J. F. Campbell Collection > Minstrelsy of the Scottish border

MINSTRELSY OF THE SCOTTISH BORDER.
Quba dois not knaw the Maitland bluid,
The best in all this land ?
In quhilk sumtyme the honour stuid
And worship of Scotland.
Of auld Sir Richard, of that name,
We have bard sing and say;
Of his triumphant nobill fame,
And of bis auld baird gray.
And of his nobill sonnis three,
Quhilk that tyme had no maik ;
Quhilk maid Scotland renounit be.
And all England to quaik.
Qubais liiifing praysis, maid trewlie,
Efter that simjde tyme,
Ar sung in monie far countrie,
Albeit in rural rhyme.
And, gif I dar the truetb declair,
And nane me fleitschour call,
I can to him find a compair.
And till bis barnis all.
It is a curious circumstance that this interesting tale, so often referred to
by ancient authors, should be now recovered in so perfect a state ; and many
readers may be pleased to see the following sensible observations, made by a
person born in Ettrick Forest, in the humble situation of a shepherd : — " I am
surprised to hear that this song is suspected by some to be a modern forgery ;
the contrary will be best jiroved by most of the old people hereabouts having
a great part of it by heart. Many, indeed, are not aware of the manners of
this country : till this present age, the poor illiterate people in these glens
knew of no other entertainment in the long winter nights, than repeating and
listening to the feats of their ancestors recorded in songs, which I believe to
be handed down from father to son for many generations ; although, no doubt,
had a copy been taken at tlie end of every fifty years, there must have been
some difference, occasioned by the gradual change of language. I believe it
is thus that many very ancient songs have been gradually modernised to the
common ear, while, to the connoisseur, they present marks of their genuine
antiquity." — Letter to the editor, from Mr. James Hocjg. To the observations of
my ingenious con-espondent I have nothing to add, but that, in this and a thou-
sand other instances, they accurately coincide with my personal knowledge.
There lived a king in southtrn land,
King Edward higlit his name ;
Unwnrdily he wore the crown,
Till fifty years were gane.
He had a sister's son o's ain,
Was large of blood and bane ;
And afterward, when he came up,
Yomig Edward liight his name.