The scene, with which the ballad opens, was suggested by the following curious passage, extracted from the Life of Alexander Peden, one of the wandering and persecuted teachers of the sect of Cameronians, during the reign of Charles II. and his successor, James. This person was supposed by his followers, and perhaps really believed himself, to be possessed of supernatural gifts; for the wild scenes, which they frequented, and the constant dangers, which were incurred through their proscription, deepened upon their minds the gloom of superstition, so general in that age.

"About the same time he (Peden) came to Andrew "Normand's house, in the parish of Alloway, in the shire "of Ayr, being to preach at night in his barn. After " he came in, he halted a little, leaning upon a chair"back, with his face covered; when he lifted up his "head, he said, 'There are in this house that I have “not one word of salvation unto;' he halted a little

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again, saying, 'This is strange, that the devil will not 66 go out, that we may begin our work!' Then there 66 was a woman went out, ill-looked upon almost all "her life, and to her dying hour, for a witch, with many presumptions of the same. It escaped me, in "the former passages, that John Muirhead (whom I

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"have often mentioned) told me, that when he came "from Ireland to Galloway, he was at family-worship, "and giving some notes upon the Scripture, when a very ill-looking man came, and sate down within the "door, at the back of the hallan (partition of the cottage): immediately he halted, and said, 'There is some unhappy body just now come into this house. I "charge him to go out, and not stop my mouth!' The person went out, and he insisted (went on), yet he

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saw him neither come in nor go out."-The Life and Prophecies of Mr Alexander Peden, late Minister of the Gopsel at New Glenluce, in Galloway, part ii. §. 26.

THE

GREY BROTHER.

THE Pope he was saying the high, high mass,

All on Saint Peter's day,

With the power to him given, by the saints in

heaven,

To wash men's sins away.

The Pope he was saying the blessed mass,

And the people kneeled around;

And from each man's soul his sins did pass,

As he kissed the holy ground.

And all, among the crowded throng,

Was still, both limb and tongue,

While through vaulted roof, and aisles aloof,

The holy accents rung.

At the holiest word he quivered for fear,

And faultered in the sound

And, when he would the chalice rear,
He dropped it on the ground.

"The breath of one, of evil deed, Pollutes our sacred day;

He has no portion in our creed,

No part in what I say.

"A being, whom no blessed word To ghostly peace can bring ;

A wretch, at whose approach abhorred,

Recoils each holy thing.

"Up, up, unhappy! haste, arise!
My adjuration fear!

I charge thee not to stop my voice,
Nor longer tarry here!"

Amid them all a Pilgrim kneeled,
In gown of sackcloth gray;
Far journeying from his native field,
He first saw Rome that day.

For forty days and nights so drear,
I ween, he had not spoke,

And, save with bread and water clear,

His fast he ne'er had broke.

Amid the penitential flock,

Seemed none more bent to pray ; But, when the Holy Father spoke,

He rose, and went his way.