The carlis with clubbis cou'd udir quell,
Quhyle blude at breistis out bokkit *
Sa rudely rang the common bell,

Quhyll all the steipill rokit †

For reidt,

At Chriftis Kirk, &c.

"Quhyn thay had berit § lyk baitit bullis,
And branewod || brynt in bails ♪,
Thay wer als meik as ony mulis

That mangit wer with mailis ;
For faintnefs tha forfochtin fulis 0

Fell doun lyk flauchtir failis,

And

• Vomited.

+ Shook.

Or rade, warfare. Hence the "raid of Ruthven;" the "raid of the Reid-fquair;" fkirmishes or fcuffles.

Perhaps bearded or baited each other like bulls.

Or diftempered in their brains.

♪ In flames : – the phrase seems now quite obsolete. Rud. Gloff. G. Doug. vo. Bele. G. C.

Meek as mules that are tired, and manged or galled with mails, or heavy burdens.

Thefe fools that had tired themselves with fighting.

Or turfs caft with a fpade well known in Scotland, called the flauchter-fpade.

And fresch men cam in and hail'd the dulis*,

And dang tham doun in dailis t

Bedene 1,

At Chriftis Kirk, &c.

"Quhen all wes done, Dik with ane aix
Cam furth to fell a fuddir §,

Quod he, Quhair ar yon hangit fmaix,
Rycht now wald flane my bruder :'
His wyf bad him ga hame, Gib glaiks,
And fa did Meg his muder;

He turnit and gaif them bayth thair paikis

For he durft ding nane udir,

For feir,

At Chriftis Kirk of the

grene

that day."

* A well-known phrase at foot-ball: when the ball touches the goal or mark, the winner calls out Hail!' or it has hailed the dule or dail.

Dang them down in heaps.

Or bedeen, inftantly, out of hand.

A load or heap. Perhaps from fouth, a vulgar Scots word for plenty, or many in number.

This epithet is now obfolete.

Light-headed, foolish braggadochio.

For which he gave the women their paiks, or a threatening fcold, which is fometimes accompanied with blows; as he durft not ding or encounter any others.

1715.

CANTO II.*

BUT there had been mair blood and skaith,
Sair harship and great spulie,

And mony a ane had gotten his death

By this unfonfie tooly,

But that the bauld good-wife of Baith,
Arm'd wi' a great kail gully,

Came

*The king having painted the ruftic fquabble, with an uncommon fpirit, in a most ludicious manner, in a ftanza of verse the most difficult to keep the fenfe complete, as he has done, without being forced to bring in words for crambo's fake, where they return fo frequently; I have prefumed to imitate his majesty, in continuing the laughable scene. Ambitious to imitate fo great an original, I put a stop to the war, called a congrefs, and made them fign a peace, that the world might have their picture in the more agreeable hours of drinking, dancing, and finging.— The following cantos were written, the one in 1715, the other in 1718; about 300 years after the first. Let no worthy poet be always the fame,

defpair of immortality; good fenfe will

in spite of the revolutions of fashion, and the change of language.

Came belly flaught *, and loot an aith,
She'd gar them a' be hooly †

Fou faft that day.

Blyth to win aff fae wi' hale banes,

And draggl'd fae 'mang muck and stanes,

They look'd like wirrykows:

Quoth fome, who maist had tint their aynds,
"Let's fee how a' bowls rows:
"And quat their brulziement at anes,

"Yon gully is nae mows,

"Forfooth this day."

Quoth Hutchon§, "I am well content, "I think we may do war;

""Till this time tomond I 'fe indent

"Our claiths of dirt will fa'r;

"Wi' nevels I 'm amait fawn faint,

ઃઃ

My chafts are dung a char." Then took his bonnet to the bent,

And dadit aff the glar,

Fou clean that day.

Tam

* Came in great hafte, as it were flying full upon them with her arms full fpread, as a falcon with expanded wings comes fouffing upon her prey. + Defift immediately.

A bowling-green phrafe,

commonly used when people

would examine any affair that is a little ravelled.

§ Vide Canto I. He is brave, and the first man for an honourable peace.

1

COMIC.

Tam Taylor*, wha in time of battle,
Lay as gin fome had fell'd him,
Gat up now wi' an unco rattle,

As nane there durft a 'quell'd him :
Bauld Befs flew till him wi' a brattle,
And spite of his teeth held him
Clofs by the craig, and with her fatal

Knife fhored she would geld him,

For peace that day.

Syne a' wi' ae confent fhook hands,

As they stood in a ring;

Some red their hair, fome set their bands,
Some did their fark-tails wring;
Then for a hap fo fhaw their brands,
They did their minstrel bring,
Where clever houghs like willi wands,
At ilka blythsome spring,

Lap high that day.

Claud Peky was na very blate,
He stood nae lang a dreigh;

For by the wame he gripped Kate,
And gar'd her gi'e a skreigh:

261

"Had

Vide Canto I. He is a coward, but would appear valiant

when he finds the rest in peace.