Note 103 — Part I.

Ray, in his Itinerary through Scotland, gives the following form of announcement as having been commonly made by the ‘deid bellman’ in Scotland in the sixteenth century:—‘Beloued broothrin and susters, I lat you to wot that thir is an fauthful broothir lautlie departed awt of this present warld, awt thi plesuir of almoughti Good; his naum is Volli Voodcok, third son to Jimmoy Voodcok a cordinger; he ligs at thi sesct door vithin the nord gawt, close on the nawthuer rawnd, and I wod ya gang to hus burying on Thursdau before twa a clock.’