ballad on "The Feud between the Ridleys and Featherstones," in
which Scott believed to the day of his death. He introduced it in
"Marmion."


The whiles a Northern harper rude
Chaunted a rhyme of deadly feud,
How the fierce Thirlwalls and Ridleys all, &c.


In his note ("Border Minstrelsy," second edition, 1808, p. xxi.)
Scott says the ballad was taken down from an old woman's recitation
at the Alston Moor lead-mines "by the agent there," and sent by him
to Surtees. Consequently, when Surtees saw "Marmion" in print he
had to ask Scott not to print "THE agent," as he does not know even
the name of Colonel Beaumont's chief agent there, but "an agent."
Thus he hedged himself from a not impossible disclaimer by the
agent at the mines.

Readers of "Marmion" will remember how


Once, near Norham, there did fight
A spectre fell, of fiendish might,
In likeness of a Scottish knight,
With Brian Bulmer bold,
And trained him nigh to disallow
The aid of his baptismal vow.