monly entitled druidical, and the cairns, or sepulchral piles, within which are usually found urns enclosing ashes. Much doubt necessarily rests upon the history of such monuments, nor is it possible to consider them as exclusively Celtic, or druidical. By much the finest circles of standing stones, excepting Stonehenge, are those of Stenhouse, or Stennis, in the island of Pomona, the principal isle of the Orcades. These, of course, are neither Celtic nor druidical, and we are assured that many circles of the kind occur both in Sweden and Norway.

Note III.

Old Brodick's gothic towers were seen.

From Hastings, late their English Lord,

Douglas had won them by the sword.-St. VI. p. 132. Brodick or Brathwick castle, in the Isle of Arran, is an ancient fortress, near an open road-stead called Brodick bay, and not distant far from a tolerable harbour, closed in by the island of Lamlash. This important place had been assailed a short time before Bruce's arrival in the island. James Lord Douglas, who accompanied Bruce to his retreat in Rachrine, seems, in the spring of 1306, to have tired of his abode there, and set out accordingly, in the phrase of the times, to see what adventure God would send him. Sir Robert Boyd accompanied him, and his knowledge of the localities of Arran appears to have directed his course thither. They landed in the island privately, and appear to have laid in ambush for Sir John Hastings, the English governor of Brodwick, and surprised a considerable supply of arms and provisions, and nearly took the castle itself. Indeed, that they actually did so, has been generally averred by historians, although it does not appear from the narrative of Barbour. On the contrary, it would seem that they took shelter within a fortification of the ancient inhabitants, a rampart called Torr an Schian. When they were joined by Bruce, it seems probable that they had gained Brodick, castle. At least tradition says, that from the battlements of the tower he saw the supposed signal fire on Turnberry-nook.

The castle is now much modernized, but has a dignified appearance, being surrounded by flourishing plantations.

Note IV.

Oft, too, with unaccustomed ears,

A language much unmeet he hears.-St. VII. p. 133. Barbour, with great simplicity, gives an anecdote, from which it would seem that the vice of profane swearing, afterwards too general among the Scottish nation, was, at this time, confined to military men. As Douglas, after Bruce's return to Scotland, was roving about the mountainous country of Tweeddale, near the water of Line, he chanced to hear some persons in a farın house say "the devil." Concluding, from this hardy expression, that the house contained warlike guests, he immediately assailed it, and had the good fortune to make prisoners Thomas Randolph, afterwards the famous Earl of Murray, and Alexander Stuart, Lord Bonkle. Both were then in the English interest, and had come into that country with the purpose of driving out Douglas. They afterwards ranked among Bruce's most zealous adherents.

Note V.

For see! the ruddy signal made,

That Clifford, with his merry-men all,

Guards carelessly our father's hall.-St. IX. p. 135.

The remarkable circumstances by which Bruce was induced lo enter Scotland, under the false idea that a signal-fire was lighted upon the shore near his maternal castle of Turnberry -the disappointment which he met with, and the train of success which arose out of that disappointment, are too curious to be passed over unnoticed. The following is the narrative of Barbour. The introduction is a favourable specimen of his style, which seems to be in some degree the model of that of Gawain Douglas:

This was in ver when winter tide,
With his blasts hideous to bide,
Was overdriven: and birds small,
As turtle, and the nightingale,
Begouth right sariollyt to sing;
And for to make in their singing
Sweet notes, and sounds ser,§
And melodies pleasant to hear.
And trees began to ma

Burgeans, and bright blooms alsua,
To win the helying** of their head,
That wicked winter had them revid,tt
And all grasses began to spring.
Into that time the noble king,
With his fleet and a few mengye,‡‡
Three hundred I trow they might be,
Is to the sea, out of Arane,

A little forouth§§ even gone.

They rowed fast, with all their might,
Till that upon them fell the night,
That wax myrk upon great maner,
So that they wist not where they were.
For they no needle had, na stone;
But rowed always intill one,

Steereing all time upon the fire,

That they saw burning light and schyr.¶¶
It was but auentur*** them led:

And they in short time to them sped,

That at the fire arrived they,

And went to land but more delay."

And Cuthbert, that has seen the fire,
Was full of anger, and of ire;

* Spring. Buds.

† Began.

fore.

Dark.

**Covering †† Bereaved. #Men.
TT Clear. *** Adventure.

Make.

5 Be

For he durst not do it away;
And was also doubling aye
That his lord should pass to sea,
Therefore their coming waited he:
And met them at their ariving.
He was well soon brought to the king,
That speared at him how he had done.
And he with sore heart told him soon,
How that he found none well loving
But all were foes, that he found.
And that the Lord the Persy,

With near three hundred in company,
Was in the castle there beside,
Fullfiled of dispite and pride.

But more than two parts of his rout Were harboured in the town without; "And despite you more sir king, Than men may despite ony thing." Than said the king, in full great ire, "Traitor, why made you the fire?" "A! sir," said he, "so God me see! The fire was never made by me. No, or the night, I wist it not; But fra I wist it, well I thought That ye, and wholly your menzie In hy should put you to the sea. Forth I come to meet you here, To tell perils that may appear." The king was of his speech angry, And asked his priye men, in hy,f What at them thought was best to do. Sir Edward first answered thereto,

His brother that was so hardy,

And said; "I say you sekyrly

There shall no peril, that may be
Drive me eftsoons" to the sea.
Mine adventure here take will I,
Whether it be easeful or angry."
"Brother," he said, "since you will sua,
It is good that we same ta,
Disease or ease, or pain or play.
After as God will us purvay.

"And since men say that the Persy
Mine heritage will occupy;
And his menyie so near us lies,
That us despites many ways;

Go we, and venget some of the dispite."
And that may we have done as tite;§
For they lie traistly, but dreading
Of us, or of our here coming.
And though we sleeping slew them all,
Reproof thereof no man shall.

For warrior no force should ma,
Whether he might ourcome his fa
Through strength, or through subtility;
But that good faith ay holden be."

Note VI.

Now ask you whence that wondrous light,

Whose fairy glow beguiled their sight?

-St. XVII. p. 142.

It ne'er was known The following are the words of an ingenious correspondent, to whom I am obliged for much information respecting Turnberry and its neighbourhood. "The only tradition now remembered of the landing of Robert the Bruce in Carrick, relates to the fire seen by him from the Isle of Arran. It is still generally reported, and religiously believed by many, that this

*Soon after. + Prepare. Avenge. Trustily.

Snatched.