(_For the Mirror._)
"Good-morrowe, good fellow,--
Methinks, by this bowe thou beares in thy hand
A good archere thou shouldst bee."
_Old Ballad_.
[Illustration]
I feel happy that it is in my power to present a drawing, made expressly
for the purpose, of the picturesque costume worn by the Royal Company of
Archers, or King's Body Guard of Scotland. This is described in Stark's
"Picture of Edinburgh" thus:--"Their uniform is 42nd tartan, with green
velvet collar and cuffs, and a Highland bonnet, with feathers; on the
front of the bonnet is the cross of St. Andrew, and a gold arrow on the
collar of the jacket." There is a something in the very idea of an
archer, and in the name of _Robin Hood_, particularly charming to most
bosoms, coming as they do to us fraught with all delicious associations;
the wild, free forest life, the sweet pastime, the adventures of bold
outlaws amid the heaven of sylvan scenery, and the national renown of
British bowmen which mingles with the records of our chivalry in history
and romance; while the revival of _archery_ in England of late years, as
an elegant amusement, sufficiently proves that the high feeling which
seems mysteriously to blend a present age with one long since gone by,
is not totally extinct. Shall I venture to assert, that for this we are
indebted to the charmed light cast around a noble and ancient pastime by
the antiquary, poet, and romance-writer of modern times? But to return,
the Scottish archers were first formed into a company and obtained a
charter, granting them great privileges, under the reign of queen Anne,
for which they were to pay to the crown, annually, a pair of barbed
arrows. One of these allowances was, that they might _meet and go forth
under their officer's conduct, in military form, in manner of
weapon-showing, as often as they should think convenient_. "But they
have made no public parade since 1743,"[3] owing, probably, to the state
of parties in Edinburgh, for their attachment to the Stuart family was
well understood, and falling under the suspicion of the British
government after the rebellion of 1745, they were watched, "and spies
appointed to frequent their company." The company possess a house built
by themselves, termed Archers' Hall. All their business is transacted by
a president and six counsellors, who are nominated by the members at
large, and have authority to admit or reject candidates _ad libitum_.
The number of this association is now very great, having been of late
years much increased; they have standards, with appropriate emblems and
mottoes, and shoot for several prizes annually; amongst these are a
silver bowl and arrows, which, by a singular regulation, "are retained
by the successful candidate only one year, when he appends a medal to
them; and as these prizes are of more than a hundred years standing, the
number of medals now attached to them are very curious."
[3] Their part in the procession formed to welcome our monarch
to his Scottish metropolis, should be excepted.
To this notice may I be permitted to subjoin a few stanzas? Old Izaak
Walton hath put songs and sylvan poesy in plenty into the mouths of his
anglers and rural _dramatis personae_, and shall _I_ be blamed for
following, in all humility, his illustrious example? Perchance--but
hold! it is one of the fairest of summer mornings; the sun sheds a pure,
a silvery light on the young, fresh, new-waked foliage and herbage; a
faint mist veils the blue distance of the landscape; but the pearly
shroud conceals not yonder troop of young blithe men, who, arranged in
green, after the olden fashion, each bearing the implements of archery,
and tripping lightly over the heath, are carolling in the joy of their
free spirits, while the fresh breeze brings to my ear most distinctly
the words of