expiring, faid, "You hae fpilt a better face than your awin." Upon this, Bucky pointing his dagger at Huntley's breaft, fwore," You shall be as deep as I;" and forced him to pierce the poor defenceless body. K. James, who took no care to punish the murtherers, is faid by fome to have privately countenanced and abetted them, being fimulated by jealousy for some indiscreet praises which bis Queen had too lavishly befowed on this unfortunate youth. See the preface to the next ballad. See alfo Mr. Walpole's Catalogue of Royal Auth. vol. I. p. 42. Y E highlands, and ye lawlands, Oh! qubair hae ye been? They he flaine the Earl of Murray, And hae laid him on the green. Castle downe here has been thought to mean the CASTLE OF DowNE, a feat belonging to the family of Murray. XVIII. YOUNG WATER S. A SCOTTISH BALLAD, It has been fuggefted to the Editor, that this ballad covertly alludes to the indifcreet partiality, which 2. Anne of Denmark is faid to have fhewn for the BONNY EARL OF MURRAY; and which is fuppofed to have influenced the fate of that unhappy nobleman. Let the Reader judge for himself. The following account of the murder is given by a contemporary writer, and a perfon of credit, Sir James Balfour, knight, Lyon King of Arms, whofe MS. of the Aunals of Scotland is in the Advocates library at Edinburgh. "The feventh of Febry, this zeive, 1592, the Earle of Murray was cruelly murthered by the Earle of Huntley at "his house in Dunibriffel in Fyffe-fhyre, and with bim P 4 "Dunbar, 86 66 66 "Dunbar, Sheriffe of Murray. It was given out and publickly talkt, that the Earle of Huntley was only the inftrument of perpetrating this face, to fatisfie the King's "jealoufie of Murray, quhum the Queene more rafkely than wifely, fome few days before had commendit in the King's hearing, with too many epithets of a proper and gallant man. The reafons of thefe furmifes proceedit from a pro"clamatione of the Kings, the 12 of Marche following; "inhibiteine the zoung Earle of Murray to perfue the Earle "of Huntley, for his father's flaughter, in refpect he "being wardeit [imprisoned] in the caftell of Blacknesse "for the fame murther, was willing to abide a tryall, 46 averring that he had done nothing but by the King's majefies commiffione; and was neither airt nor part in "the murther *." 66 The following ballad is here given from a copy printed not long fince at Glasgow, in one Sheet 8vo. The world was indebted for its publication to the lady Jean Hume, fifer to the Earle of Hume, who died at Gibraltar. A BOUT Zule, quhen the wind blew cule, And the round tables began, A'! there is cum to our kings court Mony a well-favourd man. The queen luikt owre the castle wa, Beheld baith dale and down, Cum riding to the town. His footmen they did rin before, 5 His horfemen rade behind, 10 Ane mantel of the burning gowd Did keip him frae the wind. *This extract is copied from the Critical Review. Gowden Gowden graith'd his horfe before And filler fhod behind, The horfe zong Waters rade upon Was fleeter than the wind, But than spake a wylie lord, I've fene lord, and I've fene laird, Mine eyne did never fee. Out then fpack the jealous king, (And an angry man was he) O, if he had been twice as fair, Zou're neither laird nor lord, she says, For a' that he could do or say, Appeasd he wad nae bee; 15 25 30 Bot for the words which she had faid 35 Zoung Waters he maun dee. They They hae taen zoung Waters, and Put fetters to his feet; Aft I have ridden thro' Stirling town In the wind both and the weit; 40 Wi fetters at my feet. Aft have I ridden thro' Stirling town 45 * They hae taen to the heiding-hill They hae taen to the heiding-hill 50 His lady fair to fee. And for the words the Queen had spoke, 55 Zoung Waters he did dee. Heiding-hill; i. e. heading [beheading] bill. The place of execu tion was anciently an artificial billock. XIX. M A |