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About 100 or 140 of the King's army are said to be killed, the principal whereof is Sir Robert Monro and Lieutenant-Colonel Whitney.

It is said 500 or 600 of the rebels were slain. They ravaged the camp, took several stragglers, especially on-lookers, prisoners :-an odd sort of battle.

General Hawley's reputation sunk for suffering the king's army to be surprised.

General Husk raised for his valour and conduct in such disadvantageous circumstances.

The king's army and the militia retire to Edinburgh on Saturday, 18th January, for safety, and for the health of the soldiery, and repairing the lost ammunition.

30th January.-On Thursday morning, at three o'clock, the Duke of Cumberland arrived at the Abbey of Holyroodhouse, to command the king's army in chief.

Friday, 31st January-The whole army marched to Linlithgow, and the Duke followed to Hopetoun House that night.

Saturday, the Duke marched forward to Falkirk, and the rebels made a feint to march from Stirling towards Falkirk to give battle, but on second thoughts they all fled, and past the Forth at the ford of the Frew, leaving their big cannon, and blowing their gunpowder and ammunition, and with it the kirk of St Ninian's, where ten innocent people, and four of the rebels, perished in the rubbish. This is said to be done by the pretended prince his order, which, if true, was most inhumane.

The Duke sent off the dragoons, and the Argyle militia, to the ford of Frew, in pursuit of the rebels, who took several prisoners. The rebels took the route of Doun, Creiff, &c. towards Perth, and the Pretender, with the clans, took the route to Athole, by the bridge of Tay, towards the Highlands and Moydart, while six Lords, with the rest, flew towards Montrose and the low coast, viz. Duke of Perth, Lord Elcho, Lord George Murray, Lord Pitsligo, Lord Ogilvy, Lord Nairne, and Lord Lewis Gordon, &c. The Duke, after repairing the broken bow of Stirling Bridge, marched over, with the rest of the army, on Tuesday, 4th February, to Dumblain, and lodged at the minister's house.

Next day, and Thursday, they marched to Perth, and on Friday, the 7th February, he sent a strong detachment to Dundee, and the rest, towards Montrose, and went with them himself, so all on this side Tay is relieved by means of this young deliverer.

The Prince of Hesse, the king's son-in-law, arrived at Leith, on Friday, 7th February, with 6000 Hessians.

The Duke came from Perth, on Saturday, 8th February, to see his brother-in-law, and returned on the 9th. From this, to the 28th February, the sum of the accounts from the north were, that the rebels divided in two bodies, one with Prince Charles to Athole, and the other to Montrose with Lord Nairn, Lord Ogilvy, Lord George Murray, Lord Pitsligo, and Lord Jo. Drummond, but, upon some battalions sent under General Husk to Dundee, Montrose, and Aberdeen, &c. the rebels still retired and dispersed. The Duke is also gone northwards towards Aberdeen, where he remained with his troops till the beginning of April, the weather cold, and the soldiers, with their winter marching, much fatigued, and many sick; but upon due care taken at Aberdeen, the army came to health and good spirits. Meantime, the rebels attacked Inverness, and the Lord President and Earl Loudoun were obliged to retire into Murray, and left one Grant with 200 or 300 men in garrison in the castle called Fort George, which castle being built on a sandy hill, and threatened to be undermined, was yielded up by the governor, and all in it made prisoners of war by the rebels. Thereafter the rebels attacked and burnt Fort Augustus, and then sent about 1500 of their men to besiege and attack Fort William, which made a noble resistance, till the enemy's ammunition failed, and many of their men were killed by the sallies, and they retired, being called back to their main army about Inverness, about 1st April, of which our public papers are full.

About the same time, viz. the 7th or 9th April, the Duke, with the king's army, marched from Aberdeen, and crossed the Spey, while 2000 of the rebels retired from it, without resistance, towards Inverness, while the Duke marched forward with 15 bat

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talions foot, and 4 of horse; and upon the 16th April, came in sight of the rebel army, which were about 800 or 9000; and at noon the armies engaged, and had a short and bloody fight for half an hour, the Duke attacking in front, and on both flanks, and obtained a complete victory, with the loss of about 48 killed only of the king's army, and about 200 only slightly wounded, while in the action, and in the pursuit to Inverness, the rebels had near 4000 killed, and near as many then, and in a few days after, made prisoners.

Thus through kind Providence, with the young hero's wise conduct, and bravery of the troops, our fears and miseries are brought to an end,-a third edition of the Revolution.

CANZONE OF TASSO.

Rime Amorose. Canzone V.
"Io mi sedea tutto soletto un giorno," &c.

ONE day concealed I sat beneath

A palm and pine-tree's mingling shades, And fanned by summer's balmy breath, I listened to two gentle maids, That heedless of Time's fleeting wing, Lay stretched the breathing flowers among,

And like two beauteous birds of spring, Made answer to each other's song. There by a sparkling fountain's side, Whose streamlet murmuring softly by, Reflected in its crystal tide

The glances of each love-lit eye. I saw their locks of golden hair,

That waving as the soft breeze blew, Played gently o'er their bosoms fair, And laughing cheeks of rosy hue. And as I gazed, while warm awoke Love's flame within may bosom glowing, One to the other sweetly spoke,

In tones like summer streamlets flowing. "Oh! Love is more fierce than the wintry waves,

Than the torch of war, or the stormy blast

breast,

Nor the tear that dims my fading eye. Oh! that the tears I nightly shed

Might quench a little this fev'rish fire, And leave in my peaceful heart instead But the pleasing warmth of soft desire."

The other with milder note replies: "Love is sweeter far than the vernal gale When it bears not along the swelling

sail,

But stealing from leaf to leaf in sighs,

Scarce ruffles the dew on the flowret's breast,

Scarce ripples the wave in its murmur. ing rest.

Love is sweeter far than the fragrant tear That hangs on the leaflet at balmy even, Than the honey-drop warm, all crystal and clear,

Or the manna that rained from the skies of Heaven.

I blame not Love that the dreamless rest

My bosom once knew, it knows not still, I blame him alone that my maiden breast, He heaves not with keener and warmer thrill.

Then both together sweetly sung, While all the grove responsive rung: ""Tis love alone can bliss impart,

"Tis love alone in bud or blossom, Whether his flame o'erpowers the heart,

Or softly heaves the swelling bosom, Can make the tender maiden blest That takes him to her gentle breast. As from the fount the streamlet flows, As from the bud the blossom blows, So from beauty's glance of fire Springs the tide of fond desire. That sweetest wish in which 'tis given To sons of Earth to breathe of Heaven! Then as we stray from grove to grove, With joy we'll sing, All hail to Love!"

HISTORICAL NOTICES OF THE POPU
LAR SUPERSTITIONS, TRADITIONS,
AND CUSTOMS OF TIVIOTDALE.

This expression is explained by a pas-"A distant age asks where the fabric stood."

sage in the preceding part of the Diary, in which the accession of the House of Hanover is called the second edition of the Revolution. The first part of the above sketch ought to be dated, Jerviswood, a place in the immediate neighbourhood of Lanark, Boniton, and Cleghorn. From the 10th of December, the author of the Journal was at Glasgow, where most of the events passed under his own eye.

MR EDITOR,

COWPER.

UPON looking into some of your late Numbers, I found several articles concerning the ancient superstitions and customs of the Scottish peasantry, which I perused with much interest. Prompted by the same motives that

induced your correspondents to preserve the opinions entertained by our forefathers, concerning supernatural beings, and their interposition in human affairs, I have collected a considerable number of stories still afloat amongst the more unenlightened peasantry of Tiviotdale, my native district; which, with your permission, I shall now present to your readers. The inhabitants of these districts, especially those who inhabit the wild hills of Tiviotdale, are, to this day, found to cherish, with deep veneration, the superstitions regarding fairies and witches which existed amongst their fathers; and which they still teach their children with peculiar reverence and care.

Indeed, among those districts in Scotland distinguished for such miraculous occurrences, that of Tiviotdale, and the surrounding country, has not been the least remarkable. Many of those tales, that have been handed down from former generations, have already been given to the public by Scott and Hogg. Yet I have found, during the course of my inquiries, that there is still great abundance of them not yet recorded, preserved among the older classes; for every old wife has her stories of fairies and witches, and there are even few among them who have not some pretensions to the honour of having had personal experience of their supernatural power.

Of the numberless stories which have escaped the writers alluded to, and others, the following are a few, such as they have been related to me, chiefly by old people. I shall commence with those which relate to fairies.

There have been from time immemorial at Hawick, during the two or three last weeks of the year, markets once a week, for the disposal of sheep for slaughter, at which the greater num ber of people, both in the middle and poorer classes of life, have been accustomed to provide themselves with their marts. A poor man from Jedburgh who was on his way to Hawick, for the purpose of attending one of these markets, as he was passing over that side of Ruberslaw which is nearest the Tiviot, was suddenly alarmed by a frightful and unaccountable noise. The sound as he supposed proceeded from an immense number of female voices; but no objects whence it could

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come were visible. Amidst howling and wailing were mixed shouts of mirth and jollity; but he could gather nothing articulate except the following words: "O there's à bairn born, but there's nae sark to pit on't." The occasion of this elfish concert, it seemed, was the birth of a fairy child, at which the fairies, with the exception of two or three who were discomposed at having nothing to cover the little innocent with, were enjoying themselves with that joviality usually characteristic of such an event. The astonished rustic finding himself amidst a host of invisible beings, in a wild moorland place, and far from any human assistance, should assistance be required, and full of the greatest consternation, immediately on hearing this expression again and again vociferated, stripped off his shirt, and threw it down on the ground. It was instantly snatched up by an invisible hand, and the wailings immediately ceased, but the shouts of mirth were continued with increased vigour. Being of opinion that what he had done had satisficd his invisible friends, he lost no time in making off, and proceeded on his road to Hawick, musing on his singular adventure. He purchased a sheep, which turned out a singularly good bargain, and returned to Jedburgh. He had no cause, says the story, to regret his generosity in bestowing his shirt on the fairies, for every day afterwards his wealth multiplied, and he continued till the day of his death a rich and prosperous man, which, of course, was ascribed by his enlightened contemporaries to the particular interference of the fairies, in return for the service he had done them, in giving them his tattered shirt at a inoment when it was so necessary.

In ancient times a firm belief was extant amongst our ancestors, that a custom obtained among the fairies, of taking infants wherever they could find them, and depositing their own children in their place. It was supposed that when the fairies kidnapped a child previously to its being baptized, (which they always endeavoured to do,) they were more unmerciful both to it and to the feelings of the mother; as in that case, in place of another child, they would substitute a pig, or an urchin, or a skinned or putrid cat, or some such

unseemly creature. If, on the contrary, the child was stolen after it was christened, they would leave in its stead another child. These, however, it is said, were invariably of a fretful and restless temper, and cried almost without intermission; so that they could easily be distingished from human children. Of the many stories which are still current in this country concerning child-stealing by fairy depredators, the following is

one:

A woman at Minto Crag foot, a cottage situated on the east side of the well-known and picturesque rocks called Minto Crags, was going away to reap during harvest, at some distance from home; and having a young child, which was not yet able to walk, had hired a girl to take care of it in her absence. On the day preceding that on which she intended to set out, having been in want of fuel, she went to gather sticks in some of the woods with which these romantic rocks are covered. The girl not having yet arrived, she took her child along with her, and laid it down by the side of a bush, till she collected some wood for her fire. Upon her return she was struck with surprise at the thin and wan appearance of her child, which was crying bitterly and " a' begritten oure. From this, and the unceasing manner in which it continued to cry and fret after it was taken home, both she and her husband were soon convinced that it was not the same child that she had formerly carried in her arms, which was robust, and of a fine disposition. They were in conscquence very much distressed. In this extremity, however, not with any view to sooth the feelings of the child, but to have their own restored, recourse was had to a Mr Bourland, minister of Bedrule, an adjoining parish, who having examined it, immediately pronounced it not to be an earthly being. Under his directions, the mother went to the crags, and pulled some witches thimbles, or foxglove, (Digitalis purpurea,) a plant which still grows very plentifully upon them. Mr Bourland having boiled the flowers, poured some of the decoction into the child's mouth, and laying it upon a flannel blanket, disposed some of the boiled herbs on its breast. After performing this ceremony, he distributed the remain

der of the herbs over its body; and wrapping it up, placed it in the cradle, which he carried into an adjoining barn, the door of which he locked, and otherwise secured the premises, so that all ingress was impracticable. He then gave strict orders that none should attempt to open it till he himself should come to do so next day. The woman being all anxiety about the fate of her child, persuaded her husband to watch with her at the barn door all night. They, however, neither saw nor heard any thing during the night, and never once heard the child utter a cry. The worthy clergyman having come next day, opened the doors, and taking from the cradle the child that had been lost, presented it to its mother as healthy and cheerful as it formerly was. This strange story is of ancient date. Mr Bourland was the first Presbyterian minister of Bedrule after the Revolu

tion. I had it from an intimate, and most respected, acquaintance of mine, to whose great grandmother Mr Bourland was uncle; and whose family having been originally so nearly related, the story has been handed down in it with rather peculiar interest. This gentleman's grandmother, who was a very old woman, used often to relate this story, which she had probably learnt from her mother, or perhaps, if we may venture the supposition, from the worthy pastor himself.

Certain rules and remedies, no less strange than ridiculous, were prescrib ed by skilly auld wives, whereby the charins of the fairies might be averted. These were much more confident. ly relied on, than those that might be resorted to, after their neglect had occasioned the loss of a child. An un

christened child, for instance, was considered as in the most imminent danger, should the mother, while on the straw, neglect the precaution of having the blue bonnet worn by her husband constantly beside her. When a cow happened to be seized with any sudden disease, (the cause of which was usually ascribed to the malignant machinations of the fairies,) she was said to be elf-shot, and it was reckoned as much as her life was worth not to "dad her wi' the blue

Bonnets were generally worn in Ti viotdale 60 or 70 years ago.

bonnet." The blue bonnet seems to have been equally celebrated for its averting influence, as "a hank o' red thread," or even the rowan tree, or mountain ash, used against the charms of witchcraft. Another preventative was a stone with a natural hole in it, which was suspended by a string over the thing that it was intended to protect. Though, to this day, stones of this description may be seen, in some parts of Tiviotdale, suspended over the weavers' web, yet I do not think that they were ever so much esteemed for their reputed efficacy in this respect as the blue bonnet. Of the many stories which tell of the sad occurrences that have happened in consequence of the mother neglecting to be protected by this last mentioned antidote, the following is one; but when, or where it happened, (though certainly in Tiviotdale,) I do not know. A poor woman having been delivered of a fine child, was, for the first two or three days after its birth, very anxious how to protect it from the fairies. Her husband's blue bonnet was, of course, not neglected, but, whether from carelessness, after the first impressions of danger had left her, or, whether from a too confident reliance in the prowess of her own firm resolutions and intrepidity, she soon became regardless of the precaution. She had, however, soon cause to repent of her carelessness; for one morning when she awoke, she was no less disgusted than frightened on finding, in her bosom, an ugly emaciated creature, with only a coarse imitation of human features in its face, instead of her own fine ruddycheeked boy. Like all other children of this description, it cried almost without intermission. One day, about a month after this event, the gudewife having had some work to perform out of doors, she desired a tailor, who happened to be in the house, to rock the cradle till she returned. When she had got to some distance from the house, the child in the cradle whispers very slyly to the tailor, "If you winna tell ma' mammy, I'll play ye a spring on the pipes!"

"It's no wordie a dad of a bonnet," was a common phrase used when expressing contempt, or alluding to any thing not worth the trouble of repairing.

VOL, VI,

Struck almost dumb at hearing such a proposal from a little feeble child, which, till then, had never been seen to lift its head from the pillow, and never before heard to utter a word, the astonished tailor confusedly muttered a promise, and the little tiny elf taking a pair of beautiful bagpipes out of the cradle foot, began to play in such harmonious strains, as quite enraptured him. He, of course, soon discovered the nature of his cun

ning musician; and though quite captivated with the music which it produced in so masterly a manner, yet compelled by the dread of allowing such a guest to harbour in his friend's house, while it was in his power to expel it, he snatched it from the cradle, and tossed it furiously upon a large fire, that was then burning on the hearth. In the twinkling of an eye, the fairy child flew up the chimney, exclaiming, at the same instant, in an imprecating tone, "Peats for that, ye infernal tailor." The rapidity of its ascent was such, that it scarcely finished this expression when it had reached the chimney top, though it began when on the fire. At these frightful results of his well intended deed, the honest tailor stood aghast and amazed; and if more could be added to his astonishment, it was still a little increased, though perhaps a little more agreeably, upon discovering the honest people's child lying in the cradle sound asleep, which had been conveyed to it by unseen agents.

A story of a woman having been taken away by the fairies when a child, somewhat similar in some of its relations to the preceding, is still extant among a few old people, and by the greater part of them believed to be an incontrovertible truth. It was related to me by a Mr James Ruckbie, (who, though well stricken in years, still retains a considerable knack for poetical composition,) whose veracity none can impeach. He remembers to have seen the woman when he was ten or twelve years of age, and he thinks she might then be about sixty. I therefore conclude, that it must have happened, at least the story must have originated, upwards of a hundred years ago. It runs thus: The

A favourite method of chastising those who had displeased them, was by pelting them with these missiles. X X

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