thé; G. da). ‘Tho he no might hem nought se,’ i.e., when he lost sight of them, 61. ‘Stude abaisit tho a lyte,’ z.e., stood abashed then a little, 138. Tuo, THAI, those (A.-8. thd), 188, 104. Txocu, THocuT, though, 297, 332. Txocxt, thought, 360. THOLL, THOILL, THOLE, suffer, endure A.S. thélian), 224; vHoLtT, en- ured, 224. Tuorw-our, throughout, 88. Turair, THREAP, insist, contend, 90. Turaty, eagerly, obstinately, 91. Turawe, space of time (A.-S. thrah), 138. Turawty, cross, ill-humoured. THRELL, THRYLL, thrall (A.-S. thre). Turirt, thriving, 378 ; see Tuf. Turing, thrust, press (A.-S. thringan). ‘Doun thring,’ 7.e., suppress, 287. Turisrrt, thrust, 90. Trrocu, through, thoroughly, 373. Turytiyt, thralled, enthralled, 192. Tuuppis, heavy sounds or blows, 287. Turn, thence. ‘Fra thyn,’ i.e., thence- forward, 293. THYRLDOME, THRELDOME, thraldom, 104. GLOSSARY. Tine, TINT, y-TENT, lose, lost, 68. Trrnis, tears, strips ‘ discovereth,’ 513. TrrExy, timely, soon (A.-S. tidlice), 62. To-sroxe, broken to pieces (A.-S. to- brocen; G. zerbrochen), 377. Top, Toppes, fox, foxes, 304, 473. TororoweE, ToFORE, before (A.-S. to- for; G. zuvor), 186, 235. Tome, TOOM, TUME, empty, 253. Torner, Torsir, other, 88. Toun, town. ‘In toun’ is expletive, 50. Traist, trow, trust, 129, 345. Tramis, shafts, handles, 358. Tranoynt, march suddenly, 273. Transcurris, flows through, 349. Transs, a kind of dance. Trator-Toppis, traitor-foxes, 395. TRAUAYLE, TRAWAILL, travail, toil, 48. Trevutue, troth (A.-8. tredwth), 74. Trompx, sound trumpets, 88. Troucue, trough, 296. Trowxer, trucker, vagrant, 579. Trumrour, deceiver (Fr. trompeur), 241. y Tryst, appointment to meet, 293. Tuay, TUA, TWAE, TWA, two, 295. ToursE in, carry off into, 395. Turruris, turtle-doves, 107. Tuscué, girdle, 294. Twists, twigs, boughs, 53. Twycuys, touches, alludes to, 122. Type, time, season (A.-S. tid), 287. Tyist, entice. ‘That do men tyist the hie way kennand thame fra Christ, i.e., who, knowing the high or right way, do entice men from Christ, 395. Tyxe, dog (Cerberus), 583. Ty, TILL, to, for, 118, 223. Tyr, seized, snatched. Tyre, quick, 192; see Trrrty. Uarriris, waters, 512. Upir, VDER, WDER, other, 235. Umaquyy.z, sometime, formerly (A.-S. Hwil-on or -um, one while), 348. Uwpatp, unbold, humble, 202. UnseExeve, unbelief, 385. UnzoweE, unbend, 74. Uncovurn, unknown, strange, 47. Unverty, undergo, 278. Unrutyeit, undefiled, 245. Unuanpsoy, unruly, 568. Unneixpir, uncovered, 273. Unxenp, unknown, 395. Unxnawin, not knowing enough, 90. Unsemanp, unseemly, 90. Unset, unbefitting, 90; see Srv. Unruanges, ingratitude. ‘Al our un- thankes,’ ¢.¢., in spite of us all, 79. GLOSSARY. The English response of Robert de Brunne (Eexpne': edit. p. 272) tothe mockery (‘‘hething”) of the Scots, in that memorable siege of Berwick, “ Now is Berwik born doun, abaist is Jon gete thi coroun, thou losis thi Now dos Edward dike Berwik bro 607 is velement and scornful enough, and was written in 1303, or only some seven years after. the siege. The “ Jon,” is John Balliol :— that cuntré, dignité. de and long, As thei bad him pike, and scorned him in ther song : ‘ Pikit him, and dikit him,’ on scorn said he. He pikes? and dikes in length, as him likes, how best it may be; And thou has for thi piking, mykille ille likyng, the sothe is to se. Without any lesyng, alle is thi hething fallen upon the ; i For scatred er thi Scottis, and hodred n ther hottes,* neuer thei ne thé! Right als I rede, thei tombled in Tuede, that woned bi the se.” 1 They (A.-S. hi). % Picks. 3 Huddled. + Huts. 5 ‘Neuer thei ne thé,’ é.¢., may they never thrive, bad luck to them always ! Up-a-Layp, upon land (expletive), 440. Urctossers, shutters—‘ of hevins yet,’ t.¢., of heaven’s gate, 395. Urner, upheld, 287. Ursprep, evolved, unfolded, 245. Ure, luck, fortune (F. heur), 278. Uscu, issue, go out, 293. VAILYE QuoD VAILYE, happen what may (F. vaille que vaille), 361. VER, VERE, VEIR, spring. VeRRAY, very, truly. “That verray,’ i.¢., so truly, 138. Voxvyis, vollies, 438. Vutt, face, aspect, 469. Wa, woe, sorrow (A.-S. wd), 246. Warr, wave, shake, 286. Walrrir, shook, plied, 358. Waist, waste, 411. Warr, knows, 279; see Ware. Wat, watch, wake, 293, 443. WaLkEneED, wakened, lively, 509. WALLIS, WALS, waves, 313, 475. Wa Lowanp, withering, 207. : WaALow1DE, WALLOWED, shrunken, wi- thered (A.-S. wealowode), 118, 152. WanDRETHE, danger, misfortune, 279. Wanis, dwellings, 241. Wanturiven, faded, decayed, 481. Wap, sudden stroke, 150. War, aware, 482. WanranDe, warrant, proof, 118. Warvour, verdure, 245. ; Ware, accursed (A.-8. werigan), 201. Wanrto, liar, evil one (A.-S. werloga), 242. Wars, wears, 293. Was1.aGe, vassalage, courage, feat, 192. Ware, wors, knows (A.-S. witan, he wdt, he knows), 49. Warvrir-Lynnis, cataracts, 287. Waveranp, wavering, deviating, play. ful, 82, 368. Wawis, waves (‘wawes,’ Chaucer), 137, Wawis, walls, 413. Wen, pledge, wager (A-S. wedd), 150. Webber, Weppir, weather, 349, 381. Wenpprr, wether, 152, 424. Weng, madness (G. wuth), 88; see Wonx. Wel, WEDE, WEED, weeds, clothing {A.-S. weed), 215. ‘Red wede on the dyk,’ ¢.e., red or withered clothing of the dyke, 286. Wett’p, waru’p, chosen, 576. Wer, war, dispute. ‘ Withouttin weir,’ a.€., without dispute, 346. ‘It worthis na weir,’ 7.¢., there is no dispute of it, 91. Wer, obstruction, 207. a.e., freely, 386. We pz, wield, possess, command (A.-S, wealdian; G. walten), 74, Wencusyt, vanquished, 100. WENIS, WEND, WENDEST, weens, weened, didst ween, 63, 66, 279. Wenyna, weening, opinion, fancy, 103. Wen, worse. ‘ Weil wer than deid,’ ie., truly worse than death, 105. Wenn, weird, fate (A.-S. wyrd), 201. WERELY, warlike, 386. WErRAY, VERRAY, very, 196. Weryryp, verified, 43. Wesag, visor, 192. WHYLES, WHILES, sometimes, 507-8.. Wicu, witch, 171. Wicnru, wightly, swiftly, 358. Wippy, Winopie, halter, 248. Wipe-wuaks, far and near, 64. WirxiTnvess, wickedness, 100. WILp, WILLE, would, will, 48. Winnie, dwelling (A.-S. wunung), 211. Wrrriare, worrier, devourer, 439. Wisu, washed, 303. ‘But weir,’ 608 Wissz, guide, direct (A.-S. wisian.) ‘Crist the wisse and yeve the hevene bliss,’ ¢.e., thee guide and give thee heaven’s blessing, 74. Wrrn-rui (A.-S.), with that, provided that. Wwopyrrux, undertook, 195. Worstare, webster, weaver, 171. Wopr, wood, mad (A.-S. wéd), 66. Wott, well, 437. Worr, wore, 215, 224; see Wars. Woupe, wave, would, wished, 61, 191. Worscurr (A.-5. weorth-scipe, worth- ship), worship, nobleness, noble deed, 194. Worrais, grows, is (A.-S. weorthan), 91. ‘Wovups, waded (A.-S. wdden, wéd, ge- wéd), 298. Wounpber, wonder, wondrously, 349. Woweir, wooer; wown, wooed, 222. Wox, waxed (A.-S. weaxan, won), 286. Waraarrs, wroth (A.-S. wrath), 386. Waaxit, wrecked, ruined, 411. Wroeur, wrought, made (A-S. wyr- can, worhte). ‘Non tham says as thai tham wroght,’ i.e., none recites them (‘song and tale’) as they (the authors) made them, 48. Wryrn, writhe, wrench, 222. Wrrrys, writings, 118. Wsyt orrt, used or went oft, 391. Wy, man, warrior (A.-S. wiga), 192. Wvycat, wicut, active, swift. Wvyr, woman (G. wei), 88. Wrytcum, welcome, 295. Wyn (A.-8.), joy, delight. Wrnis, wins, gains by toil mai win- nan, to fight, labour, toil). ‘ Sweir swongeors that idillie our leving wynis,’ i.e, lazy laggards that gain our living in idleness, 395. Wyunit, dwelt (A.-S. wuntan), 171. Wrnryr, winters, years, 120. Wrte, blame (A.-S. wite), 377. GLOSSARY. Wyrtut, with, 99. Wryrtace, witless, mad, 192. Yarrne, yearn, long, 432 ; see YHarnvr. Yarne, eagerly (G. gern), 106. Yaucp, yielded (A.-S. gyldan, geald, golden), 192. Ysore, born. a thrall, 74. Ycuzrir, ycLePr, named, 288. Yer, pl.verts, gate (A.-S. gedt), 281, 292. Yerr, poured (A.-S. gedtan, gedt), 220. Yer, went, 192; see Yops. Yere, year; pl. YERIS or ZERIS aa gear). ‘ Bi yere,’ z.e., of yore, 50. YFERE, in company, together; see Frir. Yuarnyt, yearned, 104. ‘Yarnyt him for to sé,’ te., longed to see him, 106. Yuerys, years. ‘ Ekyde in his yherys,’ i.e., added in his time, 118. Yuonpyk, yonder, 119; see Zonz. Yuore, hight, called, 94. Yuowruan, youth, 120. Yirstow, givest thou, 68. Yuenis, impyis, hymns, 53, 141. Yweue, meu, island, 112. Yooe, Gaep, went (A.-8. gdn, edde), 66. Yorn, yielded, 203; see Yautp. Yow, YOwEs, you, to you. Yarns, irons, instruments, 248. YseE-SHOKKILLIs, icicles, 286. YswowsE, in swoon, 74. Y-rent, lost ; see Tine. Yous, Christmas (A.-8. gehil), 368. ‘Ybore thral,’ z.e., born Zir, vi, verr, yet (A.-8.gé#), 20,278,100. Zong, yon (A.-S. qéond) , OL Zona, YONG, young (A.-S. geong), 138. ZorzE, yare, prompt (A.-8. gearo), 288. ZorE or YORE AGO, in past years, of yore (A.-8. geara, of years), 289. ZOUNKERIS OBSERVANCE, habits of youth, 288. INDEX. 2Q INDEX, “ Appay WALK, The,” 213. “ Abbot of Misrule,” 447. * Abbot of Unreason,”’ play of, 445-447. a dramatic exhibitions at, 448, 456. Acrostichs in poetry, 32. Adamson, Henry, author of “‘ The Muses Threnodie,” 536. Adamson, John, Principal of University of Edinburgh, 496, 535. Adamson, Patrick, Archbishop of St. Andrews, 439, 536. Adomnan, 8. Eneid, Douglas’s translation of the, 282-286. ZBsop, curious account of, 211. Affleck, James, 204. Ailred, 9; on church music, 156, 157. Alexander m1., 14; Prophecy of Thomas the Rhymer respecting his death, 43 ; short poem on that event, 79. eset, William, see Stirling, Earl of. Alpetragius, Astronomy of, translated by Michael Scot, 45. Ambrosius, hymns of, 35. Ancram, Earl of, 561; sonnet to Drum- mond of Hawthornden, 562; para- phrase of Psalm cxxxii., 562, 563. Anglo-Saxon tongue, 9, seg., 16, 17. Arabians, their supposed connexion with literature of romance, 24; cus- tom of tattooing amongst, 26; their influence on the western world, 34. Arbuthnot, Alexander, principal of King’s College, Aberdeen, 427-436 ; notices of his life, 427-430; highly eulogized by his contemporaries, 431 ; his status as a poet, 482; specimens of his productions, 432-436. Armstrong, Archy, a court fool, 367. Auchinleck Manuscript, 49. “ Auchtermuchty, The Wife of,” a hu- morous ballad, 425. “ Aurese Narrationes,”’ 289. Auricular Confession, satirized, 854. “Aurora,” a collection of amatory poems by the Earl of Stirling, 531-533. “ Awntyrs of Arthure at the Terne Wa- thelyn,”’ 86. Ayton, Sir Robert, 554; notices of, 555; specimens of his pieces, 555- 557. Bauuap poetry of northern nations, 20, 21; affinity between, and that of Britain, 22. Balnaves, Henry, of Hallhill, 397; his Confession of Faith, 398. Bannatyne, George, an eminent pre- server of Scotish poetry, 414; himself a versifier, 415; value of his Manu- script, and publication of selections from it, 416, 425, 426. Bannockburn, song commemorative of the national triumph at, 80. Barbarzan’s collection of early French poetry, 23. Barbour, John, Archdeacon of Aber- deen, 19, 43, 95-111; sketch of his lite, 95-98; his histurical poem on the Bruce, 97-99; various editions of, 100; other works, ascribed to him, now lost, 99; estimate of his literary merit, 101-103; specimens of the style and versification of the Bruce, 104-108 ; fidelity of his narrative, 108; general merit of his work, 108, 109. Barclay, Alexander, an English poet, 825-328 ; his “ Ship of Fooles,”’ 327 ; his ‘‘ Mirrour of Good Manners,”’ 328. Bards and minstrels, 176-186. Baronius, 13. Barry’s History of the Orkney Islands, quoted, 18. Bassinton, James, 168, 169. Beaton, Cardinal, 337, 383, 398. Bede on the languages spoken in Britain, 7; his Ecclesiastical History, 13. 612 Bellenden, Dr. John, 306-321; his per- sonal history, 306, 309, 311, 312; value of his translations of Boyce’s History, 309, 311; and_of Livy’s first five books, 310; the ‘‘ Proheme of the Cosmographé” the most poetical of his works, 313; his ‘ Proheme of the History,’ 314-316; prolusion on the conception of Christ, 316. * Berwick, siege of, by Edward 1., 79, and ‘ Unraankes’ in Guossary; Freirs of, 291-301. Birrel’s Diary, quoted, 46, 471. Blacklock, Dr., a blind poet, 189. Blair, Dr., quoted in regard to Ossian’s poems, 2. Blair, John, 194, 195. Blank verse, the only specimen in the ancient Scotish language, 243. Blind Harry, see Henry the Minstrel. Blyth, John, a poet, 426. “ Blythsome Bridal, The,” 580. Bopwosie'e account of Michael Scot, 4 Boethius, see Boyce, Hector. Bon-Accord, Abbot of, 448-450. Borthwick, Abbot of Unressone of, 447. Bower, Walter, cited, 15, 42, 43; con- tinuator of Fordun's Scotichronicon, 116. Boyce (Boethius), Hector, mentioned, 41, 44, 98, 136, 159, 204; transla- tions of his ‘History, into prose by Bellenden, 309-311, 317; and into verse anonymously, 317; specimens of the versification, 317-321 ; notices of his life, 317-319 ; his life of Bishop Elphinstone paraphrased by Alexan- der Garden, 568. Boyd, Zachary, version of Psalms, 516. Brahe, Tycho, the celebrated astrono- mer, visit of James vi. to, 490. Broadsides, papers denominated, 564. Brown, Walter, 204. Bruce, King Robert, Thomas the Rhy- mer’s prophecy as to, 46, 48. Bruce, Michael, 113. Bruce, Sir John, of Kinross, supposed to be author of Hardyknute, 590. Brunne, see Robert of Brunne. Buchanan, George, tutor of James v1., 488, 491; ‘‘ Exploits” of, 305. “ Buke of the Howlat,’’ 163, 366. Burell, John, a burgess of Edinburgh, 470; his ‘ Passage of the Pilgremer,”’ and ‘ Description of the Queen’s Entry into Edinburgh,” 490. ~ Cappavoctans, addicted to tattooing, 26. INDEX. Celtic tongue, extent to which it is spoken, 1; early poetry, 2-5. Chalmers’s ‘“ Caledonia,” 6, 12. Charles, Duke of Orleans, a French poet, 126. Charles the First, verses by the Mar- quis of Montrose on his death, 565. Chaucer, 141. Chivalry, romances of, 22; order of, a branch of feudal system, 22; heroes of, 24. Christianity, introduction of, into south of Scotland, 13. “ Christis Kirk of the Grene,” 142-151 ; an imitation of, 422. Church-music in Scotland in twelfth century, 156. Churchyard, Thomas, an English poet, 438. Clapperton, a poet contemporary with unbar, 204. Classical poets, ancient, examples of rhyme amongst, 28. Cleland, William, 581-585; notices of his life, 581, 582 ; posthumous publi- cation of his poems, 582; Ode to Fancy, 583; Expedition of the High- land Host, 583; account of Grahame of Claverhouse, 584; his Lfigies Clericorum, 584, 585. Clergy, licentiousness of, previous to the Reformation, 128. Clerk, John, 204. Cockburne, James, specimens of his verses, 483-485, “ Cockelbie’s Sow,” 170; outline of, 171-174. Colville, Samuel, 275, 483; his ‘‘ Whiggs Supplication,” various editions of, 483. Colville, John, 46. Comedy of ‘ Philotus,’’ 456-460. “Complaynt”’ of Sir D. Lindsay, 332. ‘* Complaynt of Scotland,” 823-325, 239. “ Cosmographé, Probeme of the,” by Bellenden, 313-316. Court fools, 366-368. “ Courtier, Advice to a,”’ poem of Q. Shaw, 202. Courts of Love, 39. Craig, Alexander, notices of, 554. Craw, Paul, 2 Bohemian, burnt by order of James 1., 129. “Cresseid, Testament of,” poem of Henryson, 213-219. Culross, Lady (Elizabeth Melville), 481- 483; her “Godly Dreame,” 482 ; various editions of, 483. Cunningham, Alexander, Earl of Glen- cairn, 394. : INDEX. Damasus, hymns of, 35. ae ee 15, 16; ballad poetry, pads Dante’s account of Michael Scot, 45. “‘ Daunce, The,” by Dunbar, 241-243. Davidson, John, 399-403; his “ Com- mendatioun of Vprichtnes,” 399 ; “Ane Dialog betuix ane Clerk and ane Courteour,” 400-403 ; his “ Me- morial of Robert Campbel,” 403. “Dean,” prefixed anciently as a title to names of monks, 201. Depping, on the romantic spirit of northern nations, 22. “Divine Poems,” by