NOTE
.
The
story
of
this
ballad
was
told
to
me
by
the
late
Sir
George
Beaumont
,
as
one
he
had
heard
from
his
mother
,
who
said
it
was
a
tradition
belonging
to
some
castle
in
the
North
of
England
,
where
it
was
believed
to
have
happened
.
It
was
recommended
by
him
as
a
good
subject
for
a
ballad
;
and
with
such
a
recommendation
I
was
easily
tempted
to
endeavour
,
at
least
,
to
preserve
its
simple
and
striking
circumstances
,
in
that
popular
form
.
I
have
altered
no
part
of
the
story
,
nor
have
I
added
any
thing
but
the
founding
of
the
Abbey
,
and
the
Baron's
becoming
a
Monk
,
in
imitation
of
that
exquisite
ballad
,
"
The
Eve
of
St.
John
,
"
where
so
much
is
implied
in
so
few
word
,
by
the
two
last
stanzas
,
which
I
have
always
particularly
admired
.
There
is
a
nun
in
Dryburgh
bower
,
Ne'er
looks
upon
the
sun
;
There
is
a
Monk
in
Melrose
Tower
,
He
speaketh
word
to
none
.
That
nun
who
ne'er
beholds
the
day
,
That
Monk
who
speaks
to
none
,
That
nun
is
Smaylho'mes
Lady
gay
,
That
Monk
the
bold
Baron
.