with fuch diftinct Information as could be wished for that end at present, the Defign is delayed until the publishing of a Third or Fourth fucceeding Volume, wherein the Curious fhall be fatisfied, in as far as can be gathered, with Relation to their Lives and Characters, and the Time wherein they flourished. The Names of the Authors, as we find them in our Copics, are marked before or after their Poems.

I cannot finish this Preface, without grateful Acknowledgements to the Honourable Mr. WILLIAM CARMICHAEL of Skirling, Brother to the Earl of Hyndford, who with an eafy Beneficence, that is infeparable from a fuperior Mind, affifted me in this Undertaking with a valuable Number of Poems, in a large Manufcript-book in Folio, collected and wrote by Mr.

George Bannyntine in Anno 1568; from which M. S. the most of the following are gathered: and if they prove acceptable to the World, they may have the pleasure of expecting a great many mare, and fhall very foon be gratified.

CHRYSTS-KIRK

OF THE

GRE. N E
EN

I.

AS nevir in Scotland hard nor fene

W

Sic Dancing and Deray,

Nowthir at Falkland on the Grene,

Nor Pebills at the Play,

A

NOTES.

Because we strictly obferve the old Orthography, for the more Conveniency of the Readers, we shall note fome general Rules at the Bottom of the Page, as they occur, wherein the old Spelling differs from the prefent, in Words that have nothing elfe of the Antique, or Difference from the English: But fhall refer you to the Gloflary at the End of the fecond Vol. for the Explanation of all of that kind in particular, and of thofe that are more peculiar to this Nation.

Rule 1. Grene, Sene, Clene, &c. Green, Seen, Clean. The double ce is fupplied in fuch Words, commonly with one e before, and another after the Confonant.

As was of Wowers, as I wene,

At Chryfts- Kirk on a Day;

Thair came our Kitties washen clene

In new Kirtills of Gray,

Full gay,

At Chryft-Kirk of the Grene that Day,

II.

To danfs thir Damyfells them dicht,
Thir Laffes licht of Laits:

Thair Gluvis war of the Raffell richt,
Thair Shune war of the Straits;

Thair Kirtills war of Lincome licht,
Weil preft with mony Plaits:

They war fae nyfs when Men them nicht,

They fqueilt lyke ony Gaits,

Sae loud, at, &c. that Day.

Danfs, Fenfs, Glanfs, Dance, Fence, Glance. The s us'd for the ce often in fuch Words.

Dicht, Licht, Richt, &c. Dight, Light, Right. The ch in fuch Words always us'd in Place of the gh.

Gluvis, Lufe, Haif, &c. Gloves, Love, Have. The fand v indifferently made ufe of in thofe and the like Words.

Shune, Mune, Sune, &c. Shoon (or Shoes) Moon, Soon, the double o, never found in fuch Words. Sometimes they are fpell'd, Sone, Mone'; but in thofe, as in many others, we have endeavour'd to fix the Orthography to the moft frequent Manner.

III.

Of all thir Maidens myld as meid,
Was nane fae jimp as Gillie:
As ony Rofe her Rude was reid,
Her Lyre was lyke the Lillie.
Fow zellow, zellow was her Heid;
But fcho of Lufe fae filly,

Thocht all hir Kin had fworn hir Deid,
Scho wald haif but fweit Willie

Alane, at Chryst - Kirk, &c. that Day.

IV.

SCHо fkornit Jok and fkrapit at him,
And murgeont him with Mokks,

He wald haif luvit, fcho wald not lat him,

For all his zellow Lokks.

B

Weil, Deid, Heid, Meid, &c, Well, Dead, Head, Mead. The Diphthong ei us'd in many fuch Words as now require é, ea and ee.

Sae, Wae, Mae, Nane, Wald, &c. So, Wo, Moe, None, Would. The a and we in Place of o and oe, ex. cept in,thofe Words, Ony, Mony, which are the reverse.

Nyfs, Wyss, Byt, Hyd; Myld, "Lyk, &c. Nice, Wife, Bite, Hide, Mild, Like. Our not founding the i as the Engli do, accounts very well, for our Elders fpelling all words with a y of such a found.