The meaning of such obsolete words is usually given at the bottom
of the page. For explanation of the more common peculiarities of the
Scottish dialect, the English reader is referred to the excellent
glossary annexed to the last edition of Burns' works.
The Third Class of Ballads are announced to the public, as MODERN
IMITATIONS of the Ancient Style of composition, in that department of
poetry; and they are founded upon such traditions as we may suppose in
the elder times would have employed the harps of the minstrels. This
kind of poetry has been supposed capable of uniting the vigorous
numbers and wild fiction, which occasionally charm us in the ancient
ballad, with a greater equality of versification, and elegance of
sentiment, than we can expect to find in the works of a rude age. But,
upon my ideas of the nature and difficulty of such imitations, I ought
in prudence to be silent; lest I resemble the dwarf, who brought with
him a standard to measure his own stature. I may, however, hint at the
difference, not always attended to, betwixt legendary poems and real
imitations of the old ballad; the reader will find specimens of both
in the modern part of this collection. The legendary poem, called
_Glenfinlas_, and the ballad, entituled the _Eve of St. John_, were
designed as examples of the difference betwixt these two kinds of
composition.
It would have the appearance of personal vanity, were the editor to
detail the assistance and encouragement which he has received, during
his undertaking, from some of the first literary characters of our
age. The names of Stuart, Mackenzie, Ellis, Currie, and Ritson, with
many others, are talismans too powerful to be used, for bespeaking the
world's favour to a collection of old songs; even although a veteran
bard has remarked, "that both the great poet of Italian rhyme,
Petrarch, and our Chaucer, and other of the upper house of the muses,
have thought their canzons honoured in the title of a ballad." To my
ingenious friend, Dr. John Leyden, my readers will at once perceive
that I lie under extensive obligations, for the poetical pieces, with
which he has permitted me to decorate my compilation; but I am yet
farther indebted to him for his uniform assistance, in collecting and
arranging materials for the work.
In the notes, and occasional dissertations, it has been my object
to throw together, perhaps without sufficient attention to method,
a variety of remarks, regarding popular superstitions, and legendary
history, which, if not now collected, must soon have been totally
forgotten. By such efforts, feeble as they are, I may contribute
somewhat to the history of my native country; the peculiar features
of whose manners and character are daily melting and dissolving into
those of her sister and ally. And, trivial as may appear such an
offering, to the manes of a kingdom, once proud and independent, I
hang it upon her altar with a mixture of feelings, which I shall not
attempt to describe.
"--Hail, land of spearmen! seed of those who scorn'd
To stoop the proud crest to Imperial Rome!
Hail! dearest half of Albion, sea-wall'd!
Hail! state unconquer'd by the fire of war,
Red war, that twenty ages round thee blaz'd!
To thee, for whom my purest raptures flow,
Kneeling with filial homage, I devote
My life, my strength, my first and latest song."
APPENDIX. No. I.
LETTER FROM THE EARL OF SURREY, TO HENRY VIII.
GIVING AN ACCOUNT OF THE STORM OF JEDBURGH.
_Cott. MSS. Calig_. B. III. fol. 29.
* * * * *
"Pleisith it your grace to be advertised, that upon Fridaye, at x a
clok at nyght, I retourned to this towne, and all the garnysons to
their places assigned, the bushopricke men, my Lorde of Westmoreland,
and my Lord Dacre, in likewise evry man home with their companys,
without los of any men, thanked be God; saving viii or x slayne, and
dyvers hurt, at skyrmyshis and saults of the town of Gedwurth, and the
forteressis, which towne is soo suerly brent, that no garnysons ner
none other shal bee lodged there, unto the tyme it bee newe buylded;
the brennyng whereof I comytted to twoo sure men, Sir William Bulmer,
and Thomas Tempeste. The towne was moche bettir then I went (_i.e._
ween'd) it had been, for there was twoo tymys moo houses therein
then in Berwike, and well buylded, with many honest and faire houses
therein, sufficiente to have lodged M horsemen in garnyson, and six
good towres therein; whiche towne and towres be clenely distroyed,
brent, and throwen downe. Undoubtedly there was noo journey made into
Scotland, in noo manys day leving, with soo fewe a nombre that is
recownted to be soo high an enterprice as this, bothe with thies
contremen, and Scottishmen, nor of truthe so moche hurt doon. But in
th' ende a great mysfortune ded fall, onely by foly, that such ordre,
as was commaunded by me to be kepte, was not observed, the maner
whereof hereaftir shall ensue. Bifore myn entre into Scotland, I
appointed Sir William Bulmer and Sir William Evers too be marshallis
of th' army; Sir William Bulmer for the vangard, and Sir William Evers
for the reregard. In the vangard I appointed my Lord of Westmoreland,
as chief, with all the bushopricke, Sir William Bulmer, Sir William
Evers, my Lord Dacre, with all his company; and with me remayned
all the rest of the garnysons, and the Northumberland men. I was of
counsaill with the marshallis at th' ordering of our lodgingg, and our
campe was soo well envirowned with ordynance, carts, and dikes, that
hard it was to entre or issue, but at certain places appointed for
that purpos, and assigned the mooste commodious place of the saide
campe for my Lord Dacre company, next the water, and next my Lord of
Westmoreland. And at suche tyme as my Lord Dacre came into the fald,
I being at the sault of th' abby, whiche contynued unto twoo houres
within nyght, my seid Lord Dacre wold in nowise bee contente to ly
within the campe, whiche was made right sure, but lodged himself
without, wherewith, at my retourne, I was not contente, but then it
was to late to remove; the next daye I sente my seid Lorde Dacre to a
strong hold, called Fernherst, the lorde whereof was his mortal enemy;
and with hym, Sir Arthur Darcy, Sir Marmaduke Constable, with viii c.
of their men, one cortoute, and dyvers other good peces of ordynance
for the feld (the seid Fernherste stode marvelous strongly, within a
grete woode); the seid twoo knights with the moost parte of their men,
and Strickland, your grace servaunte, with my Kendall men, went into
the woode on fote, with th' ordynance, where the said Kendall men were
soo handled, that they found hardy men, that went noo foote back for
theym; the other two knightes were alsoo soo sharply assayled, that
they were enforced to call for moo of their men; and yet could not
bring the ordynance to the forteresse, unto the tyme my Lord Dacre,
with part of his horsemen, lighted on fote; and marvelously hardly
handled himself, and fynally, with long skirmyshing, and moche
difficultie, gat forthe th' ordynance within the howse and threwe
downe the same. At which skyrmyshe, my seid Lord Dacre, and his
brother, Sir Cristofer, Sir Arthure, and Sir Marmaduke, and many other
gentilmen, did marvellously hardly; and found the best resistence
that hath been seen with my comyng to their parties, and above xxxii
Scottis sleyne, and not passing iiij Englishmen, but above lx hurt.
Aftir that, my seid lord retournyng to the campe, wold in nowise bee
lodged in the same, but where he laye the furst nyght. And he being
with me at souper, about viij a clok, the horses of his company brak
lowse, and sodenly ran out of his feld, in such nombre, that it caused
a marvellous alarome in our feld; and our standing watche being set,
the horses cam ronnyng along the campe, at whome were shot above one
hundred shief of arrowes, and dyvers gonnys, thinking they had been
Scotts, that wold have saulted the campe; fynally the horses were soo
madde, that they ran like wild dere into the feld; above xv c. at the
leest, in dyvers companys, and, in one place, above I felle downe
a gret rok, and slewe theymself, and above ij c. ran into the towne
being on fire, and by the women taken, and carried awaye right evill
brent, and many were taken agayne. But, fynally, by that I can esteme
by the nombre of theym that I sawe goo on foote the next daye, I think
thare is lost above viij c. horses, and all with foly for lak of
not lying within the camp. I dare not write the wondres that my Lord
Dacre, and all his company, doo saye they sawe that nyght, vj. tymys
of spirits and fereful sights. And unyversally all their company
saye playnly, the devill was that nyght among theym vi tymys; whiche
mysfortune hath blemyshed the best journey that was made in Scotland
many yeres. I assure your grace I found the Scottes, at this tyme, the
boldest men, and the hotest, that ever I sawe any nation, and all
the journey, upon all parts of th' army, kepte us with soo contynuall
skyrmyshe, that I never sawe the like. If they myght assemble xl M as
good men as I nowe sawe, xv c or ij M, it wold bee a hard encountre to
mete theym. Pitie it is of my Lord Dacres losse of the horses of his
company; he brought with hym above iiij M. men, and came and lodged
one night in Scotland, in his moost mortal enemy's centre. There is
noo herdyer, ner bettir knyght, but often tyme he doth not use the
most sure order, which he hath nowe payed derely for. Written at
Berwike the xxvij of September.
Your most bownden,