is a ruined chapel. Brotherstone is a heath, in the neighbourhood of Smaylho'me Tower.

The

This ancient fortress and its vicinity formed the scene of the author's infancy, and seemed to claim from him this attempt to celebrate them in a Border tale. catastrophe of the tale is founded upon a well-known Irish tradition.

THE Baron of Smaylho'me rose with day,
He spurr'd his courser on,
Without stop or stay, down the rocky way,

That leads to Brotherstone.

fountains, etc. in Scotland. He was, according to Ca-
merarius, an abbot of Pittenweem, in Fife, from which
situation he retired, and died a hermit in the wilds of
Glenurchy, A.D. 649. While engaged in transcribing
the Scriptures, his left hand was observed to send forth
such a splendour, as to afford light to that with which
he wrote; a miracle which saved many candles to the
convent, as St Fillan used to spend whole nights in that
exercise. The 9th of January was dedicated to this
saint, who gave his name to Kilfillan, in Renfrew, and
St Phillans, or Forgend, in Fife. Lesley, lib. 7. tells us,
that Robert the Bruce was possessed of Fillan's miracu
lous and luminous arm, which he inclosed in a silver
shrine, and had it carried at the head of his army. Pre-He went not with the bold Buccleuch,
vious to the battle of Bannockburn, the king's chap-
lain, a man of little faith, abstracted the relic, and de-
posited it in some place of security, lest it should fall
into the hands of the English. But, lo! while Robert
was addressing his prayers to the empty casket, it was
observed to open and shut suddenly; and, on inspection,
the saint was found to have himself deposited his arm
in the shrine, as an assurance of victory. Such is the
tale of Lesley. But though Bruce little needed that the
arm of St Fillan should assist his own, he dedicated to
him, in gratitude, a priory at Killin, upon
Loch Tay.

In the Scots Magazine for July, 1802 (a national periodical publication, which has lately revived with considerable energy), there is a copy of a very curious crown-grant, dated 11th July, 1487, by which James III. confirms to Malice Doire, an inhabitant of Strathfillan, in Perthshire, the peaceable exercise and enjoyment of a relic of St Fillan, called the Quegrich, which he, and his predecessors, are said to have possessed since the days of Robert Bruce. As the Quegrich was used to cure diseases, this document is, probably, the most ancient patent ever granted for a quack medicine. The ingenious correspondent, by whom it is furnished, further observes, that additional particulars concerning St Fillan are to be found in BALLENDEN'S Boece, Book 4, folio ccxiii, and in PENNANT'S Tour in Scotland, 1772, PP. 11, 15.

THE EVE OF SAINT JOHN.

His banner broad to rear:

He went not 'gainst the English yew
To lift the Scottish spear.

Yet his plate-jack1 was braced, and his helmet was laced,
And his vaunt-brace of proof he wore;

At his saddle-gerthe was a good steel sperthe,
Full ten pound weight and more.

The baron return'd in three days' space,

And his looks were sad and sour;

And weary was his courser's pace,

As he reach'd his rocky tower.

He came not from where Ancram Moor
Ran red with English blood;
Where the Douglas true, and the bold Buccleuch,
'Gainst keen Lord Evers stood.

Yet was his helmet hack'd and hew'd,

His acton pierced and tore;

Ulis axe and his dagger with blood embrued,
But it was not English gore.

fle lighted at the Chapellage,

He held him close and still;
And he whistled thrice for his little foot-page,
His name was English Will.

<«<Come thou hither, my little foot-page;
Come hither to my knee;

Though thou art young, and tender of age,
I think thou art true to me.

<< Come, tell me all that thou hast seen,
And look thou tell me true!

What did thy lady do?»

My lady, each night, sought the lonely light,
That burns on the wild Watch fold;
For, from height to height, the beacons bright
Of the English foemen told.

SMAYLHO ME, or Smallholm Tower, the scene of the fol-
lowing ballad, is situated on the northern boundary of
Roxburghshire, among a cluster of wild rocks, called
Sandiknow Crags, the property of Hugh Scott, Esq. of
Harden. The tower is a high square building, surround-Since I from Smaylho'me tower have been,
ed by an outer wall, now ruinous. The circuit of the
outer court, being defended, on three sides, by a pre-
cipice and morass, is accessible only from the west, by
a steep and rocky path. The apartments, as is usual in
a Border keep, or fortress, are placed one above another,
and communicate by a narrow stair; on the roof are
two bartizans, or platforms, for defence or pleasure.
The inner door of the tower is wood, the outer an iron
grate; the distance between them being nine feet, the
thickness, namely, of the wall. From the elevated si-Yet the craggy pathway she did cross,
tuation of Smaylho'me Tower, it is seen many miles in
every direction. Among the crags, by which it is sur-
rounded, one, more eminent, is called The Watchfold;}
and is said to have been the station of a beacon, in the
times of war with Eagland. Without the tower-court

«The bittern clamour'd from the moss,
The wind blew loud and shrill;

To the eiry beacon hill.

The plate-jsek is coat-armour; the vauni-brace, or wambeam

armour for the body; the sperthe, a battle-axe.
See an account of the battle of Ancram Moor, subjoined to the
ballad.

At the lone midnight hour, when bad spirits have

power,

In thy chamber will I be.'

With that he was gone, and my‘lady left alone,

And no more did I see.»>

Then changed. I trow, was that bold baron's brow,
From the dark to the blood-red high;

« Now, tell me the mien of the knight thou hast seen,
For, by Mary, he shall die!»

«His arms shone full bright in the beacon's red light,
His plume it was scarlet and blue;

On his shield was a hound, in a silver leash bound,
And his crest was a branch of the yew.»

« Thou liest, thou liest, thou little foot-page,
Loud dost thou lie to me!

For that knight is cold, and low laid in the mould,
All under the Eildon-tree.»>

«Yet hear but my word, my noble lord,
For I heard her name his name;
And that lady bright, she call'd the knight,
Sir Richard of Coldinghame.»>

The bold baron's brow then changed, I trow,
From high blood-red to pale-

«The grave is deep and dark-and the corpse
is stiff

and stark

So I may not trust thy tale.

« Where fair Tweed flows round holy Melrose,
And Eildon slopes to the plain,

Full three nights ago, by some secret foe,
That
gay gallant was slain.

«The varying light deceived thy sight,

And the wild winds drown'd the name;

For the Dryburgh bells ring, and the white monks do

sing,

For Sir Richard of Coldinghame!>>

He pass'd the court-gate, and he open'd the tower

grate,

And he mounted the narrow stair,

To the bartizan-seat, where, with maids that on her

wait,

He found his lady fair.

Yet there sleepeth a priest in the chamber to the That lady sat in mournful mood; east,

The black rood of Melrose was a crucifix of black marble, and of superior sanctity.

Look'd over hill and dale;

Over Tweed's fair flood, and Mertoun's' wood,
And all down Teviotdale.

«Now hail, now hail, thou lady bright!»

«Now hail, thou baron true!

What news, what news, from Ancram fight?
What news from the bold Buccleuch ?»

« The Ancram Moor is red with gore
For

many a southeru fell;

And Buccleuch has charged us, evermore,
To watch our beacons well,»>

Eildon is a high hill, terminating in three conical summits, imDryburgh Abbey is beautifully situated on the banks of the mediately above the town of Melrose, where are the admired ruins! Tweed. After its dissolution, it became the property of the flali- of a magnific at monastery. Eildon-tree is said to be the spot burtons of Newmains, and is now the seat of the right honourable, where Thomas the thymer uttered his prophecies. the Earl of Buchan. It belonged to the order of Premonstratenses.

* Mertoun is the beautiful seat of Hugh Scott, Esq. of Harden.