When all this treason done and past, Tooke not effect of traytery; Another treason at the last, They sought against his majestie : How they might make their kinge away, By a privie banket on a daye. Alas! for woe, &c. [Another time] to sell the king Beyonde the seas they had decreede: Three noble Earles heard of this thing, And did prevent the same with speede. For a letter came, with such a charme, That they should doo their king no harme: For further woe, if they did soe, Would make a sorrowful heigh hoe! The Earle Mourton told the Douglas then, For his godmother1 will not see With any woe; for if it be so, God graunt all subjects may be true, In England, Scotland, every where: That no such daunger may ensue, To put the prince or state in feare: In wealth or woe, God graunt it be so, 1 Q. Elizabeth. XVII. THE BONNY EARL OF MURRAY. A SCOTTISH SONG. In December 1591, Francis Stewart, Earl of Bothwell, had made an attempt to seize on the person of his sovereign James VI. but being disappointed, had retired towards the north. The king unadvisedly gave a commission to George Gordon, Earl of Huntley, to pursue Bothwell and his followers with fire and sword. Huntley, under cover of executing that commission, took occasion to revenge a private quarrel he had against James Stewart, Earl of Murray, a relation of Bothwell's. In the night of Feb. 7, 1592, he beset Murray's house, burnt it to the ground, and slew Murray himself; a young nobleman of the most promising virtues, and the very darling of the people. See Robertson's Hist. 6 The present Lord Murray hath now in his possession a picture of his ancestor naked and covered with wounds, which had been carried about, according to the custom of that age, in order to inflame the populace to revenge his death. If this picture did not flatter, he well deserved the name of the Bonny Earl,' for he is there represented as a tall and comely personage. It is a tradition in the family, that Gordon of Bucky gave him a wound in the face: Murray half expiring, said, 'You hae spilt a better face than your awin.' Upon this, Bucky pointing his dagger at Huntley's breast, swore, 'You shall be as deep as I;' and forced him to pierce the poor defenceless body. K. James, who took no care to punish the murtherers, is said by some to have privately countenanced and abetted them, being stimulated by jealousy for some indiscreet praises which his Queen had too lavishly bestowed on this unfortunate youth. See the preface to the next ballad. See also Mr. Walpole's Catalogue of Royal Auth. vol. I. p. 42.1 YE highlands, and ye lawlands, Oh! quhair hae ye been? They hae slaine the Earl of Murray, Now wae be to thee, Huntley! But forbade you him to slay. 5 Bothwell in Old Mortality,' is described as springing from Francis Stewart.-ED. It has been suggested to the Editor, that this ballad covertly alludes to the indiscreet partiality, which Q. Anne of Denmark is said to have shewn for the ⚫ Bonny Earl of Murray;' and which is supposed to have influenced the fate of that unhappy nobleman. Let the reader judge for himself. The following account of the murder is given by a contemporary writer, and a person of credit, Sir James Balfour, knight, Lyon King of Arms, whose MS. of the Annals of Scotland is in the Advocates Library at Edinburgh. 'The seventh of Febry, this yeire, 1592, the Earle of Murray was cruelly murthered by the Earle of Huntley at his house in Dunibrissel in Fyffe-shire, and with him Dunbar, sheriffe of Murray. It was given out and publickly talkt, that the Earle of Huntley was only the instrument of perpetrating this 1 Castle downe here has been thought to mean the Castle of Downe, a seat belonging to the family of Murray. facte, to satisfie the King's jealousie of Murray, quhum the Queene more rashely than wisely, some few days before had commendit in the King's hearing, with too many epithets of a proper and gallant man. The reasons of these surmises proceedit from a proclamatione of the Kings, the 13 of Marche following; inhibiteine the young Earle of Murray to persue the Earle of Huntley, for his father's slaughter, in respect he being wardeit [imprisoned] in the castell of Blacknesse for the same murther, was willing to abide a tryall, averring that he had done nothing but by the King's majesties commissione; and was neither airt nor part in the murther.'1 The following ballad is here given from a copy printed not long since at Glasgow, in one sheet 8vo. The world was indebted for its publication to the lady Jean Hume, sister to the Earl of Hume, who died at Gibraltar. ABOUT Yule, quhen the wind blew cule, And the round tables began, A'! there is cum to our kings court The queen luikt owre the castle wa, His footmen they did rin before, Gowden graith'd his horse before But than spake a wylie lord, Unto the queen said he, 'O tell me quha's the fairest face 1 This extract is copied from the Critical Review. 5 10 15 20 'I've sene lord, and I've sene laird, Out then spack the jealous king, "You're neither laird nor lord,' she says, 'Bot the king that wears the crown; Ther is not a knight in fair Scotland Bot to thee maun bow down.' 25 30 'Aft I have ridden thro' Stirling town Aft have I ridden thro' Stirling town 45 |