Читать книгу The Ancient English Poetry - Various Authors - Страница 47

647. This ballad is well known in that neighbourhood, where it is intitled Adam O'Gordon. It may be observed, that the famous freebooter whom Edward I. fought with, hand to hand, near Farnham, was named Adam Gordon.

648. Since this ballad was first printed, the subject of it has been found recorded in Abp. Spotswood's History of the Church of Scotland, p. 259, who informs us that, "Anno 1571. In the north parts of Scotland, Adam Gordon (who was deputy for his brother the earl of Huntley) did keep a great stir; and under colour of the queen's authority, committed divers oppressions, especially upon the Forbes's. … Having killed Arthur Forbes, brother to the lord Forbes. … Not long after he sent to summon the house of Tavoy pertaining to Alexander Forbes. The Lady refusing to yield without direction from her husband, he put fire unto it, and burnt her therein, with children and servants, being twenty-seven persons in all.

"This inhuman and barbarous cruelty made his name odious, and stained all his former doings; otherwise he was held very active and fortunate in his enterprizes."

This fact, which had escaped the Editor's notice, was in the most obliging manner pointed out to him by an ingenious writer who signs his name H. H. (Newcastle, May 9) in the Gentleman's Magazine for May, 1775.

649. [to a hold.]

650. [dwelling-house.]

651. [thought.]

652. [dressed.]

653. [gates.]

654. [lie.]

655. [will not.]

656. [burn.]

657. [and also.]

658. [suffer.]

659. These three lines are restored from Foulis's edition, and the fol. MS., which last reads the bullets, in ver. 58.

660. [unless.]

661. [mad with sorrow.]

662. [woe betide.]

663. [ground-wall stone.]

664. [smoke.]

665. [even.]

666. [gold.]

667. [slender.]

668. [roll.]

669. [let me down.]

670. Ver. 98, 102. O gin, &c. a Scottish idiom to express great admiration.

671. [make ready to go.]

672. V. 109, 110. Thame, &c. i.e. Them that look after omens of ill luck, ill luck will follow.

673. [bugle.]

674. [saw.]

675. [nimble.]

676. [endure.]

677. [full fast over the meadows.]

678. [in wrathful mood.]

679. [bear.]

680. [revenged.]

681. [printed London in the edition of the MS.]

THE END OF THE FIRST BOOK.