ANCIENT PO E M S. 213 expiring, faid, "You hae spilt a better face than your awin." Upon this, Bucky pointing his dagger at Huntley's breaft, fwore, "You shall be as deep as I;" and forced him to pierce the poor defenceless body. K. James, who took no care to punish the murtherers, is faid by fome to have privately countenanced and abetted them, being ftimulated by jealoufy for some indiscreet praises which his Queen had too lavishly bestowed on this unfortunate youth. See the preface to the next ballad. See also Mr. Walpole's Catalogue of Royal Auth. vol. 1. p. 42. He was a braw gallant, And he playd at the gluve; Oh! he was the Queenes luve. Oh! lang will his lady Luke owre the caftle downe Cum founding throw the towne. . 2Q *Caftle downe here has been thought to mean the CASTLE OF DowNE, a feat belonging to the family of Murray. It has been fuggefted to the Editor, that this ballad covertly alludes to the indifcreet partiality, which Q. Anne. of Denmark is faid to have fhewn for the BONNY EARL OF MURRAY; and which is fuppofed to have influenced the fate of that unhappy nobleman. Let the Reader judge for himself. The following account of the murder is given by a contemporary writer, and a perfon of credit, Sir James Bulfour, Knight, Lyon King of Arms, whofe MS. of the Annals of Scotland is in the Advocates library at Edinburgh. "The Seventh of Febry, this zeire, 1592, the Earle of "Murray was cruelly murthered by the Earle of Huntley at "bis houfe in Dunibriffel in Fyffe-fhyre, and with him "Dunbar, |