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also preserved in the Bannatyne MS. entitled "Ane Interlude of the Laying of a Gaist; " indeed, "Cockelbie's Sow" and "Cockelbie's Feast" appear to have become proverbial references of a jocular sort. Extracts from it were first published by Dr Leyden, in his Dissertation on the Complaint of Scotland, where he observes that it throws much light on the manners and rustic festivities of the Scottish peasantry, during a very early period; but it was first published entire by Dr Laing, in 1822. | The Bannatyne MS. copy is the only one that has been preserved; yet another is noted in the contents of the Auchin

leck MS., although the text, along with other curious matter, has been abstracted

from that valuable relic.

To the literary antiquary it is of great interest, from its having preserved the names of airs, dances, and songs which are now unknown, at least by their ancient names, although it is possible that some of them may exist under other names.

Of its author nothing whatever is known; yet it is evident from the preface that he must have been a welleducated man, and accustomed to good society-possibly a churchman.

Although the list of disreputable and unsavoury professions (here mostly omitted) which grace the harlot's feast, can hardly be thought to have any meaning beyond the obvious one of filling up the coarse but ludicrous ideal of such a banquet with appropriate guests, yet it is probable that the names given to the pigs and the fowls may have conveyed some sly allusions to local personages, which would have

greatly added to the grotesque humour of the satiric burlesque.

PROHEMUIM.

[Modernized in spelling, but verbally
unaltered.]

When royalist, most redoubted, and high
Magnificat crownèd kings, in majesty ;
Princes, dukes, and marquises curious;
Earlis, baronis, and knightis chivalrous;
And gentlemen of high genealogy,
As scutiferais, and squires, full courtly
Are assembled, and set in a royal se ;1
With named folk of high nobility;
Their talk, that time, in table honourable,
Before lordings and ladies amiable,

Is oft, singing and saws of solace;
Where melody is the mirthful maistrace ;

Ermy deeds in auld dayis done before;

Chroniclis, gestis, stories, and much more;

Minstralis among musicianis merely ;
To have heartis in heavenly harmony.
So seems it well, that soothly so, were
aye.

What is the world without pleasance or play

But passionale.3 Then let us make some

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