6

beraulds when he speaks of kingdoms whose insignia seldom game in his neighbourhood; and, having seated himself upon
vary, but that individual families cannot be discovered, either a buck, drove the herd before him to the capital of Cumber
because they have altered their bearings, or because they are land, where Guendolen resided. But her lover's curiosity
pointed out by their crests and exterior ornaments, which are leading him to inspect too nearly this extraordinary cavalcade,
changed at the pleasure of the bearer." Mr. Nisbet, however, Merlin's rage was awakened, and he slew him with the stroke
comforts himself for this obscurity, by reflecting, that “we of an antler of the stag. The original runs thus :-
may certainly conclude, from his writings, that herauldry
was in good esteem in his days, and well known to the vul. “ Dixerat : et silvas et saltus circuit omnes,
gar."— Ibid. p. 160.-It may be added, that the publication of Cervorumque greges agmen collegit in unum,
predictions, either printed or hieroglyphical, in which noble Et damas, caprcasque simul; cervoque rescdit,
families were pointed out by their armorial bearings, was, in El, veniente die, compellens agmina pra se,
the time of Queen Elizabeth, extremely common; and the Festinans vadit quo nubit Guendolana,
influence of such predictions on the minds of the common Postquam venit eo, pacienter ipse coegit
people was so great as to occasion a prohibition, by statute, Cervos ante fores, proclamans, 'Guendolana,
of prophecy by reference to heraldic emblems. Lord Henry Guendolæna, veni, te talia munera spectant.
Howard also (afterwards Earl of Northampton) directs against Ocius ergo venit subridens Guendolana,
this practice much of the reasoning in his learned treatise, Gestarique virum cerro miratur, et illum
entitled, “A Defensation against the Poyson of pretended Sic parere viro, tantum quoque posse ferarum
Prophecies."

Uniri numerum quas præ se solus agebat,
Sicut pastor oves, quas ducere suevit ad herbas.
Stabat ab excelsa sponsus spectando fenestra,

In solio mirans equitem, risumque movebat.
NOTE D.-P. 578.

Ast ubi vidit eum vates, animoque quis esset

Calluit, extemplo.divulsit cornua cerro The strange occupation in which Waldhave beholds Merlin Quo gestabatur, vibrataque fecit in illum, engaged, derives some illustration from a curious passage in Et caput illius penitus contrivit, cumque Geoffrey of Monmouth's life of Merlin, above quoted. The Reddidit exanimem, vitamque fugavil in auras; poem, after narrating that the prophet had fled to the forest Ocius inde suum, talorum verbere, cervum In a state of distraction, proceeds to mention, that, looking Diffugiens egit, silvasque reuire paravil." upon the stars one clear evening, he discerned from his astrological knowledge, that his wife, Gunedolen, had resolved, For a perusal of this curious poem, accurately copied from upon the next morning, to take another husband. As he had a MS. in the Cotton Library, nearly coeral with the author, 1 presaged to her that this would happen, and had promised was indebted to my learned friend, the late Mr. Ritson. There her a nuptial gift (cautioning her, however, to keep the bride is an excellent paraphrase of it in the curious and entertain groom out of his sight,) he now resolved to make good his ing Specimens of Early English Romances, published by Mr. word. Accordingly, he collected all the stage and lesser | Ellis.

Glenfinlas;

OR,

Lord Ranald's Corona ch.'

The simple tradition, upon which the following the Virgin Mary. Day at length came, and the temptstanzas are founded, runs thus : While two Highland ress vanished. Searching in the forest, he found the hunters were passing the night in a solitary bothy, (a bones of his unfortunate friend, who had been torn hut, built for the purpose of hunting,) and making to pieces and devoured by the fiend into whose toils merry over their venison and whisky, one of them ex- he nad fallen. The place was from thence called the pressed a wish that they had pretty lasses to complete Glen of the Green Women. their party. The words were scarcely uttered, when Glenfinlas is a tract of forest-ground, lying in the two beautiful young women, habited in green, entered Highlands of Perthshire, not far from Callender in the hut, dancing and singing. One of the hunters was Menteith. It was formerly a royal forest, and now seduced by the siren who attached herself particularly belongs to the Earl of Moray. This country, as well to him, to leave the hut: the other remained, and, as the adjacent district of Balquidder, was, in times suspicious of the fair seducers, continued to play upon of yore, chiefly inhabited by the Macgregors. To the a trump, or Jew's harp, some strain, consecrated to west of the Forest of Glenfinlas lies Loch Katrine,

and its romantic avenue, called the Troshachs. Ben1 Coronach is the lamentation for a deceased warrior, sung by ledi, Benmore, and Benvoirlich, are mountains in the the aged of the clan.

same district, and at no great distance from Glenfin

1 In 1801. See ante, p. 565–The scenery of this, the author's 3 The term Sassenach, or Saxon, is applied by the High first serious attempt in poetry, reappears in the Lady of the landers to their Low-Country neighbours. Lake, in Waverley, and in Rob Roy.-ED.

4 See Appendix, Note A. so hone a rie' signifies~" Alas for the prince or chief." 6 See Appendix, Note ki

1 See Appendix, Note C.

3 Pibroch-A piece of martial music, adapted to the High9 Tartans — The full Highland dress, made of the chequered land bagpipe. stud termed.