ld songs; even although a veteran
bard has remarked, "that both the great poet of Italian rhyme,
Petrarch, and our Chaucer, and other of the upper house of the muses,
have thought their canzons honoured in the title of a ballad." To my
ingenious friend, Dr. John Leyden, my readers will at once perceive
that I lie under extensive obligations, for the poetical pieces, with
which he has permitted me to decorate my compilation; but I am yet
farther indebted to him for his uniform assistance, in collecting and
arranging materials for the work.

In the notes, and occasional dissertations, it has been my object
to throw together, perhaps without sufficient attention to method,
a variety of remarks, regarding popular superstitions, and legendary
history, which, if not now collected, must soon have been totally
forgotten. By such efforts, feeble as they are, I may contribute
somewhat to the history of my native country; the peculiar features
of whose manners and character are daily melting and dissolving into
those of her sister and ally. And, trivial as may appear such an
offering, to the manes of a kingdom, once proud and independent, I
hang it upon her altar with a mixture of feelings, which I shall not
attempt to describe.

"--Hail, land of spearmen! seed of those who scorn'd
To stoop the proud crest to Imperial Rome!
Hail! dearest half of Albion, sea-wall'd!
Hail! state unconquer'd by the fire of war,
Red war, that twenty ages round thee blaz'd!
To thee, for whom my purest raptures flow,
Kneeling with filial homage, I devote
My life, my strength, my first and latest song."

APPENDIX. No. I.

LETTER FROM THE EARL OF SURREY, TO HENRY VIII.
GIVING AN ACCOUNT OF THE STORM OF JEDBURGH.

_Cott. MSS. Calig_. B. III. fol. 29.

* * * * *

"Pleisith it your grace to be advertised, that upon Fridaye, at x a
clok at nyght, I retourned to this towne, and all the garnysons to
their places assigned, the bushopricke men, my Lorde of Westmoreland,
and my Lord Dacre, in likewise evry man home with their companys,
without los of any men, thanked be God; saving viii or x slayne, and
dyvers hurt, at skyrmyshis and saults of the town of Gedwurth, and the
forteressis, which towne is soo suerly brent, that no garnysons ner
none other shal bee lodged there, unto the tyme it bee newe buylded;
the brennyng whereof I comytted to twoo sure men, Sir William Bulmer,
and Thomas Tempeste. The