THE LOCHMABEN HARPER
NOW FIRST PUBLISHED.
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_The castle of Lochmaben was formerly a noble building, situated upon
a peninsula, projecting into one of the four lakes which are in
the neighbourhood of the royal burgh, and is said to have been the
residence of Robert Bruce, while lord of Annandale. Accordingly,
it was always held to be a royal fortress, the keeping of which,
according to the custom of the times, was granted to some powerful
lord, with an allotment of lands and fishings, for the defence and
maintenance of the place. There is extant a grant, dated 16th March,
1511, to Robert Lauder of the Bass, of the office of captain and
keeper of Lochmaben castle, for seven years, with many perquisites.
Among others, the_ "land, stolen frae the king," _is bestowed upon the
captain, as his proper lands.--What shall we say of a country, where
the very ground was the subject of theft_?
* * * * *
O heard ye na o' the silly blind Harper,
How lang he lived in Lochmaben town?
And how he wad gang to fair England,
To steal the Lord Warden's Wanton Brown!
But first he gaed to his gude wyfe,
Wi' a' the haste that he could thole--
"This wark," quo' he, "will ne'er gae weel,
Without a mare that has a foal.
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