Glen Collection of printed music > Printed music > Scotish song in two volumes > Volume 1

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thee I would be bleft! Were I with thee
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I would be bleft! Where thou lieft low, and
daughter of the houfe of Kirkonnel; and was beloved by-
two gentlemen at the fame time ; the one vowed to facrifice
the fuccefsful rival to his refentment; and watched an
opportunity while the happy pair were fitting on the banks
of the Kirtle, that wafhes thefe grounds. Ellen perceived
the defperate lover on the oppofite fide, and fondly think-
ing to fave her favorite, interpofed j and receiving the
wound intended for her beloved, fell and expired in his
arms. He inftantly revenged her death j then fled into
Spain, and ferved for fome time againft the infidels : on his
return he vifited the grave of his unfortunate miftrefs,
ftretched himfelf on it, and expiring on the fpot, was in-
terred by her fide. A fword and a crofs are engraven on
the tomb-ftone, with hie jacet Adam Fleming : the only me-
morial of this unhappy gentleman, except an ancient ballad
of no great merit, which records the tragical event:"
*< Which," he adds in a note, " happened either the latter
; end of the reign of James V. or the beginning of that of
Mary." " Tour in Scotland," II. 101.
The MS. account tranfmitted to the editor by a learned
and ingenious gentleman in Scotland, well known in the
literary world, reprefents the lovers " walking" inftead of
" fitting," and takes no notice of Adam's flight into Spain,
and fervice againrl the Infidels, who were, in fact, completely
fubdued many years before the reign of James V. It adds
that, « on the fpot where Helen fell was erected a cairn."
Whether this be the" ancient ballad" alluded to by-
Mr. Pennant is uncertain. Isdeed, from the following