J. F. Campbell Collection > Popular rhymes of Scotland

46 POPULAR RHYMES OF SCOTLAND.
His best dog Help, thus encourag-ed, made a spring" and
seized the deer in time to save its master, who, the story-
runs, immediately set his foot upon its neck and killed it,
that it mig-ht never lead him ag'ain into temptation. In
proof of the story, which the object has generated, behold
the object itself! — the knight on the tomb, with the dog at
his feet.
MUSSELBURGH.
Musselbrogh was a brogh
When Edinbrogh was nane ;
And Musselbrogh 'ill be a brogh,
When Edinbrogh is gane.
This is a pun or quibble. Brogh is a term for a mussel
bed, one of which exists at the mouth of the Esk, and gives
name to the burgh. It is of course undeniable that the
mussel-hrogh of the Esk, depending on natural circumstances
of a permanent character, existed before, and will exist after,
the neighbouring capital.
EDINBURGH.
Edinburgh castle, toime, and tower,
God grant thou sink for sinne,
And that even for the black dinoure
Erie Douglas gat therein.
This emphatic malediction is cited by Hume of Godscroft,
in his History of the House of Douglas, as referring to the
death of William, sixth earl of Douglas, a youth of eighteen,
who, having been inveigled by Chancellor Crichton into the
Castle of Edinburgh, was there basely put to death, anno
1440. The young earl was in the course of being enter-
tained at dinner, when a bull's head was brought in, the
signal of death ; and he was instantly hurried out, subjected
to a mock trial, and beheaded 'in the back court of the
Castle that lieth to the west.' Hume, speaking of this
transaction, says, with becoming indignation, ' It is sui'e
the people did abhorre it — execrating the very place where
it was done, in detestation of the fact — of which the memory
remaineth yet to our dayes in these words.'
FARMS NEAR EDINBURGH.
In Littleeoats a bow o' groats,
In Luckenliouses gvud flesh boats ;