XXVIII. Gude Sir Alexander Irving, The much renownit laird of Drum, Nane in his days was bettir sene, Quhen they war semblit * all and sum; † To praise him we sould not be dumm, For valour, witt, and worthyness, To end his days he ther did cum, Quhois ransom is remeidyless. XXIX. And thair the knicht of Lawriston, Sir Thomas Murray stout and kene, * Semblit, assembled. + All and sum, altogether. ↑ Mortal, deadly. Gude nicht, good night, farewell. VOL. I. M XXX. Thair was not sen king Keneth's days, In Scotland sene, as ilk man says, Quhair mony liklie* lost thair lyfe; Quhilk maid divorce twene man and wyfe, And mony children fatherless, Quhilk in this realme has bene full ryfe; Lord help these lands, our wrangs redress! XXXI. In July, on Saint James his even, And mony a ane may murn for * Liklie, handsome men. † Brim, fierce. ay, LADY MARY ANN. I have extracted these beautiful stanzas from JOHNSON'S "Poetical Museum." They are worthy of being better known, a circumstance which may lead to a discovery of the persons whom they celebrate. The green ribbon, among lovers, is the symbol of hope; the yellow one, on the contrary, that of being forsaken. O LADY MARY ANN looks o'er the castle wa', She saw three bonnie boys playing at the ba', The youngest he was the flower among them a'; My bonnie laddie's young, but he's growin' yet. "O father, O father, an ye think it fit, 1 Lady Mary Ann was a flower in the dew, Young Charlie Cochran was the sprout of an aik, The simmer is gane, when the leaves they were green, And the days are awa' that we hae seen; But far better days, I trust, will come again, For my bonny laddie's young, but he's growin' yet. END OF THE FIRST VOLUME. EDINBURGH: Printed by James Ballantyne & Co. |