In #B# 15 we are told that if Craigievar had come up an hour sooner, Brackley had not been slain. Upon this Dr Joseph Robertson (who assigned the ballad to 1592) has observed, Kinloch MSS, VI, 24, that Craigievar passed to a branch of the family of Forbes in 1625; so that Craigievar would have done nothing to save Brackley in 1666, the Gordons and the Forbeses having long been at feud. To make sense of this stanza we must suppose an earlier date than 1625. The fourth edition of Spotiswood’s history, printed in 1677 (about forty years after the author’s death), calls Brackley of 1592 _John_ Gordon. Further, there is this anonymous marginal note, not found in the preceding editions: “I have read in a MS. called the Acts of the Gordons, that Glenmuick, Glentaner, Strathdee and Birs were spoiled, and Brachlie, with his son-in-law, slain, by Mackondoquy [that is Maconochie, _alias_ Campbell] of Inner-Aw.”[69] Brackley, on the Muick, is in close vicinity to the village of Ballater, on the Dee, some forty miles westward from Aberdeen. Translated by Knortz, Lieder u. Romanzen Alt-Englands, p. 156, after Allingham. * * * * * A #a.# Scarce Ancient Ballads [Alexander Laing], Aberdeen, 1822, p. 9. #b.# Buchan’s Gleanings, p. 68. #c.# The New Deeside Guide, by James Brown (_i.e._ Joseph Robertson), Aberdeen [1832], p. 46. 1 Inverey cam doun Deeside, whistlin and playin, He was at brave Braikley’s yett ere it was dawin. 2 He rappit fu loudly an wi a great roar, Cried, Cum doun, cum doun, Braikley, and open the door. 3 ‘Are ye sleepin, Baronne, or are ye wakin? Ther’s sharpe swords at your yett, will gar your blood spin. 4 ‘Open the yett, Braikley, and lat us within, Till we on the green turf gar your bluid rin.’ 5 Out spak the brave baronne, owre the castell-wa: ‘Are ye cum to spulyie and plunder mi ha? 6 ‘But gin ye be gentlemen, licht and cum in: Gin ye drink o my wine, ye’ll nae gar my bluid spin. 7 ‘Gin ye be hir’d widifus, ye may gang by, Ye may gang to the lawlands and steal their fat ky. 8 ‘Ther spulyie like rievers o wyld kettrin clan, Who plunder unsparing baith houses and lan. 9 ‘Gin ye be gentlemen, licht an cum [in], Ther’s meat an drink i my ha for every man. 10 ‘Gin ye be hir’d widifus, ye may gang by, Gang doun to the lawlands, and steal horse and ky.’ 11 Up spak his ladie, at his bak where she lay, ‘Get up, get up, Braikley, and be not afraid; The’r but young hir’d widifus wi belted plaids.’ 12 ‘Cum kiss me, mi Peggy, I’le nae langer stay, For I will go out and meet Inverey. 13 ‘But haud your tongue, Peggy, and mak nae sic din, For yon same hir’d widifus will prove themselves men.’ 14 She called on her marys, they cam to her hand; Cries, Bring me your rocks, lassies, we will them command.