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'218 THE BATTLE OP BALRINNES.
tion of Dalzell just mentioned, vol. ii. p. 347. There is a copy in the Pepys Collection, .and another in the Advocates' Library, printed at Edinburgh in 1681. The ballad is also printed, undoubtedly from a stall copy, in Scarce Ancient Ballads, p. 29. The first four stanzas had previously been given in Jamieson's Popular Ballads, ii. 144. The older version of Dalzell is somewhat defective, and abounds in errors, which, as well as the vitiated orthography, are attributed to the ignorance of an English transcriber. The omissions are here supplied in the margin from the other copies. •
Betuixt Dunother and Aberdein,
I rais and tuik the way, Beleiuing weill it had not beine
Nought halff ane hour to day. The lift was clad with cloudis gray, 5
And owermaskit was the moone, Quhilk me deceaued whair I lay,
And maid me ryss ouer soone.
On Towie Mounth I mett a man,
Weill grathed in his gear: 10
Quoth I, " Quhat neues ? " then he begane
To tell a fitt of warre. Quoth he, "Of lait I heir,
Ane bloodie broust there was brouine,
13-24. Saying, " The ministers, I fear,
A bloody browst have brown, W
For yesterday, withouthen mair, . On the hill at Stradown, |
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