service about 1507. See the book on the Scottish Guard, by Father
Forbes Leith, S. J.

THY CHURCH UNTO THE MAID DENIES.

These verses were written, curiously enough, the day before the
Maiden was raised to the rank of 'Venerable,' a step towards her
canonisation, which, we trust, will not be long delayed. It is not
easy for any one to understand the whole miracle of the life and
death of Jeanne d'Arc, and the absolutely unparalleled grandeur and
charm of her character, without studying the full records of both
her trials, as collected and published by M. Quicherat, for the
Societe de l'Histoire de France.

HOW THEY HELD THE BASS.

This story is versified from the account in Memoirs of the Rev.
John Blackader, by Andrew Crichton, Minister of the Gospel. Second
Edition. Edinburgh, 1826. Dunbar was retained as a prisoner, when
negotiations for surrender, in 1691, were broken off by Middleton's
return with supplies. Halyburton was, it seems, captured later,
and only escaped hanging by virtue of the terms extorted by
Middleton. Patrick Walker tells the tale of Peden and the girl.
Wodrow, in his Analecta, has the story of the Angel, or other
shining spiritual presence, which is removed from its context in
the ballad. The sufferings from weak beer are quoted in Mr.
Blackader's Memoirs. Mitchell was the undeniably brave Covenanter
who shot at Sharp, and hit the Bishop of the Orkneys. He was
tortured, and, by an act of perjury (probably unconscious) on the
part of Lauderdale, was hanged. The sentiments of the poem are