hasar de
Castillon, of which a French translation was printed in 1539, and from
the _Apologues_ of Caelius Caleagnnius of Ferrara, published in 1544."

W. J. BERNHARD SMITH.

Temple.

* * * * *

BAB AT THE BOWSTER.

(Vol. ii., p. 517.)

Your correspondent MAC is mistaken when he says that no words are used in
the Scottish dance of "Bab at the Bowster:" I have myself "babbed at the
Bowster" within the last few years. Upon that occasion the words sung by
the company while dancing round the individual bearing the "bowster" were--

"Wha learn'd you to dance,
You to dance, you to dance,
Wha learn'd you to dance
Bab at the bowster brawly?"

To which the "bowster-bearer" replies--

"My mither learned me to dance,
Me to dance, me to dance,
My mither learned me to dance
Bab at the bowster brawly."

After which, throwing down the "bowster" or cushion before one of the
opposite sex, they both kneel upon it, and kiss one another
_affectionately_.

I never heard any words save the above; but a friend from a neighbouring
county (Dumbartonshire) informs me, that with them it is sometimes changed
into

"Wha gi'ed you the keys to keep,
The keys to keep," &c.

There are also other variations which I believe I can procure, should they
be desired by MAC or others. I should perhaps mention, for the benefit of
Southrons, that almost all untravelled Scotchmen in conversation use the
verb _to learn_ in place of the verb _to teach_.

Y.

Glasgow.

The dance in Scotland called "Bab at the Bowster" is always the winding up
at "kirns" and other merrymakings, and is most likely similar to the
cushion-dance. The tune to which it is danced has words belonging to it.
The beginning lines are--

"There's braw yill,
Down at the mill,
Bab at the bowster," &c.

L. M. M. R.

* * * * *

OLIVER CROMWELL AND HIS DEALINGS WITH THE DEVIL.

(Vol. iii., p. 207.)

Among the papers of an old personal friend and correspondent of the
"Sylvanus Urban" of his day,--a clergyman of the good old school, who died
a quarter of a century ago, aged eighty-six, I find the inclosed. It may
possibly lead to the further elucidation of one of the Notes of B. B. It is
unfortunate that no date is attached to it, nor any intimation of its
history. Its owner was the intimate friend of Bennet, Bishop of Cloyne, of
Dr. Farmer, of Burgess, Bishop of St