"Gar loose to me the gude graie dogs That are bound wi' iron bands."

When Johnie's mither gat word o' that, Her hands for dool she wrang"O Johnie, for my benison,

To the green-wood dinna gang!

"Eneugh ye hae o' the gude wheat-bread,
And eneugh o' the bluid-red wine;
And therefore for nae venison, Johnie,
I pray ye stir frae hame.

But Johnie's buskt up his gude bend-bow,
His arrows, ane by ane;
And he has gane to Durrisdeer,

To hunt the dun deer down.

As he came down by Merriemass,
And in by the benty line,
There has he espy'd a deer lying
Aneath a bush o' ling.

Johnie he shot, and the dun deer lap,
And he wounded her on the side;
But, atween the water and the brae,
His hounds they laid her pride.

And Johnie has bryttled the deer sae weel, That he's had out her liver and lungs; And wi' these he has feasted his bluidy hounds, As if they had been Earl's sons.

They ate sae much o' the venison,
And drank sae much o' the bluid,
That Johnie and a' his bluidy hounds
Fell asleep as they had been dead.

P

And by there came a silly auld carle,
And an ill death mote he die!
For he's awa to Hislinton,

Where the seven foresters did lie.

"What news, what news, ye gray-headed carle, What news bring ye to me?"

"I bring nae news," said the gray-headed carle, "Save what these eyes did see.

"As I came down by Merriemass,
And down amang the scroggs,
The bonniest childe that ever I saw
Lay sleeping amang his dogs.

"The shirt that was upon his back
Was o' the Holland sae fine;
The doublet which was over that
Was o' the lincome twine.

"The buttons that were on his sleeve
Were o' the gowd sae gude;

The gude graie hounds he lay amang,
Their mouths were dyed wi' bluid.”

Then out and spake the first forester,
The heid man o'er them a'-

"If this be Johnie o' Breadislee,
Nae nearer will we draw."

But up and spake the sixth forester, (His sister's son was he),

"If this be Johnie o' Breadislee,

We soon shall gar him die.”

The first flight o' arrows the foresters shot, They wounded him on the knee;

And out and spake the seventh forester,
"The next will gar him die."

Johnie set his back against an aik,
His foot against a stane;

And he has slain the seven foresters,
He has slain them a' but ane.

He has broke three ribs in that ane's side,
But and his collar bane;

He's laid him twa-fauld o'er a steed,
Bade him carry the tidings hame.

"O is there no a bonnie bird,
Can sing as I can say;

Could flee awa to my mither's bower,
And tell to fetch Johnie away?"

The starling flew to his mother's window stane,
It whistled and it sang;
And aye the owre-word o' the tune

Was "Johnie tarries lang!"

They made a rod o' the hazel bush,
Anither o' the slae-thorn tree,
And monie monie were the men
At fetching our Johnie.

Then out and spake his auld mither,
And fast her tears did fa'-
"Ye wadna be warn'd, my son Johnie,
Frae the hunting to bide awa.

"Aft hae I brought to Breadislee
The less gear and the mair,
But I ne'er brought to Breadislee,
What griev'd my heart sae sair.

"But wae betide that silly auld carle!
An ill death shall he die !

For the highest tree in Merriemass
Shall be his morning's fee."

Now Johnie's gude bend-bow is broke,
And his gude graie dogs are slain;
And his body lies dead in Durrisdeer,
And his hunting it is done.

CAPTAIN WEDDERBURN'S COURTSHIP.

ANONYMOUS.

THE Lord of Roslin's daughter
Walk'd thro' the wood her lane;
And by came Captain Wedderburn,
A servant to the king.

He said unto his serving men,
"Were't not against the law,
I would tak her to my ain bed,
And lay her neist the wa'."

"I am walking here alane," she says,
Amang my father's trees;

66

And you must let me walk alane,

Kind Sir, now, if you please:
The supper bell it will be rung,
And I'll be miss'd awa;
Sae I winna lie in your bed,

Either at stock or wa'."

*This amusing ballad, as well as several others, is, by the obliging permission of Mr Jamieson, extracted from his excellent collection of " Popular Ballads and Songs," pub lished at Edinburgh in 1806.-Ed.

He says, "My pretty lady,
I pray lend me your hand,
And you shall hae drums and trumpets
Always at your command;
And fifty men to guard you with,
That well their swords can draw;
Sae we'se baith lie in ae bed,

And ye'se lie neist the wa'."

"Haud awa frae me," she said,
"And pray let gae my hand;
The supper bell it will be rung,
I can nae langer stand:
My father he will angry be,
Gin I be miss'd awa;
Sae I'll nae lie in your bed,
Either at stock or wa'."

Then said the pretty lady,

"I pray tell me your name?" "My name is Captain Wedderburn, A servant to the king:

Tho' thy father and his men were here,
Of them I'd have nae awe;

But tak you to my ain bed,
And lay you neist the wa'."

He lighted aff his milk-white steed,
And set this lady on ;

And held her by the milk-white hand,
Even as they rade along :

He held her by the middle jimp,

For fear that she should fa',

To tak her to his ain bed,

And lay her neist the wa'.