A collection of ancient and modern Scottish ballads, etc

329'
ftiar is knocked over the stair, and he himself, by the
swinging blow which he takes, falls against the opposite
wall and cuts his face.
It is one of the best tales in our language ; and from the
genuine humour and striking descriptions, is supposed
to be the composition of Dunbar, no name being affixed
to the poem in the Bannatyne MS. It is the prototype
of Allan Ramsay's Monk and Miller's Wife^ which, al-
though possessing comic wit and humour in no ordinary
degree, bears no comparison to the energetic delineation
of characters, intimate knowledge of mankind, and power-
ful description of the inimitable original.—The poem here
is taken from Sibbald's *' Chronicle of Scotish Poetry,"
who compiled it " from Mr Pinkerton's Scotish Poems,
1786, collated with the Bannatyne MS."]
As it befell^ and hapinit into deid.
Upon ane rever the quhilk is callit Tweid
At Tweidis mouth thair stands ane noble toun^ .
Quhair mony lordis hes bene of grit renounCj
And mony a lady bene fair of face.
And mony ane fresclie lusty galand was.
Into this toune, the quhilk is callit Berwik^ ,
Apoun the sey, thair standis nane it lyk.
For it is wallit weill about with stane.
And dowbil stankis castin mony ane.
And syne tlie castell is so Strang and wicht.
With staitelie towrs^ and turrats he on hicht.
With kirnalis wrocht craftelie with all;
The portculis most subtellie to fall,
Quhen that thame list to draw thame upon hicht^
That it may be into na mannis micht.
To win that hous by craft or subtiltie.
Quhairfoir it is maist fair alluterrlie j
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