Minstrelsy of the Scottish border - National Library of Scotland

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434 MINSTRELSY OF
Whose hhody poniard's frantic stroke
Drives to the leap hisjaded steed.—P. 427. v. 1.
Birrel informs us, that Botliwellhaugh, being closely p"i"-
sued, " after that spur and wand had fail'd him, he drew forth
" his dagger, and strocke his horse behind, whilk caused the
" horse to leap a very brode stanke (/. e. ditch,) by whilk
" means he escapit, and gat away from all the rest of the hor-
" ses." Birrel's Diary, p. 18.
From the u-ild order s humbled side.
In haughty triumph jnarched he.—P. 428. v. 1.
Jlurray's death took place shortly after an expedition to the
which is thus commemorated by the author of his
Borders ;
elegy :
" So having stablischt all thing in this sort,
" To Liddisdaill agane he did resort,
" Throw Ewisdail, Eskdail, and all the daills rode he,
" And also lay three nights in Cannabie,
" Whair na prince lay thir hundred yeiris before.
" Nae thief durst stir, they did him feir so sair ;
" And, that they suld na mair thair thift allege,
" Threescore and twelf he brocht of them in pledge,
" Syne wardit thame, whilk maid the rest keep ordour.
'' Than mycht the rasch-bus keep ky on the Bordour."
ScoltUh Poems, \6th ccntunj, p. 232.
With hackbut bent, my secret stand.—P. 428. v. 3.
The carbine, with which the regent was shot, is preserved at
Hamilton palace. It is a brass piece, of a middling lengtli,
very small in the bore, and, what is rather extraordinary, ap-
pears to have been rifled or indented in the barrel. It had a
match-lock, for which a modern fire-lock has been injudici-
ously substituted.