J. F. Campbell Collection > Minstrelsy of the Scottish border > Volume 1

20 :\riNSTRr.LSY or
I saw Raf Coilyear with his thrawin brow,
Crabit John tlie Reif, and auld Cowkilbeis Sow ;
And how the wran cam out of Ailsay,
And Piers Plowman, that moid his workmen few ;
Gret Gowraacmorne, and Fyn Mac Cowl, and how
They s'old be goddis in Ireland, as they say.
Thuir saw J Maltland iipmi anlil hard gray,
Robin Hude, and Gilbert with the quhite hand.
How Hay of Nauchton flew in Madin land.
In this curious verse, the most noted romances, or
popular histories, of the poet's day, seem to be noticed,
The preceding stanza describes the sports of the field :
essay — Raf Coilyear is said to have been printed by Lekprcvik, in
1572 ; but no copy of the etlition is known to exist, and the hero is
forgotten, even by popular tradition.
Jolm the Rc'f, as well as tlie former personage, is mentioned by
Dunbar, in one of his poems, where he styles mean persons,
Kyne ef Rauf Colyard, and Johne the Reif.
They seem to have been robbers ; Lord Hailes conjecturcdJohn the
Reif to be the same with Johnie Armstrong ; but, surely, not with
his usual accuracy ; for the Pulicc of Honour was printed twenty-
eight years before Johnie's execution. John the Reif is mentioned
by Lindesay, in his tragedy of Cardinal Bealoun :
— disagysit, like John the Raif, he geid—
Cowkilbeis Soui is a strange legend in the Bannatyne MSS See
Coinplaytit of Scotland, p. 131.
Ho-ui the wren came out of Ailsay. — The wren, I know not why, is
often celebrated in Scottish song. The testament of the wren is still
sung by the chUdren, beginning.
The wren she lies in care's nest,
Wi' meikle dole and pyne.
This may be a modification of the ballad in the text,
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