A collection of ancient and modern Scottish ballads, etc

31
THE BATTLE 6F HARLAW.
[The ballad relates very faithfully and circumstantially the
cause and issue of this battle, fought in 1411, between
Donald of the Isles and the Earl of Marr, nephew to the
Duke of Albany, Regent of Scotland during the captivity
of James I.—In the " Complaynt of Scotland," publish-
ed in 1549, a ballad, with this title, is mentioned as being
then popular, and, making allowance for a few alterations
which more modern reciters would substitute, this may
be the same with the one there alluded to. It was first
published by Allan Ramsay, who, as they suited his own
taste, was not over scrupulous either of retrenching
stanzas, or substituting his own verses for the originals
in the ancient poetry which he collected ; some may,
therefore, entertain doubts of its authenticity, but, if we
may trust the internal evidence of the poem, it does not
appear that there is any other foundation for these sus-
picions than the circumstance of Ramsay being its pub-
lisher.
A bag-pipe tune to this ballad is cursorily noticed in the
" Polemo-Middinia," a mock-heroic poem, said to be
written by the celebrated Dr Ktcairne.]
Frae Dimideir as I cam throuch,
Doun by the hill of Banochie,
Allangst the lands of Garioch,
Grit pitie was to heir and se.
The noys and dulesum hermonie.
That evir that driery day did daw,
Cryand the corynoch on hie,
" Alas, alas, for the Harlaw !'*