My Muse hath done. A voider for the nonce! I wrong the Devil should I pick their bones; That dish is his; for, when the Scots decease, Hell, like their nation, feeds on barnacles. A Scot, when from the gallow-tree got loose, Drops into Styx and turns a Solan goose. [_The Rebel Scot._] This famous piece is said to be the only one of Cleveland's poems which is in every edition. In _1677_ it is accompanied by a Latin version (of very little merit, and probably if not certainly by 'another hand') which I do not give. A poor copy is in Tanner MS. 465 of the Bodleian, at fol. 92, with the title 'A curse on the Scots'. The piece is hot enough, and no wonder; but it would no doubt have been hotter if it had been written later, when Cleveland was actually gagged by Leven's dismissal of him. It is not unnoteworthy that the library of the University of Edinburgh contains not a single one of the numerous seventeenth-century editions of Cleveland. Years afterwards, when a Douglas had chequered the disgrace of 'the Dutch in the Medway' by a brave death, Marvell, who probably knew our poet, composed for 'Cleveland's Ghost' a half palinode, half continuation, entitled 'The _Loyal_ Scot'.] [Line: 10 It would seem that Pym had not yet gone to his account, as he died on December 6, 1643, after getting Parliament to accept the Covenant and the Scots to invade England.] [Line: 12 The early texts have Drayton's name correctly: _1677_ makes it 'Pigwidgin'.] [Line: 15 It seems hardly necessary to remind the reader of the well-known habit of painting Judas's hair red.] [Line: 19 could ... tone] or in the Empiric's misty tone _MS._] [Line: 21 Stephen Marshall, the 'Smec.' man and a mighty cushion-thumper (who denounced the 'Curse of Meroz' on all who came not to destroy those in any degree opposed to the Parliament), actually preached Pym's funeral sermon.] [Line: 22 'Damnati-on'. But _MS._ reads 'a whole pulpit full'.] [Line: 28 _1653_ has the obvious blunder of 'feet' repeated for 'teeth'. The first 'feet' is itself less obvious, but I suppose the strong claw and grip of the badger's are meant. Some, however, refer it to the supposed lop-sidedness or inequality of badgers' feet, answering to the [)]-- of the iamb. I never knew but one badger, who lived in St. Clement's, Oxford, and belonged (surreptitiously) to Merton College. I did not notice his feet.] [Line: 32 The more usual reproach was the other way--that 'the Scot would not fight _till_ he saw his own blood'.] [Line: 38 _1677_, less well, '_that_ Scot'.] [Line: 39 'ours ... maintain' _1647_, _1651_, _1653_: 'our ... obtain' _1677_.] [Line: 41 The Scot] Sir William Balfour, a favoured servant of the King, who deserted to the other side.]