CANTO THIRD.

NOTE I.

The village Inn.

The accommodations of a Scottish hostelrie, or inn, in the 16th century, may be collected from Dunbar's admirable tale of the "Friars of Berwick." Simon Lauder, "the gay ostleir," seems to have lived very comfortably; and his wife decorated her person with a scarlet kertle, and a belt of silk and silver, and rings upon her fingers: and feasted her paramour with rabbits, capons, partridges, and Bourdeaux wine. At least, if the Scottish inns were not good, it was not from want of encouragement from the legislature, who, so early as the reign of James I., not only enacted, that in all boroughs and fairs there be hostellaries, having stables and chambers, and provision for man and horse, but, by another statute, ordained, that no man travelling on horse or foot, should presume to lodge any where except in these hostellaries; and that no person, save inn-keepers, should receive such travellers, under the penalty of forty shillings for exercising such hospitality. But, in spite of these provident enactments, the Scottish hostels are indifferent, and strangers continue to find reception in the houses of individuals.

NOTE 11.

The death of a dear friend.

Among other omens to which faithful credit is given among the Scottish peasantry, is what is called the "dead bell," explained by my friend, James Hogg, to be that tinkling in the ears which the country people regard as the secret intelligence of some friend's decease.

NOTE III.

The Goblin Hali.

A vaulted hall under the ancient castle of Gifford, or Yester, the construction of which has, from a very remote period, been ascribed to magic. The statistical Account of the Parish of Garvald and Baro, gives the fol. lowing account of the present state of this castle and apartment: "Upon a peninsula, formed by the water of Hopes on the east, and a large rivulet on the west, stands the ancient castle of Yester. Sir David Dalrymple, in his annals, relates, that Hugh Gifford de Yester died in 1267; that in his castle there was a capacious cavern formed by magical art, and called in the country Bo-hall, i. e. Hobgoblin Hall.' A stair of twenty-four steps led down to this apartment, which is a large and spacious hall, with an arched roof; and though it hath stood for so many centuries, and been exposed to the external air for a period of fifty or sixty years, it is still as firm and entire as if it had stood only a few years. From the floor of this hall, another stair of thirty-six steps leads down to a pit which hath a communication with Hopes-water. A great part of the walls of this large and ancient castle are still standing. There is a tradition, that the castle of Yester was the last fortification, in this country, that surrendered to General Gray, sent into Scotland by Protector Somerset."”---Statistical Account, vol. xiii. I have only to add, that in 1737, the Goblin Hall was tenanted by the Marquis of Tweedale's Falconer, as I learn from a poem by Boyse, entitled "Retirement," written upon visiting Yester. It is now rendered inaccessible by the fall of the stair.

NOTE IV.

There floated Haco's banner trim,

Above Norweyah warriors grim.

In 1263, Haco, King of Norway, came into the Firth of Clyde with a powerful armament, and made descent at Largs, in Ayrshire. Here he

was encountered and defeated, on the 2nd October, by Alexander III. Haco retreated to Orkney, where he died soon after this disgrace to his arms. There are still existing, near the place of battle, many barrows, some of which, having been opened, were found, as usual, to contain bones and urns.

NOTE V

Upon his breast a pentacle.

"A pentacle is a piece of fine linen, folded with five corners, according to the five senses, and suitably inscribed with characters. This the magician extends towards the spirits which he evokes, when they are stub. born and rebellious, and refuse to be conformable unto the ceremonies and rites of magic.”

NOTE VI.

As born upon that blessed night,

When yawning graves, and dying groan

Proclaimed hell's empire overthrown.

It is a popular article of faith, that those who are born on Christmas, or Good Friday, have the power of seeing spirits, and even of commanding them. The Spaniards imputed the haggard and downcast looks of their Philip II. to the disagreeable visions to which this privilege subjected him.

NOTE VII.

Yet still the mighty spear and shield,

The elfin warrior doth wield

Upon the brown hill's breast.

The following extract from the Essay upon the Fairy superstitions, in "The Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border," will shew whence many of the particulars of the combat between Alexander III. and the Goblin Knight are derived:

"Gervase of Tilbury (Otia Imperial, ap. Script. rer Brunsvic.) relates the following popular story concerning a fairy knight: Osbert, a bold and powerful baron, visited a noble family in the vicinity of Wandlebury, in the bishopric of Ely. Among other stories related in the social circle of his friends, who, according to custom, amused each other by relating ancient tales and traditions, he was informed, that if any knight, unattended, entered an adjacent plain by moon-light, and challenged an adversary to appear, he would be immediately encountered by a spirit in the form of a knight. Osbert resolved to make the experiment, and set out attended by a single squire, whom he ordered to remain without the limits of the plain, which was surrounded by an ancient entrenchment. On repeating the challenge he was instantly assailed by an adver sary, whom he quickly unhorsed, and seized the reins of his steed. During this operation, his ghostly opponent sprung up, and darting his spear, like a javelin, at Osbert, wounded him in the thigh. Osbert returned in triumph with the horse, which he committed to the care of his servants. The horse was of a sable colour, as well as his whole accoutrements, and apparently of great beauty and vigour. He remained with his keeper till cock-crowing, when, with eyes flashing fire, he reared, spurned the ground, and vanished. On disarming himself, Osbert perceived that he was wounded, and that one of his steel-boots was full of blood. Gervase adds, that as long as he lived, the scar of his wound opened afresh on the anniversary of the eve on which he encountered the spirit.-Less fortunate was the gallant Bohemian knight, who, travelling by night, with a single companion, came in sight of a fairy host, arrayed under displayed banners. Despising the remonstrances of his friend, the knight pricked forward to break a lance with a champion, who advanced from the ranks, apparently in defiance. His companion beheld the Bohemian overthrown, horse and man, by his aerial adversary; and returning to the spot next morning.he found the mangled corpses of the knight and steed."-Hierarchie of Blessed Angels.

Besides the instances of elfin chivalry, above quoted, many othere inight be alleged in support of employing fairy machinery in this manner.

The forest of Glemmore, in the North Highlands, is believed to be haunted by a spirit called Lham-dearg, in the array of an ancient warrior, having a bloody hand, from which he takes his name. He insists upon those with whom he meets doing battle with him; and the clergyman who makes up an account of the district, extant in the Macfarlane MS., in the Advocates' Library, gravely assures us, that, in his time, Lhamdearg fought with three brothers whom he met in his walk, none of whom long survived the ghostly conflict. Barclay, in his "Euphormion," gives a singular account of an officer who had ventured, with his servant, rather to intrude upon a haunted house, in a town in Flanders, than to put up with worse quarters elsewhere. After taking the usual precautions of providing fires, lights, and arms, they watched till midnight, when, behold! the severed arm of a man dropped from the ceiling; this was followed by the legs, the other arm, the trunk, and the head of the body, all separately. The members rolled together, united themselves in the presence of the astonished soldiers, and formed a gigantic warrior, which defied them both to combat. Their blows, although they penetrated the body, and amputated the limbs of their strange antagonist, had, as the reader may easily believe, little effect on an enemy who possessed such powers of self-union; nor did his efforts make more effectual impression upon them. How the combat terminated, I do not exactly remember, and have not the book by me. But I think the spirit made to the intruders on his mansion the usual proposal, that they should renounce their redemption, which being declined, he was obliged to retreat.

The northern champions of old were accustomed peculiarly to search for, and delight in encounters with such military spectres. See a whole chapter on the subject in BARTHOLINUS de Causis contempte Mortis a Danis, p. 253

Notes to Marmion.

CANTO FOURTH.

NOTE I.

Close to the hut, no more his own,

Close to the aid he sought in vain,

The morn may find the stiffened swain.

I cannot help here mentioning, that, on the night on which these lines were written, suggested, as they were, by a sudden fall of snow, begin.. ning after sunset, an unfortunate man perished exactly in the manner here described, and his body was next morning found close to his own house.

NOTE II.
Friar Rush.

This personage is a strolling demon, or esprit follet, who, once upon a time, got admittance into a monastery, as a scullion, and played the monks many pranks. He was also a sort of Robin Goodfellow, and Jack • Lanthorn. It is in allusion to this mischievous demon that Milton's slown speaks,

She war pinched and pulled, she said,
And he by friar's lanthorn led.

NOTE III.
Crichton Castle.

A large, ruinous castle on the banks of the Tyne, about seven mileg

from Edinburgh. It was built at different times and with very different regard to splendour and accommodation. The oldest part of the building is a narrow keep, or tower, such as formed the mansion of a lesser Scottish baron; but so many additions have been made to it, that there is now a large court-yard, surrounded by buildings of different ages. The eastern front of the court is raised above a portico, and decorated with entablatures, bearing anchors. All the stones in this front are cut into diamond facets, the angular projections of which have an uncommonly rich appearance. The inside of this part of the building seems to have contained a gallery of great length and uncommon elegance. Access was given to it by a magnificent stair-case, now quite destroyed. The soffits are ornamented with twining cordage and rosettes; and the whole seems to have been far more splendid than was usual in Scottish castles. The castle belonged originally to the Chancellor, Sir William Crichton, and probably owed to him its first enlargement, as well as its being taken by the Earl of Douglas, who imputed to Crichton's counsels the death of his predecessor, Earl William, beheaded in Edinburgh Castle, with his brother, in 1440. It is said to have been totally demolished on that occasion; but the present state of the ruins shews the contrary. In 1483, it was garrisoned by Lord Crichton, then its proprietor, against King James III., whose displeasure he had incurred by seducing his sister Margaret, in revenge, it is said, for the monarch having dishonoured his bed. From the Crichton family the castle passed to that of the Hephurns, Earl Bothwell; and when the forfeitures of Stewart, the last Earl Bothwell, were divided, the barony and castle of Crichton fell to the share of the Earl of Buccleuch. They were afterwards the property of the Pringles of Clifton, and are now that of Sir John Callandar, Baronet. It were to be wished the proprietor would take a little pains to preserve these splendid remains of antiquity, which are at present used as a fold for sheep, and wintering cattle; although, perhaps, there are very few ruins in Scotland which display so well the style and beauty of ancient castle-architecture. The castle of Crichton has a dungeon vault, called the Massy More. The epithet, which is not uncommonly applied to the prisons of other old castles in Scotland, is of Saracenic origin. It occurs twice in the Epistolæ Itinerariæ" of Tollius: “Carser subterraneus, sive, ut Mâuri appellant, MAZMORRA," p. 147; and again, “ Coguntur omnes Captivi sub noctem in ergustula subterranea, que Turce Algezerani vocant MAZMORRAS," p. 243. The same word applies to the dungeons of the ancient Moorish castles in Spain, and serves to shew from what nation the Gothic style of castle-building was originally derived,

NOTE IV.

Earl Adam Hepburn.

He was the second Earl of Bothwell, and fell in the field of Flodden, where, according to an ancient English poet, he distinguished himself by a furious attempt to retrieve the day :

Then on the Scottish part, right proud,
The Earl of Bothwell then out brast,
And stepping forth with stomach good,
Into the enemies' throng he thrast;
And Bothwell! Bothwell! cried bold,
To cause his souldiers to ensue,
But there he caught a wellcome cold,
The Englishmen straight down him threw.

Flodden Field.

Adam was grandfather to James, Earl of Bothwell, too well known in the history of Queen Mary.

NOTE V.

For that a messenger from heaven,

In vain to James had counsel given
Against the English war.

"The

This story is told by Pitscottie, with characteristic simplicity: king, seeing that France could get no support of him for that time, made

a proclamation full hastily, through all the realm of Scotland, both east and west, south and north, as well in the isles as in the firm land, to all manner of man, betwixt sixty and sixteen years, that they should be ready, within twenty days, to pass with him, with forty days' victual, and to meet at the Burrow-muir of Edinburgh, and there to pass forward where he pleased. His proclamations were hastily obeyed, contrary to the Council of Scotland's will; but every man loved his prince so well, that they would in no wise disobey him; but every man caused make his proclamation so hastily, conform to the charge of the king's proclamation.

"The king came to Lithgow, where he happened to be for the time, at the Council, very sad and dolorous, making his devotion to God, to send him good chance and fortune in his voyage. In this mean time, there came a man, clad in a blue gown, in at the kirk-door, and belted about him in a roll of linen-cloth; a pair of brotikins (1) on his feet, to the great of his legs; with all other hose and clothes conform thereto : but he had nothing on his head, but syde (2) red yellow hair behind, and on his haffets, (3) which wan down to his shoulders; but his forehead was bald and bare. He seemed to be a man of two-and-fifty years, with a great pike-staff in his hand, and came first forward among the lords, crying and speiring (4) for the king, saying he desired to speak with him. While, at the last, he came where the king was sitting in the desk at his prayers; but when he saw the king he made him little reverence or salutation, but leaned down grofling on the desk before him, and said to him in this manner, as after follows: Sir king, my mother hath sent me to you, desiring you not to pass, at this time, where thou art purposed; for if thou does, thou wilt not fare well in thy journey, nor none that passeth with thee. Further, she bade thee mell (5) with no woman, nor use their counsel, nor let them touch thy body, nor thou theirs; for if thou do it, thou wilt be confounded and brought to shame.'

"By this man had spoken thir words unto the king's grace, the evening song was near done, and the king paused on thir words, studying to give him an answer; but in the mean time, before the king's eyes, and in the presence of all the lords that were about him for the time, this man vanished away, and could no ways be seen nor comprehended, but vanished away as he had been a blink of the sun, or a whip of the whirlwind, and could no more be seen. I heard say, Sir David Lindesay, lyonherauld, and John Inglis the marshal, who were at that time young men, and special servants to the king's grace, were standing presently beside the king, who thought to have laid hands on this man, that they might have speired further tidings at him: but all for nought; they could not touch him; for he vanished away betwixt them, and was no more seen."

NOTE VI.

June saw his father's overthrow.

The rebellion against James III. was signalized by the cruel circumstance of his son's presence in the hostile army. When the king saw his own banner displayed against him, and his son in the faction of his enemies, he lost the little courage he ever possessed, fled out of the field, fell from his horse as it started at a woman and water pitcher, and was slain, it is not well understood by whom. James IV., after the battle, passed to Stirling, and hearing the monks of the chapel royal deploring the death of his father, their founder, he was seized with deep remorse, which manifested itself in severe penances.

NOTE VII.

-in proud Scotland's royal shield The ruddy Lion ramp'd in gold.

The well-known arms of Scotland. If you will believe Boethius and Buchanan, the double tressure round the shield, counter fleur-de-lised, or lingued and armed azure, was first assumed by Achaius, King of Scotland, contemporary of Charlemagne, and founder of the celebrated league with France; but later antiquaries make poor Eochy, or Achy. (1) Buskins. (3) Cheeks. (4) Asking. (5) Meddie.

12) Long.