As I came from the holy land, That have both come, and gone?" My love is neither white 3, nor browne, But as the heavens faire ; 10 There is none hath her form divine, Either in earth, or ayre. "Such an one did I meet, good sir, "What is the cause she leaves thee thus, And a new way doth take, That some times loved thee as her life, I that loved her all my youth, 3 Sc. pale. 25 25 For love is like a carelesse childe, Forgetting promise past: He is blind, or deaf, whenere he list; His faith is never fast. 30 His fond desire is fickle found, And yieldes a trustlesse joye; Wonne with a world of toil and care, 35 Such is the love of womankinde, 'But true love is a lasting fire, 4 Which viewless vestals tend; That burnes for ever in the soule, 4 Sc. angels. 40 XVII. Hardyknute. A SCOTTISH FRAGMENT. As this fine morsel of heroic poetry hath generally passed for ancient, it is here thrown to the end of our earliest pieces; that such as doubt of its age may the better compare it with other pieces of genuine antiquity. For after all, there is more than reason to suspect, that it owes most of its beauties (if not its own existence) to the pen of a lady, within the present century. The following particulars may be depended on. One Mrs. Wardlaw, whose maiden name was Halket, (aunt to the late Sir Peter Halket, of Pitferran, in Scotland, who was killed in America, along with General Braddock, in 1755,) pretended she had found this poem, written on shreds of paper, employed for what is called the bottoms of clues. A suspicion arose that it was her own composition. Some able judges asserted it to be modern. The lady did in a manner acknowledge it to be so. Being desired to show an additional stanza, as a proof of this, she produced the two last, beginning with "There's nae light," &c., which were not in the copy that was first printed. The late Lord President Forbes, and Sir Gilbert Elliot, of Minto, (late Lord Justice Clerk for Scotland,) who had believed it ancient, contributed to the expense of publishing the first edition, in folio, 1719. This account was transmitted from Scotland, by Sir David Dalrymple, the late Lord Hailes, who yet was of opinion, that part of the ballad may be ancient, but retouched and much enlarged by the lady above mentioned. Indeed he had been informed, that the late William Thompson, the Scottish musician, who published the Orpheus Caledonius, 1733, 2 vols. 8vo, declared he had heard fragments of it repeated in his infancy, before Mrs. Wardlaw's copy was heard of. The poem is here printed from the original edition, as it was prepared for the press, with the additional improvements. (See below, page 116.) I. STATELY stept he east the wa', Wi' scarce seven years of rest. Wrought Scotland mickle wae: II. High on a hill his castle stood, Where he lodged mony a knight. Save ELENOR the queen. 5 10 15 III. Full thirteen sons to him she bare, In bloody fight with sword in hand. Nine lost their lives bot doubt: Four yet remain, lang may they live To stand by liege and land: High was their fame, high was their might, IV. Great love they bare to FAIRLY fair, Their sister saft and dear, Her girdle shaw'd her middle gimp, And gowden glist her hair. What waefu' wae her beauty bred ? Waefu' to young and auld, Waefu' I trow to kyth and kin, As story ever tauld. V. The king of Norse in summer tyde, With mony a hardy knight. The tydings to our good Scots king Came, as he sat at dine, With noble chiefs in brave aray, Drinking the blood-red wine. 20 25 30 35 40 |