The meal was over at Pittenweem; The monks had gone to their cells to dream, Or heavily sleep, as the case might be, Till waked by the bell at half-past three; The Abbot had gone to his private tower, For _he_ sat up till a later hour, And oft he would have his under-prior To sit and talk by the cosy fire; For Abbots of old, you may suppose, Could do in such matters as they chose, And here, from the mill-stream’s outer loch To the tippest top of the weather-cock, Good Fillan the Abbot ruled supreme―― Such was the custom of Pittenweem. IV. The night was long, the weather cold; A Minstrel, neither young nor old, Whose ragged coat and shoes in holes Wrung pity from those monkish souls, Entered the Abbey’s lower hall, Whence, duteous to the Abbot’s call, He brought himself and harp upstairs And ’gan show off his Scottish airs. It was a charity to bring Such warbler in the place to sing. St. Fillan gave him ample cheer And copious draughts of home-made beer, Till, while that inspiration work’d, This music from the wires he jerk’d:―― V. BALLAD. THE BLUE BROTHER. (Parody of a Ballad in “Percy’s Reliques.”) ’Twas on Maxwelton’s bonny braes (“Where early fa’s the dew.”) That at the set of sun I met A Friar of Orders blue. With sigh, and frown, and eyes cast down, His face was sad to see; Some heavy care was settled there―― Whatever could it be? “Come hither, come hither, thou Holy Friar, Why dost thou look so blue?” He answer’d stern――“I’ve yet to learn What that’s to do with _you_.” “Wert thou,” I asked, “a baron bold, Who sought a hermit’s lot, Because thy love so false did prove?” He answer’d, “I was _not_.” “And hast thou fought in distant climes, Seen mighty cities fall, And wounded been a score of times?” He answered, “Not at all.” “And did thy true love follow thee, In page’s garb disguised? And when thou foundest it was she, Say, wert thou not surprised?” “No true love ever follow’d me Thus garbed; or if she had, At once, I ween, I must have seen ’Twas she, and not a lad.” “And did she, stricken by thy side In thy embrace expire?” “Good gracious! no――who told you so? He _must_ have been a liar.” “Or hadst thou woed some ladye fair, And wast about to wed, But saw or heard that she preferr’d Another knight instead? “And didst thou seek their trysting-place, And fiercely slay them both, And there inter both him and her?” “I did’nt, on my oath!”