Part 33

This was a cell or priory of the Cluniacenses in Kyle, Ayrshire, depending on Paisley. Spottiswoode writes it _Feale_. “Our history,” he says, “only remarks, that the prior of this place was one of those who hindred the castle of Dumbarton from being surrendered to the English, anno 1544, in opposition to the Earl of Lenox, then governor of it.” But besides this curious passage, which shows that it was an ancient foundation; it may be added, that “the right of the patronage of the kirk of _Fale_, in the county of Ayr,” is given to James de Lindsay, apparently the ancestor of the Earls of Crawford, in a charter by Robert II. Registr. Mag. Sigill. p. 172. N. 13. The miln of _Faill_, and the crofthead of _Fail_, in the lordship of _Fail_furd, are mentioned in a retour regarding William Wallace, heir of William Wallace, minister of Failfurd, A. 1617. Inquis. Retour. Ayr, N. 162.

Thar _man that day had in the merket bene._--V. 297.

In Edit. 1594, 1620, 1714, and Perth, it is _that_ man; in 1648 and 1673, _this_ man; either of which would immediately refer to Thomas of Ercildon. But _thar_, i.e. _their_ man, respects the servant of the religious fraternity of Faile, as appears from v. 299, which cannot respect True Thomas;

His mastyr speryt, quhat tithingis at he saw.

NOTES ON THE THIRD BOOK.

_And fra the tyme that he of presoune four,_ _Gude_ souir _weide dayly on him he wour:_ _Gude lycht harness, fra that tyme, wsyt he euir._--V. 83.

Instead of _And_ fra the tyme, read, _Ay_ fra the tyme, as in MS.

It is remarkable that in all the copies, without exception, as far as I know, it is _somer_ or _summer weid_, or _weed_. Of what use could this have been to Wallace, when in “sodeyn stryff?” The term is the same with E. _sure_, i.e. secure armour, although light.

_His face he kepit, for it was euir bar,--_ _In to his weid, and he come in a thrang._--V. 91.

I have pointed this passage according to what seems the sense. Having so many enemies, when he was accidentally “in a crowd, he muffled up his face,” that his features might not be recognised. Hamilton of Gilbertfield, although in many instances he has given an air of ridicule to this ancient poem, by the grossness of his phraseology, seems to have hit the true sense here, which is totally lost by the mode of punctuation in most of the editions. He renders it;--

His face, when he came in among strange folk, He held it best to hide within his cloak.--P. 42.

_Send twa_ skowrrouris _to wesy weyll the playn._--V. 103.

_Scurriours_, Edit. 1620. In that of Perth, _thowrrouris_; but in MS. it may be read _tkowrrouris_, _t_ or _c_ being put for _s_. We have _skouriouris_, IV. 431.

_The knycht_ Fenweik _conwoide the caryage._--V. 117. --_The knycht_ Fenweik, _that cruell was and keyne;_ _He had at dede off Wallace fadyr beyne._--V. 169.

“Among other antiquities there may be mentioned, a place called _Beg_, above Allinton, where the brave Wallace lay in a species of rude fortification with only fifty of his friends, yet obtained a complete victory over an English officer of the name of _Fenwick_, who had two hundred men under his command. This gallant hero, it is well known, had several places of retirement towards the head of this parish and in the neighbourhood, some of which retain his name unto this day; _Wallace-hill_ in particular, an eminence near the Galla-law, and a place called _Wallace-Gill_, in the parish of Loudoun, a hollow glen, to which he probably retired for shelter when pursued by his enemies.” P. of Galston. Stat. Acc. II. 74.

_Schir Amar Wallange, a falss traytour strange_, &c.--V. 261.

The Minstrel, it has been said by Lord Hailes, “always speaks of Aymer de Valloins, Earl of Pembroke, as _a false Scottish knight_.” Annals, I. 245. But, as Kerr has observed, although he designs him “a false traitor,” &c. his country is no where mentioned; unless this should be viewed as implied in what is said, B. VII. 1097, concerning his forsaking “_his awne land_ for euirmar.” Kerr views this, however, as referable to his quitting Bothwell, the heritage of Moray, which had been given to Valloins. V. Hist. Bruce, I. 115.

NOTES ON THE FOURTH BOOK.

_So sodeynly at Hesilden he saw_ _The Perseys sowme, in quhilk gret ryches was._--V. 26.

In MS. _that_ Hesilden; but I have followed the judicious alteration made in Edit. 1714. In that of 1594 it is completely changed:

Sa suddainlie that time himself he saw, &c.

This is adopted by Hart, Edit. 1620.

_Hesilden_ is evidently a local name, and must be the same place that is now called _Hezilton-head_, a farm, situated on high ground, in the parish of Mearns, on the direct road from Ayr to Glasgow, about nine miles to the south-west of the latter. This appears unquestionable, from the necessity under which Sir Ranald Crawfurd was laid, in consequence of his sumpter-horse being carried off by the English, of sleeping that night at Mearns, v. 70.

Schyr Ranald was wiss, and kest in his entent; And said, “I will byde at the _Mernys_ all nycht.”

_Schir Ranald said_, ‘_That is bot litill_ der.’--V. 60.

In MS. _her_, which is followed by Edit. 1714. But I prefer _der_ or _deir_, the reading of 1594, signifying “injury, loss.” In Edit. 1620, _deare_.

_Befor Persye_ than seir men _brocht war thai:_ _Thai_ folowit _him of felouny that was wrocht._--V. 122.

Befoir the Persie _and his men_ brocht were thai.--Edit. 1594.

It is the same as given by Hart.

The phrase “_folowit_ him of,” signifies, pursued him for. It frequently occurs in this sense in our old statutes.

_For thai war_ strang: _yeitt he couth nocht thaim dreid._--V. 179.

_Strang_ here signifies, “strange; persons with whom he was not acquainted.”

_Thocht_ they were _strangers_, &c. Edit. 1594. _Though_ they were _strangers_, 1620.

_A bown_ Lekle, _&c._ MS.--V. 211.

It is _Lekkie_ in all the editions; which is still the name of the place, (V. Stat. Acc. XVIII. 98. 116.) and was so in the time of Robert Bruce. Robertson’s Ind. 8, 90.

_On_ Gargownno _was byggyt a small_ peill, &c.--V. 213.

“A little southward of the village there is a conical height called the Kier-hill, which is evidently artificial, and seems to have been a military work. There are remains of a ditch or rampart of a circular form, which proves that it is not of Roman origin. It is probably of later date, and appears to have been the place from which Sir William Wallace sallied forth on the night when he took by surprise the _Peel_ of _Gargunnock_.” Stat. Acc. XVIII. 116, 117.

_Wallace with hyr in_ secré _maid him glaid._--V. 403.

I have retained the word as in MS. although it is _secret_ in all the copies. Perhaps it might be from O. Fr. _en secré_.

_Wemen and preistis_ wpon the wall _can wepe._--V. 480.

In MS. _wpon Wallace_. But the reading of Edit. 1594 is preferable; especially as they did not then know that their enemy was Wallace. Perhaps it might originally be, “wpon the _wallis_,” whence the blunder might easily be made, as the word would be read as two syllables.

_No man was thar that Wallace bow mycht_ draw.--V. 550.

In MS. we find _all_ as the last word in the preceding line, and _drall_ here. But the error has arisen from the resemblance of _w_ to _ll_.

_To Cargyll wood thai went that samyn nycht._--V. 677.

In MS. _Gargyll_. But it is _Cargill_, Edit. 1594; and this must be the true reading, Shortwoodshaw being in the parish of Cargill. V. Stat. Acc. XIII. 532. This is evidently spoken of as the same with Cargyll-wood.

NOTES ON THE FIFTH BOOK.

_In_ Gyllisland _thar was that brachell brede.--_ _So was scho vsyt on Esk and on Ledaill;_ _Quhill scho gat blude no flëyng mycht awail._--V. 25.

_Gilderland_, Edit. 1594; _Gelderland_, 1620, 1648, 1673, &c., also 1714. But this must be _Gillesland_ or _Gilsland_, a barony in Cumberland. The Minstrel having said that the hound was _bred_ here, immediately speaks of her being used to track in Esk and Liddisdale, in the vicinity of Cumberland. So late as the reign of James I. of England, there is an order dated A. 1616, that no less than nine bloodhounds should be kept on the Border, upon Esk, and other places mentioned. V. Pennant’s Tour, 1772; I. 77, II. 397.

Bellenden, after Boece, gives a particular description of these bloodhounds, which agrees with the facts mentioned above, and has considerable interest.

“The thrid kynd is mair than ony rache. Red hewit or ellis blak with small spraingis of spottis, and ar callit be the peple sleuthhundis. Thir doggis hes sa meruellous wit, that thai serche theuis, and followis on thaym allanerlie be sent of the guddis that ar tane away. And nocht allanerlie fyndis the theif, bot inuadis hym with gret cruelté. And thocht the theuis oftymes cors the watter, quhair thai pas, to caus the hound to tyne the sent of thaym and the guddis, yit he serchis heir and thair with sic deligence, that be his fut he fyndis baith the trace of the theiff and the guddis. The meruellous nature of thir houndis wil haue na faith with vncouth peple. Howbeit the samyn ar rycht frequent and ryfe on the bordouris of Ingland and Scotland. Attour it is statute be the lawis of the bordouris, he that denyis entres to the sleuthound in tyme of chace and serching of guddis, sal be haldin participant with the cryme and thift committit.” Discription of Albion, chap. XI.

This extract throws light on a passage in _The Bruce_, where the king is made to refer to the vulgar idea as to the means necessary for making the blood-hound lose his scent; although the statement given by Boece opposes the opinion which had been generally received.

Bot Ik haiff herd oftymys say, That quha endland a watter ay Wald waid a bowdraucht, he suld ger Bathe the slouth hund, and his leder, Tyne the sleuth men gert hym ta.

THE BRUCE, B. v. 317.

John Hardyng has given a curious account of the means used by Edward I. for taking Bruce, similar to that here said to have been employed against Wallace.

The king Edward with hornes and _houndes_ him soght, With menne on fote, through marris, mosse, and myre, Through wodes also and mountens [wher they fought] And euer the kyng Edward hight men greate hyre, Hym for to take and by might conquere; But thei might hym not gette by force ne by train, He satte by the fyre when thei [went] in the rain.

In the stanza immediately following he indeed ascribes the death of Edward to his disappointment, in never being able to get our king into his hands:--

The kyng Edward _for anger_ fell in accesse, And homeward came full sycke and sore annoyed.-- At Burgh vpon the sande he died anone, &c.

_Chronicle_, p. 303, 304.

_Kerlé beheld on to the bauld_ Heroun, _Vpon Fawdoun as he was lukand doune._--V. 145.

This appears to have been the head of the ancient family of Heron, who held Ford Castle in Northumberland. In the reign of Henry III. it was in possession of Sir William Heron, who was governor of the castles of Bamborough, Pickering, and Scarborough, lord warden of the forests north of Trent, and sheriff of Northumberland for eleven successive years. V. Hutchinson’s Northumb. II. 19. This castle has attracted much attention, as having been the scene of the enchantments of its fair mistress, by means of which our infatuated James IV. was disarmed before the fatal battle of Flodden; and it has acquired additional celebrity from the no less bewitching Muse of the author of Marmion.

_To_ Dawryoch _he knew the_ forss _full weill._--V. 265.

This is _Dalreoch_, on the south bank of the Earn, four or five miles west from Forteviot. A bridge across the Earn is called that of Dalreoch. By the _forss_ seems to be meant _ford_. V. Etym. Dict. in vo.

_Our thwort the Kerss to the_ Torwode _he yeide.--_ _The rone wes thik that Wallace slepyt in._--V. 319–357.

“In Dunipace parish is the famous Torwood, in the middle of which there are the remains of Wallace’s Tree, an oak which, according to a measurement, when entire, was said to be about twelve feet diameter. To this wood Wallace is said to have fled, and secreted himself in the body of that tree, then hollow, after his defeat in the north.” Stat. Acc. III. 336.

This “is still dignified by the name of _Wallace’s Tree_. It stands in the middle of a swampy moss, having a causeway round its ruins; and its destruction has been much precipitated by the veneration in which the Scottish hero has been long held, numerous pieces having been carried off, to [be] convert[ed] into various memorials of the champion of Scotland.” Kerr’s Hist. Bruce, I. 127.

_Throuch the Oychall thai had gayne all that nycht,_ _Till_ Airth _ferry, or that the day was brycht._--V. 411.

In MS. it is _Qwenys_ ferry; but the word first written has been scraped out, and _Qwenys_ substituted on the head margent above it. The term deleted seems to have been _erd_; most probably written by mistake for _Airth_, in a copy which may have been taken from recitation. The term _Qwenys_ indeed is apparently in the same hand with the rest of the MS.; but the transcriber, thinking only of _erd_ as signifying the earth, had indulged the idea that it must be an error. As the companions of Wallace were on their way to Dunipace in quest of him, to have gone from Gask to Queensferry would have been to take a very circuitous course without any apparent necessity. _Airth_ is the reading of editions 1594, 1620, 1648, and 1673. In Edit. 1714 it is _Queens-ferry_, as would seem on the authority of the MS.

_In_ Dundaff _mur that sammyn nycht he raid._ _Schir Jhone the_ Grayme, _quhilk lord wes of that land,_ _Ane agyt knycht had maid nane othir band;_ _Bot purchest pess in rest he mycht bide still_, &c.--V. 436.

The castle of _Dundaff_, of which there are still some remains, was situated in Stirlingshire, near the source of Carron. This old knight, by some called David, by others John, was proprietor not only of Dundaff, but of the lands of Strathblane and Strathcarron. V. Nimmo’s Stirlingshire, p. 358. A fabulous antiquity has been ascribed to this family; it having been asserted that the wall of Antonine vulgarly received the name of _Graham’s Dike_, because in a very early period of our history it was penetrated by a valorous chief, from whom those of this celebrated name had their origin. We have no written evidence of the existence of this family before the reign of David I., when William de Grahame appears as witness to the charter of the foundation of Holyrood-house. Sir J. Dalrymple’s Coll. p. 397. From it originated many distinguished families, as that of Montrose, Menteith, Fintry, Balgowan, &c. It was the son of this “agyt knycht” who was the faithful friend of Wallace, and who fell at the battle of Falkirk.

“_Quhat worth of him? I pray you graithlye tell._”--V. 498.

By misapprehension, in all the printed copies, _word_; as if the question were, “What intelligence is there concerning him?” But the meaning is, “What _became_ of him?”

_Bot weyle I wait, quhar gret ernyst is in thocht,_ _It lattis wer in the wysest wys be wrocht._--V. 642.

i. e. “Where there is great anxiety of mind, it prevents the carrying on of war in the wisest” or “most proper manner.”

The meaning is lost in Edit. 1594,--

It lettis weir that in wise men is wrocht.

Edit. 1620.

It letteth war, that in wise men is wrought.

_The trewth I knaw off this, and hyr lynage;_ _I knew nocht hyr, tharfor I lost a gage._--V. 654.

That is, “I know the character and descent of _this_ lady; but being a stranger to my _former_ sweetheart, at Perth, I lost my stake.” _Hyr_ in v. 655 is opposed to _this_ in the preceding line.

_To the_ Corhed _with out restyng he raid._--V. 724. _At the_ Corheid _full fayne thai wald haif beyne._--V. 816.

I prefer this to _Torhed_, Edit. 1714 and Perth. It agrees equally well with the MS.; and it is that of 1594 and of the other old editions. Besides, I find _Corheid_ given as the name of a property in Annandale, belonging to the Johnstouns, Inquis. Retorn. A. 1608, N. 63; but no such place as _Torheid_ in Dumfries-shire.

_In the_ Knok wood _he lewyt all bot thre._--V. 735.

In the parish of Kirkmichael, county of Dumfries, there is “a small fort in the _Knock Wood_, called _Wallace’s House_, said to have been thrown up by Sir William Wallace, after he had slain Sir Hugh of Moreland and five of his men, at a place still named, from that event, the _sax corses_, i. e. the six corpses.” Stat. Acc. I. 63. It has been ingeniously remarked, that “the _sax corses_ more probably signify six crosses, in allusion to some religious monument so decorated.” Kerr’s Hist. Bruce, I. 125.

_Ane_ Kyrk Patryk, _that cruell was and keyne,_ _In Esdaill wood that half yer he had beyne._ _With Ingliss men he couth nocht weyll accord._--V. 920.

This, it appears, was the ancestor of the Kirkpatricks of Closeburne, who appear on record so early as the year 1141. Alexander II. grants a confirmation charter of Closeburne to one of this name, A. 1332, which is still in the possession of the family.

Kirkpatrick Sharpe of Hoddam is a descendant of the Closeburne family in the fourth generation; the name of Sharpe having been added, as attached, by the deed of the possessor, to the estate of Hoddam.

_For_ Jhonstoune _send, a man off gud degre:_ _Secund dochtir forsuth weddyt had he_ _Off Halidays, nere neuo to Wallace._--V. 1050.

This was the ancestor of the Marquisses of Annandale.

_Thai trew that he has found hys_ name _agayne._--MS. V. 1092.

NOTES ON THE SIXTH BOOK.

_Than passit was_ wtass _off Feuiryher._--V. 1.

In MS., _wtast_; Edit. 1594, &c. _octaues_ of Februar; _octaves_, Edit. 1714.

_--Nympheus, in beldyn off his bour,_ _With oyle and balm fullfillit off suet odour,_ Faunis _materis, as thai war wount to gang_, &c.--V. 12.

In Edit. 1594, l. 14, it is thus given,--

_Canettis in trace_ as they wer wont to gang.

In Edit. 1620,--_Caneittis_, &c.; in that of 1714, _Famous_. In MS. it may be read either _Famus_ or _Faunis_. Although I cannot make sense of the line, there seems to be an allusion to the _Fawns_ of heathen mythology; as the illiterate Minstrel might allude to the _Nymphs_ in the term _Nympheus_.

_Begynnyng band, with graith witnes besyd,_ _Myn auctor sais, scho was his_ rychtwyss wyff.--V. 47.

After ver. 72, a whole stanza is found in Edit. 1594 and 1620, which does not appear in MS.

This vther maid wedded ane Squyar wicht, Quhilk was weill knawin cummin of Balliols blude, And thair airis be lyne succeeded richt To Lammintoun and vther landis gude. Of this mater the richt quha vnderstude, Heirof as now I will na mair proceid; Of my sentence schortlie to conclude, Of vther thing my purpois is to reid.

I hesitate very much as to the authenticity of this stanza. It would not of itself be a sufficient proof that it is wanting in MS., because we meet with similar deficiences; but it does not tally well with the stanza preceding, which speaks only of _a child_, that is, most probably, one to the exclusion of others. As little does it agree with the stanza immediately following in the copies which have adopted it; for it begins with these words;--

Rycht gudly men come of this lady ying, &c.

For this supposes either that there was but one young lady referred to, or that she, who is previously mentioned as having been married to Squire Shaw, had no family.

It has been said, that Wallace “left no legitimate issue; but had a _natural_ daughter, who married Sir William Baillie of Hoprig, the progenitor of the Baillies of Lammington.” Caledonia, I. 579. From the reference here made in a foot-note to Crawfurd’s Hist. Renfrew, 61, and Ruddiman’s Index Dipl. Scotiæ, 121, one might have supposed that these writers had brought some proof of the illegitimacy of this daughter. But it does not appear that the idea of illegitimacy had once entered into the mind of Crawfurd. He merely says of Wallace: “He left issue only one daughter, who was married to Sir William Baillie of Hoprig,” &c.; adding, “the lands of Elderslee returned to the family of Craigie.” Ruddiman merely says; “Reliquisse unam filiam Willelmus dicitur, quam uxorem duxit D. Willelmus Baillie de Hoprig,” &c.

The only thing that has the semblance of a proof that Wallace was not married, is what follows in the same note. “The estate of Ellerslie went to the Wallaces of Ricardton, as his nearest male heirs.” But their being _male_ heirs might be the reason of their inheriting this property. Besides, it does not seem fully ascertained, whether our illustrious champion was ever personally vested in these lands. It is admitted by the author of Caledonia, in a preceding note, p. 578, that “both Wyntoun and Harry concur in speaking of the great Wallace as the _second_ son of Sir Malcolm.” Lord Hailes says: “He was the younger son of a gentleman in the neighbourhood of Paisley. Such is the opinion generally received.” Annals, I. 245. It must be admitted, however, that Bower, in his continuation of Fordun, says that “Andrew, the elder brother of William, and honoured with the order of knighthood, being guilefully slain by the English, William succeeded to a sufficient patrimony in lands for his state, which he left to be held by his posterity.” Scotichron. II. Lib. xi. c. 28.

Unless we should suppose the Minstrel determined to lie in the face of evidence, his appeal, in the passage quoted, to his _auctor_, shews the general belief of the country at the time of his writing, and even during the life of Mr. John Blair, to whom he seems to appeal, that Wallace was married. Now, it is well known that Blair was the bosom friend and the faithful associate of Wallace; and, being a priest, it may reasonably be conjectured that he was the person who celebrated the marriage.

Pinkerton remarks, “that the murder of Wallace’s wife, which seems the first cause which excited him to arms,” (he means, most probably, after remaining for several months in peace,) “was committed at Lanark by Heselrig or Hislop, governor of the castle” of Lanark, “whom Wallace after slew. See Fordun, XI. 28. Henry the Minstrel in this instance accords with history, and with tradition; a large cave in Cartland Craigs near Lanark, where Henry says that Wallace lurked, being called _Wallace’s Cave_ to this day. It is remarkable that Sir D. Dalrymple should have omitted this important circumstance, for which Fordun [Bower, his continuator,] was surely good authority.” The Bruce, II. 20, N.

The “important circumstance” referred to must be that of Wallace having slain the governor of the castle of Lanark; for Bower does not say that the reason of this was the murder of the wife of Wallace. But undoubtedly this was a remarkable omission on the part of our learned and accurate annalist.

I do not say, that the account given by Bower of the slaughter of Hesilgir, or, as he calls him, _Hesliope_, amounts to a proof of the marriage of Wallace, or even certainly intimates the reason of the deed; but it authenticates the fact of Wallace having been at Lanark at this time, and renders it highly probable that he had met with some special excitement. According to the testimony of Bower, it was from this time forward that he openly appeared as the avenger of the wrongs of his country.

The memory of Wallace is still so fresh in the town of Lanark, that the inhabitants point out the place where he was wont to lodge.

“Tradition tells that the house where Wallace resided was at the head of the Castlegate, opposite the church, where a new house has lately been erected. It also acquaints us, that a private vaulted archway led from this house to Cartlane Craigs, but seemingly without the smallest probability.” P. Lanark, Stat. Acc. XV. 33.

_And thai oft syss feill causis till him wrocht,_ _Fra that tyme furth, quhilk mowit_ [hym sa sar, That neuir in warld out of his mind was brocht.]--V. 78.

In MS. ver. 79 is;