90 COUNTRY ESSAYS. 



" The moon was clear, the day drew near, 



The spears in flinders flew ; 

 But many a gallant Englishman 

 Ere day the Scotchmen slew. " 



Froissart commemorates the death of the brave Douglas " who 

 went ever forwarde lyk a hardy Hector, wyllynge alone to con- 

 quere the felde and to discomfyte his enemyes ; " and we may be 

 sure that ballad poetry has not forgotten him 



" Oh bury me by the braken bush, 



Beneath the blooming brier, 

 Let never living mortal ken 

 That ere a kindly Scot lies here." 



He was, however, carried to Melrose Abbey, where his tomb is 

 still shown. Away to the left runs the Roman Wall from which 

 in the Northumbrian ballad of "The Death of Featherston- 

 haugh," Will of the Wa' obtained his nickname 



" Hoot awa', lads, hoot awa', 



Ha' ye heard how the Ridleys, and Thirlwalls, and a', 

 Ha' set upon Albany Featherstonhaugh, 

 And taken his life at the Deadmanshaugh ? 



There was Willimoteswick, 



And Hardriding Dick, 

 And Hughie of Hawclon, and Will o' the Wa' ; 



I canno tell a, I canno tell a, 

 And mony a mair that the deil may knaw." 



In Newcastle Jail Jock o' the Syde was immured when so 

 gallantly freed by the Laird's Jock, the Laird's Wat, and Hobbie 

 Noble : 



" He is weil kend, Johne o' the Syde, 



A greater thief did never ryde ; 



He never tyris 



For to break byris." 



The ballad-singer expands into a grim burst of humour as the 

 boon comrades burst in upon Jock in his dungeon, who was to 

 be hanged in the morning 



" Now sune they reach Newcastle Jail, 

 And to the prisoner thus they call ; 



