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was on a visit to Miss Gray, the plague broke out, in 1666, to avoid which, they built themselves a bower about a mile west from Lednoch house, in a very retired and romantic situation. In this retreat they lived for some time, and were often visited by a young gentleman who, being enamoured with both of them, composed the following celebrated ballad in their praise. But alas! the mutual lover, at last leaving caught the infection, communicated it to the two ladies, who fell unhappy victims to its virulence.—Their bodies were afterwards conveyed to another part of Mr Gray's ground, called Dornoch-haugh, and there buried. On the top of a little hill, about a mile and a half north of the house of Lednoch, stoos a Cross of great antiquity; at the foot of this Cross are three Wells, commonly called, the Bishops Wells, within a small distance of each other; where the Bishops of St. Andrew's, Dunkeld, and Dumblane were wont to assemble, and drink to one-another, while each of them stood at the well within his own Diocess.
SONG.
O Bessy Bell, and Mary Gray,
- they are twa bonny lasses;
They bigged a bow'r on yon burn-brae,
- and thacked it o'er wi' rashes.
Fair Bessy Bell I loo'd yestreen,
- and thought I ne'er could alter,
But Mary Gray's twa pauky een,
- they gar my fancy faulter.
Now Bessy's hair's like a lint tap,
- she smiles like a May-morning;
