man of the parish for baptism to their children; and a strong superstitious notion universally prevails with them, that it is unlucky to have an unchristened child long in the house. Only a very few ever attend divine service, and those as seldom as they can, just to prevent being refused as sponsors at their children's baptism. "They are in general active and lively, particularly when engaged in field sports, or in such temporary pursuits as are agreeable to their habits and dispositions; but are destitute of the perseverance necessary for a settled occupation, or even for finishing what a moderate degree of continued labour would enable them to accomplish in a few weeks." Notes by Mr SMITH, intended to elucidate his Answers to the Queries A and B, on their licentious liberty. "I remember that about forty-five years ago, being then apprentice to a writer, who was in use to receive the rents as well as the small duties of Kirk-Yetholm, he sent me there with a list of names and a statement of what was due; recommending me to apply to the landlord of the public house, in the village, for any information or assistance which I might need. "After waiting a long time, and receiving payment from most of the feuars, or rentallers, I observed to him, that none of the persons of the names of Faa, Young, Blythe, Bailley, &c. who stood at the bottom of the list for small sums, had come to meet me, according to the notice given by the baron officer, and proposed sending to inform them that they were detaining me, and to request their immediate attendance. "The landlord, with a grave face, inquired whether my master had desired me to ask money from those men. I said, not particularly; but they stood on the list. So I see,' said the landlord; but had your master been here himself, he had not dared to ask money from them, either as rent or feu duty. He knows that it is as good as if it were in his pocket. They will pay when their own time comes; but do not like to pay at a set time with the rest of the barony, and still less to be craved.' "I accordingly returned without their money, and reported progress. I found that the landlord was right: my master said with a smile, that it was unnecessary to send to them, after the previous notice from the baron officer; it was enough if I had received the money, if offered.-Their rent and feu duty was brought to the office in a few weeks. I need scarcely add, those persons all belonged to the tribe. "Another instance of their licentious independent spirit occurs to me. The family of Niddry always gave a decent annual remuneration to a baron bailie, for the purpose of keeping good order within their barony of TownYetholm. The person whom I remember first in possession of that office, was an old man called Doctor Walker, from his being also the village surgeon; and from him I had the following anecdote : "Between Yetholm and the border farms in Northumberland, there were formerly, as in most border situations, some uncultivated lands, called the Plea Lands, or Debateable Lands, the pasturage of which was generally eaten up by the sorners and vagabonds on both sides of the marches. "Many years ago, Lord Tankerville and some other of the English borderers made their request to Sir David Bennet, and the late Mr Wauchope of Niddry, that they would accompany them at a riding of the Plea Lands, who readily complied with their request. They were induced to this, as they understood that the Gypsies had taken offence, on the supposition that they might be circumscribed in the pasture for their shelties and asses, which they had held a long time, partly by stealth, and partly by violence. "Both threats and entreaties were employed to keep them away; and at last Sir David obtained a promise from some of the heads of the gang, that none of them should show their faces on the occasion. "They however got upon the hills at a little distance, whence they could At first see every thing that passed. they were very quiet. But when they saw the English Court Book spread out on a cushion before the clerk, and apparently taken in a line of direction interfering with what they considered to be their privileged ground, it was with great difficulty that the most moderate of them could restrain the rest from running down and taking ven geance, even in sight of their own lord of the manor. "They only abstained for a short time; and no sooner had Sir David and the other gentlemen taken leave of each other in the most polite and friendly manner, as border chiefs are wont to do since border, feuds ceased, and had departed to a sufficient distance, than the clan, armed with bludgeons, pitchforks, and such other hostile weapons as they could find, rushed down in a body; and before the chiefs on either side had reached their home, there was neither English tenant, horse, cow, nor sheep, left upon the premises. “ Notes on Answers C and D. Peculiar cast of gypsey features, everywhere distinguishable, &c. "When first I knew any thing about the colony, old Will Faa was king or leader, and had held the sovereignty for many years. Meeting at Kelso with Mr Walter Scott, whose discriminating habits and just observation I had occasion to know from his youth, and at the same time seeing one of my Yetholm friends in the horse market, I merely said to Mr Scott," Try to get before that man with the long drab coat, look at him on your return, and tell me whether you ever saw him, and what you think of him." He was so good as to indulge me; and rejoining me, said, without hesitation," I never saw the man that I know of; but he is one of the gypsies of Yetholm, that you told me of several years ago." I need scarcely say that he was perfectly correct. The descendants of Faa now take the name of Fall, from the Messrs Falls of Dunbar, who, they pride themselves in saying are of the same stock and lineage. When old Will Faa was upwards of eighty years of age, he called on me at Kelso, in his way to Edinburgh, telling me that he was going to see the laird, the late Mr Nisbet of Dirleton, as he understood that he was very unwell; and himself being now old, and not so stout as he had been, he wished to see him once more before he died. "The old man set out by the nearest road, which was by no means his common practice. Next market-day, some of the farmers informed me that they had been in Edinburgh, and had seen Will Faa upon the bridge, (the South Bridge was not then built); that he was tossing about his old brown hat, and huzzaing with great vociferation, that he had seen the laird before he died. Indeed Will himself had no time to lose; for, having set his face homewards by the way of the sea coast, to vary his route, as is the general custom of the gang, he only got the length of Coldingham, when he was taken ill, and died. "His death being notified to his friends at Yetholm, they and their acquaintance at Berwick-Spittal, Horncliff, &c. met to pay the last honours to their old leader. His obsequies and nights, and afterwards repeated at were continued three successive days Yetholm, whither he was brought for interment. I cannot say that the funeral rites were celebrated with decency and sobriety, for that was by no means the case. This happened in the year 1783 or 1784, and the late Mr Nisbet did not long survive." We have occupied so much of our space with Mr Smith's interesting and accurate details, that we can only find room at present for a limited portion of our remaining original materials. and must restrict ourselves to a few additional traits. Of the kingly demeanour and personal achievements of old Will Faa, many curious particulars are related. He never forgot his high descent from the Lords of Little Egypt.' He also claimed kindred with the Messrs Falls of Dunbar, with whom he affected to maintain some sort of family intercourse; and he is said to have paid them a regular visit once a-year. On solemn occasions, he assumed, in his way, all the stately deportment of sovereignty. He had twenty-four children, and at each of their christenings he appeared dressed in his original wedding-robes. These christenings were celebrated with no small parade. Twelve young handmaidens were always present as part of the family retinue, and for the purpose of waiting on the numerous guests who assembled to witness the cere mony, or to partake of the subsequent festivities. Besides Will's gypsey associates, several of the neighbouring farmers and lairds, with whom he was on terms of friendly intercourse (among others, the Murrays of Cherrytrees), used to attend these christenings.-In virtue of his high magisterial office, Will exercised the functions of country keeper (as it was called), or restorer of stolen property; which he was able often to do, when it suited his own inclination or interest, very effectually, through his extensive influence among the neighbouring tribes, and his absolute dominion over his own. Upon the death of old Will, a sort of civil war broke out among the Yetholm clans :-an usurper thrust himself into the office of the deceased, but was dispossessed, after a battle, by the loyal subjects who adhered to the legitimate heir. This bold rebel was the leader of an inferior tribe, and the immediate successor of another doughty chief, usually known by the appropriate title of the Earl of Hell. He is alluded to at page 54, being the same individual, who, on the occasion there mentioned, “had rubbit shouthers wi' the gallows." Among the many traditionary gyp sey anecdotes which we used formerly to hear related, was the following very characteristic one of Jean Gordon. We avoided mentioning it in a more appropriate place last Number, having forgot some of the names which serve to authenticate it, and which we are now enabled to supply through the kindness of a correspondent. It happened that Jean's husband, Geordie Faa, was murdered at one of their clan-meetings by Rob Johnstone, another gypsey, who stabbed him with a graip, a sort of large three-pronged fork used about farm offices. Johnstone was instantly apprehended and committed to Jedburgh jail; out of which, however, he soon contrived to break, and got clear off the country. But it was easier to escape from the grasp of justice than to elude gypsey vengeance: Jean Gordon traced the murderer like a blood-hound-followed him to Holland-and from thence to Ireland, where she got him seized and brought back to Jedburgh; and she at length obtained a full reward for her toils, by enjoying the gratification of seeing him hanged on the Gallow-hill. Some time afterward, Jean being up at Sourhope, a sheep-farm on Bowmont Water, the goodman there said to her, " Weel, Jean, ye hae got Rob Johnstone hanged at last, and out o' the way."66 Aye, gudeman!" replied Jean, lifting up her apron by the VOL. I. two corners," and a' that fu' o' gowd has nae done't."-Jean's" apron-fu' o' gowd," may perhaps remind some of our readers of Meg Merrilies' pock of jewels-and the whole transaction indeed forcibly recalls the powerful picture of that stern and intrepid heroine. Two curious documents, relating to the early history of the gypsies in Scotland, which we had overlooked in our former researches, have been pointed out to us by a learned friend.-The first is a letter from King James the Fourth to the King of Denmark, dated 1506, in favour of Anthony Gawino, Earl of Little Egypt, and his followers;-which serves to ascertain pretty exactly what we formerly wantedthe date of the first arrival of the race in this country. His majesty specifies, that this miserable train had visited Scotland by command of the pope, being upon a pilgrimage; that they had conducted themselves properly, and now wished to go to Denmark: He therefore solicits the extension of his royal uncle's munificence toward them; adding, at the same time, that these wandering Egyptians must be better known to him, because the kingdom of Denmark was nearer to Egypt!-This epistle is mentioned in a short but comprehensive account of the gypsies, in the tenth volume of the Edinburgh Encyclopædia. The other Article is an Act of the Lords of Council, dated at Stirling, June 6, 1541, and refers to the dispute, formerly mentioned, between Johnne Faw and his rebellious subjects, who it appears had now mutually agreed" to passe hume, and to have the samyn decydit before the Duke of Egipt." It is evident, that both the chieftain and his followers had greatly declined in credit with the Scottish government since the preceding year: He is no longer complimented with his high title; the letters and privileges formerly granted had been revoked; and the Lords of Council proceed forthwith (for certain cogent reasons) to pass sentence of banishment upon the whole race, at thirty days warning, and under the pain of death. Copies of both these papers will be found in our Antiquarian Repertory. (To be Continued.) X SELECT EXTRACTS. MEMORIE OF THE SOMERVILLES. THIS book was published last year from the original MS. in the possession of the present Lord Somerville. It is the composition of his ancestor, James Somerville, who died in the year 1690,-who is styled in the titlepage, James Eleventh Lord Somer ville, but who in reality never found it convenient, in the low state to which the affairs of his family were then reduced, to assume any higher designation than that of the "Laird of Drum.' His father was an officer of consider able eminence in the Scottish army during the civil wars, but the author himself is of a different way of thinking, being indeed a great stickler for the Divine right both of kings and of bishops. He is, notwithstanding, a very worthy sort of person, and gives good advice to his children, for whose benefit only he professes to write, in a manner that does him much honour. The history of the Somerville family, during the first ages of its appearance in Scotland, is extremely inaccurate; dates and facts are often jumbled in a most absurd manner; and indeed nothing can be more uninteresting than both the subject and the manner of this whole part of the work. When, however, the author comes to treat of events more near his own time, or when he favours us with the result of his own reflections upon any general topic, there is commonly a considerable admixture both of shrewdness and naivete. Some of the anecdotes which he relates are, moreover, singularly picturesque, and for this reason we have thought fit to present our readers with a few of the most interesting passages. The first which we shall extract is the history of a domestic tragedy, which occurred in the reign of King Robert II. and about the year 1371. The story is told with much feeling, and requires no commentary. Much about the beginning of this king's reigne, ther happened a sad accident in the familie of Sir John Harring, laird of Edmondstcune in Clidesdale, and of Gillmertoune in Mid Lothian. This gentleman haveing two beautifull daughters, the eldest named Margaret, and the youngest Geilles, both in expectatione to be sharers in a great part of ther father's estate, because he had no male children of his oune bodie but a brother's sone named Patrick, whom he designed to have marryed upon his eldest daughter, and given him the greatest part of his lands eftir his death; but the miscarriage of his eldest daughter, which had a tragicall end, frustrated all his hope and expectatione that way. For this young lady, as she was beautifull, inclyneing to melanchollie, appeared to be very devote in observeing strictly all rites and ceremonies of religion then in use, wherby it came to passe, frequenting much the abbacie of Newbottle, she became acquainted with a young monk of the Sistertian order, or the refyned Benedicts, belonging to that abbacie; who having insinuated himself much in her favour under ane specious pretext of holyness, did often converse with this lady in her most private retirements, both in the abbacie and at her father's house in Gillmertoune, without the least suspicione that he intended any villanie; but this rascal, by his divellish rhetorick and allurements, soe far prevailled upon the simplicitie of this gentlewoman, that at lenth he deboshed her; and because he thought nether the abbacie nor her father's house to be safe for their intrigues of love, they agreed their meeting should be at a little ferme belonging to John Herring, called the Grange, a quarter of a myle or therby from Gillmertoune, near by the road that leads to Newbottle. The mistress of this country-house being a young and a lascivious widow, some tyme before hade been ensnared, and played the wanton with his comerad; this house was therfore thought the most convenient for them to meet at, which they often did, to the great scandal of the monkes' professione, and dishonour of the women, especially of the young ladie, which occasioned all ther ruines in the end. For, notwithstanding of the secresie of this affair, and circumspectione for appoynting fitt hours for their deeds of darkness, yet there was some suspicione from the too much familiaritie betwext Sir John's daughter and this woman soe far below her qualitie; ther ofher house, gave occasione of scandal to all; ten being together, and the frequenting of which coming to Sir John's ears, being a forward and furious man, he threatened his daughter with noe lesse than death, if ever it came to his knowledge that she went to the Grange, or frequented that woman's companie eftirwards. This she promised to her father to observe, but with noe intentione to keep the same; for no sooner was the darkness of the ensueing night come, but at her accustomed hour she goes out at the back entry that leads to the Grange, where the two brothers in iniquitie had aryved some tyme before, to whom, eftir ther dalliance, she imparts her father's suspitione and terrible threatenings against her, which these gallants litle regarded, protesting that they would make her father doe penance for that very suspitione, little dreameing that they themselves was soe neer destructione, for that very night all of them was brought to their end by a cruell revenge; for Sir John, missing his daughter out of her chamber, concluded where she was, and went presently to the place with two of his domesticks, where finding the doors of the house shut, and noe answear made to his demands, nor the doors opened notwithstanding of his threatenings, in a rage he sets fyre to the thatch with a [torch] his servant caryed, which immediately (the wind being somewhat high) set the wholl onsteed in a fyre, and burned it downe to the ground. Ther perished in the flame and ruines above eight or nine persons; for which cruell act, as it was highly aggravated in all the horrible circumstances by the churchmen then in being, this poor gentleman was forced to flee the country for a tyme, his estate being forefaulted by the king." * "At which tyme the king, being disposed to take his pleasure at the poutting in Calder and Carnwath Muires, he acquaintes the Lord Somervill with his resolutione, who, by accident, was then at court; his majestie being pleased withall to shew him he was resolved for some dayes to be his guest. Wherupon the Lord Somervill immediately despatches ane expresse to Cowthally (who knew nothing of the king's journey), with a letter to his lady, Dame Maria Baillzie, wherein, according to his ordinary custome when any persones of qualitie wer to be with him, he used to wryte in the postscript of his letters, Speates and Raxes; and in this letter he had redoubled the same words, because of the extraordinary occasione and worthyness of his guest. This letter being delyvered, and the messenger withall telling his lord was very pressing, that it might be speedily and securely put in her ladyship's hands,-whereupon she hastily breakes it up, commanding the stewart to read the same, because she could read non herself. This gentleman being but lately entered to his service, and unacquainted with his lord's hand and custome of wrytting, when he comes to the Gilmerton Grange, where this tragedy was acted, is near the village of Gilmerton, about four miles from Edinburgh. It is still called by the old people Burntdole, rom that singular and melancholy event, fwhich is well remembered in the vicinage. postscript of the letter, he reads Speares and Jacks instead of Speates and Raxes: whereupon my lady, all amazed, without considering her husband's ordinary forme of wrytting, falles a-weeping, supposeing her lord had fallen at variance with some about the court, the king beginning about this tyme to discountenance his ancient nobilitie, and they again to withdraw both their affectiones and due alledgeance from him. Efter the reading of the letter, James Inglis of Eistscheill was presently sent for, and commandement given to him and the officers, that all the vassalles, with the able tennents that wer within the two barronies of Carnwath, Cambusnethen, and baillzierie of Carstairs, should be ready with their horse and armes to wait upon William Cleilland of that ilk be eight in the morning the ensuing day, and that in order to ther going for Edinburgh. This command being punctually observed by the vassalles and the substantiall tennents that wer in use, and obleidged to ryde, by ther holdings and tackes, upon such occasions, they conveened to the number of two hundred, with the laird of Cleilland, and William Chancellor of Quathquan, with the Baillzie upon ther heads. By eleven. a clock they were advanced in ther journey for Edinburgh to the side of that hill that is somewhat bewest fasted by nyne in the morning, had taken the Corsetthill. His majestie haveing break horse, and was come the lenth of that little watter a myle on this syde of the Corsetthill, bussie, even then, at his sport upon the rode, when the first of all the little company that was with him observed the advance of a troope of men, with ther lances, within a myle of him, or thereby. Whereupon, all astonished, he calles hastily for the Lord Somervill, who, being at some distance, came upon the spurre. The king being of ane hastie nature, in great fury demanded what the matter meaned, and if he had a mynde to betray him, and seize upon his person the second tyme by ane other treacherous hunting: and withall swearing his head should pay for it, if he himself escaped the hands of these traitors, who could be noe other but his vassalles and followers, brought togither off purpose for some ill designe. The Lord Somervill, without making any reply, immediately castes himself from his horse to the ground, and falles upon his knees, protesting, with many solemn oaths, that he understood not what the matter meaned, nor what the company was, nor the cause of ther being in yonder place; therefore he humblie begged of his majestie that he would allow him to goe see what they wer, friends or foes; and, for securitie, he had with him his eldest sone and heir, William, barrone of Carnwath: iff all was not weill, and his majestie safe from all hazard, he desyred that his son's head may be strucken off i. e. at their head. |