The poetical works of Sir Walter Scott, with memoir of the author.

190 THE LAY OF [CANTO VI.
X.
By this, the Dame, lest further fray
Should mar the concord of the day,
Had bid the Minstrels tune their lay.
And first stept forth old Albert Grime,
The Minstrel of that ancient name: 1
to have contained in itself sufficient seeds of spontaneous
disorder; but the goblin page is well introduced, as applying
a torch to this mass of combustibles. Quarrels, highly characteristic of Border manners, both in their cause and the
manner in which they are supported, ensue, as well among
the lordly guests, as the yeomen assembled in the buttery."
- Critical Review, 1805.]
1 "John Grahame, second son of Malice, Earl of Monteith,
commonly surnamed John with the Bright Sword, upon some
displeasure risen against him at court, retired with many of
his clan and kindred into the English Borders in the reign of
King Henry the Fourth, where they seated themselves; and
many of their posterity have continued there ever since.
Mr. Sandford, speaking of them, says, (which indeed was
applicable to most of the Borderers on both sides,)'They
were all stark moss-troopers, and arrant thieves: Both to
England and Scotland outlawed; yet sometimes connived at,
because they gave intelligence forth of Scotland, and would
raise 400 horse at any time upon a raid of the English into
Scotland. A saying is recorded of a mother to her son,
(which has now become proverbial,) Ride, Rowley, hough's i'
the pot: that is, the last piece of beef was in the pot, and
therefore it was high time for him to go and fetch more.' "-Introduction to the History ofj Cumberland.
The residence of the Graemes being chiefly in the Debatable Land, so called because it was claimed by both kingdoms,
their depredations extended both to England and Scotland,
with impunity; for as both wardens accounted them the
proper subjects of their own prince, neither inclined to demand reparation for their excesses from the opposite officers,