"With hackbut bent,* my secret stand,
Dark as the purposed deed, I chose,
And mark'd, where, mingling in his band,
Troop'd Scottish pikes and English bows.

"Dark Morton, girt with many a spear, Murder's foul minion, led the van;

And clash'd their broad-swords in the rear, The wild Macfarlane's plaided clan.

"Glencairn and stout Parkhead were nigh, "Obsequious at their Regent's rein,

And haggard Lindsay's iron eye,

That saw fair Mary weep in vain.

"Mid pennon'd spears, a steely grove,
Proud Murray's plumage floated high;
Scarce could his trampling charger move,
So close the minions crowded nigh.

*Hackbut bent.-Gun cocked.

"From the raised vizor's shade, his eye,

Dark-rolling, glanced the ranks along,

And his steel truncheon, waved on high,
Seem'd marshalling the iron throng.

"But yet his sadden'd brow confess'd
A passing shade of doubt and awe;
Some fiend was whispering in his breast,
'Beware of injured Bothwellhaugh!'

"The death-shot parts-the charger springsWild rises tumult's startling roar !—

And Murray's plumy helmet rings—

-Rings on the ground, to rise no more.

"What joy the raptured youth can feel, To hear her love the loved one tell,

Or he, who broaches on his steel

The wolf, by whom his infant fell!

"But dearer to my injured eye,

To see in dust proud Murray roll; And mine was ten times trebled joy, To hear him groan his felon soul.

"My Margaret's spectre glided near;
With pride her bleeding victim saw;
And shriek'd in his death-deafen'd ear,
Remember injured Bothwellhaugh!'

"Then speed thee, noble Chatlerault !
Spread to the wind thy banner'd tree!
Each warrior bend his Clydesdale bow !—
Murray is fall'n and Scotland free !"—

Vaults every warrior to his steed;

Loud bugles join their wild acclaim

"Murray is fall'n, and Scotland freed !—

Couch, Arran! couch thy spear of flame !"

But, see the Minstrel vision fails

The glimmering spears are seen no more;

The shouts of war die on the gales,

Or sink in Evan's lonely roar.

For the loud bugle, pealing high,

The blackbird whistles down the vale,

And sunk in ivied ruins lie

The banner'd towers of Evandale.

For chiefs intent on bloody deed,

And vengeance shouting o'er the slain,

Lo! highborn Beauty rules the steed,
Or graceful guides the silken rein.

And long may Peace and Pleasure own The maids, who list the Minstrel's tale;

Nor e'er a ruder guest be known

On the fair banks of Evandale !

NOTES

ON

CADYOW CASTLE.

First of his troop, the Chief rode on.-P. 265. v. 2. The head of the family of Hamilton, at this period, was James, Earl of Arran, Duke of Chatelherault in France, and first peer of the Scottish realm. In 1569, he was appointed by Queen Mary, her lieutenant-general in Scotland, under the singular title of her adopted father.

The Mountain Bull comes thundering on.-P. 266. v. 1. In Caledonia olim frequens erat sylvestris quidam bos, nunc vero rarior, qui colore candidissimo, jubam densam et demissam instar leonis gestat, truculentus ac ferus ab humano genere abhorrens, ut quæcunque homines vel manibus contrectârint, vel halitu perflaverunt, ab iis multos post dies omnino abstinuerint. Ad hoc tanta audacia huic bovi indita erat, ut non solum irritatus equites furenter prosterneret, sed ne tantillum lacessitus omnes promiscue homines cornibus, ac ungulis peterit; ac ca