^sttft ! ^ NEWBEGIN'SBOOK:SHOP ;OHN';«NEWBEGIN NEW" OLD "fe RAKE BOOKS PuivATB PnESS Items 6 Choice Sets 158 &>sl Strtel Son Trancisco, California SONGS FROM DAVID HERD'S :v'IAKU5CRIPTS Edited with Introduction and Notes by IL-iNS KECHT, Dr. Pail. 1904. David Herd (1732-1810) published his collection of ancient & mo- dern Scottish songs, heroic bal- lads, etc. 1769, of which Sir "'alter Scott said: "the first clas- sical collection of Scottish sont^s This present e^^ition is basea on the ,..SS. themselves v/hich are in tne British Museum, has the Pa ton -Percy correspondence, nunierou. biclio^rapnical ^ other notes. Henley & Henderson in the Centena- ry Edition of Burn's poetical V.ori:s state that Burns had access to the "'SS. in supplying him with the be- rinnings of over twenty songs. The sonfe material is here re-printed. The edition was limited to 7^-0 on pies. SONGS FROM HERD'S MANUSCRIPTS Ibis Edition consists of 7^0 copies printed on antique laid, deckle-edge paper for sale. And 100 copies printed on Arnold's unbleached hand-made paper, each numbered and signed. Printed by Ballantyne, Hanson &''Co, At the Ballantyne Press from i) Manusci uuith InLroducUon and Notes hy Hams Hecht, Dr. phii EDINBURGH Publisheci by William J. Hay John Knox.s House London .bAMPSONLow.MftRSTON&C" Limited. MCMIV. TO Professor W. P. KER IS RESPECTFULLY 'DEDICATED BY THE EDITOR r> 80568 " A\^ie gehet's doch zn, dass wir in camalibm so manch fein Poenia und so manch schon Carmen haben, und in spiritualibus da haben wir so faul kalt Ding?" — Martin Luther's Tischreden. PREFACE An inquiry into the antiquarian movement of the second half of the eighteenth century would un- questionably be of fundamental importance for the literary history of that period. Considering the intrinsic importance of the subject, it is surprising that so little has been done in this respect. The most vivid light is thrown upon the social and literary aspects of the time by many manuscript collections and letters, which have never been published or even adequately catalogued. The old life — and it was an exceptionally vigorous and spirited life — lives again in their pages, but they remain neglected and almost unknown. David Laing's collections form at present an unsurveyable chaos ; of George Paton's extensive correspondence comparatively few specimens have been published by the literary epicure James Maidment ; and important collections of Thomas Percy's letters — e.g. those exchanged with William Shenstone — remain unused in the Manuscript De- partment of the British Museum. I refrain from enlarging upon the unpleasant viii PREFACE causes of this neglect, the more so as in the follow- ing pages I contribute but little towards the remedy. For I am far from overrating the importance of the present subject. I do not agree with the statement that "Herd did for Scottish Song what Bishop Percy had done for English ballads." ^ The honour of having revived English and Scottish popular poetry remains for ever and unreservedly with Thomas Percy, Robert Burns, and Walter Scott, whose knowledge and art lent adequate expression to the vivid emotions of the time. It is, however, both just and, from a historical point of view, necessary to consider the share due to their col- laborators, and as a collaborator David Herd for one has deserved ample praise. The value of David Herd's collections of songs and ballads has neveif been contested. Their com- prehensiveness and apparent accuracy of reproduc- tion secure them a distinguished place among the many publicatfons of a similar kind. To the student of Scottish songs prior to Burns they are indispen- sable. «wBut thp ol^«ginal editions, as well as Sidney Gilpin's reprint of 1870, have become bibliographical rarities. The GlasgOAV reprinfof 1869 may perhaps be more easily accessible. Yet both reprints lack satisfactory statements as to the history of the par- ticular songs, as well as any reference to the tunes ' Chambers's Cyclopcedia of Ewjlish Literature, new edition, vol. II, p. 797. PREFACE ix they are set to — a deficiency already complained of by Thomas Percy after the publication of the first edition, and never remedied in spite of the promise given in the advertisement of that edition. It has been my special care to satisfy this demand on the basis of modern research. \^ On the other hand, a great and important part of the entire material had to be excluded from this selection : Professor Child's comprehensive work made a reprint of the ballads unnecessary. That- distinguished scholar was the first to go back to the Herd MSS., where he found a great many of his most valuable versions. From this it seemed probable that in respect of songs similar discoveries could be made in the same volumes. And the sup- position was amply confirmed by the notes in Henley and Henderson's Centenary Edition of Burns's poetical works, from which I may be allowed to quote the following passage: "As regards unpublished material, we might speak in no measured terms of the Herd MS. (British Museum) — given by Herd to Archibald Constable — which has hitherto escaped the notice of Burns's Editors ; which includes all the songs, ballads, and scraps that David Herd — the most in- defatigable and the most conscientious of the old Scots collectors — had picked together; and which distinguishes between numbers unprinted and numbers printed in Herd's own 1769' and 1776 Editions, or elsewhere. Burns may, of course, have X PREFACE had other knowledge of some of the matter here sequestered; but that he had access to the MS. while it was in Herd's hands — (the probability is that it was submitted to him in the autumn of 1787) — and made large use of it in connexion with the Museum is (as we think) made abundantly clear in our Notes. It -supplied him with the beginnings of over twenty -songs : some set down hitherto as wholly his own, and a few vaguely described as ' old,' while the rest have been riddled with speculations or assertions more or less unwarrantable and erroneous." (Vol. Ill, pp. 296-97.) This confirmed me in my plan of basing the present edition on the MSS. themselves, and of reprinting the whole song-material contained in them, including, of course, several pieces given in the notes to the Centenary Edition. That some pieces might be found offensive could not pre- judice the selection. On their worth or worth- lessness we are free to entertain any opinion, but in dealing with popular poetiy drawing-room con- siderations must not be allowed to interfere. A chapter of itself could be written on the destructive influence of "cleansing," i.e. spoiling of old texts. Nor could seemingly insignificant fragments be ex- cluded, since they were the only remnants of old texts still to be found in Herd's days. In this manner the number of fragments has considerably increased in comparison with the original editions. PREFACE xi None of those pieces which Herd took over into his printed editions firom the " various MiscelLanies, wherein they formerly lay dispersed" have been here reprinted, especially as, with very few excep- tions, they do not occur in his M55. I hare like- wise dispensed with a reprint of the ballad-iantatiams, although they occur in the MSS. It i% in £att, on the remainder — still of no small c om p ass — that the real merit of Herd's coDectiaai rests. As Bams regarded them with delight and brought tfaem into &esh blossom by his incomparable art, so they still attract us through that pecidiar saroor of the soil and that spell of imperishable youth, which disttngnishes them from the quickly fading prodncts ci artificial poetry. I hope the complete r e a rram^memi of the material will prove acceptable, although the mixed style of the songs did not admit of absfdntely strict limits being assigned to the different gronps. The footnotei, chiefly illiKtzating Boms's arrange- ments of the texts for Johnson's ^^^r^T*/ Musemm, rasLj be of Interest to some, particnlariy as they claim for Bums verses which hare not yet been assigned to him. I gratefully acknowledge my obbgaticms to the officials of the British Museum, Lond MSS. 29, 5, 8, and 29, 3, 8. ^ These collections will be quoted as Letters, 1829, and Letters, 1830. 8 INTRODUCTION gretted that this accomplished editor has found no successors, and perhaps Paton's unselfish and far- reaching exertions would have been forgotten, had not the prefaces of many such widely-read works as Pennant's To2ir and Grose's Antiquities of Scotland made grateful acknowledgment of his faithful and untiring assistance. In the obituary notice in the Gentleman's Magazine ^ the value of his assistance in Richard Cough's many-sided literary undertak- ings receives just recognition. Paton died on March 6th, 1807, at the age of eighty-seven, and was interred three days later in Greyfriars' Church- yard. For him also the words would have been appropriate which friends inscribed on a memorial tablet for David Herd : " Not solicitous to shine, nor anxious to become rich, he lost few friends and made few enemies." II EXTRACTS FROM PATON'S CORRESPOND- ENCE WITH THOMAS PERCY REFER- RING TO DAVID HERD'S COLLECTION As to Paton's relations to Herd, the first question which presents itself is, whether he contributed to Herd's collection of songs and ballads, and if so, to what extent. The presumption that we are indebted 1 For 1807, p. 977. THE PATON-PERCY CORRESPONDENCE 9 to Paton for part, if not for most of the materials combined in the edition of 1769 is occasionally met Avith in earlier writings, e.g. in the Letter.^, 1829, and even in the Dictionary of National Biography. This presumption is based upon certain sentences in a letter from Thomas Percy, which originated in a misunderstanding easily enough accounted for. The fact of Paton's having had any part in the production of Herd's volume has been recently dis- puted,^ but without any definite proof to the con- trary having been produced. Below we give the letter in question with Paton's answer, which is now printed for the first time.^ Paton, however, in any case must always be asso- ciated with Herd's collection, as it was through him the attention of the celebrated editor of the Reficpies, as in later years that of Ritson and Chalmers, was attracted to it. Herd himself, moved by nothing so little as by literary ambition, would not have stirred a finger in the matter. The details appear from the letters exchanged between Paton and Percy, which will be given in the following pages, in so far as they have any bear- ing upon Herd's collection. They form at the same time the first chapter in the history of Herd's MSS., of which more will be said later on. Most of Percy's letters to Paton were published by Maid- ment in the Letters, 1830. The complemental 1 Cp. the introductory note in the Glasgow reprint (1869). 2 See Letter 2. 10 INTRODUCTION letters of Paton to Percy are preserved in the British Museum (MS. Add. 32, 332). The correspondence between Percy and Paton began in March 1768. Percy was then collecting materials for a third edition of the Reliques and applied^ like many others, to the learned and always obliging antiquary in the Edinburgh excise-office. His expectations were not disappointed. Paton was untiring in his efforts to satisfy every wish of his famous correspondent. Books and catalogues pass to and fro ; purchases are negotiated ; every novelty is to be laid before him, and so Paton also forwards to him the Ancient and Modern Scots Songs, Heroic Ballads, ^'C, immediately after they had appeared in January 1769- Percy gratefully acknowledged the receipt. 1 . Percy to Paton. Northumberland House, Feb. 9. 1769.1 " Sir, I owe you my best thanks, both for the obliging favour of your letter, and the very kind and valu- able present of your book — which is a very desir- able addition to my collection of ancient songs and poems. I hope it will meet with all the encouragement its merit deserves, so that you will soon be excited to give us another volume of 1 Letters, 1830, pp. 9-12. THE PATON-PERCY CORRESPONDENCE 11 the same kind. I am very glad, in particular, that you insert so many beautiful fragments of old Scots ballads, because it will probably be a means of procuring the other stanzas to complete them : for no readers of taste that see your collec- tion, but will be desirous of furnishing you with the other parts, if they should hear of their being preserved in private hands ; and thus your publi- cation of an imperfect fragment will operate like an advertisement to procure you the remainder. P.S. — I could wish you had accompanied your Old Songs with a few historical or topographical notes : though I think you are so kind as to promise us something of this sort at the end of your next volume.^ But I should think the notes of each volume had better have been printed at ^ This refers to the Advertisement (pp. ix. and x.) of the 1769 edition. It is sufficiently interesting to be reprinted here. " Although this volume contains all the old Scottish songs that could be had in any measure complete, the Publishers have still remaining in their custody imperfect copies and detached pieces of a great many more; such of these as can be compleated from more perfect copies, and such other old songs as can by any means be obtained — together with several modern songs, by celebrated authors, to the old Scottish tunes, are intended for a subsequent volume ; in which it is proposed to insert notes and remarks upon several of the old songs and ballads, together with an ample Glossary for the whole, which could not be contained at the end of this volume. "All the lovers of this subject, into whose hands the following collection may come, if possessed of any Scots 1-2 INTRODUCTION the end of the several volumes they belong to : this, however, may be so contrived as to be done yet ; it is but making your printer take care to give the notes of each volume on separate half- sheets, and then the binder may place them at the end of the volumes they respectively belong to. Your notes should be of four kinds (besides a general glossary to explain all the unusual words and phrases). 1. To mention (where it can be done) the authors of the several songs or ballads, or at least their antiquity, or any tradition concerning them. 2. To explain the history or story referred to in some of the historical ballads, where necessary. 3. To inform us in South Britain, where the particular scene or place lies, that is mentioned in some of the pastoral songs : as, for instance, in the old sonnet intitled The Broom of Cowdiknows,^ it vvoukl be satisfactory to all curious readers to be inforiTied that Coivdiknows is the name of a very beautiful green hill that rises near the ancient Abbey of Melrose, not far from the banks of the Tweed, in such a shire, &c., &c. 4. Miscellaneous, either explanatory or digressive : particularly to illustrate any allusions to the old songs of merit, not here found, are therefore earnestly entreated to favour the publishers, by transmitting a copy, under cover, addressed To Mess. Martin d- Wotherspoon, Printers in Edinburgh." 1 Songs W p. 17; (2) i. p. 181. THE PATON-PERCY CORRESPONDENCE 13 manners, customs, opinions, or idioms of the ancient Scotch nation : These are now wearing out so fast, that, if not preserved in such publications as these, they will be utterly unknown to posterity." 2. Paton to Percy. " Rever" Sir, You did me more honour than entitled to by reckoning me as the publisher of the volume of songs sent you. I never knew any thing of the work, till it was to be ushered into the world, and then used the freedom of transmitting a copy to you, as I shall be always ready to hand you any thing that may be anyhow connected with your perform- ance, which does exceed all of the kind the Nation has been obUged with. Mr. Burt 1 the publisher, I am a stranger to, but an acquaintance of his being with me when I re- ceived your letter, he ^ beg'd a sight of your most judicious remarks and improvments, which are to be observed in the second volume, for which he is making collections ; for your observations he exprest particular thanks and would be singularly obliged for any more, as your convenience will permit. I have no inclination, nor will the attention to the duty in the business of the revenue permit me ^ The publishers were Martin & Wotherspoon. - This, of course, was David Herd. 14 INTRODUCTION to be concerned much in any publications any further than by a transient amusement after the fatigues of the office. Your most obedient humble servant, G. Paton." Custom house, Edinburgh, 10th June, 1769. 3. Percy to Paton. Alnwick Castle, July 15. 1769.^ " I should be glad if you would send me another copy of the Volume of So7tgs you lately obliged me with ; they are for a friend, for whom I will transmit the price as you shall direct, or rather I will desire my friend, Dr. Blair, to repay you. I should be glad if they could be sent to me here, or left (directed for me at Alnwick Castle) at Mrs. Parker's, at the Post-Office in Newcastle. I am, &c. P.S. — I am very glad that a second volume of the Old Songs is intended." 1 Letters, 1830, p. 13. THE PATON-PERCY CORRESPONDENCE 15 4. The Same to the Same.^ Alnwick Castle, Awj. 18. 1769. " Dear Sir, I rec^ very safe the volume of Scottish Songs, which you were so good as to send me & am ex- tremely obliged to you for the same, but am very much ashamed to trespass so much upon your good nature, as I have done on this and former accounts. I shall be extremely glad to see the 2"'i volume of Scottish Songs, when published, and beg you will purchase two copies for me, but not unless you let me repay you for this & your former disbursements : I am with great truth Dear Sir Your most obedient tSc obliged servant Tho. Percy." 5. Paton to Perct/. December 9. 1769. . . . " The second volume of the Scots Songs &c. will not be sent to the press till the spring, but how soon it is published I will embrace the oppor- tunity of transmitting the copies to you." . . . The publication however was put off, and Faton lost no time in acquainting Percy of the fact. ^ Here published for tlie first time. 16 INTRODUCTION 6. The Same to the Same. Custom house, Edinburgh, May 14. 1770. " I am sorry it is not in my power to acquaint you when the second volumes (!) of the Songs will be published as the gentleman who collects them had not last winter procured a sufficient quantity, and the promise of more being so great, he procrastinated the exhibition of a second volume for a longer time than at first he intended : but you may depend on't, how soon it appears I shall immediately for^vard it to you. I am, Rev^ Sir, Your most obedient and obliged humble servant G. Patox." After an interval of more than two years the correspondence turns again upon the subject. Ap- parently some letters have not been preserved. Paton, perhaps authorised by John Wotherspoon, the printer and collaborator of Herd, seems now to have drawn Percy's attention to Herd's MS. collec- tion. Would the learned doctor favour the collector and the editors with a perusal of the MS. and his opinion about the value of the songs, ballads and various fragments contained in it } And could he perhaps be prevailed upon to furnish additional THE PATON- PERCY CORRESPONDENCE 17 stanzas and notes explanatory and descriptive after the manner of the Reliques ? In short, would Thomas Percy lend them any assistance in the editorial work on their forthcoming new volume ? 7. Percy to Paton. October 27. 1772. ^ " If the publisher of the Collection of Scots Songs would send up by some safe hand his collection for the second volume for my inspection and perusal, I will see what can be done, — let them be forwarded to me at Northumberland House." . . . 8. The Smne to the Same. Jan. 9. 1773.2 ..." Whenever you have a convenient oppor- tunity to forward the collection of Scottish Songs to me, I shall be extremely glad to see them : but would not have you give yourself too much trouble as to the time when. ... It will be sufficient if the Songs, or anything which you may have to send me, come along with that MS." . . .3 1 Letters, 1830, p. 17. - Ibid., p. 20. 3 The Bannatyne MS. 18 INTRODUCTION 9. Paton to Percy. 23}-d August, 1773. . . ."I forgot to . . . get the 2^. volume of the Scots Songs, but if you remain any time at Alnwick Castle I will endeavour to procure its transmission, that you may look it over ; the collector will be fond of your opinion." . . . However there was further delay, mainly on account of David Herd's dissatisfaction with the re- sult of his endeavours to procure new material. 10. Paton to Perctf. Sept. 7th, 1773. ..." Having seen the collector of the Scots Songs last day, he declined sending you the materials for a second volume, as these already inserted in the volume have too much of novelty, very imperfect &c., that he wou'd seem to have dropt his intention of publishing any more at this time, unless his suc- cess is more engaging afterwards in picking up materials." . . . 1 1 . The Same to the Same. Sept. Wth, 1773. ..." I will [this winter] endeavour to procure the volume of the Scots Sofigs as it is, and to be put into your hands, till then delay writing any further on the subject." THE PATON-PERCY CORRESPONDENCE 19 12. Percy to Paton. Sept. 19. 1773.1 ..." I should be very glad to peruse the second volume of Scots Songs, in MS. — but the transmission to this place is so uncertain by the waggon^ which I apprehend does not come through this town,- that I am afraid to let you hazard it. If you thought you could venture it to London, I would look it over at my leisure, and return it towards spring, or when I send back the ancient MS." . . .^ A similar note followed on October 23rd, 177 3,'^ but the MS. was apparently not yet thought fit for being inspected by Percy, who after the lapse of nine months reminded Paton of his promise. ^ 13. Paton to Percy. July 26th, 1774. . . . "I believe the publication of the Scots Songs is delayed for some time, as one of the Company- printers has been in England for some months past. How soon I can obtain the perusal of the second volume, being the MSS. of them, will insist on its having a conveyance to your place." . . . 1 Letters, 1830, p. 27. - Alnwick. ' The Bannatyne MS. * Letters, 1830, p. 31. ^ n>id., p. 42, dated Alnwick Castle, Julj 21, 1774. 20 INTRODUCTION 14. The Same to the Same. Aug. 8th, 1774. ..." I have never had an opportunity of meeting the collector of the Scots Songs hitherto, but expect it soon, from whom hope to get you a sight of what is so far collected and sent up to Alnwick, if he will consent me this favour, which I value doing him a singular service, that you have the perusal of it." . . . Immediately afterwards Paton's endeavours to get hold of the MS. were successful, and the long wished for collection could be forwarded. Percy lost no time in running through the MS. volume and in expressing his opinion about its contents. 15. Percy to Paton. Alnwick Castle, Aug. 22. 1774.^ " Dear Sir, My parcel, containing the books you were so good as to secure for me out of Mr Bell's sale, and also the MS. Collection of Songs, came safe. I am ti'uly grateful for the trouble you are so good as to give yourself, on this and all other occasions, to oblige me. I have looked over the MS. Collection of Scottish Songs, and find most of them are fragments too mutilated and imperfect to afford much pleasure 1 Letters, 1830, pp. 46-48. THE PATON-PERCY CORRESPONDENCE 21 to a reader in their present state ; and find most of them contain charming hints, which might give occasion to very beautiful songs, if supplied and filled up, in the manner that old broken fragments of antique statues have been repaired and compleated by modern masters. I think I could fill up the breaches of some of them myself; and, by waiting a little, one might possibly recover more perfect copies of some of the others. In the meantime, it would be a pity to delay the publication of the 2d vol. of Scottish Songs till these discoveries are made. I Avish you would persuade the editor to collect all that are tolerably perfect, in this or any other col- lection : I would furnish him myself with a good number of old Scots songs and poems, all perfect and compleat, which have never yet been printed, and which I myself transcribed from an old manu- script at Cambridge, which was compiled by old Sir Richard Maitland, ancestor of the Earls of Lauderdale ; and many others might be transcribed by himself from Bannatyne's MS. when I return it ; all these would easily fill a 2d volume forthwith. As, in three or four years, I intend to publish a volume or two more of old English and Scottish poems, in the manner of my Reliques oj Ancient English Poetry, I shall then insert some of these fragments, if the editor will give me leave to tran- scribe and fill up the deficiences of some of them in the manner I attempted before ; and from my book he may reprint such of them as suit his subject and 22 INTRODUCTION plan in his 3d volume, in like manner as he did in his first volume. Let me know what he thinks of this proposal, and write as soon as possible ; because, till I hear from you, I shall not presume to touch one of them. I am &c. P.S. As I make these things only the amuse- ments of my most idle and leisure moments, it will require time to compleat such fragments." 16. Paton to Percy. Aug. 29«A, 1774, enclosing a letter by John Wothcrsiwon to Paton. " I would have answered your kind favours of 22'^ current, had I been favoured with a proper answer earlier, it having only come to my hand this day, so use the freedom of inclosing same. Mr Herd,^ the collector of these songs, has given it to the printer, Mr Wotherspoon, and both give you the indulgence requested ; when convenient or if agreeable your sentiments shall be communicated in the same way." . . . This is Wotherspoon' s letter : « Sir, My friend, Mr Herd, obliged me with a sight of Dr Percy's letter to you respecting the Scottish 1 The first time that Herd's name is mentioned in the correspondence. THE PATON-PERCY CORRESPONDENCE 23 Songs &c., which I now return. — Be pleased to in- form that gentleman, that we chearfully consent to his making the use he proposes of our MS. vol. by extracting such fragments as he thinks proper to adopt into his plan. These mutilated antiques thus perfected and restored by Dr Percy, will give us a pleasure resembling that which we should feel from beholding the injuries of time on a statue of Phidias or Polycletus repaired by the hand of Buonarruoti [sic]. With equal frankness we will accept the offer the Dr is so good as to make us of extracts from Maitland's MS. and would be obliged to him for pointing out, what he most approves in Bannatyne's. We would be happy to receive and to follow any hints which Dr Percy would suggest for the im- provement of our plan, and proud of the liberty to acknowledge in our preface the honour of his assistance. The publication of our 2'f vol. will necessarily be delayed some time. The first being out of print, we propose to begin by reprinting that with more per- fect versions of some of the songs, expunging some of the most imperfect fragments, revising the ortho- graphy throughout, and annexing a glossary ; in the meantime the 2'.' vol. will be preparing for the press in the same manner. We are grateful to Dr Percy for his permission to avail ourselves of his intended addition to the Re- liques, in case we should think of publishing a 3'! volume of Scots Songs, we are particularly obliged 24 INTRODUCTION to you for the trouble you have taken in this matter. — I am Sir Your most h**}* Serv* J. WoTHERSPOON." Edin^ 29 Auf/. 1774. 17. Percy to Paton. Sept. 16. 1774.1 ..." I beg you will present my compliments to Mr Wotherspoon. . . . He does me great honour in referring to my slight publications, and I shall be very glad to purchase his book when published. I will transmit the Songs when I return to the South." . . . 18. Paton to Percy. Sept. 2ith, nU. " Mr Witherspoon [sic] expresses his thanks for the notice taken of his sentiments, seems to be uncertain when the collection will be finished, but shall take care of providing you with a copy when printed. You may carry the MSS. volume of the Songs south to peruse at your leisure." . . . The doctor did accordingly, and kept the MS. over the winter without ever touching any of the 1 Letters, 1830, pp. 49-50. THE PATON-PERCY CORRESPONDENCE 25 pieces. Spring came, and his Edinburgh friends were naturally desirous to hear what use he had made of the materials entrusted to him. 19. Patau to Percy. March 25th, 1775. ... "I take the liberty by a friend passing to London of informing you, that the collector of the Scots Songs &c., sent you last winter, is desirous to have your sentiments of the volume ; your opinion of them, with advice how to arrange and what remarks may be necessary, will be most acceptable, as he has some thoughts during this present vaca- tion to set about reprinting the former volume, which is entirely sold off and out of print, to which he would incline the addition of this second collection and make another volume. I have reason to believe some discoveries have been made of similar reliques, of which hope soon to be qualified to acquaint you particularly, when a copy of these can be procured." . . . 20. The Same to the Same. July 2\st, 1775. " I beg leave to inform you that Mr Wotherspoon, the printer and assistant collector of the Scots Songs 26 INTRODUCTION applied to me t'other day soliciting your favourable return of the MSS. volume of Songs sent you last year, when he would be most singularly obliged for the communications of Sir Richa[r'\d Maitland's Scots Songs or any others you will be kind enough as ornament the intended publication with, as the editors seem now resolved to begin and print off an impression of these poetical pieces this autumn during the recess of our law-court." A still more urgent letter by Wotherspoon followed six days later. 21. John Wotherspoon to Percy. " Rev» Sir, It is now a twelvemonth since the MS. vol. of Scots Songs were put into your hands by Mr Paton, and so long has their publication been postponed on that account. As it is intended to publish both volumes forthwith, it will be obliging to return the MS. vol. either to me or to Mr Paton. If Dr Percy has completed any of the fragments in the manner he proposed, we should be happy to insert, with his leave, these supplements in our publication ; and we beg leave respectfully to re- mind him of the promise he was so good as make us with regard to Sir RicM Maitland's MS. Songs &c. And any hints or directions the Dr THE PATON-PERCY CORRESPONDENCE 27 may be pleased to communicate with respect to this pubhcation will be received with grateful de- ference by Rev!' Sir your most h^'® Serv* J. WoTHERSPOON. Edin. 27. July, 1775. P.S. A letter or parcel directed to me, printer, here, will come safe — otherwise it may come thro' the hands of Mr Paton." Dr Percy had not completed any of the frag- ments, there were no suggestions as to extracts from the Maitland MS., and no hints or directions we know of. Herd's MS. however had been forwarded before Wotherspoon's somewhat outspoken letter could have reached him. On July 28th he lets Paton know that he has sent away, carriage-paid, this day, by the Edinburgh waggon, the volume of MS. Songs sent last year. And this is what remains of all his promises :..."! will send you . . . some of the poems from Maitland, when I have had leisure to consider them, which I have not had once since I received your last MS. Collection of Songs, and only glanced my eye cursorily over that volume, which I have now returned, without having had time (from my other avocations,) to make the least use of the contents. I hope now, in the course of next winter, to prepare a 4th volume of Reliques for the press ; and when I have selected some of 28 INTRODUCTION Maitland's poems for my own work, I shall see what I can spare for your friend's publication." ^ One is for once sorry, that neither a Ritson nor a Pinkerton, but only good-natured George Paton answered the condescending impudence of this letter. 22. Paton to Percy. Aug. 1th, 1775. ..." Your benevolent attention to the proposed plan of reprinting the Scots Songs with the generous hopes of gaining such a treasure of Maitland's share from you, gives the publisher spirit, who desires me to present his most thankful acknowledgements of gratitude." . . . The Maitland poems never came, the doctor found no time to get up a fourth volume of his Reliques, and now, in March 1776, we hear that the new edition of Herd's collection was at last printing. It appeared in May, and the fact was duly communicated to Percy together with the news that " Wotherspoon, the publisher, died immediately after the publication, to which he had added a hasty glossary." ^ This note is not 1 Letters, 1830, pp. 56-57. - Letter to Percy, dated May 15th, 1776. John Wother- spoon died on May 3rd, and was buried in Greyfriars' Churchyard. THE PATON-PERCY CORRESPONDENCE 29 without importance, since it shows how little interest Herd himself took in the publication of the volumes. He collected carefully and tran- scribed carefully, but could not be bothered with editorial cares. In the course of the following year (1777) Percy makes occasional inquiries about the Songs, a copy of which had been laid aside for him. He is told that the sale of the book since Wotherspoon's death proved larger than was ex- pected.^ In August he acknowledges the receipt of the volumes for which he had promised so much and done so little. - There is, however, very little reason to regret, that he had found no time to perfect and restore the " mutilated antiques." A greater master than he was to try his hand at them. Ten years after the publication of the Aiicient and Modern Scottish Songs, Robert Burns entered the Scottish capital. James Johnson's Mtisical Mmeum began to appear, and in it the old songs and fragments revived once more, never to die again. The spirit of genius had touched them. 1 Letter to Percy, February 25th, 1776. 2 Letters, 18^0, pp. 62-63, 68, m. 30 INTRODUCTION III DAVID HERD^S LIFE AND PERSONALITY The part George Paton took in the literary life of his time, was, as we have tried to show, a limited, but by no means an unimportant one. His name and the traces of his labours are accordingly met with often enough, and his correspondence shows his various connections in Scotland and England. It is not quite so easy to get hold of the personality of his friend David Herd. He never entered the Society of Antiquaries,^ perhaps because men of the qualities of Lord Buchan did not suit his taste — one of the few personal utterances in his letters is aimed at this insignificant, good-natured dilet- tante - — but more probably because he did not appreciate mixing with a set of people who be- longed mostly to a social class higher than his own. Besides, he cherished no literary ambitions whatever. Not a single line was ever published under his full name.'^ He shunned publicity, and ^ Only one donation by him is booked in Smellie's Account, vol. i. p. 71. (Nov. 6th, 1781 : By Mr. David Herd, writer. A copy of Hugo Grotius de Jure Belli et Pacis, cum notis variorum, handsomely printed in 8vo, at Amster- dam, 1712, and an old Scots unprinted ballad.) 2 Letters, 1829, pp. 13-14. ^ Henderson's statement in Scottish Vernacular Literature, p. 339, that the second edition of the Scots Songs was DAVID HERD 31 his long life Howed peacefully on, unmarked by any stirring events, his days spent in the office, and his evenings, we may assume, among congenial souls in the Iioivffs of the Cape Club, or in John Dowie's famous inn in Libberton's Wynd. David Herd came from the Mearns district of Scot- land. He was born in the little village of Marykirk in south-west Kincardineshire, the same shire from which Burns's father migrated to better his fortune elsewhere. His father, John Herd, was a farmer, — his mother's name was Marget Low, and they were married, according to the church registers of Mary- kirk, in 1730.1 "Nov. 14r. 1730: The qch day were contracted in order to Marriage, Jon Hird and Margt. Lotv, both in this parioch. Caurs for the pledges. Da. Hird, Cautioners in Balmakelly, for the Bridgroom, & William Low, in Denside, for the Bride.- Married on Dec. 29th." Their son was baptized on October 23rd, 1732: " This day was baptised David Hird, lawll. son to John Hird and Marget Low, in Balmakelly, before these witnesses, David & William Herd, both in Balma- kelly." published " with his name attached " is a mistake, repro- duced in the new edition of Chambers's Cyclopedia of English Literature, ii. p. 797. 1 We owe these extracts to a casual find of Andrew Jervise. See his Epitaphs and Inscriptions from Burial Grounds and Old Buildings in the North East of Scotland, dc, Edin- burgh, 1875, vol. i. p. 136. - On pledges deposited after a betrothal before the minister see Jervise, 1. c, p. 178. 32 INTRODUCTION In December 1751 his mother died. Jervise has deciphered the inscription on her gravestone : " Here lyes Marget Lotv, spouse of John Herd, sometime tennent in Muirtoun of Be[nholr^, who died 14th Dec. 1751, aged 60 years: A loving and a virtueous wife she was, That few or none could her surpass.'' Nothing more is known about John Herd the father, who probably moved from the parish. Neither do we know anything about the educa- tion and early fortunes of young David. Like many of the most gifted of his contemporaries, he exchanged the country for the capital, and so we find him at the beginning of the sixties as clerk to David Russell, an Edinburgh accountant. With this modest position he was satisfied. He enjoyed the full confidence of his principal,^ carried on occasional business transactions for himself, under- took book-revising and copying, and saved money and time enough to be able to indulge in his literary and antiquarian propensities. Like Jonathan Oldbuck, of friendly memory, he was a bachelor and a misogynist, which fact, together with his frugal mode of living, enabled him to acquire an im- posing and interesting library." Archibald Constable tells us that Paton and Herd soon found their way ^ David Russell was not quite void of artistic interests. His name occurs in the lists of the Members of the Musical Society of Edinburgh, May 1st, m,dcc,lxxv., see D. F. Harris, Saint Cecilia's Hall, p. 297. His office was in Gos- ford's Close, next to Libberton's Wynd and John Bowie's. 2 After his death the sale fetched £254 19s. lOd. DAVID HERD 33 to his newly-established bookstall ; " they were judicious collectors, but their means did not admit of giving much encouragement in the way of pui'chase." They were good critics, but bad customers. The spirit was willing, but the purse was weak. Yet, this honest couple possessed an ever available fund of learning and advice (fre- quently imparted over John Dowie's far-famed ale) and Constable derived from them "a great deal of, useful information on the subject of books in general, and the literature of Scotland in particular." Herd, he says, was a man of excellent talents, and of the most unassuming manners.^ In the vigorous intellectual life that animated Edinburgh in the second half of the eighteenth century, the talents and inclinations of this gifted and strong-minded man could develop better than in any town of the United Kingdom, London not excepted. Edinburgh saw then one of its most brilliant periods. Nowhere within such narrow limits could there be found more enthusiasm and a greater yearning for work and scientific research. Smollett called the town a "hotbed of genius," and - a London visitor remarked to William Smellie, the excellent bookseller and publisher : " Here stand I at what is called the Cross of Edin/)ii>-gk, and can in a few minutes take fifty men of genius and learning by the hand." ^ Those were the days — to name a few ' A . Constable and his Literary Correspondents, i. pp. 20-22. ^ R. Kerr, Memoirs of the Life, Writings, and Correspondence of Willium Smellie, kc, Edinburgh, ISII, vol. ii. p. 252. c 34 INTRODUCTION out of many celebrities — of David Hume and Henry Erskine, Dr. Hugh Blair, Adam Ferguson, Lord Kames, Lord Hailes, Dr. Blacklock and John Home. At the same time, this was a period of bright con- viviality. The mental powers were not lost in the solitude of the study, but met, crossed, and joined in constant rivalry. A clever essayist on the period says very appropriately : " The remarkable feature of literary society in Scotland was the familiar fraternity in which these men lived."! And this familiar fraternity declared and manifested itself in numberless social clubs of every shade and descrip- tion, which shot up in Edinburgh like mushrooms after rain. It happened that one man was a member of fifteen such associations at the same time. The leaders of intellect and society met in the Poker and in the Club of the Crochallan Fencibles, which Smellie had founded, and Burns joined as a member. There was a Spendthrift Club, the members of which were not allowed to spend less than four- pence halfpenny a night ; a Boar Club, the joke of which consisted in the members choosing for themselves, their localities and intercourse, expres- sions referring to the habits of pigs and boars ; a Dirty Club, where no member was allowed to appear with clean linen ; and so on ad in/initum.'- It is therefore not astonishing to find David Herd ^ H. G. Graham, Scottish Men of Letters in the Eighteenth Century, p. 104. '^ See R. Chambers's Traditions of Edinburgh, pp. 164-73. DAVID HERD AND THE CAPE CLUB 35 in close connection with Edinburgh club-hfe. For many years he was one of the most active Knights Com- panions of the Cape. This worthy and quaint brother- hood, shortly called the Cape Cluh, was formally constituted in 17()4, after having existed since the 15th of March, 1733, and survived till about the middle of the nineteenth century. The last meet- ing took place as late as March 29th, 1841, after which its papers were deposited in the library of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland.^ To this fact is ^ The papers of the Cape Club contain : — (a) Two volumes of Cape Petitions since 1769 in chrono- logical order, a few stray leaves with petitions for subventions and some minutes of sederunt!; (h) A supplement to these, including the minutes of the dissolution of the club ; (c) Sederunt Book of the Knights Companions of the Cape, No. 1st, commencing in 1764 and ending July 24th, 1787 (partly in David Herd's hand) ; (d) Analyses of the Cape Sederunt Book, &c. , 1781 (con- tains a copy of the statutes with additions till 17S1 ; Roll of the Knights Companions of the Cape till Sept. 10th, 1799; Grand Capes, altogether 85, till August 20th, 1808 ; Sovereigns of the Cape to same date, altogether 35 ; Cape halls, or the ordinary places of meeting till 1802 — all in David Herd's hand). On the Cape Club see James Grant's Old and New Edinburgh, Cassell (1881-3), vol. i. p. 230, and vol. iii. p. 125; Sir Daniel Wilson's Memorials of Edinburgh in the Olden Times, 1891, vol. ii. pp. 22-24; Th. Sommers' The Life of Robert ' Fergusson, 1803, pp. 53-58 ; Kay's Edinburgh Por- traits (edd. J. Paterson and J. Maidment), 1885, vol. i. p. Ill ; The Works of R. Fergusson, ed. A. B. G[rosart], 1851, p. cxix. ff. ; and Grosart's Robert Fergusson (Famous Scots Series), 1896, pp. 122-23. 36 INTRODUCTION due the preservation of a highly interesting Kultur- bild, at which we may be allowed to look for a moment^ be it only for David Herd's sake. The Cape Club took its name from one of its insignia,! ^ curiously-shaped head-gear, encircled by a crown, on the Maydays of the club adorned by devoted members with gold and gems. On its foun- dation and principles we will hear Herd himself, who has prefaced the sederunt book (cf. p. 25, note c) with a kind of historical introduction : — " The Knights Companions of the Cape began to call themselves by that name about the year 1764. The original constituents of the order occasionally admitted by a prescribed form such other members as they found agreeable. The purpose and intention of the Society from the beginning was : after the business of the day was over to pass the evening socially with a set of select companions in an agreeable but at the same time a rational and frugal manner ; for this purpose beer or porter were their liquors, from fourpence to sixpence each the extent of their usual expence, conversation and a song their amusement, gaming generally prohibited,^ and a freedom for each to come and depart at their 1 We do not believe in Chambers's derivation of the name, although his story about a man who could not double the Cape and was therefore teased by his merry companions, is quite amusing {Traditions of Edinburgh, p. 165). ■^ Tobacco-smoking was also prohibited, no member was allowed to take another's seat, and there were severe fines for removing the newspapers. DAVID HERD AND THE CAPE CLUB 37 pleasure was always considered as essentiall to the constitution of the Society. — Upon these principles with some few variations in different periods of time, incident to every association of mankind, they have gradually increased." The number of the original members who " pre- ceede all others, but have no precedency among themselves " was twenty-five, amongst them David Herd, whose knightly sobriquet was Sir Scrape ; Thomas Lancashire (Sir Cape), the actor and host ; and Alexander Runciman (Sir Brimstone), the famous historical painter. James Cummyng (Sir Nun and Abbess), lyon clerk, heraldic painter, and later on secretary of the Antiquarian Society, and John Wotherspoon, Herd's collaborator and printer,, soon followed. Already this short list shows the motley character of • the club. The elements which convened in Cape Hall were of so hete- rogeneous an origin, that we must wonder at the relatively peaceful intercourse of the brethren according to their motto " Concordia Fratrum Decus." The minutes, it is true, sometimes record riotous scenes, which may have taken place at a late hour under the influence of ample pint- stouping, but official authority was well maintained. Punishment followed on the heels of trespassers, and the peace-breakers were obliged to apologise. Unlike the aristocratic and therefore socially homogeneous Poker Club and the Crochallan Fencibles, the Knighthood of the Cape was a thoroughly demo- i-SOSGS 38 INTRODUCTION cratic institution. The guild of writers sent many members, but tradesmen were in the great majority : shoemakers, tailors, glovemakers, smiths, saddlers, marble-cutters, barbers, brewers were admitted ; and that the masters were not void of the necessary humour appears from many a merry document now hidden in the solemn volumes of the club. With them sat a few advocates, -writers to the signet, surgeons and doctors, ship-owners and naval officers ; even a solitary student of divinity appears in the lists. A bohemian element was not wanting to give its peculiar share to the merriment. With Alexander Runciman came painters, such as John Brown, Jacob More, Alexander Nasmyth, Sir Henry ,- Raeburn ; musicians, who played no small part at the meetings, as Stephen Clarke, the collaborator of James Johnson and Burns in the Musical Museum, the German F. G. C. Schetky, an Edinburgh celebrity, and one of the founders and main pillars of the above-mentioned Boar Club,^ and the great song-reciter James Balfour, whose skill in rendering Scotch songs must have been incomparable. ^ The stage was represented by actors, like Thomas Lancashire and William Woods — a sorry crew — and by Stephen Kemble, manager of the Theatre Royal. We may add the names of some other well-known personalities : James Sibbald, the compiler of the Chronicle of Scottish Poetry, and Thomas Sommers, ' Cf . Harris's Saint Cecilia's Hall, pp. 60-64, 2 Chambers's Traditions of Edinburgh, pp. 156-58. DAVID HERD AND THE CAPE CLUB 39 Robert Fergusson's biographer. About Fergusaon himself we shall have a word to say hereafter. Even the elegant and ingenious William Brodie was of the company. He was hanged on October 1st, 1788, on a gibbet of his own construction, for putting the finishing touch to a prolonged series of burglaries by robbing the excise-office. The way to the gallows was pretty easily found in those days^ and so this painful episode may be numbered among the "variations" which, as David Herd says, are " in different periods of time incident to every asso- ciation of mankind." The constitution after which the knights were governed, and the formalities observed by them on various occasions,^ had their origin soon after the foundation of the club. The ceremonial part owes its existence mainly to one James Aitken,^ who, under the name of Sir Poker, reigned as the first Sovereign of the Cape. The statutes, first brought to paper in 1769, were afterwards altered several times and completed. At the head was the Sovereign, who could be represented by a Deputy Sovereign. After his resignation the Sovereign sat as Old Sovereign in the Council, which was com- posed of twelve ordinary members and all the officers of the club, viz. the Secretary, Treasurer, Re- corder with his Assistant, and the Chaplain, on whose ^ Sir Daniel Wilson in Memorials of Edinburgh, vol. ii. pp. 23-24, describes the formality of inaugurating a knight. * Clerk in a lawyer's office, Advocates' Close. 40 INTRODUCTION duties the statutes, however, have nothing to say. The various places of meeting were each called Cape Hall, and the club met every evening, Sundays included, " a due observance being always had to the sanctity of the day." In addition, there were two annual Grand Capes or Turtle Feasts, when, before entering upon the more joyful part of the day's work, the officers had to be elected or confirmed. But this great and wide-spread club — there existed provincial Capes in Glasgow, Man- chester and London — did not confine its manifes- tations to mere conviviality. We learn from its books of charitable and patriotic gifts of con- siderable value, and see that it made a point of honouring the memory of the great national poets. On September 6th, 1769, the sixth Grand Cape was held in " honour of the immortal memory of William Shakespeare," and on September 22nd of the same year it was resolved to celebrate James Thomson's birthday with a great "general festival." The hall was illuminated and decorated with flowers as em- blems of the " Seasons," the usual toasts were given, odes written and composed for the occasion were sung " by musical knights," and " the memory of this favourite poet, the honour of his country, the bard of liberty, and friend of man, was drunk round in a bumper." After 1770 this festival was cele- brated every tenth year on September 22nd, Thomson's birthday. A solemn meeting again was convened when one DAVID HERD AND THE CAPE CLUB 41 of the knights had paid the world his last debt, for example, June 17th, 1773: "The meeting having been called by the Sovereign L. T., that the knights might have a joint opportunity of paying a due respect to the memory of the deceased worthy knight of Speak,^ a solemn dirge composed for the occasion by Sir Precenter and sett to music by Sir Sobersides was performed by Sir Sobersides, Sir Fender and Sir Precenter, after which the evening concluded with drinking to the memory of all the deceased knights respectively, the Hall being fitted up suitable to the occasion." Sir Precenter was Robert Fergusson. In this society David Herd was one of the most popular and influential personalities. Here he moved with predilection, and out of this song-loving and text-seeking circle his song-collections went forth to the world. He was the third Sovereign of the Cape. His predecessors were James Aitken (Sir Poker), who reigned from January 1st, 1764, till October 23rd, 1766, and Thomas Lancashire (Sir Cape), from that day till September 10th, 1768. Herd himself resigned after a brief reign of only sixty- eight days at the Grand Cape of December 17th in the same year. There appears no reason for this premature dislike to sceptre and crown ; we may safely assume that the Sovereignty with its manifold duties did not agree with his peculiar character. Yet his lively interest in all affairs of the club ' James Cockburn, one of the original knights of 1764. 42 INTRODUCTION never ceased. As Old Sovereign he had a weighty word in the council, and his name is seldom missing in the sederunt. It is not before the end of the eighties that he gradually draws back, but as late as the first years of the nineteenth century he occa- sionally signs the minutes as Secretary locum tenens. We may well understand that signs of special regard were paid to the collector of the Ancient and - Modern Scots Songs and Ballads. It appears from the following document^ — the verses to which it refers I believe are lost — that they occasionally assumed a jocular form. To David Herd, Esq. " Sir, The enclosed verses are inscribed to you, as the best judge of poetical merit and demerit in the Society which forms the subject of them. — They are said to have been found among the papers of an ingenious gentleman lately deceased, who formerly wrote a poetical essay under the same title. But whether they be actually of his composure is a point that I am not qualified to determine, and which I give up to your critical acumen and nice discern- ment in the different colours of style. — They are divided, in the original MS. into three cantos. The first is that which the transcriber has the honour of now laying at your feet. The second contains ^ I found it amongst James Cummyng's papers in David Laing's MSS., now in the University Library, Edinburgh, Div. II., 82. DAVID HERD AND THE CAPE CLUB 4.1 a panegyric upon porter, with suitable digressions. The third, which is perhaps not the least curious or entertaining, consists of a catalogue of the knights, in imitation of Homer's catalogue of warriors. In this last part the transcriber has ventured on some few alterations (which he is afraid will be too easily discovered by their inferiority) to adapt it to the present state of the society, of which he is an un- worthy member, and for whose glory he is passion- ately concerned. Should these verses be so happy as to meet with a favourable reception from the worthy society to whose honour they were intended an humble offering, the transcriber may be induced hereafter to transmit the remainder. Meantime, he begs leave to transcribe himself. Sir, Your obedient hinnhle serv«;/t A. Z." Nov. 8, 1769. Another more serious proof of his zeal as a student of folk-songs is found in the following letter ^ : To Mr James Cuvimyng, Painter in Edinburgh with a book. Edin., 25 June. 1770. " D. Sir, I send you Mr Paton's copy of Watson's collec- tion of Scots poems - which you'l please be so kind ' Original in the Laing MSS., as quoted on preceding page. ^ A Choice Collection of Comic and Serious Scots Poems, both Ancient and Modern, Sec. Edinburgh, printed by Jame8 Watson, 1706, 1709, 1711; reprinted, Glasgow, 1869. 44 INTRODUCTION as return to him with my thanks for the loan of it. I have taken down a refference to some things in it which is not in any other collection, and if we publish, possibly we may have occasion for a second view of it. Mr Paton was so good as promise to procure me hord Hailes' copy of James 1st works, and I will take it kind of you to keep him in remembrance as I never yet saw them. Some time ago you took doAvn a memorawdwm from me to enquire of Mr Brown, ^ if there was in the library a copy of Sir Ja? Inglis's works intitled " Scotland's (not A\exa7ider Clapperton's) Complaint." Printed at St. Andrews in 1548 in octavo, wherein there is mentioned the titles and first lines of upwards of 30 of the then current Scots songs. Dr Percy speaks of this early pro- duction of the Scottish press in the notes of his Reliques,2 and you may observe in the late publica- tion of antient Scottish poems fi'om Bannantyn's [sic] collection ^ that L,ord Hailes says in the notes, page 279 ■* — " Let me observe in passing, that if the study of Scottish history should ever revive, a new edition of Inglis's Complaint would be an acceptable present to the publick." ^ Then librarian of the Advocates' Library. ^ See Prof. Scbroer's edition of the Rcliques, vol. i. p. 24. ^ Ancient Scottish Poems. Published from the MS. of George Bannatyne, MULXVIII. Edinburgh, MDCCLXX. * Herd has 270. FERGUSSON AND THE CAPE CLUB 45 I think you should endeavour to pick up a copy of Watson's collection for yourself. Sometimes latley tho' seldom I have seen it in catalogues but could not attend the auction, & being scarce you know it becomes curious and valuable. I am d. Sir, Yours etc. D. Herd. P.S. — You was thinking of taking doun in a little book for the purpose a copy of the Cape sederunt book in case of accidents to the original. I think this would be very right and when so done if you'l let me have a sight of it I will prevail on Tom Law to make me a copy of it in another small book." We may assume that Robert Fergusson made Herd's acquaintance in the same year — 1769 — as the first edition of the Songs was published. It was then the great Tenducci introduced into T. A. Arne's successful opera " Artaxerxes " three Scottish songs. Braes of Ballenden, Roslin Castle, and Lochaber No More, the words of which had been written by his young friend Fergusson. The opera was published by Martin and Wotherspoon, Herd's printers, and on the title-page Fergusson's name appeared for the first time in public. Suffering in body and soul the youthful poet had returned from the North to Edinburgh, where his star was to shine for a very short space. He was a 46 INTRODUCTION success in society, certainly not in the salons of the great, as his "brother in misfortune" was to be thirteen years later, but in the convivial circles of actors and musicians. They soon got to like this sprightly companion, in whom they recognised a kindred spirit, for there ran much, indeed too much, of the blood of a bohemian in the poor fellow's veins. But nothing is more easily con- ceivable than his longing to drain to the dregs the scanty cup of life assigned to him, and nothing could be more pathetic than that even this short draught should have sufficed to ruin him. His friends, of course, introduced him to the Cape of which they nearly all were knights. He was not admitted a member, it is true, until three years later, but as a guest the sweet singer of the Birks of Invermay no doubt was often seen and gladly welcomed in Cape Hall. We give here a facsimile of Fergusson's Cape-peti- tion, which is at the same time a specimen of David Herd's neat handwriting.^ The petition is of course signed by Fergusson himself We learn that he was recommended by Herd and Cummyng, that he was presented on October 3rd, 1772, and ad- mitted on the 10th, by thirteen against two balls, with the title of Sir Precenter. The drawing on the reverse side is exceedingly interesting. In all 1 Herd seems to have had petition-forms in store ; among the papers of the Cape Club half-a-dozen or more of them are still preserved. .^^.^; /v//7. ^ ' '/iC i'''cM/(Ojl of ^LcO' t'Mujo^^n Av/..- /,, ('S^^^^ ■/!/// Of,,. ^w»t ^/ic- Original in the Library of (h> Socidi/ i,j Anli'iwiri, f. Edinluriif, V / <> //' ^^^;\ jr ^ 3^ ^■^ ^ ^ ,^^ V ^0 ^4 ^ 1 xS ^ jalt ■%: -iij-»JL FERGUSSON AND THE CAPE CLUB 47 probability it is by Alexander Runciman, who, as we know, was of the club. Sir Brimstone, and it gives Fergusson's emaciated features in a well- chosen moment of animation without the idealizing touch of Runciman's more elaborate oil-portrait, now in the Scottish National Portrait Gallery. During the following year (1773) the presence- hsts show that Fergusson seldom missed the meet- ings of the Cape. It was the most successful of his life. A small collection of his poems, which had appeared in the Weekly Magazine, was brought out by Walter Ruddiman in a smart little volume, and Herd along with other friends was presented with a neatly-bound copy.^ The lines in honour of the Cape in Fergusson's " Auld Reekie " have been frequently quoted : — " But chief, o Cape, we crave thy aid. To get our cares and poortith laid ; Sincerity and genius true O' Knights have ever been the due ; Mirth, Music, Porter, deepest dy'd, Are never here to mirth deuy'd. And health, o' happiness the queen, Blinks bonny wi' her smile serene." But there is a genuine Cape-song by him preserved in David Laing's papers,^ which, so far as 1 am aware, ^ Cf. Grosart, Robert Fergusson, p. 102. " Div. II, 334; on the envelope: "Song written for the famous 'Cape Club' by the unfortunate poet Robert Fergusson, the poet of City-life, author of tbe ' Cotter's Ingle' &c." 48 INTRODUCTION has never been published. It suits the occasion well, although its moral may seem objectionable to modern tastes : — CAPE SONG Tune : " IToio happy a state does the miller possess." ^ How happy a state does the Cape-knight possess, shUHnffs ^^ith sixpence he'll purchase a croun's worth of bliss, pewter pot O'er a foaming green stoup he depends for some sport From a liquid that never can do a man hurt. blind drunk What though in Capehall he should goosified spew.? belching From peuking with Porter no thirst can ensue, Not so, my dear knights, fares the ignorant ass, rum punch Who drinks all the evening at burning molass. Now in the Cape closet a table's preparing With Welsh Rabbits garnish'd & good Glasgow herring common ale Oh what Caller Tippeny then shall be quaflfd London And of thee, o Thames Water, a terrible draught ! porter In freedom's gay frolick we shorten the night merry V^ith humorous pitching & songs of delight, toasting Then who would not rather in Capehall get drunk harlot For sixpence, than give half a croun to a punk ? 1 See The Charmer, 1752, vol. i. p. 115: "Miller of Mans- field." FERGUSSON AND THE CAPE CLUB 49 Don't show this to the knights as I would wish to surprise them with it. yours R. Fergusson. It was addressed — To Mr David Herd, Knight of the Noble Order of the Cape, Capehall. But soon the merry glee died away, and the strings broke with a shrill discord. In 1774 the name of Sir Precenter is no more found in the presence-lists, and at the sederunt of 2nd July the resolution is passed to give assistance to the poor singer, on whom the most melancholy of human calamities had fallen : — " It was agreed unanimously by the Grand Cape that the remainder of the fines of the absentees from this meeting, after paying what extraordinary charges may attend the same, shall be applied for the benefit and assistance of a young gentleman, a member of the Cape, Avho has been a considerable time past in distress, and the gentlemen present in the Grand Cape made a contribution themselves for the same purpose." The incurable disease ran its course. On October l6th Robert Fergusson died at the age of twenty- four, and so this episode ended. ^ ' One is surprised to find that Fergusson neither in his Last Will, nor in the Codicil, mentions Herd along with his other friends. D 50 INTRODUCTION There is one more document, illustrative of Herd's relations to the Cape, which I should like to insert here — an unpublished letter written when the burden of general confidence began to press heavily upon him. Mr James Cummyng. " Dear Sir, I was favour'd with yours this day, whereby I am sorry to learn you are already tir'd of the sovereignity.^ I wish the knights all happiness and success, but am resolved to take no active hand in providing another Sovereign for them. When an hour can be spared " I love mine ease in mine inn," with a companion, but do not chuse to be tormented. ... I am therefore now deter- mined to give up and get quit of this name of Premier.2 But am always D. Sir, yours etc., David Herd." Thursday afternoon, 19 fehr. [1784]. 1 Cummyng was the sixteenth sovereign of the Cape. He reigned from the 2nd of August 1783 till the 12th of March 1784. - This title sometimes occurs in the papers of the Cape after the name of Sir Scrape. BURNS IN EDINBURGH 51 As we have already indicated, this leave-taking from the active administration of the Cape by no means prevented Herd from participating in its meetings and festivals, and from maintaining a lively interest in the fortunes of the brotherhood his younger years had helped to constitute. However, we need not pursue the history of the Cape any further, now it has helped us to the acquaintance of Herd's friends and the social circle in which he moved. In the winters of 1786, '87 and 1787, '88 Robert Burns was in Edinburgh, and there can be no doubt that he had access to Herd's manuscript collections. There is no difficulty in accounting for their mutual acquaintance. Several of the Cape knights were Burns's personal friends — we need only mention Stephen Clarke ; and it is well known that Burns was a frequent visitor to Dowie's tavern, where Herd, Paton, Cummyng, and others, " friends of the same kidney," were regular customers.^ It is there- fore surprising that Burns in later years scarcely ever mentions Herd's name. His collection, of which he possessed both the original editions, he quotes as Wotherspoon's or Witherspoon's.^ 1 See Letters, 1830, pp. 87, 88, n. * Chambers-Wallace's Burns, iii. 430, iv. 41, and several times in the MSS. of the Hastie Collection. Cf. Dr. Mole- naar, Robert Burns' Bezichungcn zur Litteratur, l.Sil'J, p. 22. Of "Herd's collection " he speaks in the Glenriddel copy of Johnson's Museum. Chambers-Wallace, iv. p. 412. 52 INTRODUCTION In the course of the following years Herd became connected with some other eminent men of letters, indirectly though, as before with Percy, and again through George Paton's negotiations. The first re- sult was an unpleasant collision with the insuffer- able John Pinkerton. This was occasioned by some critical remarks on his Ancient Scotish Poems (1786), which Herd had noted down, doubtless with the most peaceable intention in the world, and which Paton forv/arded to Pinkerton with the idea of doing him a favour. Over his innocent head the storm broke. To Paton's communications Pinkerton answered : ^ "Sir, 1 am favoured with your's, inclosing Mr Herd's remarks, for which i thank you and him. . . . Different literary matters so much occupy my time, that i cannot enter into correspondence with Mr Herd, but i shall give you a few hints. Meston and Nicol i omitted, as i did many others, because beneath notice. Mr H.'s wonder that i never saw Ajax, etc. puts me in mind of the shepherd, who wondered where the English traveller 1 The original letters are in the Paton Correspondence, vol. iv. Nos. 122 and 123, reprinted in Reliquice Scoticce, &o. (edd. Maidment and Pitcairn), Edinburgh, 1828, and in The Literary Correspondence of Mr. Pinkerton, ed. D. Turner, London, 1830, i. pp. 184-88. Paton's letter with Herd's remarks Pinkerton in his rage destroyed. Still his answer allows some inference as to their character. HERD AND PINKERTON 53 was born, who did not know a village in Galloway. . . . Mr H.'s remark on my doublet and jablet might have been spared, as it is answered by my note on this passage. That he should speak of accuracy is amazing, for his 2 vols, teem with in- accuracies and ignorance. They who speak of the errors of others, should think of their own, and of the scripture " take first the beam out of thine own eye." . . . Learned men pass slight errors, as matters incident to humanity, and dwell on the real merit and demerit of a work. So much for Mr H., whose remarks only confirm the opinion i formed from his two vols. : that he is an illiterate and injudicious compiler, &c." ~ Knightsbridge, ,31 3farch, 1788. Paton's answer to this letter, of which a sketch has been preserved, found but little approval in the eyes of this self-righteous being, who, with a shower of insults, declined any further correspond- ence. This last production — a precious human document — space unfortunately does not permit me to insert. Kind, courteous Paton may well have wondered at this instance of human vanity and frankness of expression ! More pleasing was the intercourse with Joseph Ritson, an individual in no way easy to get on with, and with George Chalmers, both in London. The correspondence enables us to follow out the history 54 INTRODUCTION of Herd's MSS. since 1775 again in his possession, and occasionally augmented by additional pieces. Ritson approached Paton in 1792, before the publication of his Scotish Songs, with the customary requests for literary advice, which as usual were granted. The Scotish Songs (1794') were received in Edinburgh with friendly interest, and in his ac- knowledgment of the copy presented to him, Paton offered Ritson the perusal of Herd's MSS. Ritson answered on January 19, 1795 :^ "... I shall be highly gratifyed with a perusal of the fragments of Scotish Songs collected by Mr Herd, which may be sent by the mail, under cover to Mr Chalmers, to whom either yourself or Mr Laing may possibly have other matters to com- municate ; and shall be returned with equal safety, and probably by the same conveyance. I feel myself much indebted and obliged, both to Mr Herd and yourself, for this proof of your attention and liberality. . . . " There was apparently some delay in Paton's forwarding the MSS., and with this delay Herd was but little pleased, as appears from a letter to Paton, interesting also as a proof of Herd's modesty and the slight interest he took in the fate of the still numerous unpublished pieces : - "... I have not been abroad much in the even- 1 Letters, 1829, pp. 13-15. - Ibid., p. 14. LETTERS BY RITSON 55 ings this week to call upon you, owing to the slipperyness of the streets ; and therefore send you inclosed the last old song to be forwarded with the former parcel to Mr Ritson. By his last letter to jou, I see he is anxious for these. I do not altogether approve of this method of long hang- ing up a gentleman upon the tenter hooks of expectation, for a few fragments, as it is enhancing their value more, than he may afterwards think them worth. " I do not want any of them to be returned to me ; he is extremely welcome to make what he pleases of them, and if any thing further in that line falls in my way afterwards, I shall give it to you to be transmitted, ..." The receipt of the parcel is acknowledged by Ritson on May 19, 1795 : ^ "... You will both accept yourself, and have the goodness to present to Mr Herd, my sincerest acknowledgements for his very valuable collection of Scotish Ballads, many of which are particularly curious, and such as I had never before seen or heard of As this gentleman is peculiarly con- versant with the subject, I have taken the liberty, on the other side, to submit to his perusal a list ' Letters, 1829, pp. 19-20; the list of Scottish .';ongs (121 items), ibid., pp. 21-26. It was published in the Scots Maga- zine for January 1802, but, as was to be expected, with little success. 56 INTRODUCTION of Scotish Songs which I have hitherto been unable to meet with, some of which he will prob- ably recollect and be able to say where they are to be found. I suppose I either possess, or have seen about as many more, the merits of which appear insufficient to rescue them from oblivion. But, all together, the number is prodigious ! . . ." About the same time we find Herd busy with an essay on the two Pennecuiks. The subject had been suggested by George Chalmers,^ then writing his biography of Ramsay. He had asked Paton for information ; Paton in his turn left the matter to Herd. On March 10, 1795, Chalmers could thank his ano7iymous assistant in a letter to Paton : " My worthy friend, Amidst my many aifairs I have to thank you kindly for your instructive letter of the 26 Jan'' last, and for the useful paper inclosed in it about Pennykuik & Ramsay. Pray thank your friend for his very useful help. Happy for the almost forgotten Poets of Scotland, if I had more of his help ! But, with the aid of such friends, I flatter myself I shall be able to bring the recollection of ' Chalmers lived in London after 1775, and was appointed chief clerk of the committee of Privy Council for trade and foreign plantations in 178G. His letters to Paton from 1790 to 1800 are in the Paton Correspondence, vol. iv. fol. 97a to 1216 ; hitherto unpublished. LETTERS BY RITSON AND CHALMERS 57 the public once more upon them. Allow me to ask who it was that I owe so much to for the paper so distinctly drawn about the Pennycuiks ? I Avish the same intelligent friend would take up Mr Pinkerton's Maitland Poems and point out the various mistakes and prejudices of that forward Editor, who confines all merit to himself, and favour me with his corrections. ..." A dangerous task indeed, as we already know. — Herd's anonymity was disclosed by Paton, and Chalmers, who received the additional favour of a complete list of the works of Alexander Pennecuik, never tires of expressing his gratitude and recogni- tion. To Joseph Ritson this essay on the Pennecuiks was a source of sincere satisfaction, as it unveiled an error of Pinkerton's, than whom he hated no one with more absolute sincerity. Thus we find him writing to Paton on July 21, 1795 : ^ "... I observe, with pleasure, what Mr Herd has remarked upon the confusion made by Pinkerton of the two Pennecuiks. He has, with equal ignorance, confounded the two Hamiltons (of Bangour and Gilbertfield). But, indeed, his blunders are venial, when compared with the more criminal parts of his literary and moral character. . ." A first draft of Herd's essay, or perhaps the 1 LetUrt, 1829, p. 32. 58 INTRODUCTION whole of it, has been preserved in his MS. II., fol. 746-75fl. It begins with the remark, that in Pennecuik's Streams of Helicon ^ there is a song on the Fail- Maid of Diimblane, and continues : " Mr. Pinkerton has thought proper to conjoin the tAvo Pennecuiks into one, and so he annihilates this gentleman, who was the superior poet.- "The first was a Dr. Alexander Pennecuik, physician in Tweedale. He wrote verces such as they were in the reign of King William and before 1680. And his description of Tweedale is mentioned in Nicolson's Scottish Historical Library, page 21 of edition printed London 1702. The Dr.'s book was published in 1715, printed by John Moncur, Edinburgh. " The second, our poet, was Alexander Pennecuik, Gent", burgess of Edinburgh. The first volum of his works was published in 1720 under the title of Streams frovi Helicon, and printed by John Mosman. And in 1722 he published the History of the Blue Blanket, also printed by Mr. Mosman. About 1726 ^ or 1727 he pubhshed a collection under the title of 1 Streams from Helicon : or, Poems on Various Subjects. In Three Parts. By Alexander Pennecuik Gent. Edinburgh : printed by John Mosman and Company for the Author. Anno MDCCXX.— rAe Pair Maid of DumUain, a pretty pastoral, pp. 15.3 ff. ^ Ancient Scotish Poems, 1786, i. p. cxxxvi. 3 This is the right date. See A. Aitken in D. N. B., vol. xliv. HERD ON THE TWO PENNECUIKS 59 Flowers from Parnassus, and in 1728: EHtertaincvicnts for the Curious,^ in numbers. " Many of his poems are yet to be found in various Collections mixt with Ramsay's and others. He seems to have been the brief chronicle of the times. Every occurrence of the day in Edinburgh, tragical, comical, or in the ordinary courec (!) that would create attention, became his subject. "'Tis pity the world were not undeceived as to this matter, for Pinkerton has totally nail'd him in the head." » Chalmers used Herd's clear and just remarks for his Lrfe of Allan Ramsar/, prefixed to the edition of Ramsay's Poems, London, 1800, vol. i. pp. hi., Ivii. But the old confusion still retained its hold, and the two Pennecuiks continue to be mixed up, even in our own days. That Ritson had put the MSS. before Chalmers, we learn from a letter of Chalmers to Paton on August 12, 1795 : — "... I have returned the Fragments of Auld Scots Sangs to Mr Ritson, who was so good as to let me look at them : they are curious, tho' I know not if they would bear publication — but of that Mr Ritson is the best judge. . . ." ' "... 6 Parts, very scarce. There was a copy in Herd's library with MS. notes by him, which was purchased by Mr. Blackwood, and in his sale catalogue for 1812 ... is priced at £2, 2s."— Letters, 1830, pp. 105, 106, n. 60 INTRODUCTION After this their history enters upon its last but by no means least important stage. We know that Herd and Paton were amongst Archibald Constable's earliest customers. Constable started business on his own account in 1795. Over the door of his shop at the Cross shone the inscrip- tion, " Scarce Old Books/' which the jocularity of his brethren and neighbours quizzed as "Scarce o' Books." But the establishment proved a success from the beginning. The literary celebrities soon found their way to the enterprising bookseller, and' in this generally favoured atmosphere acquaintances were made which were destined to be of great future importance. Here met Walter Scott's collaborators in the great and memorable undertaking of the Border Minstrelsy. About the turn of the century Richard Heber could introduce John Leyden to Scott, and we may assume that Constable about the same time drew his attention to Herd's treasures ; the MS. [I] was transmitted to him, and Herd's ready compliance received grateful acknowledgment in the Introduction to the Border Minstrelsy : ^ " To the politeness and liberality of Mr. Herd, of Edinburgh, the editor of the first classical collec- tion of Scottish songs and ballads, the editor is indebted for the use of his MSS., containing songs ' Vol. i. p. 169, of Mr. Henderson's edition. HERD AND SCOTT 6l and ballads, published and unpublished, to the number of ninety ^ and upwards. ..." In the following pieces of the Border Minstrelsy, Scott availed himself of Herd's MS. material : - 1. Battle of Otterbourne, i. 276.^ 2. The Sang of the Outlaw Murray, i. 302. 3. Katharine Jaufarie, iii. 147. 4. Clerk Saunders, iii. 220. 5. Earl Richard, iii. 232. 6. The Lass of Lochroyan, iii. 253. 7. The Bonny Hynd, iii. 375. 8. O Gin My Love Were Yon Red Rose, iii. 382. 9. The Laird of Muirhead, iii. 412. Some other pieces Scott had extracted he gave to Robert Jamieson, who visited him in the summer of 1800. Jamieson's Popular Ballads and Songs ^appeared in 1806, and contained from Herd's MS. : 1. Patie's Courtship, i. 309. 2. Captain Wedderburn's Courtship, ii. 154. 3. Lord W'a'yates and Auld Ingram, ii. 265. ^ The number of unpubhshed pieces alone amounted to ninety. 2 Some notes entered by Scott in the MS. will be subse- quently given in their proper place. — Of the printed collec- tion in two volumes Scott naturally made continuous use. He possessed the 1776 edition and Lawrie and Symington's reprint (1791). Cf. Mr. Henderson's notes to Sir Patrick Spens (ii. 218 £f.) and Lord Thomas and Fair Annie {iii. 311). ' Of Mr. Henderson's edition. 62 INTRODUCTION Jamieson also praises the Edinburgh collection (1776),^ and alters the texts just as Scott did. In January 1803, Herd presented Constable with his own copy of the So?ig.s- and his MSS.,^ which on March 27, 1858, were finally purchased for the British Museum. Scott and the venerable David Herd remained close friends, and to the master's pen we owe an excellent characterisation which will serve by way of portrait. Scott's description was occasioned by a letter from W. S. Rose, who sent him a copy of The Flowers of the Forest, erroneously presuming that Scott did not possess Herd's collection. Scott thanked him on October 12, 1825,^ availing himself of the opportunity to write down some personal recollections of his old friend, then dead fifteen years : " He was a grim old Antiquary of the real Scottish cast, all feu-parchment, snufF, and an occasional deep glass of whisky toddy ; this wight was be- nempt David Herd, an accomptant by profession, by taste a collector of old songs and ballads. . . . He was a fine figure, with a real Scotch face of the hawk, but manly and intelligent, and a profusion of grey hair — a determined misogynist, and always stipulated for the absence of my womankind when 1 Cf. vol. i. pp. xvi. 188, 326. - Constable and his Literary Correspondents, vol. i. p. 22. ■* Familiar Letters of Sir Walter Scott, vol. ii. pp. 353, 354. HERD AND SCOTT 63 he came to see me, and the presence of Constable the bookseller. His hardy and antique mould of countenance and his venerable grizzled locks " — we quote Scott's Introductory Remarks on Popular Poetry ^ — " procured him, amongst his acquaintance, the name of Graysteil. I could tell you many funny stories of Graysteil," the letter continues, " but as they chanced over a bottle of wine or a tumbler of toddy (which he rather affected) or a welsh rabbit and a tankard of ale, which he liked best of all, they I'equire the atmosphere of a cigar and the amalgam of a surnmat comfortable." In the humorous song. The Bannafi/ne Club, re- ceived with enthusiasm at the first dinner of this club on March 9, 1823, he devotes a line to the memory of his friend : " honest Graysteil that was true to the core." ^ A more beautiful and simple obituary could not have been devoted to him, nor by a better man. The friendly relations between Scott and Herd conclude harmoniously the history of a quiet and laborious life. David Herd died in his lodgings at ^ Border Minstrelsy, i. pp. 42, 43. — There is an allusion to Graysteil in the Antiquary. In chapter xxx. Jonathan Old- buck makes the following memorandura : " Kelso convoy, — said to be a step and a half ower the threshold. Authority — Caxon. Quaere — Whence derived 7 Mem. To write to Dr. Graysteel upon the subject." — (Border Edition, p. 383.) - Poetical Works, 1848, p. 703, v. vii. 64 INTRODUCTION the south end of dismal PotterroWj^ at the advanced age of seventy-eight years. His mortal remains found their resting-place a few steps from there, at the burying-ground of Buccleuch parish church (now almost totally neglected and forgotten), in the immediate neighbourhood of the graves of Mrs. Alice Cockburn, the songstress of the Flowers of the Forest, and of good blind Dr. Blacklock. On the north wall of the churchyard friends placed a memoi'ial tablet, the inscription of which is now scarcely legible. It runs : " 29 feet south from this stone are interred the remains of Mr David Herd, writer : a man of probity, of a kind and friendly disposition^ of mild, tolerant principles, and of taste in ancient Scotish Literature. Not solicitous to sliine, nor anxious to become rich, he lost few friends, and made few enemies. These qualities had their influence ; for, they averted many of the wants and evils of de- clining years. He died a true believer upon 10 June, 1810, aged [78]." The Scots Magazine for August 1810 also pub- lished a laudatory obituary notice with a senile and philistine fling at the children of the new age: " [Died] lately, at Edinburgh, Mr David Herd, 1 His address appears first in the 2nd Post-office Annual Directory for 1806. I am obliged for this communication to the kindness of Mr. John Glen. BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTES 6.5 writer, at the advanced age of 78. He was a most active investigator of Scottish Literature and Antiquities, and enjoyed the friendship or acquaint- ance of nearly all the eminent artists and men of letters who have flourished in Edinburgh within these fifty years. Runciman, the painter, was one of his most intimate friends ; and, with Ruddiman, Gil- bert Stuart, Ferguson, and Robert Burns, he was well acquainted. His information regarding the history and biography of Scotland was extensive. Many of his remarks have appeared in periodical publications, and the notes appended to several very popular works are enriched by materials of his collecting. He was a man truly of the Old School, inoffensive, modest, and unambitious in an extraordinary de- gree, forming in all these respects a very striking contrast to the forward, puffing, and ostentatious disposition of the present age." IV BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTES REMARKS ON THE VALUE OF HERd's COLLECHON 1. Original Editions mid Reprints of Herd's Collection of Songs and Ballads. (a) " The Ancient and Modern Scots Songs, Heroic Ballads, etc. Now first Collected into one Body. From the various Miscellanies wherein they for- E 1 66 INTRODUCTION merly lay dispersed. Containing likewise, A great Number of Original Songs, from Manuscripts, never before published. Edinburgh : Printed by and for Martin & Wotherspoon. mdcclxix." ^ (J)) " Ancient and Modern Scottish Songs, Heroic Ballads, etc. In two volumes. Volume the First. [Second'l. Edinburgh : Printed by John Wother- spoon, for James Dickson and Charles Elliot, MDccLXXVi." On the second title-page the same with the addition after etc. : " Collected From Memory, Tradition, and Ancient Authors. The Second Edition." We know already from the Percy- Paton cor- respondence, that the editor originally merely in- tended to add a second volume to the first, and entertained no idea of rearranging the whole work for the second edition. This appears also from an interesting passage in the preface to the first edi- tion, which shows besides : (1) that Herd's col- - lection, like many others, was suggested by the enormous success of Percy's Reliques, and (2) that - the MS. collection was existing and favourably progressing in 1769. I reprint the passage, which has been omitted in the more easily accessible second edition - : — " The only collection upon our plan, consisting entirely of Scots songs, is the Orpheus Caledonius, 1 Sold for 3s. See The Scot.-! Magazine for March 1769, p. 155. It now fetches ten times as much. - Songs,''^^ pp. V, vi. BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTES 67 published by William Thomson in 1733;^ but this is confined to a small number, with the music, and now become very scarce ; for Allan Ramsay's Tea-Table Miscellany cannot be termed A complete Collection of Scots so/igs ; they are, as he himself entitles them, — A choice Collection of Scots and English. " The valuable collection of Percy has furnished some songs, and more perfect copies of several ballads, than those formerly printed ; and when modern words could only be given to ancient tunes, these are, however (to speak en Ecossois), composed by Poets natives of North Britain. " After the manner of Percy, it was at first in- tended to have prefixed notes to the more ancient and historical poems in this Collection ; but the volume would have been thereby too much swelled : and as the Editor hath already some prospect of materials for a seco7id, he is of opinion that these notes will come in with more propriety at the conclusion, where they may be by themselves perused." The differences between the first and the second edition consist in (1) omissions; only one piece which appears in Songs (^) was not transferred to Songs (-), viz. The Heir of Linne, pp. 227-34; (2) additions, falling under the two heads of (a) single verses ; (6) entirely new pieces, amounting to the ' This is the second edition, in two volumes, 8vo. The first appeared in 1725, one vol. fol. 68 INTRODUCTION number of 112 (cp. the chapter on David Herd's MSS.) ; (3) the entire rearrangement of the second edition ; (4) orthographical changes. The success of Herd's collections being immedi- ate, and both original editions soon becoming scarce, a collection in two volumes, based upon Herd's materials, appeared in 1791 : (c) "Ancient and Modern Scotish Songs, Heroic Ballads, etc. In two volumes. Edinburgh : Printed for Lawrie and Symington, 1791.' Here forty-one of Herd's pieces were replaced by modern compositions, many of them popular songs written by Burns. Herd's preface and most of his notes were also omitted, and the orthography again underwent considerable changes. " Altogether," says the editor of the Glasgow reprint, " the edition of 1791 cjin hardly be considered a reprint of Herd." In 1805 there appears to have been some talk in Walter Scott's circle, that Scott himself intended to re-edit the Songs. On September 2, 1805, we find George Chalmers writing to A. G. Hunter : " You talked of a new edition of Mr. D. Herd's Songs, to be edited by Mr. W. Scott. Is this almost ready for the pubhc ? I hope Mr. Scott will not loiich the text." ^ We are not able, however, to ascertain how far there was any foundation for this rumour. ^ Archibald Constable and his Literary Correspondents, vol. i. p. 414. BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTES 69 It was not till a century after the first original edition that a page for page reprint appeared, which in the next year was followed by a second : (d) "Ancient and Modern Scottish Songs, Heroic Ballads, etc. collected by David Herd, Reprinted from the Edition of 1776, with an Appendix, con- tiiining the pieces substituted in the edition of 1791 for omissions from that of 1776, etc. In two volumes. Kerr & Richardson, Glasgow, I869." It contains a very short introductory Note, signed R. (e) " Ancient and Modern Scottish Songs, Heroic Ballads, etc. Collected and Edited by David Herd. A Page for Page Reprint of the Edition of 1776. With Memoir and illustrative Notes by Sidney Gilpin, Editor of the Songs and Ballads of Cumber- land. 2 vols. Edinburgh : William Paterson, 74, Princes Street, mdccclxx." 185 copies on ordinary and 16 on large paper. This edition is very well got up, but both the Memoir (pp. *viii.- *xiv.) and the illustrative notes at the end of both volumes are rather superficially written and now quite useless. ^ ' At the end of the 1776 edition the following Advertisement is printed : " The Editor of the foregoing, proposes to compile a Collection of Select English Songs. In two Volumes." The collection never appeared, and there is nothing in Herd's MSS. to indicate that he ever thought of undertaking the work. 70 INTRODUCTION 2. Herd's (?) Edition of Urquhart's " Tracts." In 1774 there was published : Tracts of the Learned and Celebrated Antiquarian Sir Thomas Urquhart of Cromarti/. Edinburgh : printed and sold by Charles Herriot ; of which Maidment in the Letters 1829, p. xvj whilst justly disputing any claim of Paton to the book, says that it is by no means unlikely that Herd was the editor. This presumption becomes a certainty in Lowndes' Bibliographer s Manual of English Literature, 18.S4, vol. iv. p. 1851, probably on the authority of Richard Heber, and also in T. Seccombe's article on Urquhart in the Dictio7iary of National Biography, vol. Iviii. pp. 48 and 50. Mr. John Willcock in his monograph on Sir Thomas Urquhart,^ p. 101 n., is not quite so affirmative. We can only state that there is no definite proof of Herd's editorship. But that his interest in the work was great, and that he was certainly as well fitted for the task as any man in Edinburgh, is be- yond doubt. However, the matter is of small im- portance, since the editor has added but very little to the book. A few sentences may be quoted from the Advertisement : " The Editor has printed the following Tracts literally, from a copy printed in the Author's lifetime anno l652, without presuming to alter the ortho- ' Oliphant, Anderson & Ferrier, Edinburgh, 1899 ; a very valuable study. BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTES 71 graphy of the age in which they were wrote. He has compared the genealogy (compiled by Sir Thomas Urquhart) with the records kept by the Lord Lyon of Scotland, which go as far back as the reign of Alexander II. ; and from that period finds it strictly true. A continuation of it is likewise added from the Author's death down to the present time, taken from the same records." ^ 3. Contributions to Magazines. We are afraid that it will be impossible to confirm the statement in the obituary note quoted above, that " many of his remarks have appeared in periodical publications, and the notes appended to several very popular works are enriched by materials of his collecting." The main difficulty, of course, is that Herd never signed anything with his full name, and the initials " D. H." were also used by Lord Hailes in a number of contributions to the Gentleman s Magazine. There are only two communications in Ruddiman's Scots Magazine which can be safely ' In an unpublished and undated letter (after 177i) to Paton, referring to T. Hearne's third edition of John Leland's /iincrary, Oxford, 1768-70, Herd remarks: "In the preface to vol. vi. [pp. vi.-vii.] there is a long & curious account of Thomas Urquhart, Laird and Sheriff of Cromarty and of his family and inscription at the castle of Cromarty. — This Thomas was great-great-great-great-gran[d]fatherof the famous Thomas, who compiled the curious genealogy — see it in Urquhart's TracU at anno 1476 [Herd writes 1475] pa. 35." 72 INTRODUCTION attributed to Herd. Both of these appeared as late as 1802: (a) In January (p. 51): "Remarks on the author of The Complayrit of Scotland, suggested by John Leyden's edition of that work in 1801," signed D. H. This, together with Leyden's answer, has been published separately as : " Critiques by Mr David Herd and others upon the new edition of ' The Complaynt of Scotland.' With Observations in answer by the Editor, the late Dr John Leyden. Edinburgh, 1829." (6) In March (p. 2l6): "A note on Scott's Glen- Jinlas (first ed. of the Border Minstrelsij, vol. ii. p. 391), with a copy of a crown-grant by James III, confirming to one Malice Doire the peaceable exer- cise and enjoyment of a relic of St Fillan," signed D. H., gratefully acknowledged by Scott in later editions of the Minslre/si/.^ 4. Letters. (a) The Paton Correspondence, vol. iii. fol. iTa-^la, contains in all twenty-four letters by David Herd, out of which fifteen have been printed in the Letters, 1830, two in the Letters, 1829, pp. 13 n. and 14 n., and parts of one above, p. 71 n. The first of them bears the date of July 7, 1778, the last dated one that of ^ See Mr. Henderson's edition, vol. iv. p. 156. BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTES 73 August 3, 1796. Nine undated ones follow. They all exhibit sound antiquarian knowledge and great interest in books in general and in literary cui-iosities in particular, together with an undoubted inclina- tion to " adjourn to some sti'ong-ale office in the evening/' ^ whilst of ballads and songs he tells us but little. (6) Two letters and a short note, addressed to James Cummyng, I found amongst Cummyng's correspondence, now Division II, 81 and 82 of the David Laing MSS. One of them is given above, p. 50. I am convinced that some more letters will turn up in time, when the bulky MS. collections of the second half of the eighteenth century have been properly sifted and ordered. Still Herd was certainly no great letter-writer, and we can hardly expect any- thing of striking interest. Although we had to mention these trifling matters for completeness' sake, it is of course only as the most faithful and trustworthy collector of songs and ballads that Herd will be remembered in the history of Scottish ver- nacular literature. We may be allowed to finish this chapter by quoting a few passages out of the many which refer to his collection, and begin, rather unchronologically, Avith Allan Cunningham's excellent characterisation in his Songs of Scotland, vol. iv. p. 36] : "To David Herd," he says, "we are indebted for 1 Letters, 1830, p. 98. 74 INTRODUCTION our knowledge of many genuine native verses. The rough, the polished, the rude, the courtly, the pure, the gross, the imperfect, and the complete, were all welcome to honest and indiscriminating David — he loved them all, and he published them all.^ He seemed to have an art of his own in finding curious old songs ; he was not a poet, and could not create them ; he was no wizard, and could not evoke them from the dust ; yet he had the good fortune to find them, and the courage to publish them without mitigation or abatement. Whatever contained a vivid picture of old manners, whatever presented a lively image of other days, and whatever atoned for its freedom by its humour, or its indelicacy by its well-flavoured wit, was dear to the good old Scotchman." Joseph Ritson had been more critical two decades before, but his criticism is just, and it strikes the very keynote of everything which can be said either in praise or blame of Herd's work : "To this [collection], though not so judiciously selected or arranged as it might have been, and containing many confessedly English songs, a few supposititious ballads, and several pieces unworthy of preservation, we are certainly indebted for a number of excellent and genuine compositions, ^ This, of course, is one of Allan's poetical liberties. SCOTT AND OTHERS ON HERD 75 never before printed, as the editor of the present collection is bound in gratitude to acknowledge." ^ This means praise of the very highest from a man who was, as Sir Walter Scott expresses it, " As bitter as gall, and as sharp as a razor ; " and, in fact, Ritson puts not less than forty-six pieces out of Herd's two volumes into his own collection. We also approve of his passing remark on the insufficiency of the glossary,- but this, as we have shown, was compiled by John Wotherspoon, on whom the blame must fall. Alexander Campbell in his hitroduction to the History of Poetry in Scotland, &c., 1798, p. 14, re- peats Ritson's objections, and continues, "yet upon the whole, it is a work truly respectable, and the editor deserves, what the public have long since bestowed on him, the highest approbation— as a proof the book is scarcely to be met with, espe- cially a genuine copy." The last words refer apparently to Lawrie and Symington's rather un- fair production of 1791. WilUam Motherwell ^ also praises the collection as one "of much merit, and one wherein many lyrical pieces have found a sanctuary. The prin- cipal faults in this compilation consist in its ancient and modern pieces being indiscriminately ' Scotish Songs, 1794, vol. i. p. Issiv. ^ Ibid., p. vii. ' Minstrelsy : Ancient and Modern, 1827, p. Ixix. 76 INTRODUCTION mingled together ; and that no reference is ever made to the authorities from which they are de- rived ..." Chambers, Aytoun, Whitelaw, Child, Henderson, and others may be added to the nmnber of those who have greatly acknowledged the value of David Herd's collection. To all of them it furnished impoi*tant and reliable texts, and the very use they had to make of it is the best praise which can be bestowed on it ; so that, after all, the word of Sir Walter Scott, most gentle of critics, holds good, that Herd's book was "the first classical collection of Scottish songs and ballads." 1 DESCRIPTION OF DAVID HERD'S MSS.^ MS. Additional 22, 311 (MS. I) Folio (average size of leaves 30'5: 18 cm. = 12: 7 "3 in.); fol. 139 and some fly-leaves at the beginning and the end ; on fly-leaf 4a the signa- ture Arch'} Constable and January 1803. The greater part was written by Herd himself, but besides entries by at least four other scribes are 1 Introduction to the Border Minstrelsy (Henderson's edi- tion), vol. i. p. 169. - Cp. also H. L. D. Ward, Catalogue of Romances in the British Museum, vol. i. pp. 531-37. HERD'S MANUSCRIPTS 77 easily discernible : (n) fol. 37a-42a : two versions of Sir James the Rose (marginal notes in Herd's hand) ; {h) fol. 89a-95b : Clerk Sanders, Yoimg Hunting, Lad}/ Margery: fol. 99a- 1 05a : Duncan, Keiineth; (c) fol. 105b- 112b: Timber Stairs, Pease Straw, The Miller of Dee, Sir Hugh, My Father would have mc to Wed, The Battle of Corichie, Frenrett Hall, Kind Robin loo s 7ne ; fol. 115a-117b: Tumims- pike, Patie's Wedding. This hand seems to be identical with hand (b) in MS. II. (d) fol. 136b, 137a: Nicol o' Cod. Herd's own entries date from two different periods, one prior to the edition of 1776 and one after its appearance. They begin with fol. 13a. But the matter contained on fol. 1-12 is too interesting to be omitted, and I shall therefore reproduce it at least in extracts. [fol. la The Titlepage :'\ Materials for a | Second \ ^ Collection of | Scots Songs | And Ballads, etc. | 1776.^ [fol. 2a] First : Additions to songs in the former volumn : ^ 1. Fy, gar rub her o'er ivi' strae fol. 75. in Allan Ramsay's Works, vol. [ii. p. 205 j.^ first line : Look up to Pentland's tow'ring taps * ^ Second and 1776 in red ink, later additions. - The first edition of Herd's collection, to which also the folio numbers on the right side refer. 8 Of Chalmers's edition, 1800. * 5'oni7s,<2' ii. 42 and 227, Ramsay's clever imitation of Horace's Vides ut alta stet nive candidum. 78 INTRODUCTION 2. I'll ne er love thee more'^ fol. 102. 2? part of this song in a collection of Scots Poems, printed by W. Ruddiman, Jun. 1766.2 first line : My dear and only love take heed ^ Both parts composed by J. Graham, Marquise of Montrose.'* 3. The Miller fol. 135 addition at the end of the song : In winter when the wind and rain, etc.^ 1 Songs,^'^^ i. 236. 2 A Choice Collection of Scots Poems, Antient and Modern etc. Edinburgh : Printed by Wal. Ruddiman, Junior, Forrester's- wynd, Lawn-market. m,dcc,lxvi. 12°.— The song referred to pp. 175-78. 3 SongsP i. 237. * The following note on the Marquis's compositions is on fol, 10b : " Besides the song in 2 parts before mentioned com- posed by the Marquise of Montrose, there are other 4 songs compos'd by him on his misfortunes, to be found in a collec- tion of Scots poems, printed at Edinb. by Ja? Watson 1711, part 3d fol. 112 ff. 1st lines : There's nothing in this world can prove [iii. 112]. Unhappy is the man [iii. 113]. Burst out my soul in main of tears [iii. 114]. Can little beasts to [sic] lions roar [iii. 115]. Herd's list is not quite complete. It omits, " Epitaph on King Charles I." and " On Himself, upon hearing what was his Sentence," ibid. 116. s Songs,^"^ ii. 71, last verse. HERD'S MANUSCRIPTS 79 [fol. 2b.] 4. The Grey Cock fol. .S24. addition betwixt the 1st and 2nd verse. ^ 5. Tranent Muir fol. 272. addition betwixt the 82^ and 83^ line.2 [On this verse Herd remarks] : " This verce Avas wrote by Adam Skirvine, farmer at Garvell Mains, on John Caddell of Prestonpans, father of the present manager of the white-stone works there." ^ [fol. 3a.] 6'. Wayimrd Wife pa. 210. To be added between 1st and 2nd verce : ' 7. The Jolly Beggar pa. 46. The Chorus of each verce : And we'll gang nae mair a roving, etc.^ 1 Songs,^"^^ ii. 208, 9, verses 2 and 3. - Songsp'' i. Ill, verse -1. ^ Herd was the first to print this verse. The satirical ballad of Tranent Muir was very popular. It was printed as a broadside (to the tune of " Killiecranky "), and also in The Charmer, 1751, vol. ii. 349. Skirving's farm, Garleton, was about two miles from Haddington, on the road to Gosford. He died at the age of eighty-four in 1803. (D. Laing in Stenhouse's Illustrations of the Lyric Poetry and Music of Scotland, 1853, pp. 189 ff ; cp. also i>. N. B.) ■* Songs,^-Hi. 120, vv. 2 and 3 ; even this version is not quite complete. * Songs,^-^ ii. 26; in So7igs^^^ the chorus was marked by Fa la la. 80 INTRODUCTION 8. Jenny dang the Weaver pa. 104. The Chorus : Up stairSj down stairs ^ [fol. 3b.] 9- Bob's Jock or the Coimtri/ Wedding pa. l68 To be added six verces of 8 lines each from a copy of this song in the Collection of Scots poems printed by W. Ruddiman, Jmi. 1766. These came in at different places of the song and it's to be considered, whether a reformed copy from both copys should not be printed. - [On fol. 5a-7a there is a list of ninety pieces contained in the MS. but not published in the edition of 1776.] [fol. 7b.] One part of an additional volume of Scottish Songs and Ballads may be composed of ^ In Songs,^'^^ ii. 58 the chorus has not been added, appar- ently in consequence of Herd's only noting down one line. 2 Ruddiman's Choice Collection, pp. 167-70 = Songs,^^^ ii, 88-92. Herd took the Country Wedding originally from Ramsay's Tea- Table Miscellany, vol. i. (of the Glasgow reprint, 1876), pp. 174-76, signed Z. Ramsay again found it in the Bannatyne MS. fol. 137 (10 verses). Lord Hailes, who reprints it in his Ancient Scottish Poems, 1770, p. 158, says in his notes to it, p. 292 : " This well-known poem, by frequent publication, has been much corrupted. Every publisher took the liberty of adding or altering just as his fancy led him." It appears from Herd's example, that this method was con- tinued even after Lord Hailes' publication. (See Laing- Hazlitt, Early Popular Poetry of Scotland and the Northern Border, London, 1895, vol. ii. p. 24.) HERD'S MANUSCRIPTS 81 Old Heroick Ballads, modem songs from the works of several Scots Gentlemen, and other miscellaneous songs to Scots tunes already printed and not in former collection, and may be found and class'd as follows, viz. : [fol. 8a.] Original Ballads from the Relicks of ancient Poetry and the Evergreen. [Herd's list contains six pieces, viz. : Chevy Chase,^ ancient and modern version, The Battle of Otter- burn,- The Battle of Redsquair,^ Edtvard ^ and Robin and MakyneJ] A". — The originals in the following class may be added to this. [fol. 8b.] 2nd class: From the Charmer^ and Tea- Table Miscellany. [Twenty-two songs out of which only the last, Watty and Madge, a burlesque parody on William and Margaret, was printed in Songs,(~) ii. 197.] [fol. 9a.] 3rd class : Frorn The Gentle Shepherd. [Four of the songs in the Gentle Shepherd had appeared in Songs,(.^) as the original words of the tunes they belong to: pp. 53, l60, 202, 216. These ^ Songs,^-^ i. 54 {modern version). ^ I- 153. 3 I. 49. * I. 63. * The Charmer: A Choice Collection of Songs, Scots and English. Edinburgh ... for J. Yair. 1749 (the original edition in one volume), 1752, 1765 (two vols.). This collection remained very popular and was reprinted for J. Sibbald in 1782. I 82 INTRODUCTION together with all the remaining songs (l6), were included in iS'o«o;.y.(')] [fol. 9b.] 4th class : From W"} Hamilton of Ban- gour's Works. ^ 5th class : From Original Poems by Scots Gentl'! ; in 2 vols., published in 1760.^ [Nothing out of these two classes was pi-inted in So7lgS.("^ [fol. 11a.] 6th class: In Alexander Nicol's Poems, edition printed at Edinb^, 1766,^ there is a collec- tion of 20 Scots songs from folio 21 to 46, being all new words, partly in the Scottish dialect,'* adapted to old tunes. [Follows a complete list of these 20 tunes. ^ Tavo of them appear in Herd's MSS. : Timber Stairs, MS. i. 105b-106a, ii. 6la-b, and The Pease Strafv, i. 106a-107a, ii. 6lb, the latter also in Songs,^^) ii. 238.] [fol. 10b.] 7th class : In Alexander Ross's Poems, ^ Poems 071 Several Occasions, by William Hamilton of Bangour, Esquire. Edinburgh, 1760. ^ A Collection of Original Poems, by the Rev. Mr. Black- lock, and other Scotch Gentlemen. Edinburgh, 1760 and 1762. ^ Poem,t on Several Subjects, both comical and serious. In two Parts. By Alexander Nicol, Schoolmaster. Edinburgh, 1766. ■• dialogue MS. * The list and the note are also in Herd's MS. ii. fol. 74a. The songs mentioned contain scarcely one line which could pass for popular. Cp. Timber Stairs in our Texts, No. CXI I. HERD'S MANUSCRIPTS 83 edition printed at Aberdeen, 17(iH, titled: The Fortunate Shepherdess. ^ To this there is added . . . Scots songs. [Six songs enumerated, but not accepted for SongsX-^ One of them, in a shorter and altered version, was already printed in Songs,(.^) viz. : Hock arid wee Pickle Toiv, Songs,<^) 171, (2)ii. 92.] 2 [fol. 10a.] 8th class : From an old collection of Scots Songs with the musick, published at Aberdeen by John Forbes ab!- the beginning of the reign of Charles II. (3d edition is in l682.)3 and 9th : From Original Ballads that have been printed singly, but never published in any collection hitherto, viz. : The Battle of Glenliveh (fought by the earls of ^ The Fortunate Shepherdess. A Pastoral Tale in three Cantos, in the Scotish Dialect. By Mr. Alexander Ross, Schoolmaster at Lochlee. To which is added a few Songs bv the same Author. Aberdeen, 1768. - Originally nineteen verses. The shorter version with five verses is said to have been made by Ross himself. (Cp. Stenhouse, p. 391.) It appears in Johnson's Museum, vol. v. No. 489. ' Usually quoted as Forbes's Aberdeen Cantus. See Texts i-iii and notes. The book was highly esteemed by the anti- quaries. When Dr. John Leyden on his tour in the High- lands, 1800, came to Aberdeen, the first edition of it (1662) was one of the books he immediately inquired for — unsuc- cessfully. See his Journal of the tour, edited by James Sinton, Edinburgh, 1903, p. 240. 84 INTRODUCTION Huntly and Errol ag* Argyle, October 5th, 1594). first line : Frae Dunidier to Aberdeen ^ The Gallant Grahams ' first line : Betrayed me ! how can this be ? The Duke of Gordofi's three daughters ^ The haughs of Cromdale * As I came in by Auchindown John of Badenyon * When first I came to be a man Bonny house of Airly ^ It fell on a day and a bonny summer's day ^ See J. G. Dalyell, Scotish Poems of the Sixteenth Century, 1801, vol. 1. pp. 136-52, and vol. ii. 347-56, The Battell of Bal- rinnes. A few verses are given by R. Jamieson in Popular Ballads and Songs, ii. 144. "^ Roxburghe Ballads, vol. vi. 590 ; op. Child, vol. iv. p. 78. 3 Child, vol. iv. No. 237. * Ritson, Scotish Songs, vol. ii. 40 ; Child, iv. 78. * By John Skinner. It was printed on a single sheet in 1776 ; a copy of it is in the British Museum (1346, m. 7). « Child, vol. iv. No. 199 ; no copy of it prior to 1790 has hitherto been discovered. HERD'S MANUSCRIPTS 85 The laird of Glenlee My name's Jocky Millar, I care no who knows it Answer to the mariner's iiife, or : Nae luck about the house ^ You sing of your goodnian frae hame The auld maji's mare's dead ^ [fol. lib.] Whistle on your thumb There was a knight was full of might The answer : He has ta'en a mantle ahout him John Highlandman s remarks on Edinburgh There's some like the cries of London Bonny Kate of Edinburgh 'Twas within a mile of Edinburgh town The lass of Gallowater On Gallowater fair and clear Sandy o'er the lee ^ I winna mary ony man but Sandy o'er the lee ^ As a single sheet in a collection of broadsides in the British Museum (11621. 10), printed by Fowler, Salisbury, 1785 (?) ; Johnson's Mdscum, VI. No. 595. '^ Johnson's Museum, v. No. 485. Tune and words usually attributed to Patie Birnie of Kinghorn. ' Ibid., iii. No. 274. 86 INTRODUCTION We'll o'er the Cli/d water to Charlie Some wives and few lasses make stories and clashes Tullochgoriim ^ Come fji'es a sanj? the lady cry'd This is 710 7nc '- There was a wee bit wifuckie Up i' the luoniing's no for me ^ Cauld blaws the wind frae north to south [fol. 1 i2a.] In collecting of the following MS. Songs Sic&, severals of them will happen to be wrote down, that have no other merit excepting the tunes they are sung by to reccommend them. Others, where they are written from memory, behoofe first to be taken down, before any judgement can be formed of them. It will therefore necessarly follow, if the collection shall afterwards happen to be thought worthy of the press, that severals here insert[ed] must be left out, and those that are to be printed (after correcting the orthography to the suppos'd time of tlieir composition &a) may be classed in the following order : 1st Antient Scots Songs to their own proper tunes. Fragments of D°/. ' The song written bv John Skinner ; a single sheet in the British Museum, l;)4G, m. 7 (1776). - The song by Alexander Watson, tailor, Aberdeen. •'^ See C.E. iii. p. 315. HERD'S MANUSCRIPTS 87 2d. Original words of Old Scots Songs to known tunes. Fragments of D^. 3d. More modern Scots Songs not hitherto published. Fragments of D°/. B MS. Additiotial 22, 312 (MS. II). Folio (average size of leaves 31 : 19 ctm. = 12, 4 : 7, 5 in.); fol. 85, two fty leaves at the beginning. Mainly written by Herd himself, and, as MS. I, containing various entries later than 1776. e.g. : fol. 74b-75a the sketch of the two Pennycuiks (cp. pp. 58, Sg) and fol. 7()a-81b The Sang of the Outlaw Mur- ray, sent to him by Andrew Plummer, Sheriff-depute of Selkirkshire, in January 17.95. Again numerous leaves are written by other hands. These I take to be the original copies forwarded to him by his correspondents, (a) fol. 65a-66b : The Bo7iny Hyn ; (b) fol. f)7a (verse 1-3) : The Ley Rig; (c) fol. 68a : The Day begins to peep ; fol. 69a : wow Marget ; fol. 70a: She heard him speak, but said Despair; (d) fol. 71a: The Lin/cing Ladie ; (e) fol. 72a : What's the Spring breathing Jessmin and Rose ; (f ) SSa-S-ib : The Bonny Hyn (Herd's pajier, text identical with 88 INTRODUCTION fol. 65a-66b, but by a different hand) ; (g) fol. 85a-b : There ivas a Lady Fair, and When I think on the World's Pelf. Fol. 31 and 49 were misplaced by the binder. The volume is in a very fragmentary condition. It appears from the old pagination that the following pages are missing : 33-40 (after fol. 15b), 61-64 (after fol. 25b), 71-74 (after fol. 28b), 79-82 (after 30b), 95-9Q (after fol. 36b), 105-120 (after fol. 40b), 123-126 (after fol. 41b), 131-156 (after fol. 43b), 159-l60 (after fol. 44b), 173-174 (after fol. 50b), 185-186 (after fol. 55b), 197-212 (after fol. 60b), 215-218 (after fol. 6lb). With fol. 64b the main body of the MS. breaks off. Of the rest only a slip of page 233 has been preserved. It may be safely stated that the missing pages contained nothing that is not to be found in MS. I., of which MS. II. is only a second copy. They may have been lost in the printer's office. TEXTS TEXTS THREE SONGS FROM J. FORBES^S ABERDEEN CANTUS I LUSTIE MAYE I O LUSTY Maye with Flora queen, The balmy drops from Pheebus sheen Prelusant beams before the day, Before the day, the day ; By thee Diana groweth green, Through gladness of this lusty May, Through gladness of this lusty May.' 8 Then Aurora, that is so bright. To wofull hearts she - casts great light Right pleasantly before the day, &c. And shows and shads forth of that light, 12 Through gladness of this lusty May, Through gladness of this lusty May. ' The first verse of this song is cited in a book entitlt'd The Complaint of Scotland, &c., printed at St. Andrews in 1548; whereby it appears to have been a current old Scots .-^ong in the reign ol James V. [D. H. nfUr rcrs> v.] ^ lie MS, S 92 HERD'S MANUSCRIPTS Birds on their beughs ^ of every sort Sends forth their notes and makes great mirth alopo On banks that blooms on every bray, &c. is And fares and flyes ov'r field and firth. Through gladness of this lusty May, Through gladness of this lusty May. All lovers' hearts that are in care, 20 To their ladies they do repair. In fresh mornings before the day, &c., And are in mirth ay more and more. Through gladness of this lusty May, 24 Through gladness of this lusty May. Of every moneth in the year To rairthfull May there is no peer. Her glistring garments are so gay, &c. Your lovers all make merry cheer, Through gladness of this lusty May, Through gladness of this lusty May. ^ boughs S. FORBES'S ABERDEEN CANTUS 93 II [ELORE LO] In a garden so green in a May-morning, Heard I my lady pleen of paramours, complain Said she : " My love so sweet, come you not yet, not yet ? Heght^ you not to me to meet amongst the promised flow'rs ? " Elore, Elore, Elore, Elore, I love my lusty love, Elore^ lo ! " The light - up springeth, the dew down dingeth, 8 The sweet larks singeth their hours of prime, Phebus up sprenteth,3 joy to rest wenteth, springeth So lost is mine intents, and gone's the time." Elore, Elore, Elore, Elore, 12 I love my lusty love, Elore, lo ! Ill " Danger my dead is, false fortune my feed is. And languor my leid is, but hope I dispair, hondage ' Hight iS' - skyes MS ^ spenteth S 94 HERD'S MANUSCRIPTS Disdain my desire is, so 3trarigene53 my fear is. Deceit oat of all ware ! — Adew^ I fare ' " i« ETore, Elore, Elore, Elore, I love mT Instv love Elore, lo '. make kno^im Then to m j ladie bljth did I mr preseaee krdi. Saying : "' My bird, be glad : am I not joozs ? " 3» love So in my armes ^ two ^ did I the lustie jo, u^OTfe And kissed her times mo than night hath hours. Elore, Elore, Elore, Elore, I love mv lusty love Elore, lo ! ti " Live in hope, ladie fair, and repel all dispair. Trust not that your true love shall you betray. When deceit and languor = banisht is ' from your bowr, rie be your paramour and shal you please Elore, Elore, Elore, Elore, I love my lusty love Elore, lo I " Favour and dutie unto your bright beautie faithfulness Confirmed hath lawtie obliedged to truth, 1 arms -S' - too .^' * lansor JsT^ ' is banish: 5 FORBES'S ABERDEEN CANTUS 95 So that your soverance. heartelie but variance, Mark in your raemorance mercie and rutb Hqrfn ffjis Elore, Elore. Elore,. Elore, 3»; I love mv lustv love Elore. lo ! VII ■• Yet for your courtesie, banish all jealousie, Love for love lustily do me restore,. Then with us lovers young true love shal rest and rei^n, *) Solace shall sweetly sing for evermore : Elore, Elore, Elore, Elore, I love mv lustv love Elore. lo ! ' 96 HERD'S MANUSCRIPTS III [WO WORTH THE TIME] I Wo worth the time and eke the place, That she was to me known. For since I did behold her face, My heart was never mine own, mine own, jo, mine own, My heart was never mine own ! 5 II Sometimes I liv'd at libertie. But now I do not so, She hath my heart so faithfullie, That I can love no mo, no mo, jo, no mo. That I can love no mo. lO III To be refus'd of love, alas ! All earthly things, adue ! My mistris, she is merciless And will not on me rue, me rue, jo, me rue. And will not on me rue. 15 FORBES'S ABERDEEN CANTUS 97 Now am I left all comfortless And no remead can crave, My pains they are remeadiless, And all the wyte you have, you have, jo, blame you have, And all the wyte you have. 98 HERD'S MANUSCRIPTS B. OLD POPULAR SONGS, AND FRAG- MENTS OF POPULAR SONGS IV [O GIN MY LOVE WERE YON RED ROSE] A if O GIN my love were yon red rose, That grows upon the castle-wa', And I mysell a drap of dew Into her bony breast to fa' : 4 O there, beyond expression blest, I'd feast on beauty a' the night, Seal'd on her silk-saft falds to rest, driven Till flyed awa by Phoebus light. 8 B [Chorus .•] O MY love's bonny, bonny, bonny. My love's bonny and fair to see.^ I grain O if ^ my love was ^ a pickle of wheat And growing upon yon lilly-white ^ lee. And I myself a bonny sweet ^ bird : Away with that pickle I "^ wad flie. 6 1 Chorus in Mstr. (Ill, 383) : my love's bonny, bonny, bonny ; My love's bonny and fair to see : Whene'er I look on her weel-far'd face, She looks and smiles again to me. 2 gin ^ were •* lily ' wee ® Awa' wi' that pickle o' wheat I POPULAR SONGS 99 11 O if ^ my love was - a bonny red rose And growing 2 upon some barren wa',* And I myself a drap of dew : 10 Down in ^ that red rose I would fa'. Ill O if ^ my love was - a coffer of gold,^ And I the keeper of the key : Then I would open it when I lest," pleased 14 And into ^ that coffer I would be. 1 gin - were ^ That grows •* the castle wa' ^ on ^ o' gowd ^ I wad open the kist whene'er I list ^ in_ ^n the variants from Mstr. Scott puts v. ii. before v. i. 100 HERD'S MANUSCRIPTS THE LEY-RIGG A grass field embrace roU Will ye gang o'er ^ the ley-rigg Wi' me, my kind deary O,- And cudle ^ there fu' ^ kindly, Myne ain kind dearie O ? ^ [Chortis :] '^ I'll row you east, I'll row you west, I'll row you the way you like best. And ri row you o'er the ley-rig. Mine ain kind deary O. toy wan- tonly hide At thornie dyke " and birken tree We'll dafF and ne'er be weary O, They'll skug ^ ill een ^ frae you and me. My ^'^ ain kind dearie O. 12 [Chorus .-] I'll row you east, I'll row you west &c. 1 our // " Where we bae oft been cheary //, my ain kind d. M ^ cuddle JI, M '^ sa.e M » Wi' me, my k, d. M ® Chorus not in II and M ^ thornybush // ^ skoog // '-^ ein // ^** mine M POPULAR SONGS 101 III Nae herd ^ wi' kent or collie there long staff Shall e'er come near ^ to fear ye O, But lav'rocks,^ singing"* in the air, Shall woo like me their dearie O. [^Chorus ;] I'll row you east, I'll row you west &c. While others herd their ewes and lambs ^ And toil for wardly *^ gear, my jo, worldly Upon the ley ^ my pleasure grows, grass field Wi' you, my kind dearie O. [Chorus :] I'll row you east, I'll row you west &c. B Tho' the night were ne'er sae dark, And I were ne'er sa ^ weary, I'd meet on the ley-rig 4 My ain kind deary. ^ herds //, M ^ near omitted II, M ' laverocks // * whistling //, M ^ lambs and ewes //, M ^ warld's II, M ' leys //. — In II v. i. repeated nfter r. it., which xecnis to in- dicate that it was meant for the chorus ^ so //. 102 HERD'S MANUSCRIPTS VI [WILL YE GO TO FLANDERS, MY MALLY ?] I Will ye go to the ^ Flandei's, my Mallie ^ O ? Will ye go to the ^ Flanders, my bonie Mallie^ O?; There we'll get wine and brandy, And sack and sugar-candy : Will ye go to Flanders, my Mally O ? 5 II Will ye go to Flanders, my Mally O ? And see the chief commanders, my Mally O ? You'll see the bullets fly. And the soldiers how they die,^ And the ladies loudly cry, my Mally O ' lo ^ the not in S - Mally S ^ 11. 3 and 4 as one line MSS, S. POPULAR SONGS 103 VII [I HAE LAYEN THREE HERRING A SAT] I HAE layen three herring a sa't, — laid Bonie lass, gin ye'll take me tell me now, And I hae brow'n three pickles o' ma't — And I cannae cum ilka day to woo. [Chorus ;] To woo, to woo, to lilt and to woo, sing mer- rily i And I cannae cum ilka day to woo. II I hae a wee ca'f that wad fain be a cow, — Bonie lass, gin ye'll tak me tell me now, I hae a wee gryce that wad fain be a sow — young pig And I canna cum ilka day to woo. [Chonts .•] To woo, to woo, to lilt and to avoo, And I canna cum ilka day to woo. 104 HERD'S MANUSCRIPTS VIII [BLINK OVER THE BURN, SWEET BETTIE] In simmer I mawed mv meadows, cut In harvest I shure my corn, In ^vinter I married a Avidow : I wish I was free the morn I 4 Blink over the burn, sweet Bettie, BHnk over the burn to me ! O it is a thousand pities, But I was a widow ^ for thee. 8 ^ Chambers in Traditions of Edinburgh, rol. ii. p. 244, notes that the term widow -icoma 11 distinguishes vidua from the viduus, who, in Scotch phrase, is called a icidow. POPULAR SONGS 105 IX [I AM TO COURT A WIFE] I I AM to court a wife, And I'll love her as my life, But she is a young thing And new come frae her minnie. mother II She's twice six, twice seven,i Twice twenty and eleven. Alack, she's but a young thing. And new come frae her minnie ! ^ and twice seven //. 10() HERD'S MANUSCRIJ'TS X [THE HUSBAND'S COMPLAINT] lot without If ever there was an ill wife i' the warld, It was my hap to get her. And by my hap and by my luck : I had been better but her. tongue- lashing I wish I had been laid i' my jjjrave, When 1 got her to marriage, For the very first night the strife began, And slie gave ^ me my carriage. rodo hard dock-tailed horse pretty cash I scour'd awa to Edinborow-town And my cutty brown together. And there I bought her a braw new gown : I'm sure it cost some siller. 12 1 gae S POPULAR SONGS 10^ IV Ilka ell o't was a crown, 'T was better than her marriage, But because it was black, an' it was na brown, For that I got my carriage. When I saw naething her wad mend, I took her to the forest. The very first wood that I came to, Green-holan was the nearest. ^^ There I paid her baith back and side. Till a' her banes play'd clatter, And a' the bairns gather'd round about, 24 Cry'd : " Fy, goodman, have at her ! " 108 HERD'S MANUSCRIPTS XI [GUDE MORROW, FAIR MISTRESS] i I GuDE morrow, fair mistress, the beginer o' strife, I took ye frae the begging and made ye my wife. It was your fair outside that first took my ee : But this sail be ^ the last time my face ye sail see ! Fye on ye, ill woman, the bringer o' shame. The abuser o' love, the disgrace o' my name. The betrayer o' him that so trusted in thee : But this is the last time my face ye sail see ! To the ground shall be razed these halls and • bowers these hours, Defil'd by your lusts and your wanton amours, I'll find out a lady of higher degree : And this is the last time my face ye shall see ! 12 ^ Title in MSS. : Fragment. Marginal, note : To a very fine tune not in any collection. - sail be] ip Ritson and M. POPULAR SONGS 109 XII [FARE YE WEEL, MY AULD WIFE] And ^ fare ye weel, my auld wife. Sing bum, be bery,2 bum. Fare ye weel, my auld wife. Sing bum, bum, bum,^ Fare ye weel, my auld wife. The steerer up o' strunt ^ and strife, The malt's aboon the meal the night ^ Wi' some, some, some ! "^ bad feeling above And "^ fare ye weel, my pyk-staff. Sing bum, be bery,'- bum, Fare ye weel, my pyke-stafF, 12 Sing bum, bum, bum,^ Fare ye weel, my pyke-staff, Wi' you nae mair my wife I'll bafF: The malt's aboon the meal the night ^ 16 Wi' some, some, some ! ^ ' i/ - bi bery M ^ bum only once M * sturt At ^ A proverbial expression: "I shall get drunk to-night," s. Jamieson, s. v. "mault," Kelly, Scottish Proverbs, 1818, p. 202. ". . . If the maut gets abune the meal with you, it is time for rae to take myself away." — Scott's Redgauntlet (Border Edition), pp. 379-80 ^ some onhj once M '' An M. shepherd's staff strike no HERD'S MANUSCRIPTS XIII [FAIRLY SHOT OF HERi] I MARRIED a wife with a good commendation, notorious But now she's as peeck - to a' the whole nation : Hearken and hear, and I will tell ye a note of her, rid Now she is dead, and I'm fairly shot of her. 4 [Chorus .•] Fairly, fairly, fairly shut of her, Now she is dead I will dance on the top of her. Well's me now I am fairly shut of her. Fairly &c. 8 ^ over 1. 1 : Scraps of Fragments / and II ^ puck //. POPULAR SONGS 111 XIV [MY WIFE'S A WANTON WEE THING] Mv wife's a wanton wee thing, My wife's a wanton wee thing, My wife's a wanton wee thing. She'll never ^ be guided by me ! She play'd the loon e'er - she was married, strumpet She play'd the loon e'er she was married. She play'd the loon e'er she was married, She'll do it again e'er she die ! ■X- -x- * * * * ' She winna M ^ or liiies 4-8 M. 112 HERD'S MANUSCRIPTS XV [O THAT I HAD NE'ER BEEN MARRIED] THAT I had ne'er been married, 1 wad nevir had nae care, Now I've gotten wife and bairns thick oat- They i cry " crowdie ' ' evermair. meal gruel [Chorus :] Ance crowdie, twice crowdie. Three times ^ crowdie in a day : Gin ye crowdie ony may,^ Ye'll crowdie a' my meal away ! 1 An' they M " time // ^ mair M. POPULAR SONGS 113 XVI [EFFIE M'NAB] O SAW ye Effie M'Nab the day ? Saw ye Effie M'Nab the day ? She's down in the yaird,^ kitchen o > 1 111 garden She s kissing the laird, She - winnie ^ cum hame the day, the day. O see to Effie M'Nab as she goes ! See to Effie M'Nab as she goes ! With her corked-heel shoen high-heeled And her cockets aboon : gaiters O see to Effie M'Nab as she goes ! yeard // - She's / and II ^ winna //. 114 HERD'S MANUSCRIPTS XVII [AS I CAME IN BY FISHERROW] Tune : Jenny dang the Weaver. I As I came in by Fisherrow ^ Mussleburgh was near me : I threw off- my mussle-pock And courted wi' my dear}-. stayed known alter O had her apron bidden doun, The kirk wad ne'er a ^ kend it, But since the word's gane thro' the toun. My dear, I canna mend it 3 stool of re- pentance the pillory But ye maun mount the cutty-stool. And I moun mount the pillar. And that's the way that poor folks do. Because they hae nae sillar. 12 [^Choriis .•] Up stairs, doun stairs. Timber-stairs fears me, I thought it lang to ly my lane. When I'm sae near my dearie ! 16 ^ Fisherraw S, Fisherrow is a suburb of Musselburgh - aS S ha-S-. POPULAR SONGS 115 XVIII [AS I CAME UP YON BONY WATERSIDE] I As I came up ^ yon bony - waterside And down 3 yon shillinor-hill O, *^® ^^^}^- •' o ' ing null There I did spy '^ a bony bony lass, for com 4 A ^ lass I loo'd right well O. II I asked her if she could play, But the lassie had nae skill O, And yet she was nae a' to blame, 8 She put it in my will O. Ill Then she fell o'er and sae did I, And so we made a reel O : Whene'er that bony lass comes again, 12 She shall hae her malt ground weel*' O ! [^Chorus .] The mill mill O, and the kill kill O, kiln And [the coggin o' Peggy's wheel O, stoppinc: The sack and the sieve, and a' she did leave, 16 And danced the miller's reel O.] ' down £[urns] (Cb. W. IV, p. 391) - omitted by B » by B * I spied B » And a lass B « well MSS. ; the words hi brackets are taken from B, not in the MSS. 116 HERD'S MANUSCRIPTS XIX [LOGAN WATER AND LOGAN BRAES] Logan water and Logan braes — clothes I helped a bonie ^ lassie on wi' her claiths, First wi' her stockings and then wi' her shoon, jilted me And she gave me the glaiks when a' was done. known But had I kend what I ken now, I should have bang'd her belly fou/ Her belly fou' and her apron up And a shew'd ^ her the way to Logan kirk. 1 bonnie -S" ^ hae sh. S Two four-line verses in S. POPULAR SONGS 117 XX HAD I THE WYTE? Had I the wyte ? had I the wyte ? blame Had I the wyte ? She bad me, And ay she gied me cheese and bread To kiss her when she bad me, For she was stewart in the house, And I was footman-ladie. And ay she gied me cheese and bread ^ To kiss her, when she bad me. ^ Marginal note (Sir W. Scott's) : For the two last lines read And when I could na do't again : Silly loon she ca'd me. /. 118 HERD'S MANUSCRIPTS XXI [GREEN GROWS THE RASHES O] [Chorus :] Green grows the rashes O, Green grows the rashes O, The feather-bed is no sae saft, As a bed amang the rashes [O]. We're a' dry wi' drinking o't. We're a' dry wi' drinking o't. The parson kist the fidler's wife. And he cou'd na preach for thinking o't. [Chorus ;] Green grows &c. The down-bed, the feather-bed, The bed amang the rashes O, Yet a' the beds is no ^ sae saft, As the belhes o' the lasses O ! 1 na^:. POPULAR SONGS lip XXII GIN THE KIRK WAD LET ME BE I I AM a poor, silly, auld man And hirpling o'er a tree, crippling Yet fain, fain kiss wad I, Gin the kirk wad let me be. Gin a' ray duds were aff rags And a' hail claes on, clothes O, I could kiss a young lass, As weel as can ^ ony man ! ^ can not in -S'. 120 HERD'S MANUSCRIPTS XXIII [LOGIE OF BUCHAN] I O LoGiE of Buchan, o Logie the laird, dug They hae ta'en awa Jamie that dely'd^ i' the yard. Who play'd on the pipe an ^ the viol sae sma', They hae ta'en awa Jamie, the flower o' i them a'. \^Cho}iis .•] He said : ^ " Think na lang, lassie, tho' I gang^ awa ; " He said : ^ " Think na lang, lassie, tho' I gang * awa. For '• the summer is coming,*" cauld ^ winter's aAva, And I'll come and see thee in spite o' them s 1 wrought M - wi' MS = He said] M * he M * He said] Au' M ^ For not in M '' come M * and the M POPULAR SONGS 121 11 Sandy ^ has ousen, has gear - and has ' kye, oxen ; cows A house and a hadden and siller ^ forby, holding ; But I'd take mine ain lad ^ wi' his staff in his^ hand, 12 Before I'd take him" wi' his ^ houses and land. [Chorus :] He said : " Think na lang, lassie, tScc. My daddy looks ^ sulky, my minny looks ^ sour. They frown upon Jamie, because he is poor ; ^'^ 16 Tho' I loe them as weel as a daughter shou'd do. They are no half sae dear to me, Jamie, as you. 11 [Chorus .] He said : " Think na lang, lassie, &c. ^ Sandy M, B[uchan] - has gear] and siller M ^ has oTaitted M * a' things M * But I wad hae Jamie M, B ^ bonnet in 's M ^ take him] hae Sandy M, B ^ his not in M ' was M '" They gloom'd on my Jamie because he was poor M ^^ But daddie and minnie altho' that they be, There's nane o' them like mv Jamie to me B, M 122 liKIli-)'S MANUSCJIIPTS IV Bpinriinfi; J J ^^jt on my crc(;j)ie - and spin at my wheel, stool y^j^j think on the laddie that lo'ed me sae weel,^ 20 lie had but ae* saxpence — he "^ brak it in twa, And he *' gied '' me the ha'f o't, when he went ^ awa. [CAonw ;] Then haste ye baek, Jamie, and bide na awa ! Then haste ye back, Jamie, and bide na 24 awa ! Summer is cominjr, cauld winter's awa, And ye'll come and see me in spite o' them a'.'-^ '■ I'll M '^ sunkie M * And sing 0' my Jamie wha loes me sae weel M * He took a white saxpence M ^ he] and M, B ^ he not in M, B '^ gae M ^ gaed M, B ® Sayin, think upon't, lassie, when I am awa, An' think upon't, lassie, when I am awa, The simmer is come, and the winter's awa, And I'll come and see thee in spite o' them a'. M. POPULAR SONGS 123 XXIV [MY SANDY] [Chorus :^ My Sandy O, my Sandy O, My bonie, bonie Sandy O, Tho' the love that I owe To thee I dare nae shew, Yet I love my love in secret^ My Sandy O ! My Sandy gied to me a rin<^, Was a' beset wi' diamonds ^ fine, But 1 gied to - him a far better thing : I gied him ^ my heart to keep ^ in pledge for ^ his ring.*' ' diaments / ^ to omitted M ^ him not in M * to keep not in M * o' iff * line 4 in two lines MSS. 10 124 HERD'S MANUSCRIPTS XXV RANTIN, ROVIN LAD My love was born in Aberdeen, The boniest lad that e'er was seen, O he is forced from ^ me to gae O'er the hills and far away ! [Chorus ;] O he's a ranting, roving ladie ! O he's a brisk and bonie ladie ! Betide what will, I'll get me ready And follow the lad wi' the Highland plaidy. distaff ; fear crumpled- horned I'll sell my rock, my reel, my tow, My gude gray mare and hacket cow, To buy my love a tartan plaid. Because he is a roving blade. [Chonis ;] O he's a ranting, roving ladie ! O he's a brisk and bonie ladie ! Betide what will, I'll get me ready To follow that 2 lad wi' the Highland plaidy. 1 frae S ^ the S. 12 POPULAR SONGS 125 XXVI HOW CAN I BE BLYTH AND GLAD To its own tune, not in any collection: sloxc, tender, pensive. How can I be blyth or glad. Or in my mind contented be, When the bony, bony ^ lad, that I loo'd 2 best, Is banish'd from my company ? Tho' 2 he is banish'd for ray sake, I his true love will still remain, But o that I was, and I wish that ^ I was, In the chamber, where my love ^ is in ! Ill I dare nae come to my true love, I dare nae either sport or play, For their evil, evil tongues are going sae ^ gell, harshly 2 That I must kiss and go my way. 1 bonny, bonny 5 ^ loed S ' Though S * that omitttd S my true love S ^ so S 126 HERD'S MANUSCRIPTS IV Kissiiif; is l)uL .-i foolisli i;incy, H. brings two lovers into sin: But o that 1 WHS, .ind I wish that^ I was In the clianibcr, where my love is in ! is V My true love is streight and tall, I had nae will to say him nay, For with his false, but sweet deluding tongue lie stole my very heart away." 20 ' tli:it oviiUcd S : cp. Songs," 11, 15, v. I.: " Some say that kissing's a sin, But I say that winna stand," &c. ^ after ?'. V : I have heard several other stanzas of this, but cannot now recover them. MS. POPULAR SONGS 127 XXVII [JOHNY WAS THE LAD] I JoHN'Y 1 was the lad of the men I saw. That gain'd my esteem, my best wishes a'. His manly worth and easy mein carriage 4 Were quietly my wonder baith morn and e'en. But now he's awa - and very far frae hame, And sair, sair I fear I'll ne're see him again, But I will weary heaven to keep him in its care, 8 For o, he is good, and good men are rare 1 ^ Johnny // - away //. 128 HERD'S MANUSCRIPTS XXVIII [HEH HOW, JOHNY LAD] should teased ; tasted ; again and again Heh how, Johny lad,^ ye're no sae kind's ye sud ha been, Heh how,- etc.^ Sae weel's ye might hae touzled me and sweetly pried my mow bedeen, Heh how, etc. 4 plough brother nobody desisted from fear known ; even trust all alone weep My father he was at the pleugh, my mither she was at the mill. My billie he was at the moss, and no ane near our sport to spill, The fint a body was therein, ye need na fley'd for being seen : * Heh how, etc. 8 Four-line vv in S and M ; ^ my Johnie lad always M ^ Gin your voice I had na kent, I cou'd na eithly trow my een M 2 refrain always given in full S, M "^ there was nae fear of being seen M. added after v. II. : Wad ony lad wha lo'ed her weel, hae left his bonny lass her lane, To sigh and greet ilk langsome hour, and think her sweetest minutes gane, 0, had ye been a wooer leal, we shu'd hae met wi' hearts mair keen, Hey how my Johnie lad, ye're no sae kind's ye sud hae beeia M POPULAR SONGS 129 in But I man hae anither jo, wha's love gangs lover never out o' mind. And winna let the mamens pass, whan to moments a lass he can be kind : Then gang yere ways to blinking Bess, ogling nae mair for Johny sal she green, pine Heh how, etc. B O OUR Johnny's no sae kind. As I thought he wad a ^ been. He's no ha'f sae kind to me. As I thought he wad a been ! He turn'd about his back to me, When I gaed to his bed yestreen O our Johnny's no ^ sae kind. As I thought he wad a been ! ' hae II - nae //. 130 HERD'S MANUSCRIPTS XXIX [LET HIM GANG] It was on a Sunday My love and I did meet, Which caused me on Monday To sigh and to weep — O to weep is a folly, Is a folly to me : Sen he'll be mine nae langer. Let him gang — farewell he ! [Chorus ;] Let him gang, let him gang, Let him sink, let him swim. If he'l be my love no longer. Let him ffansr — farewell him ! Let him drink to Rosemary, And I to the Thyme, Let him drink to his love And I unto mine ; lo POPULAR SONGS 131 For my mind shall never alter And vary to and fro, I will bear a true affection To the young lad I know. [Chorus .•] Let him gang, let him gang, Let him sink or let him swim, If he'l be my love no longer, Let him gang — farewell him ! 132 HERD'S MANUSCRIPTS XXX I'LL CHEAR UP MY HEART As I was a-walking ^ ae May-morning 2 The fidlers ^ and youngsters were making their game. And there * I saw '" my faithless lover," And a' my sorrows returned again.' 4 Well, since he is gone,* now joy ^ gang i<^ wi' him, make It's never be he that^^ shall gar me complain, I'll chear up my heart, and I will get anither,^^ I'll never lay a' my love upon ane ! ^^ s Printedin four-line verses S ^ wand'ring J/ ^ midsummer e'enin M ^ pipers M "* Amang them M ^ spyed M " faith- less fause luver M "^ Which bled a' the wounds 0' my dolour again M ^ since he has left me M ^ now omitted S; may pleasure M ^"^ gae M ^^ that omitted S ^^ another ^S 13 n. 6-8 : I may be distress'd but I winna complain : I'll flatter my fancy I may get anither, My heart it shall never be broken for ane. M II. 5-8 the same in all verses M POPULAR SONGS 133 would have I could na get sleepin yestreen ^ for weeping,- The tears ran ^ down like showers o' rain,^ An I had na got '-' greeting, my heart wad a broken. And ^ o, but love's " a tormenting pain ! But since he is gane, may joy gae wi' him. It's never be he, that shall gar me complain, make I'll chear up my heart, and I will get anither : ^ I'll never lay a' my love upon ane ! .When I gade into my mither's new house, I took my wheel, and I ^ sat down to spin : 'Twas there I first began my thrift, 20 And a' the woers came linking in.^*^' It was geer he was seeking, but geer he'll na get, And it's never be he that shall gar me complain, For I'll chear ujj my heart, and I'll soon get anither : ^ 24 I'll never lay a' my love upon ane ! ^ till dawin M - greetin M '■' trickl'd 31 ■* like the hail and the rain M '' An' had na I got S ; had I na got M ^ For M ^ but love's] luve forsaken's M * another -S * I omitted S 10 i7istcad ofU 1-4 in v. III. J/ has : Although he has left me for greed o' the siller, I dinna envy him the gains he can win : I rather wad bear a' the lade o' my sorrow, Than ever hae acted sae fait!;less to him. went tripping dowry 134 HERD'S MANUSCRIPTS XXXI [FALSE LUVE] Fals luve I and hae ye played me this ^ In the simmer, mid the flowers ? I sail repay ye back agein " 4 In the winter, mid the showers ! 11 Bot again, dear luve, and again, dear luve, Will ye not turn again ? As ye look to ither women, ft Sail I to ither men. ***** ^ Herd remarks in the margin : Tune not in any collection and This seems to be made from Desdemona's song in Othello. ' again S. POPULAR SONGS 135 XXXII [WHEN I GAED TO THE MILL] I When I gaed to the mill my lane, by myself Fori ^Q ground my malt. The miller-ladie kist me, I thought it was nae fau't. What tho' - the ladie kist me. When I was at the mill ? A kiss is but a touch. And a touch can do nae ^ ill ! II O I lue •* the miller-ladie, 1°^® And my ladie lues me, He has sick a blyth look, such And a bonie, blinking ee ! What tho' - the ladie kist me, When I was at the mill ? A kiss is but a touch, And a touch can do nae ^ ill. 1 A' for M - though S ^ na S * loo S M. 136 HERD'S MANUSCRIPTS XXXIII [AS I GAED TO THE WELL] As I gaed to the well at e'en, As ony ^ honest auld woman will do, The carl then he follow 't me, As auld carles will do, \Choriis ;] He woo'd me and loo'd me, A wally, how he woo'd me ! But yet I winna tell to you, How the carl wood me. II As I sat at my wheel at e'en. As ony^ honest auld woman shou'd do, The carl he came in to me, As auld carles will do. [Chorus ;] He woo'd me and loo'd me &c. 1 anv *S POPULAR SONGS 137 III As I gaed to my bed at e'en. As ony ^ other honest auld woman wou'd do, The carl then he came to me. As auld carles will do. \Chorus ;] He woo'd me and loo'd me &c. 1 any jS'. 138 HERD'S MANUSCRIPTS XXXIV KIST THE STREEN On the Late Duke op Argyle^ A I O AS I was kist yestreen ! O as I was kist yestreen I I'll never forget till the day that I die, Sae mony braw kisses his Grace ga'e me. My father was sleeping, my mither was out, alone And I was my lane, and in came the duke, I'll never forget till the day that I die, Sae mony braw kisses his Grace ga'e me. Kist the streen, kist the streen Up the Gallowgate, down the green : ^ I'll never forget till the day that I die, Sae mony braw kisses his Grace ga'e me. 12 1 Of Hamiltou W. S. [ Walter Scott, on the ■margin'] I ^ "Up the Gallowgate, down the Green " tvas the favourite promenade of Glasgow lads and lasses. POPULAR SONGS 139 B Kiss ye, Jean, kiss ye, Jean, Never let an auld man kiss ye, Jean ! An auld man's nae man till a young quean Never let an auld man kiss ye, Jean ! 140 HERD'S MANUSCRIPTS blessings on ; head XXXV DAINTY DAVIE 1 [Chorus ;] O LEEZE me on your curly pow, Dainty Davie, dainty Davie, Leeze me on your curly pow. Mine ain dainty Davie. boards It was in and through the window broads, intricacies And all - the tirliewirlies o'd : The sweetest kiss that e'er I got Was from ^ my dainty Davie. [Clwrus ;] O leeze me on your curly pow &c. ^ The following song (as well as the preceding) [viz. Mass David Willinhison No. XCIT] was made upon Mass David Williamson on bis getting with child the Lady Cherrytree's daughter, while the soldiers were searching the bouse to apprehend him for a rebel [D. H.]. ^ a' -S ^ f rae S POPULAR SONGS 141 It was clown amang my daddy's pease, father's And underneath the cherry-trees : ^ O there he kist me as he j)leas'd, For he was mine ain dear Davie. [Chorus .•] O leeze me on your curly pow &c. When he was chas'd by a dragoon, Into my bed he was laid down, I thought him wordy o' his room, And he's ay my dainty Davie. [Chonis :^ O leeze me on your curly pow &c. ^ An allusion to the name of the lady. 142 HERD'S MANUSCRIPTS XXXVI [THE DUSTY MILLER] O THE dusty miller, O the dusty miller. Dusty was his coat, dusty was his ^ colour,^ Dusty was the kiss I got frae the miller ! O the dusty miller with the dusty coat. He will spend a shilling ere he win a groat ! O the dusty &e. ^ omitted II ^ cuUour /. POPULAR SONGS 143 XXXVII [OH AY SIN SYNE, MINNIE] [Chorus .•] Oh ay sin syne, minnie, always •^ since then Oh ay sin syne, minnie, O my back, and o my sides : I'v a sail* vvyme, minnie ! belly I There came a chapman to the house, pedlar And wow but he was kind, minnie ! ©h He gied to me his maidenhead, I wat he gat nae mine, minnie. know IT Is there any sack into this house. Or any claret-wine, minnie ? Is there anything into this house. Will cure a sair w'yme, minnie ? 144 HERD'S MANUSCRIPTS cannot XXXVIII [STILL CAULD, AY CAULD] [^Chorus .•] Still cauld, ay cauld, Still cauld, cauld am I, A' the lads about the town Canno keep the cauld frae me. hold He bought to me a pair of shoon. And a' to had the cauld frae me, He bad me dance till they were done, And that wad keep the cauld frae me. stretch ; hands He bought to me a pair of gloves. And a' to ha'd the cauld frae me. He bad me streek them on my loofs. And that wad keep the cauld frae me. 12 POPULAR SONGS 145 XXXIX MY LOVE IS LONG A-GROWINGi She looked o'er the castle-\va', She saw three lords play at the ba' : " O the youngest is the flower of a', But my love is lang o' growing, II " O father, gin ye think it fit, We'll set him to the college yet, And tye a ribbon round his hat. And, father, I'll gang wi' him ! " ^ Marginal note: A very fine tune not in any collection MSS. 146 HERD'S MANUSCRIPTS XL [NEWS, LASSES!] I " News, lasses, news ! Gude news I hae to tell : There's a boat fu' o' young men Come to our town to sell ! " II " Mither," quo' she, " father," quo' she, " Do what ye can, will not go For to my bed I winna gae. Till I get a man ! " POPULAR SONGS 147 XLI [O DEAR MOTHER] " O DEAR mother,^ what shall I do ? O dear mother,^ what shall I do ?" - 3 " Daft thing, doild thing, do as I do ! " mad ; stupid II " Gin I be black, I winna ^ be lo'ed, An gin I be fair, I winna ^ be good ■* : 6 O dear mother what shall I do ? " ^ minny M ^ line once more repeated M ^ canna M * after this added : If I be lordly, the lads will look by me M. 148 HERD'S MANUSCRIPTS XLII I'LL MAKE YE BE FAIN TO FOLLOW i soldier As late by a soger - I chanced to pass, I heard him courting ^ a bonie young lass, honey " My hinnie, my life, my dearest," quoth he, " I'll make ye be fain to follow me ! " 4 com- panions " Gin I should follow thee,* a poor soger lad. Ilk ane o' my commers ^ wad say ^ I was mad. For battles I never shall long to see : I'll never be fain to follow thee." between " To follow me I think ye may be glad, A part of my supper, a part o' my bed, A part o' my bed and to lye wi' me : "^ I'll make ye [be] fain to follow me ! " ^ 12 1 follow me // "^ sodger II ^ a courtin M ^ you // M ^ cummers II M ^ think M ^ bed wherever it be M ^ Pencil note by Sir Walter Scott (probably based upon M) : — Atween St. Johnston's and Dundee I'll gar ye be fain to follow me. The followincj rer^e completes the sony in M : — Come try my knapsack on your back, Alang the king's high-gate we'll pack, Between Saint Johnston and bony Dundee, I'll mak vou be fain to follow me. POPULAR SONGS 149 XLIII [LET ME IN THIS AE NIGHT] " O LASSIE, art thou ^ sleeinng yet, Or are you ^ waking, I wou'd wit ? knov For love has bound me hand and foot, And I wou'd fain be in, jo. [Chorus ;] O let me in this ae night, this ae, ae, ae night, O let me in this ae night, and I'll ne'er - come back again, jo. "The morn it is the term-day, I maun ^ away, I canna stay : O pity me, before I gae, And rise and let me in, jo ! [Chorus ;] O let Sec. ^ are ye M - no M ^ corrected instead of will ^fS 150 HERD'S MANUSCRIPTS both ; wot The niirht it is baitli canld .iiul weet, 12 The morn it will be snaw and sleet, My shoen arc frozen to my feet \Vi' standing on the plain, jo.^ [Chorus .■] O let &c. 16 I am the lainl of windy-wa's, I come na here without a cause, And 1 hac gotten mony fa's belly Upon a naked wame o ! " ^ 20 [Chorus ;] O let ^^c. taking his " My father's wa'king on the street, the night Mj mither the chamber-keys does keep, "^^^■^^ My chamber-door does chirp and cheep, And 1 dare nae let you in, jo." [Chorus .] "O gae your way this ae night, [&c.] For 1 dare nae let you in, jo ! " 1 In standing here my lane, jo. M " In coming thro' the plain, jo. M POPII.AR SONGS 151 "But I'll coine ste.iling saftly in And cannily make little diiin, And then the gate to you I'll find, If you'l but direct me in, jo. " ' [C7/or».y ;] O let, &c. "Cast aff the shoon frae aff your feet,^ Cast back the door up to the weet, Syne into my bed you may creep And do the thing you ken, jo." Hplanh- board [Chorus ;] "O well's me on this ae night, &c. That ere I let you in, jo." ' My fittstep-tread there'.s nane can ken For the sugbiu wind and rain, jo. M 2 Cast up the door unto the weet, Cast aff your shoon frae aff your feet, Syne to my chamber ye may creep, But ye mauna do't afrain, jo. Chorus : O leeze me on this ae night, This ae, ae, ae night ! The joys we've had this ae night Tour chamber-wa's within, jo ! M footstep sounding 152 HERD'S MANUSCRIPTS VIII She let him in sae cannily, She let him in sae privily. She let him in sae cannily, To do the thing ye ken, jo. [C/iorux:^ O well's me on &c. IX But ere a' was done and a' was said, Out fell the bottom of the bed, The lassie lost her maidenhead, And her mither heard the din, jo. [Cho7-us :] O the devil take this ae night, this ae, ae, ae night, O the devil take this ae night, that ere I let ye in, jo ! ^ ^ verses viii and ix omitted M. 48 POPULAR SONGS 153 XLIV BIRKS OF ABERGELDIE " BoNiE lassie, will ye go, Will ye go, will ye go, Bonie lassie, will ye go To the birks o' Abergeldie ? Ye shall get a gown o' silk, A gown o' silk, a gown o' silk. Ye shall get a gown o' silk And coat of killiemankie." ^ woollen stuff " Na, kind sir, I dare nae gang, I dare nae gang, I dare nae gang, Na, kind sir, I dare nae gang. My minnie she'll be angry. Sair, sair wad she flyte,- sorely Wad she flyte, wad she flyte, Sair, sair wad she flyte And sair wad she ban me ! " curae ^ calimancoe //, " Quo' sla, courdly Wilsy. XIII "Ty him to my meikle^ tae/' great toe Quo' Nansy, quo' Nansy, " Ty him to my mukle tae," Quo' kind-hearted Nansy. XIV " O what gif he should run awa ? " Quo' Willsy, quo' Willsy, " O what gif he shou'd run awa ? " Quo' sla, courdly W^ilsy. ' whar'l S - muckle S 158 HERD'S MANUSCRIPTS XV " Deil gae wi' you, steed and a' ! " Quo' Nansy, quo' Nansy, ''Deil gae wi' you, steed and a' ! " Quo' kind-hearted Nansy. g^ POPULAR SONGS 159 XLVII NICOL O' COD " Whan'll we be marry'd. My ain dear Nicol o' Cod ? " " We'll be marry'd o' Monday, An' is na the reason gude ? " " Will we be marry'd nae sooner, My own dear Nicol o' Cod ? " " Wad ye be marry'd o' Sunday ? I think the auld runt be gane mad. when will " Whae'll we hae at the wadding. My own dear Nicol o' Cod ? " " We'll hae father and mother. An' is na the reason gude ? " " Will we na hae nae mae, My ain dear Nicol o' Cod ? " " Wad ye hae a' the hail warld ? I think the auld runt be gane mad. whom will wedding whole 160 HERD'S MANUSCRIPTS III "What'll we hae to the wadding, My ain dear Nicol o' Gsd ? " " We'll hae cheese and bread. An' is na the reason gude r " 20 " Will we na hae nae mae. My ain dear Nicol o' Cod ? " '' Wad ye hae sack and canary ? I think the auld runt be gane mad." 24 rv " Whan'U we gang to our bed. My ain dear Nicol o' Cod ? " "We'll gang whan other folk gang, An' is nae the reason gude ? " 28 " Will we na gang nae sooner, My ain dear Nicol o' Cod ? " " Wad ye gang at the sunsetting ? I think the auld runt be gane mad." 32 " What will we do i' our bed. My ain dear Nicol o' Cod ? " " We will kiss and clap. An' is nae the reason gude } " " Will we na do nae mae. My ain dear Nicol o' Cod ? " " Wad ye do't a' the night o'er } I think the auld runt be gane mad." POPULAR SONGS 161 XLVIII RECKLE MAHUDIE MITHER Whare 1 will we get a wife to you, My auld son Reekie Mahudie ? SON What but Maggie ayont the burn ; She'l make a wife right gudie. m[ither] I fear she'l be but a sober wife, My auld son Reekie Mahudie. s[on] I believe you'd hae me seek a king's dochter, But foul fa' me if I dudie ! evil befall me ; do it beyond satis- factory [mither] O what'l ye hae to your wadden-feast, My auld son Reekie Mahudie ? [son] A pint of brose and a good sa't herring ; 12 It'l make a feast rijrht ffudie. marriage- feast oatmeal gruel Where S 162 HERD'S MANUSCRIPTS boilod [mither] I fear it'l be but a sober feast. My auld son Reekie Mahudie. [son] I believe you'd hae me hae baith sodden and roast. But foul fa' me if I dudie ! 16 whom -mil folk in [mither] wha'l ye hae at your wadden, My auld son Reekie Mahudie ? [son] Wha but Maggie an' mysell ? It'l make a wadden right gudie. 20 [mither] 1 fear it'l be but a sober wadden. My auld son Reekie Mahudie ! [son] I believe you'd hae me hae an host of fouk. But foul fa' me gin I dudie I 24 POPULAR SONGS 163 XLIX [THE SHEPHERD AND HIS WIFE] The shepherd's wife cries o'er the lee : ^ - "Come hame will ye, come hame will ye?" The shepherd's wife cries o'er the lee : 4 " Come hame will ye again e'en, jo ? " grass-field evening " What 2 will ye gie me to my supper, Gin I come hame, gin I come hame ? What will ye gie me to my supper. Gin I come hame again e'en, jo ? " " Ye's get a panfu' ^ plumpin parrage. And butter in them, and butter in them, Ye's get a panfu' ■* plumpin parrage, 12 An ^ ye'll come hame again e'en, jo ! " ' knowe M • U. 2 and 4 : Will ye come hame M •' what M ■• panfu' of S, o' M » Gin S, M panful of well-boiled porridge 164 HERD'S MANUSCRIPTS worth " Ha, ha, how ! It's^ naething that dow, I winna come hame, and - I canna come hame ! Ha, ha, how ! It's ^ naething that dow, I winna come hame again e'en, jo ! " The two first verses are to be sung here, and after : boiled " Ye's get a cock well totled i' the pot,^ An ye'll come hame, &c. Ye's get a cock well totled i' the pot/ An ye'll come hame again e'en, jo ! 20 The fourth ^ verse for the chorus : " Ha, ha, &c. " Ye's get a hen Avell boiled i' the pan,^ An ye'll, «S:c, Ye's get a hen well boiled i' the pan,'' An " yell come hame again e'en, jo ! 24 [^Chorus ;] " Ha, ha, &c. ^ that's M - and ouiitttd M ' verse v omitted M * pat 5 ' third M8, S ^ A reekin fat hen, weel fryth'd i' the pan M ^ Gin M POPULAR SONGS l65 " A well made bed and a pair of clean sheets. An 1 ye'U come hame, an ye'll come hame, A Avell made bed and a pair of clean sheets, An 1 ye'll come hame again e'en, jo ! [Chorus ;] Ha, ha, &c. " A pair of white legs and a good cogg-wame, bowl- An ye'll come hame, an yell come hame, '^ ^ A pair of white legs and a good cogg-wame. An ye'll come hame again e'en, jo ! " ^ " Ha, ha, how ! that's something that dow, 36 I will come hame, I will come hame ! Ha, ha, how ! that's something that dow, I'll haste me ^ hame again e'en, jo ! " ^ ^ Gin *S ^ foi- verse viii M Aa.s the following substitute : — A laving wife in lily white linens, Gin ye'll come hame, gin ye'll come hame, A luving wife in lily white linens, Gin ye'll come hame again een, jo. M ' An ye'll come hame twice MS * I will come home M * after verse ix : The two first verses of this song are to be sung before the 4th, oth, 6th, 7th, and 8th verses as before the 3rd, and the 4th after them by way of chorus. iVS. 166 HERD'S MANUSCRIPTS The shepherd-lassie cries o'er the hill : ^ " Will ye cum hame, will ye cum hame ? " The shepherd -lassie cries o'er the hill : " Will ye cum hame ^ at e'en, joe ? " " What will ye gie me to my supper. To my supper, to my supper ? What will ye gie me to my supper. If I cum hame at e'en, joe ? " ^ over line 1 in a different hand : The herd's wife ca'd o'er the know / - hame omitted in I. POPULAR SONGS l67 L [FRAGMENT] I " Now take a cud in ilka hand cudgel And bace her up and down, man, beat And she'll be an o' the best wives, one That ever took the town, man ! " And Jammie's turn'd him round about, He's done a manly feat : " Get up, get up, ye dirty slut, worthless And gie to me my meat I " " Say't o'er again, say't o'er again, Ye thief, that I may hear ye ! I'se gar ye ^ dance upon a peat, m&)s.e it hot Gin I sail cum but near ye ! " ^ ' you II. 168 HERD'S MANUSCRIPTS LI [BOYSAC] I The pi'ettiest laird in a' the wast ^ And that was Bonnymoon, And Teukston was courageous, Cry'd for a wanton quean. And Boysac he was tendir ^ And might na bide nae weir,^ And yet he came courageously Without or dread or fear. \Cli07-us ;] O Boysac, gin ye die, O Boysac, gin ye die, O I's'^ put on your winding-sheet. Fine hollan it shal*" be.*' I'd rather hae Redcastle, And a red rose in his hand, Before I'd hae 5'^e, Boysac, Wi' thretty ploughs of land. 16 [Chorus .•] O Boysac, gin ye die, &c.'^ 1 west 5 2 tender S ' wear //, 5 ■« I'se //, S ^ shall //, S •> corrected instead of And whirl't o'er your e'en / ^ chorus in full in II and S. POPULAR SONGS 169 LII WALIFU' FA' THE CAT A As I came clown bony Tweedside I heard and I wist nae what, I heard ae wife say to another : i " O walaway ^ fa' the cat ! knew not alas " O walaway ^ fa' the cat. For she has bred muckle wanease, She has opened the amry door. And has eaten up a' our bit cheese ! much ; trouble ; cupboard " She's 3 eaten up all ■* the bit cheese, O' the bannocks she's no left a mote, She has dung the hen off ^ her eggs, 2 And she's drown'd in the sowin'-boat. 1 anither S - waly fu' S » ghe has S * a' S ' aff 5 cakes ; particle driven barrel for preparing groats 170 HERD'S MANUSCRIPTS knew box with sloping lid mantel- shelf " O walaway ^ fa' the cat ! I kend she wad never do grace. She has pist i' the backet of sa't, And has dung the bit fish afF the brace. earthen pickling- pot poison " She has dung the bit fish aff the brace. And it's fal'n i' the master-can, ^ And now it has sick a stink, It'l pizen the silly goodman." ^ waly f u' S ^ maister-can S. [WALLIFOU FA' THE CAT small few There was a bonny wie ladie. Was keeping a bonny whine sheep. There was a bonny wie lassie. Was wading the water sae deep, W^as wading the water sae deep. And a little above her knee, The ladie cries unto the lassie : " Come down Tweedside to me ! " POPULAR SONGS 171 And when I gade down Tweedside, I heard, I dinna ken what, I heard ae wife say t'anither : " Wallifou fa the cat ! Wallifou fa' the cat. She's bred the house an wanease. She's open'd the am'ry door And eaten up a' the cheese. alan trouble cupboard " She's eaten up a' the cheese, O' the kebbuk she's no left a bit, She's dung down the bit skate on the brace. And it is fa'en in the sowen-kit ; 'Tis out o' the sowen-kit And 'tis into the maister-kan, It will be sae fiery sa't, 'Twill poison our goodman."] cheese tub for preparing groats 172 HERD'S MANUSCRIPTS LIII [DONALD COWPER] not ono crippling stool with sides rump-bone Donald ^ Cowper and his man They've gane to the fair,^ They've gane to court a bonie lass,^ But Hnt a ma was there.' But he has gotten an auld wife,^ And she's come hirpling hame,*^ And she's fa'n o'er the buffet-stool And brake her rumple-bane." [Chorus :] Sing^ hey Donald, how Donald, Hey Donald Cowper ! He's gane awa to court '' a wife. And he's come hame without her. 1 O Donald M ^ Held to a Highland fair, man M ^ And a' to seek M •* a ana was there, man M -' At length he got a carlin gray M " hame, man " rumple-bane, man ^ Sing omitted M ^ seek M. POPULAR SONGS 173 LIV [SYMON BRODIE] Symon Brodie had a cow. The cow was lost, and he cou'd na find her, When he had done what man could do, The cow came hame and her ^ tail l)ehind her. [Chorus :^ Honest, auld Symon Brodie, Stupid, auld, doited bodie, I'll awa to the north-countree And see my ain dear Symon Brodie ! * * * confused Symon Brodie had a wife, And wow but she was braw and bony ! She took the dish-clout aff the bink, And prin'd it to her cockernony. [Chorus .-] Honest, auld Symon Brodie, &c. * * * 1 the S. handsome dish-towel ; plate- rack pinned ; hair gath- ered in a band 174 HERD'S MANUSCRIPTS LV [TIBBIE FOWLER] TiBBY Fowler o' the glen, There's o'er mony wooing at her. She has lovers nine or ten/ Thei'e's o'er mony wooing at her ! [Chorus ;] Wooing at her, kissing " at her, Clapping ^ at her, cannae get her : Shame fa' her filthy snout. There's o'er mony wooing at her !* abundance of cash money Gin a lass war ne'er sae black,^ If she hae the penny siller ^ Set her upo' Tintock-tap : "^ The wind'l blow the lads till 'er.^ 12 1 Instead of this I. 1 repeated M ^ pu'in M ^ courtin M ^ II. 3 and 4 of the Chorus : — Filthy elf, it's for her pelf That a' the lads are wooin at her M ^ Be a lassie e'er sae black M ^ An' she hae the name o' siller M '^ the Tinto Bill co. Lanark ^ will blaw a man till her M POPULAR SONGS 175 III Gin a lass war ne'er sae fair,' If- she want the penny siller, She may sit seven years and mair, i Afore a man'l come till 'er.^ ^ Be a lassie e'er sae fair M "^ An M ^ II. 3 and 4 : — A flie may fell her in the air, Before a man be even till her M. 176 HERD'S MANUSCRIPTS LVI LUMPS O' PUDDINGS stole children enough crept pieces stuck ; almost My daddy he stealt ^ the minister's cow, And a' we weans gat puddings anew, The dirt crap out as the meat gaed in, And wow, sick puddings as we gat then ! Sick lumps of puddings, sick dads o' bread, They stack in my throat and maisi were my dead As I gaed by the minister's yard, I spied the minister kissing his maid ; Gin ye winnae beUeve, cum here and see : Sick a braw new coat the minister gied me ! Sick lumps o' puddings, SfC. 1 steal'd S. POPULAR SONGS 177 LVII GREEN SLEEVES Green sleeves and pudden-pyes, Come tell me where my true love lyes, And I'll ^ be wi' her ere she rise : Fidle a' the gither ! together 11 Hey ho ! and about she goes. She's milk in her breasts, she's none in her toes, She's a hole in her a — , you may put in your nose. Sing : hey, boys, up go we ! - Green sleeves and yellow lace. Maids, maids, come, marry apace ! The batchleors are in a pitiful case 12 To fidle a' the gither. ^ I'l / 2 the tune Hey boys, up go we ivns well knoxon already in the llth century, cp. Chappell, vol. I, pp. 204-8. M 178 HERD'S MANUSCRIPTS LVIII [THERE GAED A FAIR MAIDEN i] I There gaed a fair maiden out to walk In a morning of July ; She was fair, bonie, sweet and young, But met wi' a lad unruly. II He took her by the lily-white hand. He swore he lov'd ^ her truly : The man forgot, but the maid thought on — O it was in the month of July ! 1 Title : Up in the Morning early MSS and S ^ loo'd S. POPULAR SONGS 17.9 LIX [WILLIE HE'S A RONIE LAD] I Willie he's a bonie lad, And Willie he's a braw, And what will a' the lasses do. When Willie gangs awa ? II Black Bess she sat ^ i' the nook, corner-seat And she said nought at a', For well she kend she had his heart. Before he gaed awa. 1 sate //. 180 HERD'S MANUSCRIPTS LX [THEY'RE A' NODDING] broth Cats likes milk and dogs likes ^ broo, Lads likes lasses and lasses lads too : And they'r^ a' nodding, nid nid nodding, They'r a' nodding at our house at hame. corner-seat Kate sits i' the nuik supping her broo, know it Deil take Kate, if she does not knou't too And they'r^ a' nodding, &c. 1 like / thev II 3 thev /. FRAGMENTS OF POPULAR SONGS 181 LXI And when they came by Gorgie Mills, They licked a' the mouter, ground The bannocks lay about there ^ Like bandoliers and powder. corn cakes [Chorus ;] Awa, Whigs, awa ! Awa, Whigs, awa ! Ye're but a pack o' lazy loons, Ye'll do nae good ava.^ at all 1 their / - at a' //. LXI I Three sheep-skins and the wrong side o' them outward ^ — He's a thief and she's a loon that ca'd my wife low person a drunkard. She is not a drunkard, but she's a pretty dancer, 4 She has a tongue intill her head to gie a mettle shari> answer.- ^ outmost AISS ^ line 4 not in II. 182 HERD S MANUSCRIPTS know not if LXIII There came a fidler out of France, I wat nae giff ye kend him. And he did yon wi' our good wife : Geld him, lasses, geld him ! kissed now not LXIV We're a' kist sleeping. We're a' kist sleeping ! Na fint a word o' that was true, For I was wide waking. grand- mother LXV I HAE often heard my grannam say- And she was a good auld Avife O — That the kissing o' a bonie ^ lass Wad raise the dead to life O. ^ bonny //. sea-crab toes ; pick LXVI Will ye gang to Fife,^ lassie ? Will ye gang to Fife,^ lassie ? Ye's get partan-taes to pike. And ye sail be my wife, lassie ! 1 Fyfe //. FRAGMENTS OF POPULAR SONGS 1S3 LXVII Keep the country, bonie lassie, Keep the country, keep the country, Keep the country, bonie lassie, Lads will a' gie gowd for ye ! gold Gowd for ye, bonie lassie, Gowd for ye, gowd for ye. Keep the country, bonie lassie. Lads will a' gie gowd for ye ! LXVIII I WILL kiss your wife, carl, man Wife carl, wife carl, I will kiss your wife, carl. Just afore your een. And ye dare nae for your life, carl. Life carl, life carl, And ye dare na for your life, carl. Say it's ill deen. done LXIX I CAN drink and no be drunk, I can fight and no be slain, I can kiss a bony ^ lass. And ay '" be Avelcom back again. 1 bonny // ^ ay ] I U- 184 HERD'S MANUSCRIPTS wrong LXX Our John is ay in the right o't, Ay in the right o't, ay in the right o't, Our John is ay in the right o't. And I am i' the wrang mysell. LXXI breeches I'll hae Johny's " gray ^ breeks ^ For a' the ill he's done me yet. And I'll hae Johny's gray breeks For a' the ill he's done me yet, 4 He's done me ill and against my will, knows And a' the country kens o' that : Yet I'll hae Johny's gray breeks For a' the ill he's done me yet ! 8 ^ Over line 1 {in W. Scotfs hand) : I'll clout Johnie's gray breeks / - Johnny's IT '^ giey //. alas since LXXII O HONE ! O hone ! I am most uneas}', Sen I hae lost my blooming daisy ; He's gane to Ireland, lang time he'll tarry, An Irish lass, I fear, he'll marry. FRAGMENTS OF POPULAR SONGS 18; LXXIII Can ye ^ leave me so, ladie, Can ye leave me so ? Can ye leave me comfortless, 4 And take anither joe ? ^ vou //. LXXIV I'll hae a piper, a piper, a piper, ril hae a piper to be my goodman ! husband LXXV Fv, gar pluck and pu , Fy, gar pu' the lilly ! Tell my daddy now, I'll hae nane but Willy cause to puU LXXVI Whistle, and I'll cum to ye, my lad I Whistle, and I'll cum to ye, my lad ! Gin father and mither and a should gae mad : Whistle, and I'll cum to ye, my lad I 186 HERD'S MANUSCRIPTS C. NURSERY SONGS; POPULAR RHYMES LXXVII KING COULL I Old ^ king Cowl was a jolly old soul, And a jolly old soul was he. Old king Coul he had a brown bowl,^ And they brought him ^ in ^ fidlers threC;, 4 And every fiddler was a very good fiddler, And a very good fiddler was he.^ Fidell-didell, fidell-didell with ^ the fidlers three : And ^ there's no a lass in all ^ Scotland 8 Compared to'^ our sweet Mai-garie.^*^ (The second verse is : pipers three. After repeat- ing the first four lines :) Ha-didell, how-didell with the pipers, Fidell-didell, fidell-didell with the fidlers three etc. ^ Our auld always M - fiU'd a jolly brown bowl M ' And he ca'd for his M * in omitted M * U. 5 and 6 not in M * quo' always M ^ and omitted M * a' ^ ^ Like our M " Marjorie 5, M NURSERY SONGS 187 12 (Verce 3n\ :) . . harpers three Twingle-twangle, twingle-twangle with ' the harpers, Ha-didell etc. Fidell-didell etc. [4th :] . . . trumpeters three. 16 Twerre-rang,2 twerre-i-ang with [the] trumpeters. [.5th :] . . . drummers three. Rub-a-dub, rub-a-dub with the drummers, Twerre-rang, twerre-rang with [the] trumpeters, 20 Twingle-twangle, twingle-twangle with [the] harpers, Ha-didell, how-didell with the pipers, Fidell-didell, fidell-didell with the fidlers three : And there's no a lass in a' Scotland 24 Compared to our^ sweet Margarie. ^ went aS 2 Twarra-rang S, M ^ our ^vith pencil over scored old M. 188 HERD'S MANUSCRIPTS LXXVIII [WHEN I WAS A WEE THINGS] Tune : John Anderson, my joe. young rats would not When I was a wee thing And just like an elf, A' - the meat that e'er I gat I laid upon the shelf. The rottens and the mice They fell into a strife, They wadnae let my meat alane, Till I gat a wife. And when I gat a wife She wadnae bide therein, wheel Till I gat a hurl-barrow To hurl her out and in : The hurle-barrow brake. My wife she gat a fa', And the foul fa' the hurle-barrow. Cripple wife and a'. 1 The song is printed in S in 6 four-line verses ^ All S 12 16 NURSERY SONGS 189 She wadnae eat nae bacon, She wadnae eat nae beef, She wadnae eat nae lang-kale coleworts •20 For fyling o' her teeth, soiling But she wad eat the bonie bird That sits upon the tree ; Gang down the burn, Davie love, 24 And I sail follow thee ! ^ ' Cp. R. Crawford's Dotvn the Burn, Davie (Songsp^ i. pp. 208-9), y. 1, lines 7, 8. 3fS note Herd's after v. Ill: vide old words to this tune in Peircy's collection, vol. [II.] p. 107 [110-11 of the first edition.] 190 HERD'S MANUSCRIPTS LXXIX rode crooked turn up melancholy bowels light danc- ing shoes foot soldier lancer gave birth to baby crossed against the current THE DREG-SONG I RADE to London yesterday On a eruket hay-cock. Hay-cock, quo' the scale to the eel, Cock nae I my tail weel ? Tail -weel, or if hare Hunt the dog frae the deer, Hunt the dog frae the deil-drum — Kend ye nae John ^ Young ? John Young and John Auld Strove about the moniefald. Jenny Jimp and Jenny Jeus Bought a pair of jimp-deus Wi' nineteen stand of feet ; Kend ye nae white breek ? White breek and steel-pike Kiss't the lass behind the dyke, And she whalpet a bairnie. Hey hou, Harry, Harry, Monie a boat skail'd the ferry ! Monie a boat, monie a ship ! Tell me a true note, i Johny, S NURSERY SONGS 191 True note, true song ! I've dreg'd o'erlong. O'er Jang, o'er late ! Quo' the haddock to the scate, Quo' the scate to the eel : Cock nae I my tail weel ? Tail weel, and gin's better. It's written in a letter. AndreAv Murray said to Meg : How monie hens hae vou wi' e"-"- ^ Steek the door and thraw the crook, Grape you and I's look. Put in your finger in her dock And see gin she lais thereout. She lais thereout days ane, Sae dis he days twa, Sae 1 dis he days three, Sae dis he days four ; Quo' the carl o' Aberdour. Aberdour, Aberdeen, Gray claith to the green. Gray claith to the sands. Trip it, trip it thro' the ~ lands. Thro' lands, or if hare Hunt the dog frae the deer. Hunt the deer frae the dog, Waken, waken, Willie Tod ! Willie Tod, Willie Tay, Clekit in the month of May 1 Say S 2 tiie omitted MS shut ; bar feel about hinder end does hatched 192 HERD'S MANUSCRIPTS April Month of May and Averile, Good skill o' reasons, hooks and Tentlins and fentlins. Yeery, ory, alie ! Weel row'd five men, As weel your ten. The oysters are a gentle kin. They winna tak unless you sing. heap Come buy my oisters afF the bing. To serve the shirreif and the king. And the commons o' the land, And the commons o' the sea. Hey benedicete ! and that's good Latin. NURSERY SONGS 193 LXXX THE NURSES SONG How dan, dilly dow. How den dan, Weel Avere your minny, mother An ye were a man ! Ye wad hunt and hauk hawk And ha'd her o' game, hold And water your dady's horse r the mill-dam. How dan, dilly dow. How dan flow'rs, Ye's ly i' your bed Till ele'en ^ hours. ^ eleven S 194 HERD'S MANUSCRIPTS desire dressed If at ele'en hours Ye 1 list to rise, Ye's ha 2 your dinner Diffht in a new guise. 16 larks titlarks La'rick's legs And titlins' ^ toes And a sick daintys My manie shall hae.^ D[a] C[apo].5 20 1 you S 2 hae S ^ titlens S ^ vv. iv and v as one four- line stanza MS, S ^ here probably v. i is to be repeated S. NURSERY SONGS 195 LXXXI [THE WREN] [Tune :] Lennox's love to Blantyre * The wren scho lyes in care's bed, In care's bed, in care's bed, The wren scho lyes in care's bed, 4 In mickle dule and pyne O, Quhen in cam Robbin Redbreist, Redbreist, Redbreist, Quhen in cam' Robbin Redbreist 8 Wi' succar-saps and wyn O. II " Now, maiden, will ye taste o' this. Taste o' this, taste o' this, Now, maiden, will ye taste o' this ? 12 It's succar-saps and wyn O." " Na, ne'er a drap, Robin, Robin, Robin, Na, ne'er a drap, Robin, 16 Gin it was ne'er so fyn O." * * * * 2 ^ The words Lennox's love to Blantyre 7iot hi Herd's hand. The title in S and M is : The Wren ; or Lennox's Love to Blantyre ^ On the margin : hiatus valde dcjiend\us]. MS she wue;pimng pap sweet- ened with sugar 196 HERD'S MANUSCRIPTS where is ; gave short- tempered woman soldier " And quhere's the ring that I gied ye. That I gied ye, that I gied ye ? And quhere's the ring that I gied ye. Ye little cutty quyn ^ O ? " " I gied it till a soger, A soger, a soger, I gied it till a soger, A kynd sweet-heart o' myn O." ^ 20 ^ quean S', S, M , the emendation in by Chrirnhd 212 HERD'S MANUSCRIPTS xcv BYDE YE YET cheerful kitchen- garden complain ; be patient happen Gin I had a wee house and a canty wee fire, A bony wee wifie ^ to praise and admire, A bony wee yardie aside a wee burn : Farweil to the bodies that yamer and murn ! [Chorus :] And bide ye yet, and bide ye yet. Ye little ken what may betide me ^ yet, Some bony wee bodie may be my lot, And I'll ay be canty wi' thinking on't.^ full baby When I gang afield and come hame at e'en, I'll get my wee wifie fou neat and fou clean. And a bony wee bairny upon her knee. That will cry : " Papa " or " Daddy " to me. [Chorus :^ And bide ye yet, &c. viieS ^ you S, ye M o't S, M SONGS IN POPULAR STYLE 213 And if there should happen ever to be A difference atween my wee wifie and me, In hearty good humour, altho' she be teaz'd, I'll kiss her and clap her until she be pleas'd. [Chorus .] And bide ye yet, &c. 214 HERD'S MANUSCRIPTS XCVI [O WOW, MARGET] I O wow, Marget, are ye in ? had to run I nae sooner heard it, but I boot ^ to rin street Down the gate to tell ye, down the gate to tell ye, Down the gate to tell ye : we'l ^ no be left our 4 skin ! II For o, dear woman, o dear ! o dear ! The like o' this was never heard since Marr's ^ year : The French and the 'Mericains they will a' be here, And we will a' be murdered,* o dear, dear! 8 III And o wow, woman, I doubt, I doubt. They will bring in black popery a' round about, And sad desolation,^ and sad desolation. And sad desolation in a' the kerks ^ about. 12 1 bet // ^ we will // ^ Mar's // The Earl of Mar com- manded the Highlanders against Argyle in the battle of Sheriff- muir on the I3th November 1715. * murther'd // ^ disolatioQ // 6 kirks // BROADSIDES 215 But well did I ken, that a' was nae right, For I dream'd o' red and green the whole last night, And twa cats fighting, and tAva cats fighting. And twa cats fighting : I wakened wi' a fright. But hae ye na mind in this very ^ floor How we rigg'd out ourselves- for the Shiriffmoor, dressed Wi' stanes in our aprons, wi' stanes in our aprons, 20 Wi' stanes in our aprons : we did them skaith, harm I'm sure ! VI O bide a wi, Marget, I think I hear a gun — Hout awa, woman, 'twas but me breaking wind ! I'm blyth whan it wins awa, blyth whan it wins is set free awa, 24 Blyth whan it wins awa wi' sae little din. noise farewell, woman, for I man ^ go rin, 1 wonder gif our nighbour Elspa be in. And auld Raby Barber and auld Raby Barber, And auld Raby Barber, and I man tell him ! ' verry // ■^ oursells // ■* maun II. must Robert 216 HERD'S MANUSCRIPTS XCVII [ROBIN'S COURTSHIP] I How lang have I a batchelor been This twa and twenty year. How oft 1 have I a- wooing gane, The' I came never near ! II For Nannie she says she winna hae me, I look sae like a clown. But, by my sooth, I'm as good as hersel, Sae I's ne'er fash my thum ! ^ spring She says, if I could loup and dance. As Tam the miller can. Or cut a caper like the taylor : She wad like me than. foolish By my word, it's daffin to lie. My joints was ^ ne're so nimble, The tailor he has naething to mind But his bodkin, shears and thimble. aits 2 thumb S 2 were S BROADSIDES 217 " And how do you do, my little wi Nan, My lamb and slibrikin mouse ? And how does your father and mother do, And a' the good fok ^ i' the house ? sleek little folk " I think na - shame to shaw my shapes, I'se warrant ye'l guess my errand : Ye ^ maun gang wi' me, my fair maid ! " 24 " To marry you, sir, I warrand. VII " But maun '^ belongs to the king himsel. But no to a countrey-clown, Ye might have said : ' Wi' j'our leave, fair maid,' 28 And letten your maun alone." ^ appear personally must " O see but how she mocks me now, She scoffs me and does scorn ; The man that marries you, fair maid, 32 Man rise right soon i' the morn ! must " But fare ye weel ^ and e'en's ye '' like, For I can get anither ! " ^ He lap on his horse at the back o' the dyke Si'i And gaed hame to tell his mither. ' folks S ^ nae S ^ you S * maun corrected for mu^t MS 6 alane S ^ well S ^ yoxx S « another MS jumped wall 218 HERD'S MANUSCRIPTS would not When Nan saw that, she wad na wait, But she has ta'en the tailor, For when a lass gets the lad she likes 'Tis better far than siller. 40 lost knoll tore ; cried knocked ; skull mouth lad mad But when he heard that Nanse was tint. As he sat on yon know, He ruggit his hair, he blubber'd and grat, And to a stane daddit his pow. XII His mither came out and wi' the dishclout She daddit about his mow : "The deel's i' the chield, I think he's gane daft: Get up, ye blubbering sow ! " 48 BROADSIDES 219 XCVIII JOHNY JOHNSTON O Johnny Johnston was my love. But wha wad e'er hae thought it o' him ? He's left me for a tocher'd lass, A dirty slut, unwordy o' him. dowered unworthy But to the bridale I sail gang, Altho' I'm sure I was nae bidden, I care nae, tho' they a' should cry : " Hech see, sirs, yonder comes the dirdam ! " marriage- feast invited slighted female (?) When I came to the bridale-house Wow but the slut had little 'bavins ! For ay she rave and rugged at And licked a' the creechy gravins. beha^-iour tore earthen plates A gentleman that sat neest me, Was spearing wha was't that was aught her ? " Indeed, sir, I think shame to tell. She's sick a silly bodie's daughter." next whose child is she 220 HERD'S MANUSCRIPTS aimed threatened to throw recall it The bride she minted wi' a bane And grin'd at me, because I said it, She said, says she : " Say that again, And I'se gai* you mak ae thing twa o't ! surely say I trow then, when the bride saw this She bad my love come for to please me : dance He came and bad me chuse my spring. And said, says he: "What's this that grieves you?" know " I'm neither griev'd nor sad," says I, And that I'll let you ken to ease you, I'll dance, sae will I, gin 2 I like. And ye's tire first, sir, I'se assure you ! uproar sore But when the bedding came at e'en. Wow, but the house was in a steary ! The bride was frighted sair for fear That I wad tak awa her deary. My bonny love gaed ^ slow to bed. He kiss'd her, but 'twas for the fashion, stared And syne he glowr'd at my white skin. And syne he sigh'd and rued the bargain. 3e 1 After verse v room for four lines, and note in the margin . four lines wanting MS ^ gii S ' gae S. BROADSIDES 221 XCIX THE DAINTY DOWNEY^ There's a farmer near hard by, Sent out his daughter to keep the ky, cows Sent out his daughter to keep the ky, 4 In the green of the dainty Downby. II This lassie, being of a noble mind, She went to the garden to pu' a pickle thyme, little She went to the garden to pu' a pickle thyme, 8 In the garden of the dainty Downby. Ill Little did she ken that the laird was at harae, Little did she ken that the laird was at hame, Little did she ken that the laird was at hame, 12 The laird of the dainty Downby. IV He has tane her by the milk-white hand, taken He has tane her by the grass-greene sleeve, He has made her to be at his command 10 In the green of the dainty Downby. ^ Under the title : This song is sung to a very fine old Scots tune not hitherto published in any collection of Scots musick. MS 222 HERD'S MANUSCRIPTS V " O go home,^ go home, and tell your father this. Go home, go home and tell your father this. Go home, go home and tell your father this. What ye've gotten in the dainty Downby ! " 20 VI The father is to this young laird gone, For to pay some rents that he "was owing. For to pay some rents that he was owing To the laird of the dainty Downby. 24 VII " O how is your daughter Marg'ret ? " he said, " O how is your daughter Marg'ret ? " he said, " O how is your daughter Marg'ret," he said, " Since she was in the dainty Downby ? 2S VIII bid " Gae, gar her come and speak to me, Gae, gar her come and speak to me, Gae, gar her come right speedily To me in the dainty Downby ! " 32 IX When this lassie before the ^ young laird came, Her lover baith grew pale and wan : " O Marg'ret, Marg'ret, you've lain with a man, Since you was in the dainty Downby ! " 36 1 hame always S ^ this S. BROADSIDES 223 X " O, kind sir, jou may well understand Since you made me be at your command. You made me for to be at your command, And wo to your dainty Downby ! " " O Marg'ret, Marg'ret, gif I be the man, If I be the man that has done ye the wrang, I shall be the man that will raise you again, 44 Since you was in the dainty Downby." XII Then he has call'd upon his vassalles all, He has call'd on them baith great and small, Then he has made her there before them all 48 The lady of the dainty Downby. 224 HERD'S MANUSCRIPTS [PATE'S AND MAGGIE'S COURTSHIP] A smothered such a one Patie came in frae the dale Dryvin his wathers afor him. He spyed bony Meg o' the vale, Wha's beauty had lyk to hae smored him " O Meggie, O dinna ye ken You an Fs going to be married ? I had rather a broken my banes, Or sickinna match had miscarried ! " ill supplied impudent " Patie, o wha tell'd ye that — O' news I think they've been scanty — That I sould a married sae shoon. Or yet sould a been sae flanty ? BROADSIDES 225 C [PATE'S AND MAGGIE'S COURTSHIP] B As Patie came up frae the glen Drivin his wedders before him, He met bony Meg ganging hame, Her beauty was like for to smore him : " O din you ^ ken, bony Meg, That you and Fs gain 2 to be married ? I rather had broken my leg, Before sic a bargain miscarried ! " " Na, Patie, o wha's teld you that — I think of news they've been scanty, — That I should be married so soon, Or yet should have been so flanty ? 3 ' dinna ye S "^ gaen S ' fiantly .S" P 226 HERD'S MANUSCRIPTS shall not ask weD I wot I shanna be married the year, Tho' I were courted be twenty, Sae, Patie, ye need na to speir. For weel a wat, I dinna want ye hesitate farm fiirnishing for either spiteful " Meggie, what gars ye to tant ? Altho' that I hae na a maihn. The lad that haes gear will ne'er want Nor nether a half nor a hale ane. My father has an auld meare, An yours haes a cow and a filly. An we'll no want plenty o' gear, So,i Meggie, be na sae ill-willy ! " ask well provided ; indoors balls of thread coat; bodice wooDen cloth shall not ; scant IV " Well, Patie, I dinna ken. Unless ye wad speir at my daddy. For we're weel-bodden'd there ben. An I canna say but I am reddy. We hae walth o' yarn an clews. To mak one a cot and a jimpy. An plaidding well scoured for trews If ye get it I sanna scrimp ye." 1 Tho' MS BROADSIDES 227 B I winna be married the rear, Suppose I were courted by twenty, Sae, Patie, you need nae mair spier,^ For weel a wat I dinna want ye ! " III " Now, Maggie, what makes you ^ sae sweer ? slow Is't 'cause that I henna a maillen ? have not ; The lad that has plenty o' geer Need ne'er want a half or a haill ane. whole My dad has a good grey mare. And yours has twa cows and a filly, And that will be plenty o' geer, Sae, Maggie, be no sae ill- willy ! " IV " Indeed, Patie, I dinna ken. But first you ^ maun spear * at my dady,* You'r as well born as Ben, 28 And I canna say but I am ^ ready. Ther'se plenty o' yearn " in clues. To make me a coat and a jimpy. And plaiden enough to be trews : 82 Gif ye get it, I shanna scrimp ye." ^ spear .S ^ m^ks ye 5 ^ ye S * speir S ' daddy S * I'm S ' yarn S 228 HERD'S MANUSCRIPTS good befall clothes dress son-in-law " Fair fa' ye, Meggie, for that ! I's e'en let a smackie gae wi' ye ! May my neck be as lang as my leg, If I be an ill husband unto ye ! Haste ye, mak reddy your claiths, An busk ye gin this day fifteen days, An tell yer father the news, That I'm his gudson in great kindness. 40 tiding over; weather way by says bargain Meggie, as blyth as a wran Bodding a blast o' ill wather, An a' the get singing she ran. To tell the news till her father. But ay the auld man cryed : " He'l nae be o' that mind or Sunday ! " Ther'[s] nae fear o' that," saes Meg, " For I gat a kiss to the bounty." hooked " An what was the matter o' that .^ It was naething out o' his pocket ; I wish the news was true. That we had him fairly heucket, BROADSIDES 229 B " Now fair fa' ye, my boney Meg, I's let a wee smack- fa' on ye : May my neck be as lang as my leg, If I be an ill husband unto ye ! Sae gang your way hame ee' now, just now Mak ready gin this day fifteen days. And tell your father the news, That I'll be his son in great kindness." 2.30 HERD'S MANUSCRIPTS For Patie's very good lad An wather's has little frae twenty. And monny gud triffles beside : He's nae to fling at gin he wants ye 1 I little while boose loop ; loop- hole dangle; coat In a we whyle after that, Wha cam to the bigging but Patie, Weel drest in a bra new coat, And wow, but he thought himself pretty ! His bonnet was httle ftae new An in it a loup and a sletty, A ribbon drawn thro' it sae blue. To bab at the neck o' the cotty. stride house come to the other end tear awar ; ridge of roof milk- porridge IX Patie cam in wi' a strain. Says : '' Peace be in the bigging I " '' Y're welcome ! " co' William, "com ben. Or I wis it may rive frae the rigging ! Cum in yer ways. Pate, an' sit down. An tell's a' your news in a hurry, An, Meggie, gae ye i' the time. Put on the pat wi' the purry ! " BROADSIDES 231 It was nae lang after that, Wha came to our bigging but Patie, Well drest in a bra new coat, And wow, but he thought hmisel ^ pretty His bannet was httle frae new, In it was a loup and a slitty. To tye in a ribbon sae blue. To bab on - the neck of his coaty. VII Then Patie came in wi' a stend, springing ., step Said : " Peace be here to the bigging ! "You're welcome !" quo' William, "cum 3 ben, Or I wish it may rive frae the riggin ! Now draw in your seat and sit down. And tell's a! your news in a hurry. And haste you,* Meg, and be done. And hing on the pan wi' the berry ! " ^ himself 5 ' at 5 « come 5 * ye S. 232 HERD'S MANUSCRIPTS last night bond till it afraid ; belongings Says Pate : " My news is but sma' : Yestreen I was wi' his Honnor, An taen the lands o' Blaema An set mysell under a bonnar ; An now my errant's to you. For Meggy to help me to laber't, But I am fear'd we'll need yir best cow, Because that our haddintj's but sober." 76 through throat lateris dolor broth wells ; run dry neighbours Says William : " To hurl ye throw, I's be at the cost o' the brydal, We's cut the hass o' the ew, That maist a died o' the sid-ill. An that'll be plenty o' bree, Sae lang as our wa's is na reested. And I think that the niburs an we Be that [be] nae [that] ill feasted." 84 broth colewort Says Pate : " That'l do weel. An I'll gie them brose i' the mornin O' kail that was made yestreen : I lyk them ay best i' the forenoon. "- 92 BROADSIDES 238 Quo' Patie : " My news is nae thrang : Yestreen I was wi' his Honour, I've taen three riggs of bra land, 60 And hae bound mysell under a honour ; And now my errand to you Is for Meggy to help me to labour, I think you maun gee's ^ the best cow, 64 Because that our hadden's but sober. " not stirring an acre of arable land bond give US 72 " Weel, now to help you throw,^ I'll be at the cost of the briddal, I's cut the craig of the ewe That had amaist deid of the side-ill. And that'll be plenty of bree, Sae lang as our well is nae reisted. To all the good neighbours and we, And I think we'll be no that ill-feasted. throat soup 76 Quo' Patie : " O that 'ill do weel. And I'll gi'e you brose in the morning O' kaill that was made yestreen, For I like them best in the forenoon."- ^ gie's S - through S 234 HERD'S MANUSCRIPTS Blind Robin, the pyper, did play, An a' body danc't that was within. An ay the niburs and they held ; pint ; He'd the wi stouppie a-fillin. 96 refilling BROADSIDES 235 B Sae Tam, the piper, did play. And ilka ane danc'd that was willing, And a' the laive they ranked through, And they held the stoupy ay filling. rest of the party The auld wiv-^es sate ^ and they chew'd. And when that the carles grew nappy, They danced as well as they dow'd, Wi' a crack o' their thumbs and a flappie.^ The lad that wore the white band, I think they ca'd ^ him Jammie Mather, And he took the bride by the hand. And cry'd to play up Maggie Lauther.* men ; tipsy could shuffle 1 sat turnimspike S ^ awa S » Whare S. SONGS BY KNOWN AUTHORS 26l CXII TIMBER STAIRS [ALEXANDER NICOl] O Peggy^ dinna say me na, But grant to me the treasure Of love's return ; it's unka bra, very pretty When ilka thing yields pleasure. Nae pleasure is like love's return. Dear Peggy, grant it to me ! Nae mair wi' coy slighting spurn. Whan I my love do shew thee. The forrest-birds example shew, My handsome, bonny lassie, That lovers shou'd na single go : Therefore be na mair sawcy, But yield unto my fond desire, My dearest, charming jewel. And quench the flame of Cupid's fire That burns me up like feuell ! 262 HERD'S MANUSCRIPTS Thy face so beautiful! and gay Engageth me to love thee, Thou'rt sweeter than the flowers in May,. There's ^ nane I'll prize above thee. Thy wit shin'd so into my eyes above Aboon a' human creatures, That Cupid caught me as a prize, Beholding thy fine features. IV The ways of virtue, Peggy, trust right fully I will observe fu' brawly, steps I'll shun the staps of Venus' lust. Whan ithers wi' them dallie. Up stairs, down stairs,^ Timber stairs fear me : I pray you, drap your foolish fears, Dear Peggy, and come near me ! ^ Therse MS ^ down stairs twice Nicol. ENGLISH AND IRISH SONGS 263 F. ENGLISH AND IRISH SONGS CXI II SONG MADE ON THE SIGN OF MR. THOS. TOD Town Clerk of Mussleburgh There is painted thereon a fox running away with a goose with this motto : Oportet vivere. Wou'd ^ you have law for writer's dues ? To Mussleburgh repair O, The town-clark's sign there plainly shews, That ev'rv thins^ is fair O. A fox picks up a goose — she cries : "Why, sure, Sir, this is theiving ! " In good Law-Latin he replies : '' We vermin must have living ! " ^ would II. 264 HERD'S MANUSCRIPTS i CXIV THE MILLER OF DEE I There was a jolly miller once, Liv'd on the water of Dee, He wrought, he sung i frae morn to night, No lark more blyth than he, 4 And thus ^ the burden of his song^ For ever us'd to be : " I care for naebody,^ no, not I, Since nobody cares for me ! s II " I live by my mill, God bless her ! She's kindred, child and wife,^ I would not change my station For any other in life. 12 No lawyer, surgeon or doctor E'er had a groat from me — I care for nobody, no, not I, If nobody cares for me ! " le 1 and sang S ' this 309 319 300 318 303 i;95 31i> 321 3U5 314 284 288 298 294 330 338 INDEX TO FIRST LINES How can I be blyth and glad . How dan, dilly dow .... How lang have I a batchelor been . I am a poor, silly, auld man I am to court a wife .... I can drink and no be drunk I, like a silly fish, play'd in the brook I'll go to the greenwood I'll hae a piper I'll hae Johny's gray breeks I'll trip upon trenchers, I'll dance upon dishes I hae layen three herring a sa't I hae often heard my grannam say I married an Italian Queen I married a wife with a good commendation In a garden so green in a May-morning In simmer I mawed my meadows I rade to London yesterday I will kiss your wife, carl . If ever there was an ill wife i' the warld It was in and through the window broads It was on a Sunday .... Johny was the lad of the men I saw Keep the country, bonie lassie . Kiss ye, Jean, kiss ye, Jean Logan water and Logan braes . Mass David Williamson . My daddy he stealt the minister's cow My father would have me to wed My love was born in Aberdeen My Sandy gied to me a ring My wife's a wanton wee thing News, lasses, news Now take a cud in ilka hand O as I was kist yestreen . O dear mother, what shall I do O gin my love were yon red rose O hone ! O hone I I am most uneasy Text Notes 125 293 193 313 216 323 119 290 105 284 183 308 274 334 155 301 185 310 184 309 204 316 103 283 182 307 271 333 110 285 93 279 104 283 190 312 183 308 106 284 140 297 130 294 127 293 183 308 139 297 116 288 207 319 176 305 254 329 124 293 123 292 111 285 146 299 167 302 138 296 147 299 98 281 184 309 INDEX TO FIRST LINES 3:^J) O if my love w;is a pickle of wheat O lassie, art thou sleeping yet . O Johnny Johnston was my love O Logic of Buchan, O Logie the lair O lusty RIaye with Flora queen O my bonie, bonie May our Johnny's no sae kind O Peggy, dinna say me na O saw ye Effie M'Nab tlie day . O that I had ne'er been married the dusty miller O wat, wat— O wat and weary . O wow, INIarget, are ye in . Old king Cowl was a jolly old soul One morning as I walk'd . Our John is ay in the right o't . Patie came in frae the dale Peggy and I will make the cheese Robin is my only joe Sandy, quo' he, lend me your mill She looked o'er the castle-wa' . Some say that care kill'd the cat Some say the deel's dead . Symon Brodie had a cow . The day begins to peep The prettiest laird in a' the wast The shepherd-lassie cries o'er the hill The sliepherd's wife cries o'er the lee The winter it is past .... The wren scho lyes in care's bed There came a chapman to the house There came a fidler out of France . There dwells a tod on yonder craig . There gaed a fair maiden out to walk There's a farmer near hard by . There's fouth of braw Jockies and Jenny There was a bonny wie ladie . There was a jolly miller once . There was twa craws sat on a staue Text Notes 98 281 149 :m) •2 HI 324 120 291 91 279 154 :io] 129 294 261 331 113 286 112 286 142 297 24(1 3-26 214 3>2 186 310 255 3-29 184 308 224 325 273 334 210 3-2«J 204 316 145 299 206 318 206 317 17.3 303 2;is 326 168 302 166 302 163 :io2 243 327 195 313 143 298 182 ;jo7 203 316 178 305 221 ;{24 219 3-28 170 .303 264 :m 205 371 340 INDEX TO FIRST LINES Text Notes Tho' the night were ne'er sae dark . . . 101 282 Three sheep-skins, and the wrong side o' them outward 181 306 Tibhy Fowler o' the glen 174 304 We're a' dry wi' drinking o't . . . .118 289 We're a' kist sleeping 182 307 Whan'll we be marry'd 159 301 Whare will we get a wife to you . . . 161 302 What's the spring breathing jessmin and rose . 269 333 When I gaed to the mill my lane . . . 135 295 When I think on tlie Avorld's pelf . . .236 325 When I was a wee thing 188 311 When Meiggy and me were acquaint . . 253 329 Will ye gang o'er the ley-rigg . . . .100 281 Will ye gang to Fife, lassie . . . .182 307 Will ye go to the Flanders, my Mallie O . 102 282 " Will ye go to the wood ? " quo' Fozie Mozie . 200 315 Willie he's a bonie lad 179 306 Whistle, and I'll cum to ye, my lad . .185 310 With roses and lillies I'l pillow his head . . 272 333 Wo worth the time and eke the place . . 96 280 Wou'd you have law for writer's dues . . 263 331 Ye men that has your wives in bed . . . 241 326 You're welcome to Paxtou, Robin Adair . . 275 334 GENERAL INDEX Aberdeen Canttcs, see Forbes, John. Ainslie, Robert, 306. Aitken, James, 39, 41. Alexander II., 71. Anderson, John, engraver, 285. Antiquaries, Society of, of Scotland, 6 and n., 30, 35, 307. Arne, T. A., composer of " Artaxerxes," 45. Aytoun, W. E., 76. Bagford Collection of Ballads, 293. Balfour, James, 38. Bannatyne MS., The, 17, 21, 23, 80 n. 2, 279 ; Lord Hailcs's publications from, 44 and n. 3, 80 n. 2. Bannatyne Club, The, poem by Scott addressed to, 03. Bertram, Gardiner and Co., bankers, 4. Bickerstaffe, Isaac, author of "Love in a Village," 332. Birnie, Patie, of Kinghorn, 85 n. 2. Blacklock, Thomas, Dr., 34, 64, 82 n. 2. Blair, Hugh, Dr., 14, 34. Boetius, Hector, on Fyu McCoule, 311. Boar Club, 34, 38. Brodic, William, deacon, 39. Broion, Alexander, librarian of Advocates' Library, 44. Brown, John, painter, 38. Bruce, John, 310. Buccleuch parish church, 64. Buchan, Lord, 5, 7, 30. Buchan, Peter, his "Ancient Ballads and Songs," 280; " Gleanings," &c., 291, 292, 322 ; his MSS. quoted. 2S0, 282, 288-89, 290, 292, 300, 3U4, 313, 315, 329. Burns, Robert, 29, 31, 34, 38, 46, 51, 65, 68, 283, 2«)1, 297 ; songs and fragments preserved by Herd, used by, 281, 282, 341 342 GENERAL INDEX 286, 287, 288, 290, 291, 292, 293, 294, 297, 299, 300, 301, 302, 303, 305, 306, 308, 309, 310, 319, 326, 327, 335. Campbell, Alexander, 75, 281. Cape. Club, 3, 31, 35-51. Chalmers, George, 9, 53, 54, 56 n. ; letters to Paton, 56, 57, 59 ; his Life of Eamsay, 59 ; letter to Hunter, 68. Chambers, Robert, 76; his Traditions of Edinburgh, 34, 38, 104 n. ; his Popidar Bhymes, 196 n., 198 n. 1, 206 n. 4, 304, 312; his Songs of Scotland prior to Burns, 211, 295, 302, 304; his Scottish Songs, 303, 314, 325, 328, 331. Charmer, The, 48 n., 306, 325. Child, F. J., 76. Chronicle of Scottish Poetry, Sibbakl's, 38. Clapperton, Alexander, 44. Clarke, Stephen, 38, 51, 284. Cleland, William, 303. Cockburn, Mrs. Alice, 64. Complaint of Scotland, The, 44, 72, 91 n. Constable, Archibald, 5, .32, 60, 62, 68, 76, 300. Craivford Collection of Ballads, 293. Cratvford, Robert, 189 ii., 329. Crochallan Fcnciblcs, The, 34, 37. Crockat, Mrs., her manuscript-book of music, 288. Cromek, R. H., his Reliques of Burns, 293; his Remains of Nithsdale and Galloway Song, 285, 304, 308. Cum,myng, James, 6, 7, 37, 46, 51, 73 ; letters to, 43-44, 50. Cunningham, Allan, on Herd's collection, 73-74. Dirty Clnh, 34. Dobie, James, note on the origin of liobin Adair, 335. Dowie, John, vintner, 31, 32 n. 2, 33, 51. Dryden, John, 324, 332. Dunlop, Mrs., 286. D'Urfey, Thomas, 303. Ehsivorth, J. W., 293, 323, 324. English Dictionary, Murray's, 198 n. 1. Erskine, Henry, 34. Euing Collection of Ballads, 293. GENERAL INDEX .S43 Ferguson, Adam, 34. Fergusson, Robert, ?y^, 41, 65, 282, 328, 329 ; liis cminection with Herd and the Cape, 45-49 ; Cape Son;,' hy liim, 48 ; his death, 49. Flowers of the Forest, The, 62, 64. Forbes, John, editor of the Aberdeen Cantus, 83 and n. 3, 279. Forbes, John, of Teinpleton Kildrunimy, 329. " Gamvwr Gurtoii's Gar-land,'^ 289. Gardiner, see Bertram. Gcntleman^s Magazine, 8, 71. Gough, Richard, antii^uary, 4, 7, 8. Graham, Douj^al, 330, 33L Graham, J., Marquis of Montrose, 78 and n. 4. Graham, Janet, 321. Gray, Thomas, 322. Graystiel, see Herd. Greyfriai-s' Churcliyard, 8, 28 n. 2. Grosart, A. B., 328. Grose, Francis, 8. Hailes, Lord, 7, 44 and n. 3, 71. Ealkct, George, author of Logie of Buchan, 292. Ealliivell, Nursery Rhymes of England, 290, 298, 301, 310, 311, 312, 316, 317, 332. Hamilton, William, of Bangour, 57 ; Poems on Several Occasions, 82. Hamilton, William, of Gilbert field, 57. Hearne, T., 71 n. Heber, Richard, 60, 70. Henderson, T. F., 30 n. 3, 76, 292. Herd, David, birth and family. 31, .32; friendship with Paton, 3, 32; clerk to Russell, 32; connections with Edinburgh club-life, 34, 35 ; original niembcr of the Cape, 37 ; Sovereign of the Cape, 41 ; old Sovereign, 42, 50, 51 ; nicknamed Sir Scrape or Graystiel, 3, 63 ; collision with Pinkerton, 52. 53 ; advises Chalmers and Ritson, 53-57 ; essay on the Pcnnecuiks, 5S, oO ; 344 GENERAL INDEX history of liis MSS., 9, 54, 59, 60, 61, 62 ; death, 64 ; obituary notes, 64, 65. Notes passim. Herd, David, of Balmakelly, 31. Herd, John, D. H.'s father, 31, 32. Herd, William, of Balmakelly, 31. Hird, see Herd. Hogg, James, his Jacobite Relics, 319, 333. Home, John, 34. Hiime, David, 34. Hunter, A. G., correspondent of Chalmers, 68. Inglis, Sir James, 44. James I., 44. James II., 333. Jamiesoii, Robert, 61, 62 ; his Popular Ballads and Songs, 61, 323, 325. Johnson, James, engraver, 29, 38. Jones, Paul, 322, 323. Kames, Lord, 34. Kemblc, Stephen, 38. King, William, Dr., 311. Kinloch, G. R., his Ballad Book, 296. Kinnoul, Earl of, 330. Laing, David, 47, 73, 79 n. 3, 304. Lancashire, Thomas, 37, 38, 41. Leland, John, 71 n. Leydcn, Dr. John, 60, 72, 83 n. 3, 329. Lindsay, Robert, of Pitscottie, 7. London Netos, Illustrated, 332. Low, Mar<;et, Herd's mother, 31 ; her death, 32. Low, William, of Denside, 31. Maidment, James, 7, 9, 70, 300, 322. GENERAL INDEX 345 Maitland, Sir Richard, "ancestor of the Earls of Laufler- dale," 21 ; his MS., 23, 26, 27, 28 ; Piukertou's otUtir)n of, 57. Martin, William, partner of Wotherspoon, 45. Mary, Princess of Modena, 333. 3Iay)ie, John, 309. Mearse, The, 293. Melrose, Abbey of, 12. More, Jacob, 38. Moore, Thomas, 335. Mothcnvdl, William, 75, 282, 301. Muses, The Merry, of Caledonia, 287, 288, 289, 297, 319. Museum, The Scots Musical, 29, 38, 83 n.2. Notes ;5y Herd, 58. Scots Magazine, The, bo u., 66 n. 1, 71, 72 ; obituary notice of Herd, 64, 65. Scrapie, Sir, see Herd. Seccombe, T., 70. Shakespeare, William, Cape festival in lionoiir of, 4n ; Othello, 134 n. 1, 295 ; Much Ado, 318. Sharjjc, C. K., 284, 298, 322. Sibbald, James, 38 ; " The Charmer " reprinted for, 81 n. 5. Sinkler, Margaret, her music-book, 299, 300, 305, 314. Skinner, John, 84 n. 5, 86 n. 1. Smellie, "William, bookseller, 6, 33, 34. Smollett, Tobias George, 33. Sommers, Thomas, 38. Spendthrift Club, 34. Steioart, David, General, 280 n. Stuart, Gilbert, 7, 65. Tail's Magazine, 317. Tea-Table Miscellany, The, see Ramsay, A. Tenducci, G. F., 45. Thecdre Royal, in Edinburgh, 38. Thomson, James, 40, 288. Thomson, William ; his Orpheus Caledonius, 66, 67, 2>s3, 287, 288, 328. Tytler, James, 283. Urquhart, Sir Thomas, of Cromaity, ''Tracts'' by, 7t», 71 and n. Watson, Alexander, 86 n. 2. i 348 GENERAL INDEX Watson, James, his collection of Scots Poem s, 43 and n. 2, 78 n. 4. Weekly Magazine, Ruddiman's, 47. Whitclaw, A., 76, 325. Willcock, J., 70. William III., rhyme composed on, 332. Williamson, David, 140 n. 1, 207 n., 297, 319. Wttherspoon, 24, see Wotherspoon. Woods, William, 38. Wotherspoon, John, Herd's printer, 16, 2.5, 27, 28 and n. 2, 29, 37, 51, 75 ; letters to Percy by, 22-24, 26, 27. THE END Printed by Ballanttne, Hanson &• Co. Edinburgh »S-= London X l>. UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY Los Angeles This book is DUE on the last date stamped below. AUG 1 G -m Rec'd w LD JMlLSli 964 ' i&*.^ 0£i; - '5 UL^^fi^t** 1977 9EB 41977 « DEC 24 1981 > 0£Cl3J986 Form L9-32m-8,'58(5876s4)444 H 3 1158 01155 8722 AA 000 723 781 I 'f