the meal and maut."

[Footnote 181: _Feres_--Companions.]

[Footnote 182: _Earl of Whitfield_--The editor does not know who is
here meant.]

[Footnote 183: _Forfoughen_--Quite fatigued.]

[Footnote 184: _Syke_--Ditch.]

NOTES ON HOBBIE NOBLE.

* * * * *

_Aft has he driven our bluidhounds back_.--P. 234. v. 2.

"The russet blood-hound wont, near Annand's stream,
"To trace the sly thief with avenging foot,
"Close as an evil conscience still at hand."

Our ancient statutes inform us, that the blood-hound, or sluith-hound
(so called from its quality of tracing the slot, or track, of men and
animals), was early used in the pursuit and detection of marauders.
_Nullus perturbet, aut impediat canem trassantem, aut homines
trassantes cum ipso, ad sequendum latrones.--Regiam Majestatem_,
Lib. 4tus, Cap. 32. And, so late as 1616, there was an order from the
king's commissioners of the northern counties, that a certain number
of slough-hounds should be maintained in every district of Cumberland,
bordering upon Scotland. They were of great value, being sometimes
sold for a hundred crowns. _Exposition of Bleau's Atlas, voce
Nithsdale_. The breed of this sagacious animal, which could trace the
human footstep with the most unerring accuracy, is now nearly extinct.

ARCHIE OF CA'FIELD.

* * * * *

It may perhaps be thought, that, from the near resemblance which this
ballad bears to Kinmont Willie, and Jock o' the Side, the editor might
have dispensed with inserting it in this collection. But, although
the incidents in these three ballads are almost the same, yet there
is considerable variety in the language; and each contains minute
particulars, highly characteristic of border manners, which it is the
object of this publication to illustrate. Ca'field, or Calfield, is
a place in Wauchopdale, belonging of old to the Armstrongs. In the
account betwixt the English and Scottish marches, Jock and Geordie
of Ca'field, there called Calfhill, are repeatedly marked as
delinquents.--_History of Westmoreland and Cumberland_, Vol.
I. _Introduction_, p. 33. "_Mettled John Hall, from the laigh
Tiviotdale_," is perhaps John Hall of Newbigging, mentioned in the
list of border clans, as one of the chief men of name residing on the
middle marches in 1597. The editor has been enabled to add several
stanzas to this ballad, since publication of the first