The Project Gutenberg EBook of Wilson's Tales of the Borders and of Scotland, Volume XXIV., by Revised by Alexander Leighton

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Title: Wilson's Tales of the Borders and of Scotland, Volume XXIV.

Author: Revised by Alexander Leighton

Release Date: December 22, 2004 [EBook #14421]

Language: English

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WILSON'S TALES SCOTLAND ***

Produced by Juliet Sutherland, John Hagerson, Andy Schmitt and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team

WILSON'S TALES OF THE BORDERS AND OF SCOTLAND.

HISTORICAL, TRADITIONARY, & IMAGINATIVE.

WITH A GLOSSARY.

REVISED BY ALEXANDER LEIGHTON,

One of the Original Editors and Contributors.

VOL. XXIV.

LONDON: WALTER SCOTT, 14 PATERNOSTER SQUARE, AND NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE. 1884

CONTENTS.

THE MINSTREL'S TALES—

I. EDMUND AND HELEN, (John Mackay Wilson), 5

   II. THE ROMAUNT OF SIR PEREGRINE AND THE
      LADY ETHELINE,…… (Alexander Leighton), 43

   III. THE LEGEND OF ALLERLEY HALL, (Alexander
      Leighton),…………………………… 52

   IV. THE LEGEND OF THE LADY KATHARINE,
      (Alexander Leighton),………………… 57

   V. THE BALLAD OF AILIE FAA,…….(Alexander
      Leighton),…………………………… 67

   VI. THE LEGEND OF THE FAIR EMERGILDE,
      (Alexander Leighton),………………… 72

   VII. THE ROMAUNT OF THE CASTLE OF WEIR,
      (Alexander Leighton),………………… 78

   VIII. THE ROMAUNT OF ST. MARY'S WYND,
      (Alexander Leighton),………………… 87

   IX. THE LEGEND OF MARY LEE,…….(_Alexander
      Leighton),………………………….. 98

   X. THE BALLAD OF AGE AND YOUTH,…(Alexander
      Leighton),…………………………… 107

   XI. THE LEGEND OF CRAIGULLAN,…..(_Alexander
      Leighton),………………………….. 113

   XII. THE HERMIT OF THE HILLS,…(John Mackay
      Wilson),…………………………….. 119

   XIII. THE BALLAD OF RUMBOLLOW,….(Alexander
      Leighton),…………………………… 123

   XIV. THE LEGEND OF THE BURNING OF MRS. JAMPHRAY,
      …………….(Alexander Leighton),….. 133

   XV. THE BALLAD OF BALLOGIE'S DAUGHTERS,……..
      (Alexander Leighton),………………… 141

   XVI. THE LEGEND OF DOWIELEE,……..(Alexander
      Leighton),…………………………… 145

   XVII. THE BALLAD OF MAID MARION,….(Alexander
     Leighton),……………………………. 154

   XVIII. THE BALLAD OF ROSEALLAN CASTLE,………
     (Alexander Leighton),…………………. 158

   XIX. THE BALLAD OF THE TOURNAY,…..(Alexander
     Leighton),……………………………. 160

   XX. THE BALLAD OF GOLDEN COUNSEL,…(Alexander
     Leighton),……………………………. 164

   XXI. THE BALLAD OF MATRIMONY,……._(Alexander
     Leighton),…………………………… 168

   XXII. THE SONG OF ROSALIE, ………(Alexander
     Leighton),……………………………. 171

   XXIII. THE BALLAD OF THE WORLD'S VANITY,…….
     (Alexander Leighton),…………………. 173

   XXIV. THE SIEGE: A DRAMATIC TALE,……..(_John
     Mackay Wilson),………………………. 177

   XXV. FAREWELL TO A PLACE ON THE BORDERS,…….
     (Rev. W.G.),…………………………. 207

GLOSSARY,……………………………….. 211

GENERAL INDEX,…………………………… 251

WILSON'S TALES OF THE BORDERS, AND OF SCOTLAND.

THE MINSTREL'S TALES.

I.

EDMUND AND HELEN.

CANTO FIRST.

Come, sit thee by me, love, and thou shalt hear
A tale may win a smile and claim a tear—
A plain and simple story told in rhyme,
As sang the minstrels of the olden time.
No idle Muse I'll needlessly invoke—
No patron's aid, to steer me from the rock
Of cold neglect round which oblivion lies;
But, loved one, I will look into thine eyes,
From which young poesy first touched my soul,
And bade the burning words in numbers roll;—
They were the light in which I learned to sing;
And still to thee will kindling fancy cling—
Glow at thy smile, as when, in younger years,
I've seen thee smiling through thy maiden tears,
Like a fair floweret bent with morning dew,
While sunbeams kissed its leaves of loveliest hue.
Thou wert the chord and spirit of my lyre—
Thy love the living voice that breathed—"aspire!"—
That smoothed ambition's steep and toilsome height,
And in its darkest paths was round me, light.
Then, sit thee by me, love, and list the strain,
Which, but for thee, had still neglected lain.

II.

Didst thou e'er mark, within a beauteous vale,
Where sweetest wild-flowers scent the summer gale,
And the blue Tweed, in silver windings, glides,
Kissing the bending branches on its sides,
A snow-white cottage, one that well might seem
A poet's picture of contentment's dream?
Two chestnuts broad and tall embower the spot,
And bend in beauty o'er the peaceful cot;
The creeping ivy clothes its roof with green,
While round the door the perfumed woodbine's seen
Shading a rustic arch; and smiling near,
Like rainbow fragments, blooms a rich parterre;
Grey, naked crags—a steep and pine-clad hill—
A mountain chain and tributary rill—
A distant hamlet and an ancient wood,
Begirt the valley where the cottage stood.
That cottage was a young Enthusiast's home,
Ere blind ambition lured his steps to roam;
He was a wayward, bold, and ardent boy,
At once his