THE POPULAR RHYMES OF BER-WICKSHIRE. 147 



expensive style of living in their immediate successors, whioh. led to 

 their ultimate ruin. 



5. " Vengeance I vengeance ! when ? and where ? 



Upon the house o' Cowdenknowes, now and evermair." 



The proprietors of Cowdenknowes were in the days of the Covenan- 

 ters, of a persecuting disposition, and several traditional stories are 

 related of their cruelty ; hence these lines are often in the mouths of 

 the common people to indicate that vengeance will yet come upon that 

 house, for the evils which it inflicted on the godly in former times. Cow- 

 denhiowes, so celebrated in song for its "bonny broom," lies near the 

 village of Earlstoun, and is the property of Professor Home of Edin- 

 burgh. Part of the present mansion-house is very old, and in this part 

 of it the unfortunate Queen Mary lodged for a night or two. We 

 observed that this estate was lately advertised for sale. 



6. "Betide, betide, whate'er betide, 



There'll ay be a Haig in Bemerside." 



The ancient family of Haig have been in the possession of Bemerside 

 for many hundred yeai's. " The grandfather of the present proprietor 

 of Bemerside had twelve daughters before his lady brought him a male 

 heir. The common people trembled for the credit of their favourite 

 soothsayer. The late Mr Haig was at length born, and their belief 

 in the prophecy confirmed beyond a shadow of doubt." * 



7. "At Threelurn Grange on an after day, 

 There sail be a lang and bludy fray ; 

 Where a three-thumbed wight by the reins sal hald 

 Three kings horse baith stout and bauld. 

 And the Three hums, three days will rin 

 Wi' the blude o' the slain that fa' therein." 



Thirty years ago this rhyme was very popular in the east end of 

 Berwickshire, and about the time of the French Revolution a person 

 of the name of Douglas was born in the parish of Coldingham, with 

 an excrescence on one of his hands, which bore some resemblance to a 

 third thumb. Of course the superstitious believed that this was to be 

 the identical "three-thumbed wight " of the Rhymer, and nothing 

 was looked for but a fearful accomplishment of the prophecy. Three- 

 hum Grange, or Grains, is a place a little above the Press, where three 

 small rills meet and form the water of Ale. 



We now proceed to another class of Rhymes, the most of which are 

 still floating about among the peasantry. 



* Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border, vol. iv. p. 150 



