[1] Paisley Magazine, December, 1828.

[2] Sketches of the Manners, Customs, and Scenery of Scotland. 1811.

[3] Chambers’ Illustrious Scotsmen, vol. ii., p. 488.

[4] Strang’s Glasgow and its Clubs, 2nd edit., p. 77.

[5] Humorous Chap-Books of Scotland, p. 184.

[6] Stenhouse’s Lyric Poetry and Music of Scotland (edited by Dr. David Laing), p. 112*.

[7] Glasgow and its Clubs, 2nd ed., p. 80.

[8] Fraser’s Humorous Chap-Books of Scotland, p. 192.

[9] Humorous Chap-Books of Scotland, p. 172.

[10] Stenhouse’s Lyric Poetry and Music of Scotland, p. 112*.

[11] Glasgow and its Clubs, 2nd Ed., p. 77.

[12] History of Poetry in Scotland, by Alex. Campbell. Edin. 1798, p. 307.

[13] Hist. Glas., 2nd ed., 1830, appendix.

[14] Strang’s Glasgow and its Clubs, p. 82, note.

[15] Jacobite Songs and Ballads of Scotland, p. 297.

[16] Bell’s Commentaries on the Law of Scotland (edited by John M‘Laren, advocate), vol. ii. pp. 281–2.

[17] A Pedlar’s Pack of Ballads and Songs, by W. H. Logan, p. 442.

[18] Paisley Magazine, December 1828.

[19] Paisley Magazine.

[20] Ante, p. 29.

[21] Reliques of Robert Burns, p. 434.

[22] The reference is to Burns. Cromek’s quotation is from Grahame’s Birds of Scotland, vol. ii. p. iv.

[23] Works of Robert Burns. Kilmarnock edition, vol. ii. p. 286.

[24] Works of Robert Burns. Edinburgh, 1877–79, vol. i. p. 16.

[25] There were several chap-books with this title in circulation. We have before us one bearing the same name, published in Edinburgh in 1764; and another, The Accomplished Courtier, also issued in Edinburgh in the same year, but they are both totally different from the Stirling publication.

[26] Humorous Chap-Books of Scotland, p. 151.

[27] Humorous Chap-Books of Scotland, p. 151.

[28] Mr. John Ashton, in his Chap-Books of the Eighteenth Century, a work dealing exclusively with the chap literature of England, traces what appears to be an original edition of Simple Simon, ‘printed and sold in Aldermary Church Yard, London.’ The publishers there, he informs his readers in his introduction, were William and Cluer Dicey, originally of Northampton, who started a branch of their business in London subsequent to 1720.

[29] The Glasgow AthenÆum, August 10, 1850 (No. 2), p. 18.

[30] The Glasgow AthenÆum, p. 18.

[31] In the catalogue of the second portion of the library of the late Dr. David Laing, sold two or three years ago, there was a collection of chap-books (lot 795) in which this work is mentioned. The lot was “passed,” probably because it had disappeared, and consequently we have been unable to come across it. The fact is to be regretted, as there is every reason to believe the copy would be unique.

[32] Glasgow and its Clubs, 2nd ed., p. 82, note.

[33] Paisley Magazine.

[34] Glasgow and its Clubs, 2nd ed., p. 77.

[35] Humorous Chap-Books of Scotland, pp. 215–16.

[36] Chap-Books of the Eighteenth Century, by John Ashton, p. vii. intro.

[37] Works of Allan Ramsay, Fullarton’s ed. vol. i. p. 17.

[38] Dr. Carlyle’s Autobiography, p. 89.

[39] Reminiscences of Scottish Life and Character, 21st ed., p. viii.

[40] Ibid. 21st ed., p. 249.

[41] Pounds Sterling.

[42] The preceding five stanzas are all of this song given in the Aberdeen (1850) edition. In the other editions it is given as in the one of 1774, and, of course, as it is reproduced here.

[43] The equestrian statue of King William III., presented by Governor Macrae to Glasgow, his native city, and erected opposite the Tontine, at the Cross, in 1735. It was cast in Holland. The classical style of dress, including primitive sandals, in which the King is represented, gave rise to the idea in ‘John Highlandman’s’ mind that His Majesty was a ‘poor man.’

[44] The old guardhouse, in the Trongate, at the foot of the Candleriggs. Like many of the houses in Glasgow at the time, it had a colonnaded front, which projected into the street, and made it a feature of the city. Here the citizens took duty by turns, for these were the days when policemen were unknown.

[45] It is on record that a clockmaker in the Trongate had at that time in his window a clock, on which a figure of the ‘Deil’ was shown as ‘chapping’ the hours.

[46] There were several roperies in the vicinity of the Broomielaw.

[47] The reference is to the Black Bull Inn—‘the cow’s husband’—situated at the West Port, which was then in the Trongate, at the head of Stockwell Street. It was one of the most famous hostleries in the west country.

[48] Rather an obscure reference, but it may probably find an explanation in the following statement in Fairholt’s Costume in England, p. 567:—‘Feather muffs are mentioned in Anstey’s New Bath Guide, and became fashionable in George III.’s reign.’ Another alternative is that it may refer to what were then known as Spanish fans.

[49] Probably pattens, then in common use.

[50] A long drawn out description of a sedan chair. Carriages had not yet come into vogue. The first private carriage seen in Glasgow belonged to Allan Dreghorn, a timber merchant and carpenter and joiner, who built one for himself in 1752.

[51] Perhaps a reference to the ‘ties’ of the lady’s bonnet.

[52] The two stanzas within brackets are not in several chap-book copies. The many verbal differences indicate that attempts have been made to touch up the song, but the absence of any very early copy of it, makes it impossible to obtain an absolutely pure text. These alterations, however, in no way affect the narrative.

[53] A wonderful rendering of ‘cessio bonorum.’