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

LAY OF THE LAST MINSTREL. 231
Hostica vis nocuit: stant altae robora mentis
Atque decus. Vincet, Rege probante, fides.
Insita queis animis virtus, quosque acrior ardor
Obsidet, obscuris nox premat an tenebris? "
Heroes ex omni Historia Scotica, lectissimi, Auctore Johan.
Jonstonio Abre donense Scoto, 1603.
In consequence of the battle of Melrose, there ensued a deadly feud betwixt the names of Scott and
Kerr, which, in spite of all means used to bring about
an agreement, raged for many years upon the Borders.
Buccleuch was imprisoned, and his estates forfeited, in
the year 1535, for levying war against the Kerrs, and
restored by act of Parliament, dated 15th March, 1542,
during the regency of Mary of Lorraine. But the
most signal act of violence, to which this quarrel gave
rise, was the murder of Sir Walter himself, who was
slain by the Kerrs in the streets of Edinburgh, in 1552.
This is the event alluded to in stanza vii.; and the
poem is supposed to open shortly after it had taken
place.
The feud between these two families was not reconciled in 1596, when both chieftains paraded the streets
of Edinburgh with their followers, and it was expected
their first meeting would decide their quarrel. But,
on July 11 of the same year, Colvil, in a letter to
Mr. Bacon, informs him, "that there was great trouble
upon the Borders, which would continue till order
should be takeni by the Queen of England and the
King, by reason of the two young Scots chieftains,
Cesford and Baclugh, and of the present necessity
and scarcity of corn amongst the Scots Borderers and
riders. That there had been a private quarrel betwixt those two lairds on the Borders, which was like