# The Lay of the Last Minstrel/Notes on Canto 4

NOTES
ON
CANTO IV.
Great Dundee.—St. II, p. 94.
The viscount of Dundee, slain in the battle of Killycrankie.
The morasses were the usual refuge of the Border herdsmen, on the approach of an English army. (Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border, Vol. I. p. 49.) Caves hewed in the most dangerous and inaccessible places also afforded an occasional retreat. Such caverns may be seen in the precipitous banks of the Teviot at Sunlaws and Ancram, upon the Jed at Hundalee, and in many other places upon the Border. The banks of the Eske, at Gorton and Hawthornden, are hollowed into similar recesses. But even these dreary dens were not always secure places of con​cealment. "In the way as we came, not far from this place (Long Niddry) George Ferrers, a gentleman of my Lord Protector's . . . happened upon a cave in the ground, the mouth whereof was so worne with the fresh printe of steps, that he seemed to be certayne thear wear sum folke within; and gone doune to trie, he was redily receyved with a hakebut or two. He left them not yet, till he had knowen whyther thei would be content to yelde and cum out, whiche they fondly refusyng, he went to my lorde's grace, and upon utteraunce of the thynge, gat lisence to deale with them as he coulde; and so returned to them, with a skore or two of pioners. Three ventes had their cave, that we wear ware of, wherof he first stopt up on; anoother he fil'd ful of strawe, and set it a fyer, wherat they within cast water apace; but it was so wel maynteyned without, that the fyer prevayled, and thei within fayn to get them belyke into anoother parler. Then devised we (for I hapt to be with hym) to stop the same up, whereby we should eyther smoother them, or fynd out their ventes, if thei hadde any moe: -as this was doon at another issue, about a xii score of, we moughte see the fume of their smoke to come out; the which continued with so great a force, and so long a while, that we could not but thinke they must needs get them out, or smoother within; and forasmuch as we found not that they dyd the tone, we thought it for certain thei wear sure of the toother." Patten's Account of Somerset's Expedition into Scotland, apud Dalzel's Fragments.
Southern ravage.—St. III. p. 95.
From the following fragment of a letter from the earl of Northumberland to King Henry VIII. preserved among the Cotton MSS. Calig. B. vii. 179, the reader may estimate the nature of the dreadful war which was occasionally waged upon the borders, sharpened by mutual cruelties, and the personal hatred of the wardens or leaders.
Some Scottish barons, says the earl, had threatened to come within "thre miles of my pore house of Werkworthe, wher I lye, and gif me light to put on my clothes at mydnyght; and alsoo the said Marke Carr said there opynly, that seyng they had a governor on the marches of Scotland, as well as they haid in Ingland, he shulde kepe your highnes instructions, gyffyn unto your garyson, for making of any day-forrey; for he and his friends wolde burne enough on the nyght, lettyng your counsaill here defyne a notable acte at theyre pleasures. Upon whiche, in your highnes' name, I comaundet dewe watche to be kepte on your marchies, for comyng in of any Scotts. Neutheless, upon Thursday at nyght last, came thyrty light horsemen unto a litill village of myne, called Whitell, having not past sex howses, lying toward Ryddisdaill, upon Shilbotell more, and ther wold have fyred the said howses, but ther was noo fyre to get ther, and they forgate to brynge any withe theyme; and toke a wyf, being great with chylde, in the said towne, and said to hyr, Wher we can not gyve the lard lyght, yet we shall doo this in spyte of hym; and gave hyr iii mortall wounds upon the heid, and another in the right side, with a dagger: wheruppon the said wyf is dede, and the childe in ​hyr bely is loste. Beseching your most gracious highness to reduce unto your gracious memory this wylfull and shamefull murder, done within this your highnes' realme, notwithstanding all the inhabitants thereabout rose unto the said fray, and gave warnynge by becons unto the contrey afore theyme, and yet the Scottsmen dyde escape. And uppon certeyne knowledge to my brother ClyfForthe and me, had by credable persons of Scotland, this abomynable act not only to be done by dy verse of the Mershe, but also the afore named persons of Tyvidaill, and consented to, as by apparaunce, by the erle of Murey, upon Friday at nyght last, let slyp C of the best horsemen of Glendaill, with a part of your highnes' subjects of Berwyke, together with George Dowglas, whoo came into Ingland agayne, in the dawing of the day; but afore theyre retome, they dyd mar the erle of Murrei's provisions at Coldingham; for they dyd not only burne the said towne of Coldingham, with all the come therunto belonging, which is estemed wurthe cii marke Sterling; but alsoo burned twa townes nye adionig therunto, called Branerdergest and the Black Hill, and toke xxiiii persons, Ix horse, with cc hed of cataill, whiche nowe, as I am informed, hathe not only bene a staye of the said Erie of Murrei's not comyng to the bordur as yet, but alsoo, that none inlande man will adventure theyre selfs uppon the marches. And as for the tax that shulde have bene grauntyd for fynding of the said iii hundred men, is utterly denyed. Upon whiche the king of Scottland departed from Edynburgh to Stirling, and as yet ther doth remayn. And alsoo I, by the advice of my brother Clyffortbe, have devysed ​that within this iiii nyghts, Godde wylling, Kelsey, in lyke case, shal be brent, with all the corne in the said town; and then they shall have noo place to lye any garyson in, nygh unto the borderes. And as I shall atteigne further knawledge, I shall not faill to satisfye your highness, according to my most bounden dutie. And for this bumyng of Kelsey is devysed to be done secretly, by Tyndaill and Ryddisdale. And thus the holy Trynite and * * * your most royal estate, with long lyf and as moche increase of honour as your most noble heart can desire. At Werkworth, the xxiith day of October. (1522.)
Wat Tinlinn.—St. IV. p. 95.
This person was, in my younger days, the theme of many a fireside tale. He was a retainer of the Buccleuch family, and held for his Border service a small tower on the frontiers of Liddesdale. Wat was by profession a sutor, but by inclination and practice, an archer and warrior. Upon one occasion, the Captain of Bewcastle, military governor of that wild district of Cumberland, is said to have made an incursion into Scotland, in which he was defeated, and forced to fly. Wat Tinlinn pursued him closely through a dangerous morass: the captain, however, gained the firm ground; and seeing Tinlinn dismounted, and floundering in the bog, used these words of insult, "Sutor Wat, ye cannot sew your boots; the heels risp, and the seams rive." "If I cannot sew," retorted Tinlinn, ​discharging a shaft which nailed the captain's thigh to his saddle, "If I cannot sew, I can yerk."
Bilhope Stag.—St. V. p. 96.
There is an old rhime which thus celebrates the places in Liddesdale, remarkable for game.
The bucks and roes, as well as the wild swine, are now extinct; but the good bull-trout is still famous.
Of silver broach and bracelet proud.—St. V. p. 97.
As the Borderers were indifferent about the furniture of their habitations, so much exposed to be burned and plundered, they were proportionally anxious to display splendour in decorating and ornamenting their females. See Lesly de Moribus Limitaneorum.
Belted Will Howard.—St. VI. p. 97.
Lord William Howard, third son of Thomas, duke of Norfolk, succeeded to Naworth Castle, and a large domain annexed to it, in right of his wife Elizabeth, sister of George Lord Dacre, who died without heirs male, in the 11th of Queen Elizabeth. By a poetical anachronism, he is introdu​ced into the romance a few years earlier than he actually flourished. He was warden of the Western Marches; and from the rigour with which he repressed the Border excesses, the name of Belted Will Howard is still famous in our traditions. In the castle of Naworth, his apartments, containing a bedroom, oratory, and library, are still shewn. They impress us with an unpleasing idea of the life of a lord warden of the marches. Three or four strong doors, separating these rooms from the rest of the castle, indicate apprehensions of treachery from his garrison; and the secret winding passages through which he could privately descend into the guard-room, or even into the dungeons, imply the necessity of no small degree of secret superintendance on the part of the governor. As the ancient books and furniture have remained undisturbed, the venerable appearance of these apartments, and the armour scattered around the chamber, almost lead us to expect the arrival of the warden in person. Naworth castle is situated near Brampton, in Cumberland. Lord William Howard is ancestor of the earls of Carlisle.
Lord Dacre.—St. VI. p. 97.
The well-known name of Dacre is derived from the exploits of one of their ancestors at the siege of Acre or Ptolemais, under Richard Cœur de Lion. There were two powerful branches of that name. The first family, called Lord Dacres of the south, held the castle of the same name, and are ancestors to the present Lord Dacre. The other family, descended from the same stock, were called Lord Dacres of the north, and ​were barons of Gilsland and Graystock. A chieftain of the latter branch was warden of the west marches during the reign of Edward VI. He was a man of a hot and obstinate character, as appears from some particulars of Lord Surrey's letter to Henry VIII. giving an account of his behaviour at the siege and storm of Jedburgh. It is printed in the Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border, Appendix to the Introduction.
The German hagbut-men.—St. VI. p. 98.
In the wars with Scotland, Henry VIII. and his successors employed numerous bands of mercenary troops. At the battle of Pinky, there were in the English army six hundred hackbutters on foot, and two hundred on horseback, composed chiefly of foreigners. On the 27th September, 1549, the duke of Somerset, Lord Protector, writes to the Lord Dacre, warden of the west marches: "The Almains, in number two thousand, very valiant soldiers, shall be sent to you shortly from Newcastle, together with Sir Thomas Holcroft, and with the force of your wardenry (which we would were advanced to the most strength of horsemen that might be), shall make the attempt to Loughmaben, being of no such strength but that it may be skailed with ladders, whereof, beforehand, we would you caused secretly some number to be provided; or else undermined with the pyke-axe, and so taken: either to be kept for the king's majesty, or otherwise to be defaced, and taken from the profits of the enemy. And in like manner the house of Carlaverok to be used." Repeated mention occurs of the Almains, in the subsequent correspondence; and the ​enterprize seems finally to have been abandoned from the difficulty of providing these strangers with the necessary "victuals and carriages" in so poor a country as Dumfries-shire. History of Cumberland, Vol. I. Introd. p. lxi. From the battle-pieces of the ancient Flemish painters, we learn that the Low Country and German soldiers marched to an assault with their right knees bared. And we may also observe, in such pictures, the extravagance to which they carried the fashion of ornamenting their dress with knots of ribband. This custom of the Germans is alluded to in the Mirrour for Magistrates, p. 121.
Sir John Scott of Thirlestaine flourished in the reign of James V. and possessed the estates of Thirlestaine, Gamescleugh, &c. lying upon the river of Ettricke, and extending to St Mary's Loch, at the head of Yarrow. It appears that when James had assembled his nobility, and their feudal followers, at Fala, with the purpose of invading England, and was, as is well known, disappointed by the obstinate refusal of his peers, this baron alone declared himself ready to follow the king wherever he should lead. In memory of his fidelity, James granted to his family a charter of arms, entitling them to bear a border of fleurs-de-luce similar to the tressure in the royal arms, with a bundle of spears for the crest; motto, Ready, aye Ready. The charter itself is printed by Nisbet; but his work ​being scarce, I insert the following accurate transcript from the original, in the possession of the Right Honourable Lord Napier, the representative of John of Thirlestaine.
"James Rex.
"We James, be the grace of God king of Scottis, considerand the ffaith and guid servis of of of right traist freind John Scott of Thirlestane, quha cummand to our hoste at Sautra Edge, with three score and ten launcieres on horsback of his freinds and followers, and beand willing to gang with ws into England, when all our nobles and others refuised, he was readdy to stake all at our bidding; ffor the quhilk cause, it is our will, and we doe straithe command and charg our lion he~ rauld, and his deputis for the time beand, to give and to graunt to the said John Scott, ane Border of ffleure de lises about his coatte of armes, sik as is on our royal banner, and alsua ane bundell of launces above his helmet, with thir words, Readdy, ay Readdy, that he and all his aftercummers may bruik the samine, as a pledge and taiken of our guid will.and kyndnes for his treue worthines; and thir our letters seen, ye nae wayes failzie to doe. Given at Ffalla Muire, under our hand and privy cashet, the xxvii day of Jully, mc and xxxxii zeires. By the King's graces speciall ordinance.
"Jo. Arskine."
On the back of the charter is written,
"Edin. 14. January, 1713. Registred, conform to the act of ​parliament made anent probative writs, per M'Kaile, pror. and produced by Alexander Borthwick, servant to Sir William Scott of Thirlestane. M.L.J."
The family of Harden are descended from a younger son of the laird of Buccleuch, who flourished before the estate of Murdieston was acquired by the marriage of one of those chieftains with the heiress in 1296. Hence they bear the cognizance of the Scotts upon the field; whereas those of the Buccleuch are disposed upon a bend dexter, assumed in consequence of that marriage. See Gladstaine of Whitelaws MSS. and Scott of Stokoes Pedigree, Newcastle, 1783.
Walter Scott of Harden, who flourished during the reign of Queen Mary, was a renowned Border free-booter, concerning whom tradition has preserved a variety of anecdotes, some of which have been published in the Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border, and others in Leyden's Scenes of Infancy. The bugle horn, said to have been used by this formidable leader, is preserved by his descendant, the present Mr Scott of Harden. His castle was situated upon the very brink of a dark and precipitous dell, through which a scanty rivulet steals to meet the Borthwick. In the recess of this glen he is said to have kept his spoil, which served for the daily maintenance of his ​retainers, until the production of a pair of clean spurs, in a covered dish, announced to the hungry band, that they must ride for a supply of provisions. He was married to Mary Scott, daughter of Philip Scott of Dryhope, and called in song the Flower of Yarrow. He possessed a very extensive estate, which was divided among his five sons. There are numerous descendants of this old marauding Baron. The following beautiful passage of Leyden's Scenes of Infancy is founded on a tradition respecting an infant captive, whom Walter of Harden carried off in a predatory incursion, and who is said to have become the author of some of our most beautiful pastoral songs.
The mercenary adventurers, whom, in 1380, the Earl of Cambridge carried to the assistance of the king of Portugal against the Spaniards, mutinied for want of regular pay. At an assembly of their leaders, Sir John Soltier, a natural son of ​Edward the Black Prince, thus addressed them: "I counsayle, let us be alle of one alliaunce, and of one accorde, and let us among ourselves reyse up the baner of St George, and let us be frendes to God, and enemyes to alle the worlde; for without we make ourselfe to be feared, we gette nothynge." "By my fayth," quod Sir William Helmon, "ye saye ryght well, and so lette us do." They alle agreed with one voyce, and so regarded among them who shulde be their capitayne. Then they advysed in the case how they coude nat have a better capitayne than Sir John Soltier. For they sulde than have good leyser to do yvell, and they thought he was more metelyer therto than any other. Than they reysed up the penon of St George, and cried, "A Soltier! a Soltier! the valyaunt bastarde! frendes to God, and enemies to alle the worlde!".—Froyssart, vol. i. ch. 393.
A gauntlet on a spear—St. XVIII. p. 109.
A glove upon a lance was the emblem of faith among the ancient Borderers, who were wont, when any one broke his word, to expose this emblem, and proclaim him a faithless villain at the first Border meeting. This ceremony was much dreaded. See Lesley.
Several species of offences, peculiar to the Border, constituted what was called march-treason. Among others, was the crime of riding, or causing to ride, against the opposite coun​try during the time of truce. Thus, in an indenture made at the water of Eske, beside Salom, the 25th day of March, 1384, betwixt noble Lords and mighty, Sirs Henry Percy, Earl of Northumberland, and Archibald of Douglas, Lord of Galoway, a truce is agreed upon until the 1st day of July; and it is expressly accorded, "Gif ony stellis authir on the ta part, or on the tothyr, that he shall be henget or heofdit; and gif ony cumpany stellis any gudes wthin the trieux beforesayd, 'ane of that company sall be henget or heofdit, and the remanent sall restore the gudys stollen in the double."—History of Westmoreland and Cumberland, Introd. p. xxxix.
In dubious cases, the innocence of Border-criminals was occasionally referred to their own oath. The form of excusing bills or indictments, by Border-oath, ran thus: "You shall swear by heaven above you, hell beneath you, by your part of Paradise, by all that God made in six days and seven nights, and by God himself, you are whart out sackless of art, part, way, witting, ridd, kenning, having, or recetting of any of the goods and cattells named in this bill. So help you God."—History of Cumberland, Introd. p. xxv.
Knighthood he took of Douglas' sword.—St. XXIII. p. 114.
The dignity of knighthood, according to the original institution, had this peculiarity, that it did not flow from the mo​narch, but could be conferred by one who himself possessed it, upon any squire who, after due probation, was found to merit the honour of chivalry. Latterly, this power was confined to generals, who were wont to create knights bannerets after or before an engagement. Even so late as the reign of Queen Elizabeth, Essex highly offended his jealous sovereign by the indiscriminate exertion of this privilege. Amongst others, he knighted the witty Sir John Harrington, whose favour at court was by no means enhanced by his new honours. See the Nugæ Antiquæ, edited by Mr Park, But probably the latest instance of knighthood, conferred by a subject, was in the case of Thomas Ker, knighted by the Earl of Huntley, after the defeat of the Earl of Argyle in the battle of Belrinnes. The fact is attested, both by a poetical and prose account of the engagement, contained in a MS. in the Advocates' Library, and lately edited by Mr Dalyell, in Godly Sangs and Ballets, Edin. 1802.
When English blood swelled Ancram ford.—St. XXIII. p. 114.
The battle of Ancram Moor, or Peniel-heuch, was fought A. D. 1545. The English, commanded by Sir Ralph Evers and Sir Brian Latoun, were totally routed, and both their leaders slain in the action. The Scottish army was commanded by Archibald Douglas, Earl of Angus, assisted by the laird of Buccleuch and Norman Lesly.
The blanche lion.—St. XXVII. p. 117.
This was the cognisance of the noble house of Howard in ​all its branches. The crest, or bearing, of a warrior was often used as a nomme de guerre. Thus Richard III. acquired his well-known epithet, the Boar of York. In the violent satire on Cardinal Wolsey, commonly, but erroneously, imputed to Dr Bull, the Duke of Buckingham is called the Beautiful Swan, and the Duke of Norfolk, or Earl of Surrey, the White Lion. As the book is extremely rare, and the whole passage relates to the emblematical interpretation of heraldry, it shall be here given at length.
​There are two copies of this very scarce satire in the library of the late Duke of Roxburghe.
It may easily be supposed, that trial by single combat, so peculiar to the feudal system, was common on the Borders. The following indenture will shew at how late a period it was there resorted to, as a proof of guilt or innocence.
"It is agreed between Thomas Musgrave and Lancelot Carleton, for the true trial of such controversies as are betwixt them, to have it openly tried, by way of combat, before God and the face of the world, to try it in Canonby-holme, before England and Scotland, upon Thursday in Easter-week, being the eight day of April next ensuing, A. D. 1602, betwixt nine of the clock, and one of the same day, to fight on foot, to be armed with jack, steel cap, plaite sleeves, plaite breeches, plaite sockes, two baslaerd swords, the blades to be one yard and half a quarter of length, two Scotch daggers or dorks at their girdles, and either of them to provide armour and weapons for themselves, according to this indenture. Two gentlemen to be appointed on the field to view both the parties, to see that they both be equal in arms and weapons, according to this indenture; and being so viewed by the gentlemen, the gentlemen to ride to the rest of the company, and to leave them but two boys viewed by the gentlemen, to be under 16 years of age, to hold their horses. In testimony of this our agreement, we have both set our hands to this indenture, of in​tent all matters shall be made so plain, as there shall be no question to stick upon that day. Which indenture, as a witness, shall be delivered to two gentlemen. And for that it is convenient the world should be privy to every particular of the grounds of the quarrel, we have agreed to set it down in this indenture betwixt us, that knowing the quarrel, their eyes may be witness of the trial.
The Grounds of the Quarrel.
"1. Lancelot Carleton did charge Thomas Musgrave before the lords of her majesty's privy council, that Lancelot Carleton was told by a gentleman, one of her majesty's sworn servants, that Thomas Musgrave had offered to deliver her majesty's castle of Bewcastle to the king of Scots; and to witness the same, Lancelot Carleton had a letter under the gentleman's own hand for his discharge.
"2. He chargeth him, that, whereas her majesty doth yearly bestow a great fee upon him, as captain of Bewcastle, to aid and defend her majesty's subjects therein; Thomas Musgrave hath neglected his duty, for that her majesty's castle of Bewcastle was by him' made a den of thieves, and an harbour and receipt for murderers, felons, and all sorts of misdemeanors. The precedent was Quinten Whitehead and Runion Blackburne.
"3. He chargeth him, that his office of Bewcastle is open for the Scotch to ride in and through, and small resistance made by him to the contrary.
​"Thomas Musgrave doth deny all this charge; and saith, that he will prove that Lancelot Carleton doth falsely bely him, and will prove the same by way of combat, according to this indenture. Lancelot Carleton hath entertained the challenge; and so, by God's permission, will prove it true as before, and hath set his hand to the same.
(Signed) Thomas Musgrave. (Signed) Lancelot Carleton."
He, the jovial harper.—St. XXXI. p. 121.
The person, here alluded to, is one of our ancient Border minstrels, called Rattling Roaring Willie. This soubriquet was probably derived from his bullying disposition; being, it would seem, such a roaring boy as is frequently mentioned in old plays. While drinking at Newmill, upon Teviot, about five miles above Hawick, Willie chanced to quarrel with one of his own profession, who was usually distinguished by the odd name of Sweet Milk, from a place on Rule-water so called. They retired to a meadow on the opposite side of the Teviot, to decide the contest with their swords, and Sweet Milk was killed on the spot. A thorn-tree marks the scene of the murder, which is still called Sweet Milk Thorn. Willie was taken and executed at Jedburgh, bequeathing his name to the beautiful Scottish air, called "Rattling Roaring Willie." Ramsay, who set no value on traditionary lore, published a few verses of this song in the Tea Table Miscellany, carefully suppressing all which had any connection with the history of the author, and origin of the piece. In this case, ​however, honest Allan is in some degree justified, by the extreme worthlessness of the poetry. A verse or two may be taken as illustrative of the history of Roaring Willie, alluded to in the text.
The title to the most ancient collection of Border regulations rans thus:
"Be it remembered, that on the 18th day of December, 1468, Earl William Douglas assembled the whole lords, freeholders, and eldest Borderers, that best knowledge had, at the college of Linclouden; and there he caused those lords and Borderers bodily to be sworn, the Holy Gospel touched, that they justly and truly, after their cunning, should decrete, decern, deliver, and put in order and writing, the statutes, ordinances, and uses of marche, that were ordained in Black Archibald of Douglas's days, and Archibald his son's days, in time of warfare; and they came again to him advisedly with these statutes and ordinances, which were in time of warfare before. The said Earl William, seeing the statutes in writing decreed and delivered by the said lords and Borderers, thought them right speedful and profitable to the Borderers; the which statutes, ordinances, and points of warfare, he took, and the whole lords and Borderers he caused bodily to be sworn, that ​they should maintain and supply him, at their goodly power, to do the law upon those that should break the statutes underwritten. Also the said Earl William, and lords and eldest Borderers, made certain points to be treason in time of warfare to be used, which were no treason before his time, but to be treason in his time, and in all time coming."
* ↑ Risp, creak. Rive, tear.
* ↑ Yerk—to twitch, as shoemakers do, in securing the stitches of their work.
* ↑ Sic. in orig.
* ↑ The day of the Rood-fair at Jedburgh.
* ↑ Sir Gilbert Eliot of Stobs, and Scott of Falnash.
* ↑ A wretched pun on his antagonist's name.