30^3. And he’s come to Glenlyon’s yett. 31^2. And the. 31^4. Aneath. 32^1. window loup. 34. _Wanting._ 35^4. As fast. 36^4. laverock. 37^1. nae the. #B.# 3^4. ewes. _Indistinctly written._ 5^2. fore. 223 EPPIE MORRIE ‘Eppie Morrie,’ Maidment’s North Countrie Garland, p. 40, 18 “This ballad,” says Maidment, “is probably much more than a century old, though the circumstances which have given rise to it were unfortunately too common to preclude the possibility of its being of a later date.” He does not tell us where the ballad came from, and no other editor seems to know of it. Two stanzas, 10, 11, occur in a copy of ‘Rob Roy’ (No 225, #J#) which had once been in Maidment’s hands, and perhaps was obtained from the same region. Four-and-twenty Highlanders, the leader of whom is one Willie, come to Strathdon from Carrie (Carvie?) side to steal away Eppie Morrie, who has refused to marry Willie. They tie her on a horse and take her to a minister, whom Willie, putting a pistol to his breast, orders to marry them. The minister will not consent unless Eppie is willing, and she strenuously refuses; so they take her to Carrie side and put her to bed. She defends herself successfully, and in the morning comes in her lover, Belbordlane, or John Forsyth, well armed, and we presume well supported, who carries her back to her mother, to be his bride. Scott, Introduction to Rob Roy, Appendix, No V, cites two stanzas of a ballad derived from tradition which, if we had the whole, might possibly turn out to be the same story with different names. Four-and-twenty Hieland men Came doun by Fiddoch side, And they have sworn a deadly aith Jean Muir suld be a bride. And they have sworn a deadly aith, Ilke man upon his durke, That she should wed with Duncan Ger, Or they’d make bloody worke. * * * * * 1 Four-and-twenty Highland men Came a’ from Carrie side To steal awa Eppie Morrie, Cause she would not be a bride. 2 Out it’s came her mother, It was a moonlight night, She could not see her daughter, Their swords they shin’d so bright. 3 ‘Haud far awa frae me, mother, Haud far awa frae me; There’s not a man in a’ Strathdon Shall wedded be with me.’ 4 They have taken Eppie Morrie, And horse back bound her on, And then awa to the minister, As fast as horse could gang. 5 He’s taken out a pistol, And set it to the minister’s breast: ‘Marry me, marry me, minister, Or else I’ll be your priest.’ 6 ‘Haud far awa frae me, good sir, Haud far awa frae me; For there’s not a man in all Strathdon That shall married be with me.’