The Graemes, as we have had frequent occasion to notice, were a powerful
and numerous clan, who chiefly inhabited the Debateable Land. They were
said to be of Scottish extraction, and their chief claimed his descent
from Malice, earl of Stratherne. In military service, they were more
attached to England than to Scotland; but, in their depredations on both
countries, they appear to have been very impartial; for, in the year
1600, the gentlemen of Cumberland alleged to Lord Scroope, "that the
Graemes, and their clans, with their children, tenants, and servants,
were the chiefest actors in the spoil and decay of the country."
Accordingly, they were, at that time, obliged to give a bond of surety
for each other's peaceable demeanour; from which bond, their numbers
appear to have exceeded four hundred men.--See _Introduction to_
NICOLSON'S _History of Cumberland,_ p. cviii.
Richard Graeme, of the family of Netherbye, was one of the attendants
upon Charles I., when prince of Wales, and accompanied him upon his
romantic journey through France and Spain. The following little
anecdote, which then occurred, will shew, that the memory of the
Graemes' border exploits was at that time still preserved.
"They were now entered into the deep time of Lent, and could get no
flesh in their inns. Whereupon fell out a pleasant passage, if I may
insert it, by the way, among more serious. There was, near Bayonne,
a herd of goats, with their young ones; upon the sight whereof, Sir
Richard Graham tells the marquis (of Buckingham), that he would snap one
of the kids, and make some shift to carry him snug to their lodging.
Which the prince overhearing, 'Why, Richard,' says he, 'do you think you
may practise here your old tricks upon the borders?' Upon which words,
they, in the first place, gave the goat-herd good contentment; and then,
while the marquis and Richard, being both on foot, were chasing the kid
about the stack, the prince, from horseback, killed him in the head,
with a Scottish pistol.--Which circumstance, though trifling, may yet
serve to shew how his Royal Highness, even in such slight and sportful
damage, had a noble sense of just dealing."--_Sir_ HENRY WOTTON'S _Life
of the Duke of Buckingham._
I find no traces of this particular Hughie Graeme, of the ballad; but,
from the mention of the _Bishop_, I suspect he may have been one, of
about four hundred borderers, against whom bills of complaint were
exhibited to Robert Aldridge, lord bishop of Carlisle, about 1553, for
divers incursions, burnings, murders, mutilations, and spoils, by them
committed.--NICHOLSON'S _History, Introduction_, lxxxi. There appear
a number of Graemes, in the specimen which we have of that list of
delinquents. There occur, in particular,
Ritchie Grame of Bailie,
Will's Jock Grame,
Fargue's Willie Grame,
Muckle Willie Grame,
Will Grame of Rosetrees,
Ritchie Grame, younger of Netherby,
Wat Grame, called Flaughtail,
Will Grame, Nimble Willie,
Will Grahame, Mickle Willie,
with many others.
In Mr Ritson's curious and valuable collection of legendary poetry,
entitled _Ancient Songs_, he has published this Border ditty, from a
collation of two old black-letter copies, one in the collection of the
late John duke of Roxburghe, and another in the hands of John Bayne,
Esq.--The learned editor mentions another copy, beginning, "Good Lord
John is a hunting gone." The present edition was procured for me by
my friend Mr W. Laidlaw, in Blackhouse, and has been long current in
Selkirkshire. Mr Ritson's copy has occasionally been resorted to for
better readings.