Than lord Barnard, and a' his lads, 155 As they lig here and thair. And she has tain her Gill Morice, And kissd baith mouth and chin: I was once as fow of Gill Morrice, As the hip is o' the stean. I brocht thee up in gude grene wode, Under the heavy rain. 160 Oft have I by thy cradle sitten, 165 And syne she kissd his bluidy cheik, 170 Wi' that saim speir O pierce my heart! And put me out o' pain. 180 Since nothing bot Gill Morice head Thy jelous rage could quell, Let that saim hand now tak hir life, That neir to thee did ill. To me nae after days nor nichts 185 I'll fill the air with heavy sighs, And greet till I am blind. Enouch of blood by me's bin spilt, Seek not zour death frae me; 190 sel I rather lourd it had been my Than eather him or thee. With waefo wae I hear zour plaint; Sair, sair I rew the deid, I curse the hand that did the deid, The comely zouth to kill. I'll neir forget the dreiry day On which the zouth was slain. 205 This little pathetic tale suggested the plot of the tragedy of Douglas. Since it was first printed, the Editor has been assured that the foregoing ballad is still current in many parts of Scotland, where the hero is universally known by the name of Child Maurice, pronounced by the common people Cheild or Cheeld, which occasioned the mistake. The Legend of Sir Guy, CONTAINS a short summary of the exploits of this famous champion, as recorded in the old story-books, and is commonly entitled, “A pleasant song of the valiant deeds of chivalry atchieved by that noble knight sir Guy of Warwick, who, for the love of fair Phelis, became a hermit, and dyed in a cave of craggy rocke, a mile distant from Warwick." The history of Sir Guy, though now very properly resigned to children, was once admired by all readers of wit and taste: for taste and wit had once their childhood. Although of English growth, it was early a favourite with other nations: it appeared in French in 1525, and is alluded to in the old Spanish romance of Tirante el Blanco, which, it is believed, was written not long after the year 1430. See advertisement to the French translation, 2 vols. 12mo. |