(4) The name, Mary Hamilton, is often NOT given to the heroine in
variants of the ballad. She is of several names and ranks in the
variants.
(5) As Mr. Child himself remarked, the "pottinger" of the real
story of Queen Mary's time occurs in one variant. There was no
"pottinger" in the Russian affair.
All these arguments, to which others might be added, seem fatal to
the late date and modern origin of the ballad, and Mr. Child's own
faith in the hypothesis was shaken, if not overthrown.
KINMONT WILLIE
From The Border Minstrelsy. The account in Satchells has either
been based on the ballad, or the ballad is based on Satchells.
After a meeting, on the Border of Salkeld of Corby, and Scott of
Haining, Kinmont Willie was seized by the English as he rode home
from the tryst. Being "wanted," he was lodged in Carlisle Castle,
and this was a breach of the day's truce. Buccleugh, as warder,
tried to obtain Willie's release by peaceful means. These failing,
Buccleugh did what the ballad reports, April 13, 1596. Harden and
Goudilands were with Buccleugh, being his neighbours near
Branxholme. Dicky of Dryhope, with others, Armstrongs, was also
true to the call of duty. A few verses in the ballad are clearly
by aut Gualterus aut diabolus, and none the worse for that.
Salkeld, of course, was not really slain; and, if the men were
"left for dead," probably they were not long in that debatable
condition. In the rising of 1745 Prince Charlie's men forded Eden
as boldly as Buccleuch, the Prince saving a drowning Highlander
with his own hand.
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