He feares no poysons in his meates and drinkes, ELIZABETH MELVILL. ON the suggestion of my friend Mr. George Chalmers, I give the following Poetical Tract a place in this Collection: "A GODLY DREAM. By Elizabeth Melvill, Lady Culros Younger, At the request of a speciall Friend. Enter in at the strayt gate, for wyde is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and manie there bee which go in thereat. Aberdene. Imprinted by E. Raban, Laird of Letters, and are to bee sold at his shop, at the end of the Broad Gate. 1644." There There are two circumstances, not a little remarkable, of this Publication. It was, as my friend Mr. Chalmers informs me, the first book printed at Aberdeen; and perhaps no printer or publisher, before or since, has assumed so strange and singular a title as Mr. Raban, who scruples not to stile himself LAIRD OF LETTERS. P. 9. I looked up into that castle fayre, Glistryng lyke gold, and shyning silver bright. Though thou bee near, the way is verie hard; I held him fast, as hee did give command; Out through the fyre, and so the payn was past. When When this was done, myne heart did daunce for joy, I ran before, and sought not his convoy; What haste, said hee? Why runnst thou so before? Then hee began to comfort mee agayn, And sayd, my friend, thou must not enter heere; I looked down, and saw a pit most black; VOL. II. H This This Poem has been reprinted by Pinkerton. Pinkerton says the Authoress was not the Mother of Colvill the Poet. Ritson makes it clear, that she was from Douglases Peerage. p. 146. The first edition was printed at Edinburgh, 1603. JOHN DAVIES. AS this personage has been frequently confounded with Sir John Davies, and the works of the one erroneously ascribed to the other, I mention him here, and give a lowing work of his, which I seen. place to the fol have no where The period at which it was written, and the scarcity of the tract, seem to justify a specific account and extract. "Humours Heavn on Earth, The Civili Warres of Death and Fortune, The Triumph of Death, or The Picture of the Plague, according to the Life, as it was in Anno Domini 1603. By John Davies, of Hereford. . O'tis O'tis a sacred kind of excellence That hides a rich truth in a tales pretence. Printed at London, by A. T. 1605.” The Poem is dedicated "To the Right Noble Algernon, Lord Percy, Sonne and Heire Apparen. to the Right Honorable Henry, Earle of Northumberland." The author was a Writing Master, who calls the Ladie Dorothie and Ladie Lucy Percies, his pupils. The following short extract may suffice. A DESCRIPTION OF THE WANTONS APPARRELL. Epithymus the wanton on his crowne growne, His doublet was carnation cut with greene This |