NOTES ON JAMIE TELFER OF THE FAIR DODHEAD.
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* * * * _It was high up in Hardhaughswire_.--P. 140. v. 1. Hardhaughswire is the pass from Liddesdale to the head of Tiviotdale. _It was laigh down in Borthwick water_.--P. 140. v. 1. Borthwick water is a stream, which falls into the Tiviot, three milesabove Hawick. _But, gin ye'll gae to the fair Dodhead_.--P. 140. v. 2. The Dodhead, in Selkirkshire, near Singlee, where there are still thevestiges of an old tower. _Now Jamie Telfer's heart was sair_.--P. 140. v. 4. There is still a family of Telfers, residing near Langholm, whopretend to derive their descent from the Telfers of the Dodhead. _Between the Dodhead and the Stobs's Ha'_.--P. 141. v. 1. Stobs Hall, upon Slitterick. Jamie Telfer made his first applicationhere because he seems to have paid the proprietor of that castle_black-mail_, or protection-money. _Gar seek your succour at Branksome Ha'_.--P. 141. v. 4. The ancient family-seat of the lairds of Buccleuch, near Hawick. _Till he cam to the Coultart Cleugh_.--P. 142. v. 2. The Coultart Cleugh is nearly opposite to Carlinrig, on the roadbetween Hawick and Mosspaul. _Gar warn the water, braid and wide_.--P. 144. v. 4. The water, in the mountainous districts of Scotland, is often used toexpress the banks of the river, which are the only inhabitable partsof the country. _To raise the water_, therefore, was to alarm thosewho lived along its side. _Warn Wat o' Harden, and his sons_, &c.--P. 144. v. 5. The estates, mentioned in this verse, belonged to families of the nameof Scott, residing upon the waters of Borthwick and Tiviot, near thecastle of their chief. _Ride by the gate at Priesthaughswire_.--P. 145. v. 1. The pursuers seem to have taken the road through the hills ofLiddesdale, in order to collect forces, and intercept the foragersat the passage of the Liddel, on their return to Bewcastle. TheRitterford and Kershope-ford, after mentioned, are noted fords on theriver Liddel. _The gear was driven the Frostylee up_.--P. 145. v. 3. The Frostylee is a brook, which joins the Tiviot, near Mosspaul. _And Harden grat for very rage_.--P. 146. v. 4. Of this border laird, commonly called _Auld Wat of Harden_, traditionhas preserved many anecdotes. He was married to Mary Scott,celebrated in song by the title of the Flower of Yarrow. By theirmarriage-contract, the father-in-law, Philip Scott of Dryhope, was tofind Harden in horse meat, and man's meat, at his tower of Dryhope,for a year and a day; but five barons pledge themselves, that, atthe expiry of that period, the son-in-law should remove, withoutattempting to continue in possession by force! A notary-public signedfor all the parties to the deed, none of whom could write their names.The original is still in the charter-room of the present Mr. Scott ofHarden. By the Flower of Yarrow the laird of Harden had six sons;five of whom survived him, and founded the families of Harden (nowextinct), Highchesters (now representing Harden), Reaburn, Wool, andSynton. The sixth son was slain at a fray, in a hunting-match, by theScotts of Gilmanscleugh. His brothers flew to arms; but the old lairdsecured them in the dungeon of his tower, hurried to Edinburgh, statedthe crime, and obtained a gift of the lands of the offenders from thecrown. He returned to Harden with equal speed, released his sons, andshewed them the charter. "To horse, lads!" cried the savage warrior,"and let us take possession! the lands of Gilmanscleuch are well wortha dead son." The property, thus obtained, continued in the familytill the beginning of last century, when it was sold, by John Scott ofHarden, to Anne, Duchess of Buccleuch. _John o' Brigham there was slane_.--P. 147. v. 3. Perhaps one of the ancient family of Brougham, in Cumberland. Theeditor has used some freedom with the original in the subsequentverse. The account of the captain's disaster _(tests laeva vulnerata_)is rather too _naive_ for literal publication. _Cried--"On for his house in Stanegirthside_.--P. 148. v. 3. A house belonging to the Foresters, situated on the English side ofthe Liddel. An article in the list of attempts upon England, fouled by thecommissioners ar Berwick, in the year 1587, may relate to the subjectof the foregoing ballad. October, 1582. Thomas Musgrave, deputy {Walter Scott, laird } 200 kine andof Bewcastle, and {of Buckluth, and his} oxen,300 gait thetenants, against {complices; for } and sheep. _Introduction, to History of Westmoreland and Cumberland_, p. 31.
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