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THE BONNIE EARL O MURRAY.

" UPON the 7th of February, (1591) the Earl of Huntly, with his friends, to the number of five or six score horse, passed from his majesty's said house (the Abbey of Holy-rood) in Edinburgh, as intending to pass to a horserace in Leith; but after they came there, having another purpose in their head, they passed forward to the Queen's-ferry, where they had caused stop the passing of all boats over the water. When they came on the other side of the Ferry, they passed directly

to the place of Dinnibristle, beside Aberdour, pertaining to James Earl of Murray: This was his mother's dwelling-house, and he intended to have stay'd there, in hopes of being received into his Majesty's favour, and so of being reconciled to the chancellor, intending to have gone over for that purpose the very next day. But so it happened, in the mean time, that the Earl of Huntly raised fire, and burnt the house of Dinni bristle, and most unworthily slew and murdered the Earl of Murray, who was the tallest and lustiest young nobleman within the kingdom, to the great regret of all people. With him also they slew the Sheriff of Murray, Dumbar, and hurt three or four others of his servants : They took some of the servants likewise, and returned peaceably back to the town of Inverkeithing, where they remained all that night; and, in the mean time, the Earl sent the Goodman of Buckie, Gordon, to Edin

burgh, to tell the news; but he departed without good-night, and being sought at his lodgings next day, by the Duke of Lennox, the Earl of Marr, the Lord Ochiltree, and their servants, he narrowly escaped, and returned again to his master, the Earl of Huntly, at Inverkeithing; who being at dinner, immediately on Buckie's arrival rose therefrom, and slipt away in haste, not even paying his reckoning.”—Moyses' Memoirs, p. 182.

The attempt of the Earl of Bothwell to seize the person of James VI., was the primary cause of this tragedy. Upon its failure, Huntly got a commission from the king to pursue Bothwell and his followers with fire and sword; and it was under, cover of this commission, that he revenged a private quarrel he had against Murray, who was a relation of Bothwell's.-Percy. The bishop is, however, wrong in countenancing the report, that James aided and abetted the murderers;

for, "upon the 10th of the said month, proclamation was made, charging all noblemen, barons, and others, within a great number of shires, to rise in arms, with twenty days provisions, in order to pass forward with his majesty, for pursuit both of the Earl of Huntly, and of the committers of the late treasonable enterprise, upon the palace of Holy-roodhouse."-Moyses, ut sup.

THE BONNY EARL OF MURRAY.

YE High-lands, and ye Law-lands,
Oh! quhair hae ye been?
They hae slaine the Earl of Murray,
And hae lain him on the green.

Now wae be to thee, Huntley!
And quhairfore did you sae,
I bade you bring him wi' you,
But forbade you him to slay?

He was a braw gallant,

And he rid at the ring,

And the bonny Earl of Murray,
Oh! he might hae been a king.

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