REPORT OF THE MEETINGS FOR 1899 



They bury him speedily where he fa's, 



An' rush frae the fatal spot away 

 To search the boles o' the auld Toor wa's, 



Wi' beatin' hearts for the lang-lost May. 



She's found i' the bonr, proteckit right weel 



By Boon's auld tittie — Black Marjorie : 

 But soon they light doon at the blythe Grey Peel, 



Where auld Wat laughs and greets wi' glee. 



Frae east to wast to the Grey Peel gay 

 Gude sprinklings o' blythe company ride, 



To pleasure auld Wat an' his winsome May, 

 Now gallant young Gilbert o' Corsbie's bride. 



There's naething but mirth within the wa's. 

 Thereout there's joy 'mong women and men. 



An' sweet is the strain o' the wind that blaws 



Through the whisperin' leaves i' the Grey Peel Glen. 



The Secretary reports that the incideat upon which this 

 ballad is founded is recorded in " Pitcairn's Trials." Alex- 

 ander French, Tutour of Thorniedykis (in the parish of 

 Westruther), and John Cranstoun, brother of Patrick 

 Cranstoun of Corsbie, had been rival suitors for the hand of 

 the fair daughter of the Laird of Boon. They accidentally 

 met on Boon Hill, one of them returning from her father's 

 castle and the other going to it. A quarrel about the 

 damsel ensued, resulting in the fatal injury of Cranstoun 

 by French and "James Wicht of Gordon Mylne, his sister- 

 sone." This took place on 10th February 1612, and 

 Cranstoun lingered until 1st March, when he died. At 

 the instance of his brother, Patrick of Corsbie, the two 

 murderers were tried at Edinburgh on 13th March of the 

 same year. " Hew Bell in Blithe " was chancellor of the 

 jury who convicted the accused " of crewel unmerciefull 

 slauchter of the said umqle Johnne Cranstoun." The 

 sentence was : — "To be tane to the Castell Hill of 

 Edinburgh, and thair thair heidis to be strukin from their 

 bodeis, and all their moveable guidis to be scheit and 

 inbrocht to his maiesteis use as convict, etc. ! " Mr Crockett, 



