But lay Christie Græme on the sunny side, For I'm sure he wan the victorie." "Alack! a wae!" auld Bewick cried, "Alack! was I not much to blame! I'm sure I've lost the liveliest lad That e'er was born unto my name." "Alack! a wae!" quo' gude Lord Græme, "I'm sure I hae lost the deeper lack! I durst hae ridden the Border through, Had Christie Græme been at my back. "Had I been led through Liddesdale, "I've lost my hopes, I've lost my joy, GRANGE'S BALLAD. BUT for the title, I should have hesitated to include this poem in the series; nevertheless, as it is in sort a ballad, and curious of its kind, I have given it a place. It is the production of a strenuous adherent of Queen Mary, written in 1571, or 1572, when the renowned Sir William Kirkaldy of Grange, returning to the allegiance from which he had been seduced by the artifices of the Regent Murray, held the castle of Edinburgh in name of his lawful sovereign. It is unnecessary to say that the fervid anticipations of the poet were not realised; for Kirkaldy, after having successfully defied the whole force of the Scottish Regency, was at last, after a most obstinate defence against an army sent from England, compelled, through famine and lack of men, to surrender. His capitulation was made, not with Morton, who was then Regent of Scotland, but with the English general; and therefore Kirkaldy was entitled to expect that his life at least should be spared. But Elizabeth was not then in one of her magnanimous moods, if, indeed, she ever gave way to such feminine weakness; and Kirkaldy, whom the Constable Montmorency had styled the first soldier in Europe, was delivered over to the cruel and implacable Morton, his personal enemy, and was, by his orders, hanged upon the gibbet. The ballad was printed in Dalzell's "Scottish Poems of the Sixteenth Century," I presume from a manuscript copy-at least I have not met with it elsewhere. It seems to have been carelessly transcribed-I mean, by the original copyist— and some lines are rather obscure in Dalzell's edition. But no fanciful emendations were required; for, with a little study, I have been able to detect the verbal errors. In the 8th stanza, the word which I have given as "tailliant"-i. e. "holder or defender" is in Dalzell's copy "tailzeoŭr," or tailor, with which gentle craft Kirkaldy would scarcely have claimed brotherhood. In this poem, as in others taken from old manuscripts or accurate reprints, I have modernised the obsolete mode of spelling. A I. T the castell of Edinbruch, Upon the bank baith green and rough, As mine alone I lay, With paper, pen, and ink in hand, Musing, as I could understand I fand our congregation Was cause of all and some; Has blinded them sae lang, II. Thae wicked vain Venerians, Wi' their blind guides but grace, Their prince for to displace. For teen* I cannot testify How wrongously they wrought, * Grief. When they their prince so piteously With serpent wordis fell, Of schavels,* and rebels, Like hideous hounds of hell. III. Thae desperate birds of Belial Frae they had her doun thrawn, Wi' falset and hypocrisie, To commit open traitorie, As clearly now is knawn. But the great God omnipotent That secret thoughts does pierce, Relieved has that innocent Out of their rage sae fierce ; Provided, and guided Her to an uncouth land, Where wander, and slander With enemies nane she fand. IV. Sin' time of which direction, By slight and southron blood; * Rogues. + Ingenuity. By treason under amity, V. This guiding gar'd great grief arise Thy dolours all redress, With help of Christ thou shall, or peace, Thy kindly prince possess. Detrusars, refusers Of her authoritie, None caring, or sparing, Shall either die or flee. VI. "Tho' God, of his just judgment, |