They are 2. THE BATTLE OF HAIRLAW. 3. JOHNIE ARMSTRANG. 4. THE REIDSQUAIR RAID. 2. Antiquaries have differed in opinion regarding the age of this composition; but the best informed have agreed in looking upon it as of coeval production, or nearly so, with the historical event on which it is founded, and in this opinion the present writer entirely coincides. No edition prior to Ramsay's time has been preserved, though it was printed in 1668, as we are informed by Mr. Laing, in his Early Metrical Tales, an edition of that date having been in the curious library of old Robert Mylne. In the Complaynt of Scotland, 1549, this ballad is mentioned. In the Polemo Middinia, its tune is referred to Interea ante alios dux piperlarius heros, Præcedens magnamque gerens cum burdine pypam, And in a MS. collection of tunes, written in the hand of Sir William Mure of Rowallan, which I have seen, occurs "the battle of harlaw." From the extreme popularity of the Song, it is not to be wondered at though every early imprint of it has now disappeared. Ramsay probably gave his copy from a stall edition of his own day, which copy has successively been edited by Mr. Sibbald, Mr. Finlay, and Mr. Laing, and has appeared in other collections. A copy apparently taken from recitation is given in "The Thistle of Scotland," Aberdeen, 1823. The editor of which, among a good deal of stuff which is not very comprehensible, points out various localities, and gives three stanzas of a burlesque song on the same subject, popular in the north. 3. Ramsay mentions that this is the true old ballad of the famous John Armstrong of Gilnockhall in Liddisdale, and which he copied from a Gentleman's mouth of the name of Armstrong, who was the sixth generation from this John, and who told him that it was ever esteemed the genuine ballad-the common one false. This noted Border-pricker was gibbeted by James V. in 1529. The common ballad alluded to by Ramsay is the one, however, which is in the mouths of the people. His set I never heard sung or recited; but the other frequently. The common set is printed in Wit Restored, London, 1658, under the title of A Northern Ballet," and in the London collection of Old Ballads, 1723, as Johney Armstrong's last Goodnight." That collection has another ballad on the subject of Armstrong, entitled "Armstrong and Musgrave's Contention." In J. Stevenson's Catalogue, Edinburgh, 1827, is a copy on a broadside, with this title, "John Armstrong's last Farewell, declaring how he and eight score men fought a bloody battell at Edinburgh, to the tune of Fare thou well, bonny Gilt Knock Hall," an edition still adhered to in the stall copies of the ballad. The version of the ballad, as given in the Evergreen, is followed by the editor of the Border Minstrelsy, in whose valuable compilation it finds a place, with suitable illustrations. 4. Is given from the Bannatyne MS., but inaccurately. A correct copy from the same source occurs in the Border Minstrelsy. The Raid commemorated in song happened on the 7th July, 1576. In the same year, 1724, Ramsay published another collection of considerable merit, viz., "The Tea Table Miscellany, being a choice collection of English and Scotch Songs," in which are inserted the following ballads; but whether derived from printed copies, or from tradition, is not mentioned. 5. WALY, WALY, GIN LOVE BE BONNY. 6. SWEET WILLIAM'S GHOST. 7. BONNY BARBARA ALLAN. It were discourteous not to mention that Hardyknute, a fragment originally printed in 1719, the ingenious fabrication of Lady Anne Wardlaw, likewise appeared in the Evergreen. It was long looked upon as an ancient composition, and many still cherish this fond and idle notion. It is not improbable, however, that in the days of the accomplished authoress, there may have existed some historick song relative to the conflict of the Largs, (somewhat like an enlarged version of the metrical account given of that event by Winton,) which she used as the foundation of her clever poem. In a volume of "Poems and Songs, by Alexander Tait, 1790," which I suspect is now scarce, and certainly is curious, will be found a Ballad of his enditing, on the same subject. He plunders from Hardyknute without remorse; but uses his spoil in such an odd way, and so peculiarly his own, that none who read him can forbear pardoning his plagiarisms. 5. This, perhaps, should not be included in the present list; for many versions induce me to believe that it is only a part of the ballad generally known under the title of "Jamie Douglas," in some copies of which are to be found almost every stanza of the present song incorporated. The tune is the same in both; and the narrative, so far as it can be guessed at, also coincides. In the appendix will be given a traditionary version of "Jamie Douglas" corroborative of the opinion now hazarded. If Ramsay was the first who effected the divorce of the sentimental from the narrative parts of the ballad, he deserved some credit for his taste and ingenuity. 6. The two concluding stanzas of this ballad are looked on as a modern addition. In recited copies I have heard this stanza repeated, which does not occur in printed copies. It follows the 14th stanza: My meikle tae is my gavil post, My nose is my roof-tree; My ribs are kebars to my house, A different version, William and Marjorie, is given in the present compilation, taken from the recitation of an old woman. This ballad, or part of it, is often made the tail piece to others, where a deceased lover appears to his mistress. 7. An English version of this ballad is frequently to be met with. The 8th and 9th have appeared in numerous subsequent publications. Of the last, many various sets exist; one is given from tradition in this work; another in Finlay's Ballads; a third in 8. THE BONNY EARL OF MURRAY. 9. JOHNNY FAA, THE GYPSIE LADDIE. "A collection of Old Ballads, collected from the best and most ancient copies extant, with Introductions, Historical, Critical, or Humourous," printed at London in 1723, 24 and 25 in 3 vols. 12mo, contains a copy of 10. GILDEROY, but no other Scottish ballad. This is a very judicious compilation of English ballads; but there is no reference to the authorities from which they are obtained, which, in a work of the kind, is a serious defect. 'Mactaggart's Gallovidian Dictionary," improved, no doubt, by that strangest of all human editors; a fourth in Chambers' "Scottish Gipsies," Edin., 1823; and some scraps of a fifth set in one of the volumes of the Scots Edinburgh Magazine, the modesty of the correspondent who communicates it, not permitting him to pollute the pages of that immaculate work with its grossness. He is really very considerate. 10. Gilleroy in Gaelic signifies the red-haired lad: Patrick McGregor, or Gilleroy, the subject of this ballad, suffered for his crimes in 1638, and his fate was commemorated in song. "The above-inentioned ballad," says the author of Caledonia, "was printed at Edinburgh during the moment of Gilleroy's exit." It was certainly reprinted at London in the black letter before 1650. There is another copy of it, with some variations, in Playford's Wit and Mirth, first edition of vol. iii., which was printed in 1702. There is also a copy with variations in Durfy's Songs, 1719, vol. v. p. 39, and another with variations, in a collection, second edition, London, 1723, vol. ii. (vol. i.) p. 271. These copies, though possessing several stanzas of poetic merit, contained some indelicacies that required suppression. An altered and delicate edition appeared in Thomson's Orpheus Caledonius. But before this appeared, the ballad had been altered by Sir Alexander Halket, said Ritson in his Scots Songs, ii. 24 yet, according to a truer account, this operation on the old ballad was performed by Mrs. Elizabeth Hacket, the daughter of Pitferan, and the wife of Sir Henry Wardlaw of Pittrevie, the real authoress of Hardy Knute. See Blackwood Mag. 1, p. 380. The ballad of Gilderoy on that new cast may be seen in Percy's Reliques, 1. 321, with the exception of one stanza; also in Herd's Scots Songs, i. 73, and in Ritson's Scots Songs, ii. 24, none of whom give the whole thirteen stanzas." Caledonia, vol. iii. p. 36. I have seen a broadside printed at Edinburgh before 1700, which differs from the copies mentioned above. In Lady Wardlaw's amended copy, a good many of the old stanzas are retained; others are omitted, or in part retouched, and several from her own pen are added. It would seem that when Ritson consulted the Museum on this occasion, he had gone on farther than the index, for if he had turned to p. 67, he would have found that the piece entitled in the index "Gilderoy," was the song written to that tune, beginning "Ah! Chloris, could I now but sit," and not any copy of the ballad itself, which nowhere in any of the six volumes of the Till the appearance of The Reliques of Early English Poetry, in 1755, I am not aware of any intermediate publication which relates to the present enquiry. The singular merit of that work, not only as exhibiting much curious, profound, and accurate research into various departments of the history of Early English poetry, a walk, till then, comparatively speaking, unexplored; but also as everywhere carrying with it traces of its Editor's fine genius and chaste taste, has been long and fully appreciated. Important as the additions are which said. work has made to our knowledge of ancient poesy, customs, and manners, the influence which it has had on the literature of the present day, and the change it has been the main instrument of producing on the character of its poetry, are of the most obvious and beneficial description. The materials of his volumes were, as Dr. Percy informs us, principally obtained from an ancient MS., much dilapidated, and in many parts carelessly and inaccurately penned. Of the existence of this MS. no person can now doubt, since Ritson himself was at length reduced to the necessity of admitting its being. For the mode in which the pieces taken from this MS. were given to the publick, Dr. Percy has been rated by the critick now named in no measured terms. With his own pen he had supplied the breaches time or accident had wrought in the originals-he had curtailed some parts and expanded others, and had corrected literal or verbal errors in his text, without any previous intimation to the reader. This was the sum and substance" the front of his offending." Grave as these delinquencies might have been in a work exclusively projected for the use of the mere antiquarian, they appear venial when it is considered that the object of the one in question was popular-to imbue the general reader with a taste for olden poesy, to stimulate his curiosity, and direct his mind to congenial enquiries; and by no means intended to satisfy the minutest wish of the Archaiological scholar. How ably he accomplished his views, the work itself is sufficient testimony. Museum has a place. The song, Ah! Chloris, was composed by the Right Honourable Duncan Forbes, Lord President of the Court of Session, about 1710. A number of the ballads published in the Reliques are of dubious origin, being common to Scotland as well as England. The battle of Otterbourne,* Glaskerion, † Child Waters, The Knight and Shepherd's Daughter, Lord Thomas and fair Ellinor,|| The Childe of Elle, and even Sir Cauline,** will all be found traditionally current in Scotland from time immemorial, differing, it is true, somewhat in form, but in substance essentially agreeing with the English versions: the paternity of these, therefore, we shall not now discuss. The following ballads which appeared in the Reliques belong to Scotland: 11. THE JEW'S DAUGHTER. * See Herd's collection. + Glenkindy in Jamieson's collection. ↑ Burd Helen of Jamieson's collection. § In many shapes current in Scotland, one of which is inserted in the present collection. The same is the case with this. Resembles Young Erlinton. ** This romantick ballad exists in Scotland under the title of King Malcolm and Sir Colvine. It has never been printed. There is a copy in Mr. Buchan's MS., above referred to, which begins thus: It describes the combat between Sir Colvine and the "Knight of Elrick's hill," in which the former is victorious, and then concludes Up he has ta'en that bloody hand, Set it before the king; And the morn it was Wodensday, 11. Stated to be given from a MS. copy sent from Scotland. Herd gives this and |