NOTES ON THE SANG OF THE OUTLAW MURRAY.
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* * * * _Then spak the Lord, hight Hamilton_.--P. 86. v. 4. This is, in most copies, the _earl_ hight Hamilton, which must be amistake of the reciters, as the family did not enjoy that title till1503. _James Boyd (the Earl of Arran his brother), &c._--P. 87. v. 2. Thomas Boyd, Earl of Arran, was forfeited, with his father and uncle,in 1469, for an attempt on the person of James III. He had a son,James, who was restored, and in favour with James IV. about 1482. Ifthis be the person here meant, we should read "The Earl of Arran his_son_ was he." Glenriddel's copy reads, "A highland laird I'm sure washe." Reciters sometimes call the messenger, the laird of Skene. _Down Birkendale Brae when that he cam_.--P. 88, v. 2. Birkendale Brae, now commonly called _Birkendailly_, is a steepdescent on the south side of Minch-Moor, which separates Tweeddalefrom Ettrick Forest; and from the top of which you have the first viewof the woods of Hangingshaw, the castle of Newark, and the romanticdale of Yarrow. _The laird of the Corehead, &c._--P. 93. v. 1. This is a place at the head of Moffat-water, possessed of old by thefamily of Halliday. _To Andrew Murray of Cockpool_.--P. 94. v. 1. This family were ancestors of the Murrays, earls of Annandale; but thename of the representative, in the time of James IV. was William, notAndrew. Glenriddel's MS. reads, "the country-keeper." _To Sir James Murray of Traquair_.--P. 94. v. 3. Before the barony of Traquair became the property of the Stewarts, itbelonged to a family of Murrays, afterwards Murrays of Black-barony,and ancestors of Lord Elibank. The old castle was situated on theTweed. The lands of Traquair were forfeited by Willielmus de Moravia,previous to 1464; for, in that year, a charter, proceeding upon hisforfeiture, was granted by the crown "Willielmo Douglas de Cluny." SirJames was, perhaps, the heir of William Murray. It would farther seem,that the grant in 1464 was not made effectual by Douglas; for, anothercharter from the crown, dated the 3d February, 1478, conveys theestate of Traquair to James Stewart, Earl of Buchan, son to theblack knight of Lorne, and maternal uncle to James III., from whomis descended the present Earl of Traquair. The first royal grant notbeing followed by possession, it is very possible that the Murrays mayhave continued to occupy Traquair long after the date of that charter.Hence, Sir James might have reason to say, as in the ballad, "The kinghas gifted my lands lang syne." _James Hop Pringle of Torsonse_.--P. 97. v. 1. The honourable name of Pringle, or Hoppringle, is of great antiquityin Roxburghshire and Selkirkshire. The old tower of Torsonse issituated upon the banks of the Gala. I believe the Pringles ofTorsonse are now represented by Sir James Pringle of Stitchell. Thereare three other ancient and distinguished families of this name; thoseof Whitebank, Clifton, and Torwoodlee. _He bids ye mete him at Permanscore_.--P. 98. v. 1. Permanscore is a hollow on the top of a high ridge of hills,dividing the vales of Tweed and Yarrow, a little to the east-ward ofMinch-Moor. It is the outermost point of the lands of Broadmeadows.The Glenriddel MS., which, in this instance, is extremely inaccurateas to names, calls the place of rendezvous "_The Poor Man's house_,"and hints, that the Outlaw was surprised by the treachery of theking:-- "Then he was aware of the king's coming,With hundreds three in company,I wot the muckle deel * * * * *He learned kings to lie!For to fetch me here frae amang my men,Here like a dog for to die." I believe the reader will think, with me, that the catastrophe isbetter, as now printed from Mrs. Cockburn's copy. The deceit supposedto be practised on the Outlaw, is unworthy of the military monarch,as he is painted in the ballad; especially if we admit him to be KingJames IV. _Fair Philiphaugh is mine by right_.--P. 101. v. 1. In this and the following verse, the ceremony of feudal investiture issupposed to be gone through, by the Outlaw resigning his possessionsinto the hands of the king, and receiving them back, to be held ofhim as superior. The lands of Philiphaugh are still possessed by theOutlaw's representative. Hangingshaw and Lewinshope were sold oflate years. Newark, Foulshiels and Tinnies, have long belonged to thefamily of Buccleuch.
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