Anonymous

“ Are we to starve in Christian land?
As lang's my stick bides in my hand,
An' silver plenty in my pouch,
To nane about your house I'll crouch;
Landlord, you needna be sae rude,
For faith we'll make our quarters good. ”

“ The first of his prophecies ever taken to be faithfully observed, was, that there should be a storm on a certain day, that would surprise all Scotland. Now, some gentlemen being with him that day they began to joke him, and said Sir Thomas, you are now mistaken, and we shall stay and see your mistake, as we have heard so much of your prophecies. He told them to stay an hour longer, and they would see and believe. ”

“ Since fate is so, now Scotland learn,
⁠⁠⁠In patience to abide,
⁠Slanders, great fears, and sudden plagues,
⁠⁠⁠And great dolours beside.
16. For out of thee shall people rise,
⁠⁠⁠With divers happiness ”

“ Tis haunted by a frightful ghaist!
Ourselves are terrified a' night,
Sae ye may chance to get a sight,
Like that which some of our folk saw,
Far better till ye gang awa,
Or else ye'll maybe rue the day. ”

“ But how the Lion was hurt at this time, and not perceived, is yet a mystery. Some are of opinion, that it was by taken away the power or superiority from the chiefs of the Highland Clans, so that they cannot raise men in such a short time as formerly. ”

“ Guid faith, says John, I'm thinking sae,
Better in the neuk to sit,
Than fiy'd, gude keep's, out o' our wit;
Preserve us ever frae all evil,
I wadna like to see the devil:
Whisht gowk, quo' Thrummy, haud your peace,
That sanna gar me quit this place:
To great nor sma' I ne'er did ill,
No ghaist, no diel my sert shall spill. ”

“ Tho’ wont to won, may be subdued,
⁠⁠⁠And come in under yoke ;
⁠Strangers may reign, and you destroy,
⁠⁠⁠What likes him by sword’s stroke.
8. A foreign foe whom neither thy force
⁠⁠⁠Nor manners do approve,
⁠Woe is to thee, by guile and slight,
⁠⁠⁠Will only win above. ”

“ Glauming the gate back to his bed,
Ae thinks he hears a person tread,
An' ere he gat without the door,
The Ghaist again stood him before,
And in his face did staring stand,
Wi' a big candle in his hand,
Quoth Thrummy, Friend I want to know,
What brings you from the shades below? ”

“ Whate'er you charge, we sanna grudge,
But satisfy ye, ere we budge,
To gang awa—and fan 'tis day,
We'll pack our all, and tak the way.
The Landlord said, o' beds I've nane,
Our ain folks they will scarce contain ”

“ Sae in our tale, as we go on,
I think we'd ca' him cowardly John.
Sae on they gade at a good scow'r,
Cause that they saw a gathering shower,
Grow verra thick upon the wind,
Whilk to their wae they soon did find ”