Mr. Laing, in his _Early Metrical Tales_ (p. xlv.) speaks of an edition printed in the year 1668 as being "in the curious library of old Robert Myln." No copy is now known to exist of a date anterior to that which was published in Ramsay's _Evergreen_. Of the age of this copy the most opposite opinions have been maintained, some regarding the ballad as contemporary with the event, and others insinuating that Ramsay, or one of his friends, is chargeable with the authorship. This last notion has no other ground than the freedom which Ramsay notoriously took with his texts, and that freedom has very likely been exercised in the present case. We shall, perhaps, be going quite as far as is prudent, if we acknowledge that this may be one of "the Scots poems wrote by the ingenious before 1600." Most readers will agree with Lord Hailes that the language is as recent as the days of Queen Mary, or of James the Sixth. Sibbald, in his _Chronicle of Scottish Poetry_, iii. 288, has stated other objections to receiving this ballad for ancient, which seem, however, to be satisfactorily answered by Finlay, _Scottish Ballads_, i. 160. The copy of this ballad in _The Thistle of Scotland_, p. 75, is only Ramsay's, imperfectly remembered, or, what is quite as probable, here and there altered according to the taste of the illiterate editor. At page 92 of the same book, three stanzas are given of a burlesque song on this battle. A traditional ballad, recently recovered, is inserted at the end of this volume. Frae Dunidier as I cam throuch, Doun by the hill of Banochie, Allangst the lands of Garioch, Grit pitie was to heir and se The noys and dulesum hermonie, 5 That evir that dreiry day did daw, Cryand the corynoch on hie, Alas! alas! for the Harlaw. I marvlit quhat the matter meint, All folks war in a fiery-fairy; 10 I wist nocht quha was fae or freind, Zit quietly I did me carrie. But sen the days of auld King Hairy, Sic slauchter was not hard nor sene, And thair I had nae tyme to tairy, 15 For bissiness in Aberdene. Thus as I walkit on the way, To Inverury as I went, I met a man and bad him stay, Requeisting him to mak me quaint 20 Of the beginning and the event, That happenit thair at the Harlaw: Then he entreited me tak tent, And he the truth sould to me schaw. Grit Donald of the Yles did claim 25 Unto the lands of Ross sum richt, And to the governour he came, Them for to haif, gif that he micht: Quha saw his interest was but slicht, And thairfore answerit with disdain; 30 He hastit hame baith day and nicht, And sent nae bodward back again.