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diff --git a/39776.txt b/39776.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..ce805d0 --- /dev/null +++ b/39776.txt @@ -0,0 +1,6747 @@ +Project Gutenberg's The Three Perils of Man, Vol. 1 (of 3), by James Hogg + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Three Perils of Man, Vol. 1 (of 3) + or, War, Women, and Witchcraft + +Author: James Hogg + +Release Date: May 23, 2012 [EBook #39776] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE THREE PERILS OF MAN *** + + + + +Produced by Henry Flower, Carlo Traverso and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This +book was produced from scanned images of public domain +material from the Google Print project.) + + + + + + + + + + THE + + THREE PERILS OF MAN: + + _A BORDER ROMANCE_. + + + + + THE + THREE PERILS OF MAN; + + OR, + War, Women, and Witchcraft. + + _A BORDER ROMANCE._ + + + BY JAMES HOGG, + AUTHOR OF "WINTER-EVENING TALES," "BROWNIE OF + BODSBECK," "QUEEN'S WAKE," _&c._ _&c._ + + + IN THREE VOLUMES. + + VOL. I. + + + Beshrew me if I dare open it. + FLETCHER. + + + LONDON: + LONGMAN, HURST, REES, ORME, AND BROWN, + PATERNOSTER-ROW. + + 1822. + + + + + JOHN MOIR, Printer, Edinburgh, 1822. + + + + + TO + WILLIAM STEWART ROSE, ESQ. + AS A SMALL MEMORIAL + OF + _YARROW_, + AND + THE SHEPHERD'S HUMBLE SHEIL, + THIS WORK + IS RESPECTFULLY INSCRIBED + BY + THE AUTHOR. + + + + +THE + +THREE PERILS OF MAN. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + + There was a king, and a courteous king, + And he had a daughter sae bonnie; + And he lo'ed that maiden aboon a' thing + I' the bonnie, bonnie halls o' Binnorie. + + * * * * * + + But wae be to thee, thou warlock wight, + My malison come o'er thee, + For thou hast undone the bravest knight, + That ever brak bread i' Binnorie! + + _Old Song._ + + +The days of the Stuarts, kings of Scotland, were the days of +chivalry and romance. The long and bloody contest that the nation +maintained against the whole power of England, for the recovery of its +independence,--of those rights which had been most unwarrantably wrested +from our fathers by the greatest and most treacherous sovereign of that +age, with the successful and glorious issue of the war, laid the +foundation for this spirit of heroism, which appears to have been at its +zenith about the time that the Stuarts first acquired the sovereignty of +the realm. The deeds of the Douglasses, the Randolphs, and other border +barons of that day, are not to be equalled by any recorded in our +annals; while the reprisals that they made upon the English, in +retaliation for former injuries, enriched both them and their followers, +and rendered their appearance splendid and imposing to a degree that +would scarcely now gain credit. It was no uncommon thing for a Scottish +earl then to visit the Court at the head of a thousand horsemen, all +splendidly mounted in their military accoutrements; and many of these +gentlemen of rank and family. In court and camp, feats of arms were the +topic of conversation, and the only die that stamped the character of a +man of renown, either with the fair, the monarch, or the chiefs of the +land. No gentleman of noble blood would pay his addresses to his +mistress, until he had broken a spear with the knights of the rival +nation, surprised a strong-hold, or driven a prey from the kinsmen of +the Piercies, the Musgraves, or the Howards. As in all other things that +run to a fashionable extremity, the fair sex took the lead in +encouraging these deeds of chivalry, till it came to have the appearance +of a national mania. There were tournaments at the castle of every +feudal baron and knight. The ploughmen and drivers were often +discovered, on returning from the fields, hotly engaged in a tilting +bout with their goads and plough-staves; and even the little boys and +maidens on the village green, each well mounted on a crooked stick, were +daily engaged in the combat, and riding rank and file against each +other, breaking their tiny weapons in the furious onset, while the mimic +fire flashed from their eyes. Then was the play of _Scots and English_ +begun, a favourite one on the school green to this day. Such was the +spirit of the age, not only in Scotland, but over all the countries of +southern Europe, when the romantic incidents occurred on which the +following tale is founded. It was taken down from the manuscript of an +old Curate, who had spent the latter part of his life in the village of +Mireton, and was given to the present Editor by one of those tenants who +now till the valley where stood the richest city of this realm. + +There were once a noble king and queen of Scotland, as many in that land +have been.--In this notable tell-tale manner, does old Isaac, the +curate, begin his narrative. It will be seen in the sequel, that this +king and queen were Robert the Second and his consort.--They were +beloved by all their subjects, (continues he,) and loved and favoured +them in return; and the country enjoyed happiness and peace, all save a +part adjoining to the borders of England. The strong castle of Roxburgh, +which was the key of that country, had been five times taken by the +English, and three times by the Scots, in less than seventeen months, +and was then held by the gallant Lord Musgrave for Richard king of +England. + +Our worthy king had one daughter, of exquisite beauty and +accomplishments; the flower of all Scotland, and her name was Margaret. +This princess was courted by many of the principal nobility of the land, +who all eagerly sought an alliance with the royal family, not only for +the additional honour and power which it conferred on them and their +posterity, but for the personal charms of the lady, which were of that +high eminence, that no man could look on her without admiration. This +emulation of the lords kept the court of King Robert full of bustle, +homage, and splendour. All were anxious to frustrate the designs of +their opponents, and to forward their own; so that high jealousies were +often apparent in the sharp retorts, stern looks, and nodding plumes of +the rival wooers; and as the princess had never disclosed her partiality +for one above another, it was judged that Robert scarcely dared openly +to give the preference to any of them. A circumstance, however, soon +occurred, which brought the matter fairly to the test. + +It happened on a lovely summer day, at the end of July, that three and +twenty noble rivals for the hand of the beauteous princess were all +assembled at the palace of Linlithgow; but the usual gaiety, mirth, and +repartee did not prevail; for the king had received bad tidings that +day, and he sat gloomy and sad. + +Musgrave had issued from the castle of Roxburgh, had surprised the +castle of Jedburgh, and taken prisoner William, brother to the lord of +Galloway; slain many loyal Scottish subjects, and wasted Teviotdale with +fire and sword. The conversation turned wholly on the state of affairs +on the border, and the misery to which that country was exposed by the +castle of Roxburgh remaining in the hands of the English; and at length +the king enquired impatiently, how it came that Sir Philip Musgrave had +surprised the castle this last time, when his subjects were so well +aware of their danger. + +The earl of Hume made answer, that it was wholly an affair of chivalry, +and one of the bravest and noblest acts that ever was performed. +Musgrave's mistress, the lady Jane Howard, of the blood royal, and the +greatest heiress of the north of England, had refused to see him, unless +he gained back his honour by the retaking of that perilous castle, and +keeping it against all force, intercession, or guile, till the end of +the Christmas holidays. That he had accomplished the former in the most +gallant stile; and, from the measures that he had adopted, and the +additional fortifications that he had raised, there was every +possibility that he would achieve the latter. + +"What," said the king, "must the spirit of chivalry then be confined to +the country of our enemies? Have our noble dames of Scotland less +heroism in their constitutions than those of the south? Have they fewer +of the charms of beauty, or have their lovers less spirit to fulfil +their commands? By this sceptre in my right hand, I will give my +daughter, the princess Margaret, to the knight who shall take that +castle of Roxburgh out of the hands of the English before the expiry of +the Christmas holidays." + +Every lord and knight was instantly on his feet to accept the proposal, +and every one had his hand stretched towards the royal chair for +audience, when Margaret arose herself, from the king's left hand, where +she was seated, and flinging her left arm backward, on which swung a +scarf of gold, and stretching her right, that gleamed with bracelets of +rubies and diamonds, along the festive board, "Hold, my noble lords," +said she; "I am too deeply interested here not to have a word to say. +The grandchild of the great Bruce must not be given away to every +adventurer without her own approval. Who among you will venture his +honour and his life for me?" Every knight waved his right hand aloft and +dashed it on the hilt of his sword, eyeing the graceful attitude and +dignified form of the princess with raptures of delight. "It is well," +continued she, "the spirit of chivalry _has not_ deserted the Scottish +nation--hear me then: My father's vow shall stand; I will give my hand +in marriage to the knight who shall take that castle for the king, my +father, before the expiry of the Christmas holidays, and rid our border +of that nest of reavers; but with this proviso only, that, in case of +his attempting and failing in the undertaking, he shall forfeit all his +lands, castles, towns, and towers to me, which shall form a part of my +marriage-portion to his rival. Is it fit that the daughter of a king +should be given up or won as circumstances may suit, or that the risk +should all be on one side? Who would be so unreasonable as expect it? +This, then, with the concurrence of my lord and father, is my +determination, and by it will I stand." + +The conditions were grievously hard, and had a damping and dismal effect +on the courtly circle. The light of every eye deadened into a dim and +sullen scowl. It was a deed that promised glory and renown to adventure +their blood for such a dame,--to win such a lady as the Princess of +Scotland: But, to give up their broad lands and castles to enrich a +hated rival, was an obnoxious consideration, and what in all likelihood +was to be the issue. When all the forces of the land had been unable to +take the castle by storm, where was the probability that any of them was +now to succeed? None accepted the conditions. Some remained silent; some +shook their heads, and muttered incoherent mumblings; others strode +about the room, as if in private consultation. + +"My honoured liege," said Lady Margaret, "none of the lords or knights +of your court have the spirit to accept of my conditions. Be pleased +then to grant me a sufficient force. I shall choose the officers for +them myself, and I engage to take the castle of Roxburgh before +Christmas. I will disappoint the bloody Musgrave of his bride; and the +world shall see whether the charms of Lady Jane Howard or those of +Margaret Stuart shall rouse their admirers to deeds of the most +desperate valour. Before the Christmas bells have tolled, that shall be +tried on the rocks, in the rivers, in the air, and the bowels of the +earth. In the event of my enterprise proving succesful, all the guerdon +that I ask is, the full and free liberty of giving my hand to whom I +will. It shall be to no one that is here." And so saying she struck it +upon the table, and again took her seat at the king's left hand. + +Every foot rung on the floor with a furious tramp, in unison with that +stroke of the princess's hand. The taunt was not to be brooked. Nor was +it. The haughty blood of the Douglasses could bear it no longer. James, +the gallant earl of Douglas and Mar, stepped forward from the circle. +"My honoured liege, and master," said he, "I have not declined the +princess's offer,--beshrew my heart if ever it embraced such a purpose. +But the stake is deep, and a moment's consideration excusable. I have +considered, and likewise decided. I accept the lady's proposals. With my +own vassals alone, and at my own sole charge, will I rescue the castle +from the hands of our enemies, or perish in the attempt. The odds are +high against me. But it is now a Douglas or a Musgrave: God prosper the +bravest!" + +"Spoken like yourself, noble Douglas," said the king, "The higher the +stake the greater the honour. The task be yours, and may the issue add +another laurel to the heroic name." + +"James of Douglas," said Lady Margaret, "dost thou indeed accept of +these hard conditions for my sake? Then the hand of thy royal mistress +shall buckle on the armour in which thou goest to the field, but never +shall unloose it, unless from a victor or a corse!" And with that she +stretched forth her hand, which Douglas, as he kneeled with one knee on +the ground, took and pressed to his lips. + +Every one of the nobles shook Douglas by the hand, and wished him +success. Does any man believe that there was one among them that indeed +wished it? No, there was not a chief present that would not have +rejoiced to have seen him led to the gallows. His power was too high +already, and they dreaded that now it might be higher than ever; and, +moreover, they saw themselves outdone by him in heroism, and felt +degraded by the contract thus concluded. + +The standard of the Douglas was reared, and the bloody heart flew far +over many a lowland dale. The subordinate gentlemen rose with their +vassals, and followed the banner of their chief; but the more powerful +kept aloof, or sent ambiguous answers. They deemed the service +undertaken little better than the frenzy of a madman. + +There was at that time a powerful border baron, nicknamed Sir Ringan +Redhough, by which name alone he was distinguished all the rest of his +life. He was warden of the middle marches, and head of the most warlike +and adventurous sept in all that country. The answer which this hero +gave to his own cousin, Thomas Middlemas, who came to expostulate with +him from Douglas, is still preserved verbatim: "What, man, are a' my +brave lads to lie in bloody claes that the Douglas may lie i' snaw-white +sheets wi' a bonny bedfellow? Will that keep the braid border for the +king, my master? Tell him to keep their hands fu', an' their haunches +toom, an' they'll soon be blythe to leave the lass an' loup at the +ladle; an' the fient ae cloot shall cross the border to gar their pots +play brown atween Dirdan-head and Cocket-fell. Tell him this, an' tell +him that Redhough said it. If he dinna work by wiles he'll never pouch +the profit. But if he canna do it, an' owns that he canna do it, let him +send word to me, an' I'll tak' it for him." + +With these words he turned his back, and abruptly left his cousin, who +returned to Douglas, ill satisfied with the success of his message, but, +nevertheless, delivered it faithfully. "That curst carle," said the +Douglas, "is a thorn in my thigh, as well as a buckler on my arm. He's +as cunning as a fox, as stubborn as an oak, and as fierce as a lion. I +must temporize for the present, as I cannot do without his support, but +the time may come that he may be humbled, and made to know his betters; +since one endeavour has failed, we must try another, and, if that do not +succeed, another still." + +The day after that, as Sir Ringan was walking out at his own gate, an +old man, with a cowl, and a long grey beard, accosted him. "May the +great spirit of the elements shield thee, and be thy protector, +knight," said he. + +"An' wha may he be, carle, an it be your will?" said Ringan; "An' wha +may ye be that gie me sic a sachless benediction? As to my shield and +protection, look ye here!" and with that he touched his two-handed +sword, and a sheaf of arrows that was swung at his shoulder; "an' what +are all your saints and lang nebbit spirits to me?" + +"It was a random salutation, knight," said the old man, seeing his mood +and temper; "I am not a priest but a prophet. I come not to load you +with blessings, curses, nor homilies, all equally unavailing, but to +tell you what shall be in the times that are to come. I have had visions +of futurity that have torn up the tendrils of my spirit by the roots. +Would you like to know what is to befal you and your house in the times +that are to come?" + +"I never believe a word that you warlocks say," replied the knight; +"but I like aye to hear what you _will_ say about matters; though +it is merely to laugh at ye, for I dinna gie credit to ane o' your +predictions. Sin' the Rhymer's days, the spirit o' true warlockry is +gane. He foretauld muckle that has turned out true; an' something that I +hope _will_ turn out true: But ye're a' bairns to him." + +"Knight," said the stranger, "I can tell you more than ever the Rhymer +conceived, or thought upon; and, moreover, I can explain the words of +True Thomas, which neither you nor those to whom they relate in the +smallest degree comprehend. Knowest thou the prophecy of the Hart and +the Deer, as it is called? + + 'Quhere the hearte heavit in het blude over hill and howe, + There shall the dinke deire droule for the dowe: + Two fleite footyde maydenis shall tredde the greine, + And the mone and the starre shall flashe betweine. + Quhere the proude hiche halde and heveye hande beire + Ane frenauch shall feide on ane faderis frene feire, + In dinging at the starris the D shall doupe down, + But the S shall be S quhane the heide S is gone.'" + +"I hae heard the reide often and often," said the knight, "but the man's +unborn that can understand that. Though the prophecies and the legends +of the Rhymer take the lead i' my lear, I hae always been obliged to +make that a passover." + +"There is not one of all his sayings that relates as much to you and +your house, knight. It foretels that the arms of your family shall +supersede those of Douglas, which you know are the bloody heart; and +that in endeavouring to exalt himself to the stars, the D, that is the +Douglas, shall fall, but that your house and name shall remain when the +Stuarts are no more." + +"By the horned beasts of Old England, my father's portion, and my son's +undiminished hope," exclaimed the knight,--"Thou art a cunning man! I +now see the bearing o' the prophecy as plainly as I see the hill of +Mountcomyn before my e'e; and, as I know Thomas never is wrong, I +believe it. Now is the time, auld warlock,--now is the time; he's +ettling at a king's daughter, but his neck lies in wad, and the forfeit +will be his undoing." + +"The time is not yet come, valiant knight; nevertheless the prophecy is +true. Has thy horse's hoof ever trode, or thine eye journeyed, over the +Nine Glens of Niddisdale?" + +"I hae whiles gotten a glisk o' them." + +"They are extensive, rich, and beautiful." + +"They're nae less, auld carle; they're nae less. They can send nine +thousand leel men an' stout to the field in a pinch." + +"It is recorded in the book of fate,--it is written there--" + +"The devil it is, auld carle; that's mair than I thought o'." + +"Hold thy peace: lay thine hand upon thy mouth, and be silent till I +explain: I say I have seen it in the visions of the night,--I have seen +it in the stars of heaven"-- + +"What? the Nine Glens o' Niddisdale amang the starns o' heaven! by hoof +and horn, it was rarely seen, warlock." + +"I say that I have seen it,--they are all to belong to thy house." + +"Niddisdale a' to pertain to my house!" + +"All." + +"Carle, I gie nae credit to sic forbodings; but I have heard something +like this afore. Will ye stay till I bring my son Robin, the young +Master of Mountcomyn, and let him hear it? For aince a man takes a mark +on his way, I wadna hae him to tine sight o't. Mony a time has the tail +o' the king's elwand pointed me the way to Cumberland; an' as often has +the ee o' the Charlie-wain blinkit me hame again. A man's nae the waur +o' a bit beacon o' some kind,--a bit hope set afore him, auld carle; an' +the Nine Glens o' Niddisdale are nae Willie-an-the-Wisp in a lad's ee." + +"From Roxburgh castle to the tower of Sark,"-- + +"What's the auld-warld birkie saying?" + +"From the Deadwater-fell to the Linns of Cannoby,--from the Linns of +Cannoby to the heights of Manor and the Deuchar-swire,--shall thy son, +and the representatives of thy house, ride on their own lands." + +"May ane look at your foot, carle? Take off that huge wooden sandal, an +it be your will." + +"Wherefore should I, knight?" + +"Because I dread ye are either the devil or Master Michael Scott." + +"Whoever I am, I am a friend to you and to yours, and have told you the +words of truth. I have but one word more to say:--Act always in concert +with the Douglasses, while they act in concert with the king your +master,--not a day, nor an hour, nor a moment longer. It is thus, and +thus alone, that you must rise and the Douglas fall. Remember the words +of True Thomas,-- + + 'Quhane the wingit hors at his maistere sal wince, + 'Let wyse men cheat the chevysance.'" + +"There is something mair about you than other folk, auld man. If ye be +my kinsman, Michael Scott the warlock, I crave your pardon, Master; but +if you are that dreadfu' carle--I mean that learned and wonderfu' man, +why you are welcome to my castle. But you are not to turn my auld wife +into a hare, Master, an' hunt her up an' down the hills wi' my ain +grews; nor my callants into naigs to scamper about on i' the night-time +when they hae ither occupations to mind. There is naething i' my tower +that isna at your command; for, troth, I wad rather brow a' the Ha's and +the Howard's afore I beardit you." + +"I set no foot in your halls, knight. This night is a night among many +to me; and wo would be to me if any thing canopied my head save the cope +of heaven. There are horoscopes to be read this night for a thousand +years to come. One cake of your bread and one cup of your wine is all +that the old wizard requests of you, and that he must have." + +The knight turned back and led the seer into the inner-court, and fed +him with bread and wine, and every good thing; but well he noted that he +asked no holy benediction on them like the palmers and priors that +wandered about the country; and, therefore, he had some lurking dread of +the old man. He did not thank the knight for his courtesy, but, wiping +his snowy beard, he turned abruptly away, and strode out at the gate of +the castle. Sir Ringan kept an eye on him privately till he saw him +reach the top of Blake Law, a small dark hill immediately above the +castle. There he stopped and looked around him, and taking two green +sods, he placed the one above the other, and laid himself down on his +back, resting his head upon the two sods,--his body half raised, and his +eyes fixed on heaven. The knight was almost frightened to look at him; +but sliding into the cleuch, he ran secretly down to the tower to bring +his lady to see this wonderful old warlock. When they came back he was +gone, and no trace of him to be seen, nor saw they him any more at that +time. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + + This man's the devil's fellow commoner, + A verie cloake-bag of iniquitie. + His butteries and his craboun he deschargeth + Flasche, not by airt or reule. Is it meet + A Ploydenist should be a _cedant arma togae_, + Mounted on a trapt palfrey; with a dishe + Of velvatte on his heide, to keepe the brothe + Of his wit warm? The devil, my maisteris, + There is no dame in Venice shall indure itt. + + _Old Play._ + + +Whilst the knight and his lady were looking about in amazement for +their mysterious guest, the tower-warder sounded the great bugle, a +tremendous horn that lay on a shelf in the balcony where he kept watch. +"One--two--three," said the knight, counting the three distinct +notes,--a signal of which he well knew the language,--"What can that +mean? I am wanted, it would appear: another messenger from the Douglas, +I warrant." + +"Sir Ringan, keep by that is your own," said the lady--"I say, mind your +own concerns, and let the Douglas mind his." + +"Dame," said the chief, "I hae gotten some mair insight into that affair +than you; an' we maun talk about it by an' by. In the meantime let us +haste home, and see who is arrived." + +As they descended from the hill hand in hand, (for none walked arm in +arm in those days,) they saw Richard Dodds, a landward laird, coming to +meet them. "Oh," said Sir Ringan, "this is my officious cousin, Dickie +o' Dryhope; what business can he be come upon? It will be something that +he deems of great importance." + +"I hate that old fawning, flattering sycophant," said the lady; "and +cannot divine what is the cause of your partiality for him." + +"It is his attachment to our house that I admire, and his perfect +devotion to my service and interests," said the knight. + +"Mere sound," exclaimed the lady bitterly: "Mere waste of superfluous +breath! I tell you, Sir Ringan, that, for all your bravery, candour, and +kindness, you are a mere novice in the affairs of life, and know less +of men and of things than ever knight did." + +"It is a great fault in women," said the knight, making his observation +general, "that they will aye be meddling wi' things they ken nought +about. They think they ken every thing, an' wad gar ane trow that they +can see an inch into a fir deal.--Gude help them! It is just as +unfeasible to hear a lady discussing the merits of warriors an' yeomen, +as it wad be to see me sitting nursing a wench-bairn." + +"Foh, what an uncourtly term!" said the lady; "What would King Robert +think if he heard you speaking in that uncouth stile?" + +"I speak muckle better than him, wi' his short clippit Highland tongue," +said the chief: "But hush, here comes the redoubted Dickie o' Dryhope." + +No sooner were the knight and his lady's eyes turned so as to meet +Dickie's, than he whipped off his bonnet with a graceful swing, and made +a low bow, his thin gray locks waving as he bowed. Dickie was a tall, +lean, toothless, old bachelor, whose whole soul and body were +devoted to the fair sex and the house of his chief. These two mighty +concerns divided his attention, and often mingled with one another; +his enthusiasm for the one, by any sudden change of subjects or +concatenation of ideas, being frequently transferred to the other. +Dickie approached with his bonnet in his hand, bowing every time the +knight and lady lifted their eyes. When they met, Sir Ringan shook him +heartily by the hand, and welcomed him to the castle of Mountcomyn. + +"Oh, you are so good and so kind, Sir Ringan, bless you, bless you, +bless you, noble sir; how do you thrive, Sir Ringan? bless you, bless +you. And my excellent and noble lady Mountcomyn, how is my noble dame?" + +"Thank you," said the lady coldly. + +Dickie looked as if he would have shaken hands with her, or embraced +her, as the custom then was, but she made no proffer of either the one +or the other, and he was obliged to keep his distance; but this had no +effect in checking his adulations. "I am so glad that my excellent lady +is well, and the young squires and maidens all brisk and whole I hope?" + +"All well, cousin," said the chief. + +"Eh! all well?" reiterated Dickie, "Oh the dear, delightful, darling +souls, O bless them! If they be but as well as I wish them, and as good +as I wish--If the squires be but half so brave as their father, and the +noble young sweet dames half so beautiful as their lady mother--oh bless +them, bless them." "And half so independent and honest as their cousin," +said the lady, with a rebuking sneer. + +"Very pleasant! very pleasant, indeed!" simpered Dickie, without daring +to take his lips far asunder, lest his toothless gums should be seen. + +"Such babyish flummery!" rejoined the lady with great emphasis. Dickie +was somewhat abashed. His eyes, that were kindled with a glow of filial +rapture, appeared as with flattened pupils; nevertheless the benignant +smile did not altogether desert his features. The knight gave a short +look off at one side to his lady. "It is a great fault in ladies, +cousin," said he, "that they will always be breaking their jokes on +those that they like best, and always pretending to keep at a distance +from them. My lady thinks to blind my een, as many a dame has done to +her husband afore this time; but I ken, an' some mae ken too, that if +there's ane o' a' my kin that I durstna trust my lady wi' when my back's +turned, that ane's Dickie o' Dryhope." + +"H'm, h'm, h'm," neighed Dickie, laughing with his lips shut; "My lady's +so pleasant, and so kind, but--Oh--no, no--you wrong her, knight; h'm, +h'm, h'm! But, all joking and gibing aside--my lady's very pleasant. I +came express to inform you, Sir Ringan, that the Douglasses are up." + +"I knew it." + +"And the Maxwells--and the Gordons--and the hurkle-backed Hendersons." + +"Well." + +"And Sir Christopher Seton is up--and the Elliots and the Laird of +Tibbers is up." + +"Well, well." + +"I came expressly to inform you--" + +"Came with piper's news," said the lady, "which the fiddler has told +before you." + +"That _is very_ good," said Dickie; "My lady is so delightfully +pleasant--I thought Sir Ringan would be going to rise with the rest, and +came for directions as to raising my men." + +"How many men can the powerful Laird of Dryhope muster in support of the +warden?" said Lady Mountcomyn. + +"Mine are all at his command; my worthy lady knows that," said Dickie, +bowing: "Every one at his command." + +"I think," said she, "that at the battle of Blakehope you furnished only +two, who were so famished with hunger that they could not bear arms, far +less fight." + +"Very pleasant, in sooth; h'm, h'm! I declare I am delighted with my +lady's good humour." + +"You may, however, keep your couple of scare-crows at home for the +present, and give them something to eat," continued she; "the warden has +other matters to mind than wasting his vassals that the Douglas may +wive." + +"Very true, and excellent good sense," said Dickie. + +"We'll talk of that anon," said Sir Ringan. And with that they went into +the castle, and sat down to dinner. There were twelve gentlemen and nine +maidens present, exclusive of the knight's own family, and they took +their places on each side as the lady named them. When Sir Ringan +lifted up his eyes and saw the station that Dickie occupied, he was +dissatisfied, but instantly found a remedy. "Davie's Pate," said he to +the lad that waited behind him, "mak that bowiefu' o' cauld plovers +change places wi' yon saut-faut instantly, before meat be put to mouth." +The order was no sooner given than obeyed, and the new arrangement +placed Dickie fairly above the salt. + +The dining apparatus at the castle of Mountcomyn was homely, but the +fare was abundant. A dozen yeomen stood behind with long knives, and +slashed down the beef and venison into small pieces, which they placed +before the guests in wooden plates, so that there was no knife used at +the dining board. All ate heartily, but none with more industry than +Dickie, who took not even time all the while to make the complaisant +observation, that "my lady was so pleasant." + +Dinner being over, the younger branches of the family retired, and all +the kinsmen not of the first rank, pretending some business that called +them away, likewise disappeared; so that none were left with the knight +and his lady save six. The lady tried the effect of several broad hints +on Dickie, but he took them all in good part, and declared that he never +saw his lady so pleasant in his life. And now a serious consultation +ensued, on the propriety of lending assistance to the Douglas. Sir +Ringan first put the question to his friends, without any observation. +The lady took up the argument, and reasoned strongly against the +measure. Dickie was in raptures with his lady's good sense, and declared +her arguments unanswerable. Most of the gentlemen seemed to acquiesce in +the same measure, on the ground that, as matters stood, they could not +rise at the Douglas' call on that occasion, without being considered as +a subordinate family, which neither the king nor the Douglas had any +right to suppose them; and so strongly and warmly ran the argument on +that side, that it was likely to be decided on, without the chief having +said a word on the subject. Simon of Gemelscleuch alone ventured to +dissent; "I have only to remark, my gallant kinsmen," said he, "that our +decision in this matter is likely to prove highly eventful. Without our +aid the force of the Douglas is incompetent to the task, and the castle +will then remain in the hands of the English, than which nothing can be +more grievously against our interest. If he be defeated, and forfeit his +lands, the power of the Border will then remain with us; but should he +succeed without our assistance, and become the king's son-in-law, it +will be a hard game with us to keep the footing that we have. I +conceive, therefore, that in withdrawing our support we risk every +thing,--in lending it, we risk nothing but blows." All the kinsmen were +silent. Dickie looked at my Lady Mountcomyn. + +"It is well known that there is an old prophecy existing," said she, +"that a Scot shall sit in the Douglas' chair, and be lord of all his +domains. Well would it be for the country if that were so. But to +support the overgrown power of that house is not the way to accomplish +so desirable an object." + +"That is true," said Dickie; "I'll defy any man to go beyond what my +lady says, or indeed whatever she says." + +"Have we not had instances of their jealousy already?" continued she. + +"We have had instances of their jealousy already," said Dickie, +interrupting her. + +"And should we raise him to be the king's son-in-law, he would kick us +for our pains," rejoined she. + +"Ay, he would kick us for our pains," said Dickie; "think of that." + +"Either please to drop your responses, Sir," said she, sternly, "or +leave the hall. I would rather hear a raven croak on my turret in the +day of battle, than the tongue of a flatterer or sycophant." + +"That is very good indeed," said Dickie; "My lady is so pleasant; h'm, +h'm, h'm! Excellent! h'm, h'm, h'm!" + +Sir Ringan saw his lady drawing herself up in high indignation; and +dreading that his poor kinsman would bring on himself such a rebuke as +would banish him the hall for ever, he interposed. "Cousin," said he, +"it's a great fault in women that they canna bide interruption, an' the +mair they stand in need o't they take it the waur. But I have not told +you all yet: a very singular circumstance has happened to me this day. +Who do you think I found waylaying me at my gate, but our kinsman, the +powerful old warlock, Master Michael Scott." + +"Master Michael Scott!" exclaimed the whole circle, every one holding up +his hands, "has he ventured to be seen by man once more? Then there is +something uncommon to befal, or, perhaps, the world is coming to an +end." + +"God forbid!" said Redhough: "It is true that, for seven years, he has +been pent up in his enchanted tower at Aikwood, without speaking to any +one save his spirits; but though I do not know him, this must have been +he, for he has told me such things as will astonish you; and, moreover, +when he left me, he laid himself down on the top of the Little Law on +his back, and the devils carried him away bodily through the air, or +down through the earth, and I saw no more of him." + +All agreed that it had been the great magician Master Michael Scott. Sir +Ringan then rehearsed the conversation that had passed between the +wizard and himself. All the circle heard this with astonishment; some +with suspense, and others with conviction, but Dickie with raptures of +delight. "He assured me," said Redhough, "that my son should ride on his +own land from Roxburgh to the Deadwater-fell." + +"From Roxburgh to the Deadwater-fell!" cried Dickie, "think of that! all +the links of the bonny Teviot and Slitterick, ha, ha, lads, think of +that!" and he clapped his hands aloud without daring to turn his eyes +to the head of the table. + +"And from the Deadwater-fell to the tower o' Sark," rejoined the knight. + +"To the tower of Sark!" exclaimed Dickie. "H-- have a care of us! think +of that! All the dales of Liddel, and Ewes, and the fertile fields of +Cannobie! Who will be king of the Border, then, my lads? who will be +king of the Border then? ha, ha, ha!" + +"And from the fords of Sark to the Deuchar-swire," added Sir Ringan. + +Dickie sprang to his feet, and seizing a huge timber trencher, he waved +it round his head. The chief beckoned for silence; but Dickie's eyes +were glistening with raprures, and it was with great difficulty he +repressed his vociferations. + +"And over the Nine Glens of Niddisdale beside," said Sir Ringan. + +Dickie could be restrained no longer. He brayed out, "Hurrah, hurrah!" +and waved his trencher round his head. + +"All the Esk, and the braid Forest, and the Nine Glens o' Niddisdale! +Hurrah! Hurrah! Mountcomyn for ever! The warden for ever! hu, hu! hu!" + +The knight and his friends were obliged to smile at Dickie's outrageous +joy; but the lady rose and went out in high dudgeon. Dickie then gave +full vent to his rapture without any mitigation of voice, adding, "My +lady for ever!" to the former two; and so shouting, he danced around, +waving his immense wooden plate. + +The frolic did not take, and Sir Ringan was obliged to call him to +order. "You do not consider, cousin," said the warden, "that what a +woman accounts excellent sport at one time is at another high offence. +See, now, you have driven my lady away from our consultation, on whose +advice I have a strong reliance; and I am afraid we will scarcely +prevail on her to come back." + +"Oh! there's no fear of my lady and me," said Dickie; "we understand one +another. My lady is a kind, generous, noble soul, and so pleasant! + +"For as pleasant and kind as she is, I am deceived if she is easily +reconciled to you. Ye dinna ken Kate Dunbar, cousin.--Boy, tell your +lady that we lack her counsel, and expect that she will lend us it for a +short space." + +The boy did as he was ordered, but returned with an answer, that unless +Dickie was dismissed she did not choose to be of the party. + +"I am sorry for it," said Sir Ringan; "but you may tell her that she may +then remain where she is, for I can't spare my cousin Dickie now, nor +any day these five months." And with that he began and discussed the +merits of the case _pro_ and _con_ with his kinsmen, as if nothing had +happened; and in the end it was resolved, that, with a thousand +horsemen, they would scour the east border to intercept all the supplies +that should be sent out of England, and thus enrich themselves, while, +at at the same time, they would appear to countenance the mad +undertaking of Douglas. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + + "Come, come, my hearts of flint; modestly; decently; soberly; and + handsomely.--No man afore his leader.--Ding down the enemy + to-morrow,--ye shall not come into the field like beggars.--Lord + have mercy upon me, what a world this is!--Well, I'll give an + hundred pence for as many good feathers, and a hundred more for as + many scarts:--wounds, dogs, to set you out withal! Frost and snow, + a man cannot fight till he be brave! I say down with the enemy to + morrow!" + + _Sir John Oldcastle._ + + +The castle of Roxburgh was beleaguered by seven thousand men in armour, +but never before had it been so well manned, or rendered so formidable +in its butresses; and to endeavour to scale it, appeared as vain an +attempt as that of scaling the moon. + +There was a great deal of parading, and noise went on, as that of +beating drums, and sounding of trumpets and bugles, every day; and +scarcely did there one pass on which there were not tilting bouts +between the parties, and in these the English generally had the +advantage. Never was there, perhaps, a more chivalrous host than that +which Musgrave had under his command within the walls of Roxburgh; the +enthusiasm, the gallantry, and the fire of the captain, were +communicated to all the train. + +Their horses were much superior to those of the Scots; and, in place of +the latter being able to make any impression on the besieged, they could +not, with all the vigilance they were able to use, prevent their posts +from being surprised by the English, on which the most desperate +encounters sometimes took place. At first the English generally +prevailed, but the Scots at length became inured to it, and stood the +shocks of the cavalry more firmly. They took care always at the first +onset to cut the bridle reins with their broad-swords, and by that means +they disordered the ranks of their enemies, and often drove them in +confusion back to their strong-hold. + +Thus months flew on in this dashing sort of warfare, and no impression +was made on the fortress, nor did any appear practicable; and every one +at court began to calculate on the failure and utter ruin of the +Douglas. Piercy of Northumberland proffered to raise the country, and +lead an army to the relief of the castle; but this interference Musgrave +would in nowise admit, it being an infringement of the task imposed on +him by his mistress. + +Moreover, he said, he cared not if all the men of Scotland lay around +the castle, for he would defy them to win it. He farther bade the +messenger charge Piercy and Howard to have an army ready at the expiry +of the Christmas holidays, wherewith to relieve him, and clear the +Border, but to take no care nor concern about him till then. + +About this time an incident, right common in that day, brought a number +of noble young adventurers to the camp of Douglas. It chanced, in an +encounter between two small rival parties at the back of the convent of +Maisondieu, which stood on the south side of the Teviot, that Sir Thomas +de Somerville of Carnwath engaged hand to hand with an English knight, +named Sir Comes de Moubray, who, after a desperate encounter, unhorsed +and wounded him. The affair was seen from the walls of Roxburgh, as well +as by a part of the Scottish army which was encamped on a rising ground +to the south, that overlooked the plain; and, of course, like all other +chivalrous feats, became the subject of general conversation. Somerville +was greatly mortified; and, not finding any other way to recover his +honour, he sent a challenge to Moubray to fight him again before the +gate of Roxburgh, in sight of both armies. Moubray was too gallant to +refuse. There was not a knight in the castle who would have declined +such a chance of earning fame, and recommending himself to his mistress +and the fair in general. The challenge was joyfully accepted, and the +two knights met in the midst of a circle of gentlemen appointed by both +armies, on the castle green, that lay betwixt the moat and the river, +immediately under the walls of the castle. Never was there a more +gallant combat seen. They rode nine times against each other with full +force, twice with lances and seven times with swords, yet always managed +with such dexterity that neither were unhorsed, nor yet materially +wounded. But at the tenth charge, by a most strenuous exertion, Sir +Thomas disarmed and threw his opponent out of his saddle, with his +sword-arm dislocated. Somerville gained great renown, and his fame was +sounded in court and in camp. Other challenges were soon sent from both +sides, and as readily accepted; and some of the best blood both of +Scotland and England was shed in these mad chivalrous exploits. The +ambition of the young Scottish nobles was roused, and many of them +flocked as volunteers to the standard of Douglas. Among these were some +of the retainers of Redhough, who could not resist such an opportunity +of trying their swords with some rivals with whom they had erst +exchanged sharp blows on the marches. Simon of Gemelscleuch, his cousin +John of Howpasley, and the Laird of Yard-bire, all arrived in the camp +of Douglas in one night, in order to distinguish themselves in these +tilting bouts. Earl Douglas himself challenged Musgrave, hoping thereby +to gain his end, and the prize for which he fought; but the knight, true +to his engagement, sent him for answer, that he would first see the +beginning of a new year, and then he should fight either him or any of +his name, but that till then he had undertaken a charge to which all +others must be subordinate. + +The Laird of Yardbire, the strongest man of the Border, fought three +combats with English squires of the same degree, two on horseback and +one on foot, and in all proved victorious. For one whole month the siege +presented nothing new save these tiltings, which began at certain hours +every day, and always became more obstinate, often proving fatal; and +the eagerness of the young gentry of both parties to engage in them grew +into a kind of mania: But an event happened which put an end to them at +once. + +There was a combat one day between two knights of the first degree, who +were surrounded as usual by twenty lancers from each army, all the rest +of both parties being kept at a distance, the English on the tops of +their walls, and the Scots on the heights behind, both to the east and +west; for there was one division of the army stationed on the hill of +Barns and at the head of the Sick-man's Path, and another on the rising +ground between the city and castle. The two gentlemen were equally +matched, and the issue was doubtful, when the attendant Scottish guards +perceived, or thought they perceived, in the bearing of the English +knight, some breach of the rules of chivalry; on which with one voice +they called out "foul play." The English answered, "No, no, none." The +two judges called to order, on which the spearmen stood still and +listened, and hearing that the judges too were of different opinions, +they took up the matter themselves, the Scots insisting that the knight +should be disarmed and turned from the lists in disgrace, and the +English refusing to acquiesce. The judges, dreading some fatal +conclusion, gave their joint orders that both parties should retire in +peace, and let the matter be judged of afterwards; on which the English +prepared to quit the ground with a kind of exultation, for it appeared +that they were not certain with regard to the propriety of their hero's +conduct. Unluckily, it so happened that the redoubted Charlie Scott of +Yard-bire headed the Scottish pikemen on the lists that day, a very +devil for blood and battery, and of strength much beyond that generally +allotted to man. When he saw that the insidious knight was going to be +conducted off in a sort of triumph, and in a manner so different from +what he deemed to suit his demerits, he clenched the handle of his sword +with his right hand, and screwed down his eyebrows till they almost +touched the top of his nose. "What now, muckle Charlie?" said one that +stood by him. "What now!" repeated Charlie, growling like a wolf-dog, +and confining the words almost within his own breast, "The deil sal bake +me into a ker-cake to gust his gab wi', afore I see that saucy tike +ta'en off in sic a way." And with that he dropt his pike, drew his +sword, and rushing through the group he seized the knight's horse by the +bridle with his left hand, thinking to lead both him and his master away +prisoners. The knight struck at him with all his might, but for this +Charlie was prepared; he warded the blow most dexterously, and in wrath, +by the help of a huge curb-bridle, he threw the horse backward, first on +his hams, and then on his back, with his rider under him. "Tak ye that, +master, for whistling o' Sundays," said the intrepid borderer, and began +to lay about him at the English, who now attacked him on both sides. + +Charlie's first break at the English knight was the watch-word for a +general attack. The Scots flew to the combat, in perfect silence, and +determined hatred, and they were received by the other party in the same +manner. Not so the onlookers of both hosts,--they rent the air with loud +and reiterated shouts. The English poured forth in a small narrow column +from the east gate along the draw-bridge, but the Scottish horsemen, who +were all ready mounted, the better to see the encounter from their +stations, scoured down from the heights like lightning, so that they +prevailed at first, before the English could issue forth in numbers +sufficient to oppose them. The brave Sir Richard Musgrave, the captain's +younger brother, led the English, he having rushed out at their head on +the first breaking out of the affray; but, notwithstanding all his +bravery, he with his party were driven with their backs to the moat, and +hard pressed, Douglas, with a strong body of horse, having got betwixt +them and the castle-gate. The English were so anxious to relieve their +young hero that they rushed to the gate in crowds. Douglas suffered a +part to issue, and then attacking them furiously with the cavalry, he +drove them back in such confusion, that he got possession of the +draw-bridge for several minutes, and would in all likelihood have +entered with the crowd, had it not been for the portcullis, the +machinery of which the Scots did not understand, nor had they the means +of counteracting it; so that just when they were in the hottest and most +sanguine part of their enterprize, down it came with a clattering noise +louder than thunder, separating a few of the most forward from their +brethren, who were soon every one cut down, as they refused to yield. + +In the meantime it fared hard with Richard, who was overpowered by +numbers; and though the English archers galled the Scottish cavalry +grievously from the walls, he and all that were with him being forced +backward, they plunged into the moat, and were every one of them either +slain or taken prisoners. The younger Musgrave was among the latter, +which grieved his brother Sir Philip exceedingly, as it gave Douglas an +undue advantage over him, and he knew that, in the desperate state of +his undertaking, he would go any lengths to over-reach him. From that +day forth, all challenges or accepting of challenges was prohibited by +Musgrave, under pain of death; and a proclamation was issued, stating, +that all who entered the castle should be stripped naked, searched, and +examined, on what pretence soever they came, and if any suspicious +circumstances appeared against them, they were to be hanged upon a post +erected for the purpose, on the top of the wall, in sight of both +armies. He was determined to spare no vigilance, and constantly said he +would hold Douglas at defiance. + +There was only one thing that the besieged had to dread, and it was +haply, too, the only thing in which the Scots placed any degree of hope, +and that was the total failure of provisions within the castle. +Musgrave's plan, of getting small supplies at a time from England by +night, was discovered by Sir Ringan Redhough, and completely cut off: +and as Douglas hanged every messenger that fell into his hands, no new +plan could be established; and so closely were the English beleaguered, +that any attempt at sending additional supplies to those they had proved +of no avail. The rival armies always grew more and more inveterate +against each other, and the most sharp and deadly measures were +exercised by both. Matters went on in this manner till near the end of +October, when the nights grew cold, long, and dark. There was nothing +but the perils of that castle on the Border talked of over all Scotland +and England. Every one, man, maid, and child, became interested in it. +It may well be conceived that the two sovereign beauties, the Lady Jane +Howard and Princess Margaret of Scotland, were not the least so; and +both of them prepared, at the same time, in the true spirit of the age, +to take some active part in the matter before it came to a final issue. +One of them seemed destined to lose her hero, but both had put on the +resolution of performing something worthy of the knights that were +enduring so much for their sakes. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + + And O that pegis weste is slymme, + And his ee wald garr the daye luke dymme; + His broue is brente, his brestis fayre, + And the deemonde lurkis in hys revan hayre. + Alake for thilke bonnye boye sae leile + That lyes withe oure Kynge in the hie-lande shiele! + + _Old Rhyme._ + + I winna gang in, I darena gang in, + Nor sleep i' your arms ava; + Fu' laithly wad a fair may sleep + Atween you an' the wa'. + War I to lie wi' a belted knight, + In a land that's no my ain, + Fu' dear wad be my courtesye, + An' dreich wad be my pain. + + _Old Ballad._ + + +One cold biting evening, at the beginning of November, Patrick Chisholm +of Castleweary, an old yeoman in the upper part of Teviotdale, sat +conversing with his family all in a merry and cheerful mood. They were +placed in a circle round a blazing hearth fire, on which hung a huge +caldron, boiling and bubbling like the pool at the foot of a cataract. +The lid was suspended by a rope to the iron crook on which this lordly +machine was hung, to intercept somewhat the showers of soot that now and +then descended from the rafters. These appeared as if they had been +covered with pitch or black japanning; and so violently was the kettle +boiling, that it made the roof of Pate Chisholm's bigging all to shiver. +Notwithstanding these showers of soot, Pate and his four goodly sons +eyed the boiling caldron with looks of great satisfaction,--for ever and +anon the hough of an immense leg of beef was to be seen cutting its +capers in the boil, or coming with a graceful semicircular sweep from +one lip of the pot to the other. + +"Is it true, callants," said Pate, "that Howard is gaun to make a +diversion, as they ca't, in the west border, to draw off the warden frae +the Cheviots?" + +"As muckle is said, an' as muckle expectit," said Dan, his first born, a +goodly youth, who, with his three brethren, sat in armour. They had come +home to their father's house that night with their share of a rich prey +that the warden had kidnapped while just collecting to send to Roxburgh +under a guard of five thousand men. But Sir Ringan, getting intelligence +of it, took possession of the drove before it was placed under the +charge of those intended to guard it. + +"As muckle is said, an' as muckle is expectit," said Dan; "but the west +border will never turn out sae weel to us as the east has done. It's +o'er near the Johnstones, and the Jardines, and the hurkle-backit +Hendersons." + +Pate looked from under his bonnet at the hough of beef.--"The Cheviot +hills hae turned weel out for the warden," continued Dan; "Redhough an' +his lads hae been as weel scrieving o'er law and dale as lying getting +hard pelts round the stane wa's o' Roxburgh, an' muckle mair gude has he +done; for gin they dinna hunger them out o' their hauddin, they'll keep +it. Ye'll draw an Englishman by the gab easier than drive him wi' an +airn gaud. I wad ride fifty miles to see ony ane o' the bonny dames that +a' this pelting an' peching is about." + +"Twa wanton glaikit gillies, I'll uphaud," said Pate, looking at the +restless hough; "o'er muckle marth i' the back, an' meldar i' the +brusket. Gin I had the heffing o' them, I sude tak a staup out +o' their bickers.--Whisht, I thought I heard the clanking o' horse +heels.--Callant, clap the lid down on the pat; what hae they't hinging +geaving up there for?" + +The clattering of the horses approached, but apparently with caution; +and at length a voice called at the door in an English accent, "Hollo, +who holds here?" "Leel men, an' for the Scots," answered Dan, starting +to his feet, and laying his hand on his sword. "For the knight of +Mountcomyn, the Scottish warden?"--inquired the horseman without. "For +the same," was the answer. "It is toward his castle that we are bound. +Can any of you direct us the way?" + +"Troth, that I can," said old Pate, groping to satisfy himself that the +lid was close down on the pot, and then running to the door; "I can tell +you every fit o' the road, masters: You maun gang by the Fanesh, +you see; it lies yon way, you see; an' then up the Brown rig, as +straight as a line through Philhope-head, an' into Borthwick; then up +Aitas-burn,--round the Crib-law,--an' wheel to the right; then the burn +that ye come to there, ye maun cross that, and three miles farther on +you come to the castle of Mountcomyn.--Braw cheer there lads!" + +"I am afraid, friend," said the English trooper, "we will make nothing +of this direction. Is it far to this same castle of the Scottish +warden?" + +"O no, naething but a step, some three Scots miles." + +"And how is the road?" + +"A prime road, man; no a step in't a' wad tak your horse to the brusket; +only there's nae track; ye maun just take an ettle. Keep an ee on the +tail o' Charlie's wain, an' ye'll no gang far wrang." + +"Our young lord and master is much fatigued," said the trooper; "I am +afraid we shall scarcely make it out. Pray, sir, could you spare us a +guide?" + +Dan, who was listening behind, now stepped forward, and addressed them: +"My masters, as the night is o' darkness, I could hardly ride to +Mountcomyn mysel, an', far or near, I couldna win there afore day. Gin +ye dought accept o' my father's humble cheer the night--" + +"The callant's bewiddied, an' waur than bewiddied," said Pate: "We haena +cheer for oursels, let abe for a byking o' English lords an' squires!" + +"I would gladly accept of any accommodation," said a sweet delicate +voice, like that of a boy; "for the path has been so dreadful that I am +almost dead, and unable to proceed further. I have a safe-conduct to the +Scottish court, signed by all the wardens of the marches, and every +knight, yeoman, and vassal is obliged to give me furtherance." + +"I dinna ken muckle about conducks an' signatures," said Pate, "but I +trow there winna be mony syllables in some o' the names if a' the +wardens hae signed your libelt; for I ken weel there's ane o' them whase +edication brak aff at the letter G, an' never gat farrer. But I'm no +ca'ing ye a leear, southron lord, ye may be a vera honest man; an' as +your errand may be something unco express, ye had better post on." + +"It sal never be casten up to me neither in camp nor ha," said Dan, +"that a stranger was cawed frae my auld father's door at this time o' +the night. Light down, light down, southron lord, ye are a privileged +man; an', as I like to see the meaning o' things, I'll ride wi' ye mysel +the morn, fit for fit, to the castle o' Mountcomyn." + +The strangers were soon all on their feet, and ushered into the family +circle, for there was no fire-place in the house but that one. They +consisted of five stout troopers, well armed, a page, and a young +nobleman, having the appearance of a youth about seventeen or eighteen +years of age. Every eye was instantly turned on him, there was something +so extraordinary in his appearance. Instead of a steel helmet, he wore a +velvet cap, shaped like a crown, striped with belts, bars, and crosses +of gold wire, and manifestly more for ornament than use. His fair +ringlets were peeping in curls out from below his cap, and his face +and bright blue eyes were lovely as the dawn of a summer's morning. + +They were not well seated till a noise of the tread of horses was again +heard. + +"The warld be a-wastle us!" cried old Pate, "wha's that now? I think +fouk will be eaten up wi' fouk, an' naething for folk's pains but dry +thanks;--thanks winna feed the cat--" + +He was stopped in his regretful soliloquy by a rough voice at the door: +"Ho, wha bauds the house?" The same answer was given as to the former +party, and in a minute the strangers entered without law or leave. + +"Ye travel unco late, maisters," said old Pate: "How far may ye be for +the night?" + +"We meant to have reached the tower of Gorranberry to-night," said one +of the strangers, "but we have been benighted, and were drawn hither by +the light in your hole. I fear we must draw on your hospitality till +day." + +"Callant Peter, gang an' stap a wisp i' that bole," said Pate; "it +seems to be the beacon light to a' the clanjaumphry i' the hale country. +I tauld ye aye to big it up; but no ane o' ye heeds what I say. I hae +seen houses that _some_ fouk whiles gaed by. But, my maisters, its nae +gate ava to Gorranberry,--a mere haut-stride-and-loup. I'll send a guide +to Bilhope-head wi' ye; for troth we hae neither meat nor drink, +house-room nor stabling, mair about the toun. We're but poor yeomen, an' +haud our mailin for hard service. We hae tholed a foray the night +already, an' a double ane wad herrie us out o' house an' hauld. The +warld be a' wastle us! I think a' the mosstroopers be abraid the night! +Bairns, swee that bouking o' claes aff the fire; ye'll burn it i' the +boiling." + +The new comers paid little attention to this address of the old man; +they saw that he was superannuated, and had all the narrow selfishness +that too generally clings to that last miserable stage of human +exisence; but drawing nigh they began to eye the southron party with +looks of dark suspicion, if not of fierceness. + +"I see what maks ye sae frightet at our entrance here," said the first +Scots trooper, ye hae some southron spies amang ye--Gudeman, ye sal +answer to the king for this, an' to the Douglas too, whilk ye'll find a +waur job." + +"Ken where ye are, an' wha ye're speaking to," said Dan, stepping +forward and browing the last speaker face to face: "If either the ae +party or the ither be spies, or aught else but leel men, ye shall find, +ere ye gang far, whase land ye are on, an' whase kipples ye are under. +That auld man's my father, an,' doitet as he is, the man amang ye that +says a saucy word to him I'll gar sleep in his shoon a fit shorter than +he rase i' the morning. Wha are ye, sir, or where do you travel by night +on my master the warden's bounds?" + +"Sir," answered another trooper, who seemed to be rather a more polished +man, "I applaud your spirit, and will answer your demand. We go with our +lord and master, Prince Alexander Stuart of Scotland, on a mission to a +noble English family. Here is the king's seal as well as a pass signed +by the English warden. We are leel men and true." + +"Where is the prince?" said Dan: "A prince of Scotland i' my father's +house? Which is he?" + +A slender elegant stripling stept forward. "Here he is, brave yeoman," +said the youth: "No ceremony--Regard me as your fellow and companion for +this night." + +Dan whipped off his bonnet and clapped his foot upon it, and bowing low +and awkwardly to his prince he expressed his humble respect as well as +he could, and then presented the prince to his father. The title sounded +high in the old man's ears, he pulled off his bonnet and looked with an +unsteady gaze, as if uncertain on whom to fix it--"A prince! Eh?--Is he +a prince o' Scotland? Ay, ay!" said he, "Then he'll maybe hae some say +wi' our head men--Dan--I say, Dan"--and with that he pulled Dan's +sleeve, and said in a whisper loud enough to be heard over all the +house,--"I say, Dan, man, gin he wad but speak to the warden to let us +hae a' the land west the length o' the Frosty lair. O it wad lie weel +into ours." "It wad, father, and I daresay we may get it; but hush just +now." "Eh? do you think we may get it?" enquired the old man eagerly in +the same whispering tremulous voice, "O man, it wad lie weel in; an' sae +wad Couter's-cleuch. It's no perfect wanting that too. An' we wad be a +great deal the better o' twa or three rigs aff Skelfhill for a bit +downfa' to the south--See if ye can speak to the lad." + +Dan shook his father's hand, and nodded to him by way of acquiescence. +The old man brightened up: "Whar is your titty Bessy, Dan? Whar are a' +the idle hizzies? Gar them get something set down to the princely lad: +I'se warrant he's e'en hungry. Ye'll no be used til siccan roads as +thir, Sir? Na, na. They're unco roads for a prince.--Dan, I say, come +this way; I want to speak to you--I say," (whispering very low aside) "I +wadna let them ken o' the beef, or they'll just gang wi't. Gie them milk +an' bread, an' cheese, an' a drap o' the broo; it will do weel aneuch. +Hunger's good sauce. But, Dan,--I say, could ye no contrive to get quat +o' thae English? I doubt there will be little made of them:--They're but +a wheen gillie-gaupies at the best, an nae freends to us.--Fouk sude ay +bow to the bush they get bield frae." + +"It's a' true that ye say, father; but we surely needna grudge an +Englishman a piece o' an English cow's hip.--The beef didna cost you +dear, an' there's mair where it cam frae." + +The old man would not give up his point, but persisted in saying it was +a dangerous experiment, and an unprofitable waste. However, in spite of +his remonstrances, the board was loaded with six wooden bickers filled +with beef broth, plenty of bear-meal bannocks, and a full quarter of +English ox beef, to which the travellers did all manner of justice. The +prince, as he called himself, was placed at the head of the table, and +the young English nobleman by his side. Their eyes were scarcely ever +turned from one another's faces, unless in a casual hasty glance to see +how others were regarding the same face. The prince had dark raven hair +that parted on a brow of snow, a black liquid eye, and round lips, +purer than the cherry about to fall from the tree with ripeness. He was +also a degree taller than the English lord; but both of them, as well as +their two pages, were lovelier than it became men to be. The troopers +who attended them seemed disposed to contradict every thing that came +from the adverse party, and, if possible, to broach a quarrel, had it +not been for the two knights, who were all suavity, good breeding, and +kindness to each other, and seemed to have formed an attachment at first +sight. At length Prince Alexander inquired of his new associate his +name, and business at the Scottish court, provided, he said, that it did +not require strict secrecy. The other said, he would tell him every +thing truly, on condition that he would do the same: which being agreed +to, the young English nobleman proceeded as follows: + +"My name is Lord Jasper Tudor, second son to the Earl of Pembroke. I am +nearly related to the throne of England, and in high favour with the +king. The wars on the Borders have greatly harassed the English +dalesmen for these many years, and matters being still getting worse +between the nations, the king, my cousin, has proposed to me to +marry the Princess Margaret of Scotland, and obtain as her dowry a +confirmation of these border lands and castles, so that a permanent +peace may be established between the nations, and this bloody and +desperate work cease. I am on my way to the Scottish court to see +the princess, your sister; and if I find her to be as lovely and +accomplished as fame speaks her, I intend to comply with the king's +request, and marry her forthwith." + +This speech affected the prince so much that all the guests wondered. He +started to his feet, and smiling in astonishment said, "What, you? you +marry m--m--my sister Margaret? She is very much beholden to you, and on +my word she will see a becoming youth. But are you sure that she will +accept of you for a husband?" "I have little to fear on that head," said +the Lord Jasper Tudor jeeringly; "Maids are in general not much averse +to marriage; and, if I am well informed, your lovely sister is as +little averse to it as any of her contemporaries." + +The prince blushed deep at this character of his sister, but had not a +word to say. + +"Pray," continued Tudor, "is she like you? If she is, I think I shall +love her,--I would not have her just like you neither." + +"I believe," said the prince, "there is a strong family likeness; but +tell me in what features you would wish her to differ from me, and I +will describe her minutely to you." + +"In the first place," said the amorous and blue-ey'd Tudor, "I should +like her to be a little stouter, and more manly of frame than you, and, +at least, to have some appearance of a beard." + +All the circle stared. "The devil you would, my lord," said Dan; "Wad ye +like your wife to hae a beard, in earnest? Gude faith, an your ain war +like mine, ye wad think ye had eneuch o't foreby your wife's." The +prince held up his hands in astonishment, and the young English lord +blushed deeper than it behoved a knight to do; but at length he tried to +laugh it by, pretending that he had unwittingly said one thing when he +meant the very contrary, for he wished her to be more feminine, and have +less beard."--"I think that will hardly be possible," said Dan; "but +perhaps there may be a hair here an' there on my lord the prince's chin, +when ane comes near it. I wadna disparage ony man, far less my king's +son." + +"Well, my noble lord," said the prince, "your tale has not a little +surprised me, as well it may. Our meeting here in like circumstances is +the most curious rencounter I ever knew; for, to tell you the plain +truth, I am likewise on an errand of the same import, being thus far on +my way to see and court the lady Jane Howard, in order that all her wide +domains may be attached to my father's kingdom, and peace and amity +thereby established on the border." + +"Gracious heaven!" said young Lord Tudor, "can this that I hear be true? +You? Are you on your way to my cousin, the lady Jane Howard? Why, do you +not know that she is already affianced to Lord Musgrave?" + +"Yes, it is certain I do; but that is one of my principal inducements to +gain her from him; that is quite in the true spirit of gallantry; but, +save her great riches, I am told she has little else to recommend her," +said the prince. + +"And, pray, how does fame report of my cousin Jane?" said Tudor. + +"As of a shrew and a coquette," answered the prince; "a wicked minx, +that is intemperate in all her passions." + +"It is a manifest falsehood," said Tudor, his face glowing with +resentment, "I never knew a young lady so moderate and chastened in +every passion of the female heart. Her most private thoughts are pure as +purity itself, and her--." + +"But, begging your pardon, my lord, how can you possibly know all this?" +said the prince. + +"I do know it," said the other, "it is no matter how: I cannot hear my +fair cousin wronged; and I know that she will remain true to Musgrave, +and have nothing to do with you." + +"I will bet an earldom on that head, said the prince, "if I chuse to +lay siege to her." + +"Done!" said the other, and they joined hands on the bargain; but they +had no sooner laid their hands into one another's than they hastily +withdrew them, with a sort of trepidation, that none of the lookers on, +save the two pages, who kept close by their masters, appeared to +comprehend. They, too, were both mistaken in the real cause; but of that +it does not behove to speak at present. + +"I will let you see," said the prince, recovering himself, "that this +celebrated cousin of yours shall not be so ill to win as the castle of +Roxburgh; and I'll let Musgrave see for how much truth and virgin +fidelity he has put his life in his hand; and when I have her I'll cage +her, for I don't like her. I would give that same earldom to have her in +my power to-night." + +The young Lord Tudor looked about as if he meditated an escape to +another part of the table; but, after a touch that his page gave him on +the sleeve, he sat still, and mustered up courage for a reply. + +"And pray, sir prince, what would you do with her if you had her in your +power to-night?" + +"Something very different from what I would do with you, my lord. But +please describe her to me, for my very heart is yearning to behold +her,--describe every point of her form, and lineament of her features." + +"She is esteemed as very beautiful; for my part I think her but so so," +said Tudor: "She has fair hair, light full blue eyes, and ruddy cheeks; +and her brow, I believe, is as fine and as white as any brow can be." + +"O frightful! what a description! what an ugly minx it must be! Fair +hair! red, I suppose, or dirty dull yellow! Light blue eyes! mostly +white I fancy? Ah, what a frightful immodest ape it must be! I could +spit upon the huzzy!" + +"Mary shield us!" exclaimed young Tudor, moving farther away from the +prince, and striking lightly with his hand on his doublet as if +something unclean had been squirted on it. "Mary shield us! What does +the saucy Scot mean?" + +Every one of the troopers put his hand to his sword, and watched the eye +of his master. The prince beckoned to the Scots to be quiet; but Lord +Tudor did no such thing, for he was flustered and wroth. + +"Pardon me, my lord," said the prince, "I may perhaps suffer enough from +the beauty and perfections of your fair cousin after I see her; you may +surely allow me to deride them now. I am trying to depreciate the charms +I dread. But I do not like the description of her. Tell me seriously do +you not think her very intolerable?" + +"I tell you, prince, I think quite otherwise. I believe Jane to be fifty +times more lovely than any dame in Scotland; and a hundred times more +beautiful than your tawny virago of a sister, whom I shall rejoice to +tame like a spaniel. The haughty, vain, conceited, swart venom, that she +should lay her commands on the Douglas to conquer or die for her! A fine +presumption, forsooth! But the world shall see whether the charms of my +cousin, Lady Jane Howard, or those of your grim and tawdry princess, +have most power." + +"Yes, they shall, my lord," said the prince: "In the mean time let us +drop the subject. I see I have given you offence, not knowing that you +were in love with Lady Jane, which now I clearly see to be the case. +Nevertheless, go on with the description, for I am anxious to hear all +about her, and I promise to approve if there be a bare possibility of +it." + +"Her manner is engaging, and her deportment graceful and easy; her waist +is slim, and her limbs slender and elegant beyond any thing you ever +saw," said Lord Tudor. + +"O shocking!" exclaimed the prince, quite forgetting himself: "Worst of +all! I declare I have no patience with the creature. After such a +description, who can doubt the truth of the reports about the extreme +levity of her conduct? Confess now, my lord, that she is very free of +her favours, and that the reason why so many young gentlemen visit her +is now pretty obvious." + +High offence was now manifest in Lord Jasper Tudor's look. He rose from +his seat, and said in great indignation, "I did not ween I should be +insulted in this guise by the meanest peasant in Scotland, far less by +one of its courtiers, and least of all by a prince of the blood royal. +Yeomen, I will not, I cannot suffer this degradation. These ruffian +Scots are intruders on us,--here I desire that you will expel them the +house." + +The Prince of Scotland was at the head of the table, Tudor was at his +right hand; the rest of the English were all on that side, the Scots on +the other,--their numbers were equal. Dan and his three brethren sat at +the bottom of the board around the old man, who had been plying at the +beef with no ordinary degree of perseverance, nor did he cease when the +fray began. Every one of the two adverse parties was instantly on his +feet, with his sword gleaming in his hand; but finding that the benches +from which they had arisen hampered them, they with one accord sprung on +the tops of these, and crossed their swords. The pages screamed like +women. The two noble adventurers seemed scarcely to know the use of +their weapons, but looked on with astonishment. At length the prince, +somewhat collecting himself, drew out his shabby whanger, and brandished +it in a most unwarlike guise, on which the blue-eyed Tudor retreated +behind his attendants, holding up his hands, but still apparently intent +on revenge for the vile obloquy thrown on the character of _his cousin_, +Lady Jane Howard. "Tis just pe te shance she vantit," said the Scot next +to the prince. + +"My certy, man, we'll get a paick at the louns now," said the second. + +"Fat te teel's ta'en 'e bits o' vee laddies to flee a' eet abeet 'er +buts o' wheers? I wudnae hae my feet i' their sheen for three plucks an +a beedle," said the third. + +"Thou's a' i' the wrang buox now, chaps," said the fourth. These were +all said with one breath; and before the Englishmen had time to reply, +clash went the swords across the table, and the third Scot, the true +Aberdonian, was wounded, as were also two of the Englishmen, at the very +first pass. + +These matters are much sooner done than described. All this was the +work of a few seconds, and done before advice could either be given or +attended to. Dan now interfered with all the spirit and authority that +he was master of. He came dashing along the middle of the board in his +great war boots, striking up their swords as he came, and interposing +his boardly frame between the combatants. "D--n ye a' for a wheen +madcaps!" cried Dan as loud as he could bawl: "What the muckle deil's +fa'en a bobbing at your midriffs now? Ye're a' my father's guests an' +mine; an', by the shin-banes o' Sant Peter, the first side that lifts a +sword, or says a misbehadden word, my three brethren and I will tak' the +tother side, an' smoor the transgressors like as mony moor-poots." + +"Keep your feet aff the meat, fool," said old Pate. + +"Gude sauff us!" continued Dan, "What has been said to gie ony offence? +What though the young gentlewoman dis tak a stown jink o' a' chap that's +her ain sweet-heart whiles? Where's the harm in that? There's little +doubt o' the thing. An' for my part, gin she didna"-- + +Here Dan was interrupted in his elegant harangue by a wrathful hysteric +scream from young Tudor, who pulled out his whinyard, and ran at Dan, +boring at him in awkward but most angry sort, crying all the while, "I +will not bear this insult! Will my followers hear me traduced to my +face?" + +"Deil's i' e' wee but steepid laddie," said Buchan the Aberdonian; "it +thinks 'at 'er preeving it to be a wheer 'e sel o't!" + +Dan lifted up his heavy sword in high choler to cleave the stripling, +and he would have cloven him to the belt, but curbing his wrath, he only +struck his sword, which he made fly into pieces and jingle against the +rafters of the house; then seizing the young adventurer by the shoulder, +he snatched him up to him on the board, where he still stood, and, +taking his head below his arm, he held him fast with the one hand, +making signs with the other to his brethren to join the Scots, and +disarm the English, who were the aggressors both times. In the meantime, +he was saying to Tudor, "Hout, hout, young master, ye hae never been +o'er the Border afore; ye sude hae stayed at hame, an' wantit a wife +till ye gathered mair rummelgumption." + +The five English squires, now seeing themselves set upon by nine, +yielded, and suffered themselves to be disarmed. + +When Tudor came to himself, he appeared to be exceedingly grieved at his +imprudence, and ready to make any acknowledgment, while the prince +treated him with still more and more attention; yet these attentions +were ever and anon mixed with a teazing curiosity, and a great many +inquiries, that the young nobleman could not bear, and did not chuse to +answer. + +It now became necessary to make some arrangement for the parties passing +the night. Patrick Chisholm's house had but one fire-place in an +apartment which served for kitchen and hall; but it had a kind of _ben +end_, as it was then, and is always to this day, denominated in that +part of the country. There was scarcely room to move a foot in it; for, +besides two oaken beds with rowan-tree bars, it contained five huge +chests belonging to the father and his sons, that held their clothes +and warlike accoutrements. The daughters of yeomen in these days did not +sit at table with the men. They were the household servants. Two of +Pate's daughters, who had been bustling about all the evening, conducted +the two noble youths into this apartment, together with their two pages. +The one bed was neatly made down with clean clothes, and the other in a +more common way. "Now," said one of the landward lasses, "You twa +masters are to sleep thegither in here,--in o' this gude bed, ye see, +an' the twa lads in o' this ane." The two young noblemen were standing +close together, as behoved in such a room. On the girl addressing them +thus, their eyes met each other's, but were as instantly withdrawn and +fixed on the floor, while a blush of the deepest tint suffused the +cheeks of both, spreading over the chin and neck of each. The pages +contemplated each other in the same way, but not with the same degree of +timidity. The English stripling seemed rather to approve of the +arrangement, or at least pretended to do so; for he frankly took the +other by the hand, and said in a sweet voice, but broad dialect, "Weall, +yuong Scuot, daghest thou lig woth mey?" The young Caledonian withdrew +his hand, and held down his head: "I always lie at my master's feet," +said he. + +"And so shall you do to-night, Colin," said the prince, "for I will +share this bed with you, and let my lord take the good one." "I cannot +go to bed to-night," said Tudor, "I will rest me on this chest; I am +resolved I sha'n't go to bed, nor throw off my clothes to-night." + +"Ye winna?" said May Chisholm, who visibly wanted a romp with the young +blooming chief,--"Ye winna gang til nae bed, will ye nae, and me has +been at sic pains making it up til ye? Bess, come here an' help me, we +sal soon see whether he's gang til his bed or no, an' that no wi' his +braw claes on neither." So saying, the two frolicsome queans seized the +rosy stripling, and in a moment had him stretched on the bed, and, +making his doublet fly open all at one rude pull, they were proceeding +to undress him, giggling and laughing all the while. Prince Alexander, +from a momentary congenial feeling of delicacy, put his hand hastily +across to keep the lapels of Tudor's vesture together, without the +motion having been perceived by any one in the hurry, and that moment +the page flung himself across his master's breast, and reproved the +lasses so sharply that they desisted, and left them to settle the matter +as they chose. + +The prince had, however, made a discovery that astonished him +exceedingly; for a few minutes his head was almost turned,--but the +truth soon began to dawn on his mind, and every reflection, every +coincidence, every word that had been said, and offence that had been +taken, tended to confirm it: so he determined, not for farther trial, +but for the joke's sake, to press matters a little further. + +When quietness was again restored, and when the blush and the frown had +several times taken alternate sway of the young lord's face, the prince +said to him, "After all, my lord, I believe we must take share of the +same bed together for this one night. It is more proper and becoming +than to sleep with our pages. Besides, I see the bed is good and clean, +and I have many things to talk to you about our two countries, and about +our two intended brides, or sweet-hearts let us call them in the +meantime." + +"Oh no, no, prince," said Tudor, "indeed I cannot, I may not, I would +not sleep in the same bed with another gentleman--No--I never +did--never." + +"Do not say so, my dear lord, for, on my word, I am going to insist on +it," said the prince, coming close up to him, his eyes beaming with joy +at the discovery he had made. "You shall sleep by my side to-night: nay, +I will even take you in my bosom and caress you as if you were my own +sweet dear Lady Jane Howard." Tudor was now totally confounded, and knew +neither what to say for himself, nor what he did say when he spoke. He +held out both his hands, and cried, "Do not, prince, do not--I beg--I +implore do not; for I cannot, cannot consent. I never slept even in the +same apartment with a man in all my life." + +"What, have you always slept in a room by yourself?" asked the teazing +prince. + +"No, never, but always with ladies--yes, always!" was the passionate and +sincere reply. + +Here the prince held up his hands, and turned up his eyes. "What a young +profligate!" exclaimed he, "Mary shield us! Have you no conscience with +regard to the fair sex that you have begun so wicked a course, and that +so early? Little did I know why you took a joke on your cousin so +heinously amiss! I see it now, truth will out! Ah, you are such a youth! +I will not go a foot further to see Lady Jane. What a wicked degraded +imp she must be! Do not kindle into a passion again, my dear lord. I can +well excuse your feigned wrath, it is highly honourable. I hate the +knight that blabs the favours he enjoys from the fair. He is bound to +defend the honour that has stooped to him; even though (as in the +present instance I suppose) it have stooped to half a dozen more +besides." + +A great deal of taunting and ill humour prevailed between these +capricious and inexperienced striplings, and sorely was Tudor pressed +to take share of a bed with the prince, but in vain--his feelings +recoiled from it; and the other, being in possession of a secret of +which the English lord was not aware, took that advantage of teazing and +tormenting him almost beyond sufferance. After all, it was decided that +each should sleep with his own page; a decision that did not seem to go +well down at all with the Yorkshire boy, who once ventured to +expostulate with his lord, but was silenced with a look of angry +disdain. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + + He set her on his milk-white steed, + Himself lap on behind her, + And they are o'er the Highland hills; + Her friends they cannot find her. + + As they rode over hill and dale + This lady often fainted, + And cried, "Wo to my cursed moneye, + That this road to me invented." + + _Ballad of Rob Roy._ + + O cam ye here to fight, young man, + Or cam ye here to flee? + Or cam ye out o' the wally west + Our bonnie bride to see? + + _Ballad called Foul Play._ + + +It is by this time needless to inform my readers, that these two young +adventurers were no other than the rival beauties of the two nations, +for whose charms all this bloody coil was carried on at Roxburgh; and +who, without seeing, had hated each other as cordially as any woman is +capable of hating her rival in beauty or favour. So much had the siege +and the perils of Roxburgh become the subject of conversation, that the +ears of the two maidens had long listened to nothing else, and each of +them deemed her honour embarked in the success of her lover. Each of +them had set out with the intent of visiting the camp in disguise; and +having enough of interest to secure protections for feigned names, each +determined to see her rival in the first place, the journey not being +far; and neither of them it is supposed went with any kind intent. Each +of them had a maid dressed in boy's clothes with her, and five stout +troopers, all of whom were utterly ignorant of the secret. The princess +had by chance found out her rival's sex; but the Scottish lady and her +attendant being both taller and of darker complexions than the other +two, no suspicions were entertained against them detrimental to their +enterprise. The princess never closed an eye, but lay meditating on the +course she should take. She was convinced that she had her rival in her +power, and she determined, not over generously, to take advantage of her +good fortune. The time drew nigh that Roxburgh must be lost or won, and +well she knew that, whichever side succeeded, according to the romantic +ideas of that age, the charms of the lady would have all the honour, +while she whose hero lost would be degraded,--considerations which no +woman laying claim to superior and all-powerful charms could withstand. + +Next morning Dan was aroused at an early hour by his supposed prince, +who said to him, "Brave yeoman, from a long conversation that I have had +last night with these English strangers, I am convinced that they are +despatched on some traitorous mission; and as the warden is in +Northumberland, I propose conveying them straight to Douglas' camp, +there to be tried for their lives. If you will engage to take charge of +them, and deliver them safely to the captain before night, you shall +have a high reward; but if you fail, and suffer any of them to escape, +your neck shall answer for it. How many men can you raise for this +service?" + +"Our men are maistly up already," said Dan; "but muckle Charlie o' +Yardbire gaed hame last night wi' twa or three kye, like oursels. Gin +Charlie an' his lads come, I sal answer for the English chaps, if they +war twa to ane. I hae mysel an' my three billies, deil a shank mae; but +an Charlie come he's as gude as some three, an' his backman's nae +bean-swaup neither." + +"Then," said the counterfeit prince, "I shall leave all my attendants to +assist you save my page,--we two must pursue our journey with all +expedition. All that is required of you is to deliver the prisoners safe +to the Douglas. I will despatch a message to him by the way, apprising +him of the circumstances." + +The Lady Margaret and her page then mounted their palfreys and rode off +without delay; but, instead of taking the road by Gorranberry, as they +had proposed over night, they scoured away at a light gallop down the +side of the Teviot. At the town of Hawick she caused her page, who was +her chief waiting-maid and confidant, likewise in boy's clothes, to cut +out her beautiful fleece of black hair, that glittered like the wing of +the raven, being determined to attend in disguise the issue of the +contest. She then procured a red curled wig, and dressing herself in a +Highland garb, with a plumed bonnet, tartan jacket and trowsers, and +Highland hose and brogues, her appearance was so completely altered, +that even no one who had seen her the day before, in the character of +the prince her brother, could possibly have known her to be the same +person; and leaving her page near the camp to await her private orders, +she rode straight up to head-quarters by herself. + +Being examined as she passed the outposts, she said she brought a +message to Douglas of the greatest importance, and that it was from the +court; and her address being of such a superior cast, every one +furthered her progress till she came to the captain's tent. Scarcely did +she know him,--care, anxiety, and watching had so worn him down; and her +heart was melted when she saw his appearance. Never, perhaps, could she +have been said to have loved him till that moment; but seeing what he +had suffered for her sake, the great stake he had ventured, and the +almost hopeless uncertainty that appeared in every line of his face, +raised in her heart a feeling unknown to her before; and highly did that +heart exult at the signal advantage that her good fortune had given him +over his rival. Yet she determined on trying the state of his affections +and hopes. Before leaving Hawick, she had written a a letter to him, +inclosing a lock of her hair neatly plaited; but this letter she kept +back in order to sound her lover first without its influence. He asked +her name and her business. She had much business, she said, but not a +word save for his private ear. Douglas was struck with the youth's +courtly manner, and looked at him with a dark searching eye,--"I have no +secrets," said he, "with these my kinsmen: I desire, before them, to +know your name and business." + +"My name," said the princess pertly, "is Colin Roy M'Alpin,--I care not +who knows my name; but no word further of my message do I disclose save +to yourself." + +"I must humour this pert stripling," said he, turning to his friends; +"if his errand turns out to be one of a trivial nature, and that does +not require all this ceremony, I shall have him horse-whipped." + +With that the rest of the gentlemen went away, and left the two by +themselves. Colin, as we must now, for brevity's sake, term the +princess, was at first somewhat abashed before the dark eye of Douglas, +but soon displayed all the effrontery that his assumed character +warranted, if not three times more. + +"Well now, my saucy little master, Colin Roy M'Alpin, please condescend +so far as to tell me whence you are, and what is your business +here,--this secret business, of such vast importance." + +"I am from court, my lor'; from the Scottish court, an't please +you, my lor'; but not directly as a body may say,--my lor'; not +directly--here--there--south--west--precipitately, incontrovertibly, +ascertaining the scope and bearing of the progressive advance of the +discomfiture and gradual wreck of your most flagrant and preposterous +undertaking." + +"The devil confound the impertinent puppy!" + +"Hold, hold, my lor', I mean your presumptuous and foolhardy enterprise, +first in presuming to the hand of my mistress, the king's daughter,--my +lovely and queenly mistress; and then in foolhardily running your head +against the walls of Roxburgh to attain this, and your wit and manhood +against the superior generalship of a Musgrave." + +"By the pock-net of St Peter, I will cause every bone in your body to be +basted to powder, you incorrigible pedant and puppy!" said the Douglas; +and seizing him by the collar of the coat, he was about to drag him to +the tent-door and throw him into the air. + +"Hold, my lor'; please keep off your rough uncourtly hands till I +deliver the credentials of my mistress." + +"Did you say that you were page to the Princess Margaret? Yes, surely +you are, I have erst seen that face, and heard that same flippant +tongue. Pray, what word or token does my dear and sovereign lady send +me?" + +"She bade me say, that she does not approve of you at all, my +lor':--that, for her sake, you ought to have taken this castle many days +ago. And she bade me ask you why you don't enter the castle by the gate, +or over the wall, or under the hill, which is only a sand one, and hang +up all the Englishmen by the necks, and send the head of Philip Musgrave +to his saucy dame?--She bade me ask you why you don't, my lor'?" + +"Women will always be women," said Douglas surlily to himself: "I +thought the princess superior to her sex, but--" + +"But! but what, my lor'? Has she not good occasion for displeasure? She +bade me tell you that you don't like her;--that you don't like her half +so well as Musgrave does his mistress,--else why don't you do as much +for her? He took the castle for the sake of his mistress, and for her +sake he keeps it in spite of you. Therefore she bade me tell you, that +you must _go in_ and beat the English, and take the castle from them; +for she will not suffer it that Lady Jane Howard shall triumph over +her." + +"Tell her in return," said Douglas, "that I will do what man can do; and +when that is done, she shall find that I neither will be slack in +requiring the fulfilment of her engagement, nor in performing my own. If +that womanish tattling be all that you have to say,--begone: the rank of +your employer protects you." + +"Hold, my lor', she bade me look well, and tell her what you were like, +and if I thought you changed since I waited on you at court. On my +conscience you look very ill. These are hard ungainly features of yours. +I'll tell her you look very shabby, and very surly, and that you have +lost all heart. But oh, my lor', I forgot she bade me tell you, that if +you found you were clearly beat, it would be as well to draw off your +men and abandon the siege; and that she would, perhaps, in pity, give +you a moiety of your lands again." + +"I have no patience with the impertinence of a puppy, even though the +messenger of her I love and esteem above all the world. Get you hence." + +"Oh, my lor', I have not third done yet. But, stay, here is a letter I +had almost forgot." + +Douglas opened the letter. Well he knew the hand; there were but few in +Scotland who could write, and none could write like the princess. It +contained a gold ring set with rubies, and a lock of her hair. He kissed +them both; and tried the ring first on the one little finger, and then +on the other, but it would scarcely go over the nail; so he kissed them +again, and put them in his bosom. He then read to himself as follows: + + "MY GOOD LORD,--I enclose you two love-tokens of my troth; let them + be as beacons to your heart to guide it to deeds of glory and + renown. For my sake put down these English. Margaret shall ever + pray for your success. Retain my page Colin near your person. He is + true-hearted, and his flippancy affected. Whatever you communicate + to him will be safely transmitted to + + "MARGARET." + +It may well be supposed how Colin watched the emotions of Douglas while +reading this heroic epistle; and, in the true spirit of the age, they +were abundantly extravagant. He kissed the letter, hugged it in his +bosom, and vowed to six or seven saints to do such deeds for his adored +and divine princess as never were heard or read of. + +"Now, my good lor," said the page, "you must inform me punctually what +hopes you have of success, and if there is any thing wanting that the +kingdom can afford you." + +"My ranks are too thin," replied the Douglas; "and I have engaged to +take it with my own vassals. The warden is too proud to join his forces +to mine on that footing, but keeps scouring the borders, on pretence of +preventing supplies, and thus assisting me, but in truth for enriching +himself and his followers. If I could have induced him and his whole +force to have joined the camp, famine would have compelled the enemy to +yield a month agone. But I have now the captain's brother prisoner; and +I have already given him to know, that if he does not deliver up the +castle to me in four days, I will hang the young knight up before his +eyes,--I have sworn to do it, and I swear again to keep my oath." + +"I will convey all this to my mistress," said Colin. "So then you have +his only brother in your hold? My lor', the victory is your own, and the +princess, my mistress, beside. In a few hours will be placed in your +hands the primal cause and fomentor of this cruel and bloody war, the +Lady Jane Howard." + +The Douglas started like one aroused from slumber, or a state of +lethargy, by a sudden wound. "What did you say, boy?" said he. "Either I +heard amiss, or you are dreaming. I have offered estates, nay, I have +offered an earldom, to any hardy adventurer who would bring me that +imperious dame; but the project has been abandoned as quite +impracticable." + +"Rest content, said Colin: "I have secured her, and she will be +delivered into your hands before night. She has safe passports with her +to the Scottish court, but they are in favour of Jasper Tudor, son to +the Earl of Pembroke; so that the discovery of her sex proves her an +impostor, and subjects her to martial law, which I request, for my +mistress' sake, you will execute on her. My lady the princess, with all +her beauty, and high accomplishments, is a very woman; and I know there +is nothing on earth she so much dreads as the triumph of Lady Jane over +her. Besides, it is evident she was bound to the Scottish court either +to poison the princess, or inveigle her into the hands of her enemies. +All her attendants are ignorant of her sex, save her page, who is said +to be a blooming English country maiden. The Prince Alexander bade me +charge you never to mention by what means she came into your hands, but +to give it out that she was brought to you by a miracle, by witchcraft, +or by the power of a mighty magician." "It is well thought of, boy," +said the Douglas, greatly elevated--"I have been obliged to have +recourse to such means already--this will confirm all. The princess your +mistress desired that you should remain with me. You shall be my right +hand page, I will love and favour you; you shall be fed with the bread +and wine, and shall sleep in my tent, and I will trust you with all my +secrets for the welcome tidings you have brought, and for the sake of +the angelic dame that recommends you to me; for she is my beloved, my +adored mistress, and for her will I either conquer or die! My sword is +her's--my life is her's--Nay, my very soul is the right of my beloved!" +Poor Colin dropped a tear on hearing this passionate nonsense. Women +love extravagance in such matters, but in those days it had no bounds. + +It was not long till the prisoners arrived, under the care of muckle +Charlie Scott of Yardbire and Dan Chisholm, with their troopers, guarded +in a very original manner. When Charlie arrived at old Chisholm's house, +and learned that a _prince_ had been there, and had given such charges +about the prisoners, he determined to make sure work; and as he had +always most trust to put in himself, he took the charge of the young +English nobleman and his squire, as he supposed them to be. The page he +took on his huge black horse behind him, lashing him to his body with +strong belts cut from a cow's raw hide. His ancles were moreover +fastened to the straps at the tops of Charlie's great war boots; so that +the English maiden must have had a very uncomfortable ride. But the +other he held on before him, keeping her all the way in his arms, +exactly as a countryman holds up a child in the church to be christened. + +The Lady Jane Howard had plenty of the spirit of romance about her, but +she neither had the frame nor the energy of mind requisite for carrying +her wild dreams of female heroism into effect. She was an only child--a +spoiled one; having been bred up without perhaps ever being controlled, +till she fell into the hands of these border mosstroopers. Her +displeasure was excessive.--She complained bitterly of her detainment, +and much more of being sent a prisoner to the camp. When she found +herself in muckle Charlie Scott's arms, borne away to be given up to the +man whom of all the world she had most reason to dread, she even forgot +herself so far as to burst into tears. Charlie, with all his inordinate +strength and prowess, had a heart so soft, that, as he said himself, "a +laverock might hae laired in't;" and he farther added, that when he saw +"the bit bonny English callan', that was comed o' sic grand blude, grow +sae desperately wae, an' fa' a blirting and greeting, the deil a bit but +his heart was like to come out at his mouth." This was no lie, for his +comrades beheld him two or three times come across his eyes with his +mailed sleeve--a right uncouth handkerchief: and then he tried to +comfort the youth with the following speech: "Troth, man, but I'm unco +wae for ye, ye're sae young an' sae bonny, an' no' a fit man at a' to +send out i' thir crabbit times. But tak good heart, an' dinna be +dauntit, for it will soon be over w' ye. Ye'll neither hae muckle to +thole nor lang time to dree't, for our captain will hang ye directly. +He hangs a' spies an' messengers aff hand; sae it's no worth naebody's +while to greet. Short wark's aye best i' sic cases." + +"He cannot, he dares not injure a hair of my head," said Lady Jane +passionately. + +"_Canna!_" said Charlie, "Gude faith, ye ken that's nonsense. He can as +easily hang ye, or do ought else w' ye, as I can wipe my beard. An' as +for the thing that the Douglas _darena_ do, gude faith, ye ken, I never +saw it yet. But I'm sure I wish ye _may_ be safe, for it wad do little +good to me to see your bit pease-weep neck rackit." + +"It was most unfair, as well as most ungenerous in your prince to detain +me," said she, "as my business required urgency. I had regular signed +warrandice, and went on the kindest intent; besides, I have a great +aversion to be put into the hands of Douglas. How many cows and ewes +would you take to set me at liberty?" + +"Whisht, whisht, Sir!" said Charlie; "Gudesake haud your tongue! That's +kittle ground. Never speak o' sic a thing. But how many could ye afford +to gie, an I _were_ to set you at liberty?" + +"In the first place, I will give you five hundred head of good English +nolt," said Lady Jane. + +"Eh? What?" said Charlie, holding his horse still, and turning his ear +close round to the lady's face, that he might hear with perfect +distinctness the extraordinary proffer. It was repeated. Charlie was +almost electrified with astonishment. "Five hunder head o' nout!" +exclaimed he: "But d'ye mean their heads by theirsels?--cuttit aff, +like?" + +"No, no; five hundred good live cattle." + +"Mercy on us! Gude faith, they wad stock a' Yardbire--an' Raeburn," +added he, after a pause, putting his horse again slowly in motion; "an' +Watkerrick into the bargain," added he, with a full drawn sigh, putting +the spurs to his beast, that he might go quicker to carry him away from +the danger. "For troth, d' ye ken, my lord, we're no that scarce o' +grund in Scotland; we can get plenty o' that for little thing, gin we +could get ought to lay on't. But it's hard to get beasts, an' kittle to +keep them i' our country. Five hunder head o' black cattle! Hech! an +Charlie Scott had a' thae, how mony braw lads could he tak at his back +o'er Craikcorse to join his master the warden! But come, come, it canna +be. War somebody a Scots lord, as he's an English ane, an i' the same +danger, I wad risk muckle to set him free. But come, Corby, my fine +naig, ye hae carried me into mony a scrape, ye maun carry me out o' this +ane, or, gude faith, your master's gane. Ha, lad, ye never had sic a +back-fu' i' your life! Ye hae five hunder head o' black cattle on't, ye +dog, an' ye're carrying them a' away frae your master an' Yardbire wi' +as little ceremony as he took you frae Squire Weir o' Cockermouth. Ah, +Corby, ye're gayan like your master, ye hae a lang free kind o' +conscience, ye tike!" + +"But, my dear Sir," said Lady Jane, "you have not heard the half of my +proffer. You seem to be a generous, sensible, and good natured +gentleman." + +"Do I?" said Charlie," Thanks t' ye, my lord." + +"Now," continued she, "if you will either set me and my page safely down +on English ground, or within the ports of Edinborough, I'll add five +thousand sheep to the proffer I have already made you." + +"Are ye no joking?" said Charlie, again stopping his horse. + +"On my honour I am not," was the answer. + +"They'll stock a' Blake-Esk-head an' the Garald-Grains," said Charlie: +"Hae ye a free passport to the Scottish court?" + +"Yes, I have, and signed with the warden's name." + +"Na, na, haud your tongue there; my master has nae name," said Charlie: +"He has a good speaking name, an' ane he disna think shame o', but nae +name for black an' white." + +"I'll show you it," said Lady Jane. + +"Na, ye needna fash," said Charlie; "I fear it wad be unmannerly in me +to doubt a lord's word." + +"How soon could you carry us to Edinborough?" inquired Lady Jane, +anxious to keep muckle Charlie in the humour of taking her any where +save into the hands of Douglas. + +"That's rather a question to speer at Corby than me," said Charlie; "but +I think if we miss drowning i' Tweed, an' breaking our necks o'er the +Red-brae, an' sinking out o' sight i' Soutra-flow, that I could tak in +hand to hae ye in Edinborough afore twal o'clock at night.--Bad things +for you, Corby." + +"Never say another word about it then," said Lady Jane; "the rest are +quite gone before us, and out of sight. Turn to the left, and ride for +Edinborough. Think of the five hundred cows and five thousand sheep." + +"Oh, that last beats a'!" said Charlie. "Five thousand sheep! how mony +is that? Five score's a hunder--I'm sure o' that. Every hunder's five +score; then--and how mony hunder maks a thousand?"-- + +"Ten," said the page, who was forced to laugh at Charlie's arithmetic. + +"Ten?" repeated Charlie. "Then ten times five hunder that maks but ae +thousand; an' other ten times five hunder--D--n me if I ken how mony is +o' them ava. What does it signify for a man to hae mair gear than he can +count? I fancy we had better jogg on the gate we're gaun, Corby." + +"I am sure, friend, ye never had such a chance of being rich," said Lady +Jane, "and may never, in all likelihood, have such a chance again." + +"That is a' true ye're saying, my lord, an' a sair heart it has gi'en +me," said Charlie; "but your offer's ower muckle, an' that maks me dread +there's something at the bottom o't that I dinna comprehend. Gude faith, +an the warden war to suffer danger or disgrace for my greed o' siller, +it wad be a bonny story! Corby, straight on, ye dog: ding the brains out +o' the gutters, clear for the camp, ye hellicat of an English hound. +What are ye snoring an' cocking your lugs at? Od an ye get company like +yoursel, ye carena what mischief ye carry your master into. Get on, I +say, an' dinna gie me time to hear another word or think about this +business again." + +The young lady began here to lose heart, seeing that Charlie had plucked +up a determination. But her companion attacked him in her turn with all +the flattery and fair promises she could think of, till Charlie found +his heart again beginning to waver and calculate; so that he had no +other shift but to croon a border war-song, that he might not hear this +dangerous conversation. Still the page persevered, till Charlie, losing +all patience, cried out as loud and as bitterly as he could, "Haud your +tongue, ye slee-gabbit limb o' the auld ane. D--n ye, d'ye think a man's +conscience is to be hadden abreed like the mou' of a sack, an' crammed +fu' o' beef an' mutton whether he will or no? Corby, another nicker an' +another snore, lad, an' we'll soon see you aff at the gallop." + +Thus ended the trying colloquy between muckle Charlie Scott o' Yardbire +and his two prisoners; the rest of his conversation was to Corby, whom +he forthwith pushed on by spur and flattery to the camp. + +When the truth came to be discovered, many puzzled themselves +endeavouring to guess what Charlie would actually have done had he known +by the way what a treasure he had in his arms,--the greatest beauty, and +the greatest heiress in England;--for Charlie was as notable for +kindness and generosity as he was for bodily strength; and, besides, he +was poor, as he frankly acknowledged; but then he only wished for +riches to be able to keep more men for the service of his chief. Some +thought he would have turned his horse round without further ceremony, +and carried her straight to Yardbire, on purpose to keep her there for a +wife; others thought he would have risked his neck, honour, and every +thing, and restored her again to her friends. But it was impossible for +any of them to guess what he would have done, as it was proved +afterwards that Charlie could not guess himself. When the truth came to +be divulged, and was first told to him, his mouth, besides becoming +amazingly extended in its dimensions, actually grew four-square with +astonishment; and when asked what he would have done had he known, he +smacked his lips, and wiped them with the back of his hand as if his +teeth had been watering--and, laughing to himself with a chuckling +sound, like a moor-cock, he turned about his back to conceal his looks, +and only answered with these emphatic words: "Gude faith, it was as weel +I didna ken." + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + + Some write of preclair conquerouris, + And some of vallyeant emperouris, + And some of nobill mychtie kingis, + That royally did reull the ringis; + And some of squyris douchty deidis, + That wonderis wrocht in weirly weidis; + Sa I intand the best I can + Descryve the deidis and the man. + + SIR DAV. LINDSAYE. + + Wald God I war now in Pitcary! + Becass I haif bene se ill deidy. + Adew! I dar na langer tairy, + I dreid I waif intill ane widdy. + + _Ibid._ + + +In the same grotesque guise as formerly described, Charlie at length +came with his two prisoners to the outposts of the Scottish army. The +rest of the train had passed by before him, and warned their friends who +was coming, and in what stile; for no one thought it worth his while to +tarry with Charlie and his overloaden horse. When he came near the +soldiers they hurra'd, and waved their bonnets, and gathering about +Charlie in crowds, they would not let him onward. Besides, some fell a +loosing the prisoner behind him, and others holding up their arms to +release him of the one he carried before; and, seeing how impatient he +was, and how determined to keep his hold, they grew still more +importunate in frolic. But it had nearly cost some of them dear; for +Charlie, growing wroth, squeezed the Lady Jane so strait with the left +arm, that she was forced to cry out; and putting his right over his +shoulder, he drew out his tremendous two-hand sword, "Now stand back, +devils," cried Charlie, "or, gude faith, I'll gar Corby ride ower the +taps o' the best o' ye. I hae had ower sair a trial for heart o' flesh +already; but when I stood that, it sanna be the arm o' flesh that takes +them frae me now, till I gie them into the Douglas's ain hands. Stand +back, ye devils; a Scott never gies up his trust as lang as his arm can +dimple at the elbow." + +The soldiers flew away from around him like a flight of geese, and with +the same kind of noise too,--every one being giggling and laughing,--and +up rode Charlie to the door of the Douglas' pavilion, where he shouted +aloud for the captain. Douglas, impatient to see his illustrious +prisoner, left the others abruptly, and hasted out at Charlie's call. + +"Gude faith, my lord," said Charlie, "I beg your pardon for garring you +come running out that gate; but here's a bit English lord for ye, an' +his henchman,--sic master, sic man, as the saying is. There war terrible +charges gi'en about them, sae I thought I wad secure them, an' gie them +into your ain hands." + +"I am much beholden to you, gallant Yardbire," said Douglas: "The care +and pains you have taken shall not be forgotten." + +This encouraging Charlie, he spoke to the earl with great freedom, who +was mightily diverted with his manner, as well as with his mode of +securing the prisoners. + +"There's his lordship for ye," said Charlie, holding him out like a +small bale of goods: "Mind ye hae gotten him safe off my hand; an' +here's another chap I hae fastened to my back. An a' the English nobles +war like thir twa, I hae been thinking, my lord, that they might tak' +our lasses frae us, but we wadna be ill pinched to tak their kye frae +them; an' it wad be nae hard bargain for us neither." So saying, he cut +his belts and thongs of raw hide, and let the attendant lady, in page's +clothes, free of his body. "He's a little, fine, soft, cozey callan +this," added Charlie, "he has made my hinderlands as warm as they had +been in an oon." + +Douglas took Lady Jane off from before the gallant yeoman in his arms. +He observed with what a look she regarded him; and he was sure, from the +first view he got of her features, that the page Colin must have been +right with regard to the sex of the prisoner. He likewise noted the +holes in her ears, from which it was apparent that pendent jewels +had lately been taken; and he hoped the other part of the page's +information might likewise be correct, though how to account for such an +extraordinary piece of good fortune he was wholly at a loss. He led her +into the inner pavilion, and there, in presence of his secretary and +two of his kinsmen, examined her papers and passports. They were found +all correct, and signed by the public functionaries of both nations, in +favour of Jasper Tudor, son to the Earl of Pembroke. + +"These are quite sufficient, my young lord," said Douglas; "I see no +cause for detaining you further. You shall have a sufficient guard till +you are out of the range of my army, and safe furtherance to the +Scottish court." + +The prisoner's countenance lighted up, and she thanked Douglas in the +most grateful terms, blessing herself that she had fallen into the hands +of so courteous a knight, and urged the necessity of their sudden +departure. Douglas assured her they should be detained no longer than +the necessity of the times required; but that it was absolutely +requisite, for his own safety, the safety of the realm, and the success +of the enterprise in which he was engaged, and so deeply concerned, that +they should submit to a personal search from head to foot, lest some +traitorous correspondence might be secretly conveyed by them. + +The countenance of the prisoner again altered at this information. It +became at first pale as a lily, and immediately after blushed as deeply +as the damask rose, while the tears started to her eyes. It was no +wonder, considering the predicament in which she now stood; her delicate +lady form to be searched by the hands of rude warriors, her sex +discovered, and her mission to the Scottish court found out to be a wild +intrigue. She fell instantly on her knees before Douglas, and besought +him in moving accents to dispense with the useless formality of +searching her and her young kinsman and companion, assuring him at the +same time that neither of them had a single scrap of writing that he had +not seen, and adjuring him on his honour and generosity as a knight to +hearken to this request. + +"The thing is impossible, my lord," said Douglas;" and, moreover, the +anxiety you manifest about such a trifle argues a consciousness of +guilt. You must submit to be searched on the instant. Chuse of us whom +you will to the office." + +"I will never submit to it," said she passionately, "there is not a +knight in England would have refused such a request to you." + +"I would never have asked it, my lord," said he; "and it is your utter +inexperience in the customs of war that makes you once think of +objecting to it. I am sorry we must use force. Bring in two of the +guards." + +"Hold, hold, my lord," said Lady Jane, "since I must submit to such a +degradation, I will submit to yourself. I will be searched by your own +hands, and yours alone." + +They were already in the inner tent. Douglas desired his friends to go +out, which they complied with, and he himself began to search the person +of Lady Jane, with the most careful minuteness, as he pretended, well +aware what was to be the issue of the search. He examined all her +courtly coat, pockets, lining, and sleeves,--he came to her gaudy +doublet, stiff with gold embroidery, and began to unloose it, but she +laid both her hands upon her breast, and looked in his face with eyes so +speaking, and so beseeching, that it was impossible for man to mistake +the import. Douglas did not mistake it, but was bent upon having proof +positive. + +"What?" said he, "do you still resist? What is here you would conceal?" + +"Oh my Lord," said she, "do you not see?" + +"I see nothing," said he; and while she feebly struggled he loosed the +vest, when the fair heaving bosom discovered the sex of his prisoner, +and at the same time, with the struggle, the beautiful light locks had +escaped from their confinement, and hung over her breast in waving +ringlets. The maid stood revealed; and, with the disclosure, all the +tender emotions and restrained feelings of the female heart burst forth +like a river that has been dammed up from running in its natural +channel, and has just got vent anew. She wept and sobbed till her fair +breast was like to rend. She even seized on Douglas' hand, and wet it +with her tears. He, on his part, feigned great amazement. + +"How is this?" said he, "A maid!" + +"Yes indeed, my lord, you see before you, and in your power, a hapless +maid of noble blood, who set out on a crazy expedition of love, but, +from inexperience, has fallen into your hands." + +"Then the whole pretended mission to our Scottish court is, it appears, +a fraud, a deep laid imposition of some most dangerous intent, as the +interest that has been used to accomplish it fully demonstrates. You +have subjected yourself and all your followers to military execution; +and the only method by which you can procure a respite, either for +yourself or them, is to make a full confession of the whole plot." + +"Alas, my lord, I have no plot to confess. Mine was merely a romantic +expedition of youthful love, and, as you are a knight, and a lover +yourself, I beg your clemency, that you will pardon my followers and me. +They are innocent; and, save my page, who is likewise a lady, and my own +kinswoman, all the rest are as ignorant who I am, and what I am, as the +child that is unborn." + +"If you would entertain any hopes of a reprieve, I say, madam, either +for yourself or them, declare here to me instantly your name, lineage, +and the whole of your business in Scotland, and by whose powerful +interest you got this safe conduct made out, for one who, it seems, +knows nothing of it, or who, perhaps, does not exist." + +"Surely you will not be so ungallant as to insist upon a lady exposing +herself and all her relations? No, my lord, whatever become of me, you +must never attain to the knowledge of my name, rank, or titles. I +entrust myself to your mercy: you can have nothing to fear from the +machinations of a love-lorn damsel." + +"I am placed in peculiarly hard circumstances, madam; I have enemies +abroad and at home, and have nothing but my own energies to rely on to +save my house and name from utter oblivion, and my dearest hopes from +extinguishment. This expedition of yours, folded as it is in deceit and +forgery, has an ominous and daring appearance. The house of Douglas must +not fall for the tears of a deceitful maiden, the daughter of my enemy. +Without a full disclosure of all that I request, every one of you shall +suffer death in the sight of both armies before the going down of the +sun. I will begin with the meanest of your followers, in hopes, for the +sake of your youth and your sex, that you will relent and make a full +disclosure of your name, and all your motives for such an extraordinary +adventure." + +Lady Jane continued positive and peremptory, as did also her attendant, +who had been thoroughly schooled before-hand, in case of their sex being +discovered, never, on any account, to acknowledge who she was, lest it +should put Musgrave wholly in Douglas' power. The latter, therefore, to +keep up the same system of terror and retribution first practised by his +opponent, caused sound the death knell, and hung out the flag of blood, +to apprise those within the fortress that some of their friends were +shortly to be led to execution. + +The first that was brought out was a thick-set swarthy yeoman, who said +his name was Edmund Heaton, and that he had been a servant to Belsay, +whom he had followed in the border wars. When told that he was about to +be hanged for a spy and a traitor, he got very angry, even into such a +rage that they could not know what he said, for he had a deep rough burr +in his throat, and spoke a coarse English dialect. "Hang'd? I hang'd? +and fogh whot? Domn your abswoghdity! Hang ane mon fogh deying whot his +meastegh beeds him?"--He was told that he had not two minutes to live, +unless he could discover something of the plot in which his employers +were engaged; that it was found he had been accompanying two ladies in +disguise, on some traitorous mission which they would not reveal; and it +was the law of war that he should suffer for the vile crime in which he +was an accomplice. + +"Nobbit, I tell you that won't dey at all;--n-n-nor it sha'n't dey +neithegh. Do you think you aghe to hang eveghy mon that follows ane +woeman? Domn them, I nevegh knew them lead to oughts but eel! If I had +known they had been woemen--Domn them!"--He was hauled up to the +scaffold, for he refused to walk a foot.--"Wh-wh-why, nobbit speak you +now," cried he in utter desperation; "why n-n-nobbit you aghe not +serious, aghe you?" He was told he should soon find to his experience +that they were quite serious.--"Why, cworse the whole geneghation of +you, the thing is nwot to be bwoghn. I wont swoffegh it--that I woll +not. It is dwonright mworder. Oh, ho, ho!" and he wept, crying as loud +as he could, "Oh-oh! ho: mworder! mworder! Domn eveghy Scwot of +you!"--In this mood, kicking, crying, and swearing, was he turned off, +and hanged in sight of both hosts. + +The walls of Roxburgh were crowded with spectators. They could not +divine who it was that was suffering; for all kind of communication was +forbid by Musgrave, and it was now become exceedingly difficult. Great +was their wonder and anxiety when they beheld one trooper after another +of their countrymen brought out and hanged like dogs. But it was evident +to every beholder, from the unsettled and perturbed motions of those on +the wall, that something within the fortress was distressing the +besieged. Some hurried to and fro; others stood or moved about in +listless languor; and there were a few that gazed without moving, or +taking their eyes from the spot where they were fixed. Not one flight of +arrows came to disturb the execution, as usual; and it was suspected +that their whole stock of arrows was exhausted. This would have been +good tidings for the Scots, could they have been sure of it, as they +might then have brought their files closer to the walls, and more +effectually ensured a strict blockade. + +Lady Jane's followers were all executed, and herself and companion sore +threatened in vain. Douglas, however, meant to reserve them for another +purpose than execution,--to ensure to himself the surrender of the +fortress, namely; but of her squires he was glad to be rid, for fear of +a discovery being made to the English that the lady was in his hands, +which might have brought the whole puissance of the realm upon him; +whereas the generality of the nation viewed the siege merely as an +affair of Border chivalry, in which they were little interested, and +deemed Musgrave free from any danger. + +It was on St Leonard's day that these five Englishmen were executed; and +as a retaliation in part, a Scots fisherman was hanged by the English +from the wall of the castle; one who indeed had been the mean of doing +them a great deal of mischief. And thus stood matters at that period of +the siege; namely, the Earl of Douglas and Mar lay before Roxburgh with +eight thousand hardy veterans, all his own vassals. The Redhough kept a +flying army on the borders of Northumberland, chiefly about the +mountains of Cheviot and Cocket-dale, interrupting all supplies and +communications from that quarter, and doing excellent service to himself +and followers, and more to the Douglas than the latter seemed to admit +of. Whenever he found the English gathering to any head, he did not go +and attack them, but, leaving a flying party of horse to watch their +motions, he instantly made a diversion somewhere else, which drew them +off with all expedition. A numerous army, hastily raised, entered +Scotland on the west border, on purpose to draw off the warden; but they +were surprised and defeated by the Laird of Johnston, who raised the +Annandale people, and attacked the English by night. He followed them +into Cumberland, and fought two sharp battles with them there, in both +of which he had the advantage, and he then fell a spoiling the country. +This brought the Northumberland and Durham men into these parts, who +mustered under Sir William Fetherstone to the amount of fifteen thousand +men. Johnston retired, and the Earl of Galloway, to back him, raised +twenty thousand in the west, and came towards the Sarke: So that the +siege of Roxburgh was viewed but as an item in the general convulsion, +though high was the stake for those that played, and ruthless the game +while it lasted. Douglas now looked upon the die as turned in his +favour, as he held pledges that would render the keeping of it of no +avail to his opponent. The lady was in his power at whose fiat Musgrave +had taken and defended the perilous castle so bravely,--but of this no +man knew save the Douglas himself. Sir Richard Musgrave was likewise in +his hand, the captain's youngest, most beloved, and only surviving +brother; and Douglas had threatened, against a certain day, if the keys +of the castle were not surrendered to him, to hang the young hero +publicly, in the view of both hosts; and in all his threats he had never +once broke his word. We must now take a peep within the walls of +Roxburgh, and see how matters are going on there. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + + I cast my net in Largo bay, + And fishes I caught nine; + There were three to roast, and three to boil, + And three to bait the line. + + _Old Song._ + + Saw never man so faynt a levand wycht, + And na ferlye, for ouir excelland lycht + Corruptis the witt, and garris the blude awail, + Until the harte, thocht it na dainger aill, + Quhen it is smorit memberis wirk not rychte, + The dreadfulle terrour swa did him assaile. + + _Pal. of Hon._ + + +Berwick was then in the hands of the English, and commanded by Sir +Thomas Musgrave, the captain of Roxburgh's cousin; so also was Norham, +and all the forts between, on that side of the river. Notwithstanding of +this, the power of the Scots predominated so much in the open field +during that reign, that this chain of forts proved finally of no avail +to Lord Musgrave, (or Sir Philip Musgrave, as he is generally +denominated,) though he had depended on keeping the communication open, +else in victualling Roxburgh he had calculated basely. The garrison were +already reduced to the greatest extremes; they were feeding on their +horses and on salted hides; and, two or three days previous to this, +their only communication with their countrymen had been cut off, they +could not tell how. It was at best only precarious, being carried on in +the following singular way.--The besieged had two communications with +the river, by secret covered ways from the interior of the fortress. In +each of these they had a small windlass, that winded on and let off a +line nearly a mile in length. The lines were very small, being made of +plaited brass wire; and, putting a buoy on a hook at the end of each one +of these, they let them down the water. Their friends knowing the very +spot where they stopped, watched, and put dispatches on the hooks, with +fish, beef, venison, and every kind of convenience, which they pulled up +below the water, sometimes for a whole night together; and though this +proved but a scanty supply for a whole garrison, it was for a long time +quite regular, and they depended a good deal on it. + +But one night it so chanced that an old fisherman, who fished for the +monastery, had gone out with his coble by night to spear salmon in the +river. He had a huge blaze flaming in a grate that stood exalted over +the prow of his wherry; and with the light of that he pricked the salmon +out of their deep recesses with great acuteness. As he was plying his +task he perceived a fish of a very uncommon size and form scouring up +the river with no ordinary swiftness. At first he started, thinking he +had seen the devil: but a fisher generally strikes at every thing he +sees in the water. He struck it with his barbed spear, called on Tweed a +_leister_, and in a moment had it into his boat. It was an excellent +sirloin of beef. The man was in utter amazement, for it was dead, and +lay without moving, like other butcher meat; yet he was sure he saw it +running up the water at full speed. He never observed the tiny line of +plaited wire, nor the hook, which indeed was buried in the lire; and we +may judge with what surprise he looked on this wonderful fish,--this +phenomenon of all aquatic productions. However, as it seemed to lie +peaceably enough, and looked very well as a piece of beef, he resolved +to let it remain, and betake himself again to his business. Never was +there an old man so bewildered as he was, when he again looked into the +river,--never either on Tweed or any other river on earth. Instead of +being floating _down_ the river peaceably in his boat, as one naturally +expects to do, he discovered that he was running straight against the +stream. He expected to have missed about fifty yards of the river by his +adventure with the beef; but--no!--instead of that he was about the same +distance advanced in his return up the stream. The windlass at the +castle, and the invisible wire line, of which he had no conception, +having been still dragging him gradually up. "Saint Mary, the mother of +God, protect and defend poor Sandy Yellowlees!" cried he; "What can be +the meaning of this? Is the world turned upside down? Aha! our auld +friend, Michael Scott, has some hand i' this! He's no to cree legs wi': +I's be quits wi' him." With that he tumbled his beef again into the +water, which held on its course with great rapidity straight up the +stream, while he and his boat returned quietly in the contrary and +natural direction. + +"Aye, there it goes," cried Sandy, "straight on for Aikwood! I's warrant +that's for the warlock's an' the deil's dinner the morn. God be praised +I'm free o't, or I should soon have been there too!" + +Old Sandy fished down the river, but he could kill no more salmon that +night,--for his nerves had got a shock with this new species of fishing +that he could not overcome. He missed one; wounded another on the tail; +and struck a third on the rig-back, where no leister can pierce a fish, +till he made him spring above water. Sandy grew chagrined at himself and +the warlock, Michael Scott, too--for this last was what he called "a +real prime fish," Sandy gripped the leister a little firmer, clenched +his teeth, and drew his bonnet over his eyes to shield them from the +violence of his blaze. He then banned the wizard into himself, and +determined to kill the next fish that made his appearance. But, just as +he was keeping watch in this guise, he perceived another fish something +like the former, but differing in some degree, coming swagging up the +river full speed. "My heart laup to my teeth," said Sandy, "when I saw +it coming, and I heaved the leister, but durstna strike; but I lookit +weel, an' saw plainly that it was either a side o' mutton or venison, I +couldna tell whilk. But I loot it gang, an' shook my head. 'Aha, +Michael, lad,' quo' I, 'ye hae countit afore your host for aince! Auld +Sandy has beguiled ye. But ye weel expeckit to gie him a canter to hell +the night.' I rowed my boat to the side, an' made a' the haste hame I +could, for I thought auld Michael had taen the water to himsel that +night." + +Sandy took home his few fish, and went to sleep, for all was quiet about +the abbey and the cloisters of his friends, the monks; and when he awoke +next morning he could scarcely believe the evidence of his own senses, +regarding what he had seen during the night. He arose and examined his +fishes, and could see nothing about them that was not about other +salmon. Still he strongly suspected they too might be some connections +of Michael's,--something illusory, if not worse; and took care to eat +none of them himself, delivering them all to the cook of the monastery. +The monks ate them, and throve very well; and as Sandy had come by no +bodily harm, he determined to try the fishing once again, and if he met +with any more such fish of passage to examine them a little better. He +went out with his boat, light, and fish-spear as usual; and scarcely had +he taken his station, when he perceived one of a very uncommon nature +approaching. He did not strike at it, but only put his leister-grains +before it as if to stop its course, when he found the pressure against +the leister very strong. On pulling the leister towards him, one of the +barbs laid hold of the line by which the phenomenon was led; and not +being able to get rid of it, he was obliged to pull it into the boat. It +was a small cask of Malmsey wine; and at once, owing to the way it was +drawn out, he discovered the hook and line fastened to the end of it. +These he disengaged with some difficulty, the pull being so strong and +constant; and the mystery was thus found out. In a few minutes +afterwards he seized a large sheaf of arrows; and some time after, at +considerable intervals, a number of excellent sides of beef and venison. + +Sandy Yellowlees saw that he could now fish to some purpose, and formed +a resolution of being the last man in the world to tell his countrymen +of this resource that the enemy had. The thing of which he was most +afraid was a discovery. He knew that the articles would soon be missed, +and that his light would betray him; and then a flight of arrows, or +even a single one, from a lurking foe at the side of the river, would +put an end to his fishing for ever. Such an opportunity was not to be +given up, notwithstanding of this danger; so, after much prying, both by +day and by night, Sanders found that at an abrupt crook in the water, +whatever the line brought up came close to the side, and when the water +was low it even trailed them over a point of level sand-bed quite dry. +This was a joyous discovery for Sandy. He had nothing ado but to sail +down in his boat when it grew dark, and lie lurking at this crook in the +water, and make a prey of whatever came within his reach. The very first +night he filled his boat half full of valuable stuff. There was a +necessity for disposing of a part of this, and Sandy was obliged to aver +that he had discovered a hidden store belonging to the English; and, +moreover, he hinted that he could supply the towns of Kelso and +Roxburgh, the abbey of the one and the priory of the other, for some +time to come. Great was the search that was made about the banks of the +river, but no one could find the store; yet Sanders Yellowlees continued +to supply the market with luxuries, tho' no one knew how. Intelligence +was sent down the stream, with the buoys, of the seizure of the +provisions, and of the place where they were taken off, which they knew +from the failure of the weight they were pulling to be always at the +same place. The news also spread of Sandy's stores, and both reached the +secret friends of the English, from whom the provisions were nightly +sent to their besieged friends and benefactors, with all the caution and +secrecy possible, it being given them to understand that on that supply +alone depended the holding out of the fortress. + +Many schemes were now tried to entrap Sandy, but all without effect; for +the Scots had a strong post surrounding that very point where Sandy +caught all his spoil. It was impossible to reach it but by a boat; and +no boat was allowed on the river but that one that belonged to the +abbey. At length an English trooper undertook to seize this old +depredator. Accordingly, in the dead of the night, when the lines came +down, he seized them both, twisted them into one, and walked silently up +the side of the river until he came nigh to the spot where the Scots +lines on each side joined the stream. He then put the two hooks into his +buff belt, and committing himself to the water, was dragged in silence +and perfect safety up the pool between the outposts. + +The first turn above that was the point where Sandy lay watching. He had +only seized one prey that night, and that was of no great value,--for +they had given over sending up victuals to enrich an old Scots rascal, +as they termed honest Sanders. He was glad when he saw the wake of a +heavy burden coming slowly towards him. "This is a sack o' sweet-meats," +said he to himself: "It must be currans an' raisins, an' sic fine things +as are na injured by the fresh water. I shall get a swinging price from +the abbey-men for them, to help wi' their Christmas pies." + +No sooner did this huge load touch the land, than Sandy seized it with +all expedition; but, to his inexpressible horror, the sack of sweetmeats +seized him in its turn, and that with such potence that he was +instantaneously overpowered. He uttered one piercing cry, and no more, +before the trooper gagged and pinioned him. The Scottish lines were +alarmed, and all in motion, and the troops on both sides were crowding +to the bank of the stream. A party was approaching the spot where the +twain were engaged in the unequal struggle. To return down the stream +with his prisoner, as he intended, was impracticable; so the trooper had +no alternative left but that of throwing himself into Sandy's boat, with +its owner in his arms, shoving her from the side into the deep, and +trusting himself to the strength of the wire-lines. As the windlasses +were made always to exert the same force and no more, by resisting that +they could be stopped; so by pushing the boat from the side in the +direction of the castle, the line being slackened, that again set them +agoing with great velocity; and though they soon slackened in swiftness, +the trooper escaped with his prisoner undiscovered, and, by degrees, was +dragged up to the mouth of the covered way that led through or under the +hill on which the castle stood; and there was poor Sanders Yellowlees +delivered into the hands of his incensed and half-famished enemies. It +was he that was hanged over the wall of the castle on the day that the +five English yeomen were executed.[1] + +[1] As there can be no doubt of the authenticity of this part of the +Curate's tale, these secret passages must have been carried under ground +all the way from the castle to the junction of the two rivers; and it is +said that a tradition still exists on the spot, that these vaulted paths +have often been discovered by former inhabitants. + +The English now conceived that their secret was undiscovered, and that +their sufferings would forthwith be mitigated by the supply drawn by +their lines. They commenced briskly and successfully; but, alas! their +success was of short duration. Sanders' secret became known to the Scots +army. The night-watchers had often seen the old man's boat leaning on +the shore at that point at all hours of the night; for he was always +free to go about plodding for fish when he pleased. His cry was heard at +that spot, and the boat was now missing: the place was watched, and in +two days the Englishmen's secret, on which they so much relied, was +discovered, and quite cut off; and that powerful garrison was now left +with absolute famine staring them in the face. + +As in all cases of utter privation, the men grew ungovernable. Their +passions were chafed, and foamed like the ocean before the commencement +of a tempest, foreboding nothing but anarchy and commotion. Parties were +formed of the most desperate opposition to one another, and every one +grew suspicious of his neighbour. Amid all this tempest of passion a +mutiny broke out:--a strong party set themselves to deliver up the +fortress to the Scots. But through such a medley of jarring opinions +what project could succeed? The plot was soon discovered, the +ring-leaders secured, and Sir Stephen Vernon, Musgrave's most tried and +intimate friend, found to be at the head of it. No pen can do justice to +the astonishment manifested by Musgrave when the treachery of his dear +friend was fully proven. His whole frame and mind received a shock as by +electricity, and he gazed around him in moody madness, as not knowing +whom to trust, and as if he deemed those around him were going to be his +assassins. + +"Wretch that I am!" cried he, "What is there more to afflict and rend +this heart? Do I breathe the same air? Do I live among the same men? Do +I partake of the same nature and feelings as I was wont? My own friend +and brother Vernon, has he indeed lifted up his hand against me, and +become one with my enemies? Whom now shall I trust? Must my dearest +hopes--my honour, and the honour of my country, be sacrificed to +disaffection and treachery? Oh Vernon--my brother Vernon, how art thou +fallen!" + +"I confess my crime," said Vernon; and I submit to my fate, since a +crime it must be deemed. But it was out of love and affection to you, +that your honour might not stoop to our haughty enemies. To hold out the +fortress is impossible, and to persevere in the attempt utter depravity. +Suppose you feed on one another, before the termination of the Christmas +holidays, the remnant that will be left will not be able to guard the +sallying ports, even though the ramparts are left unmanned. In a few +days I shall see my brave young friend and companion in arms, your +brother, disgracefully put down, and ere long the triumphant Scots +enter, treading over the feeble remains of this yet gallant army. I may +bide a traitor's blame, and be branded with a traitor's name, but it was +to save my friends that I strove; for I tell you, and some of you will +live to see it, to hold out the castle is impossible." + +"It is false!" cried Musgrave. "It is false! It is false!" cried every +voice present in the judgment-hall, with frantic rage; and all the +people, great and small, flew on the culprit to tear him to pieces; for +their inveteracy against the Scots still grew with their distress. + +"It is false! It is false!" shouted they. "Down with the traitor! sooner +shall we eat the flesh from our own bones than deliver up the fortress +to the Scots! Down with the false knave! down with the traitor!"--and, +in the midst of a tumult that was quite irresistible, Vernon was borne +up on their shoulders, and hurried to execution, smiling with derision +at their madness, and repeating their frantic cries in mockery. It was +in vain that the commander strove to save his friend,--as well might he +have attempted to have stemmed the river in its irresistible course +single-handed. Vernon and his associates were hanged like dogs, amid +shouts of execration, and their bodies flung into a pit. When this was +accomplished, the soldiers waved their caps, and cried out, "So fare it +with all who take part with our hateful enemies!" + +Musgrave shed tears at the fate of his brave companion, and +thenceforward was seized with gloomy despondency; for he saw that +subordination hung by a thread so brittle that the least concussion +would snap it asunder, and involve all in inextricable confusion. His +countenance and manner underwent a visible change, and he often started +on the approach of any one toward him, and laid his hand on his sword. +The day appointed by the Douglas for the execution of Sir Richard, +provided the castle was not delivered up before that period, was fast +approaching,--an event that Musgrave could not look forward to without +distraction; and it was too evident to his associates that his brave +mind was so torn by conflicting passions, that it stood in great danger +of being rooted up for ever. + +It is probable that at this time he would willingly have complied with +the dictates of nature, and saved the life of his brother; but to have +talked of yielding up the fortress to the Scots at that period would +only have been the prelude to his being torn in pieces. It was no more +their captain's affair of love and chivalry that influenced them, but +desperate animosity against their besiegers; and every one called aloud +for succours. Communication with their friends was impracticable, but +they hoped that their condition was known, and that succours would soon +appear.--Alas, their friends in Northumberland had enough ado to defend +themselves, nor could they do it so effectually but that their lands +were sometimes harried to their very doors. The warden, with his hardy +mountaineers, was indefatigable; and the English garrison were now so +closely beleaguered, that all chance of driving a prey from the country +faded from their hopes. Never was the portcullis drawn up, nor the +draw-bridge at either end let down, that intelligence was not +communicated by blast of bugle to the whole Scottish army, who were +instantly on the alert. The latter fared sumptuously, while those within +the walls were famishing; and at length the day appointed for the +execution of Sir Richard drew so near that three days only were to run. + +It had been customary for the English, whenever the Scots sent out a +herald, bearing the flag of truce, to make any proposal whatsoever, to +salute him with a flight of arrows; all communication or listening to +proposals being strictly forbidden by the captain, on pain of death. +However, that day, when the Douglas' herald appeared on the rising +ground, called the Hill of Barns, Musgrave caused answer him by a +corresponding flag, hoping it might be some proposal of a ransom for the +life of his beloved brother, on which the heralds had an interchange of +words at the draw-bridge. The Scottish herald made demand of the castle +in his captain's name, and added, that the Douglas requested it might be +done instantly, to save the life of a brave and noble youth, whom he +would gladly spare, but could not break his word and his oath that he +should suffer. He farther assured the English captain, that it was in +vain for him to sacrifice his brother, for that he had the means in his +power to bring him under subjection the day following, if he chose. + +A council of the gentlemen in the castle was called. Every one spoke in +anger, and treated the demand with derision. Musgrave spoke not a word; +but, with a look of unstable attention on every one that spoke, +collected their verdicts, and in a few minutes this answer was returned +to the requisition of the Scots. + +"If Sir Philip Musgrave himself, and every English knight and gentleman +in the castle were now in the hands of the Douglas, and doomed to the +same fate of their brave young friend, still the Douglas should not +gain his point,--the castle would not be delivered up. The garrison +scorn his proposals, they despise his threats, and they hold his power +at defiance. Such tender mercies as he bestows, such shall he +experience. He shall only take the castle by treading over the breasts +of the last six men that remain alive in it." + +This was the general answer for the garrison--in the meantime Musgrave +requested, as a personal favour of the Douglas, that he might see and +condole with his brother one hour before his fatal exit. The request was +readily complied with, and every assurance of safe conduct and +protection added. The Douglas' pavilion stood on the rising ground, +between the castle and the then splendid city of Roxburgh, a position +from which he had a view of both rivers, and all that passed around the +castle, and in the town; but, since the commencement of winter he had +lodged over night in a tower that stood in the middle of the High-town, +called the King's House, that had prisons underneath, and was strongly +guarded; but during the day he continued at the pavilion, in order to +keep an eye over the siege. + +To this pavilion, therefore, Musgrave was suffered to pass, with only +one knight attendant; and all the way from the draw-bridge to the tent +they passed between two files of armed soldiers, whose features, forms, +and armour exhibited a strange contrast. The one rank was made up of Mar +Highlanders, men short of stature, with red locks, high cheek bones, and +looks that indicated a ferocity of nature; the other was composed of +Lowlanders from the dales of the south and the west; men clothed in +grey, with sedate looks, strong athletic frames, and faces of blunt and +honest bravery. Musgrave weened himself passing between the ranks of two +different nations, instead of the vassals of one Scottish nobleman. At +the pavilion, the state, splendour, and number of attendant knights and +squires amazed him; but by them all he was received with the most +courteous respect. + +Sir Richard was brought up from the vaults of the King's House to the +tent, as the most convenient place for the meeting with his brother, and +for the guards to be stationed around them; and there, being placed in +one of the apartments of the pavilion, his brother was ushered in to +him. No one was present at the meeting; but, from an inner apartment, +all that passed between them was overheard. Musgrave clasped his younger +brother in his arms; the other could not return the embrace, for his +chains were not taken off; but their meeting was passionately affecting, +as the last meeting between two brothers must always be. When the elder +retired a step, that they might gaze on each other, what a difference in +appearance!--what a contrast they exhibited to each other! The man in +chains, doomed to instant death, had looks of blooming health, and manly +fortitude: The free man, the renowned Lord Musgrave, governor of the +impregnable but perilous castle of Roxburgh, and the affianced lord and +husband to the richest and most beautiful lady in England, was the +picture of haggard despair and misfortune. He appeared but the remnant, +the skeleton of the hero he had lately been; and a sullen instability +of mind flashed loweringly in his dark eye. His brother was almost +terrified at his looks, for he regarded him sometimes as with dark +suspicion, and as if he dreaded him to be an incendiary. + +"My dear brother," said Sir Richard, "what is it that hangs upon your +mind, and discomposes you so much? You are indeed an altered man since I +had the misfortune to be taken from you. Tell me, how fares all within +the castle?" + +"Oh, very well; quite well, brother. All perfectly secure--quite well +within the castle." But as he said this he strode rapidly backward and +forward across the small apartment, and eyed the canvass on each side +with a grin of rage, as if he suspected that it concealed listeners; nor +was he wrong in his conjecture, though it was only caused by the frenzy +of habitual distrust. "But, how can I be otherwise than discomposed, +brother," continued he, "when I am in so short a time to see you +sacrificed in the prime of youth and vigour, to my own obstinacy and +pride, perhaps." + +"I beg that you will not think of it, or take it at all to heart," said +the youth; "I have made up my mind, and can look death in the face +without unbecoming dismay. I should have preferred dying on the field of +honour, with my sword in my hand, rather than being hanged up between +the hosts, like a spy, or common malefactor. But let the tears that are +shed for Richard be other than salt brine from the eyes of the +Englishmen. Let them be the drops of purple blood from the hearts of our +enemies. I charge you, by the spirits of our fathers, whom I am so +shortly to join, and by the blessed Trinity, that you act in this trying +dilemma as the son of the house you represent. Shed not a tear for me, +but revenge my death on the haughty house of Douglas." + +"There is my hand! Here is my sword! But the vital motion, or the light +of reason, who shall ensure to me till these things are fulfilled. Nay, +who shall ensure them to this wasted frame for one moment? I am not the +man I have been, brother: But here I will swear to you, by all the host +of heaven, to revenge your death, or die in the fulfilment of my vow. +Yes, fully will I revenge it! I will waste! waste! waste! and the fire +that is begun within shall be quenched, and no tongue shall utter it! +Ha! ha, ha! shall it not be so, brother?" + +"This is mere raving, brother; I have nothing from this." + +"No, it is not; for there is a fire that you wot not of. But I will +quench it, though with my own blood. Brother, there is one thing I wish +to know, and for that purpose did I come hither. Do you think it behoves +me to suffer you to perish in this affair?" + +"That depends entirely upon your internal means of defence," answered +Richard. "If there is a certainty, or even a probability, that the +castle can hold until relieved by our friends, which will not likely be +previous to the time you have appointed for them to attempt it; why, +then, I would put no account on the life of one man. Were I in your +place, I would retain my integrity in opposition to the views of +Douglas; but if it is apparent to you, who know all your own resources, +that the castle must yield, it is needless to throw away the life of +your brother, sacrificing it to the pride of opposition for a day or a +week." + +Musgrave seemed to be paying no regard to this heroic and disinterested +reasoning,--for he was still pacing to and fro, gnawing his lip; and if +he was reasoning, or thinking at all, was following out the train of his +own unstable mind.--"Because, if I were sure," said he, "that you felt +that I was acting unkindly or unnaturally by you, by the Rood, I would +carve the man into fragments that would oppose my submission to save my +brother. I would teach them that Musgrave was not to be thwarted in his +command of the castle that was taken by his own might and device, and to +the government of which his sovereign appointed him. If a dog should +dare to bay at me in opposition to my will, whatever it were, I would +muzzle the hound, and make him repent his audacity." + +"My noble brother," said Richard, "what is the meaning of this frenzy? +No one is opposing your will, and I well believe no one within the +castle will attempt it--" + +"Because they dare not!" said he, furiously, interrupting his brother: +"They dare not, I tell you! But if they durst, what do you think I would +do? Ha, ha, ha!" + +Douglas overheard all this, and judging it a fit time to interfere, +immediately a knight opened the door of the apartment where the two +brothers conversed, and announced the Lord Douglas. Musgrave composed +himself with wonderful alacrity; and the greeting between the two great +chiefs, though dignified, was courteous and apparently free of rancour +or jealousy. Douglas first addressed his rival as follows: + +"I crave pardon, knights, for thus interrupting you. I will again leave +you to yourselves; but I judged it incumbent on me, as a warrior and a +knight of honour, to come, before you settled finally on your mode of +procedure, and conjure you, Lord Philip Musgrave, to save the life of +your brother--" + +"Certainly you will not put down my brave brother, Lord Douglas?" said +Musgrave, interrupting him. + +"As certainly," returned he, "as you put down my two kinsmen, Cleland +and Douglas of Rowlaw, in mere spite and wanton cruelty, because they +were beloved and respected by me. I am blameless, as it was yourself who +began this unwarrantable system, and my word is passed. Sir Richard must +die, unless the keys of the castle are delivered to me before Friday at +noon. But I shall be blameless in any thing further. I conjure you to +save him; and as an inducement, assure you, by the honour of knighthood, +that your resistance is not only unnatural, but totally useless; for I +have the means of commanding your submission when I please." + +"Lord Douglas, I defy thee!" answered Musgrave. "You hold the life in +your hand that I hold dearest on earth, save one. For these two would I +live or die: but, since thy inveterate enmity will not be satisfied +with ought short of the life of my only brother, take it; and may my +curse, and the curse of heaven, be your guerdon. It shall only render +the other doubly dear to me; and, for her sake, will I withstand your +proud pretensions; and, as she enjoined me, hold this castle, with all +its perils, till the expiry of the Christmas holidays, in spite of you. +I defy your might and your ire. Let your cruel nature have its full +sway. Let it be gorged with the blood of my kinsfolk; it shall only +serve to make my opposition the stronger and more determined. For the +sake of her whom I serve, the mistress of my heart and soul, I will hold +my resolution.--Do your worst!" + +"So be it!" said Douglas. "Remember that I do not, like you, fight only +in the enthusiasm of love and chivalry, but for the very being of my +house. I will stick at no means of retaliating the injuries you have +done to me and mine, however unjustifiable these may appear to some,--no +act of cruelty, to attain the prize for which I contend. Little do you +know what you are doomed to suffer, and that in a short space of time. +I again conjure you to save the life of your brother, by yielding up to +me your ill-got right, and your conditions shall be as liberal as you +can desire." + +"I will yield you my estate to save my brother, but not the castle of +Roxburgh. Name any other ransom but that, and I will treat with you. Ask +what I can grant with honour, and command it." + +"Would you give up the life of a brave only brother to gratify the +vanity and whim of a romantic girl, who, if present herself, would plead +for the life of Sir Richard, maugre all other considerations, else she +has not the feelings of woman? What would you give, Lord Musgrave, to +see that lady, and hear her sentiments on the subject." + +"I would give much to see her. But, rather than see her in this place, I +would give all the world and my life's blood into the bargain. But of +that I need not have any fear. You have conjurors among you, it is said, +and witches that can raise up the dead, but their power extends not to +the living, else who of my race would have been left?" + +"I have more power than you divine; and I will here give you a simple +specimen of it, to convince you how vain it is to contend with me. You +are waging war with your own vain imagination, and suffer all this +wretchedness for a thing that has neither being nor name." + +Douglas then lifted a small gilded bugle that hung always at his sword +belt, the language of which was well known to all the army; and on that +he gave two blasts not louder than a common whistle, when instantly the +door of the apartment opened, and there entered Lady Jane Howard, +leaning on her female attendant, dressed in attire of princely +magnificence. "Lady Jane Howard!" exclaimed Sir Richard, starting up, +and struggling with his fettered arms to embrace her. But when the +vision met the eyes of Lord Musgrave, he uttered a shuddering cry of +horror, and sprung with a convulsive leap back into the corner of the +tent. There he stood, like the statue of distraction, with his raised +hands pressed to each side of his helmet, as if he had been strenuously +holding his head from splitting asunder. + +"So! Friend and foe have combined against me!" cried he wildly. "Earth +and hell have joined their forces in opposition to one impotent human +thing! And what his crime? He presumed on no more than what he did, and +could have done; but who can stand against the powers of darkness, and +the unjust decrees of heaven? Yes; unjust! I say unjust! Down with all +decrees to the centre! There's no truth in heaven! I weened there was, +but it is as false as the rest! I say as false!--falser than both!--I'll +brave all the three! Ha, ha, ha!" + +Douglas had brought Lady Jane the apparel, and commanded her to dress in +it; and, perceiving the stern, authoritative nature of the chief, she +judged it meet to comply. At first she entered with a languid dejected +look, for she had been given to understand something of the rueful +nature of the meeting she was called on to attend. But when she heard +the above infuriated rhapsody, and turned her eyes in terror to look on +the speaker, whose voice she well knew, she uttered a scream and +fainted. Douglas supported her in his arms; and Sir Richard, whose arms +were in fetters, stood and wept over her. But Musgrave himself only +strode to and fro over the floor of the pavilion, and uttered now and +then a frantic laugh. "That is well!--That is well!" exclaimed he; "Just +as it should be! I hope she will not recover. Surely she will not?" and +then bending himself back, and clasping his hands together, he cried +fervently: "O mother of God, take her to thyself while she is yet pure +and uncontaminated, or what heart of flesh can endure the prospect? What +a wreck in nature that lovely form will soon be! Oh-oh-oh!" + +The lady's swoon was temporary. She soon began to revive, and cast +unsettled looks around in search of the object that had so overpowered +her; and, at the request of Sir Richard, who perceived his brother's +intemperate mood, she was removed. She was so struck with the altered +features, looks, and deportment of the knight, who in her imagination +was every thing that was courteous, comely, and noble, and whom she had +long considered as destined to be her own, that her heart was unable to +stand the shock, and her removal from his presence was an act of +humanity. + +She was supported out of the tent by Douglas and her female relation; +but when Musgrave saw them leading her away, he stepped rapidly in +before them and interposed; and, with a twist of his body, put his hand +two or three times to the place where the handle of his sword should +have been. The lady lifted her eyes to him, but there was no conception +in that look, and her lovely face was as pale as if the hand of death +had passed over it. + +Any one would have thought that such a look from the lady of his love, +in such a forlorn situation, and in the hands of his mortal enemy, would +have totally uprooted the last fibres of his distempered mind. But who +can calculate on the medicine suited to a diseased spirit? The cures +even of some bodily diseases are those that would poison a healthy +frame. So did it prove in this mental one. He lifted his hand from his +left side, where he had thrust it convulsively in search of his sword, +and clapping it on his forehead, he seemed to resume the command of +himself at once, and looked as calm and serene as in the most collected +moments of his life. + +When they were gone, he said to Sir Richard, in the hearing of the +guards: "Brother, what is the meaning of this? What English traitor has +betrayed that angelic maid into the hands of our enemy?" + +"To me it is incomprehensible," said Sir Richard: "I was told of it by +my keeper last night, but paid no regard to the information, judging it +a piece of wanton barbarity; but now my soul shudders at the rest of the +information that he added." + +"What more did the dog say?" said Musgrave. + +"He said he had heard that it was resolved by the Douglasses, that, if +you did not yield up the fortress and citadel freely, on or before the +day of the conception of the Blessed Virgin, on that day at noon the +lady of your heart should be exhibited in a state not to be named on a +stage erected on the top of the Bush-law, that faces the western tower, +and is divided from it only by the moat; and there before your eyes, and +in sight of both hosts, compelled to yield to that disgrace which +barbarians only could have conceived; and then to have her nose cut off, +her eyes put out, and her beauteous frame otherwise disfigured." + +"He dares not for his soul's salvation do such a deed!" said Musgrave: +"No; there's not a bloodhound that ever mouthed the air of his cursed +country durst do a deed like that. And though every Douglas is a hound +confest, where is the mongrel among them that durst but howl of such an +outrage in nature? Why, the most absolute fiend would shrink from it: +Hell would disown it; and do you think the earth would bear it?" + +"Brother, suspend your passion, and listen to the voice of reason and of +nature. Your cause is lost, but not your honour. You took, and have kept +that fortress, to the astonishment of the world. But for what do you +now fight? or what can your opposition avail? Let me beseech you not to +throw away the lives of those you love most on earth thus wantonly, but +capitulate on honourable terms, and rescue your betrothed bride and your +only brother from the irritated Scots. Trust not that they will stick at +any outrage to accomplish their aim. Loth would I be to know our name +were dishonoured by any pusillanimity on the part of my brother; but +desperate obstinacy is not bravery. I, therefore, conjure you to save +me, and her in whom all your hopes of future felicity are bound up." + +Musgrave was deeply affected; and, at that instant, before he had time +to reply, Douglas re-entered. + +"Scots lord, you have overcome me," said he, with a pathos that could +not be exceeded: "Yes you have conquered, but not with your sword. Not +on the field, nor on the wall, have ye turned the glaive of Musgrave; +but either by some infernal power, or else by chicanery and guile, the +everlasting resources of your cursed nation. It boots not me to know how +you came possessed of this last and only remaining pledge of my +submission. It is sufficient you have it. I yield myself your prisoner; +let me live or die with those two already in your power." + +"No, knight, that must not be," replied Douglas. "You are here on safe +conduct and protection; my honour is pledged, and must not be forfeited. +You shall return in safety to your kinsmen and soldiers, and act by +their counsel. It is not prisoners I want, but the castle of Roxburgh, +which is the right of my sovereign and my nation,--clandestinely taken, +and wrongously held by you. I am neither cruel nor severe beyond the +small range that points to that attainment; but that fortress I will +have,--else wo be to you, and all who advise withholding it, as well as +all their connexions to whom the power of Scotland can extend. If the +castle is not delivered up before Friday at noon, your brother shall +suffer,--that you already know. But at the same hour on the day of the +Conception, if it is still madly and wantonly detained, there shall be +such a scene transacted before your eyes as shall blur the annals of the +Border for ever." + +"If you allude to any injury intended to the lady who is your prisoner," +said Musgrave, "the cruellest fiend in hell could not have the heart to +hurt such angelic purity and loveliness; and it would degrade the honour +of knighthood for ever to suffer it. Cruel as you are, you dare not +injure a hair of her head." + +"Talk not of cruelty in me," said Douglas: "If the knight who is her +lover will not save her, how should I? You have it in your power, and +certainly it is you that behove to do it; even granting that the stakes +for which we fought were equal, the task of redemption and the blame +would rest solely with you. And how wide is the difference between the +prizes for which we contend? I for my love, my honour, and the very +existence of my house and name; and you for you know not what,--the +miserable pride of opposition. Take your measures, my lord. I will not +be mocked." + +Douglas left the apartment. Musgrave also arose and embraced his +brother, and, as he parted from him, he spoke these ominous words: +"Farewell, my dear Richard. May the angels that watch over honour be +your guardians in the hour of trial. You know not what I have to endure +from tormentors without and within. But hence we meet not again in this +state of existence. The ties of love must be broken, and the bands of +brotherly love burst asunder,--nevertheless I will save you--A long +farewell my brother." + +Musgrave was then conducted back to the draw-bridge, between two long +files of soldiers as before, while all the musicians that belonged +either to the army or the city were ranked up in a line behind them, on +the top of the great precipice that over-hangs the Teviot, playing, on +all manner of instruments, "_Turn the Blue Bonnets wha can, wha can_," +with such a tremendous din that one would have thought every stone in +the walls of Roxburgh was singing out the bravado. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + + Qnhat weywerde elfin thynge is thaten boie, + That hyngethe still upon myne gaire, as doeth + My synne of harte? And quhome rychte loth; I lofe + With not les hauckerynge. His locent eyne, + And his tungis maiter comethe on myne sense + Lyke a remembourance; or lyke ane dreime + That had delytis in it. Quhen I wolde say + "Begone;" lo then my tung mistakethe quyte, + Or fanceyinge not the terme, it sayethe "Come hidder, + Come hidder, crabbed boie, unto myne syde." + + _Old Play._ + + +That evening, after the departure of the noble and distressed Musgrave, +Douglas was sitting all alone musing in a secret apartment of the +pavilion, when he heard a gentle tap at the door. "Who's there?" +inquired he surlily: "It is I, my lor'," said a petulant treble voice +without. "Aha! my excellent nondescript little fellow, Colin Roy, is it +you? Why, you may come in." Colin entered dressed in a most elegant and +whimsical livery, and, forgetting himself, made the Douglas two or three +graceful courtesies instead of bows. + +"Aye, hem," said he, "that's very well for the page of a princess. I +suppose you have been studying the graces from your accomplished +mistress? But where have you been all this while? I have felt the loss +of you from my hand grievously." + +"I have been waiting on my royal mistress, my lor', informing her of all +that is going on at the siege, and of your good fortune in the late +captures you have made, wherein she rejoices exceedingly, and wishes you +all good fortune and forward success; and, in token of kind remembrance, +she sends you this heart of ruby set in gold and diamonds,--a gem that +befits your lordship well to wear. And many more matters she has given +me in charge, my lor'." + +Douglas kissed the locket, and put it in his bosom, and then uttered +abundance of the extravagant bombast peculiar to that age. He called her +his guardian angel, his altar of incense, and the saint of his devotion, +the buckler of his arm, the sword in his hand, and the jewel of his +heart. "Do you think, Colin," added he, "that ever there was a maiden +born like this royal lady of my love?" + +"Why, my lor', I am not much skilled in these matters, but I believe the +wench, my mistress, is well enough;--that is, she is well formed. And +yet she is but so so." + +"How dare you, you piece of unparalleled impudence, talk of your royal +mistress in that strain? Or where did you ever see a form or features so +elegant, and so bewitchingly lovely?" + +"Do you think so?--Well, I'm glad of it. I think she is coarse and +masculine. Where did I ever see such a form, indeed! Yes I have seen a +much finer limb, and an arm, and a hand too! What think you of that for +a hand, my lor'?"--(and with that the urchin clapped his hand on the +green table, first turning up the one side of it and then the +other.)--"I say if that hand were as well kept, and that arm as well +loaden with bracelets, and the fingers with diamond rings, it would be +as handsome as your princess's, of which you boast so much,--aye, and +handsomer too." + +"You are a privileged boy, Colin, otherwise I would kick you heartily, +and, moreover, cause you to be whipped by the hand of the common +executioner. However, you are a confidant,--all is well from you; and, +to say the truth, yours is a very handsome hand for a boy's hand,--so is +your arm. But what are they to those of my lovely and royal +Margaret?--mere deformity! the husk to the wheat!" + +"Indeed, my lor', you have an excellent taste, and a no less gifted +discernment!" + +"I cannot conceive of any earthly being equalling my beauteous princess, +whether in the qualifications of body or mind." + +"I rejoice to hear it. How blind love is! Why, in sober reality, there +is the Lady Jane Howard. Is there any comparison between the princess +and that lady in beauty?" + +"She is, I confess, a most exquisite creature, Colin, even though rival +to my adorable lady; in justice it must be acknowledged she is _almost_ +peerless in beauty. I do not wonder at Musgrave's valour when I see the +object of it. But why do you redden as with anger, boy, to hear my +commendations of that hapless lady?" + +"I, my lord? How should I redden with anger? On my honour, craving my +Lord Douglas' pardon, I am highly pleased. I think she is much more +beautiful than you have said, and that, you should have spoken of her in +a more superlative degree, and confessed frankly that you would +willingly exchange your betrothed lady for her. I cannot chuse but think +her very beautiful; too beautiful, indeed, with her blue eyes, white +teeth, and ruddy lips. I dont like such bright blue eyes. I could almost +find in my heart to scratch them out, she is so like a wanton. So you +don't wonder at Lord Musgrave's valour, after having seen his mistress? +Well, I advise your lordship, your captainship, and your besiegership, +that there are some who wonder very much at your want of valour. I tell +you this in confidence. My mistress thinks you hold her charms only at a +small avail, that you have not _gone into_ that castle long ago, and +turned out these Englishmen, or hung them up by the necks if they +refused. Musgrave went in and took it at once, for the favour of his +mistress; because, forsooth, he deemed her worthy of the honour of such +a bold emprize. Why, then, do not you do the same? My mistress, to be +sure, is a woman,--a very woman; but she says this, that it is +superabundantly ungallant of you not to have _gone in_ and taken +possession of the castle long ago. Do you know that (poor kind +creature!) she has retired to a convent, where she continues in a state +of sufferance, using daily invocations at the shrines of saints for your +success. And she has, moreover, made a vow not to braid her hair, nor +dress herself in princely apparel until the day of your final success. +Surely, my lor', you ought _to take that castle_, and relieve my dear +mistress from this durance. I almost weep when I think of her, and must +say with her that she has been shabbily used, and that she has reason to +envy Lady Jane Howard even in her captivity." + +"Colin, you are abundantly impertinent: but there is no stopping of +your tongue once it is set a-going. As to the taking of castles, these +things come not under the cognizance of boys or women. But indeed I knew +not that my sovereign lady the princess had absconded from the courtly +circle of her father's palace, and betaken herself to a convent on my +account. Every thing that I hear of that jewel endears her to me the +more." + +"What? even her orders for you _to go into the castle_, and put out the +English? I assure you, my lor', she insists upon it. Whether it is her +impatience to be your bride, I know not, but she positively will not be +satisfied unless you very soon _go into that castle_, and put the +Englishmen all to the outside of it, where you are now; or hang them, +and bury them out of sight before she visits the place to congratulate +you." + +"Boy, I have no patience with you. Cease your prating, and inform me +where my beloved mistress is, that I may instantly visit her." + +"No; not for the Douglas' estate, which is now in the fire, and may +soon be brought to the anvil, will I inform you of that. But, my lor', +you know I must execute my commission. And I tell you again, unless you +take this castle very soon, you will not only lose the favour of my +mistress, but you will absolutely break her heart. Nothing less will +satisfy her. I told her, there was a great moat, more than a hundred +feet deep, and as many wide, that surrounded the castle, and flowed up +to the base of its walls; that there was a large river on each side of +it, and that they were both dammed and appeared like two standing +seas--but all availed nought. 'There is a moat,' said I; 'But let him go +over that,' said she; 'let him swim it, or put a float on it. What is it +to cross a pool a hundred feet wide? How did Lord Musgrave pass over +it?' 'There are strong walls on the other side,' said I: 'But let him go +over these,' said she, 'or break a hole through them and go in. Men +built the walls, why may not men pull them down? How did Musgrave get +over them?' 'There are armed men within,' said I: 'But they are only +Englishmen,' said she; 'Let Douglas' men put their swords into them, +and make them stand back. How did Musgrave get in when it was defended +by gallant Scots? Douglas is either no lover, or else no warrior,' added +she; 'or perhaps he is neither the one nor the other.'" + +"Peace, sapling," said Douglas, frowning and stamping with his foot, +"Peace, and leave the pavilion instantly." Colin went away visibly +repressing a laugh, which irritated Douglas still the more; and as the +urchin went, he muttered in a crying whine, "My mistress is very +shabbily used!--very shabbily! To have promised herself to a knight if +he will but take a castle for her, and to have fasted, and prayed, and +vowed vows for him, and yet he dares not go in and take it. And I am +shabbily used too; and that I'll tell her! Turned out before I get half +her message delivered! But I must inform you, my lor', before I go, that +since you are making no better use of the advantage given you, I demand +the prisoners back that I lodged in your hand in my lady mistress' name, +and by her orders." + +"I will do no such thing to the whim of a teasing impertinent stripling, +without my lady princess's hand and seal for it," said Douglas. + +"You shall not long want that," said Colin; and pulling a letter out +from below his sash, he gave it to him. It was the princess's hand and +seal,--it being an easy matter for Colin to get what letters he listed. +Douglas opened it, and read as follows: + + "LORD DOUGLAS,--In token of my best wishes for your success, I send + you these, with greeting. I hope you will take immediate advantage + of the high superiority afforded you in this contest, by putting + some indelible mark, or public stain, on the lusty dame I put into + your hands. If Musgrave be a knight of any gallantry he will never + permit it, but yield. As I cannot attend personally, I request that + the mode and degree of punishment you inflict may be left to my + page Colin. That you have not been successful by such means + already, hath much surprised + + MARGARET." + +"This is not a requisition to give you up the prisoners," said Douglas, +"but merely a request that the punishment inflicted may be left to you, +a request which must not be denied to the lady of my heart. Now, pray, +Master Colin Roy MacAlpin, what punishment do you decree for the Lady +Jane Howard? For my part, though I intended to threaten the most +obnoxious treatment, to induce my opponent to yield, I could not for my +dearest interests injure the person of that exquisite lady." + +"You could not, in good troth? I suppose my mistress has good reason to +be jealous of you two. But since the power is left with me I shall +prevent that; I shall see her punished as she deserves: I'll have no +shameful exposures of a woman, even were she the meanest plebeian, but +I'll mar her beauty that she thinks so much of, and that _you_ think so +much of. I'll have have her nose cut off; and two of her fore teeth +drawn; and her cheeks and brow scolloped. I'll spoil the indecent +brightness of her gloss! She shall not sparkle with such brilliance +again, nor shall the men gloat, feasting their intolerable eyes on her, +as they do at present." + +"Saint Duthoe buckler me!" exclaimed the Douglas,--"what an unnatural +tyger cat it is! I have heard that such feelings were sometimes +entertained by one sovereign beauty toward another of the same sex; but +that a sprightly youth, of an amorous complexion, with bright blushing +features and carroty locks, should so depreciate female beauty, and +thirst to deface it, surpasses any thing I have witnessed in the nature +of man. Go to, you are a perverse boy, but shall be humoured as far as +my honour and character as a captain and warrior will admit." + +Colin paced lightly away, making a slight and graceful courtesy to the +Douglas as he glided out. "What an extraordinary, wayward, and +accomplished youth that is!" said the chief to himself. "Is it not +strange that I should converse so long with a page, as if he were my +equal? There is something in his manner and voice that overcomes me; +and though he teazes me beyond endurance, there is a sort of enchantment +about him, that I cannot give him the check. Ah me! all who submit +themselves to women, to be swayed by them or their delegates, will find +themselves crossed in every action of importance. I am resolved that no +woman shall sway me. I can love, but have not learned to submit." + +Colin retired to his little apartment in the pavilion; it was close to +the apartment that Douglas occupied while he remained there, and not +much longer or broader than the beautiful and romantic inhabitant. Yet +there he constantly abode when not employed about his lord, and never +mixed or conversed with the other pages. Douglas retired down to the +tower, or King's House, as it was called (from king Edward having +occupied it,) at even tide,--but Colin Roy remained in his apartment at +the pavilion. Alas! that Douglas did not know the value of the life he +left exposed in such a place! + +On the return of Musgrave into the castle, a council of all the +gentlemen in the fortress was called, and with eager readiness they +attended in the hall of the great western tower. The governor related to +them the heart-rending intelligence of his mistress being in the hands +of their enemies, and of the horrid fate that awaited her, as well as +his only brother, provided the garrison stood out. Every one present +perceived that Musgrave inclined to capitulate; and, as they all admired +him, they pitied his woeful plight. But no one ventured a remark. There +they sat, a silent circle, in bitter and obstinate rumination. Their +brows were plaited down, so as almost to cover their eyes; their under +lips were bent upward, and every mouth shaped like a curve, and their +arms were crossed on their breasts, while every man's right hand +instinctively rested on the hilt of his sword. + +Musgrave had taken his measures, whichever way the tide should run. In +consequence of this he appeared more calm and collected at this meeting +than he had done for many a day. "I do not, my friends, and soldiers, +propose any alternative," said he,--"I merely state to you the +circumstances in which we are placed; and according to your sentiments I +mean to conduct myself." + +"It is nobly said, brave captain," said Collingwood: "Our case is indeed +a hard one, but not desperate. The Scots cannot take the castle from us, +and shall any one life, or any fifty lives, induce us to yield them the +triumph, and all our skill, our bravery, and our sufferings go for +nought?" + +"We have nothing to eat," said Musgrave. + +"I'll eat the one arm, and defend the draw-bridge with the other, before +the Scots shall set a foot in the castle," said a young man, named Henry +Clavering. "So will I," said another. "So will I; so will we all!" +echoed through the hall, while a wild gleam of ferocity fired every +haggard countenance. It was evident that the demon of animosity and +revenge was now conjured up, which to lay was not in the power of man. + +"What then do you propose as our mode of action in this grievous +dilemma?" said Musgrave. + +"I, for my part, would propose decision and ample retaliation," said +Clavering. "Do you not perceive that there has been a great storm in the +uplands last night and this morning, and that the Tweed and Teviot are +roaring like two whirlpools of the ocean, so that neither man nor beast +can cross them? There is no communication between the two great +divisions of the Scottish army to night, save by that narrow passage +betwixt the moat and the river. Let us issue forth at the deepest hour +of midnight, secure that narrow neck of land by a strong guard, while +the rest proceed sword in hand to the eastern camp, surround the +pavilion of Douglas, and take him and all his associates prisoners, and +then see who is most forward in using the rope!" + +"It is gallantly proposed, my brave young friend," said Musgrave; "I +will lead the onset myself. I do not only ween the scheme practicable, +but highly promising; and if we can make good that narrow neck of land +against our enemies on the first alarm, I see not why we may not cut off +every man in the eastern division of their army; and haply, from the +camp and city, secure to ourselves a good supply of provisions before +the break of the day." + +These were inducements not to be withstood, and there was not one +dissenting voice. A gloomy satisfaction rested on every brow, and +pervaded every look, taking place of dark and hideous incertitude. Like +a winter day that has threatened a tempest from the break of the +morning, but becomes at last no longer doubtful, as the storm descends +on the mountain tops, so was the scene at the breaking up of that +meeting--and all was activity and preparation within the castle during +the remainder of the day. + +The evening at last came; but it was no ordinary evening. The storm had +increased in a tenfold degree. The north-west wind roared like thunder. +The sleet descended in torrents, and was driven with an impetuosity that +no living creature could withstand. The rivers foamed from bank to +brae; and the darkness was such as if the heavens had been sealed up. +The sound of the great abbey bell, that rung for vespers, was borne away +on the tempest; so that nothing was heard, save once or twice a solemn +melancholy sound, apparently at a great distance, as if a spirit had +been moaning in the eastern sky. + +Animal nature cowered beneath the blast. The hind left not her den in +the wood, nor broke her fast, until the dawning. The flocks crowded +together for shelter in the small hollows of the mountains, and the +cattle lowed and bellowed in the shade. The Scottish soldiers dozed +under their plaids, or rested on their arms within the shelter of their +tents and trenches. Even the outer sentinels, on whose vigilance all +depended, crept into some retreat or other that was next to hand, to +shield them from the violence of the storm. The army was quite +secure,--for they had the garrison so entirely cooped up within their +walls, that no attempt had been made to sally forth for a whole month. +Indeed, ever since the English were fairly dislodged from the city, the +Bush-law, and all the other outworks, the attempt was no more dreaded; +for the heaving up of the portcullis, and the letting down of the +draw-bridge, made such a noise as at once alarmed the Scottish watchers, +and all were instantly on the alert. Besides, the gates and draw-bridges +(for there were two gates and one draw-bridge at each end) were so +narrow, that it took a long time for an enemy to pass in any force; and +thus it proved an easy matter to prevent them. But, that night, the +storm howling in such majesty, and the constant jangling of chains and +pullies swinging to its force, with the roaring of the two rivers over +the dams, formed altogether such a hellish concert, that fifty +portcullises might have been raised, and as many draw-bridges let down, +and the prostrate shivering sentinels of the Scottish army have +distinguished no additional chord or octave in the infernal bravura. + +At midnight the English issued forth with all possible silence. Two +hundred, under the command of Grey and Collingwood, were posted on the +castle-green, that is, the narrow valley between the moat and the river +Tweed, to prevent the junction of the two armies on the first alarm +being given. The rest were parted into two divisions; and, under the +command of Musgrave and Henry Clavering, went down the side of each +river so as to avoid the strongest part of the Scottish lines, and the +ramparts raised on the height. Clavering led his division down by the +side of the Teviot, along the bottom of the great precipice, and, owing +to the mingled din of the flood and the storm, was never perceived till +fairly in the rear of the Scottish lines. Musgrave was not so fortunate, +as the main trench ran close to the Tweed. He was obliged to force it +with his first column, which he did with a rapidity which nothing could +equal. The Englishmen threw themselves over the mound of the great +trench, hurling in above their enemies sword in hand, and overpowering +them with great ease; then over one breastwork after another, spreading +consternation before them and carnage behind. Clavering heard nothing +of this turmoil, so intemperate was the night. He stood with impatience, +his men drawn up in order, within half a bow-shot of Douglas's pavilion, +waiting for the signal agreed on; for their whole energy was to be bent +against the tent of the commander, in hopes, not only to capture the +Douglas himself, and all his near kinsmen, but likewise their own +prisoners. At length, among other sounds that began to swell around, +Clavering heard the welcome cry of "DUDDOE'S AWAY!" which was as readily +answered with "DUDDOE'S HERE!" and at one moment the main camp was +attacked on both sides. The flyers from the lines had spread the alarm. +The captain's tent was surrounded by a triple circle of lesser tents, +all full of armed men, who instantly grasped their weapons, and stood on +the defensive. Many rough blows were exchanged at the first onset, and +many of the first ranks of the assailants met their death. But though +those within fought with valour, they fought without system; whereas the +English had arranged every thing previously; and each of them had a +white linen belt, of which the Scots knew nothing; and in the hurry and +terror that ensued, some parties attacked each other, and fell by the +hands of their brethren. Finding soon that the battle raged before and +behind them, they fled with precipitation toward the city; but there +they were waylaid by a strong party, and many of them captured and +slain. The English would have slain every man that fell into their +power, had it not been for the hopes of taking Douglas, or some of his +near kinsmen, and by that means redeeming the precious pledges that the +Scots held, so much to their detriment, and by which all their motions +were paralyzed. Clavering, with a part of the troops under his command, +pursued the flyers that escaped as far as the head of the Market-street, +and put the great Douglas himself into no little dismay; for he found it +next to impossible to rally his men amid the storm and darkness, such a +panic had seized them by this forthbreaking of their enemies. Clavering +would, doubtless, have rifled a part of the city, if not totally ruined +that division of the Scottish army, had he not been suddenly called back +to oppose a more dangerous inroad behind. + +When Musgrave first broke through the right wing of the Scottish lines, +the noise and uproar spread amain, as may well be conceived. The warders +on the heights then sounded the alarm incessantly: and a most incongrous +thing it was to hear them sounding the alarm with such vigour at their +posts, after the enemy had passed quietly by them, and at that time were +working havoc in the middle of their camp. They knew not what was astir, +but they made plenty of din with their cow-horns, leaving those that +they alarmed to find out the cause the best way they could. + +The Scottish army that beleaguered the castle to the westward caught the +alarm, and rushed to the support of their brethren and commander. The +infantry being first in readiness, were first put in motion, but, on the +narrowest part of the castle green, they fell in with the firm set +phalanx of the English, who received them on the point of their lances, +and, in a few seconds, made them give way. The English could not however +pursue, their orders being to keep by the spot where they were, and +stand firm; so that the Scots had nothing ado but to rally at the head +of the green, and return to the charge. Still it was with no better +success than before. The English stood their ground, and again made them +reel and retreat. But, by this time, the horsemen were got ready, and +descended to the charge at a sharp trot. They were clad in armour, and +had heavy swords by their sides, and long spears like halberds in their +hands. The English lines could not withstand the shock given by these, +for the men were famishing with hunger and benumbed with cold, the wind +blowing with all its fury straight in their faces. They gave way; but +they were neither broken nor dispersed. Reduced as they were, they were +all veterans, and retreated fighting till they came to the barriers +before the draw-bridge; and there, having the advantage of situation, +they stood their ground. + +The horsemen passed on to the scene of confusion in the camp, and came +upon the rear of the English host, encumbered with prisoners and spoil. + +When Clavering was called back, Douglas, who had now rallied about one +hundred and forty men around him, wheeled about, and followed Clavering +in the rear; so that the English found themselves in the same +predicament that the Scots were in about an hour before,--beset before +and behind,--and that principally by horsemen, which placed them under a +manifest disadvantage. + +It is impossible to give any adequate idea of the uproar and desperate +affray that now ensued. The English formed on both sides to defend +themselves; but the prisoners being numerous detained a great part of +the men from the combat. A cry arose to kill the prisoners; from whom it +first issued no one knew, but it no sooner past than the men began to +put it into execution. The order was easier to give than perform: +in half a minute every one of the guards had a prisoner at his +throat,--the battle became general,--every one being particularly +engaged through all the interior of the host, many of them struggling in +pairs on the earth, who to get uppermost, and have the mastery. It was +all for life, and no exertion was withheld; but, whenever these single +combats ended in close gripes, the Scots had the mastery, their bodies +being in so much better condition. They made a great noise, both +individually and in their files, but the English scarcely opened their +mouths; like bred mastiffs, when desperately engaged, they only aimed at +the vital parts of their opponents, without letting their voices be +heard. + +It is vain at this period to attempt giving a better description of the +scenes of that night, for the men that were present in the affray could +give no account of it next day. But, after a hard encounter and heavy +loss, the English fought their way up to their friends before the +ramparts, who had all the while been engaged in skirmishing with the +foot of the western division, whom they had kept at bay, and thus +preserved the entrance clear to themselves and brethren; but ere the +rear had got over the half-moon before the bridge, it was heaped full of +slain. + +There were more of the Scots slain during the conflict of that hideous +night than of the English; but by far the greater number of prisoners +remained with the former, and several of them were men of note; but such +care was taken to conceal rank and titles, after falling into the hands +of their enemies, that they could only be guessed at. De Gray was slain, +and Collingwood was wounded and taken; so that on taking a muster next +day, the English found themselves losers by their heroic sally. + +They had, however, taken one prize, of which, had they known the value, +it would have proved a counterbalance, for all their losses, and all the +distinguished prisoners that formerly told against them. This was no +other than the pretended page, Colin Roy, of whose sex and quality the +reader has been formerly apprised, and whom they found concealed among +some baggage in the Douglas' tent. Grievous was that page's plight when +he found himself thrust into a vault below the castle of Roxburgh, among +forty rude soldiers, many of them wounded, and others half-naked, and +nothing given them to subsist on. Concealment of his true sex for any +length of time was now impossible, and to divulge the secret certain +ruin to himself and the cause of Douglas. + +Next day he pleaded hard for an audience of Musgrave, on pretence of +giving him some information that deeply concerned himself; and he +pleaded with such eloquence that the guards listened to him, and +informed the commander, who ordered the stripling to be brought before +him. The next day following was that appointed for the execution of Sir +Richard Musgrave. Colin informed the governor that, if he would give him +his liberty, he would procure a reprieve for his brother, at least until +the day of the Conception, during which period something might occur +that would save the life of so brave a youth; that he was the only man +on earth who had the power to alter the purpose of Douglas in that +instance; and that he would answer with his head for the success,--only +the charm required immediate application. + +Musgrave said it was a coward's trick to preserve his own life,--for how +could he answer to him for his success when he was at liberty? But that +no chance might be lost for saving his brother's life, he would cause +him to be conducted to Douglas under a strong guard, allow him what time +he required to proffer his suit, and have him brought back to prison +till the day of the Conception was over, and if he succeeded he should +then have his liberty. This was not exactly what Colin wanted: However, +he was obliged to accept of the terms, and proceeded to the gate under a +guard of ten men. The Scots officer of the advanced guard refused to let +any Englishman pass, but answered with his honour to conduct the +stripling in safety to his commander, and in two hours return him back +to the English at the draw-bridge. No more was required; and he was +conducted accordingly to the door of Douglas' tent, which, as he +desired, he was suffered to enter, the men keeping guard at the door. + +In the confusion of that morning, Douglas never had missed the page, nor +knew he that he was taken prisoner; and when the boy entered from his +own little apartment, he judged him to be in attendance as usual. He had +a bundle below his arm tied up in a lady's scarf, and a look that +manifested great hurry and alarm. The Douglas, who was busily engaged +with two knights, could not help noting his appearance, at which he +smiled. + +"My lord," said the boy, "I have an engagement of great importance +to-day, and the time is at hand. I cannot get out at the door by reason +of the crowd, who must not see this. Will it please you to let me pass +by your own private door into the city?" + +Douglas cursed him for a troublesome imp, and forthwith opened the door +into the concealed way; and as all who came from that door passed +unquestioned, the page quickly vanished in the suburbs of the city. + +The officer and his guard waited and waited until the time was on the +point of expiring, and at last grew quite impatient, wondering what the +boy could be doing so long with the commander. But at length, to their +mortal astonishment, they beheld the stripling coming swaggering up from +the high street of the city behind them, putting a number of new and +ridiculous airs in practice, and quite unlike one going to be delivered +up to enemies to be thrown into a dungeon, or perhaps hanged like a dog +in a day or two. + +The officer knew nothing of the concealed door and passage, and was lost +in amazement how the page should have escaped from them all without +being visible; but he wondered still more how the elf, being once at +liberty, should have thought of coming strutting back to deliver himself +up again. + +"Where the devil have you been, master, an it be your will?" said the +officer. + +"Eh? What d'ye say, mun?" said the unaccountable puppy. "What do I say +mun!" replied the officer, quite unable to account either for the +behaviour of the prisoner or his address; "I say I trow ye hae seen sic +a man as Michael Scott some time in your days? Ye hae gi'en me the +glaiks aince by turning invisible; but be ye deil, be ye fairy, I sal +secure ye now. Ye hae nearly gart me brik my pledge o' honour, whilk I +wadna hae done for ten sic necks as yours." + +"Your pledge o' honour? What's that, mun? Is that your bit sword? Stand +back out o' my gate." + +"Shakel my knackers," said the officer laughing, "if I do not crack thy +fool's pate! What does the green-kail-worm mean? You, sir, I suppose are +presuming to transact a character? You are playing a part in order to +get off, but your silly stratagem will fail you. Pray, my young master, +what character do you at present appear in?" + +"Character me no characters!" said the page,--it is not with you that I +transact--nor such as you! Do not you see who I am, and what commission +I bear? Bide a great way back out o' my gate an ye please; and show me +where I am to deliver this." + +"And who is that bald epistle for, master Quipes? Please to open your +sweet mouth, and read me the inscription." + +"Do you not see, saucy axe-man? Cannot you spell it? 'To James, Earl of +Douglas and Mar, with greeting, These.' Herald me to your commander, +nadkin; but keep your distance--due proportioned distance, if you +please." + +"No, no, my little crab cherry; you cheated me by escaping from the tent +invisible before, but shall not do it again. We'll get your message done +for you; your time is expired, and some more to boot, I fear; come along +with us."--And forthwith one of their number waited on the chief with +the letter, while the rest hauled off the unfortunate page, and +delivered him back to the English. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + + His doublet was sae trim and neat, + Wi' reid goud to the chin, + Ye wad hae sworn, had ye been there, + That a maiden stood within. + The tears they trickled to his chin, + And fell down on his knee; + O had he wist before he kissed, + That the boy was a fair ladye. + + _Song of May Marley._ + + Who's she, this dame that comes in such a guise, + Such lace of import, and unwonted speech? + Tell me, Cornaro. For methinks I see + Some traits of hell about her. + + _Trag. of The Prioress._ + + +In this perilous situation were placed the two most beautiful ladies of +England and Scotland, at the close of that memorable year; and in this +situation stood the two chiefs with relation to those they valued +dearest in life; the one quite unconscious of the misery that awaited +him, but the other prepared to stand the severest of trials. Success had +for some time past made a show of favouring the Scots, but she had not +yet declared herself, and matters with them soon began to look worse. As +a commencement of their misfortunes, on that very night the battle took +place, the English received a supply of thirty horse-loads of +provisions, with assurances that Sir Thomas Musgrave, the governor of +Berwick, was setting out with a strong army to their succour. + +The supply was received in this way. There was a bridge over the Teviot, +which communicated only with the castle, the north end of it being +within the draw-bridge, and that bridge the English kept possession of +all the time of the siege. It being of no avail to the Scots, they +contented themselves by keeping a guard at the convent of Maisondieu, to +prevent any communication between the fortress and the Border. But the +English barons to the eastward, whose castles lay contiguous to the +Tweed, taking advantage of the great flood, came with a strong body of +men, and attacking this post by surprise, they beat them, and, chasing +them a considerable way up the river, got the convoy along the bridge +into the castle. + +This temporary relief raised the spirits of the English, or rather +cheered their prospects, for higher in inveterate opposition their +spirits could not be raised. On the day following, likewise, a flying +party of Sir Thomas Musgrave's horse made their appearance on the height +above Hume castle, and blew their horns, and tossed their banners abroad +on the wind, that the besieged might see them, and understand that their +friends were astir to make a diversion in their favour. + +On the same day a new gibbet was erected on the top of the Bush-law, +with a shifting wooden battery, to protect the executioners; and all +within the castle feared that the stern and unyielding Douglas was going +to put his threat respecting the life of Sir Richard Musgrave into +execution. Therefore, to prevent their captain from seeing the scene, +and, if possible, his mind from recurring to it, they contrived to get a +council of war called, at which they intentionally argued and contended +about matters of importance, in order to detain him until the sufferings +of his brother were past. + +The Bush-law, on which the Scots had a strong fortification, rises +abruptly over against the western tower of the castle of Roxburgh; they +were separated only by the moat, and, though at a great height, were so +near each other, that men could with ease converse across, and see +distinctly what was done. On the top of this battery was the new gibbet +erected, the more to gall the English by witnessing the death of their +friends. + +At noon, the Scots, to the number of two hundred, came in procession up +from the city, with their prisoner dressed in his knightly robes; and, +as they went by, they flouted the English that looked on from the +walls,--but the latter answered them not, either good or bad. By a +circular rout to the westward they reached the height, where they +exposed the prisoner to the view of the garrison on a semicircular +platform, for a few minutes, until a herald made proclamation, that +unless the keys of the castle were instantly delivered at the +draw-bridge, the life of the noble prisoner was forfeited, and the +sentence would momently be put in execution; and then he concluded by +calling, in a louder voice, "Answer, Yes or no--once--twice." He paused +for the space of twenty seconds, and then repeated slowly, and +apparently with reluctance, "Once--twice--_thrice_,"--and the platform +folding down, the victim was launched into eternity. + +The English returned no answer to the herald, as no command or order had +been given. In moody silence they stood till they witnessed the fatal +catastrophe, and then a loud groan, or rather growl of abhorrence and +vengeance, burst from the troops on the wall, which was answered by the +exulting shouts of the Scots. At that fatal moment Musgrave stepped on +the battlement, to witness the last dying throes of his loved brother. +By some casualty, the day of the week and month happening to be +mentioned in the council hall, in the midst of his confused and +abstracted ideas, that brought to his remembrance the fate with which +his brother had been threatened. Still he had hopes that it would have +been postponed; for, as a drowning man will catch violently at floating +stubble, so had he trusted to the page's mediation. He had examined the +stripling on his return to the dungeon, but the imp proved froward and +incommunicative, attaching to himself an importance of which the captain +could not perceive the propriety; yet, though he had nothing to depend +on the tender mercies of Douglas, as indeed he had no right, he +nevertheless trusted to his policy for the saving of his brother alive; +knowing that, in his life, he held a bond round his heart which it was +not his interest to snap. + +As he left the hall of council, which was in the great western tower, +and in the immediate vicinity of the scene then transacting, the murmurs +of the one host and the shouts of the other drew him to the battlement, +whence his eye momently embraced the heart-rending cause of the tumult. +He started, and contracted every muscle of his whole frame, shrinking +downward, and looking madly on each hand of him. He seemed in act to +make a spring over the wall; and the soldiers around him perceiving +this, and haply misjudging the intent of his motion, seized on him to +restrain him by main force. But scarcely did he seem to feel that he was +held; he stretched out his hands toward his brother, and uttered a loud +cry of furious despair, and then in a softer tone cried, "Oh! my +brother! my brother!--So you would not warn me, you dog?--Nor you?--Nor +you?--No, you are all combined against me. That was a sight to gratify +you, was it not? My curse on you, and all that have combined against the +life of that matchless youth!" and with that he struggled to shake them +from him. "My lord! my lord!" was all that the soldiers uttered, as they +restrained him. + +At that instant Clavering rushed on the battlement. "Unhand the +captain!" cried he: "Dare you, for the lives that are not your own, +presume to lay violent restraint on him, and that in the full view of +your enemies?" + +"I will have vengeance, Clavering!" cried Musgrave,--"ample and +uncontrolled vengeance! Where is the deceitful and impertinent stripling +that promised so solemnly to gain a reprieve for my brother, and +proffered the forfeit of his life if he failed?" + +"In the dungeon, my lord, fast and secure." + +"He is a favourite parasite of the Douglas; bring him forth that I may +see vengeance executed on him the first of them all. I will hang every +Scot in our custody; but go and bring him the first. It is a base +deceitful cub, and shall dangle opposite to that noble and now lifeless +form. It is a poor revenge indeed,--but I will sacrifice every Scot of +them. Why don't you go and bring the gilded moth, you kennel knaves? +Know you to whom you thus scruple obedience?" + +Clavering was silent, and the soldiers durst not disobey, though they +obeyed with reluctance, knowing the advantages that the Scots possessed +over them, both in the numbers and rank of their prisoners. They went +into the vaults, and, without ceremony or intimation of their intent, +lifted the gaudy page in their arms, and carried him to the battlement +of the western tower, from whence, sans farther ceremony, he was +suspended from a beam's end. + +Douglas could not believe the testimony of his own senses when he saw +what had occurred. Till that moment he never knew that his page was a +prisoner. Indeed, how could he conceive he was, when he had seen him in +his tent the day after the night engagement? His grief was of a cutting +and sharp kind, but went not to the heart; for though the boy had +maintained a sort of influence over him, even more than he could account +to himself for, yet still he was teasing and impertinent, and it was not +the sort of influence he desired. + +"I wish it been our blessed Lady's will to have averted this," said he +to himself: "But the mischances of war often light upon those least +concerned in the event. Poor Colin! thy beauty, playfulness, and +flippancy of speech deserved a better guerdon. How shall I account to my +royal mistress for the cruel fate of her favourite?" + +With all this partial regret, Douglas felt that, by the loss of this +officious page of the princess, he would be freed from the controul of +petticoat-government. He perceived that the princess lived in +concealment somewhere in the neighbourhood,--kept an eye over all his +actions and movements,--and, by this her agent, checked or upbraided him +according to her whimsical inexperience. Douglas was ambitious of having +the beautiful princess for his spouse,--of being son-in-law to his +sovereign,--and the first man in the realm; but he liked not to have his +counsels impeded, or his arms checked, by a froward and romantic girl, +however high her lineage or her endowments might soar. So that, upon the +whole, though he regretted the death of Colin Roy MacAlpin, he felt like +one released from a slight bondage. Alas, noble chief! little didst thou +know of the pang that was awaiting thee! + +It will be recollected that, when the Lady Margaret first arrived in +the campin the character of Colin her own page, she lodged her maid +in the city of Roxburgh, disguised likewise as a boy. With her she +communicated every day, and contrived to forward such letters to the +Court as satisfied her royal mother with regard to the motives of her +absence,--though these letters were, like many others of the sex, any +thing but the direct truth. The king was at this period living in +retirement at his castle of Logie in Athol, on pretence of ill health. + +The name of the maiden of honour thus disguised was Mary Kirkmichael, +the daughter of a knight in the shire of Fife. She was a lady of great +beauty, and elegant address,--shrewd, sly, and enterprising. + +Two days after the rueful catastrophe above related, word was brought to +Douglas, while engaged in his pavilion, that a lady at the door begged +earnestly to see him. "Some petitioner for the life of a prisoner," said +he: "What other lady can have business with me? Tell her I have neither +leisure nor inclination at present to listen to the complaints and +petitions of women." + +"I have told her so already," said the knight in waiting; "but she +refuses to go away till she speak with you in private; and says that she +has something to communicate that deeply concerns your welfare. She is +veiled; but seems a beautiful, accomplished, and courtly dame." + +At these words the Douglas started to his feet. He had no doubt that it +was the princess, emerged from her concealment in the priory or convent, +and come to make inquiries after her favourite, and perhaps establish +some other mode of communication with himself. He laid his account with +complaints and upbraidings, and, upon the whole, boded no great good +from this domiciliary visit. However, he determined to receive his royal +mistress with some appearance of form; and, in a few seconds, at a given +word, squires, yeomen, and grooms, to the amount of seventy, were +arranged in due order, every one in his proper place; and up a lane +formed of these was the lady conducted to the captain, who received her +standing and uncovered; but, after exchanging courtesies with her, and +perceiving that it was not the princess, jealous of his dignity, he put +on his plumed bonnet, and waited with stately mien the developement of +her rank and errand. + +It was Mary Kirkmichael. + +"My noble lord," said she, "I have a word for your private ear, and +deeply doth it concern you and all this realm." + +Douglas beckoned to his friends and attendants, who withdrew and left +him alone with the dame, who began thus with great earnestness of +manner: "My lord of Douglas, I have but one question to ask, and, if +satisfied with the answer, will not detain you a moment. What is become +of the page Colin that attended your hand of late?" Douglas hesitated, +deeming the lady to be some agent of the princess Margaret's. "Where is +he?" continued she, raising her voice, and advancing a step nearer to +the captain. "Tell me, as you would wish your soul to thrive. Is he +well? Is he safe?" + +"He is sped on a long journey, lady, and you may not expect to meet him +again for a season." + +"Sped on a long journey! Not see him again for a season! What does this +answer mean? Captain, on that youth's well-being hang the safety, the +nobility, and the honour of your house. Say but to me he is well, and +not exposed to any danger in the message on which he is gone." + +"Of his well-being I have no doubt; and the message on which he is gone +is a safe one. He is under protection from all danger, commotion, or +strife." + +"It is well you can say so, else wo would have fallen to your lot, to +mine, and to that of our nation." + +"I know he was a page of court, and in the confidence of my sovereign +and adored Lady Margaret. But how could any misfortune attending a page +prove of such overwhelming import?" + +"_Was_ a page of court, my lord? What do you infer by that _was_? Pray +what is he now? I entreat of you to be more explicit." + +"The plain truth of the matter is shortly this: The boy fell into the +hands of our enemies that night of the late fierce engagement." + +At this the lady uttered a scream; and Douglas, dreading she would fall +into hysterics, stretched out his arms to support her. "I pity you, +gentle maiden," said he, "for I perceive you two have been lovers." + +She withdrew herself, shunning his profered support, and, looking him +wildly in the face, said in a passionate voice, "In the hands of the +English? O Douglas, haste to redeem him! Give up all the prisoners you +have for that page's ransom; and if these will not suffice, give up all +the lands of Douglas and Mar; and if all these are still judged +inadequate, give up yourself. But, by your fealty, your honour, your +nobility, I charge you, and, in the name of the Blessed Virgin, I +conjure you to lose no time in redeeming that youth." + +Douglas could scarcely contain his gravity at this rhapsody, weening it +the frantic remonstrance of a love-sick maid; but she, perceiving the +bent and tenor of his disposition, held up her hand as a check to his +ill-timed levity. "Unhappy chief!" exclaimed she, "Little art thou aware +what a gulf of misery and despair thou art suspended over, and that by a +single thread within reach of the flame, and liable every moment to +snap, and hurl thee into inevitable ruin. Know, and to thyself alone be +it known, that that page was no other than the princess of Scotland +herself; who, impelled by romantic affection, came in that disguise to +attend thee in all thy perils, undertaken for her sake. It was she +herself who seized her rival, and placed her in your hands, thus giving +you an advantage which force could not bestow. And from time to time has +she laid such injunctions on you, written and delivered by her own hand, +as she judged conducive to your honour or advantage. If you suffer that +inestimable lady to lye in durance, or one hair of her head to fall to +the ground, after so many marks of affection and concern for you, you +are unworthy of lady's esteem, of the titles you bear, or the honour of +knighthood." + +When the lady first came out with the fatal secret, and mentioned the +princess's name, Douglas strode hastily across the floor of the +pavilion, as if he would have run out at the door, or rather fallen +against it; but the motion was involuntary; he stopped short, and again +turned round to the speaker, gazing on her as if only half comprehending +what she said. The truth of the assertion opened to him by degrees; and, +it may well be supposed, the intelligence acted upon his mind and frame +like a shock of electricity. He would fain have disbelieved it, had he +been able to lay hold of a plausible pretext to doubt it; but every +recollected circumstance coincided in the establishment of the unwelcome +fact. All that he could say to the lady, as he stood like a statue +gazing her in the face, was, "Who art thou?" + +"I am Mary Kirkmichael of Balmedie," said she, "and I came with the +princess, disguised as her attendant. I am her friend and confidant, and +we held communication every day, till of late that my dear mistress +discontinued her visits. O captain, tell me if it is in your power to +save her!" + +Douglas flung himself on a form in the corner of the tent, and hid his +face with his hand, and at the same time groaned as if every throb +would have burst his heart's casement. He had seen his royal, his +affectionate, and adored mistress swung from the enemy's battlements, +without one effort to save her, and without a tear wetting his cheek; +and his agony of mind became so extreme that he paid no more regard to +the lady, who was still standing over him, adding the bitterest censure +to lamentation. Yet he told her not of her mistress's melancholy +fate,--he could not tell her; but the ejaculatory words that he uttered +from time to time too plainly informed Mary Kirkmichael that the life of +her royal mistress was either in jeopardy or irretrievably lost. + +The Douglas saw the lady no more, nor regarded her. He rushed from +the tent, and gave such orders as quite confounded his warriors, +one part being quite incompatible with another; and, in the confusion, +Mary glided quietly away from the scene without farther notice. All +the motions of Douglas, for two days subsequent to this piece of +information, were like those of a drunken man; he was enraged without +cause, and acted without consistency; but the only point towards which +all these jarring and discordant passions constantly turned was revenge +on the English--deadly and insatiable revenge. When he looked towards +the ramparts of the castle, his dark eye would change its colour, and +sink deeper under his brow, while his brown cheeks would appear as if +furrowed across, and his teeth ground and jarred against one another. +His counsels, however, were not, at this time, of a nature suited to +accomplish any thing material against his rivals. He meditated the most +deadly retaliation, but was prevented before he could put it in +practice. + +On the following evening, when the disturbance of his mind had somewhat +subsided, and appeared to be settling into a sullen depression of +spirit, or rather a softened melancholy, he was accosted by a monk, who +had craved and obtained admittance--for a deference to all that these +people said or did was a leading feature of that age. Douglas scarcely +regarded him on his first entrance, and to his address only deigned to +answer by a slight motion of his head; for the monk's whole appearance +augured little beyond contempt. He was of a diminutive stature, had a +slight, starved make, and a weak treble voice. His conversation, +nevertheless, proved of that sort that soon drew the attention of the +chief. + +"May the blessed Virgin, the mother of God, bless and shield you, +captain!" + +"Humph!" returned the Douglas, noding his head. + +"May Saint Withold be your helmet and buckler in the day of battle--" + +"Amen!" said the Douglas, interrupting him, and taking a searching look +of the tiny being that spoke, as if there were something in the tones of +his voice that struck him with emotion. + +--"And withhold your weapon from the blood of the good," added the monk, +"from the breast of the professor of our holy religion, and dispose your +heart to peace and amity, that the land may have rest, and the humble +servants of the Cross protection. Why don't you say 'Amen' to this, +knight? Is your profession of Christianity a mere form? and are the +blessed tenets which it enjoins, strangers to thy turbulent bosom?" + +"Humph!" said Douglas: "With reverence be it spoken, monk, but you holy +brethren have got a way of chattering about things that you do not +understand. Adhere to your books and your beads. I am a soldier, and +must stick by my profession, bearing arms for my king and country." + +"I am a soldier too," rejoined the monk, "and bear arms and suffer in a +better cause. But enough of this. I have a strange message for you, +captain. You must know that, a few weeks ago, a beautiful youth came to +our monastery seeking supply of writing materials, which he could not +otherwise procure. He was a kind and ingenious youth. I supplied him, +for I loved him; and I have since seen him sundry times in my cell. But +last night, as I was sitting alone, a little before midnight--I am +afraid you will not believe me, captain, for the matter of my message +is so strange--I had gone over my breviary, and was sitting with the +cross pressed to my lips, when behold the youth entered. I arose to +receive him; but he beckoned me to keep away from his person, and glided +backward. I then recollected that he must be a spirit, else he could not +have got in; and, though I do not recollect all that he said, the +purport of his message was to the following effect: + +"'Benjamin,' said he, 'arise and go to the captain of the Scottish army, +whom you will find in great perplexity of mind, and meditating schemes +of cruelty and retaliation, which would be disgraceful to himself and to +his country. But let him beware; for there be some at his hand that he +does not see; and if he dare in the slightest instance disobey the +injunctions which you shall from time to time lay on him, his sight +shall be withered by a visitant from another world, whose face he shall +too well recognize ever again to find rest under a consciousness of her +presence. Monk Benjamin, I was not what I seemed. A few days ago I was a +lady in the prime of youth and hope. I loved that captain, and was +betrothed to him. For his sake I ventured my life, and lost it without a +single effort on his part to save me. But his fate is in my hand, and I +will use the power. It is given to me to control or further his efforts +as I see meet,--to turn his sword in the day of battle,--or to redouble +the strength of his and his warriors' arms. My behests shall be made +known to him; and if he would avoid distraction of mind, as well as +utter ruin, let him tremble to disobey. In the first place, then, you +will find him pondering on a scheme for the recovery of my lifeless +body,--a scheme of madness which cannot and may not succeed; therefore, +charge him from me to desist. You will find him farther preparing an +embassy to my father and mother to inform them of the circumstances of +my death, and that not in the words of truth. But let him take care to +keep that a secret, as he would take care of his life and honour, for on +that depends his ultimate success. Tell him farther, from me, to revenge +my death, but not on the helpless beings that are already in his power; +to pursue with steady aim his primary object,--and his reward shall be +greater than he can conceive.' + +"Strange as this story may appear, captain, it is strictly according to +truth. You yourself may judge whether it was a true or lying spirit that +spoke to me." + +"Are you not some demon or spirit yourself," said the Douglas, "who know +such things as these? Tell me, are you a thing of flesh and blood, that +you can thus tell me the thoughts and purposes of my heart?" + +"I am a being such as yourself," said the monk,--"a poor brother of the +Cistertian order, and of the cloister adjoining to this; and I only +speak what I was enjoined to speak, without knowing whether it is true +or false. I was threatened with trouble and dismay if I declined the +commission; and I advise you, captain, for your own peace of mind, to +attend to this warning." + +Douglas promised that he would, at least for a time; and the monk, +taking his leave, left the earl in the utmost consternation. The monk's +tale was so simple and unmasked, there was no doubting the truth of +it,--for without such a communication it was impossible he could have +known the things he uttered; and the assurance that a disembodied being +should have such a power over him, though it somewhat staggered the +Douglas' faith, created an unwonted sensation within his breast--a +sensation of wonder and awe; for none of that age were exempt from the +sway of an overpowering superstition. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + + What a brave group we have! That fellow there, + He with the cushion, would outprate the cricket; + The babble of the brook is not more constant, + Or syllabled with such monotony, + Than the eternal tingle of his tongue. + + _Cor._ I'll bid him silence, master; + Or do him so, which likes you. + + _The Prioress._ + + +We must now leave the two commanders in plights more dismal than ever +commanders were before, and return to our warden, the bold baron of +Mountcomyn, whose feats form a more pleasant and diverting subject. His +warfare all this while was of a predatory nature,--for that his warriors +were peculiarly fitted, and at this time they did not fail to avail +themselves well of the troubles on the border, and the prevailing power +of the Scots alongst its line. The warden pretended still to be acting +in concert with Douglas, but his operations were all according to the +purposes of his own heart. He cared nothing for the success or the +aggrandisement of Douglas; but he had a particular eye to the +advancement of his own house, and the honour of his kinsmen. It was +therefore a matter of daily consultation with him and his friends, how +they should act in conformity with this ruling principle. The +probability was against Douglas, that he would ultimately fail in his +undertaking, and be stripped of all his dominions. Viewing the matter in +that light, it was high time for the Redhough to be providing for +himself. On the other hand, should Douglas succeed in his enterprize, +and become the king's son-in-law, there was no other way by which the +warden could hold his own, save by a certain species of subordination, a +submission in effect, though not by acknowledgment. Such matters were +perfectly understood by the chiefs in these times, and all who proved +refractory were taught in silence to feel the grounds on which they +stood, This was, therefore, a most critical period for Sir Ringan. The +future advancement of his house depended on every turn of his hand. +During all the former part of the siege he had conducted himself with an +eye to Douglas' failure, to which he was partly incited by the +prophecies of Thomas the Rhymer, and those of his kinsman, Master +Michael Scott of Oakwood, whom he believed the most powerful wizard, and +the greatest prophet, that ever had arisen since the Rhymer's days. + +But, on the return of Charlie of Yardbire and Dan Chisholm from the +beleaguering army, the warden got the extraordinary intelligence, that +the Lady Jane Howard had fallen into the hands of the Douglas, as well +as Musgrave's only brother. These things changed Sir Ringan's prospects +of the future in a very material degree, and he pondered on changing his +mode of operations. Before doing so, however, he called a council of his +kinsmen, and brought the matter again before them. Most of them +counselled the continuance of the predatory warfare in which they had +been engaged; it had served to enrich them, and had proved, as they +reasoned, of more service to the Douglas than if they had joined his +host. That it proved of more service to himself and his kinsmen than if +they had joined the host, the warden was well aware; but he was not +satisfied that the Douglas viewed their mountain warfare as of great +consequence to him; and he farther knew, that services were always +repaid, not according to the toil and exertion undergone, but according +as they were estimated, while that estimation was ever and anon modelled +by the apparent motives of the performer. + +After much slow and inanimate reasoning on the matter, Sir Ringan +chanced, after a minute's deep thought, to say, "What would I not give +to know the events that are to happen at Roxburgh between this time and +the end of the Christmas holidays?" + +"Auld Michael Scott will ken brawly," said Charlie of Yardbire. + +"Then, what for shoudna we ken too?" said the knight. + +"Aye, what for shoudna we ken too?" said Dickie o' Dryhope. + +"They might get a kittle cast that meddled wi' him, an' nae the wiser +after a'," said Robert of Howpasley. + +"When he was at pains to come a' the way to the castle of Mountcomyn," +said Simon Longspeare, "a matter o' five Scots miles ower the moor, to +warn our captain, the warden, how to row his bowls, he surely winna +refuse to tell him what's to be the final issue o' this daft contest." + +"Ane wad think he wadna spare a cantrip or twa," said Sir Ringan; "him +that has spirits at his ca', an' canna get them hadden i' wark. It wad +be an easy matter for him; an' blood's aye thicker than water." + +"Ay, that's a true tale," said Dickie o' Dryhope; "It wad be an easy +matter for him, we a' ken that; an' blood's aye thicker than water!" + +"If I were to gang wi' a gallant retinue," said Sir Ringan, "he surely +wadna refuse to gie me some answer." + +"He wad refuse the king o' France," said Robert of Howpasley, "if he +warna i' the key for human conversation, an' maybe gar his familiar +spirits carry you away, and thraw ye into the sea, or set you down i' +some faraway land, for a piece o' employment to them, and amusement to +himsel'. He has served mony ane that gate afore now." + +"Od I'll defy him," said muckle Charlie of Yardbire. "If my master, the +warden, likes to tak me wi' him for his elbowman, I'll answer for him +against a' the monkey spirits that auld Michael has." + +"Spoke like yourself, honest Charlie!" said the baron; "and if it is +judged meet by my friends that I should go, you shall be one that shall +attend me. Certes, it would be of incalculable benefit to me, for all +your sakes, to know even by a small hint what is to be the upshot of +this business--But should I be taken away or detained--" + +"Ay, should he be taken away or detained, gentlemen: think of that, +gentlemen," said Dickie o' Dryhope. + +"I approve highly of the mission," said Simon Longspeare; "for I believe +there is nothing too hard for that old wizard to do, and no event so +closely sealed up in futurity, but that he can calculate with a good +deal of certainty on the issue. I see that our all depends on our +knowledge of the event; but I disapprove of our chief attending on the +wizard in person--for in his absence who is to be our commander? And, +should any sudden rising of our foes take place, of which we are every +hour uncertain, we may lose more by the want of him one hour than we +could ever regain." + +"Ay, think of that, gentlemen," said Dickie: "My cousin Longspeare +speaks good sense. What could we do wanting Sir Ringan. We're all +children to him, and little better without him." + +"And old children are the worst of all children," said the warden; "I +would rather be deaved with the teething yammer than the toothless +chatter. Prithee, peace, and let us hear out our cousin Simon's +proposal." + +The circle of the gallant kinsmen did not like ill to hear this snub on +old Dickie. They could not account for the chief's partiality to him; +and they were even afraid that, being the oldest man, he should be +nominated to the command in the knight's absence. It was however noted +by all, that Dickie was not half so great a man in field or foray as he +was at board in the castle of Mountcomyn. Only a very few men of +experience discerned the bottom of this. The truth was, that Sir Ringan +did not care a doit either for Dickie's counsels or his arm, but he saw +that his lady abhorred him, and therefore he would not yield to cast him +off. His lady was of a high spirit and proud unyielding temper, and the +knight could not stand his own with her at all times and seasons; but +before his kinsmen warriors he was particularly jealous of his dignity, +and would not yield to the encroachment on it of a single item. It was +by this kind of elemental opposition, if it may be so termed, that +Dickie maintained his consequence at the warden's castle. In the field +he was nothing more than a foolish vain old kinsman. + +"I propose," said Longspeare," that we send a deputation of our _notable +men_ to the warlock, of whom we have some of the first that perhaps ever +the world produced. As a bard, or minstrel, we can send Colley Carol, a +man that is fit to charm the spirits out of the heart of the earth, or +the bowels of the cloud, without the aid of old Michael. As a man of +crabbed wit and endless absurdity, we can send the Deil's Tam: As a true +natural and moral philosopher, the Laird o' the Peatstacknowe: As one +versed in all the mysteries of religion, and many mysteries beside, or +some tell lies, we can send the gospel friar. All these are men of +spirit, and can handle the sword and the bow either less or more: And as +a man of unequalled strength and courage, and a guard and captain over +all the rest, we can send Charlie o' Yardbire--and I will defy all the +kingdoms of Europe to send out sic another quorum either to emperor, +Turk, wizard, or the devil himself." + +Every one applauded Simon Longspeare's motion, and declared the +deputation worthy of being sent out, if it were for nothing but its own +unrivalled excellence. Never, they said, since the mind of man was +framed, was there such a combination of rare talent in so small a +circle. There was none of those nominated for the mission present +excepting muckle Charlie Scott. Charlie scratched his head, and +said:--"Gude faith, callans, I hae a queer bike to gang wi! he-he-he! I +fear we'll get mae to laugh at us than gie us ought: The Deil's +Tam an' the metre poet! the fat gospel friar, and the laird o' the +Peatstacknowe! I never gaed out on sic a foray as this afore, an' little +do I wot how we'll come on. He-he-he! A wheen queer chaps, faith!" + +The jocund kinsmen then shouted to Gibby Jordan of the Peatstacknowe to +come into the circle, that they might hear what he had to say about +going on this celebrated embassy. This gentleman's name had erst been +Gordon: By some mistake, either in spelling, or falling into some foul +tub by night, for some grounded it both ways, it had been changed on him +to Jordan, and, as he had no resource, he was obliged to admit it as +legitimate. He was a man of education, and could read, write, and cast +up accounts. But his figure, features, and the nasal twine with which he +pronounced every word that he spoke, rendered his discourse irresistibly +ludicrous. Every one was so ready to give Jordan the information, that +he was chosen as one to go on a deputation to Master Michael Scott the +warlock, that the laird for a long time could not get a word said; but +stood and looked about him, turning always round his long nose to the +speaker that was loudest, or him that was poking him most forcibly to +obtain attention. + +"Gentlemen," said Gibby Jordan, "you mind me of a story that I have +heard about a paddock that was lying on the plowed land, an' by comes +the harrows, an' they gangs out ower the tap o' the poor paddock, an' +every tooth gae her a tite an' a turn ower. 'What's the matter wi' you +the day, Mrs Paddock?' says the goodman: 'Naething ava, but rather ower +mony masters this morning,' quo' the paddock; 'I wish I were safe i' my +hole again, an' let them ring on.' Sae master's, I'll tak the paddock's +hint, an' wish ye a' a good morning." + +There was no such escape for the honest laird; they surrounded him, and +insisted on hearing his sentiments at full length, teasing him till he +began to lose his temper, a thing in which they delighted, for the more +mischief the better sport for these wild border moss-troopers. But +muckle Charlie perceiving this, came up to his side. "Callants, I'm +appointit Gibby's guard," said he, "an' his guard I'll be. What the deil +has ony o' you to say to him?" + +"Only to hear what he thinks o' the journey," was repeated on all sides. + +"Gentlemen," said Gibby, "the hale affair brings me a-mind of a story +that I hae heard about a wife that had a batch o' chickens. But then, ye +maun mind, gentlemen, she had a very great deal o' chickens, I daresay +nae fewer than a hunner, for she had sax great cleckings; an' she was +unco feared that the gled wad tak them away; sae she wales out a wheen +o' the fattest an' the best, an' she sends them out to the cock, that he +might herd an' tak care o' them. 'The cock will fleg away the gleds,' +quo she, 'an' gar them keep their distance, an' I'll get my braw birds +a' saved.' But by comes the greedy gled; an' when the cock saw him he +croups an' he currs; an' blithe to keep his ain skin hale, he staps his +head in a hole, an' the gled carried off the hale o' his bit charge. +Weel, the gled, he fand them sae fat an' sae gusty, that he never linned +till he had taen away every chicken that the wife had." + +"Where is the moral of that story, laird?" cried they: "We see no +coincidence." + +"Because ye're blind," said Jordan: "Dinna ye see that Michael's the +cock, the deil's the gled, an' ye're the birds. He'll get us first; an' +he'll find out that we're sic a wheen rare chaps, that he'll never blin' +till he hae ye ilk ane, an' that will be the end o' your daft embassy." + +All the rest of the nominated members being sent for expressly from +their different posts, they soon arrived, but they seemed every one to +be averse to the mission, except Colley the minstrel, who was elevated +with the idea of being introduced to the celebrated Master, anticipating +something highly romantic, and precisely in his own way. As for Thomas +Craik, better known by the singular appellation of the Deil's Tam, he +cared not much about any thing, provided he got plenty of drink, +mischief, and breaking of heads. + +They got all that day to prepare themselves, while Sir Ringan and his +friends were considering what they should send as a present to the +illustrious necromancer. They weened he despised riches, believing that +he could turn small slates to gold by touching them; and, after much +consultation, it was resolved to send him a captive maiden and boy, as +they had two in the camp, of exquisite loveliness. The maid was the +reputed daughter of Sir Anthony Hall, an inveterate enemy to the baron +of Mountcomyn, who had burned his castles and plundered his lands; but +the warden at length engaging with him hand to hand at the battle of +Blaikhope, slew him, and having discomfited his army, he plundered and +harried all that pertained to him, at which time he took this beautiful +maiden prisoner, whom he treated kindly, and kept as an handmaiden. Her +name was Delany; and so lovely was she become in person, and so amiable +in her manners, that several of the knight's kinsmen had asked her in +marriage. These applications he had uniformly put off, on pretence of +his friends degrading themselves by marrying a captive Englishwoman, a +term that never sounded in a Scot's ear but with disgust. But, in fact, +the warden did not choose that any of them should be so closely +connected with an old respectable Northumberland family. + +The boy was called Elias, and was the property of Jock o' Gilmanscleuch, +having been taken by him in a night foray at Rothbury. When the warden +applied to Jock for him, bidding him name his ransom, he answered, that +if he wist "Michael wad either mak a warlock o' him, or tak out his +harigalds to be a sacrifice to the deil, he wadna gie him up for a' the +lands o' Newburgh an' Birkendely." Being pacified on these points as +well as matters would bear, the two captives were dressed in elegant +robes, and delivered to the embassy; Charlie was deputed their captain +and leader; the rest were all to be equals, on the same footing, and to +choose their own speakers. + +After getting every direction regarding the purport of their mission, +the caution and respect which they were to use toward the Master, and +the questions they were to get answered, they departed; every one well +mounted on an English horse, the friar on his own substantial mule, and +such provision with them as they judged necessary. Carol, the bard, had +a lyre and a flute. Gibby Jordan, ycleped of the Peatstacknowe, had +nothing beside a rusty sword; the friar had an immense wallet below him, +judged to be all implements of enchantment; the others had deer or +goatskin wallets, stuffed with such things as they deemed necessary; and +all of them wore arms, in case of meeting with any unknown interruption. +Several of the gallant kinsmen shed tears on taking leave of Delany; +who, contrary to what they all expected, seemed full of gaiety, and +rather fond of the change than disheartened at it. + +Well, away they rode; and, as soon as they were fairly out of sight of +the army, every one began to attach himself to Delany more closely than +his neighbour. The friar talked to her of penances, and the sins of +youth, and the unlimited confidence due to the professors of religion. +The bard chanted his wildest and most amorous ditties. Tam punned and +quibbled on the words of the rest; and Gibby continued to narrate his +long-winded parables, sometimes to one, sometimes to another, as he +found them disposed to listen, and sometimes to none at all. As for +Charlie, he contented himself with laughing at them all alternately, and +occasionally exchanging a word or sentiment with a valued friend of his. + +"Corby, what's a' this cocking o' your lugs, an' casting up o' your head +for, lad? Ye're gaun the wrang road for a battle e'en now. An let you +but see the sword an' pree the spur, ye dog, ye wad carry your master to +the deil: an' troth, for ought he kens, ye may be carrying him born-head +to his honour just now, ye unconscionable tike that ye are." + +Corby first laid back one ear and then the other, which Charlie took +for a kind answer; and, patting his mane, he continued: "Na, na, Corby; +I ken ye hae nae ill designs; but only ye ken ye like a little mischief, +an' a bit splutter now an' than." + +"That minds me o' the story o' Janet Sandilands an' her son Jock," said +Gibby Jordan the philosopher, "when he ruggit her hair, an' raive her +bussing. 'That callant sude hae his hide threshed for lifting his hand +to his mother,' said one: 'Na, na,' quo Janet, 'he maunna be threshed; +Jock has nae ill in his mind, only he likes a tulzie.' She that wad hae +a close cog sude keep a hale laiggen, Yardbire; for as the auld saying +rins, 'Lippen to a Corby, an' he'll pike out your een.'" + +"Shame fa' me gin I see the drift o' your philosophy, Peatstacknowe; but +as I'm sure it is weel meant, it sanna be ill ta'en. Corby an' me's twa +auld friends, an' we hae a great deal to lippen to ane another. But I +wish we had this unsonsy job ower, laird--we're gaun on kittle ground." + +"It minds me something o' the fisher that ran away after the +Willy-an'-the-wisp," said Jordan: "It's a lang story, but it's weel +wordy the hearing." + +"If it be a _very_ lang story, we might as weel crack about something +else," said Charlie. "My heart's unco muckle turned on this daft job o' +prying into the time that's to come, an' on what we're to say to the +warlock. Gude saif us, laird, wha's to be the speaker? I wish that +fleysome job maunna light on you? For you see, gin we set the deil's Tam +to address him, he'll put him mad at the very first. The poet can bring +out naething but rhames o' high flown nonsense; an' for mysel, I'm an +unco plain matter-o'-fact man, an' better at good straiks than good +words. Sae that the matter maun lie atween you an' the friar. What say +you to this, Peatstacknowe?" + +"Gude troth, Yardbire, an the task light on either of us, it may weel +bring me in mind o' the laird o' Glencarthon, when he stack i' the +midden at Saint Johnston, an' tint himsel i' the dark entry. The laird, +you see, he comes to the door of a sow-house, an' calls out, 'Good +people within there, can you tell me the way to the Queen's hostlery?' +'Oogh?' cried the auld sow. The laird repeated his question quite +distinctly, which disturbing some o' the pigs, they came to the back o' +the door an' fell a murmuring an' squeaking. 'What do you say?' said the +laird in his turn: 'I'll thank you if you will not just speak so +vehemently.' The pigs went on. 'Oh, I hear you speak Erse in this +house,' said the laird; 'but, no matter: thank you for your information, +I will try to work my way.' Now you see, Yardbire, like draws aye to +like; an' for the friar, wi' his auld warld says, or me, to address the +great Master, it wad be a reversing o' nature an' the very order of +things. I hae nae hope o' our good success at a', an it warna for that +bonnie Delany. If he's a man, an' no just an incarnate deil, he will be +delightit wi' her." + +"I wish we had her safely at him, laird," said Charlie; "for, troth, do +ye see, thae chaps hing about her, an' look at her as gin they wadna +care to eat her." + +"She brings me amind o' a weelfaurd dink gimmer that wench," said +Jordan, "that I aince saw gaun up Sowerhopeburn. There was a tichel o' +wallidraggle tup hoggs rinning after her, an' plaguing her, till I was +just grieved for the poor beast. At length down there comes a +wheel-horned ram, the king o' the flock, an' he taks up his station by +the side o' the bonny thing, an' than a' the young ranigalds slinkit +away as their noses had been blooding. Then the bonny she thing got +peace, for whenever ony o' the rascallions began to jee up his lug, an' +draw near her, ae glent o' the auld fellow's ee stoppit him short. Now, +Yardbire, I trow it is a shame to see a pretty maid jaumphed an' +jur-mummled in that gate: if you will just ride close up to the tae side +o' her, I'll tak up the tither, an' we'll gar them keep a due distance. +There's nane o' them dares shoulder you aside." + +"I doubt, laird, there is something selfish in that plan o' yours," said +Charlie; "ye hae a hankering yonder yourself, but ye darena try to make +your ain way without ye get me to back ye. Fight dog, fight bane, +Peatstacknowe; gin I be to tulzie for a bonny may, I tulzie for my ain +hand." + +"It wad be sae weel done to chap them back," said Jordan: "See to the +metre poet how he's capering an' turning up his mou': Yon fat hypocrite, +the warlock friar, is blinking out frae aneath his sanctified ee-brees +like a Barbary ape: An' there's the deil's Tam; od I think he'll hae his +lang coulter nose stappit into her lug." + +"Ride up, neighbour," quoth Charlie, "an' tell them that face to face. I +like nae yethering ahint backs. Ane may ward a blow at the breast, but a +prod at the back's no fair. A man wears neither ee nor armour there. +Ride up, ride up, neighbour, gin you winna tell them a' you have said, +I'll e'en tell them mysel." + +"Yardbire, I hope ye're no gaen gyte, to breed despite amang the +warden's ambassadors to the deil. Stop till I tell you a queer joke +that's come into my mind by your speaking about armour ahint. Last year, +when the dalesmen were cried out in sic a hurry for the Durham raide, +there was ane o' Fairniehirst's troopers got strong breastplates o' +steel made to defend his heart. There was ane Brogg Paterson in Hawick, +a wag that I kenned weel, was employed to fit the harnessing to the +clothes; and learning that the raide was to be early in the morning, an' +nae leisure for shifting, an' seeing the trooper so intent on protecting +his heart, instead o' putting the steel plates in the inside o' his +doublet, Paterson fastened them in the seat of his trews. After passing +the Tine, the Scots encamped within a half moon of an impervious brake, +and sent out a party of foragers, among whom was this trooper Turnbull. +The party were pursued by a body of English horse, and several of them +slain; but Turnbull reaching the brake, plunged into it, horse and man. +The horse stuck fast, and just as poor Turnbull was trying to extricate +himself, by scrambling over the horse's head, an Englishman came riding +fiercely up, and struck him such a blow with his lance behind as would +have spitted him to the neck,--but hitting right on the steel plate, he +made him fly heels-o'er-head over the brake, and into a place of safety. +A comrade perceiving, came to assist him, and found Turnbull lying +on the ground, repeating to himself these words with the utmost +devotion:--"God bless Brogg Paterson in Hawick! God bless Brogg Paterson +in Hawick!" "Wherefore that?" said the other. "Because," said Turnbull, +"he kend better where my heart lay than I did." + +Charlie laughed so heartily at this jocular tale, that he did not expose +Gibby Jordan of the Peatstacknowe to his associates at that time; but +keeping behind with him he held him in conversation, though he saw that +his teeth were watering to be near the fair Delany. + +They came that night to a place called Trows, on the English side of the +border, but adjoining to the very ridge of the fells. The name of the +hind who sojourned there was Jock Robson. He had a good stock both of +cows and sheep, being so thoroughly a neutral man that both sides spared +him, and both sides trusted him. He gave a night's grass to the driven +cattle and sheep from each side, and a night's lodging to the drivers; +and for this he exacted kane sheep, or a small cow, which none ever +grudged him, because they found themselves so much at home in his house. +He would assist either party in catching a prey, and either party in +recovering it again, taking rewards from both; and, though both the +English and the Scots knew of this, they never trusted him the less, for +they knew that what he undertook he would fulfil, but no farther; out of +your sight, out of your pay and out of your service with Jock Robson. + +At this yeoman's habitation our notable embassy arrived at a late hour, +for, though scarcely five o'clock afternoon, it was pitch dark. They +called at the door, and out came Jock with a light. The first man that +he beheld was the friar. + +"Saint Mary's jerkin be about us!" cried Jock Robson, half in sport, +half in earnest, "and defend us from our auld black minny's delegates. +What seeks Lucky Church amang the hills o' Cheviot, wi' her creeds an' +her croons, her trumpery, an' her lang tythes o' sheep an' kye, wild +deer, and weathershaker, barndoor an' blackhag fowls? Nought for Minny +Church an' her bike here, Sir Monk--naething o' our ain breeding--a' +comers an' gangers, like John Nisbet's fat sheep. Howsomever, honest +bedesman, I speir ye the auld question, + + "Come ye as friend, or come ye as fae? + For sic as ye bring, sic sal ye hae!" + +"As thy friends do we come, uncourteous hind," said the monk; "and ask +only a little of thy bread, and thy strong drink, for the refreshment of +our bodies, that are like the grass on the tops of thy mountains, fading +ere it be full grown, and require as thou knowest a supply of earthly +refreshment as these do the showers of heaven; and also we ask of thee +beds whereon we may lie down and rest: and these things thou must not +refuse, for we would not that thou shouldst be to us as the children of +Amalek and Moab, and those of Mount Seir." + +"Ye speak like a rational man, Sir Monk; but wait till I tell ye the +truth, that I lurde see the cross on the handle of sword or spear ony +time afore that hanging at the paunch of priest. There's mair honour an' +generosity ahint the tane than the tither. But yet it shall never be +said o' John Robson o' the Trows that he refused a friend quarters on a +dark night. He kens ower weel that the king may come in the beggar's +way. Gin ye be joking, he can stand a joke wi' ony man; but gin ye be +really gaun to hand him as an Amalekite, he wad like to ken what that +is, an' what lengths ye mean to gang." + +"Thinkest thou that we will come into thy house to take of thy spoil for +a prey, and thy maid servants for bond-women, and also thy little ones?" +said the friar. + +"The deil be there then," cried Jock Robson. "I wadna grudge ye meal an' +maut, but or ye lay a hand on ane o' my lasses, or kidnap away my bits +o' bairnies frae me, ye sal gang ower my breast, an' that wi' a braid +arrow through ilk ane o' you. Be at your shift, bauld priest, here's for +ye." + +On saying so, he turned hastily about, and the friar that moment +clapping the spurs to his mule, gallopped round the corner, leaving the +rest to make good their quarters in the best way they could. The mention +of the broad arrow made him think it was high time for him to change his +ground. + +"There rides gospel, guts an' a'," cried Tam Craik, laughing aloud. + +The laugh was well known to Robson; for the warden's troopers had been +so often there that year, that almost all of them were John Robson's +personal acquaintances. + +"What?" cried he, turning back his head, "Isna that the deil's Tam that +I hear?" + +"Ay, what for shoudna it, lad? an' how dare ye fright away our chaplain +wi' your bows an' your braid arrows? Gin we had Jock's Marion, the +sow-killer's wife o' Jeddart, at ye, wha wad be crousest then, trow ye?" + +"Tam, it is weel kend your tongue is nae scandal; but dinna ye lippen +ower muckle to your privilege; gin ye be come to quarter wi' me, dinna +let me hear sic a hard jibe as that the night again. Come away, however, +the warden's men are welcome, as weel they may be this year. Mony a fat +mart they hae left i' my hire. I hope ye hae brought a bonny kane the +night." + +"Ay, by my certie, lad, an' that we hae; here's nae less a kane than +Jock's Marion hersel." + +"Ye scawed like bog-stalker! skrinkit, skraeshankit skebeld! dare ye to +speak that gate to me at my ain door stane? I shall lend you a clout an +ye were the king's cousin, an' see if ye dare return the compliment. +Wife, bring the buet an' my piked rung here." + +"Peace, in the king's name!" cried Charlie Scott. + +"And in the name of St David!" cried the friar, returning to the charge +on hearing Charlie's voice. + +"And in my name!" cried Tam Craik;" an' Gibby Jordan o' the +Peatstacknowe's name; and the name o' Jock's Marion, the sow-sticker's +wife o' Jeddart. I say unto thee, look here. Here is the kane will +please a brave yeoman. Look if this be nae Marion hersel"--and with that +he led Delany's palfrey up to the light. + +Robson lifted his eyes and saw her, and was so much struck with her +dazzling beauty, that he had not power to address even his beloved +friend Charlie Scott, far less any other of his guests, but lifting the +maiden down in his arms, he led her in to his dame, and said to one of +his lads, "Rin out wi' a light, callant, an' help the troopers to put up +their horses." + +The horses were soon put up, for every one seemed more anxious than +another to get first in to the cheek of Jock Robson's ingle, and have +his seat placed next to that of Delany; but the poet being the most +agile, and not the least amorous of the group, effected this greatly to +his satisfaction. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + + The youngest turned him in a path, + And drew a buirdly brande, + And fifteen of the foremost slewe, + Till back the lave couthe stande. + + Then he spurred the grey unto the path, + Till baith her sides they bledde; + "Now, grey, if thou carry nae me away + My life it lies in wedde." + + _Ballad of Auld Maitland._ + + +We must pass over a great part of the conversation that evening, in +order to get forward to the more momentous part of the history of our +embassy. Suffice it to say, that the poet was in high glory, and not +only delivered himself in pure iambics, but sung several love ditties, +and one song of a foray, that pleased Charlie Scott mightily. But Isaac, +the curate, has only given a fragment of it, which runs thus: + + If you will meet me on the Dirdam waste, + Merry man mint to follow; + I'll start you the deer, and lead you the chace, + With a whoop, and a whoo, and a hollo! + The deer that you'll see, has horns enow, &c. + Marked wi' red and merled wi' blue, &c. + And that deer he will not turn his tail + For the stoutest hinds that range the dale. + Come then, driver, in gear bedight; + Come bold yeoman, and squire, and knight; + The wind soughs loud on craig and heuch, + And the linn rowts loud in the Crookside cleuch; + Nor tramp of steed, nor jingle of spear, + Will ever be heard by the southern deer: + The streamer is out, and the moon away, + And the morning starn will rise or day. + Then mount to the stirrup, and scour the fell, + Merry man mint to follow; + And over the muir, and the dean, and the dell, + With a whoop, and a whoo, and a hollo! + + * * * * * * * * * * + + +"Thy words and thy song, young man," said the friar, "are like sounding +brass and a tinkling cymbal; if laid in the balance, they are lighter +than vanity." + +"Yours will not prove so," said the poet, "provided you are laid in with +them; for, as the old song says,-- + + 'His wit is but weak, father; + His gifts they are but sma'; + But the bouk that's under his breast bane, + It grieves me warst of a.'" + +"If thou singest this nonsense of me," said the friar, "lo, I will +smite thee upon the mouth; yea, upon the cheek-bone will I smite thee, +till thine eyes shall gush out like two fountains of waters." And so +saying, he began to look about him for some missile weapon to throw at +the bard's face, his breast burning with indignation,--for he loved not +the tenor of the poet's conversation to the maid. + +Tam and Jordan encouraged the friar to make the assault, in hopes that +the poet might be dislodged or affronted; but Yardbire restrained the +warmth of the friar, not being aware of his real sentiments, and ordered +peace and good fellowship. + +Dame Robson covered the hearth with a huge fire; and her husband +bringing in a leg of beef, set it upon the table, and bade every one +help himself. + +"The words of thy mouth are exceeding good, and sweet unto the ear," +said the friar, "as doubtless thy food is to the taste." With that he +rose and helped himself to three nice and extensive slices of raw beef, +and these he roasted on the tongs which he had just lifted to smite the +poet on the head. + +In good truth, though every one cooked his own supper, as was the +fashion of that iron time, there was none did it half so nicely as the +friar, nor so bunglingly as Jordan, whose supper, though long behind the +others in being ready, was so unshapely a piece, and so raw on the one +side, that the friar observed, "it was like Ephraim of old, as a cake +unturned." Some roasted their meat on old swords, some on spindles, for +their hosts took no heed how they were fitted, or in what manner they +shifted in these respects; seemingly satisfied that they had plenty for +the cooking, and leaving them to cook it or eat it raw, as they chose. +The poet made haste, and, first of all, cooked two or three nice slices +for the maiden, giving her what she would take before he would taste a +morsel himself. Some commended him for this, and others jeered him; +but the friar, in his grave moral style, said the severest things +of all. From the very commencement of the journey, a jealousy or +misunderstanding began to subsist between these two, which never again +subsided till they came to blows. + +The poet answered him again with a song: + + "Keep ye to your books and your beads, goodman, + Your Ave Marias and creeds, goodman; + For gin ye end as ye're begun, + There will be some crack of your deeds, goodman." + +At length the party retired to rest, all save Jordan and their worthy +host. The latter never slept in the night; he had always some watching, +walking, or work in hand that suited that season best: and as for Gibby, +he determined to sit up all night to watch that the poet made no +encroachments on the place of Delany's repose. Robson encouraged his +purpose, joined him heartily in conversation, listened to his +long-winded stories with apparent delight, and, when all the rest were +asleep, wormed the whole business of the embassy out of the shallow +laird, who unfortunately testified his fears that they were carrying the +lovely maiden and boy to the old warlock to be a sacrifice to the devil. +Robson appeared terribly confounded at this peace of intelligence,--for +from the time that he heard it he conversed no more with Jordan. About +one in the morning he began to put on his snow-boots, as if preparing +for a journey. + +"Where are ye going at this time of night?" enquired the laird. + +"I maun gang out an' see how the night wears," said Robson; "I hae sax +score o' Scots queys that are outlyers. If I let the king's ellwand ower +the hill, I'll hae them to seek frae the kips o' Kale." + +Gibby accompanied him to the door, hoping the king's ellwand would not +be over the hill, for he had no good will to part with his companion. +But as soon as Robson turned his eye to the sky, "Ha, gude faith, I maun +post away!" said he, "Yonder's the king's ellwand already begun to bore +the hill; ay, there's ane o' the goud knobs out o' sight already, an' I +hear the queys rowting ower the waterfa' o' the height. Gude morrow +t'ye, laird, I'm ower lang here." + +Gibby returned in to the blazing fire; and hearing so many persons all +snoring in sleep, he caught the infection, stretched himself upon a +divot seat, and joined the chorus with as much zeal as any of them. + +Morning came, and our embassy made ready for proceeding on their +journey; but Robson still was wanting, at which both his dame and +household lads seemed to wonder, otherwise the rest would have taken no +notice of it. Gibby told her about the queys that were outlyers, but she +only answered him with a hem! and a slight shake of the head. Charlie, +who knew his man well, began to smell a rat; and, calling Gibby to the +door, he inquired if he had hinted ought of their business to their +host. The laird at first denied; but Charlie questioned him till he +confessed the whole, at which Charlie was exceedingly angry; and hearing +that he had informed him all about the maiden, and of what family she +was sprung, he called Gibby a worthless inconsiderate being, and said he +had ruined their expedition, for that he knew Robson kept up a +correspondence with the Halls, who were broken men, and many of them +skulking about the border; that Delany had uncles, cousins, and a +brother living, if she was the man's daughter she was supposed to be, +and that these would without fail waylay them, and kill them every man, +for the sake of rescuing her. "Robson," said he, "is altogether selfish, +and has some end to serve; perhaps to get the maid into his own hands, +for he seemed mightily taken with her beauty; and I calculate widely +amiss if we are not watched from this house, and whether we return or +proceed we shall be attacked in the first strait or lonely place that we +come at." Jordan looked exceedingly out of countenance, and every +feature of his face altered. "What had I ado to tell the rascal?" +exclaimed he, "or wha wad hae thought o' him playing us sic a trick? +Twa-faced dog that he is! It wad be weel done to let his liver pree the +taste o' steel!" + +Charlie made him promise that he would not mention the circumstance to +one of the party, as it was only a surmise, and might impede their +progress to no purpose; and forthwith they mounted, armed with such +armour as they had, and all, save Gibby Jordan, as cheerful and as +jealous of one another as they were on the preceding day. That worthy +kept close by the side of muckle Charlie, and looked so sharp about him, +that he perceived every shepherd, traveller, and cairn that appeared on +the border fells, always testifying his alarm to his friend that perhaps +yon was one of the Halls watching. + +Charlie had resolved to go by Jedburgh straight for Oakwood castle; but +his suspicions of Robson made him resolve to hold more to the eastward, +in order to keep the open road. He knew that if they were watching him, +it would be at the fords of Kale or Oxnam, on the Jedburgh road; and by +taking the east path, he would not only elude them, but, in case of a +pursuit, be near the outposts of the Scottish army. + +For a good way they saw nothing, and began to think themselves in +safety; but, in coming down Sowerhope-Middle, a little from the point of +the debated land, three horsemen appeared to the westward of them. "His +presence be about us," said Gibby,--"yonder _are_ the Halls now!" +Charlie said nothing, but kept watch. One of the yeomen vanished in a +twinkling at full speed, the other two came at a brisk canter to our +notable embassy. + +"What do they mean?" said Jordan: "Do these two fellows propose to +conquer us all?" + +"It wad appear that they do," said Charlie, "for they come on us without +halt or hesitation." + +"I hardly think they'll succeed," added Gibby, "although they're twa +dangerous looking chaps. For Godsake, Yardbire, tak care o' their back +strokes; if they bring you down, our chance will be the waur." + +Charlie then called to the rest of his cavalcade, "Friends, here are +some strangers come to join us. Tell them nothing either good or bad, +but keep on at a round trot. See, we are not far from the towers of +Roxburgh. Whatever these men may say to you, make them nothing the +wiser." + +"I will not so much as say unto them, whence comest thou, or whither art +thou going?" said the friar. + + "I'll sing them a ditty of beauty and love, + Of the wing of the raven, the eye of the dove, + And beings all purer than angels above." + +said the poet. + +"Sic a rhame o' nonsense is there!" said Tam Craik: "If ony o' the dogs +say an impertinent thing to me I'll gar his teeth gang down his throat +like bristled beans." + +It was not long before the two moss-troopers joined the party. They were +tall athletic men, armed at all points, and their manner had a dash of +insulting impertinence in it. + +"A good morning, and fair grace to you, noble and worthy gentlemen!" +said the foremost: "May we presume to be of the party?" + +"You may _presume_," said the deil's Tam, "for that is what befits you; +if you are willing to put up with the presumer's reward." + +"You are witty, sir, I suppose," said the trooper; "and pray what may +that reward be?" + +"Yes, I am witty," said Tam; "and my wit is sharp when it is not in its +sheath. Do you understand me? As for the reward of presumption, it is in +Scotland to be crankit before and kicked behind." + +"The road is at least as free to us as it is to you," said the +mosstrooper; "and of that we intend to avail ourselves for the present. +We go to join the army before Roxburgh, whither are you bound?" + +"We follow our noses," said Tam; "but they guide us not to the army +before Roxburgh, and into your rearward they caution us not to enter. +Raw hides and rank bacon, keep your distance." + +While Tam Craik and the trooper were thus jangling on before, Charlie +said to Jordan, "Laird, what do think o' yoursel' now? Ye hae played us +a fine pliskie wi' your ill tackit tongue! It is my thought that ere we +ride a mile and a half we'll be attacked by a hale troop o' horse. That +chap that disna speak is ane o' the wale o' the Ha's: I ken him weel for +a' his half visor. The other horseman that left them on the height is +ower to the fords of Kale, and, if I guess right, he'll appear at yon +scroggy bush wi' sae mony at his back that we wad hardly be a mouthfu' +to them, an' that in less time than ane wad gang a mile." + +"It is an ill business this," said Gibby: "It brings me in mind o'--o' +mair than I's name. But, gudesake, Yardbire, an ye be sure he is ane o' +the Halls, what for do nae ye rin your sword in at the tae side o' him +an' out at the tither? The sooner a knave like that is put down the +better." + +"Fair occasion, an' face to face, Peatstacknowe, an' ye sanna see +Charlie Scott slack; but ye wadna hae me stick a man, or cleave him down +ahint his back, an' that without fair warning and fair arming?" + +"Ay, honour an' generosity are braw things, but life's a brawer thing +an' a better thing than ony o' the twa. For my part, I wad never stop. +My very heart flighters when I look at him, an' I amaist think I find +his steel quivering at my midriff. I wish I had a drive at him, wi' a +chance o' a hale head."--And from that time Gibby leaned himself forward +on his saddle, and fixed his large grey eyes on the mosstrooper like a +pointer going to fly on his game; and, in that attitude, he rode +several times close up to his side, or very nearly opposite to him, +laying his hand now and then on his hilt; but Charlie observed that he +never looked his foe in the face with threatening aspect, and, perplexed +as he was, could not help laughing at Gibby. + +Yardbire now putting the spurs to Corby, galloped aslant the brae to a +rising ground, whence he could see if any enemy was approaching by the +swire from the fords of Kale, as he suspected. He had not well gained +the height before he saw a dozen horsemen coming at the light gallop, +but one part of the cavalcade considerably behind the others, owing to +their being either worse mounted or worse horsemen. + +By this time Charlie's own friends were coming round the bottom of the +hill below him, quarrelling with the strangers so loudly, that Charlie +heard their voices ascending on the gale in most discordant notes. The +deil's Tam and the English trooper had never since their meeting ceased +the jibe and the keen retort; but Tam's words were so provokingly +severe, that the moss-man was driven beyond all further forbearance. +Just when they were at the hottest, the helmets of the front men of the +Northumberland cavalcade began to appear in the swire; a circumstance +that was well noted by their offended kinsman, but of which Tam was +perfectly unconscious. + +"Well, now, thou jaundiced looking thief," said the moss-trooper, +turning his horse's head towards Tam's left hand, and making him amble +and curvette with his side foremost; "thou lean, nerveless, and +soul-less jabberer, all tongue and nothing else--I say, what hast thou +to say more?" + +The alteration in the man's key of voice somewhat astounded Tam; but his +perverse nature would not let him soften his reply, although he liked as +well to see others fall into a mischief as himself. "Eh? what do I say?" +said he; and with that he turned his horse's head to that of the other, +making their two noses to meet; and caricaturing the Englishman's +capers, he laughed sneeringly and triumphantly in his face. "What do I +say? Eh? what do I say? I say I thought I heard wind, and smelled it a +wee too. Hagg-hiding fox that thou art! Wild tike of the moors, dost +thou think Tam Craik fears thy prancing and thy carrion breath, or ony +o' the bur-throated litter of which thou art the outwale? Nay, an +capering and prancing show ought of a spirit, I can caper and prance +as well as thou. Out on thee, thou bog-thumper, thou base-born +heather-blooter, what do _you_ say? Or what _dare_ you say?" + +Tam had by this time drawn his sword completely to cow the Englishman, +and put him to silence;--but he saw what Tam did not see, and knew more +than he. + +"I dare both say and do, and that thou shalt find," said the trooper; +and forthwith he attacked Tam with all his prowess, who, not quite +expecting such a thing gave way, and had very nearly been unhorsed; he, +however, fought stoutly, defending himself, though manifestly at the +disadvantage. The brave friar, at the first clash of the swords, wheeled +about his mule, and drawing out a good sword from under his frock, (for +he wore the sword on the one side and the cross on the other,) he +stretched it forth, pointing it as if to thrust it between them. But, +addressing himself to the Englishman, he cried with a loud voice, "Put +up _thy_ sword again into its place, or verily I will smite thee with +the edge of _my_ sword." + +The other Englishman, who had never yet opened his mouth, and who had +always kept apart, as if anxious to conceal who he was, now rode briskly +up to the fray; and perceiving the quick approach of his friends, +and judging his party quite secure of victory, he struck up the +friar's sword in apparent derision. But the inveterate laird of the +Peatstacknowe had been watching him all this time, as one colley dog +watches another of which he is afraid, in order to take him at an +advantage, and the moment that his arm was stretched, so that his sword +came in contact with the friar's, Gibby struck him behind, and that with +such violence that the sword ran through his body. The wounded trooper +reined up his steed furiously, in order to turn on his adversary; Gibby +reined his up as quickly to make his escape, but the convulsive force of +the Englishman threw his horse over, and in its fall it tumbled against +the legs of Gibby's horse with such force that it struck them all four +from under him, and both he and his rider fell in a reverse direction, +rolling plump over the wounded warrior and his forlorn encumbered steed, +that was pawing the air at a furious rate. The two horses falling thus +on different sides, their iron-shod hoofs were inter-mixed, and clashing +and rattling away in a tremendous manner, tremendous at least to poor +Gibby, whose leg and thigh being below his charger, he was unable to +extricate himself. "Happ, Davie, happ!" cried he to the steed: "Up you +stupid, awkward floundering thief! Happ, Davie, happ!" Davie could +neither happ nor weynd, but there he lay groaning and kicking above his +master, who was in a most deplorable plight. + +Charlie perceiving the commencement of the fray, was all this while +galloping furiously toward the combatants. But the battle was of short +duration; for the English trooper, seeing his comrade fall he wist not +how, and the friar and Tam having both their swords pointed at him, +broke furiously through between them and fled towards his companions, +Tam being only enabled to inflict a deep wound on the hinder part of the +horse as he passed by. + +"I have made him to pass away as the stubble that is driven by the +whirlwind," said the friar; "yea, as the chaff before the great wind, so +is he fled from the arm of the mighty. Brother, I say unto thee, that +thou hadst better arise!" continued he, looking upon the disconsolate +Jordan; and passing by on the other side with great _ang froid_, he rode +up to Delany, the boy Elias, and the poet, the latter of whom had not +been engaged, but, drawing his sword manfully, had stood as a guard to +the other two. + +Tam Craik pursued his enemy, although apparently not with a fixed design +of overtaking him; and Gibby, being thus left all alone with the two +inverted horses and the incensed moss-trooper, extended his voice to an +amazing pitch, for he knew not what state of health and strength his +opponent retained. This was a horrid consideration; for if he should +disengage himself and get up first, there was an end of him of the +Peatstacknowe. His nasal twine was increased by his dread, and he cried +so vehemently, that his cries grew like the cries of a peacock. + +Charlie Scott rode up to the main group, who continued to advance at a +quiet pace, for they knew nothing as yet of the approaching danger. He +also called and made signs to Tam Craik to return; and as soon as he +came up to them he pointed out their pursuers, and charged them to ride +for their lives. "We are betrayed," said he; but the horses of our +enemies are jaded, ours are fresh; therefore, brave lads, in our +master's name, spare neither spur, nor horse-flesh. Haud on your way, +an' never look ower your shoulders: you will find Corby an' me twa gude +back friends." + +The friar bent himself forward over the mane of his mule, and opening +his eyes wide abroad, he put the spurs to his steed, and set off "with +the swiftness of the roe-buck or the hart," as he termed it. + +The boy pursued hard after him; and the bard, taking hold of Delany's +bridle by both reins below the neck, for fear her steed should stumble +and throw his lovely rider, bade her whip on and fear nothing, and in +this friendly guise they also made good speed. Charlie then galloped +back to see if any life remained in his friend Gibby,--for he only saw +him at a distance go down in the encounter, without being exactly versed +in the circumstances of his overthrow; but he thought he heard one loud +squeak arise from the field after the rest had left it, something like +that sent forth by the small drone of the bagpipe; and, guessing that +the laird was yet alive, he galloped back to see. By the way he met the +deil's Tam, who returned with him, and when they came in view of the +spot where the two prostrate heroes had been left, they saw a very +curious scene, the more curious because it was transacted by our worthy +laird in the presiding belief that he was not seen, for he was too much +concerned in his own affairs to perceive the approach of his friends. +The Englishman's horse making an exertion, by pressing his feet against +the ribs of the laird's Davie, by that means pushed himself forward, and +Gibby perceived plainly that his enemy was to be first released. The +struggles that Gibby then made were enormous. "Happ, Davie, happ!" cried +he: "O mother of God, what shall become of me! Happ, Davie, happ, my +man; happ, happ, happ!" and, as a last resource, he reared up his body +and struck at the Englishman's limb that was above his horse, crying out +to Davie to happ, in bitterness of soul. Davie was not long; for the +next moment after the Englishman's horse rose, he got up also, his feet +then getting to the ground; but the stirrup that had been under him was +crushed together, and there his master's foot remained fixed. Gibby was +worse than ever. "Wo, Davie, wo! Tproo, ye thief!" cried he. Davie, +finding the weight at his side, wheeled about, and dragged the +unfortunate laird round across the breast of the trooper Hall, who +seized him by the neck. "Was there ever a man guidit this gate!" cried +Gibby. "Honest man, an ye please, let gae; it wasna me that hurt ye." +The man answered him not; but Davie being scared by the struggle sprung +aside, and the Englishman keeping his hold, Gilbert's foot was released +by the loss of his boot. He was not long in making a bold effort to +rise, and though Hall hung by his neck a little, it had been in the last +agony of receding life that he had seized him, and he dropped dead on +the green, having both fists clenched on his breast, in the act of still +holding his rival. + +When Gibby saw how matters stood, he began to value himself on his +courage. "I's gar ye! I's gar ye!" cried he, lifting up his sword, and +giving the dead man several desperate gashes, and always between every +stroke repeating, "H'm! I's gar ye!" His two friends being now hard +beside him, the sound of their horses' feet made him start; but lifting +his eye, and perceiving who they were, he again repeated his blows, and +continued his threats in a louder key.--"H'm! I's gar ye! I's gar ye, +billy! I's learn you to throttle me!" + +"Fy, lay on, laird!" cried Tam; "dinna ye see that the man's no half +dead yet?" + +"I think I hae done for him;" said Gibby: "He brings me a-mind o' a wife +that had to kill her cat thrice ower. I's learn the best o' the +haggies-headed Ha's to meddle wi' me!" + +"I think he'll do that ane, however, Gibby; if he had e'en the nine +lives o' the wife's cat," said Charlie: "therefore, an ye please, put up +your sword, an' mount your horse. It's no a time now to examine whether +ye hae behaved in a sodger-like manner wi' that bold trooper. If I +wist ye had not, it should be the last hour I should ride in your +company--but mount quick an' ride; for see whar the rest o' the Ha's are +coming across us. Ilk horse an' man do what he can, or dear will be our +raide, an' yours, friend, the dearest of a'." + +One look filled Gilbert's eye. He mounted Davie, with the one boot off +and the other on, and there was little occasion to bid him ride. Before +they turned the corner of the hill, their pursuers came so close on +them, that they looked very like cutting off their retreat; but a bog, +around which the English were forced to cast a wide circuit, saved our +three heroes, and gave them the start, by fully a half mile, of their +foes, who still came in a straggling way as their horses could keep up. +After a hard chace of two Scottish miles they came up with the friar, +whose mule being too heavy loaden had begun to fag. When he saw them +gaining on him so hard, he judged that all was over with him, and +spurred on his jaded beast in vain. "O that my flesh were as my armour +or my clothing," cried he, "that I might put it off at will, and escape +from the face of mine enemies. Lo! I shall be left all alone, and +surrounded and taken and slain." As he divined, so it fell out; the +others were soon by him, and he was left the hindermost. Then they heard +him lamenting to himself in his own sublime eastern stile, that he had +not the wings of the eagle or the dove, that he might bear away to the +mountains and the cliffs of the rocky hills, to elude the dreadful +weapons of death, so often reared over his head, and so often warded by +the arm of heaven. + +"Poor devil!" said muckle Charlie, the tear standing in his eye; "Od I +canna leave him after a'. Come what will, I for ane shall stand or fa' +wi' him. I whiles think there's mair in that body than we moorland men +wot of,--I canna leave him to be cut in pieces." + +"O fy, let him tak his chance," said Tam; "let him bide his weird; he +deserves it a'. What signifies the creature? He's just a thing made up +o' hypocritical rant, empty words, and stuffed paunches. Let him bide +the buffet that fa's to his share." + +"Ay, what signifies sic a corpulation?" said Jordan. "It will be lang or +_he_ bring down man an' horse in an encounter. He brings me in mind o' a +capon that claps his wings, but craws nane. Let him tak his chance." + +"Na, but callans, troth my heart winna let me," said Charlie: "For his +good deeds, or his ill anes he's answerable to heaven, an' neither to +you nor me. But he's a fellow creature, an' has nane to look to for help +but us at this time. Life's sweet to us a', an' it's unco hard to leave +our master's bedesman just to be sacrificed. Therefore, come what will, +I'll turn an' lend the friar a hand. As for you twa, ride on; the young +couple that are committed to our charge may escape." With that he +wheeled Corby's head about, and rode back to meet the gospel friar. + +When he met him, the foremost of the riders had advanced within a bow +shot, and was fast gaining ground. The friar still continued to spur on, +and though his mule likewise continued the motion of one that gallops, +the progress that he made was hardly discernible. He had a sort of up +and down hobble that was right laughable to behold in one riding for his +life. When he saw the dauntless Yardbire return to meet him, with his +large seven feet sword drawn, and heaved over his right shoulder, he +lifted up his voice and wept, and he said unto him;--"Blessed be thou, +my son! The blessing of a man ready to perish light upon thee! And now, +lo, I will draw forth my sword and return with thee to the charge, and +thou shalt see what a poor bedesman can do." + +"It is brawly said, good friar,--but gin ye wad save yoursel' an' me, +ride. An we could but mak the end o' the Thief-gate, they should buy our +twa lives dear. If thou wilt but exert man an' beast, father, you an' I +shall fight, flee, or fa' thegither. But see, we are already overtaken, +and in the enemy's hands." + +The foremost of the riders was now hard behind them; but, perceiving +Charlie, he reined up his horse and looked back for his comrades. The +friar gave a glance back, and he said, "Lo, thou art a mighty man of +valour, and behold there is but one; do thou fall upon him and smite +him; why should one pursue two?" + +"I hae heard waur advices frae mair warlike men," said Charlie; "Ride +ye on, father, an' lose nae time. Gude faith! I sal gie this ane his +breakfast." + +Charlie as he said this put the spurs to Corby, and rode full speed +against the pursuer. The trooper set himself firm in his stirrups and +assumed his defence, for he saw from the prowess of Corby that it was +vain to fly. Just as Charlie's mighty sword was descending on his +casque, a check that he gave his horse in the hurry of the moment made +him rear on end, and Charlie's stroke coming down between his ears, +clove his head almost into two halves. The horse reeled and fell; but +how it fared with his rider, Charlie never knew; for before he got his +horse turned, there were other three of the Halls close at hand. Charlie +fled amain. He was nothing afraid of himself, for he knew Corby could +outstrip them by one half of the way; but his heart bled for the poor +friar, whom he saw he would either be obliged to leave, or fight for him +against such odds as it would be madness to withstand. The friar had, +however gained the height, and having now a long sloping descent all the +way to the Thief-gate-end, he was posting on at an improved pace. +Charlie had one sole hope remaining of saving the friar, and that was +the gaining the above-mentioned point before they were overtaken. The +warriors carried no whips in those days, depending altogether on the +ample spur,--therefore Charlie, as a last resource, pulled down a large +branch from a hazel tree, and attacked the hinder parts of the father's +mule with such a torrent of high-sounding strokes, that the animal, +perhaps more sullen than exhausted, seemed to recover new life and +vigour, and fled from the assault like a deer, in the utmost terror and +dismay. Little wonder was it! He heard the sound of every descending +stroke coming on like the gathering tempest; and, clapping his tail +close down between his hips, pricking up his long ears, and looking back +first with the one eye and then with the other, he went at such a rate +that Corby could do little more than keep up with him. + +"My swiftness is greater than I can bear," cried the friar, pronouncing +the sentence all in syllables for want of breath; "verily I shall fall +among the cliffs of the rocks by the side of the highway." + +His danger increased with his fears; for the mule perceiving that +exertion availed not, and that there was no escaping from the fierceness +of his pursuer's wrath, began to throw up his heels violently at every +stroke, nevertheless continuing to exert himself between these +evolutions. The friar's riding-gear began to get into disorder, and with +great difficulty he retained his seat; therefore he cried out with a +loud voice, "I pray of thee, my son, to desist, for it is better for me +to perish by an enemy's hand than thine; seest thou not my confusion and +despair--verily I shall be dashed in pieces against the stones." + +The friar saw nought of Charlie's intent, else he would not have +besought him so earnestly to desist. The Thief-gate-end was now hard at +hand. It is still well known as a long narrow path alongst the verge of +a precipice, and all the bank above it was then a thicket of brushwood +and gorse, so close that the wild beast of the desart could not pass +through it. It was, moreover, shagged with rocks, and bedded with small +stones, and the path itself was so narrow, that two horsemen could +scarcely ride abreast. By such a strenuous manoeuvre on the parts of +Charlie and the mule, the two flyers got into this path, without having +lost any ground of their pursuers. When Charlie saw this, he began to +breathe more freely, and, flinging away his hazel branch, he again +seized his mighty weapon in his right hand. + +"Let the chields come as close on us now, an they dare," said he. + +The mule still continued to eye him with a great deal of jealousy, and +perceiving the brandish that he gave his long sword when he said this, +he set off again full speed; so that it was a good while before the +friar got time to reply. As soon as he got leisure to speak, he opened +his mouth and said,--"My son, wilt thou lift up thine arm against a +multitude? or canst thou contend with the torrent of the mighty +waters?" + +"Well, well, they may perhaps lead that winna drive," said Charlie; and +he went by the friar at a light gallop, leaving him behind, who prayed +to the other not to leave him nor forsake him; but it was a device of +Yardbire's, and a well conceived one. He saw that as long as he kept the +rear guard, and rode behind the friar, the men that pursued them would +not separate on that long narrow path; therefore he vanished among the +bushes, keeping, however, always within hearing of the mule's feet. +Accordingly, at the first turn of the road, the foremost of the English +troopers, seeing the jolly bedesman posting away by himself, put the +spurs to his steed, and made a furious dash at him. The friar cried out +with a loud voice; and, seeing that he would be overtaken, he turned +round and drew his sword to stand on the defensive; and actually not +only bore the first charge of his opponent with considerable firmness, +but had "very nigh smitten him between the joints of the harness," as he +termed it. It happened, moreover, very singularly, from the perversity +of the mule, that in the charge the combatants changed sides, at the +imminent peril of the Englishman; for the mule brushed by his horse with +such violence, and leaned so sore to the one side, that both the horse +and his rider were within an inch of the verge of the precipice. + +The friar had no sooner made his way by, than he saw another rider +coming like lightning to meet him in the face; but at the same time he +heard the voice of Charlie Scott behind him, and the rending crash of +his weapon. This cheered the drooping spirits of the brave friar, who +had been on the very point of crying for quarter. "They beset me before +and behind," cried he, "yet shall my hand be avenged. Come on, thou +froward and perverse one." So saying he assumed his guard, and met his +foe face to face, seeing he had no alternative. The Englishman drew a +stroke, but got not time to lay it on; for just as the mule and his tall +horse met, the former, in the bitterness of his ire, rushed between his +opponent and the upper bank, and pressed against his fore counters with +such energy, that he made the leg next him to slacken, and the horse +reared from the other. The intention of the irritated mule was to crush +his master's leg, or, if possible, to rub him from off his back; and +therefore, in spite of the rein he closed with the Englishman's tall +steed in a moment, and almost as swift as lightning. The English +moss-trooper had raised his arm to strike, but seeing his horse shoved +and rearing in that perilous place, he seized the rein with his sword +hand. The mule finding the substance to which he leaned give way, +pressed to it the harder. It was all one to him whether it had been a +tree, a horse, or a rock; he shouldered against it with his side +foremost so strenuously, that in spite of all the trooper could do, the +fore feet of his horse on rearing, alighted within the verge of the +precipice. The noble animal made a spring from his hinder legs, in order +to leap by the obstreperous mongrel; but the latter still coming the +closer, instead of springing by he leaped into the open void, aiming at +the branches of an oak that grew in a horizontal direction from the +cliff. It was an old and stubborn tree, the child of a thousand years; +and when the horse and his rider fell upon its hoary branches, it +yielded far to the weight. But its roots being entwined in the rifted +rock as far as the stomach of the mountain, it sprung upward again with +a prodigious force to regain its primitive position, and tossed the +intruding weight afar into the unfathomed deep. Horse and rider went +down in a rolling motion till they lessened to the eye, and fell on the +rocks and water below with such a shock, that the clash sounded among +the echoes of the linn like the first burst of the artillery of heaven, +or the roar of an earthquake from the depths of the earth. + +Charlie Scott gazed on the scene with horror; every feature of his +countenance was changed, and every hair on his great burly head stood on +end. He gave a look to heaven, crossed himself, and said a short prayer, +if a prayer it may be called that consisted only of four syllables. It +consisted merely in the pronunciation of a name, too sacred to be set +down in an idle tale; but he pronounced it with an emphasis that made +it doubly affecting. The friar, on the contrary, astonished at his own +prowess, or rather at that of his mule, beheld the scene with wonder, it +is true, but also with a shade of ostentation. "I have overthrown the +horse and his rider," said he, "and they are sunk down as a stone into +the mighty waters." Corby manifested the fright that he was in, by loud +and reiterated snortings; the mule also was astonied, and, that he might +witness the horrific scene in more perfection, he kept his tail close to +the precipice, and looked back. + +"Now, by my honour as a man and a warrior, father," said Charlie, "you +are a man amang ten thousand. I never knew of a bedesman who behaved so +gallantly, nor have I seen a knight behave better. How durst you close +so instantaneously and furiously with both these valiant troopers?" + +"Thou hadst better put that question to my mule," said the friar,--"for +it is a truth that he hath that in him that is the ruin of many people, +viz. obstinacy of heart. When he smelleth the battle he disdaineth all +parley or courtesy, as thou beholdest, but rusheth upon his adversary +like one of the bulls of Bashan." + +At that moment the friar's eye caught a glance of several horsemen close +upon them, but as they could only come one man rank, they paused at +seeing their enemies in quiet possession of the way, and standing in +peaceful colloquy, apparently about something else. + +"By the life of Pharaoh," said the friar, gazing all around, "I had +forgot the man whom I first engaged and smote as he passed by." + +"You will see nae mair o' him, father," said Charlie; "I gae him a +deadly wound, but the saddle was locked to the horse, and the man to the +saddle, and the furious animal has escaped away to the forest with the +dead man on its back." + +"Thou art indeed a man of valour," said the friar; "and here will we +keep our ground. I will do more in our defence than thou hast yet +witnessed; therefore, be not afraid, my son, for that sword of thine is +a good sword." + +"It is a good sword at a straik," returned Charlie; "but it's no very +handy at making a defence. But an I get the first yerk of a chield, I'm +no unco feared for his return. However, father, this sword, sic as it +is, shall be raised in your defence as lang as my arm can wag it. I like +the man that will stand a brush when a pinch comes,--see, thae chaps +darena come on us. But, ill luck to the coward! gin they winna come to +us, we'll gang to them." + +"I will certainly go with thee," said the friar; "but I know the nature +of the beast that I bestride, and that it will at the first onset bear +me into the thickest of the battle; therefore, be not thou far from me +in my need, for, though nothing afraid, yet I know it will carry me into +peril. Come, let us go and smite these men with the edge of the sword." + +"Gallant friar," said Charlie, "the Thief-road is lang an' narrow, an' +there's hardly a bit o't that they can come on us twa in a breast; stand +ye still; or be chopping on your way, an' I'll let you see yon lads get +a surprise for aince." + +"Nay, I will certainly stand with thee in battle," said the friar; +"thinkest thou I will stand and be a looker on, when my preserver is in +jeopardy? Lo, my heart is as thy heart, my arm as thy arm, and--but I +cannot say my horse is as thy horse, for the beast is indeed froward in +his ways, and perverse in all his doings." + +Charlie hardly smiled at the phrase of the worthy friar,--for he +meditated an attack on their pursuers, and his eye kindled with his +heart toward the battle. He heaved up his sword-arm twice at its full +stretch, to feel if it was nowise encumbered in the armour, and putting +Corby in motion, he rode deliberately up to the face of his enemies. The +foremost man spoke to him, demanding what he wanted; but he only +answered by heaving his sword a little higher, and making his horse mend +his pace. In one second after that he was engaged with the first man, +and in two seconds the horse and his rider had fallen in the middle of +the path. Charlie listed not coming to close quarter; his sword was so +long and heavy, that it was quite unhandy in warding the blows of a +short and light weapon. His aim, therefore, was always to get the first +stroke, which was as apt to light on the horse as the man, and thus down +both of them went. Springing by the prostrate warrior, he attacked the +second and the third in the same manner, and with the same success, +always either cutting down the trooper or cleaving the head of his horse +at the first stroke. The path was now in the utmost confusion. Owing to +the pause that had taken place, all the riders had come up and crowded +each other behind, some crying, "He is a devil!" and others at a greater +distance shouting out, "Down with the Scot! down with him!" Charlie +regarded not their cries, but laid about him with all his might, till, +after striking down three of the foremost and one horse, those next to +him were glad to turn in order to effect their escape; but the +hindermost on the path refusing for a while to give way, many of their +friends fell a sacrifice to Charlie's wrath. He pursued them for a +space, and might have cut them off every man, had he been sure that all +was safe behind,--but he had rushed by some wounded men and wounded +horses, and knew not how matters stood with the friar. + +As he dreaded, so it fell out. Two of the Englishmen who had fallen +perhaps under their horses, had scrambled up the bosky precipice, and, +as he returned, assailed him with large stones, a mode of attack against +which he was unable to make the least resistance. Therefore, it was at +the utmost peril of his life that he made his way back through the +encumbered path to his friend the friar. This latter worthy had found it +impossible to lend his friend any assistance. The beast that he bestrode +was fonder of rubbing shoulders with a living brute, than a mangled or +dead one; so he refused to come nearer the first that fell than about +twice his own length, where he stood firm, turning his tail to the scene +of battle, and looking back. Our two heroes now set off at full speed +after the rest of their party, whom they expected to overtake before +reaching the outposts of the beleaguering army. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + + _Lord Duffus._--I saw the appearance of a mounted warrior. + Whence did it come, or whither did it go? + Or whom did it seek here? + Hush thee, my lord; + The apparition spoke not, but passed on. + 'Tis something dreadful; and, I fear me much, + Betokens evil to this fair array. + + _Trag. of the Prioress._ + + +The rest of our cavalcade continued to advance at a quick pace, not +without anxiety. They were not afraid of their enemies coming behind +them, for they had strong faith in the prowess of their friend, as well +as his horse Corby. But when they came to the end of the narrow path, +called the Thief-gate, there were two roads, and they knew not which of +these to follow. As bad luck would have it, they took the most easterly, +which led towards Yetholm, and left the Scottish army to the westward. +In that path they continued to jog on, turning many a long look behind +them for the approach of Charlie; and, at one time, they thought they +got a view of him coming at a furious pace all alone; but the rider +being at a great space behind them, he was shortly hid from their view +in an intervening hollow, and it was long before they saw him any more. +They judged that the friar was taken or slain, and began to talk of his +loss in a very indifferent manner. + +"Alas, how frigid and ungenial must be the hearts of you men in +Scotland," said Delany. "Now, of all the men I have met with since I was +brought from my own country, there is only one whose death I would more +regret than that of the worthy and kind friar. He may have his whims and +his peculiarities, but his manner is pleasing, and his speech has a +strain of grandeur which I love. Where did he acquire that speech?" + +"He gets it frae some auld-fashioned beuk," said Tam, "that he has pored +on a' his days, an' translatit out o' other tongues, till he was nearly +hanged for it; and it's weel kend that he is now in hiding wi' our +warden for fear o' his life, and has been these half dozen o' years; and +though he pretends to be only a friar, he was aince a monk o' the first +order of St Benedict, and president of a grand college in France." + +"I would like to converse with him," said Delany, "for I have always +thought that he feigned to be something a degree lower than he is." + +"You said there was _but one_ you would lament the loss of more," said +the poet: "Pray, who may that _one_ be?" + +"Could you not guess?" returned she. + +"How can I?" said he; "but this I know, that to be the favoured one I +would dive into the depths of the ocean,--" + +"It wad be for fear then," said Tam. + +"Or traverse the regions of ice," continued the bard, "or wander +barefoot over burning sands, or--" + +"O, alak for your poor feet!" said Delany, interrupting him; "but rest +satisfied you shall not be put to the test: it is not you." + +With such kind of chat did they beguile the way, till Elias, looking +back, exclaimed, "Mercy! see what a guise Yardbire is coming in!" + +"St Mary protect us!" said the maid; "he must be grievously wounded. +See how he rides!" + +Every one turned round his horse and looked at the approaching warrior; +but it was wearing late, and they could not see with distinctness. The +horse was coming rapidly, and with apparent impatience, but Charlie +appeared as if he were riding in his sleep. When the horse came down +hill he bent forward, and on climbing an ascent he bent back, riding +with that sort of motion as if his back or neck were out of joint. The +whole group showed manifest signs of fear at the approach of such a +hideous apparition; and, quite in earnest, though in a pretended frolic, +they wheeled about again, and gallopped away. The ground being uneven, +and the night-fall coming on, they soon lost sight of him; and, +continuing their career as fast as the road would permit, they seemed +inclined to escape from their friend altogether. The maid had just begun +to remonstrate on their unfriendly procedure, when they beheld the same +unaccountable figure coming at the full gallop close behind them. Seeing +that he was determined to be of the party, they suffered him to +overtake them quietly. He came driving furiously up till he was in the +middle of them, and then paused. No one had the courage to speak to him, +for he looked not up, nor regarded any of them. His helmed head nodded +on his breast, and his arms hung loosely down by his side, the steel +armlets rattling on the cuishes. At one time his horse came so near to +that on which Delany rode, that she weened she saw the rider all covered +with blood, and screamed out; yet in the twilight she could not be +certain. The poet, who was never far from her side, and on whom her +voice always acted like electricity, immediately demanded the cause of +her alarm. + +"O Carol!" said she, in an agitated whisper, "we are haunted. That is a +dead man that rides in our company." + +If the maid was alarmed, the poet was ten times more so. If she had said +that a lion or a bear was in the company, it could not have struck such +a chillness to the poor bard's heart; and, after all, it was no wonder, +for there is something exceedingly appalling in the idea of having a +dead man riding in one's company. The poet felt this in its fullest +measure. He held in his horse and attempted a reply, but a dryness +pervaded his mouth so much that he could not make himself intelligible. +A damp had fallen on the whole party, and a breathless silence +prevailed. Tam put the question, so natural, to him as he passed, +"Charlie, is this you?"--but none answered or regarded. They were riding +up a slanting hill when the bard was first apprised of the nature of +their guest, and shortly after the figure coming between him and the +evening sky, its motions were altogether so hideous, that he roared out +in perfect terror as loud as he could bray, scarce letting one bellow +await another. This was still worse than the dumb appalling uncertainty +in which they were before involved; till at last Tam, losing all +patience, let loose his rage against the poet, calling him a bellowing +beast, and many other opprobrious names. This encouraging Gibbie, who +had the bard at no good will on account of the damsel, he said he +brought him "amind of a story that the fo'k o' Annandale tauld about +Andrew Jardine's bull, that was better at booing than breeding." The boy +Elias now coming in behind them, and having heard what Delany said, +cried softly, "Hush! yeomen! hush! we are haunted; it is a ghost that +rides in our company." + +They all turned their eyes to the mysterious figure, which they still +thought resembled their champion Yardbire, as well as the horse did that +which he rode, the redoubted Corby. The horse had started a little +forward at the cries of the poet, but when the rest paused the figure +seemed to wheel his horse around, and made a dead pause also, standing +still with his face toward them, and straight on the path before. Not +one durst proceed. The figure neither moved nor threatened, but stood +nodding its head on the height at every motion of the steed; yet our +party were arrested on their way, nor knew they exactly in what place +they were: But from the length of the way they had come, they were sure +they were near the Scottish army on one side or other, and free from +any danger of the foes they had left behind them on the Border. None of +them were good guides in any case, and a man in fear is neither a fit +guide for himself nor others. Fear had the sway, and fear gave the word +of command without being disputed. The poet was the first to strike from +the beaten path, and it was at no easy pace that he rode. He turned +westward, and the rest all followed with main speed. Their progress was +soon interrupted by a strong cattle fence made of stakes and the +branches of trees interwoven, bespeaking the vicinity of some village, +or place of human habitation. They soon broke through the fence, but by +bad luck did not take time to make up the breach, which they left open, +and posting forward came to a large house amid a number of smaller ones. +The poet called for admittance in a moving and earnest stile, and at +once resolved to take no denial. Before ever he paused, he told them he +and his party had lost their way, and that they had seen a ghost. + +"Then you must be some murderers," said the men of the house,--"and here +you remain not to-night." + +"We belong to the warden of the marches, the brave baron of Mountcomyn," +said the poet, "and go on an errand of great import to the army. In that +case we might demand what we only ask as a boon, namely, such lodging as +the house affords." + +"You had better keep that part to yourself," said the men of the house: +"Though Sir Ringan is supreme in the middle marches, he is no favourite +here. Our master's name is Ker. He is with the Douglas, but may be home +to-night. Calm sough and kitchen fare, or ride on." + +"It brings me in mind o' an auld proverb," said Gibbie, "that beggars +should nae be choisers; sae, honest lads, bring us a light, for our +horses are sair tired an' maun be weel put up." + +The party, it will be remembered, consisted only of five, exclusive of +Charlie and the friar. They had draw up their horses close to the hall +door, and were still on horseback when the men turned into the house +for a light. The poet, whose eager eyes were still on the watch, +chancing to look at the heads of his associates between him and the sky, +thought he discovered one too many. + +"Surely there are six of us,'said he in a hurried tremulous voice. "Six +of us!" said Tam, as doubting the statement. + +"Six of us? No, surely?" said Delany. + +At that instant a lad came out with a lanthorn, and held it up to look +at the party. The poet was nearest the door, and the light shone full on +him and the rider that was next him. He cast his eyes on that +rider,--but one glance was enough to bedim his eye-sight, if not to +scare away his reason. It had the appearance of a warrior sheathed in +steel, but all encrusted in a sheet of blood. His mouth was wide open, +and his jaws hanging down upon his breast, while his head seemed to be +cleft asunder. The poet uttered a loud yell of horror, and, flinging +himself from his horse on the side opposite to that on which the phantom +stood, he fell among the mud and stones at the door, yet ceased not to +reiterate his loud cries like one in distraction. Every one jumped from +his horse, and hurried in at the door; the man with the lanthorn also +fled, and with the noise and uproar the horses galloped off, saddled and +bridled as they were. As the guests ran into the hall, every one asked +at all the rest what it was? "What is it?" was all that could be heard; +all asking the question, but none answering it. Even the people of the +house joined in the query, and came all round the strangers, crying, +"What is it?--What is it?"--"I do not know--I do not know, Sir--I do not +know upon my word." + +"The people are all delirious," said the housekeeper:"--Can no one tell +us what it was that affrighted you?--St Magdalene be with us! whom have +we here?" + +This was no other than the poor bard coming toward the light, creeping +slowly on all-four, and still groaning as he came. + +"Here's the chap that began the fray," said Tam, "you may speer at him. +He rather looks as he were at ane mae wi't. For my part, I just did as +the rest did,--ran an' cried as loud as I could. When a dust is fairly +begun, I think aye the mair stour that is raised the better. I'll try +wha will cry loudest again, an ye like,--or rin round the fire wi' ony +o' you, or out through the mids o't either, at a pinch." + +Tam turned round his long nose to see if his jest had taken, for he +always fixed his eyes stedfastly on one object when he spoke; but he +found that his jargon had been ill-timed, for no one laughed at it but +himself. The rest were gathered round the bard; some pitying, but more +like to burst with laughter at his forlorn state. He fetched two or +three long-drawn moans, and then raising himself up on his knees, with +his eyes fixed on the light, he rolled over, and fainted. + +Delany first stooped to support his head, and was soon assisted by every +female in the house, while the men only stood and looked on. By bathing +his hands and temples with cold water, they soon brought him out of his +faint, but not to his right senses. His looks continued wild and +unstable, and ever and anon they were turned to the door, as if he +expected some other guest to enter. A sober conference at last ensued; +and as no one had seen or heard any thing at this last encounter, save +the man that was taken ill, who a few moments before had been heard to +say _there were six of them_, all began to agree that he had been seized +with some sudden frenzy or delirium; till the lad, who had carried out +the light, thrust in his pale face among the rest, and said,--"Na, na, +my masters, it is nae for naething that the honest man's gane away in a +kink; for, when I held up the bouet, I saw a dead man riding on a horse +close at his side. He was berkened wi' blood off at the taes; and his +mouth was open, and I saw his tongue hinging out." + +It may well be conceived what an icy chillness these words distilled +round the heart of every one present. The effect on our travellers was +particularly appalling, from the idea that they were haunted by a +phantom from which they could not escape. The whole group closed around +the fire, and the strangers recounted to the family the singular +occurrence of their having lost two of their number by the way, and +been pursued and overtaken by a phantom resembling one of them, and that +the hideous spectre was, as it seemed, haunting them still. As they all +agreed in the same story, it was not of a nature to be disregarded at a +period when superstition swayed the hearts of men with irresistible +power. The stoutest heart among them was daunted, and no one durst go +out to the vaults to look after his master's cattle, nor to take in our +travellers' horses, that were left to shift for themselves during the +long winter night. + +The next morning, between day-light and the sun-rising, the men began to +peep abroad, and the first things they observed were some of the horses +of our travellers going about in a careless, easy manner. This they +looked on as a good omen, knowing that horses were terrified for +spirits; and the men joining in a body, they sallied out to reconnoitre. +The horses had fared well, for they had fed at the laird's stacks of hay +and corn all night; but as the men were going round to see how matters +stood, they perceived a phenomenon, that, if it had not been open +day-light, would have scared them from the habitation. This was the +identical phantom-warrior still sitting unmoved on his horse, that was +helping itself full liberally out of one of the laird's corn-ricks. The +eye of day expels the films of superstition from the human eye. The men, +after a short consultation, ventured to surround the phantom,--to seize +his horse,--(who had given full proof that he at least was flesh and +blood;)--and, after a good deal of trembling astonishment, they found +that he was actually rode by a dead warrior, whose head was cleft +asunder, and his whole body, both within and without the harness, +encrusted in blood. + +The mystery was soon cleared up; but none then knew who he was. It had +become customary in that age for warriors, who went to engage others, on +horseback, to lock themselves to the saddle, for fear of being borne out +of their seats by the spears of their opponents in the encounter. This +was the individual trooper who had come foremost in the pursuit of our +party, he whom the friar jostled, and whom Charlie, encountering the +moment after, had slain; but his suit of armour having kept him nearly +upright in his saddle, his horse had run off with him, and followed +after those of our travellers, as every horse will do that is let go on +a high-way and gets his will. + +Glad were our travellers at an eclaircissement so fairly within the +bounds of their comprehension; and when the poet saw the gash made in +the helmet, he shook his head, and exclaimed, "Ha! well I wot the mighty +hand of Charlie has been here!" + +Gibbie remarked that he himself had "killed one very like him, only he +was sure his wad never mount horse again." But seeing Tam's ill-set eye +fixed on him, he was afraid of something coming out relating to that +encounter which he did not wish to hear blabbed; so he changed his tone, +and, looking wise, said, "The hale business brings me a-mind of a very +good story that happened aince at Allergrain; an' if it be nae true it +is behadden to the maker, for the sin o' the lie lyes nae at my door. +The story, you see, is this.--There was a man, an' he had a wife; an' +they had a son, an' they ca'ed him Jock--" + +"Now, d--n your particularity!" said Tam Craik: "think you we have +nought else to do but stand beside the bloody man and listen to a +long-winded tale like that?" + +The poet muttered over some old rhyme in unison with what he heard. If +one word spoken chanced to occur in any old rhyme or song that he knew, +he went over the sentence to himself, though it had no farther +connection with it, or resemblance to it, than merely that word. This +made his conversation altogether incomprehensible to those not +acquainted with him, but it was always delightful to himself; a chance +old rhyme brought to his remembrance, would have pleased him almost in +any circumstances, while his words chimed naturally into measure. + +Leaving the dead warrior at the house where they lodged for the people +to bury as they liked, they proceeded to the army, in hopes of finding +Charlie and the friar there; for without them they did not know how to +accomplish their mission. These two heroes finding, on asking at a +hamlet, that their friends had not passed on the road to Roxburgh, +suspected what way they had gone, and turning to the south-east they +followed them on the track to Yetholm, but misled them at the house into +which they had been chased by the dead man, and rode searching for them +the greater part of the night. Next morning they again went in search of +them, and came up behind them at the convent of Maisondieu near to the +Teviot, where a detachment of the army was stationed; and, after +conversing two or three hours on the state of the army and garrison, +they proceeded on their journey, and reached the abbey of Melrose that +night. There they were welcomed by the brethren, and lodged comfortably. +There also they got many strange stories told to them about Master +Michael Scott, which made the very hairs of their heads stand on end, +and the hearts of the boldest to palpitate. When the friar heard them, +he seemed wrapt in deep thought; and he opened his mouth, and said: "If +the things that thou hast spoken be according to the light that is in +thee, and the truth that is told among men, then this man is not as +other men, for the spirit of the immortals is in him, and he communeth +with the prince of the power of the air. Nevertheless, I will go unto +him, and I will speak to him face to face, as a man speaketh to his +friend. Peradventure I shall tell him that which he knoweth not." + +When it was told to the abbot Lawrence, that the servants of the warden +were come, and that they were accompanied by his chaplain and bedesman, +a learned man in all holy things, the father came to bestow upon them +his benediction,--for the baron of Mountcomyn had conferred many rich +benefices on the abbey. At the first sound of the friar's voice, the +abbot started, as if recollecting him; but on looking at the man his +hope seemed to die away. Every time, however, that he spoke in his +eastern style, the abbot fixed a look on him, as if he would fain have +claimed acquaintance, which the friar perceiving, urged their departure +with all the interest he had; and accordingly, about mid-day, they set +out for Aikwood-castle, the seat of the renowned magician Master Michael +Scott. + +Ever since the stern encounter with the English moss-troopers on the +Thief-road, Charlie had attached himself close to the friar, imagining +that he saw his character in a new light, and that he was one who might +either be roused to desperate courage, or impressed with notorious +dread; and when he heard him say that he would speak to the enchanter +face to face, he admired him still the more; for the business of +addressing the Master was that which stuck sorest on the stomach of the +doughty Yardbire. As for the poet, he scarcely seemed himself all that +day. He looked at the mountains, and the wild romantic rivers branching +among them in every direction, with looks of which it was hard to say +whether they were looks of vacancy or affection, for he looked sometimes +as at objects which he was never to see again. His tongue muttered long +rhymes in which his heart had little share; so that Delany was obliged +to detach herself from his society, and make up to the friar, whom she +now addressed with much affection, and some degree of coquetry:-- + +"Dearest father, why have you neglected me so much on our journey? Ever +since our first stage was got over, you have not deigned to take any +notice of me. What have you seen in my conduct that you have thus +shunned me? It is in sincerity that I assure you there is no man in +whose conversation I so much delight." + +"Fairest among maidens!" said the friar, putting his arm gently around +her neck, as her palfrey came close up by his side, "say not so, but +come near me, I will kiss thee with the kisses of my mouth, for thy love +is sweeter to me than the vintage. Behold thou art even like a tower of +alabaster shining from among the cedars of Lebanon. Thy bosom resembleth +two young roes that are twins, and feed among the lilies of the +valley." + +"Hold, dear father!" said she, "and do not let your gallantry run away +with your good common sense. Yet would I love to hear that language +spoken to another, for though it be nonsense it is still beautiful. Tell +me, for I long to hear, where, or in what country, you learned to speak +in that stile." + +"Daughter of my people," said he, "I have learned that language at home +and in a far country. In youth and in age hath it been my delight. At +noon-tide when the sun shone in his strength, and in the silent watches +of the night hath it been my meditation. In adversity hath it been my +comfort, and in prosperity my joy; so that now it hath become unto me as +my mother tongue, and other language have I none." + +"Is it the language of the convent and the priory alone?" said the maid. + +"No, thou rose of the desart," said the friar;--"it is not the language +indeed, but the stile of language over one half of the habitable world. +It is the language of all the kingdoms and countries of the east, from +India even unto Ethiopia; and all the way as thou goest down towards +the rising of the sun, yea from the river to the ends of the earth it +prevaileth. But, O thou fairest among the daughters of women! that +language did I not learn in the lands that are watered by the great +river, even the river Euphrates. In Ur of the Chaldees have I not +sojourned; nor on the mountains of Palestine have I lifted up my eyes. +But I learned it from one little book; a book that is of more value to +the children of men than all the gold of Ophir. O maiden, could I but +make known unto thee the treasures of that book, the majesty of its +stile, and the excellency of its precepts, it would make thine heart to +sing for joy. If all the writings of this world, yea, if the world +itself were to be laid in the balance with that book, they would be +found wanting. The mountains may depart, and the seas may pass away, the +stars, and the heavens in which they shine, may be removed, but the +words of that book shall remain for ever and ever! And this language +that I now speak to thee resembleth the words written therein; and I +speak them unto thee that thou mayest hear and love them." + +"Dear friar, teach me to read and understand that book, for my breast +yearneth to know more about it. I am, it is true, not my own at present +to give, but I have some forebodings here that tell me I soon shall; +and, father, I will serve thee, and be thy handmaid, if thou wilt teach +me the words and the mysteries of that little book." + +"Alas! and wo is me, for the ignorance of my people!" said he, with the +tears streaming over his grim cheek; "they are troubled about that which +availeth them nothing, while the way of life is hid from their eyes. +Their leaders have caused them to err; and I, even I, have been a +dweller in the tabernacles of sin! But the day-star hath shone upon my +soul and my spirit: For that have I been persecuted, and hunted as a +partridge upon the mountains, chased from the habitations of my +brethren, and forced to dwell among a strange and savage people. Yet +there are among them whom I love; and could I be the mean of opening +thine eyes, and turning thee from darkness unto light, then would I know +for what purpose the finger of heaven had pointed out my way to this +barren wilderness. Thou can'st not be a servant or a handmaiden unto one +who is little better than an outcast and a vagabond on the earth. But +better days may come to us both: I am not what I seem; but, maiden, thou +mayest trust me. My love for thee surpasseth the love of women, for it +is with more than an earthly love that I behold and delight in thee. +Come unto me this night, and I will tell thee things that shall make +thine ears tingle. The book of wonders is here with me, and thou mayest +look thereon and be glad." + +The poet and his associates listened to this rhapsody apart. + +"What book does he mean?" said the poet: "If it is not True Thomas's +book, or the book of Sir Gawin, he must be speaking absolute nonsense. I +could recite these to lovely Delany, word for word; and must this clumsy +old friar wile her from me by any better book than these?" + +"You are clean mista'en, maister poeter," said Tam; "I ken mair about +auld Roger than you do, or than ony that's here. It is a book o' black +art that he carries about wi' him, and studies on it night and day. He +gat it at a place they ca' Oxford, where they study nought else but sic +cantrips. They hae tried to hang him, and they hae tried to cut off his +head, and they hae tried to burn him at the stake; but tow wadna hang, +water wadna drown, steel wadna nick, and a' the fire o' the land wadna +singe ae hair o' the auld loun's head." + +"Gude forgie me!" said Charlie: "An that be true, Corby, you and I had +maybe mair pith than our ain yon time. I wondered that he rade sae +furiously on the drawn swords of men and armour, the auld warlock. +He-he-he! we'll aiblins try auld Michael at his ain weapons, an that be +the gate." + +"Ye maunna lippen ower muckle to a' this," said he of the Peatstacknowe; +"else ye may play like Marion's Jock, when he gaed away to douk in +Commonside loch. 'It is a hard matter,' says Jock to himself, 'that a' +the lave o' Commonside's men can swatter and swim in the loch like sae +mony drakes but me. I am fain either to poutter about the side, or down +I gang. I can neither sink nor swim; for when I try to get to the bottom +to creep, there I stick like a woundit paddock, wagging my arms and my +legs, and can neither get to the top nor the bottom. Just half way, +there stick I. But I's be even hands wi' them an' mair, an' then I'll +laugh at the leishest o' them; for I'll stand, and wade, and gang ower +the waves afore them a', aye, and that wi' my head boonmost.' Jock, +after this grand contrivance, coudna rest, but off he sets to Hawick, +and gets four big blawn bladders; and the next day, when a' the lave +went to bathe, Jock he went to bathe amang the rest; and he gangs slyly +into a bush by himsel', and ties twa o' the bladders to every foot. +'Now,' thinks Jock, 'I'll let them see a trick.' Sae he slips into the +loch, and wades into the deep; but the bladders they aye gart him hobble +and bob up and down, till, faith, he loses the balance, and ower he +coups. Nane o' them kend o' Jock's great plan, and they were a' like to +burst their sides wi' laughing when they saw Jock diving. But when they +saw he wasna like to come up again, they swattered away to the place, +and there was Jock swimming wi' his head straight to the bottom, and his +feet and the four bladders walking a minuay aboon. Now, let me tell ye, +an ye lippen to the friar's warlockry, and his enchantments, and +divinations, ye trust to as mony bladders fu' o' wind, and down gae a' +your heads, and your heels uppermost. Na, na; nane maun try to cope wi' +auld Michael." + +"I hae heard, indeed, that he coudna brook ony rivalry," said Charlie; +"and I hae heard waur instances, and waur stories too, than that o' +yours, laird. But let us draw slyly near to the twasome, and make lang +lugs, to try if we can learn ony mair about that same beuk. If the friar +hae ony power o' enchantment, it is my opinion the first glamour he'll +thraw will be ower that bonny wench." + +"We ought to keep them asunder by force," said the poet; "it would be a +shame and a disgrace to us, if we were to let the auld rogue seduce +either her person or her morals." + +"Morals?" said Charlie; "I dinna ken about them, for I watna weel what +they are; but as to seducing hersel', I think I could answer for auld +Roger the friar. I see there's nae man can help liking a bonny lass; but +the better a good man likes ane he'll be the mair sweer to do her ony +skaith." + +"Aye; but then how can an enchanter be a good man?" said the poet. + +"That's the thing that puzzles me," said Charlie: "Let us hear what they +are on about sae briskly now." + +They then drew near, and heard the following words, while the remarks +that they made were said aside among themselves. + +"My fate, you see, has been a strange one, father. I was separated from +my parents so young that I scarcely remember them. But the Scots have +been kind to me, and I have loved them. I have never been unhappy, +except when long confined to a place, which I dislike exceedingly; and +as I have hopes that this change will add somewhat to my freedom, I +rejoice in it, without weighing circumstances. If those fond hopes +should be realised, I promise to you, father, that the first use I will +make of my liberty, shall be to sit at your feet, and learn that +wonderful and mysterious book." + +"Do you hear that?" said the poet with great emphasis, but in a half +whisper; "he has gotten her broken already to learn the book of the +black art. Then the deil's bargain and witchcraft comes next; then the +harassing of the whole country side, dancing in kirkyards, and riding on +the wind; and then, mayhap, the stake and the faggot end the matter that +is but just beginning. Alak, and wo is me! I say, in the king's name, +and in the warden's, let them be separated." + +"Gude sauf us!" exclaimed Charlie. "There's nae man sure o' his life an +a' this be true! But a' fair play. Nae self amang us. Hist, and let us +hear what he is saying in answer." + +"Daughter," said the friar, half crying with joy, "doth not my heart +yearn over thee, even as a mother yearneth over the child of her bosom? +Lo, I will be unto thee as a father, and thou shalt be unto me as a +daughter." + +"Hear what the old rascal is saying!" said the poet. + +"And behold the fruits of our labours shall spring up into life;"-- + +"Oh, this is past all sufferance!" said the poet. + +--"For, O thou fair one, whose beauty is as the beauty of the morning, +and whose innocence surpasseth that of the kid, or the lamb, or the +young roe, when they are playing upon the mountains,"-- + +"Gude faith, Mr Carol," said Charlie aside, "it's that auld chap that's +the poet; an' no you." + +"Humph! mere fustian!" said the poet. + +The friar still went on:-- + +--"That beauty will decay, as the rose fadeth on the brows of Shinar +or Hermon; and that innocence shall be perverted by the sinful and +regardless people among whom thou sojournest, and shall become, as it +were, betrothed to sin and corruption; yea, and that eye, that shineth +like the dews of the morning, shall be darkened. But, O beloved maiden! +there is that in this little book, yea, I say unto thee, even in this +old, neglected, and despised book, that, unto those who learn it, shall +prove the savour of life unto life; and if thou dost learn and cherish +the things contained in this book thou shalt never die!" + +"Ay, billy, that is a yanker!" said Tam aside: "When ane is gaun to tell +a lie, there's naething like telling a plumper at aince, and being done +wi't." + +"Now, but hear to the deceitful old rogue," said the poet: "All the +books of black art in the world cannot accomplish that. In the name of +Saint Barnabas, I say let them be separated!" + +"It wad be weel done," said Tam, "if ane durst;"--for he wanted to blow +up the poet's wrath, for the sake of a little sport. + +"Durst!" said the poet, "durst!--If none other dare, I shall, in spite +of all his hellish arts. Durst! that is a good one,--to be dursted with +an old sackbut!" + +They did not hear what answer Delany made to the extraordinary +information, as they took it, that, by learning the little black book, +she was to be redeemed from death; for the fierce jealousy of the +enamoured bard prevented them. But when they listened again so as to +hear distinctly, the friar was still increasing in fervency. All that he +said was in raptures of divine ecstacy; while his associates, who knew +nothing, and cared as little about these things, understood it in +another way. + +"For I say unto thee, if thou wilt suffer me to instil these truths into +thee, thou shalt both blossom and bring forth fruit abundantly; yea, +thou shalt shine as the stars in the firmament of heaven. Seest thou yon +sun that walketh above the clouds in majesty and brightness? Beyond yon +sun shall thine habitation be fixed; and the blue arch that encircles +the regions of the air, which thou hast so often seen studded over with +diamonds, shall be unto thee a pavement whereon thou shalt tread. All +this and more shalt thou possess, if thou wilt learn and obey the +things that are written in this book, where it is said by one that +cannot err, 'Lo, I will be always with you, and my arms shall be +underneath and around you, and when you are faint and weary I will hide +you in my bosom.'" + +"For the blood that is in your body dare to attempt such a thing!" cried +the enraged poet. "Down with hypocrisy and sensuality together! Hurray +for the combat, and God defend the right!" + +So, crying as loud as he could yell, he pulled out his sword, and rode +furiously up between Delany and the friar, shoving the latter rudely as +he passed. The maiden's palfrey sprung away, but the friar's mule only +leaned with all his might to the poet's steed as he pressed against him +in passing; and feeling his prop give way, he leaned round in the same +direction, till his tail was exactly where his head was before; and +then, dreading some abhorred exertion, he set his feet asunder, and +stood immovable. The poet drew up, and wheeled about, and seeing still +the hinder parts of the friar and his beast, he cried, exultingly, "Ay, +you are more ready to seduce an innocent and lovely maiden, than to +answer for the crime! Vile lump of sin and hypocrisy! turn round and +meet me face to face, that I may chastise thee for thy graceless +attempt!" + +The friar spurred most furiously, but the mule only dashed his head +downward and his heels in a contrary direction, and kept his position. +All the rest were like to burst with laughter, which still increasing +the bard's insolence, he fumed about enchantments and the black art, and +dared the friar to turn and look him in the face. + +What with one provocation, what with another, the friar's angry passions +were roused; and, not being able to make his mule turn round, he drew +out his sword, saying at the same time in a voice of great vehemence, +"God do so to me and more also, if I make not--" + +He got no farther with his speech, for the mule interrupted him. +Obstinate as the brute was, the sight of the sword, and the sound of his +master's angry voice operated on him like magic. Perhaps he understood +that all further opposition was vain,--for in one moment he wheeled +around, his eyes gleaming with rage; and pricking up his ears to see +where the storm of his and his master's wrath was to alight, he +perceived the poet on his tall steed, brandishing his dazzling sword, +and forthwith darted at them with the swiftness of an arrow, and a fury +not to be checked. There were no more words nor threatenings passed +between the enraged combatants; for more space of time there was none +before the mule had his shoulder to that of the poet's steed, his teeth +fixed in his flank, and was pushing with the fury of an enraged bull. + +On the closing of the two steeds the riders likewise engaged, the poet +coming on with a downward stroke, which the friar received with great +indifference on his sword crossed above his cowl. But knowing well the +nature of his beast, he kept up the poet's sword and arm both, until the +sides of the two animals were jammed together, as the rider of the +mule well knew they would be. By that time the poet's arm was pressed +up straight by his ear, and his sword pointed to heaven; and in +endeavouring to free his elbow from the hilt of the friar's sword, he +lost his balance. At the same instant their feet encountering in the +stirrups, and the friar's being below that of his opponent, he gave him +such a ketch with his right foot and sword-arm together, that he made +him fly from his horse to a great distance, in a sort of arching +direction; and the unfortunate poet, falling on his shoulder and head, +was wofully bruised, and utterly discomfited. + +But the combat ended not here. The mule still struggled with his +adversary, which not only kept his ground, but rather began to force the +mule to give way. But the inveterate mongrel was not to be vanquished in +that way. He pressed, struggled, and wrought himself round, till he got +his tail to the horse's shoulder, and then he attacked him furiously +with his iron-heels. The horse being a horse of spirit, and scorning to +yield to his long-eared adversary, applied the same offensive weapons +with very little ceremony, wincing and screaming all the while, and +sometimes making his feet to fly as high as the friar's elbows. The mule +fought with desperate energy, but in profound silence. Not so the rider; +he spurred, struck with his sword, and cried with a loud voice, "Soh! +tproo! thou beast of the pit! sure the spirit of the evil one is in +thee! Lo, I shall be beaten to pieces, for the heels of the horses are +lifted up against me. By the life of Pharaoh, I will smite thee until +thy blood shall be poured out like water,--thou perverse and abominable +beast! I say unto thee go forward!" + +The voice of the friar, during this passionate declamation, had arisen +gradually until the last sentence, which was pronounced in his utmost +stile of vehemence. The mule heard this, and saw the uplifted sword; and +not awaiting its descent, he sprang forward with main force, but no man +will guess the issue. + +It may well be conceived, that during this desperate combat between the +horse and mule, the onlookers were convulsed with laughter. Charlie +Scott, in particular, laughed with a "Ha-ha-ha!" so loud that he made +all the woods around to ring, and at every breath exclaimed, "Gude +faith, I never saw ought half so grand! Na, never!" Gibbie was advanced +a little before the rest, so as to be near the scene of action, which, +without doubt, was bringing him in mind of some excellent story, for his +mouth was formed like a seam from the one ear to the other. But it is +dangerous putting one's self too forward in life, and that the poor +laird of the Peatstacknowe soon found. It is well known that between +parties so closely connected as the horse and his rider, passion begets +passion. The mule, driven altogether furious by the broil, and the rage +and spurs of his master, either wished to rub himself rid of him, or +deemed that it was to be a battle general; for he no sooner rushed from +one fray than he flew to another, quite open-mouthed on Gibbie, and, +seizing him by the thigh, he separated one limb of his buffskin breeches +and a mouthful of the laird's own skin from their places, in one moment, +and the next had his teeth fixed in the flank of the laird's horse. +Gibbie cried out against the friar, irritated by pain, as well as the +awkward and dangerous situation in which he was thus momently placed. +His horse flung--the mule returned the compliment with hearty good will, +and glad was Gibbie to escape, which he did with great celerity as soon +as he got leisure to use the spurs. The mule ran straight at the next +horse, and then at the next again, but all of them scampered off at his +approach, and left him master of the field; on which he turned two or +three times sullenly round, throwing himself up behind and down before. +The friar's wrath was somewhat diverted by the shouts of laughter from +his scattered compeers, and he only smiled grimly as he said to his +contumacious beast,--"Thou art even a perverse and an evil one; +nevertheless thou hast been to me a beast for these many years, and hast +borne me in distant pilgrimages, through many perils and dangers; and I +will not act the part of the son of Bosor: peradventure thou mayest +amend thy ways and do some credit to old age." + +The laird in his escape gallopped by the forlorn poet; who, raising up +his head, and perceiving the plight of the dismayed and unoffensive +wight, scouring off with the one thigh naked and bleeding, burst out +into a hysteric giggle between laughing and crying, and repeated some +scraps of old rhyme no way connected with the incident. The attention of +the party was now turned to him, and the friar's as much as any, who +enquired with great simplicity, "My brother, why was thine arm lifted up +against me?" + +The bard was dreadfully abashed, and out of countenance; and he only +answered in rhymes, of which none of them could make any thing: + + "His arm was strong, and his heart was stout, + And he broke the tower and he got out; + Then the king he was an angry man, + And an angry man was he, + And he said, "Go, lock him in prison strong, + And hunger him till he dee. + +"That was a hard weird, was it not? Ha-ha! there be many such; for + + "He had his wale of seven sisters, + Of lith, and lire, and limb so fair; + But the loathly dame of the Hazelrig, + She ruined his peace for evermair." + +"Lo, my son," answered the friar, "thy thoughts are wandering in a +wilderness. I only ask thee wherein I have offended thee. For as mine +hand is, so is mine heart; and, as my soul liveth, I know not in what +respect I have done thee wrong." + + "I have not done thee wrong, fair May, + I have not done thee wrong, + But the cup of death has passed my lips, + And my life will not be long. + +"No, no; dame Delany, you need not bathe my temples. I am not raving. I +am not even hurt. The mischievous beast made my horse throw me, but I am +nothing the worse." + +The friar, not being able to make any thing of the poet himself, applied +to the rest, and was soon informed by Tam, that "he was overheard trying +to gar the lassie learn the black art, and courting her to nae good; and +the poet grew jealous, and was for being revenged." + +The friar uttered a loud groan for the ignorance of his associates; but, +hopeless of making any thing of them at such a period, he only began to +moralise in a general manner. The poet was again gotten to mount; and +shortly after they reached the ancient town of Selkirk, where they +halted and refreshed themselves at the monastery of the Cistertians. +There the laird got his wound dressed, and his dilapidated robes +refitted; and that same evening the party reached the castle of Aikwood, +the residence of the celebrated wizard Master Michael Scott. + +END OF VOL. 1. + + + * * * * * + + +Transcriber's Notes + + +This text is a reproduction of the 1822 edition. It includes many +dialect and archaic words and spellings, as well as many typographical +errors which have not been changed. + +On p. 324, the last three letters and comma in "says Jock to himself," +are not clearly printed and are conjectural. + +On p. 328, the comma in "the king's name, and in" is unclear. + +The spellings "M'Alpin" and "MacAlpin" are both used. + +The spellings "Gibby" and "Gibbie" are both used. + +The spellings "lor'" and "lor" are both used. + +Consonants are inconsistently doubled in words such as "galloped" or +"galloped". + + +The text includes many examples of inconsistent hyphenation. The +following are inconsistently hyphenated or printed as two words: + +a-going + +a-mind + +auld-warld + +bow-shot + +castle-green + +half-moon + +safe-conduct + +to-morrow + +to-night + +cheek-bone + + +The following are inconsistently hyphenated or printed as one word: + +moss-trooper (or moss-man) + +Yard-bire + +high-way + +sweet-meats + + +The following are inconsistently printed as one or two words: + +d'ye + +meantime + + +The text contains the following apparent errors: + +p. 10 mis-spelling "proving succesful" + +p. 36 mis-spelling "glistening with raprures" + +p. 38 duplicate word in "at at the same time" + +p. 61 missing quotation mark in "ye hae some southron spies" + +p. 68 extra quotation mark in "less beard."" + +p. 69 missing quotation mark in "earldom on that head," + +p. 90 duplicate word in "written a a letter" + +p. 98 missing quotation mark in "content, said Colin:" + +p. 104 wrongly-spaced quotation mark in "Charlie," Thanks t' ye," + +p. 115 wrongly-spaced quotation mark in "Douglas;" and," + +p. 141 missing quotation mark in "and I submit to my fate" + +p. 168 mis-spelling "Qnhat" + +p. 172 missing apostrophe "I dont like such" + +p. 178 Missing first quotation mark in "MARGARET."" + +p. 178 Duplicate word in "I'll have have her nose cut off" + +p. 190 mis-spelling "most incongrous thing" + +p. 200 missing quotation mark in "--it is not with you" + +p. 210 missing space in "arrived in the campin" + +p. 215 mis-spelling "shunning his profered" + +p. 220 mis-spelling "returned the Douglas, noding" + +p. 227 comma in place of full stop in "which they stood, This" + +p. 233 wrongly-spaced quotation mark in "Longspeare," that" + +p. 249 missing quotation mark in "lay than I did."" + +p. 254 wrongly-spaced quotation mark in "Tam Craik;"" + +p. 261 mis-spelling "this peace of intelligence" + +p. 274 mis-spelling "_ang froid_" + +p. 275 missing quotation mark in "but the horses of our enemies" + +p. 305 colon in place of full stop in "place they were: But from" + +p. 308 single, wrongly-spaced quotation mark in "there are six of + us,'said" + +p. 309 wrongly-spaced quotation mark in "housekeeper:"--Can no" + +p. 339 missing quotation mark in "hunger him till he dee." + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Three Perils of Man, Vol. 1 (of 3), by +James Hogg + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE THREE PERILS OF MAN *** + +***** This file should be named 39776.txt or 39776.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/3/9/7/7/39776/ + +Produced by Henry Flower, Carlo Traverso and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This +book was produced from scanned images of public domain +material from the Google Print project.) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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