Wha ever heard, in ony times,
  Sicken an Outlaw in his degre,
  Sick favour get befor a king,
  As did the OUTLAW MURRAY of the Foreste frie?

[Footnote 106:  Brow.]

[Footnote 107:  Southern, or English.]

[Footnote 108:  Afraid.]

[Footnote 109:  A ford on the Tweed, at the mouth of the Caddon Burn, near Yair.]

NOTES ON THE SANG OF THE OUTLAW MURRAY.

* * * * *

Then spak the Lord, hight Hamilton.—­P. 86. v. 4.

This is, in most copies, the earl hight Hamilton, which must be a mistake of the reciters, as the family did not enjoy that title till 1503.

James Boyd (the Earl of Arran his brother), &c.—­P. 87. v. 2.

Thomas Boyd, Earl of Arran, was forfeited, with his father and uncle, in 1469, for an attempt on the person of James III.  He had a son, James, who was restored, and in favour with James IV. about 1482.  If this be the person here meant, we should read “The Earl of Arran his son was he.”  Glenriddel’s copy reads, “A highland laird I’m sure was he.”  Reciters sometimes call the messenger, the laird of Skene.

  Down Birkendale Brae when that he cam.—­P. 88, v. 2.

Birkendale Brae, now commonly called Birkendailly, is a steep descent on the south side of Minch-Moor, which separates Tweeddale from Ettrick Forest; and from the top of which you have the first view of the woods of Hangingshaw, the castle of Newark, and the romantic dale of Yarrow.

  The laird of the Corehead, &c.—­P. 93. v. 1.

This is a place at the head of Moffat-water, possessed of old by the family of Halliday.

  To Andrew Murray of Cockpool.—­P. 94. v. 1.

This family were ancestors of the Murrays, earls of Annandale; but the name of the representative, in the time of James IV. was William, not Andrew.  Glenriddel’s MS. reads, “the country-keeper.”

  To Sir James Murray of Traquair.—­P. 94. v. 3.

Before the barony of Traquair became the property of the Stewarts, it belonged to a family of Murrays, afterwards Murrays of Black-barony, and ancestors of Lord Elibank.  The old castle was situated on the Tweed.  The lands of Traquair were forfeited by Willielmus de Moravia, previous to 1464; for, in that year, a charter, proceeding upon his forfeiture, was granted by the crown “Willielmo Douglas de Cluny.”  Sir James was, perhaps, the heir of William Murray.  It would farther seem, that the grant in 1464 was not made effectual by Douglas; for, another charter from the crown, dated the 3d February, 1478, conveys the estate of Traquair to James Stewart, Earl of Buchan, son to the black knight of Lorne, and maternal uncle to James III., from whom is descended the present Earl of Traquair.  The first royal grant not being followed by possession, it is very possible that the Murrays may have continued to occupy Traquair long after the date of that charter.  Hence, Sir James might have reason to say, as in the ballad, “The king has gifted my lands lang syne.”