December 5.

St. Sabas, Abbot, A. D. 532. St. Crispina, A. D. 304. St. Nicetius, Bp. of Triers, A. D. 566.

Foot Ball in Scotland.

On Tuesday the 5th of December, 1815, a great foot-ball match took place at Carterhaugh, Ettrick Forest (a spot classical in minstrelsy), betwixt the Ettrick men and the men of Yarrow; the one party backed by the earl of Home, and the other by sir Walter Scott, sheriff of the forest, who wrote two songs for the occasion, one whereof follows:—

Lifting the Banner of the House of Buccleugh,
at the great Foot-ball match, on Carterhaugh.

From the brown crest of Newark its summons extending,
   Our signal is waving in smoke and in flame;
And each forester blithe from his mountain descending,
   Bounds light o'er the heather to join in the game.

Chorus.

   Then up with the banner, let forest winds fan her,
   She has blazed over Ettrick eight ages and more;
   In sport we'll attend her, in battle defend her,
   With heart and with hand, like our fathers' before.

When the southern invader spread waste and disorder,
   At the glance of her crescents he paus'd and withdrew
For around them were marshal'd the pride of the border,
   The flowers of the forest, the hands of Buccleuch.
      Then up with the banner, &c.

A stripling's weak hand to our revel has borne her,
   No mail glove has grasp'd her, no spearmen around;
But ere a bold foeman should scathe or should scorn her,
   A thousand true hearts would be cold on the ground.
      Then up with the banner, &c.

We forget each contention of civil dissension,
   And hail, like our brethren, Home, Douglas, and Car;
And Elliot and Pringle in pastime shall mingle,
   As welcome in peace as their fathers in war.
      Then up with the banner, &c.

Then strip lads, and to it, though sharp be the weather,
   And if, by mischance, you should happen to fall,
There are worse things in life than a tumble on heather,
   And life is itself but a game at foot-ball!
      Then up with the banner, &c.

And when it is over, we'll drink a blythe measure
   To each laird and each lady that witness'd our fun,
And to every blythe heart that took part in our pleasure,
   To the lads that have lost and the lads that have won.
      Then up with the banner, &c.

May the forest still flourish, both borough and landward
   From the hall of the peer to the herd's ingle nook;
And huzza! my brave hearts, for Buccleuch and his standard
   For the king and the country, the clan and the duke!
      Then up with the banner, &c.

QUOTH THE SHERIFF OF THE FOREST.

Abbotsford, Dec. 1, 1815.

Something has been said concerning ball-play, at p. 863, and more remains to be observed, with which foot-ball will be mentioned hereafter. At present the year hastens the volume to a close, and we must put by many things to make ready for the "great festival:"—

Christmas is a coming,
   We'll have flowing bowls,
Laughing, piping, drumming,
   We'll be jovial souls.

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FLORAL DIRECTORY.

Longstalked Hibiscus. Hibiscus pedunculatus.
Dedicated to St. Crispina.