gear;
My servants all for life did flee,
And left me in extremitie.

I sew'd his sheet, making my mane;
I watch'd the corpse, myself alane;
I watch'd his body, night and day;
No living creature came that way.

I took his body on my back,
And whiles I gaed, and whiles I sat;
I digg'd a grave, and laid him in,
And happ'd him with the sod sae green.

But think na ye my heart was sair,
When I laid the moul' on his yellow hair;
O think na ye my heart was wae,
When I turned about, awa' to gae?

Nae living man I'll love again,
Since that my lovely knight is slain;
Wi' yae lock o' his yellow hair,
I'll chain my heart for evermair."

This exquisite ballad has probably no connection with Cockburn of
Henderland,--we feel strongly convinced it has not,--but it is none the
less interesting, as it is a composition which can well afford to be
regarded apart altogether from its traditional associations.

There is another tradition which it may be as well to notice in passing.
It is said that, after hanging Cockburn, the King proceeded to Tushielaw
to deal in like manner with Adam Scott, well known on the Borders as "The
King of Thieves." His castle stood on the spur of a hill opposite the
Rankleburn, on the west side of the river Ettrick, commanding a wide
out-look in almost every direction. Near it was the famous "Hanging Tree,"
which was accidentally destroyed by fire only a few years ago, where the
unlucky captives of this noted outlaw were unceremoniously suspended in
order to prevent their giving further annoyance. It is said that, on one
of the branches, a deep groove was worn by the swaying to and fro of the
fatal rope. It would have been most fitting had this cruel marauder been
put to death where so many of his victims ended their career. But in this
instance the tradition, that this actually happened, has been proved to be
without any foundation in fact. We find in "Pitcairn" an account of Adam
Scott's trial and execution in Edinburgh. On the 18th May, 1529--just two
days after Cockburn had "justified the law"--"Adam Scott of Tuschilaw was
Convicted of art and part of theftuously taking _Black-maill_, from the
time of his entry within the Castle of Edinburgh, in Ward, from John
Brown, Hoprow: And of art and part of theftuously taking _Black-maill_
from Andrew Thorbrand and William, his brother: And of art and part of
theftuously taking of _Black-maill_ from the poor Tenants o