No. 230: The Slaughter of the Laird of Mellerstain
[There are no known US or Canadian traditional versions of this ballad.]
CONTENTS:
1. Child's Narrative
2. Footnote (There is one footnote for this ballad)
3. Brief (Kittredge)
4. Child's Ballad Text A
5. End-notes
6. Additions and Corrections
ATTACHED PAGES (see left hand column):
1. Recordings & Info: 230. The Slaughter of the Laird of Mellerstain
A. Roud No. 4020: The Slaughter of the Laird of Mellerstain (1 Listing)
2. Sheet Music: 230. The Slaughter of the Laird of Mellerstain (Bronson gives no music example or text. There is no known music example from tradition.)
3. English and Other Versions (Including Child versions A with additional notes)]
Child's Narrative: 230. The Slaughter of the Laird of Mellerstain
A. In a folio volume with the title "Miscellanies," the last piece in the volume, Abbotsford.
Birrel's Diary has this entry under date of January 3, 1603: "The 3 of Januar Johne Hai[t]lie of Millstanes slaine at the Salt Tron be Williame Home hes guidfather. This William of Ball[int]a wes of the hous of Cowdenknowis." P. 57. In a proclamation of the Privy Council against reset of criminals, 20th January, 1603, the list of cases begins with "the reset of the persons who lately most shamefully and barbarously slew the Laird of Mellestanes." Register, VI, 525 f. There is nothing to show that these persons were ever brought to justice, and the efforts made by the public authorities to stop hostilities between the families concerned were, as usual, not readily successful. April 28, 1608, the parties to the "feud between James Haitlie, now of Mellirstanes [son of John], and Mr. James Home of Eccles, on account of the slaughter of John Haitlie of Mellirstanes," are ordered to appear before the Council on the 12th of May following, to be reconciled and to chop hands together. Register, VIII, 81 f.
An entry of the 4th of December, 1599, censures Sir George Home, sheriff of Berwick, for not proceeding against "William Home, younger, called of Coldenknowis and now of Ballinta, who slew within the said shire Mr. Alexander Dicksoun," and was denounced therefor 29th December, 1596. This William we may presume to have been the undegenerate son of the William whom Birrel calls Mellerstain's "guidfather." Register, VI, 57.
The lady of st. 1 was Marion Lumsden (otherwise Mariot, Margaret), "Lady Mellirstanes," "relicta Joannis Haitlie de Mellerstanes." Register P. C., VIII, 101, 366, Register of the Great Seal, VI, 722. Mellerstain stands on a rising ground near the right bank of the Eden, 12. Cowdenknows in 31 may have been Sir John Home of Cowdenknows, named as one of the curators of James Haitlie (a minor in 1607). Earlstoun is not determinate. Bemerside is an alternative reading for Earlstoun. The laird of Bemerside at the date of the slaughter was the turbulent James Haig. The lady in st. 4 is looking in several directions for the arrival of her husband's body. (I have not found Fieldiesha and Yirdandstane.) The Salt Tron is a locality of much note in the history of Edinburgh: see Wilson's Memorials, p. 249.
This fragment appears to have come into Sir Walter Scott's hands through Mr. W. Yellowlees, who filled out two of the defective stanzas, and appended some remarks under the date of 29th October, 1828. [1]
Footnote: 1. It would have come in earlier (as No 195), had it been discovered in time.
Brief Description by George Lyman Kittredge
This fragment tells of the murder of John Haitlie, of Mellerstain, in 1603. Mellerstain stands on a rising ground near the right bank of the Eden. The lady of stanza 1 was Marion Lumsden, Haitlie's wife.
Child's Ballad Text
[The Slaughter of the Laird of Mellerstain']- Version A; Child 230 The Slaughter of the Laird of Mellerstain
In a folio volume with the title "Miscellanies," the last piece in the volume, Abbotsford.
1 . . . .
As they came in by the Eden side,
They heard a lady lamenting sair,
Bewailing the time she was a bride.
2 . . . .
A stately youth of blude and bane,
. . . .
John Hately, the laird of Mellerstain.
3 'Cowdenknows, had ye nae lack?
And Earlstoun, had ye nae shame?
Ye took him away behind my back,
But ye never saw to bring him hame.'
4 And she has lookit to Fieldiesha,
So has she through Yirdandstane;
She lookit to Earlstoun, and she saw the Fans,
But he's coming hame by West Gordon.
5 And she staggerd and she stood,
6 . . . . . . .
. . . . . wude;
How can I keep in my wits,
When I look on my husband's blood?'
7 'Had we been men as we are women,
And been at his back when he was slain,
It should a been tauld for mony a lang year,
The slaughter o the laird of Mellerstain.'
End-Notes
24. James John Hately.
32. Earlstown Bemerside had.
Between 3 and 4 are two half stanzas which belong to 'James Hatley,' No. 241, and are there given.
41. Fieldies ha.
42. yird and stane.
Additions and Corrections
To be Corrected in the Print.
281 a, 22. Read and bane.
282 a, 32. Read behind my.