[A composite volume : containing The ballads and songs of Ayrshire ...

.'
things
'
j
i
) Scottish in its character. Mr Finlay deserves credit for these addi-
^
tional stanzas, but we are not so national as to approve of his vei'bal
\ emendations. As stated by our Editor, Mr Finlay, in his historical
^ ballads, endeavoured to tln-ow some light on the traditional story of
> Johnie Faa. According to his account, a courtly knight, who was a
< lover of the lady before her marriage, carried her off in the disguise i
of a gyi^sy. Ttiis stripped the ballad of much of its romance, but
;
rendered it more probable. This story set certain antiquaries upon <
the search, and one of them soon settled the matter by making the \
/ heroine Lady Jean Hamilton, a daughter of Thomas, first Earl of j
s Haddington, who was married to John, sixth Earl of Cassillis. Had
I
> this statement been borne out by facts, the matter would have been I
I set at rest. Unfortunately our Editor has thrown great doubts on I
f this " very circumstantial story," by producing a letter of the Earl of
'/
\
Cassillis, addressed to Lord Eglinton, inviting him to attend the funeral
of the above mentioned Countess, wherein she is styled " my ;
s deir heclfelloiv." This letter is dated Cassillis, the 1.5th December, \
1642. Lord Eglinton sympathises with the noble Earl, by sajang, ;
I
" I am sorrowfuU from my soul for yor. Lo. great losse and heavie vij
< sitation." John, the sixth Earl of Cassillis, is described as " a stern
\ covenanter," but unless he was one of the greatest hypocrites that
< ever lived, he could not have addressed Lord Eglinton in this manner
; nor could his lordship have condoled with the Earl on the loss
of his " wanton lady." From all this, it may be inferred that many
are put into the mouth of '• dark tradition" which her " waver-
\
ing tongue" never uttered. Burns, in his Memorandum on Scottish
^
Song, observes, " The castle is still remaining at Maybole where his
\ lordship shut up his wayward spouse, and kept her for life." On this
{ tradition, two modern songs have been written to suit the beautiful
air of the old ballad; one by P. F. Tytler, Esq., for Mr Thomson's
musical collection—the other by Captain Gray, R.M. We shall
quote a stanza or two :—
from each of these songs
\
" The bright full moon yon massy tower
In silver shower is steeping,
AVhere Cassillis' lost hut lovely flower
Her lonely watch is keeping.
Unmov'd as marble there she sits,
No sense of life revealing.
Save where the hectic flush by fits
O'er her pale cheek is stealing.
i
Her fix'd ej'e seeks the west afar, (
Her hair is idly streaming,
And on her casement's iron bar )
The taper's light is gleaming.
Oh ! could she in that dungeon's gloom
From Heaven one blessing borrow,
It were a speedy nameless tomb
j
To close upon her sorrow."
f
It will be owned that these verses are flowing and graceful, and can-
\
the shape of a Lament, and it must be confessed that he has not \