upon the border, in a corrupted state. They have been eked and joined together, in the rude and ludicrous manner of the original; but as it is to be considered as a modern ballad, it is transferred to this department of the work.

CHRISTIE'S WILL.

TRAQUAIR has ridden up Chapelhope,

And sae has he down by the Gray Mare's Tail;' He never stinted the light gallop,

Untill he speer'd for Christie's Will.

Now Christie's Will peep'd frae the tower,
And out at the shot-hole keeked he;

"And ever unlucky," quo' he, " is the hour,
"That the warden comes to speer for me!"

"Good Christie's Will, now, have na fear!
"Nae harm, good Will, shall hap to thee:
"I saved thy life at the Jeddart air,

"At the Jeddart air frae the justice tree.

Gray Mare's Tail-A cataract above Moffat, so called.

"Bethink how ye sware, by the salt and the bread,* "By the lightning, the wind, and the rain, "That if ever of Christie's Will I had need, "He would pay me my service again."

Gramercy, my lord," quo' Christie's Will,

66

Gramercy, my lord, for your grace to me! "When I turn my cheek, and claw my neck, “I think of Traquair, and the Jeddart tree.”

And he has opened the fair tower yate,
To Traquair and a' his companie;

The spule o' the deer on the board he has set,
The fattest that ran on the Hutton Lee.

"Now, wherefore sit ye sad, my lord?
"And wherefore sit ye mournfullie?
"And why eat ye not of the venison I shot,
"At the dead of night, on Hutton Lee?"

"O weel may I stint of feast and sport,
"And in my mind be vexed sair!
"A vote of the canker'd Session Court,
“Of land and living will make me bair.

"He took bread and salt by this light, that he would ne(6 ver open his lips." The Honest Whore, act 5, scene 12.

"But if auld Durie to heaven were flown, "Or if auld Durie to hell were gane,

"Or

if he could be but ten days stown.... "My bonny braid lands would still be my ain."

"O mony a time, my lord," he said,

"I've stown the horse frae the sleeping loun; "But for you I'll steal a beast as braid,

"For I'll steal Lord Durie frae Edinburgh town.

"O mony a time, my lord," he said,

"I've stown a kiss frae a sleeping wench;

"But for you I'll do as kittle a deed,

"For I'll steal an auld lurdane aff the bench."

And Christie's Will is to Edinburgh gane;

At the Borough Muir then entered he;

And as he pass'd the gallow-stane,

He cross'd his brow, and he bent his knee.

He lighted at Lord Durie's door,

And there he knocked most manfullie;

And up and spake Lord Durie, sae stoor,

"What tidings, thou stalward groom, to me?"

"The fairest lady in Teviotdale,

"Has sent, maist reverent Sir, for thee;

"She pleas at the session for her land, a' haill, "And fain she wad plead her cause to thee.”

"But how can I to that lady ride,
"With saving of my dignitie?"
"O a curch and mantle ye may wear,
"And in my cloak ye sall muffled be."

Wi' curch on head, and cloak ower face,
He mounted the judge on a palfrey fyne;
He rode away, a right round pace,

And Christie's Will held the bridle reyn.

The Lothian Edge they were not o'er,
When they heard bugles bauldly ring,
And, hunting over Middleton Moor,
They met, I ween, our noble king.

When Willie look'd upon our king,
I wot a frightened man was he!
But ever auld Durie was startled more,
For tyning of his dignitie.