1792) is a curious specimen of the ancient moralities, and forms a most entertaining commentary on the manners of the times in which it was written. The scenes of "the poor man and the 66 pardoner," (beginning at page 61,) and of "the parliament of correction," (p. 141,) are, perhaps, the most striking.

But the most pleasing of all this author's works is certainly the History of Squire Meldrum.* The romantic and singular, but authentic, character of the hero, is painted with great strength and simplicity; and the versification possesses a degree of facility and elegance at least equal to the most polished compositions of Drayton. Of this the reader will judge from the following specimen, which is taken from the beginning of the second book (Scot. P. vol. I. p. 179, &c.)

And as it did approach the night,
Of a castell he gat ane sight,

Beside ane mountain, in ane vale :

* Printed at Edinburgh, 1592, by H. Charteris, in an edition of Lindsay's work, afterwards by ditto separately, 1594, from which it was republished by Mr Pinkerton in his "Scotish Poems," vol. I. p. 143. The title runs thus: "The Historie of ane nobil and wailyeand Squyer, Wil"liame Meldrum, umqubyle Laird of Cleische and Bynnis." Also "The Testament of the said Williame Meldrum, Squyer."

66

And then, after his great travail,'
He purposit him to repois,*

Where ilk man did of him rejoice.
Of this triumphant pleasant place,
Ane lusty lady was mistrèss;

Whose lord was dead some time before,
Wherethrough her dolour was the more.
But yet she took some comforting
To hear the pleasant dulce talking
Of this young squyer; of his chance,
And how it fortun'd him in France.

Did wash, and then to supper went.

During that night, there was nought ellis
But for to hear of his novellis.^
Æneas, when he fled from Troy,
Did not Queen Dido greater joy,
When he in Carthage did arrive,
And did the siege of Troy descryve.
The wonders that he did rehearse

Were langsum 5 for to put

in verse ; Of which this lady did rejoice:

They drank, and syne went to repois.

I Work, Fr. or perhaps travel, i. e. journey. 2 The original spelling is, here, necessary for the rhyme. 3 Lady Gleneagles ( Vide Lindsay's Hist. of Scot. p. 200.) 4 Adventures, Fr. 5 Tedious, Sax. 6 Since, afterwards.

A

He found his chamber well arrayit,
With dornick-work on board displayit.
Of venison he had his waill; *
Good aqua-vitæ, wine, and ale;

With noble comfits, brawn, and geill:
And swa the squyer fuir 4 right weill.

3

Sa, to hear mair of his narration,
This lady came to his collation;
Sayand he was right welcome hame.s
"Grandmerci then," quod he, " madame.”
They past the time with chess and table,
For he to every game was able.
Then unto bed drew every wight.
To chamber went this lady bright,
The which this squyer did convoy :
Syne, till his bed he went with joy.

That night he sleepit never ane wink,
But still did on the lady think.

Damasked? (Pink. Gloss.) Ornicle, in La Combe's Dict. du Vieux Lang. is interpreted "sorte d'étoffe fort "riche ;" and linen imitating the patterns of such stuff might be called travail d'ornicle. In Dutch, doornick is the name for Tournay; the word, therefore, may be synonimous with Flemish linen.

2 Choice. Ruddiman's Gloss.

4 Fared.

3 Jelly.

5 Home.

The adventure which follows nearly resembles that of Dido and Æneas; but Lindsay, though more circumstantial, is less delicate than Virgil in relating the good fortune of his hero: which is the more to be lamented, because his description contains some curious particulars respecting the customs and fashions of the age.

Sir David Lindsay has enumerated no less than seven contemporary poets, of whom, however, we have no remains, excepting three pieces composed by one of the Stewarts, and inserted in page 146, 148, and 151, of Lord Hailes's extracts from the Bannatyne MS. They are principally remarkable for the freedom with which they censure the conduct of King James V.

But the finest specimen of Scotish poetry, during this period, is a piece which is quoted by Mr Tyrwhitt from the Maitland MSS. under the title of the Mourning Maiden, and printed by Mr Pinkerton (Anc. Scot. Poems, 1786, p. 205.)

THE MOURNING MAIDEN.

Still under the leavis green

This hinder day I went alone :

I heard ane may1 sair mourn, and meyne;1
To the king of love she made her moan.

A virgin. Sax.

2 Moan, complain.

She sighit sely' sore;

Said, "Lord, I love thy lore,

2

"Mair woe dreit never woman one.

"O langsum life! and thou were gone, "Then should I mourn no more!"

As red gold-wire shinit her hair,
And all in green the may she glaid; 3
Ane bent bow in her hand she bare,
Under her belt were arrows braid. 4

I followit on that free,$

That seemly was to see:

With still mourning her moan she made.

That bird under a bank she bade

And leanit to ane tree.

"Wan-weird!" she said, "what have I wrought,

"That on me kytht 8 has all this care? "True love, so dear I have thee bought! "Certis, so shall I do na mair.

4 Broad.

1 Wonderfully? sellic, Sax. 2 Endured; dreogan, Sax. 3 Glided along. 5 After that noble maid. Free, in old English, is almost constantly used in the sense of noble or genteel.

6 Abode.

8 Cast.

7 Misfortune.

9 No more.