With variations, chiefly from the (B) version, "Gilderoy reappears in Old Bds., i. 271, 1723; Percy's Reliques; Herd; Child's Bds., vi. 198; and Maidment's Scot. Bds., ii. 226, 1869, with most valuable remarks, and extracts from Spalding's Mems. of the Troubles in Scotland, Bannatyne Club. Professor Aytoun (Bds. of Scotland, ii. 151) gives the ballad in its composite bulk, 13 verses, with two apocryphal Chambers' renderings, "which Mr. Chambers mentions to have seen on a broadside ("Lord, lord, how this world is given to lying!" said a practical authority), evidently further evidently further "adapted" from the Orpheus

Caledonius.

To Captain Alexander Smith's Compleat History of the Lives and Robberies of the most Notorious Highwaymen, Footpads, &c., for about a hundred years past, etc., London, 1719, vol. ii., 297, readers must turn for an account of Gilderoy, or Gillie Roy, the Red Youth. This narrative (seemingly unknown to, and unsuspected by, Professor Aytoun; who is generally most accurate of the composite-ballad advocates) bears clear proof of exaggeration, and such falsehood as terror-stricken Lowland citizens indulge in, when vilifying the depredators who have plundered them, even to "the theftuous stealing of foure hens" belonging to the master of Calquharnie. Gilderoy was conveniently hanged, without much formal trial. His execution took place along with seven of his gang (he being honoured with a tenfeet higher gibbet), in July, 1636. If Capt. Alex. Smith does not belie her, the freebooter's lady-love, Peg Cunningham, had a hand in betraying him, and paid for her treachery by being "ript-up" by Gilderoy when he was captured. We prefer to think of her as a "hempen-widow," indulging in this pathetic Lament.

1 The place of execution, some fields between Edinburgh and Leith, has been kept known by tradition. It is now occupied by Nos. 14 and 16, Montgomery Street, Leith Walk, built in recent years. The present Editor knew it well, both as a field play-ground and a residence, during part of his boyhood spent in absence from his native land. To those years he owes his earliest acquaintance with the Songs of Scotland, and the breezy hills of "Caledonia stern and wild." Captain Alex. Smith gives the date of execution as being April, 1658, but he is habitually inaccurate. The alleged robbery of Cromwell is seen to have been impossible, with the true date, 1636. The sacrilegious robbery of Richelieu also is apocryphal: the story is told elsewhere, of a courtier whose pocket was picked of a gold snuff-box, in presence of Charles II., the thief winked at his observing Majesty, thus binding him over to secrecy (Jesse, Mem. Court of Eng., 1840, iii. 317). Gilderoy's alleged outrages at his mother's house are asserted without evidence: no witnesses remained, living or dead, the house being burnt, and he is not proved to have confessed any such crimes. Idle assertions all.

[Bagford Collection, I. 102.]

The Scotch Lover's Lamentation;
Or,

Gilderoy's Last Fa[r]ewe[l].

To an excellent new Tune, much in request.

Licensed according to Order.

Gilderoy was a bonny Boy,

had roses tull his shun,

His Stockings made of the finest silk,
his Garters hanging down:

It was a comely sight to see,

he was so trim a Boy;

He was my Joy and Heart's Delight,
my handsom Gilderoy.

Oh, sike a charming Eyen he had,
a breath as sweet as Rose;

He never wore a Highland plad,
but costly silken Cloaths:
He gain'd the love of Ladies gay,
there's none to him was coy;
Ah, way's me, I'se mourn this Day
for my dear Gilderoy.

My Gilderoy and I was born,

4

8

12

16

both in one Town together:

1 Pills to P. Mel. version reads, "Not past seven years of Age, Since," etc.

28

And he gave me a wedding-ring,
which I receiv'd with joy;
No Lads or Lasses e're could sing,
like my sweet Gilderoy.

In mickle joy we spent our time,

till we was both fifteen;

Then gently he did lay me down,

32

amongst the leaves so green;

When he had done what he could do,
he rose and gang'd his way,
But ever since I lov'd the Man,
my handsome Gilderoy.

While we did both together play,

he kiss'd me o're and o're; Gued faith, it was as blith a day,

as e're I saw before;

He fill'd my heart in e'ry vein,
with love and mickle joy;

But when shall I behold again,
mine own sweet Gilderoy?

'Tis pity Men should e're be hang'd
that takes up Women's geer,

Or for their pelfering sheep or calves,
or stealing cow or mare;

Had not our laws been made so strict,

I'd never lost my Joy,

Who was my Love and Heart's Delight,
my handsom Gilderoy.1

'Cause Gilderoy had done amiss,

must he be punish'd then?
What kind of cruelty is this,
to hang such handsom Men?

The Pills copy of seventh verse reads:-
Oh never, never shall I see
The cause of past Delight;
Or sike a lovely Lad as he,
Transport my Ravish'd sight:
The Law forbids what Love enjoyns,
And does prevent our Joy;
Though just and fair were the Designs
Of me and Gilderoy.

The Flower of the Scotish Land,
a sweet and lively Boy,

He likewise had a Lady's hand,1
my handsom Gilderoy.

At Leith they took my Gilderoy,

and there, God wot, they bang'd him,
Carry'd him to fair Edenburgh,

and there, God wot, they hang'd him,
They hang'd him up above the rest,
he was so trim a Boy,

My only Love and Heart's Delight,
my handsome Gilderoy.

Thus having yielded up his breath,
he was laid,

in cyprus

Then for my Dearest, after death,

a funeral I made,

Over his grave a marble stone,2

I fixed for my Joy,

Now I am left to weep alone,

for my dear Gilderoy.

London Printed for C. Bates, at the Sun and Bible in

Pye-corner.

[About 1686. White-letter. A copy, also, in Pepys, v. 354.]

1 Compare Byron's expressions of opinion regarding purity of race and blueblood, as displayed in the smallness of a hand. Thus the resemblance of Haydee to her father appears "Even to the delicacy of their hand" (Don Juan, Canto iv. stanza 45); again, of Gulbeyaz's hand, offered to be kissed:"

"Though on more thorough-bred or fairer fingers

No lips e'er left their transitory trace;"

and his own note to the passage (Ibid., Canto v. stanza 106), "There is nothing, perhaps, more distinctive of birth than the hand. It is almost the only sign of blood which aristocracy can generate."

2 This marble monument is even more doubtful than the one mentioned by Dr. Walter Pope, to Claude du Vall (with "his coat of arms"), vide ante, p. 11. Fancy a marble tomb-stone erected in the bleak fields beside Leith-Walk, in 1636! The Westminster-Drollery version claiming for Gilderoy a desire to join the King (two years before the war broke out in Scotland) is another feature in this poeticized transformation of the Reiver into a hero, and false " Peg Cunningham" into a faithful lady-love. Perhaps the darker portraitures of them were equally misleading; so we may quite as well indulge ourselves with the fairer mythical romance.

The Midshipman's Garland.

ON this final leaf of the first volume, Bagford Collection, we

come to one of those eight-paged "Garlands" that became so popular in England, and that to a certain extent rivalled and displaced the still more perishable broadsides. In the Pepysian Library are known to be many "Penny Merriments" of this class; but they are jealously guarded from the inspection of the neutral world: Magdalen College being a very closely-tiled lodge, surrounded by long-expectant and often-baffled Cowans. For the present we must content ourselves with a single specimen, the "Midshipman's Garland;" undated, but almost certainly printed between 1692 and 1703.

Of its three songs, the first and second are only known to us in this place; and of the third we here alone recover the two final verses.

"Billy the Midshipman's Welcome-home" probably passed quickly out of popular acceptance, solely because there was a constant supply of similar ditties to meet the continual demand. Our national supremacy on the sea during the eighteenth century, the gallant sea-fights of our navy, and the bold adventurous commerce of our merchantmen, kept the blue-jackets in favour. Thence it came that a ready sale was found for songs descriptive of their parting from sweethearts or wives, and their welcome home again to loving arms. Almost every notable action with the enemy, and all the varying incidents of a sailor's career, both at sea and on shore, received poetical celebrity in streetballads, published in penny "garlands," or on half-penny strips of grey paper, misprinted with worn-out types, and adorned with the rudest of woodcuts. They were sung at galley-fires, as well as in lanes and alleys along-shore. They, no doubt, cheered the heart of many a gallant Tar, whilst he kept a look-out aloft for the enemy's cruisers, and comforted the little ones at home, when their mother crooned them over for a lullaby, after they had lisped their prayers for the safety of Daddy far away at sea. Of these nautical ditties, many already of extreme rarity, the Editor possesses a large collection, and some day may offer a volume of them to his readers. Except Wm. Cox Bennett, with his "Songs for Sailors," scarcely any one now seems able or willing to follow in the steps of G. A. Stevens or Charles Dibdin, and "sing the dangers of the sea."