have been more or less directly derived.

The ballad is one of those mentioned in _The Complaynt of Scotland_
(1549), like the 'Hunttis of Chevet' (see p. 2 of this volume). It is
again mentioned as being in print in 1668; but the latter may possibly
refer to a poem on the battle, afterwards printed in Allan Ramsay's
_Evergreen_. The fact that the present ballad omits all reference to the
Earl of Mar, and deals with the Forbes brothers, who are not otherwise
known to have taken part in the battle, disposes Professor Child to
believe that it is a comparatively recent ballad.

+The Story.+--The battle of Harlaw was fought on July 24, 1411. Harlaw
is eighteen miles north-west of Aberdeen, Dunidier a hill on the
Aberdeen road, and Netherha' is close at hand. Balquhain (2.2) is a mile
south of Harlaw, while Drumminnor (15.3) is more than twenty miles
away--though the horse covered the distance there and back in 'twa hours
an' a quarter' (16.3).

The ballad is narrated by 'John Hielan'man' to Sir James the Rose
(derived from the ballad of that name given earlier in the present
volume) and Sir John the Gryme (Graeme). 'Macdonell' is Donald of the
Isles, who, as claimant to the Earldom of Ross, advanced on Aberdeen,
and was met at Harlaw by the Earl of Mar and Alexander Ogilvy, sheriff
of Angus. It was a stubborn fight, though it did not last from Monday to
Saturday (23), and Donald lost nine hundred men and the other party five
hundred.

Child finds a difficulty with the use of the word 'she' in 4.3, despite
'me' in the two previous lines. Had it been 'her,' the difficulty would
not have arisen.

THE BATTLE OF HARLAW

1.
As I cam in by Dunidier,
An' doun by Netherha',
There was fifty thousand Hielan'men
A-marching to Harlaw.
_Wi' a dree dree dradie drumtie dree_

2.
As I cam on, an' farther on,
An' doun an' by Balquhain,
Oh there I met Sir James the Rose,
Wi' him Sir John the Gryme.

3.
'O cam ye frae the Hielan's, man?
An' cam ye a' the wey?
Saw ye Macdonell an' his men,
As they cam frae the Skee?'

4.
'Yes, me cam frae ta Hielan's, man,
An' me cam a' ta wey,
An' she saw Macdonell an' his men,
As they cam frae ta Skee.'

5.
'Oh was ye near Macdonell's men?
Did ye their numbers see?
Come, tell to me, John Hielan'man,
What micht their numbers be?'

6.
'Yes, me was near, an' near eneuch,
An' me their numbers saw;