And syne he kissed her chin;
And syne he kissed her rosy lips—
There was nae breath within.—Lass o' Lochryan.
To kiss cheek and chin in succession is very peculiar; and it is by such peculiar ideas that identity of authorship is indicated.
[ ] [ [26] ] That is, so exactly measured.
[ ] [ [27] ] In Childe Maurice, in Percy's folio manuscript, the hero says:
'... come hither, thou little foot-page,
That runneth lowly by my knee.'
The author of Sir Patrick Spence, and the other ballads in question, might have known this version, and from it caught this expression.