Hi,

I'm adding some info about "The Young Laird of Craigstoun," published 1824 (title Maidment) from A North Countrie Garland.

James Maidment received the ballad MS on Nov. 9, 1922 from David Webster. Also this ballad is found in a C.K. Sharpe transcript (small octavo of 22 pages) at Broughton House and in the Sir Walter Scott transcript entitled, North Country Ballads. The ballad is attributed by David Buchan to James Nicol of Strichen (d.1840), who worked as a cooper and bookseller in Aberdeenshire. Nicols was an informant for Peter Buchan and Child published seven of his ballads.

Th date would be pre1822. It is unknown when and from who Nicols acquired the ballad.

Richie