_Long Lonkin_ (Vol. ii., p. 168.).--If SELEUCUS will refer to Mr. Chamber's _Collection of Scottish Ballads_, he will find there the whole story under the name of Lammilsin, of which Lonkin appears to me to be a corruption. In the 6th verse it is rendered:
"He said to his ladye fair, Before he gaed abuird, Beware, beware o, Lammilsin! For he lyeth in the wudde."
Then the story goes on to state that Lammilsin crept in at a little shot window, and after some conversation with the "fause nourrice" they decide to
"Stab the babe, and make it cry, And that will bring her down."
Which being done, they murder the unhappy lady. Shortly after, Lord Weirie comes home, and has the "fause nourrice" burnt at the stake. From the circumstance that the name of the husband of the murdered lady was Weirie, it is conjectured that this tragedy took place at Balwearie Castle, in Fife, and the old people about there constantly affirm that it really occurred. I am not aware that there exists any connection between the hero of this story and the _nursery rhyme_; for, as I before stated, I think Lonkin a corruption of Lammilsin.
_Rowley Powley_ (Vol. ii., p. 74.).--Andre Valladier, who died about the middle of the sixteenth century, was a popular preacher and the king's almoner. He gained great applause for his funeral oration on Henry IV. In his sermon for the second Sunday in Lent (Rouen, 1628), he says;--
"Le paon est gentil et miste, bien que par la parfaite beautÈ de sa houppe, par la raretÈ et noblesse de sa teste, par la gentilesse et nettetÈ de son cou, par l'ornement de ses pennes et par la majestÈ de tout le reste de son corps, il ravit tous ceux qui le contemplent attentivement; toutefois au rencontre de sa femelle, pour l'attirer ‡ son amour, il dÈploye sa pompe, fait montrer et parade de son plumage bizarrÈ, et RIOLL… PIOLL… se presente ‡ elle avec piafe, et luy donne la plus belle visÈe de sa roue. De mesme ce Dieu admirable, amoreux des hommes, pour nous ravir d'amour ‡ soy, desploye le lustre de ses plus accomplies beautez, et comme un amant transportÈ de sa bienaimÈe se { 252} montre pour nous allecher ‡ cetter transformation de nous en luy, de nostre misËre en sa gloire."--Ap. _Predicatoriuna_ p. 132-3: Dijon, 1841.