Now fye! now fye! King Jamie, "I fwear by the holy tree,

"I am no devil, or evil thing,

"However foul I be.

Then yield! then yield! King Jamie, "And take my bridegroom's place, "For fhame shall light on the daftard knight, "Who refuses a lady's grace."

Then quoth King Jamie, with a groan,
For his heart was big with care,

"It fhall never be faid, that King Jamie
"Denied a lady's prayer

So he laid him by the foul thing's fide,
And piteously he moan'd;

She prefs'd his hand, and he shudder'd!
She kifs'd his lips, and he groan'd!

When day was come, and night was gone,
And the fun fhone through the hall;

The faireft lady that ever was feen,
Lay between him and the wall

"Oh! well is me!" King Jamie cried, "How long will your beauty stay ?"Then out and fpake that lady fair,

-E'en till my dying day.

<< For

For I was witch'd to a ghaftly shape,
"All by my step-dame's skill;

"Till I could light on a courteous knight,

"Who would let me have all

my will.".

I have altered and added so much to this ballad, that I might al moft claim it for my own.-It bears a great resemblance to the Tale of the Mariage of Sir Gawain ;" but the ftories are related in a manner fo totally different, that I did not think the resemblance fo ftrong, as to deftroy the intereft of "King Jamie's adventure."

No. LIX.

TAM LIN.

Perhaps fome information may be collected from the following extract from the Records of Justiciary in Scotland, reSpecting the popular fuperftition on which this ballad is founded. I have made fome confiderable alterations in the tale itfelf- Alifon Pearfon, of Byre-hill, confeft, that "She had haunted, and repaired with the gude neighbours, "(i. e. Fairies) and the Queen of Elfland, divers years "by paft, and that he had friends in that court, whilk

were of her own blude. Item, that it was the gude neighbours that cured her of her difeafe, when she was "twelve years old, and that fhe faw them making their falves, with pans and' fyres; that they gathered the herbs before the fun was up; and that Mr. William "Sympfon was with him, who was her coufin. When "he was about eight years of age, he was taken away to "Egypt, by an Egyptian, who was a giant, and with and then came home."He was a young man, not fix years older than herself; "and it was he who taught her what herbs were fit to «cure every difeafe, and particularly taught her to make a

"him he remained twelve

years,

" poffit,

"poffet, which she gave to the Bishop of St. Andrews, "when fick; and Mr. William Sympfon told her that he "had been carried away by the gude neighbours, and "bade her fign herself, that she might not be taken away "for the tiend of them who are taken to hell every "year."

The fole evidence against this poor creature was her own confeffion, on the ftrength of which she was burned alive, in 1588.

"ON! I forbid you, maidens all,
"That wear gold in your hair,
"To come or go by Kerton-hall,
"For young Tam Lin is there!

"To the maid who goes by Kerton-hall,
"Some foul trick ftill is play'd;

"She lofes her ring, or her mantle of green,

"Or returns not thence a maid.".

There fhe found his milk-white steed,

But he was away

himfel.

And

And near her was a bonny bush
Of rofes, red and white,
And tempting did those roses seem,

And no one was in fight.

She pull'd a white, fhe pull'd a red,

And afk'd no owner's leave;

When lo! from the bush sprang young Tam Lin,
And caught her by the fleeve.

"Now Janet, fay, who gave to thee,

"Yon roses in thy hand,

"And why comeft thou to Kerton-hall, "Against my strict command ?

"Who ftole a rofe from young Tam Lin, "Its price hath ever paid;

"And the maid who came to Kerton-hall, "Never yet return'd a maid.”

He fix'd on her his witching eye,
He muttered elfin charms;

Her head grew light, her heart beat quick,
And fhe fank into his arms.

Janet has kilted her kirtle of green,

A little above her knee,

And she's away to her father's tower,
As fast as go can she.

Four