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diff --git a/38845.txt b/38845.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 19bf4c9..0000000 --- a/38845.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,8261 +0,0 @@ - STORIES OF THE SCOTTISH BORDER - - - - -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 http://www.gutenberg.org/license. - - - -Title: Stories of the Scottish Border -Author: Mr and Mrs William Platt -Release Date: July 17, 2013 [EBook #38845] -Language: English -Character set encoding: US-ASCII - - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK STORIES OF THE SCOTTISH BORDER -*** - - - - -Produced by Al Haines. - - - -[Illustration: _The Rookhope Ride_] - - - - - STORIES OF THE - SCOTTISH BORDER - - - BY - - Mr and Mrs WILLIAM PLATT - - - - WITH SIXTEEN FULL-PAGE ILLUSTRATIONS BY - M. MEREDITH WILLIAMS - - - - GEORGE G. HARRAP & CO. LTD. - LONDON BOMBAY SYDNEY - - - - - _First published December 1910_ - _by_ GEORGE G. HARRAP & COMPANY - _39-41 Parker Street, Kingsway, London, W.C.2 - Reprinted: December 1916; March 1919; - April 1929_ - - - - _Printed in Great Britain by Turnbull & Spears, Edinburgh_ - - - - - *Contents* - - -INTRODUCTION - - I. THE CHARACTER OF THE BORDERS - II. A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE BORDER - III. WHAT THE BORDER NAMES TELL US - - -CHAP. - - I. Bamburgh and its Coast - II. Athelstan at Vinheath - III. Monks and Minstrels - IV. Sir Patrick Spens - V. Auld Maitland - VI. The Mystery of the Eildons - VII. Black Agnes of Dunbar - VIII. The Young Tamlane - IX. The Gay Goss-Hawk - X. The Corbies - XI. Otterbourne and Chevy Chase - XII. The Douglas Clan - XIII. Alnwick Castle and the Percies - XIV. Hexham and Queen Margaret - XV. Fair Helen of Kirkconnell - XVI. Johnie of Breadislee - XVII. Katharine Janfarie - XVIII. By Lauder Bridge - XIX. The Battle of Flodden Field - XX. After Flodden - XXI. Graeme and Bewick - XXII. The Song of the Outlaw Murray - XXIII. Johnie Armstrong - XXIV. The Lament of the Border Widow - XXV. The Raid of the Kers - XXVI. Merrie Carlisle - XXVII. Kinmont Willie - XXVIII. Dick o' the Cow - XXIX. The Lochmaben Harper - XXX. The Rookhope Ride - XXXI. Barthram's Dirge - XXXII. Queen Mary and the Borders - XXXIII. The Raid of the Reidswire - XXXIV. Jock o' the Side - XXXV. Hobbie Noble - XXXVI. The Laird o' Logie - XXXVII. Jamie Telfer of the Fair Dodhead -XXXVIII. Muckle-Mou'd Meg - XXXIX. The Dowie Dens of Yarrow - XL. Belted Will and the Baronry of Gilsland - XLI. Gilderoy - XLII. Archie Armstrong's Oath - XLIII. Christie's Will - XLIV. Northumberland at the Time of the Civil War - XLV. Montrose and Lesly - XLVI. The Death of Montrose - XLVII. The Borderers and the Jacobites - XLVIII. The Nine Nicks o' Thirlwall - XLIX. In Wild Northumberland To-Day - - - - - *Illustrations* - -The Rookhope Ride. . . . . . . Frontispiece - -Egil at Vinheath - -The Siege of Maitland Castle - -Black Agnes - -The Twa Corbies - -The Final Battle in the Streets of Hexham - -Johnie of Breadislee. - -Flodden Field - -"Tell Us All--Oh, Tell Us True!" - -The Border Widow - -The Escape of Kinmont Willie - -Queen Mary crossing the Solway - -"A Boon, a Boon, my Noble Liege!" - -"She Kissed his Cheek, She Kaim'd his Hair" - -The Storming of Newcastle - -"'Tis I, 'Tis thy Winifred!" - - - - -_In liquid murmurs Yarrow sings_ - _Her reminiscent tune_ -_Of bygone Autumn, bygone Springs,_ - _And many a leafy June._ - -_No more the morning beacons gleam_ - _Upon the silent hills;_ -_The far back years are years of dream--_ - _Now peace the valley fills._ - -_No more the reivers down the vale_ - _On raid and foray ride;_ -_No more is heard the widow's wail_ - _O'er those who fighting died._ - -_When morning damns with all its joys_ - _Then from the meadows rise_ -_A hundred throbbing hearts to voice_ - _Their anthems to the skies._ - -_When noontide sleeps where brackens wave,_ - _Ere shadows yet grow long,_ -_No sound awakes the echoes save_ - _The Yarrow's pensive song._ - -_And when the eve, with calm delight,_ - _Betokens night is nigh,_ -_Beneath the first star's tender light_ - _Is heard the owlet's cry._ - -_While Yarrow's liquid cadence swells_ - _By meadow, moor, and hill,_ -_At morn or noon or eve there dwells_ - _A mournful memory still._ - -W. CUTHBERTSON. - - - - - *Stories of The Scottish Border* - - - *Introduction* - - *I.--THE CHARACTER OF THE BORDERS* - - -The district called the Border is one of the most interesting in Great -Britain. It consists of that part of England that is nearest Scotland, -and that part of Scotland that is nearest England, mainly the counties -of Northumberland, Cumberland, Berwickshire, Roxburghshire, and -Dumfriesshire. - -The country is very picturesque and highly romantic. It abounds in great -rolling, breezy hills, with swift streamlets or "burns" running down -their sides to swell the rushing rivers. No part of our island has more -beautiful valleys than those of the Border. - -This bold, rough district, well adapted to defence, and situated also -just where the island of Great Britain is almost at its narrowest, -became, after many a struggle, the boundary between England and -Scotland. The character of the country was suited to the rearing of -hardy Moorland sheep and cattle; its inhabitants therefore were a tough, -open-air race of men, strong, strapping fellows, fearless riders, always -ready for an adventure, especially if it meant a fight. - -In those days of Border strife there was hardly such a thing as -international justice, that is to say, the people of one nation were not -very particular as to what they did to people of another nation; -therefore these bold, hardy Border men, Englishmen and Scot alike, were -fond of creeping across the boundary to steal the cattle of their -neighbours. Men devoted to such raids were called "Freebooters" or -"Mosstroopers," the name "Moss" being given in the North Country to -boggy tracts that lie about the hill-sides. - -So it happened that the Border was in a perpetual state of petty -warfare, conducted, it is true, with a certain amount of good-will and a -rough approach to chivalry, and with the concurrence of the powerful -Border nobles of both nations, who often played an important part -therein. At times these raids developed into important warlike -expeditions, when a fierce noble, or even a king, had some reckless game -to play. Hence, among the ballads which give us so vivid an account of -Border strife, we find descriptions not only of the minor doings of -picturesque sheep-stealers, but also of pitched battles such as Chevy -Chase and Homildon Hill. - -The union of England and Scotland in 1603 naturally put an end to all -the former excuses for raiding, and therefore terminated the true -Freebooter period. After this, despite one or two belated attempts, -such as Elliot's big raid in 1611, sheep-stealing ceased to be looked -upon as an honourable calling, and became mere thieving. The men who -would have raided one another's farms in 1602 became friendly neighbours -after the Border Commission of 1605. There had been little malice in -their former freebooting. Both sides were of one race; and they had the -pleasure of finding that their lands went up greatly in value in -consequence of the Border peace. - -To-day, the Border presents scenes of peaceful cattle-farming. But -Romance is still in the air, hangs about the fine, breezy moorlands and -beautiful dales, and is seen clearly in the faces of the healthy -Border-folk. A holiday at any Border farm would prove a most enjoyable -one. There are wonderful Roman remains, for here it was that the Romans -built their wall; there are castles of the Border barons; the views are -wide and grand; the river-valleys are unmatched for beauty, and -delightful wild flowers are plentiful, chief among which are fox-gloves, -the giant wild Canterbury Bells, the handsome North Country wild -geranium, several interesting kinds of wild orchids, and a variety of -others too numerous to mention. Last, but not least, it is often -possible in the evenings to see the farmers' sons engaged in friendly -wrestling in the meadows, when we can realise that these great manly -fellows are of the same vigorous race that kept the Borders lively a few -centuries ago. - - - - II.--A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE BORDER - - -Before dealing in detail with the stirring stories of Border history and -legend, to retell which is the purpose of this book, we will first -inquire--What is it that settles exactly the position of the border-line -between two countries? To find the answer we must think what happens -when a country is invaded. - -If the invaders are stronger than the people whom they attack, they go -on thrusting back their foes till these reach some strong position -where, by the aid of mountain, river, or marsh, they are able, at any -rate for a time, to hold their own. Thus, a border-line is always -determined by some natural feature of the country which gives the -defenders an advantage. - -The attackers will not always operate from the same locality, and the -defenders will not always fall back in the same direction; the two -sides, also, will vary in power from time to time. For these reasons a -border-line, especially in the old fighting days, was often altered. - -When the Romans invaded Britain they gradually conquered the southern -part of it, but they could not subdue the wilder north; one of their -boundary lines was drawn from the Solway to the Tyne; then they fought -their way further north and their next definite boundary was a line -running from the Forth to the Clyde. Along each of these boundaries they -built a great wall, and to this day parts of these Roman walls remain. -But it is worth noting that neither of these wall border-lines stands -upon the present border, one being all in England and the other all in -Scotland. - -When the Romans left Britain, called back to defend their own native -land from invasion, there followed a brief period for which we have no -definite record of events in this island. This is the period of King -Arthur, and none can say how much is true in the Arthurian legends. - -But history begins to become clear again about the time that the Angles -came in their ships across the North Sea, bent on conquest. They landed -on all the natural harbours of the east coast, driving the Britons back -and taking the land for themselves. The fact that they landed on the -East and drove the Britons westward, leads us to think that sooner or -later a boundary would have been formed dividing the island into the -east side (for the Angles) and the west side (for the Britons). - -Now that is exactly what did happen. The border-lines were nowhere like -the present ones. The northern kingdom of the Angles reached to the -Forth, where these people founded Edinburgh (Edwin's burgh). On the -west the Britons had sway in Cornwall (Corn-Walles), Wales, Cumbria -(which stretched from the Mersey to the Solway), and Strathclyde (from -the Solway to the Clyde). North of the Forth was the country of the -Picts; while the Scots were a race recently come from Ireland, and they -only owned what we now call Argyleshire, and the islands lying near to -it. Not one inch of the present Border was at that day in the -border-line! - -Of the various races that lay round about where the Border now is, the -Northumbrians seemed at first to be the strongest. The capital of their -kingdom was Bamburgh, a place still famous for its castle, though to-day -it is not important enough to have a railway station! But it still -looks very picturesque on the wild coast, with the Farne Islands, the -first seat of Northumbrian Christianity, in the near distance. - -Ambition had much to do with the downfall of Northumbria. The famous -King Eadbert would not rest content till he had scaled Dumbarton, the -capital of Strathclyde. This was to his career what the march to Moscow -was to Napoleon's, for, though Eadbert got safely to Dumbarton (756) his -army was cut to pieces in getting back again. The Northumbrians seem to -have lost some of their northern lands, for they moved their capital -further south, to the old Roman city of Corbridge which stood on the -Tyne just where the delightful country town of that name stands to-day. - -In 844 a king of the Scots, named Kenneth MacAlpin, became (we don't -quite know how) king of the Picts also, joining two strong races under -one ruler, and thus was powerful enough to give great trouble to the -weakened kingdom of Northumbria. He several times led his army through -Lothian, the district belonging to the Angles between the Forth and the -Tweed, but was never quite able to conquer it. It is important to -remember that up to that date Lothian had never belonged to Scotland. -The appearance of the Danes added to the confusion of those restless -days. For some few years it was doubtful whether Scot, Dane, or Angle -would get the best of it in Northumbria. But at last the genius of -Athelstan of Wessex revived the power of the Angles over the whole of -that large part of the island which they had settled, right up to the -Forth itself. Edinburgh was still English in 957, and the border-line -was still very far from the present one. But there was no longer a king -of Northumbria; only an earl, who was subject to the will of the -West-Saxon kings. - -This fact of the dominance of the West Saxons, whose capital was far to -the south at Winchester, must have added to the weakness of the -Northumbrian border. By the year 963 the Scots had conquered Edinburgh, -and it was now never again to return to English rule. Before very long -the whole of Lothian had passed under Scottish control; but it was not -yet held to be part of Scotland. Nor must it be thought that this -conquest of Lothian fixed the border-line in its present position, for -the king of the Scots was at that time ruler over Cumberland, which had -never yet been English and was all that was left of the old British -kingdom of Cumbria. - -Frontier wars with varying successes between Scot, Angle, and Dane mark -the stormy history of this time. The power of Cnut held back the Scotch -attempts upon Nothumberland; but during a lull in the wars the grand-son -of the Scottish king married the sister of Earl Siward, and received as -her dowry twelve towns in the valley of the Tyne, an astonishingly -imprudent arrangement. - -At the time of the battle of Hastings, the earldom of Northumberland was -so far distant from Winchester as to be somewhat out of the control of -the King of England; the power of the Scottish kings threatened it; they -held twelve towns in Tynedale, and Cumberland was a part of Scotland. -The Northumbrians refused to accept William the Conqueror as their king; -and had they been able to make good their refusal, they must sooner or -later have been conquered by the Scots, and the border-line between -England and Scotland would then most probably have been formed by the -Tees, the mountain boundary of Westmoreland, and Morecambe Bay. - -But William was not a king to be played with. He reduced Northumberland -to subjection and carried his army into Scotland as far as the river -Tay, where he forced the King of Scotland to admit that he, William, was -his overlord. - -Notwithstanding this humiliation, when King William returned to -Winchester, the Scots several times went back to their favourite -amusement of raiding unhappy Northumberland. - -One of these invasions took place in the reign of William Rufus (1093), -who went north in person. He doubtless recognised the fact that owing -to the Scots possessing Cumberland they were in the strong position of -being able to attack Northumberland on two sides. He took Cumberland by -force of arms, and thus for the first time it became a part of England -(the word "Cumberland" means the land of the Cumbrians or Welsh, a Saxon -form of the Welsh word Cymry). - -Rufus rebuilt the strong fortress of Carlisle to defend his new border -at its weakest corner. For the most part this border is excellently -protected by the natural rampart of the wild Cheviot Hills, and is in -every way as good a border as could be devised. It runs in a fairly -straight line from south-west to north-east, across a narrow part of the -island. - -But although this border-line proved to be a permanent one, it must not -be thought that it remained undisputed. The times were rough, and hardy -fighting folk lived on the Border. They had many grounds for quarrel, -and took advantage of them all. For one thing, the exact boundary of -North Cumberland was never quite defined till 1552; up to which year -there was a tract of land between the rivers Esk and Sark, which was -claimed by both countries, and therefore called the "Debateable Land." -Then the Scots maintained that they were overlords of Northumberland, -while the English kings cherished the notion that they were overlords of -the whole island of Britain, and the wild spirits on both sides were -always ready to fight. - -Out of this fighting spirit sprung the stirring history of the Border, -which forms the theme of the deathless Ballads, the stories of which it -is now our purpose to retell. - - - - III.--WHAT THE BORDER NAMES TELL US - - -Many a name holds a meaning wrapt up within itself like a nut in its -shell. For instance, "Edinburgh" is a Saxon name--Edwin's burgh--and -the word tells us that this noble city, though now the capital of -Scotland, was originally founded by and belonged to a Saxon king of -Northumbria. The Highlanders, in their own Gaelic language, called it -Dunedin. This has the same signification as Edinburgh, but, like most -Gaelic names, it is arranged in the reverse order to that in which an -English name is generally put together. "Dun" means burgh, "Edin" is -Edwin. This is the same Dun that we have in "Dundee," which means the -burgh on the Tay, and might be translated as "Tayburgh." "Dumbarton" -means the burgh of the Britons, and teaches us another notable lesson, -namely, how far north in the old times the British influence extended. -For "British" in this case means "Welsh." Nowadays we associate the -Welsh with Wales only. Formerly there must have been a numerous colony -of Welsh in Scotland, as the name "Dumbarton" testifies, as also many -Scottish family names. The great name of Wallace itself, for instance, -suggests such an origin, for "Wallace" is merely a corrupt form of the -word "Welsh," and proves that the great national hero was of Welsh -extraction. Then "Cumberland"--Cymry land--means the land of the Welsh, -or Cymry, as they call themselves. The county of Cumberland did not -really belong to the English till the time of William Rufus. The first -syllable of "Carlisle" denotes a Celtic fortified town, and must be -compared with the first syllable of "Carnarvon." - -The presence of the Roman wall is shown in many names in Northumberland, -such as "Wallsend," "Walltown," "Wallridge," "Heddon-on-the-Wall," -"Wallhouses," and "Thirlwall." - -For a very interesting instance of what a name tells us we may leave the -Border for a moment and consider why the northernmost part of Scotland -is called "Sutherland." It must have been so named by people living in -the Orkney and Shetland isles, of a different race from the Scotch--that -is, Norse settlers in those islands. - -With regard to surnames, how many stop to think that "Oliphant" is -merely a form of "elephant," and was originally an allusion to a big, -burly ancestor? "Grant," which is the same as "grand," must also have -been once applied to one who was a giant in size. The Frazers somehow -got their name from the French word for a strawberry, fraise. The -odd-looking "Scrymgeour" means simply a scrimmager or skirmisher. -"Turnbull" recalls one who turned the bull at a bull-baiting. The -well-known "Gladstains" or "Gladstone" has nothing to do with "glad," -but is from "glede," an old word for the kite, and commemorates some -stone where these birds frequented. "Buccleuch" is from the killing of -a buck in a cleugh or ravine. - -The Christian names of the Borderers are full of life and local colour, -and differ much from those of Southern England. "Barthram" is the -northern form of "Bertram," "Nigel" of "Neil," "Jellon" of "Julian," -"Ringan" of "Ninian." It was the general custom to abbreviate Christian -names or use them in the diminutive form, as is constantly the practice -in these Border ballads. "Hobbie" stands for "Halbert," a fine old name -which must not be confused with "Albert." "Dandie" or "Dandrie" is -"Andrew," "Eckie" is "Hector," "Lammie" is "Lambert," "Lennie" is -"Leonard." "Adam" becomes, in the familiar form, "Aicky," "Christian" -becomes "Christy," "Gilbert" becomes "Gibby." - -Another peculiarity of the ballads is the regular recurrence of such -phrases as "the Laird's Jock," "the Laird's Wat," "Ringan's Wat," etc. -These expressions mean, "John the son of the Laird," "Walter the son of -the Laird," "Walter the son of Ringan or Ninian." - - - - - *Chapter I* - - *Bamburgh and its Coast* - - -The little town of Bamburgh has two striking features--the great castle -upon its stern rock, and the wild coast-line at its feet where dash the -storms of the North Sea. - -To-day it is not important enough to have a railway station of its own; -yet once it was the capital of the great Saxon kingdom of Northumbria. -Its original name was Bebbanburgh, so called after Queen Bebba; of its -Saxon fortress hardly a trace remains, the present building being partly -the old Norman castle, with repairs and additions of a later date. The -ancient pile has a strength, dignity, and grandeur which accords well -with its truly noble situation. - -The North Saxons in choosing such a spot for their capital showed a very -evident desire to keep in touch with the sea. Over the sea they had -come; and over the sea would come both friends and enemies. Many a -meeting of both friend and foe has taken place at Bamburgh! - -Perhaps the fiercest of the enemies was Ragnar of the hairy-breeches, a -famous viking who plundered, ravaged, and burnt without mercy. These -vikings, powerful men and fearless sea-rovers, were a standing terror to -Northumbria. Men with frames and muscles strong as iron; at home both -on the sea and on the battle-field; fair-haired, blue-eyed men, guarded -by helmet, breast-plate, and shield, armed with heavy weapons, because -at that date the art of the smith was not equal to making them sharp, -light, and strong at once. So these mighty warriors hewed their way -through the field of battle with great strokes, and when their foes fled -in terror, the vikings took back to their ships all the treasure they -could find, and away they went across the sea again. But with all their -fierceness they loved poetry (wild war-poetry, most of it) and they -loved their strong, brave women. - -Ragnar was a thorough viking. He loved fighting, and his handsome wife, -and the battle songs he made. But the Saxons had no cause to love him, -and when his ship ran aground near Jarrow, they bound him and cast him -into a pit of snakes, and watched him slowly die. The viking had no fear -of death. He sang as he lay there, of his life and his deeds--of the -great banquets he had given to the wolves and the vultures and the -fierce battles he had won, spreading the terrors of his name from the -Orkneys to the Mediterranean; of his beautiful wife and strong sons, and -of how they would avenge him; and of how Woden, the lord of all -warriors, was calling him to his Hall. - -Many a battle has been fought on that wild coast since Ragnar died; much -history has been made thereabouts, and many legends have attached -themselves to Bamburgh. Like most famous places, it had its own special -dragon, the "Laidly Worm" or loathsome serpent of the ancient ballad. - - "For seven miles east, and seven miles west, - And seven miles north and south, - No blade of grass or corn would grow, - So venomous was her mouth!" - - -And yet, when the gallant knight gave her "kisses three," she changed at -once into a beautiful lady! - -But despite its castle, its battles, and its legends, Bamburgh slowly -declined in importance. As the capital of Northumbria it had been one -of the chief towns in England. But the gallant Northumbria of the -Saxons was more open to enemies than any other part of the country; -Cumbrians were on the west and Scots on the north, and this was of all -Saxon kingdoms the most exposed to the ravages of the Danes. From the -capital of a kingdom it became the capital of a county (Bamburghshire), -returning two members to Parliament in the reign of Edward I.; but it -grew of less and still less importance, till at last it was known only -to the student of history. It shared this fate with Lindisfarne, called -Holy Island, once the Canterbury of the North, on whose rocky shores -still stand the ruins of the fine Norman cathedral which took the place -of the old Saxon one. Lindisfarne and Bamburgh--neighbours, divided -only by a narrow belt of sea--two names that conjure up vivid pictures -of romantic history. Yet suddenly, early in the nineteenth century, the -great deed of a splendid heroine lent new glory to the wild, sea-girt -town. - -Grace Darling was born at Bamburgh in 1817, in a cottage on the south -side of the village street, which can still be seen to-day. Her father -became keeper of the lighthouse on the Langstone, a rocky islet five -miles from the coast, guarding ships from the dangerous Farne Islands, a -group of iron-bound rocks where seabirds dwell. In the early morning of -September 7, 1838, during the raging of a most terrible storm, she heard -the crash of a ship dashed upon the rocks, and anguished cries; as soon -as dawn enabled them to see, the girl and her father made out the dark -outline of the wreck, and the miserable forms of the mariners crouching -on rocks from which the rising tide would sweep them inevitably to -death. With superb heroism Grace and her father pushed their small boat -into the furious waters, and after strenuous and dauntless efforts, -always at the peril of their own lives, they saved the whole ship's -company, nine souls in all. So fierce was the storm that it was three -days before a boat dared take them from the Langstone to the mainland. - -The roar of approbation which greeted her from the whole country found -her as modest as she was brave. But for all her courage, this noble girl -was not strong. She died four years later, and lies buried at Bamburgh, -within sound of the sea. And the Langstone is known to-day as "Grace -Darling's Island," and the tomb of the brave girl rouses sweeter -memories than the frowning fortress of Bamburgh. - - - - - *Chapter II* - - *Athelstan at Vinheath* - - -Famous among the old Norse sea-rovers was Egil, son of Skallagrim. In -the course of his many voyages, he visited all the lands between the -White Sea and the Bay of Biscay, and when at last he settled down in his -Iceland home, where he lived on till well past the age of eighty, he -loved to gather his children and grandchildren around him by the -fireside during the long Icelandic winter, and to tell the story of his -adventures. He was a true Norseman, fond of the sea and the fight, fond -of his wife and children, fond of song, at which he was highly skilled. -His songs and his stories of adventure were listened to with eagerness, -and they were repeated after him, and were at last written down, -probably between one hundred and fifty and two hundred years after his -death. Books were scarce in those days, and stories were treasured and -faithfully re-told. So this story of Egil was probably written out very -much in the simple, vigorous style in which the old warrior would have -told it to his grandchildren, as they listened to him with wide-open, -wondering eyes. And as the old man had taken part in an early battle -between Saxon-English and Scots, upon the Border, we have here a fine -picture of how fights were fought in the reign of King Athelstan. - -Egil was speaking to Icelandic children who knew little about England, -so he began by telling how in the days when Harold Fairhair was king of -Norway, Alfred the Great was the first supreme king over all England. -When Alfred died he was succeeded by his son Edward, who was followed by -Athelstan the Victorious. In Egil's day Athelstan was young and had but -just been made king, and many chieftains, who had kept quiet before, now -thought that the time had come when they could do as they pleased again. -But Athelstan meant to show them that he too could rule England strongly -and wisely. - -These were the days of brute force, and the king had first to get an -army together. Besides his own English folk, many roving Norsemen came -to take his pay, and among the number were Egil and his elder brother -Thorolf, with their men. They saw the king himself, who received them -well. Athelstan was a good Christian, known as the Faithful, and he -desired that Thorolf and Egil should submit to be marked with the Cross, -that they might take their place by his Christian soldiers without -quarrel. This they agreed to, and the king gave them command over three -hundred men. Now Olaf the Red was king in Scotland. His father was a -Scot, but his mother was a Dane of the family of Ragnar -with-the-hairy-breeches, that savage old viking. Northumberland, which -in those days extended to the Humber, and included York as its chief -city, was half-full of Danes, and King Olaf wished to claim it for his -own, and add it to Scotland. - -Athelstan had set Earl Alfgeir and Earl Gudrek to rule Northumberland -and defend it from the Scots. But Olaf of Scotland came south with his -mighty host; there was a fierce battle; Earl Gudrek was slain and Earl -Alfgeir fled. When Athelstan heard of the triumph of Olaf, he began at -once to march northward with all the men he could get together; but he -was yet young, and some of the treacherous earls, hearing that Olaf had -so far been victor, deserted King Athelstan. Chief among these traitors -were Earl Hring and Earl Adils, who should have been in the very front -of the English army, but who basely went over to the Scots. Thus Olaf's -host became exceeding great, greater by far than the English army. - -Then Athelstan called together his captains and his counsellors; Egil -was there, and heard all the grave talk as to what should be done. At -last a plan was made that all thought good, and this is what followed. - -First, messengers were sent to King Olaf, saying that King Athelstan -would meet him in fair fight at Vinheath by Vinwood, in Northumberland, -where he would mark out the field of battle with rods of hazel. He who -won the battle should be king over all England. The armies should meet -a week hence, and whichever was first on the ground should wait a week -for the other. King Olaf should bide quiet, and not harry the land till -the battle was ended. North of the heath was a town; there King Olaf -stayed, for there he could best get provisions for his army. But some -of his men he sent to the heath, to view it. - -The hazel-poles were already set up on the large level plain. A river -was on one side, and a wood was on the other. And where river and wood -were nearest to one another, there King Athelstan's tents were pitched. - -Many tents there were, but the front line of tents stood high, so that -the Scots could not see how many were behind. Every third tent was -empty, but many men were sleeping on the grass in the open, so that the -Scots might think that the English had a large army there. Every day -more English troops came in, and when the time was come that was fixed -for the battle, English envoys went to the King of the Scots asking if -there need be the great fight and bloodshed that threatened; if Olaf -would go peaceably home, Athelstan would give him a shilling of silver -for every plough that ploughed in England. The Scots took counsel -together and said they must have more than this. Then the messengers -begged a three days' truce to consider this. On the third day they came -again, saying that King Athelstan would give what he offered before and -also to the Scottish army a silver shilling for every freeman soldier, a -silver mark for every lesser officer, a gold mark for every captain, and -five gold marks for every earl. But the Scots asked not only for this, -but also for Northumberland to be yielded to them. Then the English -messengers answered that Scottish messengers must ride back with them, -to take the answer from Athelstan himself. - -Now the truth is this: that the Scottish king had taken Athelstan by -such surprise that he needed time to get his men together; all these -messages were but a trick to gain time till the king should come up -himself with all the men he could gather. When, therefore, the -messengers rode up to King Athelstan, he had but just arrived on the -scene of battle. And when he heard the message he said: "Tell King Olaf -this, that I will give him leave to return to Scotland safely if only he -give back all he has unjustly taken from this land, and if he own -himself my under-king, holding Scotland for me and at my behest." - -This proud answer made the Scottish messengers at once see what had been -going on. So they hastened back to their king to tell him how they had -been received and what the meaning of it was. - -When the Scots found that the English had thus outwitted them, they took -counsel together in some anger. Earl Adils, he who had deserted the -English, said that he and his brother, Earl Hring, would that very night -make a surprise attack; if it succeeded, well and good; if not, then -they could easily withdraw, and the main battle could begin in the -morning. This the King of Scots held to be good advice. - -So the two traitor earls and their men moved southward under cover of -the darkness. But Thorolf the Norseman was used to the ways of war, and -his sentries were alert and blew a great war-blast on their horns. And -thus the fight began. - -Thorolf was armed with a massy halberd that stood taller than a man; -broad was its blade and thick its socket, and it ended in a four-edged -spike. He had a strong sword by his side and a big, heavy shield on his -left arm; he had a helmet but no shirt of mail. His brother Egil was -armed in much the same way. The Norsemen's standard was borne by Thorfid -the strong. - -Next to the Norsemen, in the first rank also, was the division led by -Earl Alfgeir, he who had once before fled from the Scots. King -Athelstan gave him this chance to redeem himself. Now when the first -onslaught of the Scots took place, Earl Adils came against Earl Alfgeir, -while Earl Hring came against the Norsemen. - -And now the battle began. The two traitor earls urged on their men, who -charged with spirit. The fight was fierce, and soon Alfgeir gave -ground; this made the foe press on the fiercer, and before long Alfgeir -was in full flight. He avoided the town where Athelstan was, and fled -night and day to the coast, where he took ship out of the country he had -served so ill. - -Adils did not dare to pursue him far, for fear of being himself cut off -from his friends. So he returned to help his brother Hring against the -Norsemen. Thorolf, like a true general, saw the danger of this, and at -once told Egil to turn aside with half their force to prevent Adils from -joining his brother. The Norsemen fought a grand fight, but were badly -outnumbered, and the battle seemed to be going against them. Then -Thorolf became furious. Disdainful of life, he cast his shield behind -his back, grasped his great halberd with both hands, and sprang forward, -hacking down all who opposed him. Straight for Hring's standard he went, -nothing could stop him. He slew the standard-bearer, cut through the -standard-pole, and with a mighty stroke thrust his halberd right through -the body of Hring, the traitor earl, and lifted him up in the air that -all might see that he was slain. Then Adils and the rest of the men -fled to the wood, and thus ended the first part of the fight. More was -to come on the morrow. - -At dawn next day King Athelstan came forward with his main army. He had -heard of the great deeds of the brothers Thorolf and Egil; most -courteously he thanked them, and said that he would always reckon them -as his friends. Then with his captains he made his plans for the -battle. Egil he put in command of the front ranks of his men, and -Thorolf he set aside to face those of the Scots who might charge the -English in loose array. - -[Illustration: Egil at Vinheath] - -"For this is the way of the Scots," he said; "they dash to and fro, rush -forward and hither and thither, and are dangerous except to a commander -who is both wary and bold." - -Egil said, "I would rather that Thorolf and I were near together"; but -Thorolf answered, "As the king commands, so will we do." - -The battle began, and soon waged furiously. Thorolf and his men pressed -forward along the woodside, hoping to take the enemy on the flank. Now, -unknown to him, Adils and his followers were hiding among the trees, and -of a sudden Adils sprang out and smote him down. Thorfid, too, the brave -standard-bearer, was pressed back, but rallied the men, who fought -desperately. - -The Scots had raised a great shout at the fall of Thorolf, and this was -heard by Egil, who, when he saw the standard forced back, feared that -his brother was dead, for Thorolf had never drawn back from any foe. So -with a fierce cry Egil hacked his way through to that part of the field, -and when he learnt the truth from his men, he never rested till he had -slain Adils with his own hand. - -The followers of Adils then fled, and Egil and the Norsemen hewed their -way through the flank of the Scottish force towards the place where King -Olaf's standard was. Noting this, King Athelstan, that wary general, -caused his own standard to be set forward and all his army to attack at -once. Fierce and furious was the fight, and great was the slaughter. -King Olaf was slain, with great numbers of his men, and the rest fled in -confusion. The English victory was complete. - -As soon as Athelstan saw that victory was his, he left the pursuit to -his captains and hastened to the town to make his arrangements. Egil -pursued far and fiercely, and when at last he came back to the -battlefield his first thought was for his dead brother. Worn out though -he was, he would take no rest until he had buried the warrior with full -honours, with his arms and his raiment; and before the sad farewell was -said Egil clasped a gold bracelet on both of Thorolf's wrists to show -his deep love. Then they buried the hero deep and put a high cairn of -stones over him. - -Then one last tribute Egil paid to his brother, the greatest of them -all. Among these old Norse warriors there existed a great love of song; -the great fighters strove also to be great song-makers, and Egil was -famous above most for this power. The Norsemen's poems had not rhymes -like ours; they had short vigorous lines, and in each pair of lines -three of the important words had to begin with the same letter. Wild -strong chants they were. This is the song that Egil sang at the burial -of his brother, Thorolf Skallagrimsson:-- - - "The halberd of the hero - Hewed down the foe before him; - Then in the brunt of battle - Was spilt brave Thorolf's blood. - The grass is green on Vinheath - Where sleeps my great-souled brother; - But death, in doubled sorrow, - Our doleful hearts must bear." - - -When Egil got to the town he found the king and his army making merry -over their victory at a huge feast. The courteous king saw Egil and bade -him come and sit near to him. The king watched the burly Norseman, who -was tall, with broad shoulders, a powerful head and mighty strength; but -now his head was bent forward, and he kept his sword across his knees, -and now and again half drew it and then clashed it back into its -scabbard like a man who fights with heavy thoughts. He ate little and -drank less. Then King Athelstan, watchful and courteous, took a gold -ring from his arm, and placing it on his sword-point, handed it thus to -where Egil sat. At this mark of honour the Norseman's face grew -brighter. Then the king sent round his own horn for Egil to drink; so -he drank to the king and sang a verse of wild poetry in his praise, made -on the spur of the moment; and with this the king was much pleased. - -Then the king sent also for two chests full of silver, and said to -Egil:-- - -"These chests carry to thy father; it is fitting that King Athelstan -make him some gift for the loss of his son. And do thou stay with me -long, and I will give thee honour and dignity." - -Thus the great king in kindness and courtesy did what he could to soothe -the grief of the warrior; and Egil stayed the winter with Athelstan, but -when the summer came he wished to go back to his own people. But he had -much respect for King Athelstan, and ere he bade him farewell he made a -long poem to his glory. - -_From the Song of Egil Skallagrimsson, to the Glory of King Athelstan._ - - "See how the kingly warrior, - Land-warder, battle-wakener, - Smites even to the earth - The earls who rise against him! - Glad is now Northumberland, - This the king she needed, - Wise and bold of race and blood, - Dauntless in the battle-field!" - - -Many were the verses of this stirring song; and after each came the -refrain:-- - - "Scottish hills where reindeer roam - Own the rule of Athelstan!" - - -The king gave Egil two heavy gold rings and a handsome cloak that he -himself had worn; then the Norseman sailed away, for always near to his -heart was the welfare of his dead brother's wife and child. Yea, for -the rest of his long life he loved this child even as he loved his own. - - - - - *Chapter III* - - *Monks and Minstrels* - - -The wild Borderland was the scene of the labours of many ol the first -great Christian leaders. Where the arts of war were so much practised, -it was needful that the arts of peace should flourish also. Great was -the influence, even in the wildest times, of these able, serious, -devoted leaders of early religious thought, men like Ninian and -Kentigern. - -Christianity first came into Britain in Roman times, and some of the -Britons were converted. After the Romans quitted the country, King -Arthur was the leader of the Christian Britons, and he is said to have -fought with the pagan Britons, the pagan Picts, the pagan Saxons, who -had begun their invasions, and the disorderly soldiers of various races, -probably pagans whom the Romans left behind along the wall. - -In due time the fight developed into a struggle between Christian -Britons and pagan Saxons, and then the Saxons themselves began to accept -the new religion. Oswald, a Northumbrian prince, had in a time of peril -hidden in the island of Iona, to where the great Irishman Columba had -come from Ireland as a missionary. When Oswald returned to power he -summoned to his kingdom Aidan, a high-minded Christian teacher, whom he -made first bishop of Lindisfarne (Holy Island). Aidan being a Celt, had -to do his work through interpreters, but he did it well, and laid the -foundations of Christianity and learning in Northumbria. Cuthbert was -another famous missionary. Rising from shepherd-boy to bishop, he -impressed both king and peasant by the dignified simplicity and -sincerity of his life. His place of meditation was a sea-girt rock by -Lindisfarne, lonely and picturesque, and still called after his name. A -curious fossil, with the mark of a cross, is plentiful there, and goes -by the name of St Cuthbert's beads. Other famous teachers were Wilfrid -of York, who founded the churches of Hexham and Ripon; Boisil, who -founded Melrose, and Biscop, who founded Jarrow. - -But perhaps the most celebrated of all was Bede, the "Venerable Bede," -who lived at Jarrow and wrote forty-five learned books on all subjects, -including music, astronomy, and medicine. All the scholars in England -flocked to hear his teachings, and he was justly called "the father of -English learning." He it was who first introduced into England the art -of making glass. - -His last work was to translate the Gospel of St John into Northumbrian -English. This was in the year 735. Being too ill to hold a pen, he -dictated to his favourite pupil. "Write quickly," he said, for he felt -that he was dying. "It is finished," answered the lad, and the old -man's heart was satisfied. In a faint, brave voice he chanted the -_Gloria_, and so died singing. - -In those days there was, of course, no such thing as printing. Every -manuscript was written and rewritten, carefully, by hand, and treasured -as a sacred possession in the seats of learning. So proud were they of -their manuscripts that they beautified them with illustrations in -colour. Many of these manuscripts have, of course, been destroyed; for -instance, the Danes in 875 burnt the priceless library of Bishop Acca at -Hexham, destroying in one day the treasured collection of a lifetime; -but many remain to show the love of learning which existed even then. -Bishop Edfrid, who lived in the little rocky island of Lindisfarne, made -a copy of the Gospels, which is looked upon with wonder even to-day. -Strings of beautiful birds and quaint animals are drawn upon his pages; -evangelists with mantles of purple and tunics of blue, pink, or green. -With the writing clear and beautiful, the decorations showing the -greatest care and devotion, this manuscript of one thousand two hundred -years ago has been the delight of thousands, and comes down to us to -witness to the loving care of the scholars of old in the days before -printing was known. - -Great as was their love of beautiful manuscripts, they had an equally -noble passion for grand buildings. A superb monument of simple dignity -and religious grandeur is the Norman Cathedral at Durham, commenced by -Bishop Carilef in 1093, and finished by Bishop Flambard in 1128. -Occupying a wonderful position at the top of a wooded hill, around which -flows the beautiful river Wear, Durham Cathedral is in itself one of the -noblest buildings in the world. While the Church in those troublous -times kept thus a storehouse of learning for serious scholars, other -methods kept the people informed of the more stirring events of their -day. - -In the old days, when no newspapers existed to tell people the news, -when books were scarce and history was not taught to every lad as a part -of his training, the ballad-writer and the wandering minstrel played a -very important part. Ballads, sometimes really fine pieces of poetry, -sometimes a mere halting troop of lame lines, were made upon every -occasion of local or general interest. They were sung to simple and -often beautiful tunes or chants. The best of the minstrels were welcome -to the halls of the nobles, and even to the king himself; the poorest of -them sang on the village green. The ballads were learnt and repeated by -the folk of the country-side; some were in later times printed on loose -sheets, but at first they were handed on from mouth to mouth. -Alterations and errors often crept in; mistakes due to a sameness of -sound. For instance, in the old ballad of _Mary Ambree_, a soldier is -referred to as "Sir John Major," probably meaning Sergeant-major. In -one of the versions of the battle of Chevy Chase, Henry Percy was said -to have been killed there, whereas he really lived on to be slain at -Shrewsbury. But, despite such occasional blunders, the ballads on the -whole throw a vivid light on the manners and customs of the old days, as -well as being usually stirring and sometimes strikingly noble and -pathetic pieces of poetry. They deal as a rule rather with the side -currents than with the main stream of history; but they express -themselves with such homely force and directness that they bring home to -us with wonderful clearness the character of the vigorous manly men with -whose doings they are chiefly concerned. - -During the last one hundred and fifty years many able men have laboured -to collect old ballads, writing them down from the mouths of the -country-folk and printing them in books with notes of explanation. One -of the earliest thus to collect ballads seriously was Bishop Percy; the -best known is Sir Walter Scott, of whose interest in the subject -Lockhart, his biographer, writes very pleasantly. - -Prefaced to many of the stirring tales in this present book are lines -from the old Border ballads from which they are taken. It is to be -hoped that readers will be tempted sooner or later to read the rest of -these fine ballads for themselves. - - - - - *Chapter IV* - - *Sir Patrick Spens* - - - "The king sits in Dunfermline town - Drinking the blood-red wine; - 'O where shall I get a well-skilled skipper - To sail this new ship of mine?'" - - -Almost every collection of Scottish songs contains this picturesque old -ballad, which refers to a very remote time in Scottish history, probably -the end of the thirteenth century. King Alexander III. of Scotland died -in 1285; he had the bitter grief of seeing all his children die before -him. His daughter Margaret had been married to Eric, King of Norway, -and she left a daughter also called Margaret, and known as the "Maid of -Norway." This maid was now heiress to the Scottish throne, and it is -natural to suppose that the lonely king should wish her to return to -Scotland, and should send a richly appointed ship to fetch her back. -And although there is no strictly historical record of such an -expedition, the truth of the ballad is made more probable by the fact -that it opens in the fine old town of Dunfermline. - -Dunfermline was a favourite residence of Alexander, who was killed in -its neighbourhood by a fall from his horse, and was buried in the abbey -there, the ruins of which beautiful structure still remain. - -In this ballad the king is feasting at Dunfermline town, and calls for a -skilful mariner to sail his new ship. An old knight at the king's right -hand answers that the best sailor who ever sailed the sea is Sir Patrick -Spens. So the king writes a letter, sealing it with his own hand, and -sends it to Sir Patrick, commanding him to sail away to Norway over the -white sea-foam and bring home the maid. - -Now every good sailor dreaded the rough Northern seas in winter, so -though the brave Sir Patrick laughed aloud when he began to read, he -wept blinding tears before he had ended. "Who has done this deed?" he -cried; "who has told the king of me and urged him to send us out at this -time of the year to sail on the stormy sea? Yet, wind, wet, hail, or -sleet, we must set out, for 'tis we who must fetch home the maid." - -So they set sail on a Monday morning, and reached Norway on a Wednesday. -History tells us that Eric of Norway was very unwilling to part with his -daughter. This probably accounts for the fact that the old ballad tells -us that the Scotsmen had only been there a fortnight when the lords of -Norway began to say that Sir Patrick and his men were spending the gold -of their king and queen. "Ye lie," cried Sir Patrick, "loudly I hear ye -lie, for I brought with me over the sea enough red gold and white money -to supply the wants of my men. Make ready, make ready, my merry men; we -will sail at daybreak." "Alack," quoth the men, "a deadly storm is -brewing. Yesterday evening the new moon was seen carrying the old moon -in her arms; we shall certainly come to harm if we go to sea." - -Barely had they sailed three leagues when the sky darkened, the wind -blew loudly, and the sea grew boisterous. Soon they were in the midst -of a terrible storm. The anger of the sea was far more dreadful than -the anger of the lords of Norway. The anchors broke away, the topmasts -snapped, and the waves came over the broken ship, tearing her sides -asunder. "O where shall I get a good sailor to take the helm while I -climb the tall topmast to see if I can espy land?" "That I fear ye -never will," cried a sailor as he took the helm, and scarcely had Sir -Patrick gone a step when a plank started in the ship's side and the -water came pouring in. - -"Fetch a web of silken cloth, and fetch a web of twine," cried Sir -Patrick, "and cast them down to our ship's side!" For it was the custom -in those days, when a leak could not be reached from inside the vessel, -to cast down some closely woven stuff in the hope that the suction of -the water would drag it across the leak and stop thus the fatal inrush -of water. Alas! all their efforts failed. Then the ballad-writer says -somewhat grimly of the dandies among the Scottish lords that whereas at -first they grumbled to see the water spoil their fine cork-heeled shoes, -when the storm had done its fatal work the sea was "above their hats"! - - "And many was the feather bed - That fluttered on the foam; - And many was the gude lord's son - That never mair came home! - - The ladyes wrang their fingers white; - The maidens tore their hair, - A' for the sake of their true loves; - For them they'll see nae mair. - - O lang, lang may the ladyes sit, - Wi' their fans into their hand, - Before they see Sir Patrick Spens - Come sailing to the strand! - - And lang, lang may the maidens sit, - With their goud kaims[#] in their hair, - A' waiting for their ain dear loves! - For them they'll see nae mair. - -[#] Golden combs. - - O forty miles off Aberdeen, - 'Tis fifty fathoms deep, - And there lies gude Sir Patrick Spens, - Wi' the Scots lords at his feet." - - - - - *Chapter V* - - *Auld Maitland* - - - "'Wha holds this house?' young Edward cried, - 'Or wha gives it o'er to me?' - ''Tis I will keep my good old house, - While my house will keep me!'" - - -The story of Auld Maitland is said to be taken from a very old ballad, -and known chiefly to the people who lived in the neighbourhood of -Ettrick Forest. The old folks there would while away the long winter -evenings by singing of the deeds of their ancestors, and the ballad of -_Auld Maitland_, as thus chanted, was written down by the mother of -James Hogg, the "Ettrick Shepherd." - -The castle of Thirlestane stood on the river Leader, and still, in its -restored form, deserves its name of "the darksome house." It may have -often withstood the English during the Baliol wars, and hatred of the -English and of Edward I. is expressed with extreme virulence throughout -the poem. Here is the story:-- - -There lived in the south country a king named Edward, who wore the crown -unworthily for fifty years. This king had a nephew, strong in blood and -bone, who bore the same hateful name. One day the young man came before -the king, and kneeling low, he said, "A boon, a boon I crave of thee, my -good uncle. Oft have I wished to take part in our long wars in fair -Scotland. Grant me fifteen hundred chosen strong men to ride there with -me." - -"Certainly thou shalt have them, and more, and I myself, though old and -grey, will see thy host arrayed for battle." - -King Edward sent hither and thither, and assembled fifteen hundred men -on Tyne side, and three times as many at North Berwick, all bound for -battle. They marched up the banks of Tweed, burning the Merse and -Teviotdale, and up and down the Lammermoor Hills, until they came to the -darksome house called, by some, "Leader-Town." - -"Who holds this house?" cried young Edward, "or who gives it over to -me?" He was answered, as proudly, by a grey-haired knight: "I hold my -house of Scotland's king, who pays me in meat and fee, and I will hold -it as long as it will stand together." - -Thereupon the English brought up their sows[#] to the wall with many a -heavy sound, but the soldiers on the wall cast down blazing pitch and -tar barrels, to consume the formidable machine. They also threw down -stones and beams and darts from their springalds,[#] and slew many of -the English. - -[#] A military engine framed of wood, covered with hides and mounted on -wheels, so that, being rolled forward to the foot of the wall, it served -as a shed to defend the miners underneath it and their battering-rams -from the stones and arrows of the soldiers above. - -[#] Large crossbows worked by machinery. - -Fifteen days they besieged the castle of Auld Maitland, but left him at -the end of that time unhurt within his stone stronghold. - -[Illustration: _The Siege of Maitland Castle_] - -They loaded fifteen ships with as much spoil as they could carry away -from the district around, and claimed that now they had conquered -Scotland with buckler, bow, and brand. So they sailed away to France to -meet the old King Edward, who was burning every castle, tower, and town -that he met with. They came at last to the town of Billop-Grace, where -Auld Maitland's three sons were at school. - -Edward had quartered the arms of Scotland with his own. "See'st thou -what I see?" said the eldest son to the youngest; "if that be true that -yonder standard says, then are we all three fatherless, and Scotland -conquered up and down. Never will we bow to the conquerer. Let us go, -my two brothers, and try our chance in an adventure?" Thereupon they -saddled two black horses and a grey, and rode before day-dawn to King -Edward's army. Arrived there, they hovered round, and Maitland begged -to be allowed to carry the king's standard, the Golden Dragon. - -"Where wast thou born and bred, and in what country?" demanded the -knight who bore the banner. "I was born in the north of England," -answered Maitland; "my father was a knight and my mother a lady, and I -myself am a squire of high renown, and may well carry the banner of a -king." "Never had the son of an Englishmen such an eye or brow," -answered the knight; "thou art more like Auld Maitland than any man I -have ever seen; yet God grant that such a gloomy brow I never see again; -he slew and wounded many of our men." - -At the mention of his father's name Maitland's anger burst out, and -lifting up a gilded dagger that hung low by his knee, he struck fiercely -at the standard-bearer, and, catching hold of the corner of the -standard, rode swiftly away with it, crying to his brothers, "Is it not -time to flee?" "Ay, by my sooth," they both shouted, "we will bear you -company." So they rode off at hot speed, the pursuers following. The -youngest Maitland, turning round in the path, drew his brand and killed -fifteen of the foremost, and the rest fell back. Then he dug his spurs -into the sides of his faithful grey, until both the sides ran blood. -"Thou must carry me away, or my life lies in pledge," he cried. - -About daybreak the brothers arrived at their uncle's castle, who, seeing -the three Scottish lads with pursuers riding hard at their heels, -ordered the portcullis to be drawn up and the drawbridge let down, for -that they should lodge with him that night in spite of all England. - -When the three came inside the gate, they leapt down from their horses, -and taking three long spears in their hands, they fought till it was -full daylight, killing and wounding many of the Englishmen round the -drawbridge. Some of the dead were carted away in waggons, and stones -were heaped upon the rest as they lay in the gutter. - -King Edward proclaimed at his pavilion door that three lads of France, -disguised, and with false words, had come and stolen away the standard, -and had slain his men in their lawful attempt to regain it. - -"It ill befits a crowned king to lie," said the youngest Maitland, "and -he shall be reproved for it before I taste meat or drink." - -Straightway he went before King Edward, and, kneeling low, begged leave -to speak a word with him. "Man, thou shalt have leave to speak, even -though thou shouldst speak all day," answered the king. - -"Ye said," spoke the youngest Maitland, "that three young lads of France -had stolen away the standard with a false tale, and slain many men. But -we are not lads of France, and never have pretended to be; we are three -lads of fair Scotland, and the sons of Auld Maitland, nor are there men -in all your host dare fight us three to three." - -"Now, by my sooth," said the young Edward, who stood by, "Ye shall be -well fitted, for Percy shall fight with the eldest, and Egbert Lunn with -thee, and William of Lancaster with the other, and the surviving brother -shall fight with me. Remember, Percy, how oft the Scot has cowered -before thee; I will give thee a rig of land for every drop of Maitland -blood." - -So they set to, and the eldest Maitland clanked Percy over the head and -wounded him so deeply that the best blood of his body ran down his hair. -"I have slain one," shouted Maitland to his brothers; "slay ye the other -two, and that will be good company, and if the two shall slay ye both, -ye shall get no help from me."[#] - -[#] According to the laws of chivalry, having slain his own man, he -could, if he pleased, come to the assistance of the others. - -But Egbert Lunn was like a baited bear and had seen many battles, and -when Maitland saw that his youngest brother was having the worst of it, -he could not restrain himself longer, and shouting, "I am no king; my -word shall not stand," he struck Egbert over the head and slew him. -"Now I have slain two; slay ye one for good company," he cried; "neither -shall ye get any help from me even if the one shall slay ye both." So -the two brothers slew the third, and hung him over the drawbridge for -all the host to see. - -Then they rode and ran, but still got not away, but hovered round, -boasting: "We be three lads of fair Scotland that fain would see some -fighting." - -When young Edward heard this, he cried wrathfully, "I'll take yon lad -and bind him, and bring him bound to thee." - -"Now God forbid that ever thou shouldst try that," said the king; "we -have lost three worthy leaders; wouldst thou be the fourth? Never again -would I be happy if thou wert to hang on yonder drawbridge." - -But Edward struck fiercely at Maitland, cleaving his stout helmet and -biting right near his brain. When Maitland saw his own blood flowing he -threw away his weapon, and springing angrily at young Edward's throat, -he swung him thrice about and flung him on the ground, holding him there -though he was of great strength. - -"Now let him up," cried King Edward, "let him come to me, and for thy -deed thou shalt have three earldoms." - -"Nay," replied Maitland, "never shall it be said in France or in -Scotland that Edward once lay under me and got up again," and with that -he pierced him through the heart and hung him over the drawbridge with -the other three. - -"Now take from me my bed of feathers," said the king, "make me a bed of -straw. Would that I had not lived to see the day that makes my heart so -sad." - - - - - *Chapter VI* - - *The Mystery of the Eildons* - - - "Before their eyes the Wizard lay - As if he had not been dead a day. - His hoary beard in silver roll'd, - He seemed some seventy winters old. - High and majestic was his look, - At which the fellest friends had shook, - And all unruffled was his face; - They trusted his soul had gotten grace." - SCOTT: _Lay of the Last Minstrel._ - - -Just above Melrose, the ruined abbey of which is one of the beauties of -Scotland, there rises a striking mass of three hills known as "the -triple Eildons." They rise very high above the surrounding land, and -are steep enough to need a very hard scramble to mount to the very -summit; but once at the top the view is wonderful indeed. On a fine day -the Tweed can be seen winding in and out most picturesquely, till it -loses itself in the low distant haze of the North Sea, thirty miles -away. But even grander is the view of the entire line of the Cheviots, -like a huge wall, fifty miles long, seen to immense advantage from -Eildon, which towers over the rich valleys of Tweed and Teviot that lie -between. One of the legends of the triple Eildons is that King Arthur -lies sleeping beneath them, some day to awaken. Tradition says that he -fought a great battle near here, by Gala Water, in the Vale of Woe. - -However that may be, it is certain that at the foot of Eildon lie many -famous dead. In Melrose Abbey lies the heart of Robert Bruce, and also -the body of the strong King Alexander II., he who first subdued and made -obedient the wild tribes of Argyle. Here, too, is buried the brave -Douglas who died so gallantly on the field of Otterbourne; and also of -another brave Douglas who got his death wound at Poictiers. - -Sir Walter Scott, who did more than any other man to spread all over the -world the knowledge of Scotland, Scottish history, Scottish romance, and -Scottish character, lies buried on the southern side of Eildon, in the -rival abbey of Dryburgh. But Melrose can claim a man who in his day was -an object of the deepest wonder and terror--Michael Scott, the famous -wizard of the thirteenth century, he who brought the learning of -Aristotle to expound to Western Europe, he whom Dante described as -learned in every deep spell of the magic arts. Perhaps he was only a -scientist, born before his time; yet even to-day old folk in the country -remember that it was he who is said to have cleft the head of Eildon -Hill into three! - -One of the many strange tales told of Michael Scott is this:-- - -They say that the lord of Morpeth, in Northumberland, promised the great -wizard a rich reward if he would only make the sea roll up the valley of -the pretty river Wansbeck till it reached Morpeth, so that vessels could -sail up to the town. The distance is seven miles, and the wizard, -declaring the matter a most simple one, prepared his magic spell. He -then said that if a certain man would run from the sea to the town, and -on no account look back, whatever he heard, the desire of the lord would -be satisfied. The man no sooner started to run than he heard the waters -following him. Faster and faster he went, and faster and faster came -the ocean, dashing and roaring, never overtaking him, but always so near -his heels as to fill him with ever greater and greater terror. - -Before he had finished the third mile he was in such a state of alarm -that he could not resist the impulse to see what was happening. He -turned round, and the spell was broken; the waters had followed him thus -far, but would come no further. Even the best of wizards will fail when -his instructions are not obeyed. - -So says the story. People are free to believe it or not, as they -please. It is certain that the sea runs nearly three miles up the -Wansbeck valley, and there stops; but many people think that that is -explained by the natural rise of the land! - -The story of how Michael Scott came to divide the Eildon Hill into three -runs as follows:-- - -The wizard had one very active little demon, who was always bothering -his master to give him something to do. First Michael commanded him to -put a barrier across the Tweed at Kelso, thinking to keep him quiet for -at least a week; it was done in a single night, and again the demon -demanded work. Then Michael set him to divide Eildon into three; this -also was done in a night, and again the demon came clamouring for -employment. So in despair the wizard ordered him to make ropes out of -sea-sand! This, of course, is impossible, as the sand will not hold -together. But if you go down to the shore on the south-east coast of -Scotland on a dark and stormy night, you can still hear what sounds like -the demon moaning and groaning over his impossible task; and there is -certainly a barrier across the Tweed at Kelso, and the Eildon Hill is -certainly divided into three! So you may believe as much as you please -of this story. - -Another tale that is told of the magic powers of this famous man relates -that he was once chosen to go as ambassador from the King of Scotland to -the King of France on urgent business. Instead of going, as is usual in -such cases, with a number of followers, he conjured up a demon shaped -like a huge black horse, and rode away over the sea. When half-way -across the North Sea the horse said to his rider:-- - -"What do the old women of Scotland say at bed-time?" Had the magician -fallen into the trap and named a prayer, the demon would have -disappeared and the wizard would have been drowned! But Michael Scott -merely commanded his steed to go on quickly and not to talk. Very soon -he came to Paris, tied his horse to the gate of the French king's -palace, and boldly entered and stated his business. The French king -sneered at an ambassador who was not followed by a train of knights, and -began at once to refuse all he asked. "Wait a moment, your Majesty," -said Michael, "till you have seen my horse stamp three times." - -At the first stamp the ground so shook that every steeple in Paris -rocked, making all the bells ring loudly; at the second stamp the king -heard behind him a loud crash that made him leap three feet in the air; -looking round, he saw that three of the towers of his palace had fallen; -the horse raised his foot to stamp a third time, but the king was so -terrified that he shouted hastily that he would grant all that Michael -asked if only he would keep his horse from stamping! - -Whether this tale is true or not, Michael Scott was certainly one of the -ambassadors sent to bring back the Maid of Norway to Scotland on the -death of King Alexander III. He wrote many learned books, and possessed -many others; and they say that when he was buried at Melrose many of -these same magic books were buried with him. - -To this romantic district of the Eildons belonged True Thomas, Thomas -the Rhymer, or Thomas of Ercildoune, as he was variously called, who was -held in awe by Border-folks as a prophet. The ruins of his tower are -still shown by the pretty river Leader, just about two miles above the -spot where it joins the Tweed. The Rhymer seems to have died a few -years before 1300; but despite the passing of six centuries he is still -remembered. The story of how he gained his prophetic powers is quite -worth hearing, whether we believe it or not. - -The tale goes that Thomas was on Huntlie bank, near the Eildon Hills, -when he saw a wonderful lady approaching him. She was dressed in -grass-green silk, with a mantle of fine velvet, and the noble horse on -which she rode had silver bells in its mane. Thomas was so surprised at -this remarkable sight that when the lady came near he dropped on his -knee and pulled off his cap, and cried out, reverently, that she must be -the Queen of Heaven. But she answered that she was Queen of fair -Elfland, and dared him, with a witching glance, to kiss her lips. The -bold and gallant Thomas did not need a second invitation, and promptly -kissed the fairy, when she seized upon him and fled away with him -swifter than the wind. - -Soon all living land was left behind, and they came to a wild place -where three roads met. One was a narrow path, beset with thorns and -briers; and this the fairy said was the road of righteousness, which -very few people ever troubled to find. Another was a broad and -attractive road, which was the way of sinners; whilst the third, a -pretty winding road, led to Elfland, and thither they went together. - -Soon there was neither sun nor moon to lighten the way, and Thomas and -his companion waded through rivers above the knee. The sea moaned and -roared in the dread darkness, and Thomas somehow found that they waded -oft through streams of red blood--blood that had been shed on earth. -Then they came to a beautiful garden, and the Elfland queen gave Thomas -an apple to eat, saying:-- - -"Take this for thy wages, true Thomas; it will give thee the tongue that -can never lie." Poor Thomas turned pale at the thought of such a gift. -"Let my tongue be my own!" he pleaded; "how shall I buy or sell in any -market, flatter a prince, or compliment a lady, if you give me such a -tongue!" - -But the Elfland queen would take no denial, and Thomas had to do her -behest, wherefore for the rest of his life Thomas carried with him this -gift of truthfulness. - - - - - *Chapter VII* - - *Black Agnes of Dunbar* - - -The fortress of Dunbar was always a very important one to the Scots. It -commanded the coast road from England across the Border to Edinburgh, -not only one of the best routes in itself, but one which had the -additional advantage to the English that by following it they could keep -in touch with their ships. So it is not surprising that many stirring -events in history took place at this historic town. - -King Edward I. of England won a very important victory at Dunbar during -his first invasion of Scotland, and to the place which had witnessed the -triumph of the father, his son, Edward II., fled for safety after his -defeat at Bannockburn, taking ship thence back to England. In the time -of Mary Queen of Scots the fortress was held by Earl Bothwell; from here -he consented to the surrender of poor Mary, and here he rested in safety -before his final flight to Scandinavia. Oliver Cromwell fought and won -at Dunbar his desperate battle with the Scottish Presbyterians, the fate -of which for some time hung in the balance. Cromwell considered the -place so valuable that he had new harbour works made there, and a -portion of his work, forming part of the east pier of the present much -larger harbour, is still to be seen. - -The last time that Dunbar resounded to the march of an army bent on -immediate fight was in 1745, when the boastful English general, Sir John -Cope, landed here to engage the Highland followers of Prince Charles -Edward (called the "Young Pretender"). Prince Charlie was at Edinburgh, -and Dunbar Castle commanded the road into England. Cope asserted that -the Highlanders would run away at the mere sight of his army. He -marched westward, but was surprised in the early morning by his enemies -when near Prestonpans. In less than ten minutes it was the unprepared -English who were flying in disorder, utterly routed. - -The foregoing is but a brief outline of the stormy history of those grey -and ruined battlements overlooking the bleak North Sea at the -southernmost point of entrance to the noble Firth of Forth. The mention -of these stirring incidents, however, will serve to show what a very -important place Dunbar was, and that it was necessary to Scottish safety -that a strong hand should have charge of its fortress. We are now to -see how at one of the most critical hours a woman was to hold command, -and to hold it worthily. - -Early in the reign of King Edward III. of England Scottish affairs were -in some confusion. King Robert Bruce had lately died, leaving a son, -King David II., then only five years old. That great leader and friend -of Bruce, Randolph, Earl of Moray, was appointed Guardian of Scotland, -but he too soon died. Edward III., anxious to interfere in Scottish -affairs, agreed to help Edward Balliol to make himself king of the -Scots. So an English army was again in Scotland, and one of the places -they were keenest to take was the fortress of Dunbar. - -[Illustration: _Black Agnes_] - -The castle was a very strong one. It was built on a chain of great -rocks that stretched out to sea, and could only be reached from land by -one road, which was, of course, strictly guarded. The lord of the -castle was the Earl of March (the word March in those days meant a -border-land), but he was away with the Scottish army, and his wife was -in charge of the castle. She was the daughter of that brave Earl of -Moray, Guardian of Scotland, who has just been mentioned. The English -army was led by an experienced general, the Earl of Salisbury, and he -probably thought that he would not have much trouble in overcoming -"Black Agnes," as the dark-haired countess was called. - -He soon discovered that she was of heroic mould, however, for though he -himself led the storming-parties, she on her side, urging on her men in -person, hurled back his every attack. The Lady Agnes was quite -fearless, and treated the siege as if it were a pastime to be enjoyed. -When the English, with machines made for the purpose, hurled heavy -stones against the walls, Black Agnes would call one of her maidens with -a napkin to wipe off the dust that they made! The biggest of all the -English war-machines was called a sow, and when it was brought to the -walls the countess cried out in rough jest that it was surrounded by -little pigs. At the same moment a mass of rock, which she had caused to -be loosened, was hurled by her men on to the English, crushing their sow -and many soldiers with it. - -At last there seemed a chance for the English. Near midnight a Scot -came into their camp, saying that he was ready to betray the castle for -a reward. The Earl of Salisbury and some chosen knights rode carefully -forward, and found the gate open and the portcullis raised, as the man -had promised. But for all that, they doubted if Black Agnes could so -far relax her vigilance; wherefore instead of the earl entering first, -he sent forward a retainer. His caution was soon justified, for no -sooner had this man passed the gate than the portcullis fell. It was a -trick to capture the earl, but the Scots were disappointed this time. - -The gallant English lord was loud in admiration of the brave Scottish -lady who was thus defying him. Once when examining the defences with a -lieutenant, an arrow struck his companion dead. "The countess's -love-arrows pierce to the heart," said Salisbury, on his return to the -camp. Despite the courtly manner in which the well-bred baron referred -to the lady, however, he did not relax his efforts to overcome her. - -Salisbury's land forces had now surrounded the castle on the land side, -while his ships at sea completed the blockade. The garrison was -threatened with starvation. Greater and greater became the privations -of the heroic defenders. The countess, no less brave than ever, hoped -on, though ground for hope grew less and less. She could not bring -herself to think of defeat, and her brave, bright face still gave -courage and inspiration to all. - -Meantime the story of the struggle and difficulties of the defenders was -raising up helpers, and Sir Alexander Ramsay of Dalhousie got ready a -light vessel filled with provisions and manned by forty brave Scots, who -only waited for a dark night to make the attempt to steal past the -English fleet. They lay hidden by the Bass Rock, a lofty islet at the -mouth of the Firth of Forth, some seven or eight miles from Dunbar, -until one starless night they stole very cautiously down the wild -coast-line of Haddingtonshire, sometimes all but bumping into an English -vessel in the dark. Fortune favours the brave, and despite dangers and -difficulties they got safely at last to the castle, whose distant light -had been their guide. Be sure Black Agnes welcomed them! This proved to -be the turning-point of the long siege. With fresh hope, the garrison -made a sudden sally on the English, driving back their advance guard, -and after five months of fierce but fruitless attempts, Salisbury was -compelled to withdraw his forces and admit defeat. Nevertheless, the -English were gallant enough to sing their praises of this Scottish -heroine; their minstrels made songs in her honour, in one of which -Salisbury is made to say:-- - - "Came I early, came I late, - I found Black Agnes at the gate." - - - - - *Chapter VIII* - - *The Young Tamlane* - - - "He's ta'en her by the milk-white hand, - Among the leaves so green." - - -This tale belongs to the romantic side of the Border minstrelsy, and -illustrates some of the common superstitions of olden times concerning -elves and fairies. The scene is laid in the Selkirk or Ettrick Forest, -a mountainous tract covered with the remains of the old Caledonian -Forest. About a mile above Selkirk is a plain called Carterhaugh, and -here may still be seen those fairy rings of which it was believed that -anyone sleeping upon one will wake in a fairy city. And here was, and -perhaps still is, an ancient well. The ballad opens by telling how all -young maids were forbidden to come or go by way of Carterhaugh, "for -young Tamlane (or Thomalin) is there," and every one going by -Carterhaugh is obliged to leave him something in pledge. But the Lady -Janet, the fairest of the Selkirk lasses, was obstinate, and declared -that she would come or go to Carterhaugh, as she pleased, "and ask no -leave of him," since the land there belonged to her by hereditary right. -She kilted her green mantle above her knee, and braided her yellow hair -above her brow, and off she went to Carterhaugh. When she got to the -well, she found the steed of the elfin knight Tamlane standing there, -but he himself was away. - - "She hadna pu'd a red, red rose, - A rose but barely three; - Till up and starts a wee, wee man - At Lady Janet's knee. - - Says--'Why pu' ye the rose, Janet? - What gars (makes) ye break the tree? - Or why come ye to Carterhaugh, - Withouten leave of me?' - - Says--'Carterhaugh it is mine ain; - My daddy gave it me: - I'll come and gang to Carterhaugh, - And ask nae leave o' thee.'" - - -But Tamlane took her by the hand and worked upon her his spells, which -no maiden might resist, however proud she might be. - -When she came back to her father's hall, she looked pale and wan; and it -seemed that she had some sore sickness. She ceased to take any pleasure -in combing her yellow hair, and everything she ate seemed like to be her -death. When her ladies played at ball, she, once the strongest player, -was now the faintest. One day her father spoke out, and said he, "Full -well I know that you must have some lover." She said:-- - - "'If my love were an earthly knight, - As he's an elfin grey, - I wouldna give my own true love - For no lord that ye hae.'" - - -Then she prinked herself, and preened herself, all by the light of the -moon alone, and went away to Carterhaugh, to speak with Tamlane. When -she got to the well, she found the steed standing, but Tamlane was away. -She had barely pulled a double rose, when up started the elf. - -"Why pull ye the rose, Janet?" says he; "why pull ye the rose within -this garden green?" "The truth ye'll tell me, Tamlane; were ye ever in -holy chapel, or received into the Christian Church?" "The truth I'll -tell thee, Janet; a knight was my father, and a lady was my mother, like -your own parents. Randolph, Earl Moray, was my sire; Dunbar, Earl -March, is thine. We loved when we were children, which yet you may -remember. When I was a boy just turned nine, my uncle sent for me to -hunt, and hawk, and ride with him, and keep him company. There came a -wind out of the north, a deep sleep came over me, and I fell from my -horse. The queen of the fairies took me off to yon green hill, and now -I'm a fairy, lithe and limber. In Fairyland we know neither sickness -nor pain. We quit our body, or repair unto them, when we please. We can -inhabit, earth, or air, as we will. Our shapes and size we can convert -to either large or small. We sleep in rose-buds, revel in the stream, -wanton lightly on the wind, or glide on a sunbeam. I would never tire, -Janet, to dwell in Elfland, were it not that every seven years a tithe -is paid to hell, and I am so fair of flesh, I fear 'twill be myself. If -you dare to win your true love, you have no time to lose. To-night is -Hallowe'en, and the fairy folk ride. If you would win your true love, -bide at Miles Cross." Miles Cross is about half a mile from -Carterhaugh, and Janet asked how she should know Tamlane among so many -unearthly knights. "The first company that passes by, let them go. The -next company that passes by, let them go. The third company that passes -by, I'll be one of those. First let pass the black steed, Janet, then -let pass the brown; but grip the milk-white steed, and pull down the -rider-- - - "For I ride on the milk-white steed, - And aye nearest the town; - Because I was a christened knight, - They gave me that renown." - - -Tamlane went on to explain that his fairy comrades would make every -effort to disgust her with her captive. They would turn him in her very -arms into an adder; they would change him into a burning faggot, into a -red-hot iron goad, but she must hold him fast. In order to remove the -enchantment, she must dip him in a churn of milk, and then in a barrel -of water. She must still persevere, for they would shape him in her -arms into a badger, eel, dove, swan, and, last of all, into a naked man, -but - - "Cast your green mantle over me, - I'll be myself again." - - -So fair Janet in her green mantle went that gloomy night to Miles Cross. -The heavens were black, the place was inexpressibly dreary, a north wind -raged; but there she stood, eagerly wishing to embrace her lover. -Between the hours of twelve and one she heard strange eldrich sounds and -the ringing of elfin bridles, which gladdened her heart. The oaten -pipes of the faires grew shrill, the hemlock blew clear. The fairies -cannot bear solemn sounds or sober thoughts; they sing like skylarks, -inspired by love and joy. Fair Janet stood upon the dreary heath, and -the sounds waxed louder as the fairy train came riding on. Will o' the -Wisp shone out as a twinkling light before them, and soon she saw the -fairy bands passing. She let the black steed go by, and then the brown. -But she gripped fast the milk-white steed, and pulled down the rider. -Then up rose an eldrich cry, "He's won among us all!" As Janet grasped -him in her arms the fairies changed him into a newt, an adder, and many -other fantastic and terrifying shapes. She held him fast in every -shape. They turned him at last into a naked man in her arms, but she -wrapped him in her green mantle. At last her stedfast courage was -rewarded, she redeemed the fairies' captive, and by so doing won his -true love! Then up spoke the Queen of Fairies, "She that has borrowed -young Tamlane has got a stately groom! She's taken the bonniest knight -in all my company! But had I known, Tamlane," said the fairy queen, "had -I known that a lady would borrow thee, I would have taken out thy two -grey eyes, and put in wooden eyes. I would have taken out thy heart of -flesh, Tamlane, and put in a heart of stone. I would have paid my tithe -seven times to hell ere I would have let her win you away." - - - - - *Chapter IX* - - *The Gay Goss-Hawk* - - -In the opening lines of this old ballad Lord William is talking to the -goss-hawk, who tells his master that he is looking pale and thin, and -seeks to know che cause. - - "O waly, waly, my gay goss-hawk, - Gin your feathering be sheen!" - "And waly, waly, my master dear, - Gin ye look pale and lean! - - O have ye tint[#] at tournament - Your sword, or yet your spear? - Or mourn ye for the Southern lass, - Whom ye may not win near?" - -[#] lost - - "I have not tint at tournament - My sword, nor yet my spear; - But sair[#] I mourn for my true love, - Wi' mony a bitter tear. - -[#] sore - - But weel's me on ye, my gay goss-hawk, - Ye can baith speak and flee; - Ye sall carry a letter to my love, - Bring an answer back to me." - - "But how sall I your true love find, - Or how suld I her know? - I bear a tongue ne'er wi' her spake, - An eye that ne'er her saw." - - "O weel sall ye my true love ken, - Sae sune[#] as ye her see; - For, of a' the flowers of fair England, - The fairest flower is she. - -[#] soon. - - The red that's on my true love's cheek - Is like blood-drops on the snaw; - The white that is on her breast bare, - Like the down o' the white sea-maw. - - And even at my love's bour-door - There grows a flowering birk;[#] - And ye maun sit and sing thereon - As she gangs to the kirk. - -[#] birch. - - And four-and-twenty fair ladyes - Will to the Mass repair; - But weel may ye my ladye ken, - The fairest ladye there." - - Lord William has written a love-letter, - Put it under his pinion grey; - An' he is awa' to Southern land - As fast as wings can gae. - - And even at the ladye's bour[#] - There grew a flowering birk; - And he sat down and sung thereon - As she gaed to the kirk. - -[#] bower. - - And weel he kent that ladye fair - Amang her maidens free, - For the flower that springs in May morning - Was not sae sweet as she. - - He lighted at the ladye's yate[#] - And sat him on a pin,[#] - And sang fu' sweet the notes o' love, - Till a' was cosh[#] within. - -[#] gate. -[#] pine. -[#] quiet. - - And first he sang a low low note, - And syne[#] he sang a clear; - And aye the o'erword[#] o' the sang - Was--"Your love can no win here." - -[#] then. -[#] refrain. - - "Feast on, feast on, my maidens a', - The wine flows you amang, - While I gang to my shot-window - And hear yon bonnie bird's sang. - - Sing on, sing on, my bonny bird, - The sang ye sung yestreen, - For weel I ken, by your sweet singing - Ye are frae my true love sen."[#] - -[#] sent. - - O first he sang a merry song, - And syne he sang a grave; - And syne he picked his feathers grey, - To her the letter gave. - - "Have there a letter from Lord William; - He says he's sent ye three; - He canna wait your love langer, - But for your sake he'll die." - - "Gae bid him bake his bridal bread, - And brew his bridal ale; - And I shall meet him in Mary's Kirk, - Lang, lang ere it be stale." - - The lady's gane to her chamber, - And a moanfu' woman was she; - As gin[#] she had taken a sudden brash[#] - And were about to die. - -[#] if -[#] illness. - - "A boon, a boon, my father dear, - A boon I beg of thee!" - "Ask not that haughty Scottish lord, - For him ye ne'er shall see. - - But for your honest asking else, - Weel granted it shall be." - "Then, gin I die in Southern land, - In Scotland gar[#] bury me. - -[#] cause - - And the first kirk that ye come to, - Ye's gar the mass be sung; - And the next kirk that ye come to - Ye's gar the bells be rung. - - And when ye come to St Mary's Kirk, - Ye's tarry there till night." - And so her father pledged his word, - And so his promise plight. - - She has ta'en her to her bigly bower - As fast as she could fare; - And she has drank a sleepy draught, - That she had mixed wi' care. - - And pale, pale grew her rosy cheek, - That was sae bright of blee,[#] - And she seemed to be as surely dead - As any one could be. - -[#] bloom. - - Then spake her cruel step-minnie,[#] - "Tak ye the burning lead, - And drap a drap on her bosome, - To try if she be dead." - -[#] mother. - - They took a drap o' boiling lead, - They drapped it on her breast; - "Alas! alas!" her father cried, - "She's dead without the priest." - - She neither chattered with her teeth, - Nor shivered with her chin; - "Alas! alas!" her father cried, - "There is nae breath within." - - Then up arose her seven brethren, - And hewed to her a bier; - They hewed it frae the solid aik,[#] - Laid it o'er wi' silver clear. - -[#] oak. - - Then up and gat her seven sisters, - And sewed to her a kell,[#] - And every steek[#] that they put in - Sewed to a siller bell. - -[#] shroud. -[#] stitch. - - The first Scots kirk that they cam to, - They garred the bells be rung; - The next Scots kirk that they cam to, - They garred fhe mass be sung. - - But when they cam to St Mary's Kirk, - There stude spearmen all on a row; - And up and started Lord William, - The chieftaine amang them a'. - - "Set down, set down the bier," he said, - "Let me look her upon;" - But as soon as Lord William touched her hand, - Her colour began to come. - - She brightened like the lily flower, - Till her pale colour was gone; - With rosy cheek, and ruby lip, - She smiled her love upon. - - "A morsel of your bread, my lord, - And one glass of your wine; - For I have fasted these three lang days, - All for your sake and mine. - - Gae hame, gae hame, my seven bauld brothers, - Gae hame and blaw your horn! - I trow[#] ye wad hae gi'en me the skaith,[#] - But I've gi'en you the scorn. - -[#] reckon. -[#] harm. - - Commend me to my grey father, - That wished my soul gude rest; - But wae be to my cruel step-dame, - Garred burn me on the breast." - - "Ah! woe to you, you light woman! - And ill death may ye die! - For we left father and sisters at hame, - Breaking their hearts for thee." - - - - - *Chapter X* - - *The Corbies* - - -Two ancient songs have come down to us in which the principal speakers -are supposed to be Corbies, carrion-crows or ravens, birds which feed on -the flesh of the dead. In both songs the birds discuss a dead knight -upon whose rich body they wish to feed. But deep interest lies in the -fact that the two song-writers present entirely different views of the -case. One appeals to our feelings with a beautiful and touching picture -of devotion, the knight's companions proving true to him in death. The -other is far more grim, and causes us to shudder at the utter loneliness -of the dead man, deserted by all those who in life were beholden to his -friendship. Both are powerful and striking examples of ancient vigour -and directness. - - THE TWA CORBIES - - As I was walking all alane, - I heard twa corbies making a mane;[#] - The tane unto the t'other say, - "Where sall we gang and dine to-day?"-- - -[#] moan. - - "In behint yon auld fail dyke, - I wot there lies a new-slain knight; - And naebody kens that he lies there, - But his hawk, his hound, and lady fair. - - His hound is to the hunting gane, - His hawk, to fetch the wild-fowl hame, - His lady's ta'en another mate, - Sa we may mak our dinner sweet. - - Ye'll sit on his white hause-bane,[#] - And I'll pick out his bonny blue een: - Wi' ae lock o' his gowden hair, - We'll theek[#] our nest when it grows bare.[#] - -[#] neck. -[#] thatch. -[#] Variant reading--"We'll theek our nest--it's a' blawn hare." - - Mony a one for him makes mane, - But nane sall ken where he is gane; - O'er his white banes, when they are bare, - The wind sall blaw for evermair." - -[Illustration: The Twa Corbies] - - - - THE THREE RAVENS - - There were three ravens sat on a tre, - They were as black as they might be: - - The one of them said to his mate, - "Where shall we our breakfast take?"-- - - "Downe in yonder greene field, - There lies a knight slain under his shield; - - "His hounds they lie downe at his feete, - So well they their master keepe; - - "His hawkes they flie so eagerlie, - There's no fowle dare come him nie. - - "Down there comes a fallow doe, - As great with yong as she might goe. - - "She lift up his bloudy hed, - And kist his wounds that were so red. - - "She got him up upon her backe, - And carried him to earthen lake. - - "She buried him before the prime, - She was dead her selfe ere even song time. - - "God send every gentleman, - Such hawkes, such houndes, and such a leman." - - - - - *Chapter XI* - - *Otterbourne and Chevy Chase* - - - "It fell about the Lammas-tide, - When moor-men win their hay, - The doughty Douglas bound him to ride - Into England, to drive a prey." - - -The ballads of _Otterbourne_ and _Chevy Chase_ record the Scottish and -English versions of a most stubborn Border battle. Whichever of the two -contains the greater amount of truth, it is clear that the day was a -bloody one, and that, moreover, it was fought on both sides with a -chivalrous admiration for the powers of the other which is -characteristic of those strife-loving days. Sir Philip Sidney wrote of -it: "I never heard the old song of Percy and Douglas, that I found not -my heart moved more than with a trumpet." - -The ballad of _Chevy Chase_ is of later date than its rival, and it -contains certainly one misstatement of historical fact, since Hotspur -outlived the fight at Chevy Chase (1388) and was slain some fifteen -years later at the battle of Shrewsbury (1403). - -The Scottish version of the battle of Otterbourne tells us that it was -about the Lammas-tide or haymaking time of the year 1388 when the brave -Earl of Douglas, with his brother, the Earl of Murray, made a foray into -England, with a gay band of Gordons, Graemes, and Lindsays. He burned -Tynedale and half of Bamborough and Otterdale, and marching up to -Newcastle, rode round about the castle, crying, "Who is lord of this -castle, and who is its lady?" - -Then up spake proud Lord Percy, known as _Hotspur_, and said, "I am the -lord of this castle, and my wife is the gay lady of it." - -"That pleases me well," answered Douglas, "yet, ere I cross the Border -hills, one of us shall die." - -Then Percy took his long spear, shod with metal, and rode right -furiously at the Douglas; but his lady, looking from the castle wall, -grew pale as she saw her proud lord go down before the Scottish spear. - -"Had we two been alone, with never an eye to see, I would have slain -thee, but thy lance I will carry with me," said Douglas, and, to -complete the disgrace, this lance bore attached to it the Percy pennon. - -"Go then to Otterbourne," said Percy, "and wait there for me, and if I -come not before the end of three days, call me a false knight." - -"Otterbourne is a pleasant and a bonny place," answered Douglas; "but -though the deer run wild among the hills and dales, and the birds fly -wild from tree to tree, yet is there neither bread nor kale nor aught -else to feed me and my men. Yet will I wait thee at Otterbourne to give -thee welcome, and if thou come not in three days' time, false lord, will -I call thee!" - -"By the might of Our Lady, I will come," cried the proud Percy. "And -I," answered Douglas, "plight thee my troth that I will meet thee -there." - -So Douglas and his men encamped at Otterbourne, and sent out their -horses to pasture. - -But before the peep of dawn, up spake a little page: "Waken ye, waken -ye, my good lord; the Percy is upon us!" "Ye lie, ye lie," shouted -Douglas; "yesterday, Percy had not men enough to fight us. But if thou -lie not, the finest bower in Otterbourne shall be thy reward, and if -what thou sayest prove false, thou shalt be hanged on the highest tree -in Otterbourne. Yet I have dreamed a dreary dream; I dreamed that a -dead man won a battle and that I was that dead man." - -So Douglas belted on his good broadsword, and ran to the field, but -forgot his helmet, and Percy and the Douglas fought with their swords -together till the blood ran down like rain, and the Douglas fell, -wounded on the brow. - -Then he called to him his little foot-page and told him to run quickly -and bring to him his sister's son, Sir Hugh Montgomery. - -"My good nephew," said Douglas, "the death of one matters not; last -night I dreamed a dreary dream, but yet I know the day is thine. My -wound is deep; take thou the vanguard; bury me in the bracken high that -grows on yonder lea, and let no man living know that a Scot lies there. -And know that I am glad to die in battle, like my good forefathers, and -not on a bed of sickness." - -Montgomery lifted up his noble lord, while his eyes wept salt tears, and -hid him in the bracken bush that his followers might not see, and before -daylight the Scots slew many a gallant Englishman. The good Gordons -steeped hose and shoes in the blood of the English; the Lindsays flew -about like fire till the battle was ended, and Percy and Montgomery -fought till the blood ran down between them. - -"Now, yield thee, yield thee, Percy," cried Sir Hugh, "or I vow I will -lay thee low!" - -"Since it must be so," quoth Earl Percy, "to whom shall I yield?" - -"Thou shalt not yield to me or to any lord, but to the bracken bush that -grows on yonder lea!" - -"I will not yield to briar or bracken bush, but I would yield to Lord -Douglas or to Sir Hugh Montgomery, if he were here." - -Then Montgomery made himself known, and as soon as Percy knew that it -was Montgomery, he struck the point of his sword into the ground, and -Montgomery, who was a courteous knight, took him up by the hand. - -This deed was done at Otterbourne at daybreak, where Earl Douglas was -buried by the bracken bush, and Percy led captive into Scotland, and it -is said that Hotspur, for his ransom, built for Montgomery the castle of -Penoon, in Ayrshire. - -But the English version of these stirring events can also claim to be -heard; the ballad upon it is called _Chevy Chase_, which means the Chase -on the Cheviots; and so popular was this ballad that its name was given -to a boys' game, which is so called even to this day. It tells how the -Percy, from his castle in Northumberland, vowed that within three days -he would hunt on the mountains of Cheviot in spite of the doughty -Douglas and his men, and that he would kill and carry away the fattest -deer in Cheviot. - -"By my faith," said Douglas, when he heard of the boast, "but I will -hinder his hunting." - -Percy left Bamborough Castle with a mighty company, no less than fifteen -hundred bold archers chosen out of three shires. - -The foray began on a Monday morning in the high Cheviot Hills, and many -a child yet unborn was to rue the day. - -The drivers went through the woods and raised the deer, and the bowmen -shot them with their broad arrows. Then the wild deer rushed through -the woods, only to be met and killed by the greyhounds, and before -noontide a hundred fat deer lay dead. The bugles sounded, "A mort!" and -on all sides Percy and his men assembled to see the cutting up of the -venison. - -Said Percy: "The Douglas promised to meet me here this day, yet right -well did I know that he would fail." But a Northumberland squire saw -the doughty Douglas coming with a mighty company, with spear and -batter-axe and sword. Never were men hardier of heart and hand seen in -Christendom--two thousand spearmen born along the banks of the Tweed and -Teviotdale. Then said Lord Percy: "Now leave off the cutting of the -deer, and take good heed to your bows, for never had ye more need of -them since ye were born." - -Earl Douglas rode before his men, his armour glittering like a burning -coal, and never was such a bold baron. "Tell me whose men ye are," said -he, "and who gave ye leave to hunt in Cheviot without word asked of me?" - -Then answered Lord Percy, "We will not tell thee whose men we are, and -we will hunt here in spite of thee. We have killed the fattest harts in -Cheviot and will carry them away." - -"By my troth," said Douglas, "one of us shall die this day. Yet it were -great pity to kill all these guiltless men. Thou, Percy, art a lord of -land, and I am called an earl in my country; let our men stand by, and -we will fight together." - -"Now a curse on his crown, who says nay to that," cried Lord Percy. "By -my troth, Douglas, thou shalt never see the day either in England, -Scotland, or France, when I fear to meet one, man to man." - -Then spoke Richard Witherington, a squire of Northumberland. "Never -shall this be told in England, to the shame of good King Harry the -Fourth. I wot ye be two great lords, and I but a poor squire, yet would -I never stand and look on while my captain fought. While I can wield a -weapon, I will not fail, both heart and hand." - -So the English with good heart bent their bows, and slew seven score -spearmen with the first arrows they shot. - -Earl Douglas stayed on the field, but that he was a good captain was -truly seen, for he wrought great woe and mischief. He parted his host -in three like a proud chieftain, and they came in on every side with -their mighty spears, wounding the English archers and slaying many a -brave man. - -Then the English pulled out their brands, and it was a heavy sight to -see the bright swords light on the helmets, striking through the rich -mail, and the cloth of many folds under it, and laying many low. - -At last the Douglas and the Percy met and fought with swords of Milan -steel till the blood spurted like rain and hail from their helmets. - -"Hold thee, Percy," said Douglas, "and I will bring thee to James, our -Scottish king, where thou shalt have an earl's wages and free ransom, -for thou art the manfullest man that ever yet I conquered fighting in -the field." - -"Nay, then," said Lord Percy. "I told thee before that never would I -yield to any man of woman born." - -With that there came an arrow hastily from a mighty man, and struck Earl -Douglas through the breast bone, and never more did he speak a word but -only this: "Fight, my merry men, while ye may--my life's days are done." - -Then Percy leaned on his hand, and when he saw the Douglas die, he said, -"Woe is me. I would have parted with my land for three years to have -saved thy life, for a better man of heart and hand was not in all the -north country." - -But Sir Hugh Montgomery, a Scottish knight, when he saw the Douglas done -to death, grasped a spear and rode through a hundred archers, never -slackening his pace till he came to Lord Percy, whom he set upon, -sending his mighty spear clean through his body, so that a man might see -a long cloth-yard and more at the other side. There were no two better -captains in Christendom than were that day slain. - -When one of the Northumberland archers saw this, he drew an arrow to his -bow and set upon Montgomery, until the swan feathers of his arrows were -wet with his heart's blood. - -Not one man gave way, but still they stood hewing at each other, while -they were able. - -This battle began in Cheviot, an hour before noon, nor was it half done -at evensong, but they fought on by moonlight though many had scarce the -strength to stand. Of fifteen hundred English archers only fifty-three -remained, and of two thousand Scottish spearmen only fifty-five -remained, all the rest being slain in Cheviot. - -With Lord Percy were slain, Sir John of Agerstone, Sir Roger the gentle -Hartly, Sir William the bold Heron, Sir George the worthy Lovel, a -renowned knight, and Sir Ralph the rich Rugby. Woe was it that -Witherington was slain, for when both his legs were hewn in two he -kneeled and fought on his knees. - -With the brave Douglas were slain Sir Hugh Montgomery, and worthy Sir -Davy Liddle, that was his sister's son; Sir Charles, a Murray who -refused to flee, and Sir Hugh Maxwell. On the morrow they made biers of -birch and grey hazel, and many widows bore weeping from the field the -bodies of their dead husbands. Well may Teviotdale and Northumberland -wail and moan for two such great captains. - -Word came to James the Scottish king at Edinburgh, that the brave -Douglas, Lieutenant of the Marches, lay slain in Cheviot, and he wept -and wrung his hands, and said, "Alas! Woe is me; there will never be -such another captain in Scotland." - -Word came also to London, to Harry the Fourth, that Lord Percy, -Lieutenant of the Marches, lay slain in Cheviot. "God have mercy on his -soul," said King Harry; "I have a hundred captains in England as good as -he, yet I wager my life that his death shall be well avenged"; and this -vow he kept, at the Battle of Homildon Hill, where he beat down six and -thirty Scottish knights on one day. - -But so real to the Borderers was their grief over their dead that the -ballad ends with a quaint but heartfelt appeal to the Prince of Peace:-- - - "Jesus Christ our ills abate, - And to His bliss us bring! - Thus was the hunting of the Cheviot; - God send us all good ending!" - - - - - *Chapter XII* - - *The Douglas Clan* - - -The Douglas clan was at one time the strongest of all the great Scotch -families on the Border; they were wild and proud and recklessly brave, -and no account of the Borders would be complete without the broad -details of their tragic history. - -The first to raise the fame of the family to the highest place in honour -was the brave Sir James Douglas, the friend of Bruce, and, after Bruce -himself, the greatest hero among the Scots of that stormy period. He -was a powerful, black-haired man with a dark complexion, and was called -by the English "The Black Douglas." So great was the terror of his name -that English mothers on the Border, when their children were naughty, -would tell them that the Black Douglas would get them, or if they were -fretful they would comfort them with the assurance-- - - "Hush ye, hush ye, little pet ye, - Hush ye, hush ye, do not fret ye, - The Black Douglas shall not get ye." - - -Sir Walter Scott relates how, when the garrison of Roxburgh Castle were -making merry at Shrovetide, the castle was surprised by the Douglas, who -mounted to the ramparts where a woman was crooning the refrain to her -babe. "You are not so sure of that," he said, laying his hand upon her -shoulder. It is pleasant to read that on this occasion the Black -Douglas did not turn out so black as he was painted, and beyond her -fright the woman came to no harm at the hands of Sir James and his -followers. - -At one time the English had seized the Douglas castle in Lanarkshire, -and Sir James and his men disguised themselves and came to church on -Palm Sunday, when the English soldiers were worshipping there. Suddenly -in the midst of the service Douglas dropped his cloak and drew his sword -and shouted: "A Douglas! a Douglas!" - -The English soldiers were taken by surprise, and were killed before they -could recover themselves. This deed brought Douglas great fame, but -after all it was hardly a fair fight. - -In 1327, when Edward III. was only fifteen years old, Douglas led a raid -into Northumberland and Durham which did the English much damage. -Edward came after them with an English army, and the Scots, being -outnumbered, were compelled to dodge up and down in order to avoid a -pitched battle. But in one bold night attack, Douglas and five hundred -of the Scots penetrated to the king's tent, and almost succeeded in -taking him prisoner. Failing in this, they returned unharmed to their -own country, and shortly afterwards, at the Treaty of Northampton in -1328, King Edward III. agreed to acknowledge Robert Bruce as King of -Scotland, and the long war between Scotland and England ended. - -A year later Bruce died, but after a romantic custom of that day he -bequeathed his heart to his gallant friend, Sir James Douglas. Douglas -had this heart enclosed in a silver casket and carried it hung about his -neck. The war with England being over, this restless knight sought -adventures in Spain, fighting against the Saracen followers of Mahomet. -In one fierce battle, he and his men were surrounded by their enemies. -Douglas, probably realising that this was his last fight, took the -casket and flung it into the midst of his foes, crying: "Go first in -fight, as thou wert used to do; Douglas will follow thee or die!" He -then rushed desperately after it, fighting his way on till at last his -dead body fell on this dearly prized relic, which he guarded to the end. -The casket lies buried in the Abbey of Melrose, but Douglas's body was -laid in his own church. - -Of the bold Earl Douglas who fought and died at Otterbourne the tale is -told in our last chapter. We may pass on to another famous Douglas, -this time a heroine, who lived in the reign of James I. of Scotland -(quite a different king from James I. of England). When James was only -twelve years old, he was taken prisoner by Henry IV. of England, and -kept captive till he was thirty. But he was given an education fit for -a king, and in England he met the lady he devotedly loved, Lady Joan -Beaufort, daughter of the Earl of Somerset. He addressed a beautiful -poem to her and married her, and these two always most dearly loved one -another. When at last his long captivity came to an end, he got back to -Scotland to find the kingdom in disorder, and the nobles defying the law -and acting as they pleased. James, a strong and able king, set his -strength against their strength, and gradually got his whole kingdom -into order and ruled with wisdom and justice. - -But in these days it was impossible to be firm without sternness, and -James made enemies. When he was staying at Perth one Christmas-time, -these enemies, led by a bold villain called Sir Robert Graham, secretly -encircled the house where he was staying. The unarmed king only heard -of their presence when they were advancing, fully armed, to his room. -He tore up a plank in the floor, seeking thus to find a hiding-place. -The enemies were almost at the door, and it was necessary to delay their -entrance, for one minute might save his life. All the bars of the door -had been removed beforehand, but a brave heroine, Kate Douglas, thrust -her arm through the staples. The villains were angered to find the door -barred against them, and hurled their weight upon it. - -The Douglas heroine stood there, her pale face set hard, without a cry, -as the crash broke the bone of her brave strong arm, and the would-be -murderers staggered in. But alas! the sacrifice of Kate Douglas availed -nothing except to place her name upon the immortal roll of the heroes of -the ages, for after a brief search the murderers found the king and slew -him. - -The queen, who had loved James with the utmost devotion, found her love -give added fierceness to her hate against his murderers. They were all -tracked down, and she caused them to die with terrible tortures, the -cruellest of which she reserved for Graham. Thus did great King James's -"milk-white dove" revenge the slaying of the husband she loved dearer -than life itself. - -Till this time it had seemed as if the Douglases were devoted to the -good of Scotland. But in those wild, reckless times qualities that were -strong for good could also be strong for evil. - -When James I. of Scotland was murdered, his young son was only six years -old. This meant that for many years there would be no strong king able -to cope with the lawless spirit of the nobles, strongest among whom were -the proud, bold Douglases. - -The lawlessness of the times is well shown by an act of foul treachery -committed by Sir William Crichton, Governor of Edinburgh, and an enemy -of the Douglas family. He invited one of the earls to dinner at the -castle, and while there had him seized and beheaded. It is said that a -bull's head was placed on the dish in front of Douglas, this being a -sign that he was to be killed. The people called this "Douglas's black -dinner," and sang of the wicked deed in sorrowful verse:-- - - "Edinburgh Castle, town and tower - God grant thou sink for sin! - And even for that black dinner - Earl Douglas got therein." - - -But the new King James found, before he was twenty years old, that the -Douglases themselves could act with equal cruelty and lawlessness. - -The king was fond of a brave young soldier named Maclellan, who, having -some quarrel with Earl Douglas, was thrown by him into a dungeon in his -castle. So the king wrote a letter to Douglas, saying he must set -Maclellan free, and sent this letter by Maclellan's uncle, Sir Patrick -Gray. When Douglas saw Gray riding up to his castle, he at once guessed -the errand. So he came out as though he were delighted to see him, and -insisted on his sitting down and having dinner with him, before the -king's letter was opened and discussed. But the treacherous earl had -given secret orders that Maclellan should be beheaded while they were -dining, so that after dinner was over, and the letter was read, he could -say that this had been done before he had seen the king's message. - -Gray dared not show his anger, for fear he too should be killed. He -mounted his swift horse and rode away, but the moment he was outside the -castle walls he shook his mailed fist at Douglas and cried out-- - -"Treacherous earl, disgrace to knighthood, some day you shall pay for -this black, base deed!" - -Douglas mounted his men, and they pursued Gray almost to the gates of -Edinburgh; but he rode for his life, and faster than they. - -When Douglas and the king next met there was a stormy scene. The earl -was so proud and wilful that he would not bend to any of the king's -wishes or heed the king's anger in the least. So King James, mad with -rage, stabbed the reckless earl with his dagger, and Sir Patrick Gray, -seeing this, struck him a death-blow with his axe. - -The king was in Stirling Castle, a powerful fortress at the top of a -steep hill, when the new earl, the younger brother of the murdered man, -rode up with six hundred followers, and burnt and plundered the town -before the king's very eyes, and added to the insult by publicly -declaring that King James II. was a law-breaker. - -For three years the quarrel went on between the king and the Douglases, -but it was then evident that there could be no peace between them. So -at last the king's army attacked the collected forces of the strong -Douglas family at a place on the Borders then called Arkinholm, where -the picturesque little town of Langholm now stands. Here the beautiful -river Esk receives the water of two smaller streams, and so it was a -good place to make a stand for a fight. The battle was long and -desperate; three brothers of the bold black Douglases were there, and -they withstood the king's men till the rivers ran red; but their cause -was hopeless. One was slain in battle; one was taken and executed; one -escaped into England; and the power of the Black Douglases was gone. - -Thus it was that the strongest and most famous family of the Borders was -broken up, because its proud leaders dared to dictate to the king -himself. - - - - - *Chapter XIII* - - *Alnwick Castle and the Percies* - - -The castle of Alnwick stands on a hill on the south bank of the river -Alne; being protected on one side by the river and on another by a deep -gorge, it stands in a strong natural position. There are traces of -earthworks that seem to show that the spot was fortified in the old -British days, but the earliest fact which we know certainly is that -there was a Saxon fortress here, held by a Gilbert Tyson, when William -the Conqueror claimed England. Tyson hastened south to fight on -Harold's side, and was killed at the battle of Hastings. - -The fortress seems to have got into the hands of a Norman knight, Ivo de -Vesci, who married the grand-daughter of Gilbert Tyson. King Malcolm of -Scotland was killed in front of it, in 1093, with three thousand of his -men. De Vesci's son-in-law was probably the knight who rebuilt the -castle in the Norman style, some portions of which still remain. - -In 1174, William the Lion, King of Scotland, who had claimed -Northumberland as his own, attacked the castles of Wark and of Alnwick. -Wark was defended by a gallant knight named Roger de Stuteville. -William's brave men tried in vain to force their way through the -portcullis, but were beaten back. Then William ordered up his -_periere_, a machine made for hurling stones. "This," said the king, -"will soon smash down the gate for us!" With great expectations the -machine was set in motion, but it acted so badly that it threw the -stones on to William's own men, and nearly killed one of his best -knights! William raved in his fury, and swore he would rather have been -captured in fair fight than be made to look so foolish in the eyes of -his enemies. He gave word to burn the castle, but the wind was in the -wrong quarter and blew back the flames. So he had to give up the siege. -Stuteville, like a gallant enemy, told his men not to shout taunts and -jeers at the departing Scots. But instead they blew trumpets and horns, -and sang songs, and called out a very loud and hearty "Good-bye." - -Shortly afterwards, William came before Alnwick, and it was then De -Vesci's turn. It was Saturday morning on a hot July day, and the -Scottish king's knights flatteringly told him that the English were -bound to give way to him, and Northumberland would be his. The king was -dining in front of the castle, with no helmet on, when suddenly a part -of the English army made a surprise attack. The bold king leapt on to -his grey charger, and unhorsed the first knight he met. So quick and -brave were the Scots that they had almost defeated the English when an -English foot-soldier stabbed the king's horse with his lance, and it -fell, bringing William down to the ground and pinning him there. This -turned the course of battle; the Scots were beaten back, and William -taken prisoner. - -In was in 1309 that the great Percy family first obtained possession of -Alnwick and its domain. Henry Percy purchased it from Anthony Bek, -Bishop of Durham, who had somehow obtained power over it, and the brave -De Vesci family disappear. About this date Northumberland was in a -miserable condition; it was the reign of the feeble Edward II., and -Bruce had invaded the four northernmost counties of England, and was -exacting tribute from them. The English were safe only within their -fortresses. - -However, the brave Sir Thomas Gray, who held Norham Castle, did much to -uphold the falling honour of England, and Henry Percy almost rebuilt the -castle of Alnwick, which in his son's time successfully withstood a -siege. But at last peace was restored by the Treaty of Northampton in -1328, by the terms of which the English king renounced all claim to -Scotland. - -The Percy family were of Norman origin, deriving their name from a -Norman village. William de Percy crossed to England just after the -battle of Hastings, and received grants of land in Yorkshire. Agnes de -Percy married Jocelin, Count of Louvain, and their son Henry took his -mother's surname. From that year onward, the the Christian name of -Henry was always given to the eldest son; there were fourteen Henry -Percies! - -Even in these wild times the Percies were distinguished by the boldness -of their spirits. One of the Counts of Louvain, grandfather of the -first Henry Percy, shocked the men of his day by hanging some of his -enemies with the church bell-ropes. It was not the hanging that was -objected to--hanging was common enough; but the use of church-ropes for -the purpose was thought very wicked! - -After they had rebuilt Alnwick Castle and settled down there, the -Percies soon established their power in the North. At the coronation of -Richard II., in 1377, a Henry Percy was Marshal of England, and he was -then made Earl of Northumberland. His son, "Hotspur," was the most -famous of all the Percies. In their time, the battles of Otterbourne -and Homildon Hill were fought. But they rebelled against Henry IV. and -Hotspur was killed at the battle of Shrewsbury (1403), while his father -was slain a few years later at Bramham Moor, his head set up on London -Bridge, and quarters of his body on the gates of Berwick, Newcastle, -Lincoln, and London, to discourage others from following in his -footsteps! - -Henry, son of "Hotspur," was the second earl. He repaired and added to -the castle and was present at the battle of Agincourt. It was not the -habit of the Percies to die in their beds, and this one was killed in -the Wars of the Roses, at the first battle of St Albans, in 1455. - -The fact of their having taken the losing Lancastrian side in these wars -kept the family under a cloud for a number of years. One of them -deserted Richard III. on Bosworth field in 1485; one of them was -beheaded at York in 1572, for taking part in the "Rising of the North"; -one of them was found shot in his bed in 1585, and another died in the -Tower in 1632. So that the family could hardly be said to be quieting -down. - -They sided with Parliament during the Civil War, but later on they -favoured the Restoration. At last there came a time when there were no -male heirs left in this great line, but only a daughter, Elizabeth. She -married the Duke of Somerset, and had thirteen children, the eldest -surviving of whom was created Earl of Northumberland in 1748. But he -died the year after, leaving only a daughter, who had married a very -able baronet, to whom was given the title of Duke of Northumberland in -1766. He very wisely took the surname of Percy, and again restored the -castle of Alnwick, putting the family estates and affairs in good order. -So that the Percies of Alnwick Castle are Dukes of Northumberland to -this day. - - - - - *Chapter XIV* - - *Hexham and Queen Margaret* - - -The town of Hexham stands on the south bank of the Tyne, rising -gradually up the hill and presenting a most picturesque appearance. -About two miles above Hexham the North and the South Tyne meet, and the -combined river is broad and noble, and the hills around Hexham give -strength and beauty to the scene. The commanding appearance and central -position of the priory church adds its note of dignity, and the total -effect of the town is very pleasing to the eye. - -There is no doubt that from very early times there was a town in this -fine natural position. The burial-grounds of primitive races have been -discovered here, with stone and bronze implements. The Romans had a -town here of some importance, although it was four miles south of their -great wall. A Roman tombstone was discovered here, nine feet by three -and a half feet, showing a Roman officer on horseback, overthrowing in -fierce fight a savage and scowling foe. This fine relic is set up in -the church, and is not the only thing to see there. The original church -upon this spot was built in 674, in the reign of King Egfrid of -Northumbria. Wilfrid, the very able and influential Bishop of York, was -the man who presided at the building of it, and there were bishops at -Hexham for a couple of centuries. In 875 the Danes ruthlessly burnt the -town; and nearly one thousand years later, in 1832, there was found -buried in the ground a bronze vessel containing about nine thousand -Saxon coins of the eighth and ninth century, evidently buried to protect -this treasure from the invaders. Those who buried them were probably -slain before they had time to dig them up again. There was a legend of -another treasure hidden between Hexham and Corbridge, and King John came -to Hexham in 1201 to search for it. He returned in 1208 and in 1212, -but found nothing. Time passed, and this tale of hidden treasure ceased -even to be local gossip, but in 1735 by accident it was found. - -The present handsome priory church must have been built about the time -of King John's visits to Hexham. It is a noble building, well worth a -visit. In 1725, when some work was being done in the church, a -wonderful discovery was made. It was found that there was an old Saxon -crypt, a narrow vault with several passages, underneath the church! -This was so carefully hidden that it was evidently intended as a place -of refuge in danger. It was built of Roman stones, several of which -have Roman inscriptions. - -The Scots several times attacked Hexham. Once Sir William Wallace came -there with his army, but he would not let his Scots damage the church, -so that Hexham, on the whole, had a less stormy life than many of the -Border towns, although in 1537, when Henry VIII. caused the monastery to -be suppressed, the prior and five of the leading monks were hanged -before the gates as a gentle reminder that they were to live there no -longer. - -But by far the most stirring event in Hexham's history was the battle -which raged there in 1464. The Wars of the Roses do not form a pleasing -episode in English history. They were pitiless, and treachery was -mingled with bloodshed; desertions and executions were the accompaniment -of every battle. Edward IV. was coldly cruel and unscrupulous, one of -the blackest figures of a black time. But romance centres round Queen -Margaret, the dauntless and resourceful wife of the feeble King Henry -VI., with whom Edward disputed the throne. She it was who, making up for -her husband's weakness, urged ever bravely and hopefully the cause of -her son. Thus she pressed on to the very end, till that son, worthy of -his heroic mother, proudly answered the taunts of his base enemies, even -though in their power, preferring speedy death to any lessening of his -tragic dignity, and dying before the eyes of the successful and exultant -Edward. - -In this fierce drama, Hexham was but an episode. The Lancastrians had -scattered after their heavy defeat at Towton. Margaret in person had -begged a little help of the King of Scotland, a little more of the King -of France. The Borderland was favourable to her, and she gathered her -forces together there, King Henry VI. staying in Alnwick Castle. - -Lord Montague, brother to the powerful but crafty Earl of Warwick, was -warden of the East Marches for Edward, and he hastily collected the -Yorkist forces. He was swift, able, and unscrupulous. He attacked a -small body of Lancastrians on Hedgeley Moor, only ten miles from -Alnwick, and defeated them, killing their leader, Sir Ralph Percy, son -of Hotspur. As this gallant man died he consoled himself by saying, "I -have saved the bird in my bosom," by which poetical phrase he meant that -he had saved his honour by being true to his queen. In May the greater -battle of Hexham was fought. King Henry was there in person, with the -dauntless Queen Margaret and her son, and their brave general, the Duke -of Somerset. They marched out of Hexham to attack Lord Montague; the -battle began by the village of Linnels, on the south side of the Devil's -Water, a stream that runs into the Tyne. The fight was desperate, for -both sides knew that no quarter would be given. It is said by some that -the Scots, having no interest in the war, deserted Margaret; anyway, bit -by bit the Lancastrians were forced back, to the very streets of Hexham -itself, two miles away. In these narrow streets, in the quarter that is -still called Battle Hill, the last desperate fighters on the side of the -Red Rose made their final and unavailing stand. - -At last the remnant fled, and no doubt many a Hexham maid and dame, at -the risk of her own life or limb, hid that day some devoted follower of -Margaret. - -The gallant Duke of Somerset was taken prisoner, and there and then was -brought to the block in the market-place and beheaded. The cruel -Montague had not the true soldier's respect for a brave enemy, whose -blood thus mingled with that of his men. Other nobles were taken as -prisoners to Newcastle, but Edward also was devoid of mercy, and all -perished. - -[Illustration: _The Final Battle in the Streets of Hexham_] - -Till the last moment the queen hoped on. She was not daunted by scenes -of strife and bloodshed. When defeat was an accomplished fact, she and -her young son fled to the Dipton Woods, where they fell into the hands -of rough men, some say a party of Yorkist stragglers. Whilst these men -were eagerly dividing and quarrelling over the queen's jewels, she and -the prince slipped away. Deeper into the dangerous woods they had to go, -for worse than robbers were hunting for them around Hexham. Suddenly an -outlaw stood in their path with drawn sword. Even after that day of -stir and terror Margaret's courage did not fail her. She boldly -declared to the man that she was the Queen of England, and with her was -her only son. Now, if he chose to betray them he could do so; but if he -had that natural nobility that hailed gladly great chances to do great -deeds, now was his time to prove himself a man, and to save the -ill-fated prince and his queen. - -The robber bowed before her as though she were on her throne, and as if -the trees were her army around her. He swore to die a hundred deaths -rather than betray his rightful sovereign and her prince. He honourably -kept his word; and through his safe guidance and steady devotion, both -queen and prince were able to join King Henry in Scotland, to which -place he had safely escaped. - -Thus the bandit of Hexham proved himself to be a truer man than either -Lord Montague, or Warwick, the King-maker, or King Edward IV. of -England. - - - - - *Chapter XV* - - *Fair Helen of Kirkconnell* - - -Very simple, very touching, is the story of fair Helen of Kirkconnell. -This beautiful maiden had two lovers, one rich, one poor. Her friends -favoured the rich one, she loved the poor one. She and her chosen lover -used to meet secretly in the romantic churchyard of Kirkconnell, by the -side of the river Kirtle. Learning this, the rejected lover crept up -one evening, with his carbine, to shoot his luckier rival; Helen saw him -at the moment of firing, and threw herself forward to receive the shot -in her bosom, and so save her lover's life at the cost of her own. - -The ballad describing the grief of her lover is one of the most -beautiful and touching pieces of poetry in existence, and must be given -here entire. - - - *FAIR HELEN* - - I wish I were where Helen lies; - Night and day on me she cries; - O that I were where Helen lies, - On fair Kirkconnell Lee! - - Curst be the heart that thought the thought, - And curst the hand that shot the shot, - When in my arms burd Helen dropt, - And died to succour me. - - O think ye not my heart was sair, - When my love dropt and spak nae mair! - There did she swoon wi' meikle care, - On fair Kirkconnell Lee. - - As I went down the water-side, - None but my foe to be my guide, - None but my foe to be my guide, - On fair Kirkconnell Lee! - - I lighted down my sword to draw, - I hacked him in pieces sma', - I hacked him in pieces sma', - For her sake that died for me. - - O Helen fair beyond compare, - I'll make a garland of thy hair, - Shall bind my heart for evermair, - Until the day I die. - - O that I were where Helen lies, - Night and day on me she cries; - Out of my bed she bids me rise, - Says, "Haste and come to me!" - - O Helen fair! O Helen chaste! - If I were with thee, I were blest, - Where thou lies low, and takes thy rest, - On fair Kirkconnell Lee. - - O that my grave were growing green, - A winding sheet drawn ower my een, - And I in Helen's arms were lying, - On fair Kirkconnell Lee! - - I wish I were where Helen lies! - Night and day on me she cries, - And I am weary of the skies, - For her sake that died for me. - - - - - *Chapter XVI* - - *Johnie of Breadislee* - - -Johnie of Breadislee, outlaw and deer-stealer, was one of the "broken -men," as they were called, the Ishmaels of the Border. Johnie rose up -one May morning, and called for water to wash his hands. He ordered to -be unleashed his good grey dogs, that were bound with iron chains. When -his mother heard that he had called for the dogs, she wrung her hands. -"O Johnie!" she cried, "for my blessing, do not go to the greenwood -to-day. Ye have enough of good wheat bread, enough blood-red wine, -therefore, Johnie, I pray, stir not from home for any venison." But -despite his mother's tears, Johnie busked up his good bent bow, and his -arrows, and went off to Durrisdeer to hunt down the dun deer. As he -came by Merriemass he espied a deer lying beneath a bush of furze. -Johnie let fly an arrow, and the deer leapt as the pitiless shaft found -its mark, and between the water and the brae his good hounds "laid her -pride." So Johnie cut up the venison, giving the liver and lungs to his -faithful hounds, as if they had been earl's sons. With such zest did -they eat and drink that Johnie and the dogs fell asleep, as if they had -been dead. Then as they lay, there came by a silly old man, and, as -soon as he saw the poachers, he ran away to Hislinton, where the Seven -Foresters were. "What news?" they asked. "What news bring ye, ye -grey-headed carle?" "I bring no news," said the grey-headed carle, -"save what my eyes did see. As I came down by Merrimass among the -stunted trees, the bonniest child I ever saw lay asleep among his dogs. -The shirt upon his back was of fine Holland, his doubtlet, over that, -was of Lincoln twine, his buttons were of the good gold, the mouths of -his good grey hounds were dyed with blood." - -Now Johnie, like many another free-hearted outlaw, was a well-liked man. -So the chief forester said, "If this be Johnie of Breadislee we will -draw no nearer." But this was not the spirit of his men. Quoth the -sixth Forester, "If it indeed be he, rather let us slay him." -Cautiously they went through the thicket, and when they saw their man, -asleep and helpless, they shot a flight of arrows. Johnie sprang up, -sore wounded on the knee. The seventh forester cried out, "The next -flight will kill him," but little chance did the outlaw give them for -such an easy victory. He set his back against an oak and propped his -wounded leg upon a stone; with bow or with sword he was a better man by -far than any of his foes. - -In the short, sharp fight that followed, he killed six of the foresters, -some with arrow, and some with steel; and when the seventh turned to -flee, Johnie seized him from behind and threw him on to the ground with -a force that broke three of his ribs. Then he laid him on his steed, -and bade him carry the tidings home. - -[Illustration: _Johnie of Breadislee_] - -But Johnie himself was hurt to death. "Is there no bonnie singing -bird," he cried, "that can fly to my mother's bower and tell her to -fetch Johnie away?" A starling flew to his mother's window sill, and -sang and whistled, and the burden of its tune was ever the same. "Johnie -tarries long." So the men made a litter from rods of the hazel bush and -of the thorn and fetched Johnie away. Then his old mother's tears -flowed fast, and she said, "Ye would not be warned, my son Johnie, to -bide away from the hunting. Oft have I brought to Breadislee the less -or greater gear, but never what grieved my heart so sorely. But woe -betide that silly old grey-headed carle! An ill death shall he die! -The highest tree in Merriemass shall be his reward." - - "Now Johnie's gude bent bow is brake, - And his gude grey dogs are slain, - And his body lies dead in Durrisdeer, - And his hunting it is done." - - - - - *Chapter XVII* - - *Katharine Janfarie* - - -This ballad is evidently the original of Sir Walter Scott's "Lochinvar," -though Sir Walter reversed the names of the two leading male characters. -In "Katharine Janfarie" Lochinvar plays the part of the craven -bridegroom. - - There was a may,[#] and a weel-far'd may, - Lived high up in yon glen; - Her name was Katharine Janfarie, - She was courted by mony men. - -[#] maiden. - - Up there came Lord Lauderdale, - Up frae the Lowland Border, - And he has come to court this may, - A' mounted in good order. - - He told na her father, he told na her mother, - And he told na ane o' her kin, - But he whispered the bonnie lassie hersell, - And has her favour won. - - But out there cam Lord Lochinvar, - Out frae the English Border, - All for to court this bonny may, - Weel mounted, and in order. - - He told her father, he told her mother, - And a' the lave[#] o' her kin; - But he told na the bonny may hersell, - Till on her wedding e'en. - -[#] rest. - - She sent to the Lord o' Lauderdale, - Gin[#] he wad come and see, - And he has sent back word again, - Weel answered he suld[#] be. - -[#] if. -[#] should. - - And he has sent a messenger - Right quickly through the land, - And raised mony an armed man - To be at his command. - - The bride looked out at a high window, - Beneath baith dale and down, - And she was aware of her first true love, - With riders mony a one. - - She scoffed him, and scorned him, - Upon her wedding-day; - And said, "It was the Fairy Court, - To see him in array! - - "O come ye here to fight, young lord, - Or come ye here to play? - Or come ye here to drink good wine, - Upon the wedding-day?" - - "I come na here to fight," he said, - "I come na here to play, - I'll but lead a dance wi' the bonny bride, - And mount, and go my way." - - It is a glass of the blood-red wine - Was filled up them between, - And aye she drank to Lauderdale, - Wha[#] her true love had been. - -[#] who. - - He's taen[#] her by the milk-white hand, - And by the grass-green sleeve; - He's mounted her hie behind himsell, - At her kinsmen speired[#] na leave. - -[#] taken. -[#] asked. - - "Now take your bride, Lord Lochinvar! - Now take her if ye may! - But if you take your bride again, - We'll call it but foul play." - - There were four-and-twenty bonnie boys, - A' clad in the Johnstone grey; - They said they would take the bride again, - By the strong hand, if they may. - - Some o' them were right willing men, - But they were na willing a'; - And four-and-twenty Leader lads - Bid them mount and ride awa'. - - Then whingers flew frae gentles' sides, - And swords flew frae the shea's,[#] - And red and rosy was the blood - Ran down the lily braes. - -[#] sheathes. - - The blood ran down by Caddon bank, - And down by Caddon brae, - And, sighing, said the bonnie bride-- - "O wae's me for foul play." - - My blessing on your heart, sweet thing! - Wae to your wilfu' will! - There's mony a gallant gentleman - Whae's bluid ye have garred[#] to spill. - -[#] caused. - - Now a' the lords of fair England, - And that dwell by the English Border, - Come never here to seek a wife, - For fear of sic[#] disorder. - -[#] such. - - They'll track ye up, and settle ye bye, - Till on your wedding-day; - Then gie ye frogs instead of fish, - And play ye foul foul play. - - - - *LOCHINVAR* - -In Sir Walter Scott's poem, Lochinvar is the hero, and the story has a -happier ending. The song was supposed to have been sung to James IV. by -Lady Heron at Holyrood shortly before the fatal battle of Flodden. - - O young Lochinvar has come out of the west, - Through all the wide border his steel was the best; - And save his good broadsword, he weapons had none, - He rode all unarmed, and he rode all alone, - So faithful in love, and so dauntless in war, - There never was knight like the young Lochinvar. - - He staid not for brake, and he stopped not for stone, - He swam the Eske river where ford there was none, - But ere he alighted at Netherby gate, - The bride had consented, the gallant came late; - For a laggard in love, and a dastard in war, - Was to wed the fair Ellen of brave Lochinvar. - - So boldly he entered the Netherby Hall, - Among bride's men, and kinsmen, and brothers, and all, - Then spoke the bride's father, his hand on his sword - (For the poor craven bridegroom said never a word), - "O come ye in peace here, or come ye in war, - Or to dance at our bridal, young Lord Lochinvar?" - - "I long wooed your daughter, my suit you denied; - Love swells like the Solway, but ebbs like its tide, - And now am I come, with this lost love of mine, - To lead but one measure, drink one cup of wine, - There are maidens in Scotland, more lovely by far, - That would gladly be bride to the young Lochinvar." - - The bride kissed the goblet; the knight took it up, - He quaffed off the wine, and he threw down the cup. - She looked down to blush, and she looked up to sigh, - With a smile on her lips, and a tear in her eye. - He took her soft hand, ere her mother could bar, - "Now tread we a measure!" said young Lochinvar. - - So stately her form, and so lovely her face, - That never a hall such a galliard did grace; - While her brother did fret, and her father did fume, - And the bridgroom stood dangling his bonnet and plume, - And the bride-maidens whispered, "'Twere better by far, - To have matched our fair cousin with young Lochinvar." - - One touch to her hand, and one word in her ear, - When they reached the hall-door, and the charger stood near; - So light to the croupe the fair lady he swung, - So light to the saddle before her he sprung! - "She is won! we have gone over bank, bush, and scaur; - They'll have fleet steeds that follow," quoth young Lochinvar. - - There was mounting 'mong Graemes of the Netherby clan; - Fosters, Fenwicks, and Musgraves, they rode and they ran, - There was racing and chasing, on Cannobie Lee, - But the lost bride of Netherby ne'er did they see. - So daring in love, and so dauntless in war, - Have ye e'er heard of gallant like young Lochinvar? - - - - - *Chapter XVIII* - - *By Lauder Bridge* - - -The Ancient Royal Burgh of Lauder, a quaint little border town with -hardly more than one street, is on the banks of the river Leader, on the -high road between Edinburgh and Kelso. It stands very picturesquely, -among the bold hills and fine woods of Berwickshire, and the valley is -called Lauderdale, extending to where the Leader joins the Tweed, just -below Melrose. Peacefully beautiful is the spot; and yet it was once -the scene of a harsh, grim tragedy. - -It was in the reign of King James III. of Scotland, who offended his -subjects in two particulars. - -First, to get wealth for himself, he mixed brass and lead with his -silver money, and put it into circulation as pure silver; next, he chose -favourites from the common people, and set these above the proud -noblemen of Scotland. - -This latter would not have been so bad a fault if the king had always -chosen wisely; but, as often in such cases, he was led by flatterers -rather than by worthy men. - -In 1482 the king declared war against England, and, as in these warlike -days the nobles were the leaders of the army, this brought the -discontented lords together. - -When the Scottish army reached Lauder in their southward march, the -proud nobles met in Lauder church; all were angry with the king, yet -each was afraid to make the first move. So Lord Gray told them a -mocking fable. - -"Do you remember," said he, "how all the mice got together and agreed -that it would be a splendid thing if a bell were hung round the cat's -neck, so that wherever she went she could be heard; the only difficulty -was to find a mouse to bell the cat!" - -These warlike nobles did not like to be spoken of as if they were mice, -and it roused them to deeper rage. - -Then out spoke Archibald Douglas, Earl of Angus, the head of the younger -branch of the Douglas family. "Trust me, I'll bell the cat!" - -There was a knock at the door; Cochrane, the architect, whom the nobles -said had been a mason, but was now the king's chief favourite, entered, -dressed in black velvet, with a heavy chain of gold round his neck, a -horn of gold tipped with precious stones, and all his attire of the -costliest. Angus caught the chain in his hands and said, "A rope would -suit that neck better!" - -Then the nobles laid violent hands on all the king's low-born favourites -and hanged them by the bridge of Lauder, in front of the king's very -eyes! Cochrane was proud and brave to the last. He said that as the -king had made him an earl he should be hanged with a rope made of silk; -little did the nobles care for his protests, the halter of a horse was -in their opinion good enough for him. - -From this time onward the headstrong Earl of Angus was known by the -nick-name of "Bell-the-Cat." It may be taken for granted that neither -he nor the nobles who supported him would have dared to act so -arrogantly and violently unless they felt quite sure that the king had -not the power to punish them. He returned sullenly to Edinburgh, more -the captive of the nobles than their master. - -A parliament appointed the Duke of Albany lieutenant-general of the -kingdom, but he in turn soon lost favour, for he was suspected of too -great a friendship for Edward IV., King of England, and fled for safety -to France, giving James another chance to govern his kingdom for -himself. - -This weak and unhappy monarch, however, was not destined to have much -peace. Before very long, another quarrel with his nobles led to their -taking up arms with a view of deposing him and placing his son on the -throne. The king and his nobles met in battle near Stirling, but, at -the very beginning of the fight, James was thrown from his horse and -stabbed by a soldier, whose name remained unknown. Thus died this weak -but amiable and unfortunate king. - - - - - *Chapter XIX* - - *The Battle of Flodden Field* - - -One of the most tragic episodes in the History of the Borders was the -battle of Flodden Field, when the flower of the Scottish nobility fell -around their sovereign, James IV., while fighting against the English -under Surrey. - -The causes of the war were many. Henry of England refused to give up -the jewels which had been promised as the dowry of his sister Margaret -on her marriage with James IV. - -The Lord High Admiral of England, Sir Edmund Howard, had attacked and -taken two Scottish ships, and slain their captain, Sir Andrew Barton. -James, who was fond of Barton, demanded redress, but Henry insolently -replied that kings should not quarrel about pirates. - -But the immediate cause was the friendship between France and Scotland. -Henry was preparing for war with France, and James stood by his ally, -declaring that if Henry warred with France, he would lead an army into -England. The Queen of France sent James a turquoise ring, asking him to -carry out his threat to serve her interests. - -James had been warned that his action would have terrible consequences. -A man appeared to him at Linlithgow, clad in a long blue gown, with bare -head, and carrying a pikestaff, and having told the king that his dead -mother had sent him to warn him not to go to war against England, he -disappeared as suddenly as he had come. - -Also at the dead of night a voice had been heard proclaiming aloud at -the market Cross in Edinburgh the names of those who, within forty days, -would be no more. It was thought at the time that these happenings were -instigated by Queen Margaret, but the king still persisted in his -policy, and led his army across the Border, in spite of the warnings of -his counsellors and his queen. - -A fine description of his army is given by Sir Walter Scott, when Lord -Marmion watches the scene from Blackford Hill. - - "Thousand pavilions, white as snow, - Spread all the Borough-moor below, - Upland, and dale, and down:-- - A thousand, did I say? I ween, - Thousands and thousands, there were seen, - That chequer'd all the heath between - The streamlet and the town; - In crossing ranks extending far, - Forming a camp irregular; - Oft giving way, where still there stood - Some relics of the old oak wood, - That darkly huge did intervene, - And tamed the glaring white with green, - In these extended lines there lay, - A martial kingdom's vast array. - - For from Hebudes, dark with rain, - To eastern Lodon's fertile plain, - And from the southern Redswire edge, - To farthest Rosse's rocky ledge, - From west to east, from south to north, - Scotland sent all her warriors forth, - Marmion might hear the mingled hum, - Of myriads up the mountain come; - The horses' tramp, and tingling clank, - Where chiefs reviewed their vassal rank, - And charger's shrilling neigh; - And see the shifting lines advance - Whilst frequent flash'd, from shield and lance, - The sun's reflected ray. - * * * * * - They saw, slow rolling on the plain, - Full many a baggage-cart and wain, - And dire artillery's clumsy car. - By sluggish oxen tugg'd to war; - * * * * * - Nor mark'd they less, where in the air - A thousand streamers flaunted fair, - Various in shape, device, and hue, - Green, sanguine, purple, red, and blue, - Broad, narrow, swallow-tailed, and square, - Scroll, pennon, pensil, bandrol,[#] there - O'er the pavilions flew. - Highest and midmost, was descried - The royal banner floating wide; - The staff, a pine-tree, strong and straight, - Pitch'd deeply in a massive stone, - Which still in memory is shown, - Yet bent beneath the standard's weight. - Whene'er the western breeze unroll'd, - With toil, the huge and cumbrous fold, - And gave to view the dazzling field, - Where, in proud Scotland's royal shield, - The ruddy lion ramp'd in gold." - -[#] Each feudal ensign intimated the rank of those who displayed them. - - -Marmion wondered that with such a glorious army at his back anyone -should try to dissuade James from battle, yet Sir David Lindesay of the -Mount answered him, - - "'twere good - That Kings would think withal, - When peace and wealth their land has bless'd, - 'Tis better to sit still at rest, - Than rise, perchance to fall." - - -Men-at-arms were there, sheathed in plate armour, with battle-axe and -spear, and mounted on Flemish steeds. Young knights and squires -practised their chargers on the plain. Hardy burghers marched on foot, -armed with long pikes and two-handed swords and bright bucklers. - -The yeoman, too, was on foot, dressed in steel-jack quilted well with -iron, and bearing at his back, provisions for forty days. He seemed sad -of cheer, and loth to leave his humble cottage, wondering who would till -the land during his absence. - -There, too, was the Borderer:-- - - "bred to war, - He knew the battle's din afar, - And joy'd to hear it swell. - His peaceful day was slothful ease, - Nor harp nor pipe his ear could please - Like the loud slogan yell." - -for - - "War's the Borderer's game, - Their gain, their glory, their delight, - To sleep the day, maraud the night, - O'er mountain, moss, and moor." - -[Illustration: _Flodden Field_] - -There, too, were the Celts, with savage eyes looking out wildly through -red and sable hair, with sinewy frames and legs bare above the knees, -their chiefs known by the eagle's plumage. They wore the skin of the -red deer, a graceful bonnet, and a plaid hung from the shoulders, and -carried as weapons a broadsword, a dagger, and quivers, bows, and -shafts. - -The Isles-men, too, were there, carrying the ancient Danish battle-axe. -While the army was mustering together, James feasted the chiefs in -Holyrood Palace, for at dawn they were to march southward. - - "Well loved that splendid monarch aye - The banquet and the song, - By day the tourney, and by night - The merry dance, traced fast and light, - The maskers quaint, the pageant bright, - The revel loud and long. - This feast outshone his banquets past; - It was his blithest and his last." - - And hazel was his eagle eye, - And auburn of the darkest dye, - His short curl'd beard and hair. - Light was his footstep in the dance, - And firm his stirrup in the lists; - And oh! he had that merry glance, - That seldom lady's heart resists." - - -Yet no fair lady was as dear to James as his own Queen Margaret, who sat -alone in the tower of Linlithgow weeping for the war against her native -country, and for the danger of her lord. - -On the morrow, James marched south, crossed the Tweed, and encamped on -the banks of the Till, near Twisel Bridge. The Scottish army moved down -the side of the Tweed to Flodden Hill taking Norham Castle, and the -Border towns of Etal, Wark, and Ford. Much time was wasted in these -petty enterprises, time which should have been spent in marching to -Newcastle before the English were prepared to offer resistance. When -the castle of Ford was stormed, Lady Heron, wife of Sir William Heron, -then a prisoner in Scotland, was taken, and this beautiful and artful -woman induced James to idle away his time until all chance was lost of -defeating the enemy. - -The army suffered severely from want of provisions, and many of the -Highlanders and Isles-men returned home, many who had come only for -booty, deserted, and the numbers were reduced to about thirty thousand. - -Meanwhile, the Earl of Surrey had raised twenty-six thousand men, and -received other enforcements as he came north from Durham. He therefore -challenged James to fight, and charged him with violating the treaty of -peace between the two kingdoms. - -The Scottish nobles were unwilling to fight, and said it was impossible -to remain in a country so plundered; also, if fight the king must, he -would fight to much greater advantage in his own country, to whose -welfare the loss of this battle would be fatal; while he had -sufficiently indicated his honour by crossing the Border. - -James would not listen to the counsel of his nobles, though even the -aged Earl of Angus expostulated with him. To this old warrior he -angrily said, "Angus, if you are afraid, you may go home," at which -insult the aged Earl burst into tears. - -The English army crossed the Till by Twisel Bridge and pressed on while -the Scottish army stood idly by, the Scottish nobles in vain entreating -the king to attack the English while they were crossing. - -When the English army had drawn up in order of battle on the left bank -of the river, the Scots, setting fire to their temporary huts, came down -the ridge of Flodden. The clouds of smoke from the burning huts were -driven into the face of the English, so that the Scots had got to within -a quarter of a mile of them before they perceived them. - - "No martial shout, nor minstrel tone, - Announced their march; their tread alone, - At times one warning trumpet blown, - At times a stifled hum, - Told England, from his mountain-throne, - King James did rushing come: - Scarce could they hear or see their foes - Until at weapon-point they close." - - -With clanging blows and arrows that fell like rain, with yelling and -clamour and sword-sway and lance-thrust, the battle continued until the -evening, and when even fell, the Scots still fought in an unbroken ring -round their king. But when darkness came, and Surrey withdrew his men, -the flower of Scotland's chivalry had fallen, and the king lay dead on -the field. - - "Afar, the royal standard flies, - And round it toils and bleeds and dies. - Our Caledonian pride!" - * * * * * - But yet, though thick the shafts as now, - Though charging knights like whirlwinds go, - Though billmen ply the ghastly bow, - Unbroken was the ring. - The stubborn spearmen still made good - Their dark impenetrable wood, - Each stepping where his comrade stood - The instant that he fell. - No thought was there of dastard flight: - Link'd in the serried phalanx tight, - Groom fought like noble, squire like knight, - As fearlessly and well; - Till utter darkness closed her wing - O'er their thin host and wounded King. - Then skilful Surrey's sage commands - Led back from strife his shattered bands; - And from the charge they drew, - As mountain-waves, from wasted lands, - Sweep back to ocean blue. - Then did their loss his foemen know; - Their King, their lords, their mightiest low, - They melted from the field as snow, - When streams are swoln and south winds blow - Dissolves in silent dew. - * * * * * - Still from the sire the son shall hear - Of the stern fight and carnage drear - Of Flodden's fatal field, - Where shiver'd was fair Scotland's spear, - And broken was her shield! - * * * * * - And well in death his trusty brand, - Firm clench'd within his manly hand - Beseem'd the Monarch slain." - - - - - *Chapter XX* - - *After Flodden* - - -So deeply did the tragic result of Flodden touch the hearts of the -Scottish people that no Scot could for many a long day hear it mentioned -without a heart-thrill. - -Many are the songs written about it, the most famous perhaps, being the -"Flowers of the Forest," written two centuries later, though partly -founded upon an older and almost forgotten song. - - - *THE FLOWERS OF THE FOREST* - - I've heard them lilting, at our ewe-milking, - Lasses a' lilting, before dawn o' day; - But now they are moaning on ilka green loaning[#] - The Flowers of the Forest are a' wede away. - -[#] a broad grassy lane used as milking-ground. - - At bughts, in the morning, nae blythe lads are scorning;[#] - The lasses are lonely, and dowie, and wae; - Wae daffing,[#] nae gabbing,[#] but sighing and sabbing; - Ilk ane lifts her leglin,[#] and hies her away. - -[#] rallying. -[#] joking. -[#] chatting. -[#] milking-pail. - - In hair'st, at the shearing, nae youths now are jeering, - The bandsters[#] are runkled,[#] and lyart[#] or gray; - At fair, or at preaching, nae wooing, nae fleeching;[#] - The Flowers of the Forest are a' wede away. - -[#] sheaf-binders. -[#] wrinkled. -[#] inclining to grey. -[#] coaxing. - - At e'en, in the gloaming, nae younkers are roaming - 'Bout stacks with the lasses at bogle to play; - But ilk maid sits dreary, lamenting her deary-- - The Flowers of the Forest are a' wede away. - - Dool and wae for the order, sent our lads to the Border! - The English, for ance, by guile wan the day: - The Flowers of the Forest, that fought aye the foremost, - The prime of our land, are cauld in the clay. - - We'll hear nae mair lilting at the ewe-milking; - Women and bairns are heartless and wae: - Sighing and moaning on ilka green loaning-- - The Flowers of the Forest are a' wede away. - JEAN ELLIOT (1727-1805). - - -The following poem also gives eloquent and touching expression to the -deep gloom which descended upon the Border after the fatal battle, and -tells of the despair felt in almost every Ettrick home:-- - - - *SELKIRK AFTER FLODDEN* - - (A WIDOW'S DIRGE, OCTOBER 1513) - - It's but a month the morn - Sin' a' was peace and plenty; - Oor hairst was halflins shorn, - Eident men and lasses denty. - But noo it's a' distress-- - Never mair a merry meetin '; - For half the bairns are faitherless, - And a' the women greetin'. - O Flodden Field! - - Miles and miles round Selkirk toun, - Where forest flow'rs are fairest, - Ilka lassie's stricken doun, - Wi' the fate that fa's the sairest. - A' the lads they used to meet - By Ettrick braes or Yarrow - Lyin' thrammelt head and feet - In Brankstone's deadly barrow! - O Flodden Field! - - Frae every cleuch and clan - The best o' the braid Border - Rose like a single man - To meet the royal order. - Oor Burgh toun itsel' - Sent its seventy doun the glen; - Ask Fletcher[#] how they fell, - Bravely fechtin', ane to ten! - O Flodden Field! - -[#] This was the man who brought an English flag back to Selkirk from -Flodden. Four brothers of that name are said to have perished in the -battle. - - Round about their gallant king, - For country and for croun, - Stude the dauntless Border ring, - Till the last was hackit doun. - I blame na what has been-- - They maun fa' that canna flee-- - But oh, to see what I hae seen, - To see what now I see! - O Flodden Field! - - The souters a' fu' croose, - O'er their leather and their lingle, - Wi' their shoon in ilka hoose, - Sat contentit round the ingle. - Noo there's naething left but dool,-- - Never mair their work will cheer them; - In Flodden's bluidy pool - They'll neither wait nor wear them! - O Flodden Field! - - Whar the weavers used to meet, - In ilka bieldy corner, - Noo there's nane in a' the street, - Savin' here and there a mourner, - Walkin' lonely as a wraith, - Or if she meet anither, - Just a word below their braith - O' some slauchtered son or brither! - O Flodden Field! - - There stands the gudeman's loom - That used tae gang sae cheerie, - Untentit noo, and toom, - Makin' a' the hoose sae eerie, - Till the sicht I canna dree; - For the shuttles lyin' dumb - Speak the loudlier to me - O' him that wunna come. - O Flodden Field! - - Sae at nicht I cover't o'er, - Just to haud it frae my een, - But I haena yet the pow'r - To forget what it has been; - And I listen through the hoose - For the chappin o' the lay, - Till the scrapin' o' a moose - Tak's my very braith away. - O Flodden Field! - - Then I turn to sister Jean, - And my airms aboot her twine, - And I kiss her sleepless een, - For her heart's as sair as mine,-- - A heart ance fu' o' fun, - And hands that ne'er were idle, - Wi' a' her cleedin' spun - Against her Jamie's bridal. - O Flodden Field! - - Noo we've naether hands nor hairt-- - In oor grief the wark's forgotten, - Though it's wantit every airt, - And the craps are lyin' rotten. - War's awsome blast's gane bye, - And left a land forlorn; - In daith's dool hairst they lie, - The shearers and the shorn. - O Flodden Field. - - Wi' winter creepin' near us, - When the nichts are drear and lang, - Nane to help us, nane to hear us, - On the weary gate we gang! - Lord o' the quick an' deed, - Sin' oor ain we canna see, - In mercy mak gude speed, - And bring us whar they be, - Far, far, frae Flodden Field! - "J. B. Selkirk" (JAMES B. BROWN). - _By permission of W. Cuthbertson, Esq._ - - -Another lyric, relating to the fatal battle of Flodden, refers to the -gallantry of the Souters, or shoemakers of Selkirk, who, to the number -of eighty, and headed by their town-clerk, joined the army as it entered -England. They distinguished themselves greatly, and few returned. The -"yellow and green" are the liveries of the house of Home, taxed by some -with being the cause of the defeat. - - - *THE SOUTERS OF SELKIRK* - - Up wi' the Souters of Selkirk, - And doun wi' the Earl of Home; - And up wi' a' the braw lads - That sew the single-soled shoon. - - Fye upon yellow and yellow, - And fye upon yellow and green, - But up wi' the true blue and scarlet, - And up wi' the single-soled sheen. - - Up wi' the Souters of Selkirk, - For they are baith trusty and leal; - And up wi' the men o' the Forest, - And doun wi' the Merse to the deil. - - -In Aytoun's "Lays of the Scottish Cavaliers," the following well-known -poem tells how the news of the disaster at Flodden Field was received in -Edinburgh:-- - - - *EDINBURGH AFTER FLODDEN* - - I - - News of battle! news of battle! - Hark! 'tis ringing down the street: - And the archways and the pavement - Bear the clang of hurrying feet. - News of battle! Who hath brought it? - News of triumph! Who should bring - Tidings from our noble army, - Greetings from our gallant King? - All last night we watched the beacons - Blazing on the hills afar, - Each one bearing, as it kindled, - Message of the opened war. - All night long the northern streamers - Shot across the trembling sky: - Fearful lights that never beckon - Save when kings or heroes die. - - - II - - News of battle! Who hath brought it? - All are thronging to the gate; - "Warder--warder! open quickly! - Man--is this a time to wait?" - And the heavy gates are opened; - Then a murmur long and loud, - And a cry of fear and wonder - Bursts from out the bending crowd. - For they see in battered harness - Only one hard-stricken man; - And his weary steed is wounded, - And his cheek is pale and wan. - Spearless hangs a bloody banner - In his weak and drooping hand-- - God! can that be Randolph Murray, - Captain of the city band? - - - III - - Round him crush the people, crying, - "Tell us all--oh, tell us true! - Where are they who went to battle, - Randolph Murray, sworn to you? - Where are they, our brothers--children? - Have they met the English foe? - Why art thou alone, unfollowed? - Is it weal, or is it woe?" - Like a corpse the grisly warrior - Looks from out his helm of steel; - But no word he speaks in answer-- - Only with his armed heel - Chides his weary steed, and onward - Up the city streets they ride; - Fathers, sisters, mothers, children, - Shrieking, praying by his side. - "By the God that made thee, Randolph! - Tell us what mischance hath come." - Then he lifts his riven banner, - And the asker's voice is dumb. - -[Illustration: "_Tell us all--oh, tell us true!_"] - - - IV - - The elders of the city - Have met within their hall-- - The men whom good King James had charged - To watch the tower and wall. - "Your hands are weak with age," he said, - "Your hearts are stout and true; - So bide ye in the maiden town, - While others fight for you. - My trumpet from the Border-side - Shall send a blast so clear, - That all who wait within the gate - That stirring sound may hear. - Or, if it be the will of Heaven - That back I never come, - And if, instead of Scottish shout, - Ye hear the English drum, - Then let the warning bells ring out, - Then gird you to the fray, - Then man the walls like burghers stout, - And fight while fight you may. - 'Twere better that in fiery flame - The roofs should thunder down, - Than that the foot of foreign foe - Should trample in the town!" - - - V - - Then in came Randolph Murray, - His step was slow and weak, - And, as he doffed his dinted helm, - The tears ran down his cheek: - They fell upon his corslet - And on his mailed hand, - As he gazed around him wistfully, - Leaning sorely on his brand. - And none who then beheld him - But straight were smote with fear, - For a bolder and a sterner man - Had never couched a spear. - They knew so sad a messenger - Some ghastly news must bring; - And all of them were fathers, - And their sons were with the King. - - - VI - - And up then rose the Provost-- - A brave old man was he, - Of ancient name, and knightly fame, - And chivalrous degree. - He ruled our city like a Lord - Who brooked no equal here, - And ever for the townsmen's rights - Stood up 'gainst prince and peer. - And he had seen the Scottish host - March from the Borough muir, - With music-storm and clamorous shout, - And all the din that thunders out - When youth's of victory sure. - But yet a dearer thought had he;-- - For, with a father's pride, - He saw his last remaining son - Go forth by Randolph's side, - With casque on head and spur on heel, - All keen to do and dare; - And proudly did that gallant boy - Dunedin's banner bear. - Oh! woeful now was the old man's look, - And he spake right heavily-- - "Now, Randolph, tell thy tidings, - However sharp they be! - Woe is written on thy visage, - Death is looking from thy face; - Speak! though it be of overthrow-- - It cannot be disgrace!" - - - VII - - Right bitter was the agony - That wrung that soldier proud; - Thrice did he strive to answer, - And thrice he groaned aloud. - Then he gave the riven banner - To the old man's shaking hand, - Saying--"That is all I bring ye - From the bravest of the land! - Ay! ye may look upon it-- - It was guarded well and long, - By your brothers and your children, - By the valiant and the strong. - One by one they fell around it, - As the archers laid them low, - Grimly dying, still unconquered, - With their faces to the foe. - Ay! ye may well look upon it-- - There is more than honour there, - Else, be sure, I had not brought it - From the field of dark despair. - Never yet was royal banner - Steeped in such a costly dye; - It hath lain upon a bosom - Where no other shroud shall lie. - Sirs! I charge you, keep it holy; - Keep it as a sacred thing, - For the stain ye see upon it - Was the life-blood of your King!" - - - VIII - - Woe and woe and lamentation! - What a piteous cry was there! - Widows, maidens, mothers, children, - Shrieking, sobbing in despair! - Through the streets the death-word rushes, - Spreading terror, sweeping on. - "Jesu Christ! our King has fallen-- - O Great God, King James is gone! - Holy mother Mary, shield us, - Thou who erst did lose thy Son! - O the blackest day for Scotland - That she ever knew before! - O our King--the good, the noble, - Shall we see him never more? - Woe to us, and woe to Scotland! - O our sons, our sons and men! - Surely some have 'scaped the Southron, - Surely some will come again!" - - -Randolph Murray describes how the monarch lies dead on the field with -his nobles round him. - - "All so thick they lay together, - When the stars lit up the sky, - That I knew not who were stricken, - Or who yet remained to die." - - -A hollow knell is rung and the miserere is sung, and all is terror and -disorder until the Provost rouses them. - - "If our King be taken from us, - We are left to guard his son. - * * * * * - Up! and haste ye through the city, - Stir the burghers stout and true! - Gather all our scattered people, - Fling the banner out once more-- - Randolph Murray! do thou bear it, - As it erst was borne before: - Never Scottish heart will leave it, - When they see their monarch's gore!" - - - - - *Chapter XXI* - - *Graeme and Bewick* - - -Good Lord Graeme and Sir Robert Bewick were friends. They met one day -in Carlisle, and went arm in arm to the wine, and, as was too oft the -custom of these days, they stayed and drank till they were both merry. -Good Lord Graeme took up the cup. "Sir Robert, and here's to thee!" he -said, "and here's to our two sons at home, for they like us best in our -own country." - -"O were your son a lad like mine," answered Bewick, boastfully, "and -learnt some books that he could read, they might be two brothers in -arms, and lord it over the Borderside. - - 'But your son's a lad, and he's but bad, - And billie[#] to my son he cannot be.' - -[#] Comrade, or brother-in-arms. - -You sent him to school, and he would not learn; you bought him books, -and he would not read!" - -Lord Graeme called angrily for the reckoning. "My blessing shall he -never earn," said he, "till I see how his arm can defend his head." He -threw down a crown, and went to the stable, took his horse, and rode -home. "Welcome, my old father," said his son, Christie Graeme, "but -where were ye so long from home?" "I have been at Carlisle town, and a -shamed man I am by thee," answered his father with a black look; "I have -been at Carlisle town, where Sir Robert Bewick met me. He says you are -but a bad, wild youth, and can never be billie to his boy. I sent you -to the school, and you would not learn. I bought you books, and you -would not read; therefore you shall never have my blessing till I see -you save your head in fight with young Bewick." "Now God forbid, my old -father, that ever such a thing should be! Billie Bewick was my master, -and I his scholar, in spite of the pains he wasted in teaching me." "O -hold thy tongue, thou foolish lad! If thou dost not soon end this -quarrel, there's my glove, I'll fight with thee myself." - -Then Christie Graeme stooped low. "Father, put on your glove again, the -wind has blown it from your hand." - - "What's that, thou sayst, thou limmer loon? - How darest thou stand to speak to me? - If thou do not end this quarrel soon, - There's my right hand, thou'lt fight with me!" - - -Then went Christie to his chamber, to consider what should happen. -Should he fight with his own father, or with his brother-in-arms, -Bewick? - - "If I should kill my billie dear, - God's blessing I shall never win; - But if I strike at my auld father, - I think 'twould be a mortal sin. - But if I kill my billie dear - It is God's will, so let it be; - But I make a vow, ere I go from home, - That I shall be the next man's die." - -He put a good old jack or quilted doublet on his back, and on his head -he put a cap of steel, and well did he become them with his sword and -buckler by his side! - -Now young Bewick had taken his father's sword under his arm, and walked -about his father's close. He looked between himself and the sun, to see -some approaching object, and was aware of a man in bright armour, riding -that way most hastily. - - "O who is yon, that comes this way, - So hastily that hither came? - I think it be my brother dear, - I think it be young Christie Graeme. - Your welcome here, my billie dear, - And thrice you're welcome unto me." - - -Christie explained that he was come to fight, that his father had been -to Carlisle, and had met with the elder Bewick. He retailed what had -passed, "and so I'll never earn my father's blessing, till he sees how -my arm can guard my head in fight against thee." - - "O God forbid, my billie dear, - That ever such a thing should be! - We'll take three men on either side, - And see if we can our fathers agree." - - -Christie shook his head. He knew that it was useless. "O hold thy -tongue, billie Bewick. If thou'rt a man, as I'm sure thou art, come -over the dyke and fight with me." - -"But I have no harness, billie, as I see you have." - -"As little harness as is on your back shall be on mine." - -With that Christie threw off his coat of mail and cap of steel, stuck -his spear into the ground, and tied his horse up to a tree. Bewick -threw off his cloak, and cast aside his psalter book. He laid his hand -upon the dyke, and vaulted over. The two fought for two long hours. -The sweat dropped fast from them both, but not a drop of blood could be -seen to satisfy the requirements of honour. At last Graeme hit Bewick -under the left breast, and he fell to the ground wounded mortally. - - "Rise up, rise up, now, billie dear, - Arise and speak three words to me! - Whether thou's gotten thy deadly wound, - Or if God and good leeching[#] may succour thee?" - -[#] Doctoring. - -Bewick groaned. "Get to horse, billie Graeme, and get thee hence -speedily. Get thee out of this country--that none may know who has done -this." "O have I slain thee, billie Bewick? But I made a vow, ere I -came from home, that I would be the next man to die!" Thereupon he -pitched his sword hilt downwards into a mole-hill, took a run of some -three and twenty feet, and on his own sword's point he fell to the -ground dead. - -Then up came Sir Robert Bewick. "Rise up, my son," he said, "for I -think you have got the victory." - -"O hold your tongue, my father dear. Let me be spared your prideful -talking. You might have drunken your wine in peace, and let me and my -billie be! Go dig a grave, both wide and deep, and a grave to hold us -both; but lay Christie Graeme on the sunny side, for full sure I know -that the victory was to him." - -"Alas," cried old Bewick, "I've lost the liveliest lad that ever was -born unto my name." "Alas," quoth good Lord Graeme, "my loss is the -greater. - - 'I've lost my hopes, I've lost my joy, - I've lost the key, but and the lock; - I durst have ridden the world around, - Had Christie Graeme been at my back!'" - - - - - *Chapter XXII* - - *The Song of the Outlaw Murray* - - - "Word is gone to our noble king, - In Edinburgh where that he lay, - That there was an Outlaw in Ettrick Forest - Counted him nought, nor all his Court so gay." - - -The King mentioned in the ballad is supposed to have been either James -IV. or James V. This places the date somewhere in the early part of the -sixteenth century. - -The Outlaw Murray and his lady kept royal state in Ettrick Forest. Here -he lived with five hundred men, all gaily clad in livery of Lincoln -green. His castle, built of lime and stone, stood fair and pleasantly -in the midst of the Forest, surrounded by pine trees under which -wandered many a hart and hind, many a doe and roe and other wild -creatures. In the forefront of the castle stood two unicorns, with the -picture of a knight and lady with green holly above their brows. - -The King in Edinburgh heard of all this royal state and that the Outlaw -in Ettrick Forest cared nought for the King of Scotland and his court. - -"I make a vow," said the King, "that either I shall be King of Ettrick -Forest, or the Outlaw shall be King of Scotland." - -Then up spoke Lord Hamilton to the noble King, "my sovereign prince, -take counsel of your nobles and of me. I counsel ye to send to the fine -Outlaw and see if he will come and be your man and hold the Forest in -fee from you. If he refuse, we will conquer both him and his lands, -throw his castle down, and make a widow of his gay lady." - -Then the King called to him James Boyd, son of the Earl of Arran, and -when Boyd came and knelt before him, "Welcome, James Boyd," said the -noble King; "you must go for me to Ettrick Forest where bides yonder -Outlaw, ask him of whom he holds his lands, and who is his master, and -desire him to come and be my man, and hold the Forest free from me. I -will give him safe warrant to and from Edinburgh, and if he refuse we -will conquer him and his lands, and throw down his castle, and make a -widow of his gay lady; and hang his merry men pair by pair wherever we -see them." - -James Boyd took leave of the King and went blithely on his way, until he -came to the fair Ettrick Forest, the first view of which he got coming -down Birkendale Brae. He saw the doe and roe, the hart and hind and wild -beasts in plenty, and heard blows ringing boldly, and arrows whizzing -near by him. - -He saw, too, the fair castle, the like of which he had never seen -before, with the two gay unicorns on the forefront, and the picture of -the knight and lady with the green holly above their brow. - -Then he spied the five hundred men, all clad in livery of Lincoln green, -and shooting with their bows on Newark Lee. In the midst of them was a -knight armed from head to foot, mounted on a milk-white steed, with -bended bow, all fine to look upon; whom Boyd knew at once to be the -Outlaw himself. - -"God save thee, brave Outlaw Murray, thy lady, and all thy chivalry!" - -"Marry, thou art welcome, gentleman; thou seemst to be a King's -messenger." - -"The King of Scotland sent me here, good Outlaw, to know of whom you -hold your lands, and who is your master." - -"These lands are _mine_. I know no King in Christendom. I won this -Forest from the English when neither the King nor his knights were there -to see." - -"The King desires that you come to Edinburgh, and hold the Forest then -of him. If you refuse, he will conquer your lands and you, and he has -vowed to throw down your castle, make a widow of your gay lady, and hang -your knights pair by pair wherever he finds them." - -"Ay, by my troth! I should indeed be far behind. Before the King should -get my fair native land, many of his nobles would be cold, and their -ladies right weary." - -Then spoke the lady of the Outlaw, fair of face. "That an Outlaw should -come before the King without my consent makes me fear much that there is -treason. Bid him be good to his lords at home, for my lord shall ne'er -see Edinburgh." - -James Boyd took leave of the bold Outlaw and went back to Edinburgh, and -when he came to the King, knelt lowly on his knee. - -"Welcome, James Boyd," said the noble King, "of whom is Ettrick Forest -held?" - -"Ettrick Forest is the fairest forest that ever man saw. There are doe -and roe and hart and hind and wild beasts in plenty; there's a fine -castle of lime and stone standing there pleasantly, and in the forefront -of the castle two unicorns all fine to see, with a picture of a knight -and a lady, and the green holly above their brows. There the Outlaw -keeps a royal company--five hundred merry men, all gaily clad in Lincoln -green, and the Outlaw and his lady in purple. Surely they live right -royally. He says that the forest is his own, that he won it from the -English, and that as he won it, so will he keep it against all the Kings -in Christendom." - -"Go warn me Perthshire and Angus," cried the King, "go warn Fife up and -down and the three Lothians, and harness my own horse, for I will myself -to Ettrick Forest." - -When the Outlaw heard that the King was coming to his country to conquer -him and his lands: - -"I make a vow," said he. "I make a vow, and that truly, that the King's -coming shall be a dear one." - -Then he called messengers and sent them in haste hither and thither. - -"One of you go to Halliday, Laird of Corehead, my sister's son. Tell -him to come quickly to my aid, for that the King comes to Ettrick -Forest, and we shall all be landless." - -"What news? What news, man, from thy master?" said Halliday. - -"No news thou carest to hear; I come seeking your aid; the King is his -mortal enemy." - -"By my troth, I am sorry for that; if Murray lose fair Ettrick Forest, -the King will take Moffatdale from me. I'll meet him with five hundred -men, and more if need be, and before he gets to Ettrick Forest, we will -all die on Newark Lee." - -Another messenger went from the Outlaw to Andrew Murray of Cockpool, his -dear cousin, to desire him to come and help him with all the power he -could get together. - -"It is hard," said Andrew Murray, "very hard to go against a crowned -King and put my lands in jeopardy; but if I come not by day I shall be -there at night." - -A messenger went also to Sir James Murray of Traquair. - -"What news? What news, man, from your master to me?" said James Murray. - -"What need I tell? Well ye know that the King is his mortal enemy and -that he is coming to Ettrick Forest to make ye all landless men." - -"By my troth," said James Murray, "with yonder Outlaw will I live and -die; the King has long ago given away my lands, so matters can be no -worse for me." - -So the King came on with five thousand men through Caddon Ford. They -saw the dark forest before them and thought it awesome to look upon, and -Lord Hamilton begged that the King should take counsel of his nobles and -should desire the Outlaw to meet him at Permanscore with four of his -company and that the King should go there also accompanied by five -Earls. "If he refuse to do that, we'll conquer both him and his lands; -there shall never a Murray after him hold lands free in Ettrick Forest." - -The Laird of Buckscleuth, a man stalwart and stern, thought it beneath -the state and dignity of a King to go and meet an Outlaw. "The man that -lives in yonder forest, lives by robbery and felony! wherefore, ride on, -my liege; we will follow thee with fire and sword; or if your courtier -lords fall back, our Borderers will make the onset." - -But the King spoke forth, casting a wily glance around. "Thou mayest -hold _thy_ tongue, Sir Walter Scott, nor speak more of robbery and -felony, for if every honest man had his own cattle thy clan would be a -poor one." - -The King then called to him a gentleman, a royal banner-bearer, James -Hoppringle of Torsonse by name, who came and knelt before him. -"Welcome, James Pringle of Torsonse, ye must take a message for me; go -to yonder Outlaw Murray, where he bideth so boldly; bid him meet me at -Permanscore with four of his company, I myself will come to him with -five Earls. If he refuse, bid him look for no favour from me. There -shall never a Murray after him have free land in Ettrick Forest." - -So James Pringle came before the Outlaw. "Welcome James Pringle of -Torsonse! What message bringst thou from the King to me?" - -"He bids ye meet him at Permanscore, with four of your company, and he -will go there himself with no more than five Earls. If you refuse, he -will cast down your bonny castle, make a widow of your gay lady, and -loose on you the bloodhound Borderers to harry you with fire and sword. -Never shall a Murray after you hold free land in Ettrick Forest." - -"It goes hard with me," said the Outlaw; "judge if it go not very hard. -I mind not the losing of myself, but when I think of my offspring after -me, my merry men's lives, my widow's tears, that is the pang that -pinches me. Yonder castle will be right dreary when I am laid in bloody -earth. Auld Halliday, young Halliday, ye two shall go with me, with -Andrew and James Murray." - -When they came before the King they fell on their knees. "Mercy, mercy, -noble King, for His sake who died on the Cross." - -"Such mercy shall ye have; ye shall be hanged on the gallows." - -"May God forbid, and may your mercy be better than that, else, when ye -come to the port of Edinburgh, ye shall be thinly guarded. These lands -of fair Ettrick Forest I won from the Southrons, and as I won them so -will I keep them, against all the Kings in Christendom." - -The nobles round the King thought it a pity that he should die. - -"Grant me mercy, sovereign prince, and extend me favour. If thou wilt -make me Sheriff of Ettrick Forest, and my offspring after me, I will -give thee the keys of my castle, and the blessing of my gay lady." - -"If thou wilt give me thy castle keys and the blessing of thy gay lady, -I'll make thee Sheriff of Ettrick Forest as long as the trees grow -upward, and never shalt thou forfeit it, if thou be not a traitor to the -King." - -"But Prince, what shall become of my men? When I go back they will call -me traitor. I had rather lose both life and land than be rebuked by my -merry-men." - -"I will pardon them all if they amend their lives. Name thy lands where -they lie, and I will render them back to thee." - -"Philiphaugh and Lewinhope are mine by right, Newark, Foulshiells and -Tinnies I won by my bow and arrow. I have farms at Newark Lee and -Hangingshaw which are mine by birth, and I have many farms in the Forest -whose names I do not know." Thereupon he gave the King the key of his -castle, with the blessing of his fair lady, and the King made him -Sheriff of Ettrick Forest for as long as the trees should grow upward, -never to be forfeited while he and his descendants remained faithful to -the King. Much of this land belongs to Murray's heirs, even to this -day. - - "Wha ever heard in, in ony times, - Sicken an outlaw in his degre, - Sic favour got befor a King, - As did the Outlaw Murray of the Foreste free?" - - - - - *Chapter XXIII* - - *Johnie Armstrong* - - - "When Johnie came before the King, - With all his men so brave to see, - The King he moved his bonnet to him; - He knew he was a King as well as he." - - -In 1529 James V. visited the Border country to execute justice on the -wild freebooters. Of these the chief was Johnie Armstrong of Gilnockie, -who levied blackmail for many miles round his residence at the Hollows, -and spread the terror of his name as far as Newcastle. Acting on the -evil counsel of false friends, Johnie presented himself before the King -in all the pomp of Border chivalry. - -According to the old ballad the King wrote with his own hand a loving -letter to Johnie Armstrong, Laird of Gilnockie, bidding him come and -speak with him speedily. Whereupon the Elliots and Armstrongs convened a -meeting, to which they came in gallant company, and decided to ride out -to meet the King and bring him to Gilnockie. - -"Make ready rabbits and capon and venison in plenty," said Johnie, "and -we'll welcome home our royal King to dine at Gilnockie." - -So they ran out their horses on Langholm Down, and broke their spears, -and the ladies, looking from their high windows, cried "God send our men -safe home again." - -When Johnie came before the King with all his brave fellows, the King -took off his bonnet to him as to an equal. - -"My name is Johnie Armstrong," said the freebooter, "your subject, my -liege; let me find grace for my loyal men and me." - -But the King cried, "Away with thee, thou traitor, out of my sight! -Never have I granted a traitor's life, nor will I now begin with thee!" - -"Grant me my life, my King, and I will give thee a bonnie -gift--four-and-twenty milk-white steeds, newly foaled--I'll give thee -four-and-twenty milk-white steeds that prance and neigh at a spear, and -as much English gold as four of their broad backs are able to bear." - -"Away with thee, thou traitor, out of my sight! Never have I granted a -traitor's life, nor will I now begin with thee!" - -"Grant me my life, my King, and I will give thee a bonnie -gift--four-and-twenty mills that are working all the year round for -me--four-and-twenty mills that shall go for thee all the year round, and -as much good red wheat as all their happers are able to bear." - -"Away with thee, thou traitor, out of my sight! Never have I granted a -traitor's life, nor will I now begin with thee!" - -"Grant me my life, my King, and I will give thee a great -gift--four-and-twenty sisters' sons shall fight for thee though all -should flee." - -"Away with thee, thou traitor, out of my sight! Never have I granted a -traitor's life, nor will I now begin with thee!" - -"Grant me my life, my King, and I will give thee a brave gift. All -between here and Newcastle town shall pay thee yearly rent." - -"Away with thee, thou traitor, out of my sight! Never have I granted a -traitor's life, nor will I now begin with thee!" - -"Ye lie, calling me traitor; ye lie now, King, although ye be King and -Prince. Well dare I say it, that all my life I have loved naught but -honesty, a fleet horse, a fair woman, and two bonny dogs to kill a deer; -yet had I lived for another hundred years, England should have still -found me meal and malt and plenty of beef and mutton. Never would a -Scot's wife have been able to say that I robbed her of aught. But -surely it is great folly to seek for hot water beneath cold ice. I have -asked grace of a graceless King, but there is none for me and my men. -But had I known before I came how unkind thou wouldst prove to me, I -would have kept the Borderside in spite of thee and thy nobles. How -glad would be England's King if he but knew that I was taken, for once I -slew his sister's son and broke a tree over his breastbone." - -Now Johnie had a girdle round his waist embroidered and spangled with -burning gold, very beautiful to look upon, and from his hat hung down -nine tassels, each worth three hundred pounds. "What wants that knave -that a King should have, but the sword of honour and the crown?" cried -the King. - -"Where did ye get those tassels, Johnie, that shine so bravely above -your brow?" - -"I got them fighting in the field where thou darest not be," replied -Johnie. "And had I now my horse and good harness, and were I riding as -I am used to do, this meeting between us should have been told these -hundred years. God be with thee, my brother Christy, long shalt thou -live Laird of Mangertown on the Border-side ere thou see thy brother -ride by again. God be with _thee_, my son Christy, where thou sitst on -thy nurse's knee; thou'lt ne'er be a better man than thy father, though -thou live a hundred years. Farewell, bonnie Hall of Gilnockie, standing -strong on Eskside; if I had lived but seven more years, I would have -gilded thee round about." - -Then Johnie Armstrong was slain by the King's orders at Carlinrigg with -all his gallant company, and Scotland's heart was sad to see the death -of so many brave men, who had saved their country from the Englishmen. -None were so brave as they, and while Johnie lived on the Border-side no -Englishman durst come near his stronghold. - - - - - *Chapter XXIV* - - *The Lament of the Border Widow* - - -How King James V. of Scotland, in 1529, set forth to strike terror into -the Border freebooters, has been already told in the account of Johnie -Armstrong. A less celebrated moss-trooper, Cockburne of Henderland, was -hanged by the pitiless King over the gate of his own tower. The wife of -Cockburne loved him most dearly, and when she found the King would show -no mercy, fled away to the rocks behind the castle whilst the cruel -sentence was carried out. She sat by a roaring torrent of the -Henderland burn, the noise of which in her ears drowned the savage -shouts of the King's soldiers. The beautiful song which describes the -grief of this loving woman is one of the gems of ancient poetry, and is -here printed entire. - - - *THE LAMENT OF THE BORDER WIDOW* - - My love he built me a bonny bower, - And clad it a' wi' lilye flower, - A brawer bower ye ne'er did see, - Than my true love he built for me. - - There came a man by middle day, - He spied his sport, and went away; - And brought the King that very night, - Who brake my bower, and slew my knight. - - He slew my knight to me sae dear; - He slew my knight, and took his gear; - My servants all for life did flee, - And left me in extremitie. - - I sew'd his sheet, making my moan; - I watch'd the corpse, myself alone; - I watch'd his body, night and day; - No living creature came that way. - - I took his body on my back, - And whiles I gaed, and whiles I sat; - I digg'd a grave, and laid him in, - And happ'd him with the sod sae green. - - But think na ye my heart was sair, - When I laid the moul' on his yellow hair; - O think na ye my heart was wae, - When I turn'd about, away to gae? - - Nae living man I'll love again, - Since that my lovely knight was slain, - Wi' ae lock of his yellow hair, - I'll chain my heart for evermair. - -[Illustration: "_I sew'd his sheet, making my moan; I watch'd the -corpse, myself alone._"] - - - - - *Chapter XXV* - - *The Raid of the Kers* - - -The spirited ballad that describes this raid is quite modern, since it -was written by Hogg, "the Ettrick Shepherd," in 1830. But the rash raid -it describes took place in 1549. The Kers were an important Border -family, the leaders of whom afterwards became Earls of Roxburgh. Sir -Andrew Ker was warden of the Border at the time of the raid, but he -proved that it took place without his consent. The Kers were all -left-handed men, and puzzled their enemies by their left-handed -swordsmanship. Even to-day in some parts of the borders a left-handed -man is called "Ker-handed." - -On a fine September evening Tam Ker rode out, with fifty in his company. -They were armed for a fight and their swords were keen; they rode by the -Maiden Crags and down the Osway burn, going carefully till the daylight -closed, for they were soon in Northumberland. Their bold plan was to get -down the valley of the Coquet even as far as Rothbury where Withrington, -the English warden, kept a magnificent herd of cattle. They had one -castle to pass, that of Biddleston, which had been held by the Selby -family since the reign of Henry III., and still belongs to them to this -day. Biddleston Castle guarded the Allanton or Alwinton ford, where the -Alwin stream enters the Coquet. So they sent the reckless Mark Ker -first, to scout along by the ford, and told him to set up marks on the -cairns to show his progress. Having nothing else to mark with, he tore -the shirt off his back, and left strips of it on the cairns. At the -ford a sentry challenged him, and he answered that he had a message for -Withrington. The sentry demanded his sealed warrant, and the Scot drew -his sword. They fought bravely and long before the Englishman was -killed, and the Scot marvelled that a common soldier should so withstand -him, for he was the best swordsman of his race. On he galloped, on and -on, till he met a comely maiden, and addressing her he tried to imitate -the Northumberland speech, saying that he had lost his way. She told -him at once that she knew he was a Scot, but so also was she. She had -been taken captive, but word had came by an English spy that the Kers -were out upon a raid, and while the English had set a hundred soldiers -to guard their cattle she had slipped away to warn the Scots and to -return with them. Being a gallant after the manner of that day, he -sprang from his horse, kissed her, and invited her to mount his saddle -even if he had to run beside till he could capture another steed. But -an English soldier came up and warned him roughly off the road. Mark -Ker had been brought up to answer rough words with rougher blows; out -leapt his sword, and he cut the rude words short by slashing the man's -head off. Then he disguised the maid in the dead man's clothes, and they -retraced their steps that he might warn his companions. They very soon -came upon them, and all together hid in the lowest dell of the Larbottle -burn while they made their plans. Tam Ker, with twenty of the men, was -to draw off the English, while Mark with thirty others slipped round and -drove off the cattle unperceived. This was done, and till after -midnight, Tam, aided by the darkness and by the difficulties of the wild -locality, held the English at bay. - -Then he heard the bugle signal, and knew that Mark was well on the road -with the beasts, and that he must follow quickly. But Withrington also -guessed what the signal meant, and pursued with all the speed he knew. -Mark had not long crossed the ford at Biddleston before the English were -on him. First Mark and Withrington fought in single combat, hand to -hand, all their men watching eagerly; it was still very dark, but the -clash of sword against sword lit the air with sparks. Withrington was -badly wounded, but Mark was killed. With desperate shouts the Scots fell -upon the English; then up came Tam and his men from behind to help the -Scots, but the Captain of Biddleston had also been awakened, and -galloped down with his men to aid the English. Tam smote his head off -with his sword, but the horse galloped on with his headless body right -into the ranks of the Scots. They thought it must be a demon and began -to scatter in full flight to the Border. Tam was slain, trying to -follow them, and his men, seeing that they had work enough to gallop for -their lives, slew the cattle they could no longer hope to steal. On and -on the hard-pressed remnant spurred their weary horses. It was daylight -now, and the English along the road shot arrows at them as they galloped -past. Out of fifty-one hardy, healthy Kers who had started forth in the -raid, only seventeen, weary and wounded, saw their homes again. - -And back in the south country, the comely Scottish maiden lay dead -across the breast of the gallant Mark, their hearts' blood mingling in a -common stream. Small wonder that a Scot should make a ballad of the -story and that Borderers should sing it even to this day. - - - - - *Chapter XXVI* - - *Merrie Carlisle* - - -The city of Carlisle stands in the midst of a beautiful and fertile -district with pleasant but not too steep hills around. In the old days -an easy water-supply was a first essential, and at Carlisle three rivers -meet, the Caldew and the Petterill running here into the broad stream of -the Eden. These three rivers almost enclose the ground upon which the -city is built, so that it is most probable that there was an ancient -British settlement upon so advantageous a site, before the Roman -invasion. Our earliest record, however, goes back no further than Roman -days, and it is certain there was then a Roman city here called -_Luguvallium_ (the trench of the legion). Even to-day, when new -gas-pipes are being laid in the ground, it is by no means rare to dig up -Roman relics. The long Roman name became gradually corrupted into -"Luel," or "Liel," and the Britons added their word "Caer," which means -a city, hence "Caer-luel"--an earlier form of the modern Carlisle. The -Roman city stood, as might be expected, by the great Roman wall, -guarding the spot where the wall crossed the river Eden. And visitors -may see to-day that the centre of Carlisle consists of a market-place -with two main streets leading therefrom, the usual plan in cities of -Roman origin. - -Carlisle was destined to have a stormy history. Draw a line from the -Solway eastward, straight through Carlisle, and it will be seen that -here the mainland of Britain is about at its narrowest, hardly so much -as seventy miles wide, as the crow flies. Note, too, that the wild -hills of the Pennines and the Cheviots fill in most of this narrow -district, and that the mainland of Scotland strikes sharply off to the -west. It is plain from these facts that Carlisle commands the main road -between Scotland and England, and they provide the reason why at the -present day seven different railways, most of them important ones, run -their trains into Carlisle station. The very same reason was responsible -for the fact that in the good old times no English town was more often -burnt down by enemies than "Merrie Carlisle." - -Even in Roman days, during the reign of Nero, Carlisle was burnt down at -least once by the wild Picts, who were brave enough to venture against -the well-armed troops of Rome. After the Romans left Britain this town -was one of the strongholds of King Arthur; to be sure, nothing very -definite is known about this romantic king, but the old ballads tell us -that he was victorious over Gauls, Dacians, Spaniards, and Romans. This -sounds very unlikely to those who do not realise that when Rome called -home her best men for her own defence she may have left behind many -rough soldiers, of various nations, to guard the wall. Although we know -nothing about King Arthur save what is vague and legendary, we do know -that the Roman legions were recruited from all the provinces of the -empire. Cumberland had many connexions with King Arthur; within twenty -miles of Carlisle, near Penrith, is a big round hill called "King -Arthur's Table"; while nearer still, on the Penrith and Carlisle road, -is shown the spot where stood Tearne-Wadling Lake and Castle, where King -Arthur was bewitched and taken prisoner by the "foul, discourteous -knight," only to be released provided one of his men would consent to -marry the hideous lady with hair like serpents! When at last Sir -Gawaine married this hag for his King's sake, she, of course, changed at -once into a beautiful young woman! This does not sound very convincing, -it is true, but in the old days many tales just as unlikely were told of -famous men. At any rate the ballad begins with the lilting line:-- - - "King Arthur lives in merrie Carleile," - -and all that concerns us at the moment is that perhaps he really did -live there, and did do some very real fighting along the debateable line -of the wall. - -We next learn of Carlisle that King Egfrid of Northumbria rebuilt the -city about the year 675, wherefore we can only suppose that it had -suffered its somewhat usual fate, perhaps at the hands of that savage -Saxon warrior called The Burner. But in any case, Carlisle never -belonged to the Northumbrians for any considerable space of time, but -was the capital of the Celtic or Welsh kingdom of Cumbria, from which -the present name of Cumberland is derived. - -In 875 the Danes had a turn at pillaging and harrying Carlisle, which -was again in sorry plight. Both Cumbria and Northumbria were faring -very badly in the struggle between the various kingdoms which then -divided up Britain, and for a while it looked as if the energetic kings -of the Scots would annex both these northern dominions. But the coming -of the strong-handed Normans altered all this; and by far the most -noteworthy event in the history of Carlisle was the fact that during -1092 and 1093 William Rufus seized Cumberland, and for the first time -added it definitely to England. - -Recognising at once the strength and value of Carlisle, Rufus caused a -strong Norman castle to be built where the old Roman fort used to stand. -To-day, despite the many rough adventures which have befallen this -northern city, there yet remain portions of William Rufus's castle, side -by side with fragments of the old Roman walls. Many of the modern -buildings put up in King George's day are crumbling, but the old Norman -and Roman remains are firm as a rock! - -The castle was strengthened by King Henry I., but this did not prevent -its seizure in 1135 by King David of Scotland, who added to it in turn. -The Scots held the keep till 1157, when it was retaken by Henry II., but -a few years later, in 1173, William the Lion, King of Scotland, besieged -it, and for the next fifty years it changed hands several times, -according to the fortunes of war. It is significant that a main street -in the northern part of Carlisle is called "Scotch Street," while -another in the southern part is called "English Street!" - -Edward I. held a parliament here after defeating Wallace at Falkirk; and -it was from Carlisle that this English King conducted his later -operations against Scotland. It is a pathetic picture, that of this -stern warrior in his old age, on his last march, trying to carry out his -pet scheme of uniting the entire island under one rule. He was so ill -that he had to be carried in a litter as far as Carlisle. Finding -himself again so near the border, he felt the old fire glow within him, -and sprang upon his horse--but at Burgh-on-Sands, on the shore of the -Solway, whence he could view the goal of his ambition, the brave King -died. - -During the next thirty years Carlisle was frequently attacked by the -Scots, but they were usually defeated. In 1337, however, they partly, -and in 1345 almost entirely burnt it down. Again in 1380 they burnt -part of what had been rebuilt! Had there been fire insurance in these -wild days, the premiums in Carlisle would have been heavy! - -After the Wars of the Roses, the city seemed to settle down somewhat, -and was chiefly known on the Border as the place where Scottish -freebooters were hanged if caught. In one of the Border villages there -is a famous churchyard where of old only the graves of women and -children were to be seen. The explanation was given to a passing -traveller by an old woman, who said that the men were all buried "in -merrie Carlisle," meaning, that is, that they had all been hanged there! - -In 1537 there was a rising in England known as the "Pilgrimage of -Grace," in opposition to the savage policy of Henry's minister, Thomas -Cromwell, and no less than eighty thousand insurgents are said to have -attacked Carlisle; but after much fighting the rebels were defeated and -seventy-four of their leaders were executed on the city walls. - -When Mary Queen of Scots was imprisoned in Carlisle in 1568 it was -vainly besieged by a force that sought to rescue her; but less than -thirty years afterwards, in 1596, by a bold stroke of daring, Lord Scott -of Buccleuch succeeded in surprising the castle and in liberating the -well-known freebooter, "Kinmont Willie." - -When King James united England and Scotland, the troubles of Carlisle -might have been thought to be over. But in the civil war between King -and Parliament it was again a storm centre, and was held alternately by -each of the parties. - -The last warlike operations against this much-besieged city were -undertaken in 1745, when it was first taken by Prince Charlie, who made -a triumphal entry without any serious fighting, and afterwards retaken -almost as easily by the cruel Duke of Cumberland, whose entry into the -place was followed, as usual, by a series of executions. - -Among those who suffered was Sir A. Primrose, a gallant ancestor of the -present Lord Rosebery. The victims were executed, with the cruelties of -the old law against treason, on the celebrated Gallows Hill, at Harraby, -and were buried in nameless graves in the Kirkyard of St Cuthbert's. -Passing down the Botchergate (the London Road), past the site of the old -Roman cemetery, the wayfarer may see Gallows Hill rise where a deep cut -has been made to avoid a steep rise in the road. It was just outside the -boundary of old Carlisle, and executions were witnessed from the walls, -by men and women alike. Climb the hill--it is worth while. The little -river Petteril sparkles at our feet; the view, fresh and green, -stretches away nobly to the Pennines and the Border Hills. Keep a warm -thought in your heart for all the gallant fellows who met death bravely -in this place. - -No history of Carlisle could omit to mention the Cathedral. English -cathedrals are shaped like a cross lying on the ground; the long stem of -the cross is the _nave_ of the cathedral; the two arms are the -_transepts_; and the upper end that continues the main stem is the -_choir_. Where choir, nave and transepts meet, the _tower_ rises. But -unlike every other English cathedral, that of Carlisle has height and -width, but is too short in length, two-thirds of the nave having been -hurled down by the Scots! - -Every cathedral has its history written in its stones, for those who -know how to read it. That of Carlisle shows a stormy history, stormier -than any other. It is not a peaceful building carried out very much in -one style and undisturbed. It is a building full of signs of -disturbance, the builders of which were interrupted in their plans by -war and frequently had their building seriously damaged by their -enemies. It is a mixture of styles, a mass of re-buildings and -afterthoughts, but for that very reason it is a fitting symbol of the -much-harassed city. With all its signs of storm and stress it has much -beauty, and possesses the finest window in all England, one of the -finest in the world. Just outside the Cathedral is a noble stretch of -the old West Wall of the city, which gives a vivid idea of its strength -in the old days. - -The bishops of Carlisle live at Rose Castle, five miles south of the -Cathedral. This has been their residence for over six hundred years. -No doubt they thought it advisable not to live in the "merrie city"! - -In this castle King Edward I. stayed. It was once partly burnt by -Bruce, and again partly by the Puritans, but this is a comparatively -clean record for such a district! In 1745 Captain Macdonald and his -Scots came down to besiege it, but hearing that the bishop's baby -daughter was about to be christened, the gallant captain would not let -warfare spoil so peaceful a ceremony, and not only withdrew his men, but -also left a white cockade behind him as a sign that the place was not to -be molested. In all this he showed that true courtesy that always marks -the real Highland gentleman. - -Standing to-day in this bustling, breezy, pleasant little city, it is -not easy to realise the wild scenes it has witnessed. The charming -rivers that hem it in show no traces of the bloodshed of the past. Yet -here have contended painted Pict and war-trained Roman; here the most -skilful leaders of the Celts, Saxons, and Danes have led their brave and -sturdy men to battle; here Norman knight has fought with hardy Scot, and -fierce Border factions have wrangled and sought speedy justice; Puritan -has fought Cavalier, and Jacobite has faced Hanoverian; kings, generals, -and warriors of many centuries have found a fitting meeting-place before -or behind the walls of Carlisle. - -An open, airy, quaint city. There is not very much that is old in it, -for the old was not allowed to stand long enough! But on the top of its -principal hill the tall truncated Cathedral presents a picturesque -figure, and if we stand there or by the castle the eye commands fine, -ancient walls and very delightful distances. It is a place of lingering -memories, and if these are chiefly of strife and bloodshed we do not -forget that to the Border folk the city was "Merrie Carlisle." - - - - - *Chapter XXVII* - - *Kinmont Willie* - - - "O have ye not heard of the false Sakelde, - O have ye not heard of the keen Lord Scroope, - How they have taken bold Kinmont Willie - On Haribee to hang him oop?" - - -The story of this famous freebooter, William Armstrong of Kinmonth, -belongs to the time of Queen Elizabeth, when Lord Scroope was Warden of -the Western Marches, and Mr Sakelde of Corby Castle was his Deputy. - -Kinmont Willie was a descendant of the famous Johnie Armstrong of -Gilnockie, and his capture was a violation of the existing truce between -Scroope and Buccleuch, the Keeper of Liddesdale. Elizabeth was -indignant at Buccleuch's action in rescuing Willie, and as the Scots at -that time were very anxious not to offend her, Buccleuch was sent to -England and came before the Queen, who asked him how he dared to -undertake such an adventure. "What is it," answered he, "that a man -dare not do?" - -"With ten thousand such men," said Elizabeth, turning to a -lord-in-waiting, "our brother of Scotland might shake the firmest throne -of Europe." - -The ballad tells of the capture of Kinmont Willie, and how the false -Sakelde and his men treacherously seized him. - -They bound his legs beneath his horse, and tied his hands behind his -back, and with five men on each side to guard him, brought him over -Liddel ford and through Carlisle sands to Carlisle castle. - -When he arrived there, Willie addressed his captor in these words: - -"My hands are tied, but my tongue is free. Who will avow this deed or -answer for it to bold Buccleuch?" - -"Hold thy tongue, thou rank robber! Never a Scot shall set thee free. -Ye shall take farewell of me before ye cross my castle gate," said -Scroope. - -"Fear ye not that, my lord," answers Willie, "for by the faith of my -body, never did I yet lodge in a hostelry but that I paid my reckoning -before I went." - -Word was sent to Branksome Hall to the Keeper of Liddesdale that Lord -Scroope had captured Kinmont Willie, whereupon the Keeper smote the -table with his hand till the red wine sprang on high, "A curse on my -head," he cried, "if I be not avenged of Lord Scroope. Is my helmet a -widow's cap, or my lance a twig from a willow-tree, or my fist a lady's -lily hand, that an English lord should appraise me so lightly? Have -they taken Kinmont Willie in spite of the truce, and forgotten that the -bold Buccleuch is Keeper on the Scottish side? Have they taken Kinmont -Willie so fearlessly, and forgotten that the bold Buccleuch can back a -steed and wield a weapon? Were there but war between the lands, then -would I slight Carlisle Castle though it were built of marble; I would -set it on fire and drench it with English blood. But since there is -peace and not war, I'll set the Kinmont free yet never harm English lad -or lass!" - -So Buccleuch called forty bold Marchmen, all of his own name and kin -except one, Sir Gilbert Elliot, Laird of Stobs. They came spur on heel -and armour on shoulder, with gloves of green and feathers of blue. Five -and five came first with hunting-horns and bugles; five and five more -came with Buccleuch like Warden's men arrayed for battle; five and five -came like a gang of masons, carrying long high ladders; and five and -five came like broken men, and so they reached Woodhouselee. - -When they had crossed to the English side, the first man they met was -the false Sakelde. - -"Where are ye going, ye keen hunters?" quoth Sakelde. - -"We go to hunt an English stag that has trespassed on Scottish ground." - -"Where are ye going, ye martial men?" - -"We go to catch a rank robber that has broken faith with the bold -Buccleuch." - -"Where are ye going, ye mason lads, with all these long high ladders?" - -"We go to harry a corbie's nest not far from here." - -"Where are ye going, ye broken men?" said false Sakelde. - -But Dickie of Dryhope, leader of the broken men, had never a word of -learning, and answered nothing. - -"Why trespass ye on the English side? Stand! ye raw-footed outlaws!" - -Never a word yet said Dickie, but for answer ran his lance clean through -the body of the false Sakelde. - -On then they went to Carlisle town, crossing the Eden at Staneshaw-bank, -nor lost they either horse or man, though the water was high in flood. - -When they reached Staneshaw-bank the wind was rising, and the Laird -ordered them to leave there their horses for fear they should stamp and -neigh. The wind blew loudly enough then, but when they came beneath the -castle wall there was wind and rain and flying sleet. On they crept on -their knees and held their breath till they placed the ladders against -the wall. Buccleuch himself mounted first, took the watchman by the -throat and flung him down upon the leads. "Thou hadst gone on the other -side," said he, "had there not been peace between our lands." - -[Illustration: _The Escape of Kinmont Willie_] - -"Sound out the trumpets!" quoth he; "let's wake up Lord Scroope!" Then -loud blew the Warden's trumpet to the tune of "O wha dare meddle wi' -me?" - -To work they went speedily, and cut a hole through the lead, gaining -thus the castle hall. - -Those inside thought the castle had been taken by King James and all his -men, yet it was only twenty Scots and ten that had put a thousand in -such a stir. They hammered and banged at the bars until they came to -the inner prison, where lay Kinmont Willie. - -"Do ye sleep or wake, Kinmont Willie, on the morn when ye shall die?" - -"O I sleep lightly and wake often; it's long since sleep was frightened -from me. Give my service to my wife and bairns and all good fellows -that enquire after me." - -Red Rowan, the strongest man in Teviotdale, lifted him up. "Stay now, -Red Rowan, till I take farewell of Lord Scroope. Farewell, farewell, my -good Lord Scroope," he cried. "I will pay ye for my lodging when first -we meet on the Border." - -With shout and cry Red Rowan bore him on his shoulders down the long -ladder, the irons clanking at every stride. - -"Many a time," said Kinmont Willie, "have I ridden a horse both wild and -unruly, but never have my legs bestrode a rougher beast than Red Rowan. -Many a time have I pricked a horse over the furrows, but never since I -backed a steed have I worn such cumbrous spurs." - -Scarcely had they won the Staneshaw-bank when all the bells in Carlisle -were ringing and Lord Scroope was after them with a thousand men on -horse and on foot. But-- - - "Buccleuch has turn'd to Eden water - Even where it flowed frae bank to brim, - And he has plunged in wi' a' his band, - And safely swam them through the stream. - - He turn'd him on the other side, - And at Lord Scroope his glove flung he-- - 'If ye like na my visit to merry England, - In fair Scotland come visit me!' - - All sore astonished stood Lord Scroope, - He stood as still as rock of stane; - He scarcely dared to trew[#] his eyes, - When through the water they had gane. - -[#] Trust - - 'He is either himsell a devil frae hell, - Or else his mother a witch maun be; - I wadna have ridden that wan water, - For a' the gowd[#] in Christentie.'" - -[#] Gold - - - - - *Chapter XXVIII* - - *Dick o' the Cow* - - - "Fair Johnie Armstrong to Willie did say - 'Billie, a-riding we will gae.'" - - -The ballad of this name, a popular one in Liddesdale, relates, like that -of Kinmont Willie, to the time when Lord Scroope was Warden of the West -Marches and Governor of Carlisle. Dick o' the Cow seems to have been his -fool or jester. Dickie, some years after the events described in the -ballad, fell a victim to the vengeance of the Armstrongs. - - -There had been no raids from Liddesdale for a considerable time, and no -riding, and the horses had all grown so fat that they dare scarcely stir -out of the stall. Then fair Johnie Armstrong said to his brother Willie, -"Brother, we will go a-riding. We have long been at feud with England, -and perhaps we shall find some spoil." - -So they rode to Hulton Hall and round about it, but the laird, a wise -man, had left neither goods nor cattle outside to steal, except six -sheep in a meadow. Said Johnie, "I'd rather die in England than take -those six sheep to Liddesdale." - -"But who was that man we last met as we came over the hill?" - -"Oh, he is an innocent fool, and men call him Dick o' the Cow." - -"That fool has three good cows of his own, as good as there are in -Cumberland. Betide me life or death, they shall go to Liddesdale with -me!" - -So they came to the house of the poor fool, broke down his thick wall, -loosed his three cows, and took also three coverlets from his wife's -bed. - -In the morning at daylight when the loss was discovered, there were loud -lamentations. "Hold thy tongue, wife," said Dickie, "and stop thy -crying. I'll bring thee back three cows for each one that thou hast -lost." - -So Dickie went to Lord Scroope. "Hold thy tongue, fool," said Scroope. -"I have no time for jesting." - -"A shame on your jesting, my lord!" said Dickie, "jesting agrees not -with me. Liddesdale was in my house last night and has taken my three -cows. I can no longer dwell in Cumberland as your poor faithful fool, -unless you give me leave to steal in Liddesdale." - -"I give thee leave, fool!" said Scroope; "but thou speakest against me -and my honour unless thou give me thy hand and pledge that thou wilt -steal from none but those who stole from thee." - -"There is my right hand and pledge! May my head hang on Haribee, and -may I never again cross Carlisle sands if I steal from any man who stole -not from me.", - -Dickie joyfully took leave of his lord and master, and went and bought a -bridle and a pair of new spurs which he packed up in the thigh of his -breeches, then he came on as fast as he could to Pudding-burn house, -where were thirty-three Armstrongs. - -"O what has come to me now?" said Dickie, "what great trouble is this? -For here is but one innocent fool against thirty-three Armstrongs?" Yet -he went courteously up to the Hall board. - -"Well may ye be, my good Laird's Jock, but the devil bless all your -company. I'm come to complain of your man, Johnie Armstrong, and of his -brother Willie, that they came to my house last night and took away my -three cows." - -Quoth fair Johnie Armstrong, "We'll hang him." - -"Nay," said Willie, "we'll slay him." - -But up spoke another young Armstrong, "We'll give him a thrashing and -let him go." - -Then up spoke the good Laird's Jock, the best fellow in all the company, -"Sit down a while, Dickie, and we'll give thee a bit of thine own cow's -thigh." - -Dickie's heart was so sore that he could not eat a bit, but he went and -lay down in an old peat-house where he thought to sleep the night, and -all the prayers the poor fool prayed were, "I wish I had amends for my -three good cows." - -Now it was the custom of Pudding-burn house and of the house of -Mangerton, whose laird was chief of the Armstrong clan, that any who -came not to the table at the first summons got no more meat till the -next meal, so some of the lads, hungry and weary, had thrown the key of -the stable above the door-head. Dickie took good notice of that to turn -it to his own account, went into the stable where stood thirty-three -horses and tied thirty of them with St Mary's knot, tight to their -stalls. - -Of the remaining three, Dickie took two, which belonged to Johnie and -Willie Armstrong, and the one belonging to the Laird's Jock he left -loose in the stable. Leaping on one, he took the other along with him, -and rode off as fast as he could. - -When day came, there were great shouts and cries. - -"Who has done this," quoth the good Laird's Jock; "see that ye tell me -the truth." - -"It is Dickie that has been in the stable last night, and has taken the -horses." - -"Ye never would listen to me," said the good Laird's Jock, "though I -told ye true tales. Ye would never stay out of England but would steal -everything, till ye were crooked and blind." - -"Lend me thy bay," said fair Johnie; "he is the only horse loose in the -stable, and I'll either fetch back Dick o' the Cow, or he shall die." - -"Lend thee my bay!" said Jock; "he is worth gold and good money. Dick -o' the Cow has taken two horses; I would not ye make them three." - -Johnie, however, took the Laird's steel jacket on his back, and a -two-handed sword by his side, and a steel cap on his head, and galloped -after Dickie, who was barely three miles from the town when Johnie -overtook him on Cannobie Lee, on the borders of Liddesdale. - -"Abide, abide, thou traitor thief!" cried Armstrong; "the day is come -that thou shalt die!" - -Dickie looked over his left shoulder and said, "Johnie, hast thou no -more in thy company? There is a preacher in our chapel who teaches all -the livelong day, and when day is gone and night has come, there are -only three words I remember--the first and second are Faith and -Conscience--the third is 'Ne'er let a traitor free.' What faith and -conscience was thine, Johnie, when thou tookest away my three cows? And -when thou hadst taken them away, thou wast not satisfied. Thou sentest -thy brother Willie, and took away three coverlets off my wife's bed!" - -Then Johnie let his spear fall low by his side, and thought he would -have killed Dickie, but the powers above were stronger than he, and he -only succeeded in running through the fool's jerkin. Dickie out with -his sword and ran after him, and when he could not get at him with the -blade, he felled him with the butt-end over the eye, felled Johnie -Armstrong, the finest man in the south country. "Gramercy," said -Dickie, "I had but two horses, thou hast made them three!"--and he took -Johnie's steel jacket off his back and his two-handed sword, and his -steel cap. "Farewell, Johnie," said he, "I'll tell my master I met -thee." - -When Johnie wakened out of his swoon, he was a sad man. "Art thou gone, -Dickie?" he said. "Then the shame and woe are left with me. Art thou -gone? Then, Dickie, the devil go in thy company, for if I live to be a -hundred, I'll never again fight with a fool." - -Dickie came home to the good Lord Scroope as fast as he could. "Now, -Dickie, I'll neither eat nor drink till thou art hanged on high." -"Shame speed the liars, my lord," said Dickie, "this was not the promise -ye made me, for I would never have gone to Liddesdale to steal if I had -not got leave from thee." "But why did ye steal the Laird's Jock's -horse? Ye might have lived long in Cumberland before the Laird's Jock -had stolen from thee." - -"Indeed, I knew ye lied, my lord. I won the horse from fair Johnie -Armstrong hand to hand on Cannobie Lee. There is the jacket that was on -his back, and the two-handed sword that hung by his side, and the steel -cap that was on his head. I brought all these tokens to show thee." - -"If that be true that thou tellest me (and I think thou durst not lie) -I'll give thee fifteen pounds for the horse, all told out in the lap of -thy cloak; I'll give thee one of my best milk cows to maintain thy wife -and three children, and they will be as good as any two of thine would -be." - -"Shame speed the liars, my lord!" said Dickie. "Do ye think aye to make -a fool of me? I'll either have twenty pounds for the horse or else I'll -take him to Mortan fair." - -So Scroope gave him twenty pounds for the horse, all in gold and good -money, and one of his best milk cows to maintain his wife and three -children. - -Then Dickie rode as fast as he could through Carlisle town, and the -first man he met was my lord's brother, Ralph Scroope, Bailiff of -Glozenburrie. - -"Well be ye met, Ralph Scroope!" said Dickie. - -"Welcome, my brother's fool!" said Ralph. "Where did ye get Johnie -Armstrong's horse?" - -"Where did I get him? I stole him," said Dickie. - -"Wilt thou sell me the bonny horse?" - -"Ay, if thou count out the money in the lap of my cloak, for never a -penny will I trust thee." - -"I'll give thee ten pounds for the horse and count it into the lap of -thy cloak, and one of my best milk cows to maintain thy wife and three -children." - -"Shame speed the liars, my lord! Do ye think aye to make a fool of me? -I'll either have twenty pounds for the horse, or I'll take him to Mortan -fair." - -So Ralph gave him twenty pounds for the horse, all in gold and good -money, and one of his milk cows to maintain his wife and three children. - -Then Dickie leaped and laughed, and cried, "May the neck of the third -horse be broken if either of the two were better than he!" - -So he came home to his wife and ye may judge how the poor fool had -succeeded. For her three stolen coverlets he gave her two score English -pounds, and two cows as good as her own three. "And here," said he, "is -a white-footed nag that I reckon will carry us both. But if I stay -longer in Cumberland the Armstrongs will hang me." So Dickie took leave -of his lord and went to live at Burgh under Stanmuir. - - - - - *Chapter XXIX* - - *The Lochmaben Harper* - - -The castle of Lochmaben is said to have been the residence of Robert -Bruce while Lord of Allandale. Hence, as a royal fortress, the keeping -of it was always granted to some powerful lord. There is extant a grant -giving to one of these, Robert Lauder, the office of Captain and Keeper -of Lochmaben Castle for seven years, and among his perquisites were -"lands stolen from the King"! - -The inhabitants of four small villages near the castle have each still -to this day a right to a small piece of ground. These people are -descendants of Robert Bruce's retainers, to whom he assigned these -portions of land in reward for faithful service, and there are still to -be found some families (_e.g._ the Richardsons of Lochmaben) who hold -their lands direct from the times of Bruce without a break. - - "O heard ye na o' the silly blind Harper, - How long he lived in Lochmaben town? - And how he wad gang to fair England, - To steal the Lord Warden's Wanton Brown? - - But first he gaed to his gude wyfe, - Wi' a' the haste that he could thole[#] - 'This wark,' quo' he, 'will ne'er gae well - Without a mare that has a foal.' - -[#] Suffer. - - -Quoth his wife, "Thou hast a good grey mare that can jump both high and -low; so set thee on her back and leave the foal at home with me." Away -went the Harper to England as fast as he might, and when he came to -Carlisle gate, who should be there but the Warden himself? - - "'Come into my hall, thou silly blind Harper, - And of thy harping let me hear!' - 'O, by my sooth,' quo' the silly blind Harper, - 'I wad rather hae stabling for my mare." - - The Warden looked o'er his left shoulder, - And said unto his stable groom-- - 'Gae take the silly blind Harper's mare, - And tie her beside my Wanton Brown.'" - - -So the Harper harped and sang, the lordlings danced, and so sweet was -the music that the groom forgot all about the stable door. Still the -Harper harped on till all the nobles were fast asleep, when he quickly -took off his shoes, crept softly down the stair, and hied with light -tread to the stable door, which he opened and entered. He found there -three-and-thirty steeds. He took a colt's halter which he had hidden in -his hose, slipped it over Wanton Brown, tied it to the grey mare's tail, -and turned them both loose at the castle gate. - -Away they went over moor and moss and dale, and the mare never let -Wanton rest a moment, but kept him galloping home to her foal. So swift -of foot was she, and knew her way so well, that she reached Lochmaben a -good three hours before daybreak. - -When she came to the Harper's door, she neighed and snorted. "Rise up," -shouted the Harper's wife, "thou lazy lass, and let in thy master and -his mare." The lass rose up, put on her clothes and looked through the -lock-hole. "By my sooth," cried she, "our mare has got a fine brown -foal!" - -"Hold thy tongue, thou foolish wench, the light is dazzling thine eyes. -I'll wager all I have against a groat that it's bigger than ever our -foal will be." - -Still in merry Carlisle the Harper harped to high and low, and nought -could they do but listen to him until day-dawn. But when it was -daylight they discovered that Wanton Brown was gone and also the poor -blind Harper's mare. - -"Alas! alas!" cried the cunning old Harper, "alas that I came here; in -Scotland I have lost a brown colt foal and in England they have stolen -my good grey mare." - -"Cease thy lamenting, thou silly blind Harper, and go on harping; we'll -pay thee well for the loss of thy colt foal and thou shalt have a far -better mare." So the harper harped and sang, and so sweet were his -harpings that he was paid for the foal he never had lost and three times -over for the gray mare. - - - - - *Chapter XXX* - - *The Rookhope Ride* - - -This Durham border song is supposed to be spoken by a Weardale man, who -begins by denouncing the inhabitants of the Tyne valley, "and all their -companies there about" as false thieves, - - "minded to do mischief - And at their stealing stands not out." - - -It must be confessed that the Tynedale men had an unenviable reputation. -They were such lawless desperadoes, so addicted to rapine, that during -more than two centuries the merchants of Newcastle regularly refused to -take an apprentice born in that district. The date is December 1572. -The rebel Earl of Northumberland, who had taken up arms for Mary Queen -of Scots, and for the old religion, had been betrayed by the Scots and -beheaded at York. Owing to this rebellion there was great confusion in -the northern counties, hence the time was well chosen by the "limmer -thieves" of Tynedale to make a predatory raid on their neighbours. They -gathered together the stoutest men of arms and the best in gear, a -hundred or more in number, and in the forenoon, about eleven o'clock, -they came into a "bye-fell" and stopped for a meal--the last which some -of them would eat. When they had eaten, they chose their captains, -Harry Corbyl, Simon Fell, and Martin Ridley. Then they rode on over the -moss, "with many a brank and whew," saying to one another that they were -men enough, - - "For Weardale-men have a journey ta'en, - They are so far out o'er yon fell, - That some of them's with the two earls, - And others fast in Bernard castell. - - There we shall get gear enough, - For there is nane but women at hame; - The sorrowful fend that they can make. - Is loudly cries as they were slain." - - -They came in at Rookhope Head, which is the top of a rocky valley, about -five miles long, at the end of which Rookhope Burn empties itself into -the river Wear. This valley is as wild and open to-day as it was then. -In some four hours they gathered together about six hundred sheep and -they were engaged in "shifting" the horses, when the hue and cry was -raised by one Rowley, whose horse they tried to take. He was the first -man to see them. The cry spread rapidly down Rookhope burn and through -Weardale, and word came to the bailiff's house at the East-gate. He was -out, but his wife had his horse saddled and sent it to him, together -with his sword, spear, and jacket quilted with iron plates, the sort of -harness worn by the moss-troopers and other light horsemen of the time. -The bailiff had already heard the bad news, and was sorely troubled -thereby. His own brother had been attacked three days before by -marauders, and lay sick with nineteen wounds. Yet the bailiff shrank -not at all, but hied fast after the sheep-stealers, with as many of the -neighbours as he could gather to bear him company. - -The pursuers overtook the thieves in Nuketon Cleugh, and gave them all -the fighting they wanted. Not one of them ever thought to see his wife -again. They bore three banners against the Weardale men, "as if the -world had been all their own." The fray lasted only an hour, but many a -tall man lay weaponless and sore wounded before that hour was done, and -four of the Northumbrian prickers were slain, including Harry Corbyl -whom they had chosen to be their captain. Eleven of them were taken -prisoners. Only one of the Weardale men fell but-- - - "These Weardale-men, they have good hearts, - They are as stiff as any tree; - For, if they'd everyone been slain, - Never a foot back man would flee. - - And such a storm amongst them fell, - As I think you never heard the like; - For he that bears his head on high, - He oft-tymes falls into the dyke. - - And now I do entreat you all, - As many as are present here, - To pray for the singer of this song, - For he sings to make blythe your cheer." - - - - - *Chapter XXXI* - - *Barthram's Dirge* - - -The story of how this ballad came to be preserved to us is a very -interesting one. A Mr Surtees, who was very interested in the old -ballads, used to give work to a poor old Scotswoman to weed in his -garden. Finding that she had learnt ballads in her young days, he -encouraged her to talk about them, and this was amongst those which she -recited to him. She told him that it referred to a young man named -Bertram or Barthrum, who made love to a young lady against the wish of -her brothers. The cruel brothers slew him, but the lady had him buried -at the very spot where he was wont to come to visit her in the days of -their love. Sir Walter Scott thinks that perhaps Barthram was an -Englishman and the lady was Scottish, and that the anger of the lady's -brothers against him was partly on that account. - -It must be remembered that in those stormy days, when Border rivalry was -keen, and all the Border chiefs, on both sides, were men of war-like -mould, intermarriage between the two races was punishable by Border law. -Each side felt equally that such mixed marriages would sooner or later -produce a race that was neither loyal English nor loyal Scotch. A -spirit of aloofness and rivalry was deliberately encouraged, right up to -the time of the union of the two countries under one king. - - - *BARTHRAM'S DIRGE* - - They shot him dead at the Nine-Stone Rig, - Beside the Headless Cross, - And they left him lying in his blood, - Upon the moor and moss. - - * * * * * - - They made a bier of the broken bough, - The sauch and the aspin gray, - And they bore him to the Lady Chapel, - And waked him there all day. - - A lady came to that lonely bower, - And threw her robes aside, - She tore her long yellow hair, - And knelt at Barthram's side. - - She bathed him in the Lady-Well, - His wounds so deep and sair, - And she plaited a garland for his breast, - And a garland for his hair. - - They rowed him in a lily-sheet, - And bare him to his earth, - And the Gray Friars sung the dead man's mass, - As they pass'd the Chapel Garth. - - They buried him at the mirk midnight, - When the dew fell cold and still, - When the aspin gray forgot to play, - And the mist clung to the hill. - - They dug his grave but a bare foot deep, - By the edge of the Ninestone Burn, - And they covered him o'er with the heather-flower, - The moss and the Lady fern. - - A Gray Friar staid upon the grave, - And sang till the morning tide, - And a friar shall sing for Barthram's soul, - While the Headless Cross shall bide.[#] - -[#] Mr Surtees observes, on this passage, that in the return made by the -commissioners, on the dissolution of Newminster Abbey, there is an item -of a Chauntery, for one priest to sing daily _ad crucem lapideam_. -Probably many of these crosses had the like expiatory solemnities for -persons slain there. They certainly did bury, in former days, near the -Ninestone Burn, for Sir Walter Scott found there, lying among the -heather, a small monumental cross, with initials, which he reverently -placed upright. - - - - - *Chapter XXXII* - - *Queen Mary and the Borders* - - -The brief reign of Mary, Queen of Scots, was so crowded with incident -that she was left with little time to visit the disturbed borderland of -her kingdom. None-the-less her few visits to this district were fraught -with important consequences. In 1565, when she married her cousin Lord -Darnley, the head of the Douglas faction and a Roman Catholic, the -Protestant nobles took up arms. In her very honeymoon she headed her -soldiers, pursued the rebels to Dumfries, entered the town with a pistol -in each hand, and laughed heartily at the fun of making her enemies -"skip like rabbits" over the Border. She was only twenty-two years -old--a fearless, dashing, attractive woman, with a clever head, a strong -will, and a wild and lawless disposition. - -In the next year she again visited the Border, but on a very different -errand. Mary had developed an extreme fancy for that bold Border Lord, -the Earl of Bothwell, whose Castle of Hermitage commanded the -picturesque and important valley of the Liddel. The Queen had given him -authority to control the fierce Borderers; and when the earl was riding -out he met the most lawless of them, Jock Elliot, of whom the couplet-- - - "My name is little Jock Elliot - And who dare meddle wi' me?" - -Bothwell fired straight at Elliot with his pistol, wounding him in the -leg. Elliot aimed a mighty blow at Bothwell with his two-handed sword, -giving the earl so sore a wound that he was glad enough to gallop home -while there was yet time to save his life. - -Mary was holding solemn court at Jedburgh when she heard of her -favourite's danger. She straightway took horse and rode to Hermitage, a -hard cross-country ride of twenty miles, through a district infested -with reckless men. When she galloped back to Jedburgh, she was in high -fever and nearly died. Later on, in the misery of her long -imprisonment, she often said, "Would I had died at Jedburgh!" Years -later, a broken piece of a silver spur was found at Queensmire, on this -difficult and dangerous road, just where Queen Mary's horse was said to -have come to grief. - -Yet another time Queen Mary came to the Border, this time to cross -it--after her imprisonment at Lochleven, her escape, and the disastrous -rout of her followers at Langside. Daring and resourceful as ever, she -fled across the Solway in an open boat; Scotland had failed her, she -sought the protection of England. She landed at Cockermouth, and was -led to Carlisle by Sir R. Lowther, and kept there, in reality a -prisoner, while Elizabeth was musing of the dangers of the position. The -Earls of Northumberland and Westmoreland took up Mary's cause and -attempted to rescue her, but the Warden of Carlisle, Lord Scroope, -defended the town successfully against the two earls, and they were soon -in flight, eastward for their very lives. After this attempt at rescue -Mary was, for greater safety, sent down to Bolton Castle in Yorkshire. - -[Illustration: Queen Mary crossing the Solway] - -Leonard Dacre, a member of the powerful Cumberland family of the Dacres, -seems to have played a treacherous part, first promising the earls his -help, and then betraying them to Elizabeth. He seized Nawarth Castle, -which properly belonged to his young niece, and collected together three -thousand men to the old Border war-cry, "A Red Bull, a Red Bull!" -(probably the nickname of some fierce red-haired Celtic champion). The -defeated earls came to Nawarth for shelter, and Dacre refused to harbour -them. But by this time Elizabeth was convinced of Dacre's treason, and -ordered Lord Hudson, the Governor of Berwick, to arrest him. - -Hudson appears to have marched by rather a round-about way, for Dacre -met him at Geltbridge, on the west of Nawarth. A bridge is always a -good point of vantage for meeting an enemy, especially when the river -runs, as the Gelt does, through a deep and wooded gorge. The enemy has -only a narrow way by which to approach, and no doubt Dacre posted his -archers behind the trees and among the great rocks. The fight was a -desperate one, but Hudson's men prevailed and pursued their foes far up -the hill of Gelt, scuffling fiercely among the forest trees and dyeing a -deeper hue the red sandstone cliffs and quarries. - -All the rebels who could escape fled across the Border to Scotland, -where the Borderers, who were till then their enemies, received them -with that open and fair hospitality which was one of their many great -qualities. Elizabeth demanded that the leading noblemen should be given -up to her; but although the Scottish Regent, Murray, made a pretence of -trying to secure the Earl of Westmoreland, the Scots had too much sense -of honour to allow him to proceed. - -The Earl of Northumberland, was however betrayed to the Scottish Regent -by Hector Armstrong of Harelaw; but this the gallant Borderers held to -be shameful, and Armstrong was a ruined man from that day forth. - -Two years later, this Earl was actually sold to Elizabeth and beheaded -at York. Thus ended this small rebellion, called in history the Rising -of the North, but which is known locally in Cumberland as Dacre's Raid. - -There is a little stream which rushes down a deep and beautiful glade to -join the river Gelt above Geltbridge; this stream is known as -"Hellbeck," and villagers tell us that the reason for this name is that -it was stained with blood for two whole days after some battle that took -place there. This battle is probably the one spoken of here. - -A wicket gate by Geltbridge leads us to the path through Gelt woods. -The noble gorge is deeply cleft through the grand red sandstone rocks. -Below roars and dashes the impetuous river; the path winds, sometimes -high, sometimes low, through wonderful weeds, carpeted with beautiful -mosses, gemmed with delightful flowers. On one of the rocks is an -inscription carved by a Roman soldier, over fifteen hundred years ago. -Follow the river, up, up, till the little Hellbeck is seen trickling -down from the east; cross the little bridge and follow the streamlet on -its opposite bank, along a path so little trod as to be scarcely -visible; wander among ferns along one of the loneliest glens in the -whole of Britain, passing the great railway bridge (_under_ if the -stream be low or _over_ if it be high) till you join the main road -again. There is no spot more beautiful or more peaceful. Yet this is -the Hellbeck where men fought and hacked, and slashed and slew, among -these woods, up and down these steep hillsides. These old trees, when -young, have felt warm blood at their roots; and all because of a young, -wild wilful queen, who fascinated men's hearts then, and the memory of -whom fascinates them still. - - - - - *Chapter XXXIII* - - *The Raid of the Reidswire* - - - "To deal with proud men is but pain, - For either must ye fight or flee, - Or else no answer make again, - But play the beast, and let them be." - - -Reidswire, the name of a place about ten miles from Jedburgh, means the -Red Swire. Swire is an old northern term for the descent of a hill, and -the epithet red may refer to the colour of the heath. - -The affair about which we are to tell took place on the 7th of July -1575, at a meeting held, on a day of truce, by the Wardens of the -Marches, for redressing wrongs and adjusting difficulties which could -not be prevented from arising upon the Border. The Scottish Warden was -Sir John Carmichael, and among his following were the Armstrongs and -Elliots, Douglas of Cavers (a descendant of the Douglas who fell at -Otterbourne), Cranstoun, whose ferocious motto was "Ye shall want ere I -want," Gladstain, "good at need," and the ancient head of the -Rutherfoords, called in tradition the Cock of Hunthill, "with his nine -sons him about." The English Warden was the haughty Sir John Forster, -and he had full fifteen hundred men with him, chiefly Northumbrians, -Tynedale, and Reedsdale men, who looked with scorn upon the much smaller -array of their hereditary foes. - -The meeting, however, began meekly enough, with merriment and jests. -Such Border meetings of truce, though they might wind up in blood, as -was to happen now, always began as occasions of marketing and revelry. -Both parties came fully armed to such a tryst, yet intermixed in mutual -sports and familiar intercourse, - - "Some gaed to drink, and some stood still, - And some to cards and dice them sped." - - -The Scots planted their pavilions or tents and feared no ill, even when -they saw five hundred Fenwicks (a powerful Northumbrian clan) "marching -in a flock." The clerk began to call the rolls, and to deal with one -complaint after another for the loss of cows or ewes or other property. -In the course of the proceedings an accusation was raised against an -English freebooter named Farnstein, at the instance of a Scotch -complainant. A "true bill" was found against the man, which means that -he ought to be handed over to justice. But the English Warden alleged -that he had fled, and could not be found. Carmichael, considering this -as a pretext to avoid making compensation for the felony, bade the -Northumbrians speak out plainly, and "cloke no cause for ill nor good." -Upon this Sir John Forster, a proud and insolent man, "began to reckon -kin and blood," by which picturesque phrase the ballad probably means -that he swiftly added up his forces. Then he drew himself up, backed by -his Dalesmen, all fingering their bows, and with insulting expressions -against Carmichael's kin he bade him "match with his equals." The men -of Tynedale, who only wanted a pretext for a quarrel, drew their bows -and let off a flight of arrows among the Scots. The more moderate men on -both sides at first tried to quell the tumult, but in vain. The fight -was bound to come. - - "Then there was naught but bow and spear, - And every man pulled out a brand." - - -The English showed their usual dexterity with the bow. The Scots, for -some reason, never took to this weapon; they had fire-arms, pistolets, -and the like. The terrible cloth-yard arrows "from tackles flew," and -the old proverb bade fair to justify itself, that every English archer -carried twenty-four Scots under his belt--an allusion to his bundle of -shafts. Success seemed certain for the English side; some of the -foremost men among the Scots fell, and even Carmichael was thrown to the -ground and was within an ace of being made a prisoner. The air -resounded with the rallying cries of the English, the names of their -captains, "A Shaftoe! A Shaftoe!" "A Fenwick! A Fenwick!" The Scots -had little harness among them, only a few had the jack which served them -as a defence for the body. Nevertheless, they laid about them sturdily, -with "dints full dour," and there was many a cracked crown. Then -suddenly a shout was heard. "Jedburgh's here!" A body of Jedburgh -burgesses appear to have arrived just in the nick of time to add to the -outnumbered force of Scots. They probably wore armour and what were -called "white hats," that is steel caps. Meanwhile, the English, too -confident of easy victory, instead of slaying more Scots and turning the -repulse into a rout, thought only to plunder the unhappy merchants, who, -trusting to the truce which had been proclaimed, had attached themselves -to the meeting. Had it not been for the English greed, the Scots would -have been defeated. As it was, the Tynedale men, throwing themselves on -the merchants' packs, fell into disorder, their adversaries recovered -from their surprise, and the timely arrival of the Jedburgh men turned -the tables. A short, sharp bout ended in the triumph of the Scots and -the Northumbrians fled, "Down ower the brae, like clogged bees." The -Scots took many prisoners, amongst whom were the English Warden, and his -son-in-law, Sir Francis Russell; but the most gallant soldier taken that -day was that courteous knight, Sir Cuthbert Collingwood, to whose family -Admiral Collingwood belonged. Several of those "Fenwicks fierce," who -had turned up five hundred strong at the commencement of the fray, had -the mortification of being carried off in triumph by their enemies. All -these prisoners were sent to the Earl of Morton, Regent of Scotland, who -detained them at Dalkeith for some days, until the bitter feeling -natural after such an affair had died down, at any rate in part, and by -this prudent precaution the Regent is thought to have probably averted a -war between the two kingdoms. He ultimately permitted them to return to -their own country, parting from them with great expressions of regard. -The interest taken in the matter by Queen Elizabeth, and the -representations of her Ambassador at Edinburgh, no doubt had something -to do with this happy issue. - -It will probably occur to the careful reader of this book as somewhat -strange to find the ruling powers of England and Scotland both so set -upon peace; but it must be remembered that at this period in the reign -of Queen Elizabeth the heir-apparent to the English throne was the young -James VI., King of Scotland, who would naturally not wish for any -quarrel with the country which he hoped later on to rule. Elizabeth, on -the other hand, had Mary Queen of Scots as her prisoner, and did not -wish in any further way to strain the already delicate relations between -the two countries. - -The Carmichael mentioned in this ballad, known in full as Sir John -Carmichael of Edrom, Scottish Warden of the Middle Marches, was -afterwards murdered by one of the wild Armstrongs, who is said to have -composed, the night before his execution, the following manly and -pathetic "Good-night." The third and fourth lines show clearly the -disrepute into which this once honoured clan was falling; the seventh -and eighth lines could only have been written by one who, despite his -faults, had the true gallant instincts deep in his blood. - - - ARMSTRONG'S GOOD-NIGHT - - "This night is my departing night, - For here nae langer must I stay; - There's neither friend nor foe o' mine, - But wishes me away. - - What I have done thro' lack of wit, - I never, never can recall; - I hope ye're a' my friends as yet; - Good-night and joy be with you all!" - - - - - *Chapter XXXIV* - - *Jock o' the Side* - - - "He is well kend, John of the Syde, - A greater thief did never ryde." - - -The subject of this ballad bears some resemblance to Kinmont Willie, and -such adventures were not uncommon in those turbulent times. The events -we are to relate originated in a raid ridden by the famous Liddesdale -spearmen (the hardiest of the Scotch moss-troopers) upon English ground. - -"They had better hae staid at home," for the outcome was that one of -their best men, Michael of Winfield, was killed, and Jock o' the Side, -nephew to the Laird of Mangerton, was taken prisoner, and promptly -lodged in Newcastle Jail. When the news reached Jock's mother she -kilted her coats up to her knee, and ran down the water with the tears -falling in torrents from her eyes. She ran to Mangerton House, on the -banks of the Liddel, and told her brother, the good old lord, the bad -news. "Michael is killed, and they have taken my son John." "Never -fear, sister," quoth Mangerton, "I have eighty-three yokes of oxen, my -barns, my byres, my folds are all filled, I'll part with them all ere -Johnie shall die." Then he thought out his plan. "Three men I'll send -to set him free, all harnessed in the best steel; the English loons -shall feel the weight of their broad swords. The Laird's Jock shall be -one, the Laird's Wat two, and Hobbie Noble, thou must be the third. Thy -coat is blue, and since England banished thee thou hast been true to -me." Now this Hobbie was an Englishman, born in Bewcastledale, the -wildest district in Cumberland. Like numerous other English outlaws, he -had made his own country too hot to hold him; his misdeeds had banished -him to Liddesdale, and he was now in high favour with the Laird of -Mangerton. The Laird gave the dauntless three orders to reverse the -shoes of their horses, so that anyone crossing their trail might think -they were proceeding in a contrary direction. He also warned them not -to seem gentlemen, but to look like corn-carriers; not to show their -good armour, nor appear like men of war, but to be arrayed as country -lads, with halter and cart-collar on each mare. So Hobbie mounted his -grey, Jack his lively bay, and Wat his white horse, and they rode for -Tyne water. When they reached the Tyne they lighted down at a ford, and -by the moonlight they cut a tree, with fifteen nogs on each side, to -serve them as a scaling ladder, to climb Newcastle wall with. However, -when they came to Newcastle town and alighted at the wall, their tree -proved three ells too short, and there was nothing for it but to force -the gates. At the gate a proud porter attempted to withstand them. The -Armstrongs wrung his neck, took his life and his keys at once, and cast -his body behind the wall. Soon they reached the jail, and called to the -prisoner, - - "Sleeps thou, wakes thou, Jock o' the Side, - Or art thou weary of thy thrall?" - - -Jock answered dolefully, "Often I wake, nay, sleep seldom comes to -me--but who's this knows my name so well?" Then out and spoke the -Laird's Jock, his cousin and namesake, "Now fear ye not, my billie!" -quoth he; "for here are the Laird's Jock, the Laird's Wat, and Hobbie -Noble the Englishman come to set you free." Jock o' the Side did not -think it possible that they could effect his release. "Now hold thy -tongue, my good cousin," said he. "This cannot be-- - - 'For if all Liddesdale were here the night, - The morn's the day that I must die.' - -They have laid full fifteen stone of Spanish iron on me, I am fast bound -with locks and keys in this dark and dreary dungeon." But the Laird's -Jock replied. "Fear not that; faint heart never won fair lady. Work -thou within, we'll work without, and I'll be sworn we'll set thee free." -They loosed the first strong door without a key, the next chained door -they split to flinders. The Laird's Jock got the prisoner on his back, -irons and all, and brought him down the stairs with no small speed and -joy. Hobbie Noble offered to bear some of his weight, but the Laird's -Jock said that he was lighter than a flea. When they had all gone out -at the gates, the prisoner was set on horseback, and they all joked -wantonly. "O Jock," they cried, "you ride like a winsome lady, with -your feet all on one side." The night was wet, but they did not mind. -They hied them on full merrily until they came to the ford at -Cholerford, above Hexham. There the water was running mountains high. -They asked an old man, "Honest man, tell us in haste, will the water -ride?" "I've lived here thirty years and three," replied he, "and I -never saw the Tyne so big, nor running so like a sea." The Laird's Wat -counselled them to halt. "We need not try it, the day is come we all -must die!" "Poor faint-hearted thief!" cried the Laird's Jock. -"There'll no man die but him that's fated; I'll guide you safely -through; lift the prisoner behind me." With that they took to the water -and managed to swim through. "Here we are all safe," said the Laird's -Jock triumphantly. "Poor faint Wat, what think ye now?" They now saw -twenty men pursuing them, sent from Newcastle, all English lads, stout -and true. But when their leader saw the water he shook his head. "It -won't ride, my lads," said he. Then he cried to the party of Scots: -"Take the prisoner, but leave me my fetters." But the Laird's Jock was -not a Scot for nothing. "I wat weel no," he shouted back, "I'll keep -them, they'll make horse-shoes for my mare--for I am sure she's bought -them right dear from thee." Then they went on their way to Liddesdale, -as fast as they could, and did not rest until they had brought the -rescued prisoner to his own fireside, and made him free of his irons. - - - - - *Chapter XXXV* - - *Hobbie Noble* - - - "Keep ye weel frae the traitor Mains! - For gold and gear he'll sell ye a'." - - -In the ballad of "Jock o' the Side," we have seen Hobbie Noble act a -distinguished part in the deliverance from captivity of Jock, cousin of -the Laird of Mangerton, chief of the Armstrong clan. Now in the -following ballad we shall learn how ungrateful the Armstrongs were for -his faithful services. The Armstrongs were one of those outlawed or -broken clans, whose hand was against every man, and living as they did -in what was called the Debateable Land, on the frontier between -Liddesdale and England, these stark cattle-lifters and arrant thieves -levied tribute from English and Scotch alike. Halbert or Hobbie Noble -was an Englishman, a Cumbrian born and bred, but his misdeeds were so -great, they banished him never to return, and he established himself -among the Armstrongs. From their territory he continued his -depredations upon the English, in resentment of which they at length -offered a bribe to the Armstrongs to decoy him into England under -pretence of inviting him to join them in a foray. - - "At Kershope foot the tryst was set, - Kershope of the lily lee," - -and the name of the chief traitor and leader of the gang was Sim o' the -Mains. Hobbie harnessed himself "both with the iron and with the -steel," buckled spur on his heel and belted brand to his side, leaped -upon his "fringed grey," and rode down the banks of the Liddel. As soon -as he saw the others, "Well be ye met, my comrades five," he cried. -"Now, what is your will with me?" They all answered, with one consent, -"Thou'rt welcome here, brave Noble; wilt thou ride with us into England, -and we will be thy safe warrant? If we get a horse worth a hundred -pounds thou shalt soon be upon its back." But Hobbie said that he dared -not ride into England by day, as he had a feud with the Land-Sergeant -(an officer under the Warden, to whom was entrusted the arrest of -delinquents). - - "But will ye stay till the day gae down, - Until the night come o'er the ground, - And I'll be a guide worth any two - That may in Liddesdale be found? - Though the night be black as pitch and tar, - I'll guide ye o'er yon hill so high; - And bring ye all in safety back, - If ye'll be true and follow me." - - -They let him guide them over moss and moor, over hill and hope, and over -many a down, until they came to the Foulbogshiel. But meanwhile word -was gone to the Land-Sergeant, in Askerton, about seventeen miles from -Carlisle. "The deer that you have hunted so long, is in Bewcastle Waste -this day." The Sergeant understood at once. Quoth he, "Hobbie Noble is -that deer! He carries the style full high. He has often driven our -bloodhounds back. Now go, warn the bows of Hartlie Burn, see they -sharpen their arrows on the wall! Warn Willeva and Speir Edom, take -word to them that they meet me on the Rodric-haugh at break of day. We -will on to Conscouthart-green, for there, I think, we'll get our -quarry." In the meantime Hobbie had alighted and was sleeping in the -Foulbogshiel. He dreamed that his horse was shot beneath him, and he -himself was hard put to it to get away. The cocks crowed, the day -dawned, and if Hobbie had not wakened he would have been taken or slain -in his sleep. - - "Awake, awake, my comrades five! - I trow here makes a full ill day; - Yet the worst cloak o' this company - I hope shall cross the Waste this day," - -Thus cried he to his companions, thinking the gates were clear. But -alas! it was not so. They were beset by the Land-Sergeant's men, cruel -and keen, and while the Englishmen came before, the traitor Sim o' the -Mains came behind. Had Noble been as masterful a champion as Wallace -himself, he could not have won under such untoward circumstances. He -had but a laddie's sword, but he did more than a laddie's deeds, for -that sword would have cleared Conscouthart-green had it not broken over -one of the English heads. So his treacherous companions delivered -Hobbie up to the officers of justice; they bound him with his own -bowstring, but what made his heart feel sorest of all, was that it was -his own five who bound him. They took him on to Carlisle. They asked -him mockingly if he knew the way. He thought much, but said little, -though he knew it as well as they did. As they took him up the Carlisle -streets, the old wives cast their windows wide, every woman whispering -to another, "That's the man loosed Jock o' the Side." The poor fellow -cried out, "Fie on ye, women! why call ye me man? It's no like a man -that I'm used, but like a beaten hound that's been fighting in the -gutter." They had him up through Carlisle town, and set him by a -chimney fire, where they gave him a wheaten loaf to eat, and a can of -beer. "Confess my lord's horse, Hobbie," they said, "and to-morrow in -Carlisle thou shalt not die." "How can I confess them," says the poor -man, "when I never saw them." And he swore a great oath, by the day -that he was born, that he had never had anything of my lord's. He had -but short shrift and they hung him the next morning. - -According to the ballad, his last words were of manly pride:-- - - "Yet wad I rather be ca'd Hobbie Noble, - In Carlisle, where he suffers for his fault, - Than I'd be ca'd the traitor Mains, - That eats and drinks o' meal and malt." - - -Thus died the doughty Noble. It is proper to add, however, that the -Armstrong's chief, Lord Mangerton, with whom Hobbie had been a -favourite, took a severe revenge on the traitors who betrayed him. The -contriver of the scheme, Sim o' the Mains, fled into England to escape -the resentment of his chief, and was there caught by the English, and -himself executed at Carlisle, two months after Hobbie's death in the -same place! Such is, at least, the tradition of Liddesdale. - - - - - *Chapter XXXVI* - - *The Laird o' Logie* - - -In 1592, the Earl of Bothwell, Francis Stuart, failed in an attempt -against King James VI., whom he tried to surprise in the palace of -Falkland. Amongst his adherents, whom he sought about the King's person, -was the hero of this ballad, the Laird of Logie, who was taken prisoner -and laid in Edinburgh chapel in the keeping of Sir John Carmichael, the -hero of the ballad called the "Raid of Reidswire." Carmichael was at -this time captain of the King's Guard, and had the keeping of State -criminals. - - I will sing, if ye will hearken, - If ye will hearken unto me; - The King has ta'en a poor prisoner, - The wanton laird o' young Logie. - - Young Logie's laid in Edinburgh chapel, - Carmichael's the keeper o' the key; - And may Margaret's lamenting sair, - A' for the love of young Logie. - - "Lament, lament na, may Margaret, - And of your weeping let me be; - For ye maun to the King himsell, - To seek the life of young Logie." - - May Margaret has kilted her green cleiding,[#] - And she has curl'd back her yellow hair-- - "If I canna get young Logie's life, - Farewell to Scotland for evermair." - -[#] Clothing. - - When she came before the King, - She kneelit lowly on her knee-- - "O what's the matter, may Margaret? - And what needs a' this courtesie?" - - "A boon, a boon, my noble liege, - A boon, a boon, I beg o' thee! - And the first boon that I come to crave, - Is to grant me the life of young Logie." - -[Illustration: "_A boon, a boon, my noble liege, A boon, a boon, I beg -o' thee!_"] - - "O na, O na, may Margaret, - Forsooth, and so it mauna be; - For a' the gowd o' fair Scotland - Shall not save the life of young Logie." - - But she has stown[#] the King's redding kaim,[#] - Likewise the Queen her wedding knife, - And sent the tokens to Carmichael, - To cause young Logie get his life. - -[#] Stolen. -[#] Dressing comb. - - She sent him a purse of the red gowd, - Another o' the white monie; - She sent him a pistol for each hand, - And bade him shoot when he gat free. - - When he came to the Tolbooth stair, - There he let his volley flee; - It made the King in his chamber start, - E'en in the bed where he might be. - - "Gae out, gae out, my merrymen a', - And bid Carmichael come speak to me; - For I'll lay my life the pledge o' that, - That yon's the shot o' young Logie." - - When Carmichael came before the King, - He fell low down upon his knee; - The very first word that the King spake, - Was--"Where's the laird of young Logie?" - - Carmichael turn'd him round about - (I wot the tear blinded his ee), - "There came a token frae your grace, - Has ta'en away the laird frae me." - - "Hast thou play'd me that, Carmichael? - And hast thou play'd me that?" quoth he; - "The morn the justice-court's to stand, - And Logie's place ye maun supplie." - - Carmichael's awa to Margaret's bower, - Even as fast as he may dree-- - "O if young Logie be within, - Tell him to come and speak with me!" - - May Margaret turn'd her round about - (I wot a loud laugh laughed she), - "The egg is chipp'd, the bird is flown, - Ye'll see nae mair of young Logie." - - - - - *Chapter XXXVII* - - *Jamie Telfer of the Fair Dodhead* - - - "'Tis I, Jamie Telfer, of the fair Dodhead, - And a harried man I think I be! - There's nothing left at the fair Dodhead - But a woeful wife and bairnies three!" - - -About Martinmas time, when Border steeds get corn and hay, the Captain -of Bewcastle rode over to Tividale to forage. And first he met a guide -high up in Hardhaughswire, and next he met a guide low down in Borthwick -water. - -"What tidings, what tidings, my trusty guide?" "No tidings have I--yet -if ye go to the fair Dodhead, I'll let ye see many a cow's calf." Right -hastily they came to the fair Dodhead, loosed the cows and ransacked the -house. - -Jamie Telfer's[#] heart was sore when he saw this, and the tears ran -down his cheeks, and he pleaded with the Captain to give him back his -gear, or else he would have revenge upon him. But the Captain only -laughed and said, "Man, there's nothing in thy house but an old sword -without a sheath that could scarcely kill a mouse." - -[#] The Telfers, though they had become Scotch at the time of this -ballad, were originally a Norman family, descended from the knight -"Taille-fer" (cut-iron), who came over with William the Conqueror. - -The sun was not up though the moon had gone down, and there was a -sprinkling of new-fallen snow upon the ground when Jamie Telfer ran ten -miles a-foot between the Dodhead and Stob's Hall. When he came to the -tower gate he shouted aloud, and old Gibby Elliot came out and asked the -meaning of such disturbance. - -"It is I, Jamie Telfer, of the fair Dodhead, and a harried man am I, for -nothing is left at fair Dodhead but a sad wife and three bairnies." - -"Go and seek help at Branksome Hall, for ye shall get none from me--seek -help where ye paid blackmail, for, man, never did ye pay _me_ any." - -James turned him about, his eyes blinded with tears. "Never shall I pay -blackmail again to Elliot. My hounds may all run masterless, my hawks -may fly as they will from tree to tree, and my lord may seize the lands -of his vassal, for never shall I see again the fair Dodhead." - -He turned him to Tiviotside and made as fast as he could for Coultart -cleugh, and there he shouted aloud until out came old Jock Grieve, and -asked who it was that made such a noise. - -"It is I, Jamie Telfer, of the fair Dodhead, and a harried man am I, for -nothing is left at fair Dodhead but a weeping wife and three bairnies, -and six poor calves stand in the stall crying aloud for their mothers." - -"Alack!" quoth Jock Grieve, "alack, my heart is sore for thee! for I -married the eldest of three sisters, and you married the youngest." - -So he took out his bonny black horse, right well fed with corn and hay, -and set Jamie Telfer on his back, to take his troubles to Catslockhill. -When he came to Catslockhill he shouted aloud until out came William's -Wat to ask what was the matter. - -"It is I, Jamie Telfer, of the fair Dodhead, and a harried man am I. -The Captain of Bewcastle has driven away my gear; for God's sake rise -and help me." - -"Alas and alack," quoth William's Wat, "my heart is sore for thee. -Never did I yet come to the fair Dodhead and found thy basket bare." - -He set his two sons on coal-black steeds, and he himself mounted a -freckled grey, and with Jamie they rode to Branksome Hall, where they -shouted so loud and high that old Buccleuch came out to ask what was the -matter. - -"It is I, Jamie Telfer, of the fair Dodhead, and a harried man am I; -there is nought left at fair Dodhead but a weeping wife and three -bairnies." - -"Alack," quoth the good old lord, "my heart is sorry for thee; go call -Willie, my son, to come speedily. Go call up hastily the men that live -by the waterside. They who will not ride for Telfer's cattle, let them -never again look me in the face. Call up Wat o'Harden and his sons, -call up Borthwick Water, Gaudilands and Allanhaugh, call Gilmanscleugh -and Commonside; ride by the gate at Priesthaughswire and call the -Currors of the Lee, and call brave Willie of Gorrinberry as ye come down -the Hermitage slack." - -So the Scotts rode and ran bravely and steadily, shouting "Ride for -Branksome," and when Willie looked ahead he saw the cattle being driven -fast up the Frostylee brook, and to the plain. - -"Who drives yon cattle?" cried Willie Scott, "to make us a laughing -stock?" "'Tis I, the Captain of Bewcastle; I will not hide my name from -thee." - -"Let Telfer's cattle go back, or by the faith of my body," said Willie, -"I'll ware my dame's calf-skin on thee." - -"I will not let the cattle go back neither for thy love nor fear; I will -drive Jamie Telfer's cattle in spite of all your company of Scotts." - -"Set on them, lads!" cried Willie; "set on them cruelly; there will be -many an empty saddle before they come to Ritterford." - -So they set to with heart and hand, and blows fell like hail until many -were slain and many a horse ran masterless. But Willie was struck by a -sword through the headpiece and fell to the ground, and auld Wat of -Harden wept for rage when he saw that his son was slain. He took off -his steel cap and waved it thrice, and the snow on the Dinlay mountain -was never whiter than the locks of his hair. - -"Revenge! revenge!" he cried; "lay on them, lads. Willie's death shall -be revenged or we will never see Teviotside again." - -The lances flew into splinters, and many another brave rider fell, and -before the Kershope ford was reached, the Scots had got the victory. -John of Brigham was slain, and John of Barlow, and thirty more of the -Captain's men lay bleeding on the ground. The Captain himself was run -through the right thigh and the bone broken, and never would woman love -him again, if he should live a hundred years. - -"Take back the kye!" said he; "they are dear kye to some of us; never -will a fair lady smile on me if I should live to be a hundred." - -Word came to the Captain's bride in her bower, that her lord had been -taken prisoner. "I would rather have had a winding-sheet," said she, -"and helped to put it over his head than that he should have been -disgraced by the Border Scot when he led his men over Liddel." - -There was a wild gallant there named Watty Wudspurs (Madspurs) who -cried, "Let us on to his house in Stanegirthside, if any man will ride -with us!" - -So they came to Stanegirthside, pulled down the trees, burst open the -door, and drove out all the Captain's kye before them. - -An old woman of the Captain's kin cried, "Who dare loose the Captain's -kye, or answer to him and his men?" - -"It is I, Watty Wudspurs, that loose the kye; I will not hide my name -from thee; and I will loose them in spite of him and his men." - -When they came to the fair Dodhead they were a welcome sight, for -instead of his own ten milk kye Jamie Telfer had now got thirty-three. -He paid the rescue shot in gold and silver, and at Willie Scott's -burial, there were many weeping eyes. - - - - - *Chapter XXXVIII* - - *Muckle-mou'd Meg* - - -The Scott family was very powerful on the Border in the days of Queen -Elizabeth, the bravest and strongest of them being the bold Lord of -Buccleuch. His name is often mentioned in Border history, and so is -that of another Scott, "auld Wat Scott of Harden." He was a fit man for -these wild times, being both brave and canny. He married a beautiful -Border lass, "the Flower of Yarrow," and it is surprising how many able -men have descended from this marriage. Not only did Sir Walter Scott -and Robert Louis Stevenson claim descent from this fine old freebooter; -his daughter Maggie married Gilbert Elliot of Stobs, nicknamed "Gibbie -wi' the Golden Garters," and from them were descended George Augustus -Elliot (Lord Heathfield), famous for his splendid defence of Gibraltar, -worthy of the best Border traditions, and also the Elliots of Minto, who -have twice been Viceroys of India, once late in the eighteenth and once -early in the twentieth century. - -But on one occasion one of the sons of Scott of Harden came perilously -near to finding out how far his neck was capable of carrying the weight -of his body. It was late in Queen Elizabeth's reign, and King James VI. -of Scotland was extra anxious to live at peace with England, for he -expected now very soon to be King over both countries. So he told his -Warden, the bold Buccleuch, to restrain the wild Scotch freebooters; and -you may imagine that the order was little to their liking. Young Willie -Scott, Scott of Harden's son, quickly determined that cattle he must -steal anyhow; he was his father's son, and did not his father once say, -as he gazed longingly at a fine English haystack, "if only ye'd got four -legs, haystack, ye would not be standing there!" So as Willie Scott was -forbidden to steal English cattle, he decided to steal Scotch. - -Sir Gideon Murray, of Elibank Castle, was an old enemy of the Scott -family, having once been told off to punish them for some audacious act -of theirs. And Sir Gideon had some cattle that would make any -Borderer's mouth water and his arm itch to drive them home. So Willie -and a few boon companions started off one night for Elibank. But a -warning voice had reached Sir Gideon, and Willie received a warm -reception, and was taken prisoner. He lay in the castle dungeon all -night, reflecting on the folly of being caught, and fully expecting to -be hanged very early next morning, perhaps without even his breakfast to -comfort him! - -But early on the fatal morning, Lady Murray startled her husband by -asking him if he really meant to hang Willie Scott. He looked at her as -if she were mad; of course, what else was there to do? Then she -unfolded her scheme. She had a very plain-looking daughter known as -"Muckle mou'd Meg," or Margaret with the extremely large mouth. Young -Scott was handsome and of good family, and poor Meg would never again -have such a chance of getting a good husband. Why not release Willie -Scott, if only he would marry Mucklemou'd Meg? - -They were men of action in those days, and the priest was instantly sent -for. Then, all being ready, the prisoner was brought forth. He was -shown on the one hand the priest and the girl, and on the other hand the -tree and the noose, and was asked to take his choice. His first proud -feeling was that he would be mocked at if he married such a girl on such -terms, and he walked bravely towards the rope. But the nearer he got to -it the uglier it looked. He had to confess to himself that it was not -at all a comfortable looking rope; he had a nasty feeling round his neck -from merely looking at it, and thought it would probably feel worse when -it got round his throat. Then he looked at the girl; she certainly was -not as beautiful as his mother, the lovely Flower of Yarrow; and a -Borderer loved a beautiful wife. But if he hanged he would have no wife -at all! Then he suggested that he should have three days to think it -over, but Murray said no, neither priest nor noose was prepared to wait, -he must decide at once. Then he looked again at Meg and saw a kind -glance in her eye; she felt sorry for the handsome young fellow. Then -he knew she had a good heart, and that decided the matter; he went up -and kissed her with a good grace, and the priest married them straight -away. - -Afterwards he became Sir William Scott, and an important man on the -Border. And, best of all, Meg proved to be a real good wife to him, and -he never regretted the day when he elected to suffer the knot to be tied -by the priest instead of by the hangman. - - - - - *Chapter XXXIX* - - *The Dowie Dens of Yarrow* - - -This is one of the most famous and widely known of all the Border -ballads, and has proved a source of inspiration to several poets, -including Wordsworth, who wrote three poems upon the subject. The bard -does not relate the full particulars, but gives only the barest outlines -of facts, which were well known in his day, and still live in tradition. -The story tells of a duel between two brothers-in-law. The very spot -where it took place is still pointed out, a low muir on the Yarrow -banks. The slain knight was apparently Walter Scott, one of the -ancestors of Lord Napier. His murderer was his brother-in-law, John -Scott. "Dowie" means melancholy, and "den" is a word used to describe a -narrow, rocky valley, usually wildly beautiful. - - Late at e'en drinking the wine, - And e'er they paid the lawing, - They set a combat them between, - To fight it in the dawing.[#] - -[#] Dawn. - - "O stay at home my noble lord, - O stay at home my marrow. - My cruel brother will you betray, - On the dowie houms[#] of Yarrow." - -[#] Hillocks. - - "O fare ye well, my lady gay! - O fare ye well, my Sarah! - For I must go, though I ne'er return - From the dowie banks of Yarrow." - - She kissed his cheek, she combed his hair, - As oft she had done before, O, - She belted him with his noble brand, - "And he's away to Yarrow." - - As he gaed up the Tennies bank - I wot he gaed with sorrow, - Till down in a den he spied nine armed men, - On the dowie houms of Yarrow. - - "O come ye here to part your land, - The bonnie forest thorough? - Or come ye here to wield your brand, - On the dowie houms of Yarrow?" - - "I come not here to part my land, - And neither to beg nor borrow, - I come to wield my noble brand - On the bonnie banks of Yarrow. - - "If I see all, ye're nine to ane; - And that's an unequal marrow; - Yet will I fight, while lasts my brand, - On the bonnie banks of Yarrow." - - Four has he hurt, and five has slain, - On the bloody braes of Yarrow, - Till that stubborn knight came him behind, - And ran his body thorough. - - "Gae hame, gae hame, good brother John, - And tell your sister Sarah, - To come and lift her leafu'[#] lord; - He's sleepin' sound on Yarrow." - -[#] Lawful. - - "Yestreen I dreamed a dolefu' dream, - I fear there will be sorrow! - I dreamed I pu'd the heather green, - Wi' my true love on Yarrow. - - "O gentle wind, that bloweth south, - From where my love repaireth, - Convey a kiss from his dear mouth, - And tell me how he fareth! - - "But in the glen strive armed men; - They've wrought me dole and sorrow; - They've slain--the comeliest knight they've slain, - He bleeding lies on Yarrow." - - As she sped down yon high, high hill, - She gaed wi' dole and sorrow, - And in the den spied ten slain men, - On the dowie banks of Yarrow. - - She kissed his cheek, she kaim'd his hair, - She searched his wounds all thorough, - She kiss'd them till her lips grew red, - On the dowie houms of Yarrow. - - "Now haud[#] your tongue, my daughter dear, - For a' this breeds but sorrow; - I'll wed ye to a better lord, - Than him ye lost on Yarrow." - -[#] Hold. - - "O haud your tongue, my father dear! - Ye mind me but of sorrow; - A fairer rose did never bloom - Than now lies cropp'd on Yarrow." - -[Illustration: "_She kissed his cheek, she kaim'd his hair, She searched -his wounds all thorough._"] - - - - - *Chapter XL* - - *Belted Will and the Baronry of Gilsland* - - - "When for the lists they sought the plain - The stately lady's silken rein - Did noble Howard hold; - Unarmed by her side he walk'd - And much, in courteous phrase they talk'd - Of feats of arms of old. - Costly his garb; his Flemish ruff - Fell o'er his doublet, shaped of buff, - With satin slashed and lined; - Tawny his boot and gold his spur, - His cloak was all of Poland fur, - His hose with silver twined. - His Bilboa blade, by Marchmen felt, - Hung in a broad and studded belt; - Hence, in rude phrase, the Borderers still - Call'd noble Howard, Belted Will." - SCOTT, _Lay of the Last Minstrel_. - - -One of the many picturesque figures of Border history was "Belted Will," -or to call him by his proper name and title, Lord William Howard, a -younger son of the powerful Duke of Norfolk. - -His mother had died when he was an infant, and his father, the foremost -Roman Catholic nobleman in England, took up the cause of Mary Queen of -Scots, whom he wished to marry. For this treason against Queen -Elizabeth he was beheaded in 1572, when young Lord William was only nine -years old. At the age of fourteen the young lord's guardians arranged -for him a marriage with Elizabeth Dacre, a member of a powerful Border -family, and heiress to the Baronry of Gilsland. As the bride was even -younger than her boy-husband, let us hope that they both went to school -again immediately after the marriage! - -When he grew to manhood, Lord William warmly supported the Roman -Catholic cause and was imprisoned by Elizabeth; but when James became -King, he was released and restored to his estates on the Border. -Throughout the remainder of his career he was the most notable man of -his district. He knew how to make himself respected by his wild -neighbours. His fame and power were great. He founded the fortunes of -his family so surely that he it is who is usually thought of as the -ancestor of the Earls of Carlisle, though his great-grandson was the -first to hold the title. - -Lord William had great energy and many interests, and was remarkable as -being an "all-round" man. He was equally a leader of men and a lover of -books; no detail in the management of his estates was too small for him -to study; he was a good husband to his wife, and a splendid father to -his fifteen children. He selected the most beautiful of his several -castles, that of Naworth, and repaired and almost rebuilt it; he took -there the fine old oak ceiling from the ancient castle of Kirkoswald, -which was ornamented with portraits of all the kings of England. -Visitors to Naworth can see to-day the "hall of Belted Will," by kind -permission of the present Earl of Carlisle. - -He was something of a poet and very much of an antiquarian. His estates -were full of interesting things, and none knew them better than he. -There were miles of the Roman wall, still in excellent condition; there -were many Roman altars and inscriptions, which he copied and translated; -quite near him, at Coome Crags, was a Roman quarry, which can still be -seen to-day, with marks of Roman tools on its stones. It stands in a -beautiful wood by the side of the lovely river Irthing. And only a -little further on, standing on a fine cliff overlooking the river, is -the old Roman station of Amboglanna, a fort that covered five and a half -acres, with walls that were once five feet thick, the main foundations -of which are still standing, clear enough for anyone to trace them out. -It is quieter there to-day than it was in Roman times, or in the -stirring days of Belted Will! - -It is good to think that this broad-shouldered, gallant, powerful -nobleman, who could ride, shoot, fight and keep this wild district in -order, was at the same time such a clever student and book-worm. They -tell a story that he was once sitting in his library intent on a book -when his men brought in a robber whom they had caught red-handed, and -asked Lord William to try him. Belted Will, angry at being interrupted, -cried out:--"Don't disturb me; hang him!" Half an hour later he rose -and came down to try the man, but finding that he was already hanged he -went on with his book. It is only fair to add that robbers in those -days expected no mercy when caught. - -One of the many clever things that Lord William did was to have figures -carved in oak to represent soldiers; these he placed on the top of his -high towers, and deceived the Scots into thinking that he had a large -and very watchful garrison! These figures can still be seen at Naworth. -Near Naworth Castle is Lanercost Priory, where King Edward I. stayed on -his way to Scotland. There is a secret passage from Naworth tower which -is supposed to run under the river to Lanercost. No one is allowed to -go through it, as it is considered dangerous; the people of the district -say that the last man to do so was Oliver Cromwell. - -Visitors to Naworth to-day should certainly go on to Gilsland itself, -the picturesque straggling little town, which was the head of the -Baronry which Elizabeth Dacre brought to her boy-husband. The Irthing -at Gilsland runs through a wonderfully beautiful gorge, rocky and -wooded, wild and romantic. Stand on the venturesome stepping stones -near the old church, with the river rushing at your very feet, and see -if this is an exaggeration of the beauties of the scene. Right in the -midst of the glen you can see the "Popping-stone" where Sir Walter Scott -walked with the lady of his choice and asked her to marry him. Readers -of "Guy Mannering" can see in Over Denton church near Gilsland the grave -of Meg Merrilees, who died here at the age of ninety-eight. The town is -also interesting for the fact that the county border is at Gilsland, and -there is an inn so built that it stands in both counties, and contains a -bed in which you can sleep with your head in Northumberland and your -feet in Cumberland! - -There is a story of Belted Will that tells eloquently of the strength of -his character. When he was released from prison by King James he found -his estates so ruined by careless management that he knew that great -care was needed to put things right again; so until he got his affairs -into order, all the pocket-money that he would allow himself was twenty -shillings per month! - -Bold William, Belted Will, gallant Lord Howard, as you will, died at -Naworth in 1640 aged seventy-seven, one year after the death of his -devoted wife. His descendants were, like himself, students and men of -action; the present Earl of Carlisle is directly sprung from him, and is -very proud of the fact. - - - - - *Chapter XLI* - - *Gilderoy* - - -Gilderoy was a celebrated and most daring highwayman, who roamed far, -and was well-known all over Scotland and indeed in London. His death -inspired a very striking ballad, but this is hardly a Border Lowland -ballad, but refers chiefly to another Border district, namely, that -between the Lowlands and Highlands. Just as the Scottish Lowlanders -thought the English their legitimate quarry, so the Highlanders in turn -looked upon the Lowlanders as created to supply them with all they -lacked. There is a story on record of a Highland chief who, finding his -men had carelessly robbed another Highlander, returned the spoil with a -handsome apology, and issued stringent orders that in future nothing was -to be taken except in the Lowlands, "where all men make their prey." - -Among the robber clans of the Highlands, the MacGregors stand easily in -the first rank. In a long series of Scottish Acts of Parliament, they -are habitually referred to as "the wicked clan Gregor, so long -continuing in blood, slaughter, theft, and robbery." One of their most -famous exploits was the battle of Glenfruin, when they defeated their -enemies, the Colquhouns, and slew two hundred of them. The Colquhouns -appeared before the King at Stirling with the bloody shirts stripped off -their dead, and the law was put in motion against the MacGregors more -vigorously than ever. This was in 1603. The execution of Gilderoy, as -described in our poem, took place in 1638. His real name was Patrick -MacGregor, and the fact that he belonged to this Ishmaelite clan, whose -hand was directed against every man, and whose very name had been -solemnly abolished, may well serve as an excuse for his career of crime. -Gilderoy, in Gaelic, means the red-haired gillie or lad, and besides the -name there are many other points of similarity between him and Rob Roy, -who was the head of the Clan MacGregor in the following century. Both -Gilderoy and Rob Roy were professional blackmailers, that is, they could -be relied on never to plunder anyone who was prudent enough to buy them -off by paying a fixed contribution. This is what is meant in the -following lines of the ballad-- - - "All these did honestly possess - He never did annoy, - Who never failed to pay their cess - To my love, Gilderoy." - - -The "cess" is the blackmail, or insurance against robbery. The -widespread reputation of Gilderoy is attested by the many legends of him -which are printed in the old chap-books and "Lives of the Highwaymen." -According to these authorities, Gilderoy once robbed Oliver Cromwell -near Glasgow; but an even more romantic episode of his career was a -roaming trip upon the continent, in the course of which he is said to -have picked Cardinal Richelieu's pocket while he was celebrating mass in -the King's presence, at the church of St Denis in Paris. He made his -way even to Madrid, where he succeeded in carrying off the Duke of -Medina-Cell's plate. Altogether a most notorious and dashing cateran. -The ballad is supposed to be spoken by a young woman who had all her -life been attached to him. - - "Gilderoy was a bonnie boy, - Had roses to his shoon;[#] - His stockings were of silken soy, - With garters hanging down. - It was, I ween, a comely sight - To see so trim a boy; - He was my jo, and heart's delight, - My handsome Gilderoy. - * * * * * - My Gilderoy and I were born - Both in one town together; - We scant were seven years before - We 'gan to love each other. - Our daddies and our mammies they - Were filled with meikle joy, - To think upon the bridal day - Of me and Gilderoy." - -[#] Shoes. - - -But there intervened the spirit of adventure which had ever been the -birthright of all of his surname, - - "Oh, that he still had been content - With me to lead his life! - But ah! his manful heart was bent - To stir in deeds of strife; - And he in many a venturous deed - His courage bold would try; - And now this gars[#] my heart to bleed - For my dear Gilderoy." - -[#] Makes. - - -No doubt those who knew Gilderoy personally would have agreed, as was -actually said of Rob Roy, that he was a benevolent and humane man "in -his way." - - "My Gilderoy, both far and near, - Was feared in every town; - And boldly bore away the gear - Of many a Lowland loun, - For man to man durst meet him none, - He was so brave a boy; - At length with numbers he was ta'en, - My winsome Gilderoy." - - -He was not so fortunate as Rob Roy, who ultimately died peacefully in -his bed. Gilderoy had lost the game, and he had to pay the stakes. - - "Of Gilderoy so feared they were, - They bound him fast and strong; - To Edinbro' they led him there, - And on a gallows hung. - They hung him high above the rest, - He was so trim a boy; - There died the youth whom I loved best, - My handsome Gilderoy." - - -Thus perished one of the characteristic products of an age whose -standards were so different from ours that we can hardly judge him -fairly. He was banned before his birth, a scion of a race so -indomitably and innately ferocious that the law attempted to extirpate -them, root and branch. The very name of Gregor could be given by no -clergyman at baptism, under penalty of deprivation and banishment. -Cunning and politic neighbours were not slow to take advantage of the -stubborn disposition of the MacGregors, and gradually stripped them of -their once extensive lands in Argyle and Perthshire. Gilderoy might well -consider that he was "an honester man than stood on any of their -shanks," and we may be excused for feeling a very lively sympathy with -him, and for echoing in our inmost hearts the exquisitely feminine point -of view expressed by the lady composer of the ballad. - - "If Gilderoy had done amiss, - He might have banished been; - Ah! what sore cruelty is this - To hang such handsome men! - To hang the flower of Scottish land, - So sweet and fair a boy! - No lady had so white a hand - As thee, my Gilderoy! - - When he had yielded up his breath - I bare his corpse away; - With tears, that trickled for his death, - I washt his comely clay; - And sicker[#] in a grave sae deep - I laid the dear lo'ed boy; - And now for ever maun I weep, - My winsome Gilderoy." - -[#] Safely. - - - - - *Chapter XLII* - - *Archie Armstrong's Oath* - - - "And oft since then, to England's King, - The story he has told; - And aye, when he 'gan rock and sing, - Charlie his sides would hold." - - -Archie Armstrong lived in Eskdale, where he did his best to keep up the -grand reputation of his family as being among the very boldest -sheep-stealers of the Border. His house was at Stubholm, where the -Wauchope stream runs into the river Esk, near where the picturesque town -of Langholm now stands. Living in the reign of Charles I., after the -union of crowns, the profession of freebooter was far less honourable -than of old. He could not now plead that he was a Border soldier, -fighting against his nation's enemy. The wild Border blood in him might -cry out for the old adventurous career, but he could no longer hope for -the aid of powerful Border families. When cornered, his sole protector -would be his own wits, and woe betide him if they failed! - -Archie's house was about eight miles from the Border, and he could not -help strolling towards the fascinating line and tasting the sweetness of -temptation. When the chance came that seemed to him sufficiently safe, -he would go home in company though he had walked out alone; the -"company" being a good fat English sheep. One night a shepherd had -marked him lingering about, and had watched him, and raised an alarm. -Away went stout Archie at a Marathon pace; half way home he passed -Gilnockie tower, where his ancestor bold Johnie Armstrong lived so -gaily. "Alas!" thought Archie, dolefully, "he too was hanged in the -end!" - -He got home well in front of his pursuers, but his wife gave him small -encouragement. With typical Scottish dourness she remarked to him, "Ye -will be ta'en this night and hanged i' the morning." - -But Archie put a braw face on it, and declared that he would never hang -for one silly sheep. Quicker than any butcher he skinned and roughly -trimmed the dead animal, throwing the rejected parts into the swift -stream. Then rejoicing in the fact that his child was away with its -aunt, he put the carcase carefully in the cradle and began rocking it -and singing a lullaby to it, as if he were the most loving father in all -the British Isles. - -The pursuers now rushed in, and began to accuse Archie triumphantly; but -he rebuked them for making so much noise, telling them that his child -was at death's door! As for stealing their sheep, he took a solemn oath -that if he had done such a thing he would ask to be doomed to "eat the -flesh this very cradle holds!" - -Such an oath on the Borders was a very serious matter; they little knew -that the only flesh in the cradle was sheep's flesh, which Archie asked -nothing better than to devour! - -Impressed but not convinced, his enemies carefully searched the whole of -Archie's house and garden; it was only with very great unwillingness -that they at last decided that they must miss the supreme pleasure of -hanging him! They went away saying that they must have been deluded by -the devil or by witches; and the shepherd resolved to hang a branch of -rowan-tree (mountain-ash) by his fold, for that was well-known to have -the power to keep witches away. - -As soon as they were all on their road to England again, Archie skipped -about like a dancing fiddler. "Wife," he said, "I never knew before -that I would make such a good nurse." - -After this Archie wandered down to London, and his wild jests becoming -famous, he was made Court Jester by King Charles I. And many a time he -acted the story to the King, rocking a pretended cradle, and singing a -persuasive lullaby, to the King's intense amusement. - -Nevertheless, Archie lost his place by his boldness. These were the days -of Archbishop Laud (1637), who was hated by the Scots. One day, as the -archbishop was about to say grace before dinner, Archie asked the King's -permission to say grace instead. The King consented, and the jester's -double-meaning words were as follows:-- - -"All _praise_ to God, and little _laud_ to the devil!" - -The archbishop, in many senses a little man, had Archie dismissed in -disgrace. But, such were the chances of these uncertain times, the -archbishop was executed in the end, while the sheepstealer escaped that -fate! - - - - - *Chapter XLIII* - - *Christie's Will* - - -The resourceful Archie, whose tale we have just told, was not the only -one of the reckless Armstrongs to keep up the old freebooting habits in -the reign of Charles I. There lived at Gilnockie tower (the old -residence of the famous Johnie Armstrong) in the parish of Cannobie, a -notorious Willie Armstrong, known as Christie's Will. Like Archie, he -more than once owed his life to his ready wit. He was shut up in -Jedburgh jail when the Earl of Traquair, Lord High Treasurer, paid the -prison an official visit. When he asked Will the cause of his being -there, the freebooter answered:-- - -"For stealing two halters, my lord." - -Traquair was surprised, but Will afterwards owned that there was a fine -colt at the end of each halter. - -Traquair was amused and pleased by the boldness of the man, and had him -set free. - -Some little time afterwards Traquair was involved in a law-suit which -was set down to be decided by Lord Durie, who seems to have let it be -known before-hand what his opinion was upon the case. Nothing would -save Traquair's interests except that Durie must be got out of the way -before the case began. But how was it to be done? - -Christie's Will was appealed to, and merely said "Leave it to me." - -It was the judge's habit to take horseback exercise on the sands of -Leith without any attendant. One morning, whilst so riding, a -well-dressed and gentlemanly stranger, on a good horse, happened to -overtake him; a courteous greeting led to a friendly conversation, in -which the stranger proved himself so affable and entertaining that the -judge rode on by his side without suspicion. Suddenly, when they had -come to a lonely spot, Lord Durie found himself seized by this muscular -gentleman, smothered up in a big cloak, whisked off his horse and on to -the stranger's, who galloped off, mischief knows where! It was -Christie's Will, carrying out his promise. - -The judge's horse galloped home, riderless. Search was made, but the -judge could not be found. It could only be supposed that he had been -thrown off into the sea. His successor was appointed, and Lord -Traquair's case was heard and won! - -Lord Durie had languished for several months in a dreary underground -vault. I wonder if he thought of the many poor wretches he had -sentenced to a similar fate? Suddenly at midnight he was roughly -awakened, muffled up as before, and carried away again by his captor on -horseback. Next morning, by the light of the newly-risen sun, he found -himself on the very spot by the sands of Leith from which he had been -kidnapped! We will hope that every one, including his successor, was -glad when he thus came to life again. - -When the Civil War began, the Earl of Traquair was faithful to King -Charles I. Having some papers of importance that he wished to have -given into the King's own hands, he entrusted these to the bold -freebooter. Christie's Will did his errand, and received an equally -important answer. But spies at Court had given Cromwell word of the -matter, and the command was sent up to Carlisle that Will Armstrong must -be intercepted there. Not knowing his danger, Will halted in the town -to refresh his horse, then pushed forward to the bridge which crossed -the Eden on the Northern boundary of the city. Cromwell's soldiers were -waiting for him; the bridge was high and narrow, the broad Eden waters -were swirling in high flood. - -Christie's Will, without one second's hesitation, spurred his horse over -the parapet. He sank ... he came up ... he sank ... he came up ... he -sank ... he came up, this time at the very bank. He cut his heavy, -dripping cloak from his shoulders; relieved of the weight, his horse -struggled to the land. Away went Will, away went the troopers after -him. It was a hard race to the river Esk, and this also Will had to -swim. But now he was in Scotland, and his friends were at hand; gaily -Will turned to his pursuers, who dared not cross the water; "Good -friends," cried he, "come over and drink with me!" But they showed him -their backs, and their horses's tails, and he saw no more of them. - -Such were the exploits of Christie's Will; he was the last of the -free-booters, but he certainly knew how to live up to their boldest -traditions. - - - - - *Chapter XLIV* - - *Northumberland at the time of the Civil War* - - -During the stormy days of King Charles I., the Borders, and especially -Northumberland, saw many stirring scenes. It must be remembered that -shortly before the Long Parliament was elected, King Charles almost came -to war with the Scottish Presbyterians, because they would not obey the -harsh rule of Archbishop Laud. The Scots raised an army under the lead -of shrewd general Alexander Leslie, the "old, little, crooked soldier," -of great experience, trained by the great Gustavus of Sweden. In 1639 -Charles sent ships up to the Forth, in reply to which Leslie marched his -army to threaten the border. The old quarrel between the two countries -began to blaze up again. King Charles led an army to the border and was -received with splendid applause at Newcastle. Many joined his army, and -shouted with joy at the thought of meeting the Scots in battle. But -they were an untrained disorderly crew, who fired their guns off at -random and kept no military order whatever. Gallant Leslie marched his -men down to Duns Law, in South Berwickshire, and was ready to fight. -But King Charles would not trust his army that length; he made terms -with his opponents, promising them the reforms they set their hearts -upon, and the two armies melted away like school-boys at the end of the -term. - -Things were soon as bad as before. Lord Conway was sent by the King to -put Newcastle into a strong defensive state. His greatest difficulty -was to get money for the purpose, for the King's quarrel with his -various Parliaments had deprived him of supplies. The badly paid troops -mutinied, and the ring-leader was shot. Very soon the Scottish army came -across the Tweed, the Highlanders armed with bows and arrows. - -They pitched their camp on Heddon Law, and soon proved to the country -folk that they had not come for plunder, but would pay for all they -wanted to eat. This re-assured the country people, who had no real -quarrel with the Scots, and even became most friendly to them. - -With Lord Conway it was otherwise; he was the King's officer, and was -bound to offer resistance. His opinion was that if once the Scots -crossed the Tyne, and attacked Newcastle from the south or Gateshead -side, they were sure of victory. Accordingly, leaving a strong garrison -to protect the town, he marched out with two thousand or more foot and -fully one thousand horse to command the important ford across the Tyne -at Newburn, a place five or six miles due west of Newcastle. It is -interesting to remember that here also the Romans had had -fortifications, along the line of the wall, and the very spot where the -Scots and English fought may well have been the scene of contests -between the Roman Legions and the wild Picts. - -The English arrived first, on the south bank of the river, and threw up -earth-works hastily. Very soon they saw the Scots march into Newburn -village, on the north bank, where they employed themselves by hauling -their cannon up to the church tower. Remarkable cannon they were, made -out of bar-iron hooped together with cord and wet, raw hides! But they -were not required to carry any distance, the foe was only on the other -side of the Tyne. All the morning the enemies looked at one another -across the river, each hesitating to fire the first shot of the war. At -last an English officer shot a Scotch officer, and the fight began. The -Scots were on the higher ground, and their cannon, rough as they were, -sent heavy shot on to the English. Then when the river tide went down, -the Scots rushed across the ford, and the battle was soon won, the royal -standard being taken. English runaways rushed through the woods and -into Newcastle, crying, "Fly for your lives, naked devils have destroyed -us!" Whether they referred to kilted Highlanders is uncertain. Anyway, -Leslie and his Scots entered Newcastle in triumph, but were afterwards -bought off with a payment of L60,000 and recrossed the Tweed into -Scotland. - -This was in 1641, a year in which King Charles was quarrelling bitterly -with his Long Parliament, though the actual civil war in England did not -begin till 1642. Early in 1642 it was decided that so important a town -as Newcastle ought to be put in a stronger state of defence. - -William Cavendish, Earl of Newcastle, was made governor of the town, but -he was much hindered in his plans by lack of money. King Charles, -however, promoted him from Earl to Marquis of Newcastle, and the lack of -funds he made up as best he was able. However, the Governor of Holy -Island, off the Northumberland shore, found himself left for sixteen -months without any pay! He wrote to the King's treasury a protest in -verse, beginning:-- - - "_The great commander o' the Cormorants,_ - _The geese and ganders of these hallowed lands,_ - _Where Lindisfarne and Holy Island stands,_ - _These worthless lines sends to your worthy hands._" - - -The allusion in the first two lines is to the fact that Holy Island and -the Farne Islands were then, and are still to-day, so thinly peopled -that sea-birds gather there in large numbers, adding greatly to the wild -beauties of these islets and rocks. - -In January 1644 a serious struggle began. Leslie and his soldiers -crossed the Tweed at Berwick bridge and again entered Northumberland. -General Bayly marched his men from Kelso across the frozen river and -joined Leslie at Alnwick. Warkworth Castle, though it contained cannon -and provisions, surrendered at once. The Scottish general gravely told -Bemerton, the governor, that if he had learnt to fight as well as he had -learnt to dance his castle could never have been taken! The country -districts of Northumberland had no quarrel with the Scots, and it was -soon evident that the real fight would be at Newcastle, bravely held by -the Marquis and by the Mayor, Sir John Marley. - -The Scottish "murthering pieces," as the cannon were called, were -brought down by sea, and the obstinate conflict began. Despite the -terrible weather of a very rough February, frequent skirmishes took -place, while the Scots closed nearer and nearer round the gallantly -defended town. Leslie soon found that the defences had been put into -good order; the ditch round the town was dug deep, and close to the -walls; the walls themselves were strongly underpinned. The battlements -were strengthened by stone and lime, but the top stones were loosened so -as to slip if the enemy attempted to mount them. Every cannon was -placed carefully, to the best advantage. - -[Illustration: _The Storming of Newcastle_] - -But the Marquis of Newcastle was called southward by the needs of his -King. With him were his thousand brave "White coats," so called because -they wore white coats which they promised to dye in the blood of the -enemy. But they met the terrible Ironsides at Marston Moor, and in a -conflict of furious bravery on both sides, all of the gallant thousand -except thirty were slain on the field of battle. - -This was in July of 1644, but it did not affect the siege of Newcastle, -which still dragged obstinately on, under the skilful guidance of the -dauntless Mayor. By October, Sir John Marley was so buoyed up by his -success that he sent a letter to General Leslie to ask if he was still -alive! This the Scots took to be an insult, and a grand assault was -begun. The Scots were furious, and the defence was desperate. The roar -of the cannon and the rattle of the musketry were succeeded, as the -assault got nearer and nearer to its aim, by the clashing of swords and -the clanging of pikes. At last, the regiments of Loudoun and Buccleugh -succeeded in forcing their way into the town. In vain the defenders -made their last gallant charge; their cause was now hopeless, and soon -the market-place was filled with fugitives, who flung down their arms -and cried aloud for quarter at the hands of the triumphant Scots. - -In these days the defender was often made to feel the anger of the -victors, who in the flush and cruelty of victory avenged their dead, -only too terribly, upon the losing side. Not so at Newcastle. -Prominent in its day, it stands out because of the mercy of the Scottish -conquerors as much as for the heroism of its defence. In this, the last -great struggle on English ground between Scots and English, it is -pleasing indeed to recall facts that redound to the high honour of both -parties. - - - - - *Chapter XLV* - - *Montrose and Lesly* - - -James Graham, the great Marquis of Montrose who at first sided with the -Scottish Covenanters against Charles I., was so out of sympathy with the -extreme turn which affairs took later against that unhappy monarch that -he went over to the King's side. Gathering the Highland Clans under his -standard, he marched Southward and defeated the Covenanters in a series -of brilliantly fought battles. He occupied Edinburgh, and laid great -plans to complete the conquest of Scotland by subduing the Borderland. - -If the Borders had remained in their old fighting state no doubt many a -Border chief would have joined Montrose's army and aided his bold plans. -But, unfortunately for King Charles, the Borders had been tamed and -disarmed since the union of England and Scotland under James I. Only a -few adventurous spirits like Christie's Will remained as examples of the -old wild days. - -The remnant of the army of the Covenanters was commanded by the stern -General David Lesly (not the Alexander Leslie who figures in the -preceding chapter), and was somewhere in the Border district. Gay -Gallant Montrose did not bother as to exactly where this army was; he -despised it too heartily. He himself was at Selkirk, while his army was -encamped on the neighbouring plain of Philiphaugh. - -Montrose was busy writing a cheering message to King Charles to the -effect that he had now no enemy left in Scotland who could offer an -effective resistance to his arms. Little did he think that General -Lesly was gradually creeping nearer, nearer, and was now actually within -four miles of his army. With the advantage of a thick Scotch mist, -Lesly's men actually burst upon Montrose's infantry without a single -scout having seen them to give warning of their approach! In such -confusion, Montrose's men had no chance whatever. - -The Marquis galloped up, only to find his soldiers hopelessly defeated -and great numbers slain. There was nothing left but for those to escape -who could. The Marquis succeeded in cutting his way through, and -gathered his troops to fight again later on; but his efforts were doomed -to failure. - -A popular ditty of these days, sung to a stirring tune, was called -"Lesly's March." Sir Walter Scott seems to regard this as wholly -serious, and ranks it as a Covenanter song. It appears to me, however, -that many of the lines have a very sarcastic flavour; no doubt the -Covenanters did really think that - - "There's none in the right but we, - Of the old Scottish nation"; - -but they would probably have phrased it a little less baldly. To me it -appears as if this song were the work of an onlooker and not a partisan; -one ready to see the faults of both sides, and very much inclined to -hold back his final opinion till he saw which was going to win. But let -the March speak for itself. - - - *LESLY'S MARCH* - - March! march: - Why the de'il do ye na march? - Stand to your arms, my lads, - Fight in good order; - Front about, ye musketeers all, - Till ye come to the English Border; - Stand till 't, and fight like men, - True gospel to maintain. - The parliament's blythe to see us a' coming! - When to the kirk we come, - We'll purge it ilka room, - Frae popish relics, and a' sic innovation, - That a' the world may see, - There's nane in the right but we, - Of the auld Scottish nation. - - -A truly partisan ballad of the day describes the battle of Philiphaugh -and exults in the defeat of Montrose, "our cruel enemy," it calls him. -As a ballad it has no great poetic merit; the very sober Covenanters -probably regarded ballad-making as a frivolity. But it describes rather -graphically how an "aged father," from the country-side, led Lesly's -army very cautiously and wisely to the very tents of the foe. These -details are no doubt accurate; though the ballad-writer (whoever he was) -displays his ignorance of other matters by making the old soldier say -that he was at the battle of Solway Moss (which took place one hundred -years before) and at that of Dunbar, which was not fought till five -years later! - -The following are the opening verses of the ballad, giving an idea of -its plain, straightforward style:-- - - On Philiphaugh a fray began, - At Hairhead-wood it ended; - The Scots out o'er the Graemes they ran, - Sae merrily they bended; - - Sir David frae the Border came, - Wi' heart an' hand came he; - Wi' him three thousand bonny Scots, - To bear him company. - - Wi' him three thousand valiant men, - A noble sight to see! - A cloud o' mist them weel conceal'd, - As close as e'er might be. - - When they came to the Shaw burn, - Said he, "Sae weel we frame. - I think it is convenient - That we should sing a psalm." - - -It is not necessary to quote more of it, but it may be remarked that in -place of the last line as given here, the _unregenerate_ substituted, - - "That we should take a dram." - -In point of actual fact, _both_ versions are probably true! - - - - - *Chapter XLVI* - - *The Death of Montrose* - - -During the imprisonment of King Charles I., at a time when active war on -his behalf might do the unhappy monarch more harm than good, the gallant -Montrose had retired to France. His bright military fame, his courteous -manners, and manly bearing made him friends everywhere, and when he -visited Germany the Emperor conferred on him the rank of Marshal. -Hearing of the execution of Charles I., Montrose at once placed himself -at the disposal of Charles II., now a fugitive in Holland. This prince -named him Captain General of Scotland, and the daring hero set out for -the Orkney Islands with about five hundred paid soldiers, mostly -adventurous Germans and Dutchmen. Only a reckless spirit like Montrose -would have undertaken so wild a commission. - -Scotland was heartily sick of war, and learnt with consternation of the -arrival of this firebrand. Lesly was sent forward with four thousand -men to attack Montrose's five hundred! Colonel Strachan led the -advanced guard, which fell unexpectedly upon the invading army, and, -after a brief, fierce struggle, totally defeated it. - -Montrose, disguised as a peasant, entrusted his life to one he believed -to be his friend, M'Leod, Laird of Assaint. But this unworthy man -betrayed him to his bitterest enemy, General Lesly. Thus, at last, this -brilliant commander was in the hands of the bitter Covenanters, into -whose hearts his brilliant victories had once spread such terror. Their -treatment of him is a black stain upon their memory. For days he was -led about in the peasant's disguise, which he had put on; he was carted -through the streets of Edinburgh, accompanied by such insults that the -populace cried shame upon his captors. - -When tried before the Scottish Parliament for treason, he made a most -eloquent defence, one of the most notable of his assertions being that -he had never stained his victories by slaughtering his foes in cold -blood after the battle. In this he was far above his enemies, who had -disgraced their victory of Philiphaugh by many an execution, and who -were now bent upon taking the life of Montrose himself. The sentence -against him was probably decided before his defence had been heard; it -ran thus:-- - -"That James Graham should next day be carried to Edinburgh cross and -there hanged on a gibbet 30 feet high for the space of three hours; then -to be taken down, his head to be struck off on a scaffold and affixed to -the prison; his arms and legs to be stuck up on the four chief towns of -the Kingdom, his body to be buried in the place set aside for common -criminals." - -To this sentence the great Marquis haughtily replied that he would -rather have his head so placed than his picture in the King's -bedchamber, and that he wished he had limbs enough to be dispersed into -all the cities of Christendom, to prove his dying attachment to his -king. And in the one evening of life that still remained to him, this -accomplished and fearless nobleman employed his time in turning these -loyal sentiments into verse. - -Despite the fact that he triumphed undaunted over all the mean -inventions of their malice, his enemies persisted to the end. - -The executioner tied mockingly round his neck the book that had been -published describing his victories; Montrose thanked him, saying that he -wore it with more pride than he had ever worn the garter of honour. He -uttered a short prayer; then asking them what more indignities they had -prepared for him, he patiently and with unbroken spirit yielded his life -to the hangman, at the too early age of thirty-eight. - -Whatever opinions we may have as to the rights and wrongs of the -quarrel, this brutal killing of a gallant soldier and accomplished -gentleman can only rank as a hideous blot upon all concerned in it. -Every insult hurled at Montrose has returned in the verdict of time with -redoubled force against the malice of those who stooped to such -vindictiveness. The execution of a soldier who has violated no rule of -war is at any time a thing that revolts the human conscience, and a -sentence hoarse with the vile taunts of its utterers has so far lost all -semblance of justice that it is needless to argue upon it. - -In the verdict of history, the great Marquis of Montrose, whether right -or wrong in his political views, lived and died like a man of honour. - -The ballad of the "Gallant Grahams," written about this time, reflects -very sincerely and touchingly the devotion and affection surrounding the -great Marquis, accompanied by the very Scottish feeling that in addition -to his own personal power and genius, he was also the head of the great -Border family of Grahams. - - - *THE GALLANT GRAHAMS* - - Now, fare thee well, sweet Ennerdale![#] - Baith kith and countrie I bid adieu; - For I maun away, and I may not stay, - To some uncouth land which I never knew. - -[#] A corruption of Endrickdale. The principal and most ancient -possessions of the Montrose family lie along the water of Endrick, in -Dumbartonshire. - - To wear the blue I think it best, - Of all the colours that I see; - And I'll wear it for the gallant Grahams, - That are banished from their countrie. - - I have no gold, I have no land, - I have no pearl nor precious stane; - But I wald sell my silken snood, - To see the gallant Grahams come hame. - - In Wallace days, when they began, - Sir John the Graham[#] did bear the gree - Through all the lands of Scotland wide: - He was lord of the south countrie. - -[#] The faithful friend and adherent of the immortal Wallace slain at -the battle of Falkirk. - - And so was seen full many a time; - For the summer flowers did never spring, - But every Graham, in armour bright, - Would then appear before the king. - - They were all drest in armour sheen, - Upon the pleasant banks of Tay; - Before a king they might be seen, - These gallant Grahams in their array. - - At the Goukhead our camp we set, - Our leaguer down there for to lay; - And, in the bonny summer light, - We rode our white horse and our gray. - - Our false commander sold our king, - Unto his deadly enemie, - Who was the traitor, Cromwell, then; - So I care not what they do with me. - - They have betray'd our noble prince, - And banished him from his royal crown;' - But the gallant Grahams have ta'en in hand - For to command those traitors down. - - In Glen-Prosen[#] we rendezvous'd, - March'd to Glenshie by night and day. - And took the town of Aberdeen, - And met the Campbells in their array. - -[#] Glen-Prosen is in Angusshire, usually called Forfarshire. The -Glenshee road, over the Grampians, is the highest road in Great Britain. - - Five thousand men, in armour strong, - Did meet the gallant Grahams that day - At Inverlochie, where war began, - And scarce two thousand men were they. - - Gallant Montrose, that chieftan bold, - Courageous in the best degree, - Did for the king fight well that day;-- - The Lord preserve his majestie! - - Then woe to Strachan, and Ilacket baith! - And, Lesly, ill death may thou die! - For ye have betray'd the gallant Grahams, - Who aye were true to majestie. - - And the Laird of Assaint has seized Montrose, - And had him into Edinburgh town; - And frae his body taken the head, - And quarter'd him upon a trone, - - And Huntly's[#] gone the self-same way, - And our noble king is also gone; - He suffer'd death for our nation, - Our mourning tears can ne'er be done. - -[#] The Marquis of Huntly, one of the few Scottish nobles who never -wavered in his devotion to King Charles I., was beheaded by the sentence -of the Parliament of Scotland. - - But our brave young king is now come home, - King Charles the Second in degree; - The Lord send peace into his time, - And God preserve his majestie! - - -The ballad-writer's reference to the "coming home" of Charles II. -probably means his signing of the Covenant and placing himself entirely -at the mercy of the violent bigots who had killed his most faithful -servant, Montrose. To this was Charles reduced by the desperate nature -of his fortunes. But this course of action entirely severed the -Scottish Covenanters from the English Puritans, and admirers of the -gallant Montrose can take a grim pleasure in the fact that his -arch-enemy, General Lesly, was most disastrously defeated by Cromwell at -the battle of Dunbar. - - - - - *Chapter XLVII* - - *The Borderers and the Jacobites* - - -During the Jacobite Rising, many of the Border chiefs took up arms in -the Stuart cause. Two of these, Lord Derwentwater and Viscount Kenmure, -were beheaded on Tower Hill for their part in the unsuccessful rising of -1715, and another, Lord Nithsdale, was only saved from the same fate by -the courage of his wife. - -This brave woman travelled in the depth of winter from Scotland, but -when she reached York the snow was so deep that the stage coach could go -no further. She continued her journey alone, though the snow was above -the horse's knees, and by good luck she reached London and the Tower in -safety, where, by bribing the guards, she managed to see her husband. - -She then resolved to petition the King for his life, and she herself -tells in a letter to her sister how she waited in the ante-room to see -the King (George I.), and how she threw herself at his feet to present -the petition. The King tried to get away from her, but she seized hold -of his coat, and was dragged on her knees along the floor. This scene -produced no result, and as other efforts to procure Nithsdale's release -also failed, the Countess determined to save him by a stratagem. She -again bribed the guards to let her in, telling them she had joyful news -for her husband about the petition. She dressed him in woman's clothes, -which she had smuggled in for the occasion, and painted his face, and -brought him out, speaking to him as to the woman friend who had -accompanied her, but who had already left the prison, calling him "Mrs -Betty," and asking him for the love of God to go as quickly as he could -to her lodging and fetch her maid, as she wished to go and present her -final petition for the release. - -All went well, and Nithsdale escaped to France; but the King was highly -incensed and declared that the Countess cost him more trouble than any -woman in Europe. - -Her adventures were not yet over, however. In spite of the fact that -the King had wished for her arrest, she travelled to Scotland to fetch -her son, and the valuable papers which she had taken the precaution to -bury underground on her departure for London. - -She was successful in this second journey, and, after concealing herself -and her son, until no further search was made for them, this noble and -enterprising woman escaped to France and joined her husband. They -afterwards went to Rome, where they lived happily for many years. - -In an old ballad called "Lord Nithsdale's Dream," he is described as -dreaming in the Tower the night before his execution, after having said -farewell to his beloved wife. - - "Farewell to thee, Winifred, pride of thy kind, - Sole ray in my darkness, sole joy in my pain." - -He listens for the last sound of her footfall, and catches the last -glimpse of her robe at the door, and then all joy and gladness depart -out of his life, and he prays alone in his dungeon, thinking of the -dreadful dawn that awaits him. - -He falls asleep and dreams that he is a frolicsome boy again, playing -amongst the bracken on the braes of the Nith, bathing in its waters and -treading joyfully the green heather. Or again he is riding to the hunt -on his gallant grey steed, with a plume in his bonnet and a star on his -breast, chasing the red deer and the wild mountain roe. - -The vision changes, and he dreams that he is telling his love to -Winifred, and swearing to be faithful to her, watching the red blushes -rise on her cheeks at his words of love, and hearing her sweet voice -replying. - -Again he is riding at the head of his gallant band. - - "For the pibroch was heard on the hills far away, - And the clans were all gathered from mountain and glen. - For the darling of Scotland, their exile adored, - They raised the loud slogan--they rushed to the strife; - Unfurl'd was the banner, unsheathed was the sword, - For the cause of their heart, that was dearer than life." - - -And now the darksome morn has come, the priest is standing by his side, -saying the prayers for the dead. He hears the muffled drum and the bells -tolling his death knell; the block is prepared, the headsman comes; and -the victim is led bare-headed from his cell. - -Waking, he turns on his straw pallet, and sees, by the pale, misty light -of a taper, the form of his wife. - - "'Tis I, 'tis thy Winifred!" softly she said, - "Arouse thee and follow, be bold, never fear, - There was danger ahead, but my errand has sped, - I promised to save thee, and lo! I am here!" - -[Illustration: "_'Tis I, 'tis thy Winifred!_"] - -Then she puts woman's garb upon him, and together they pass the -unsuspecting guards and weary sentinels. - - * * * * * - -When the peasantry on the Nithsdale estates heard of their Lord's escape -their joy was unbounded. - -One of the songs published and sung everywhere at the time, begins:-- - - "What news to me, carlin'? - What news to me?" - "What news!" quo' the carlin', - The best that God can gie." - - -The speaker asks if the true king has come to his own, and the carlin' -answers. - - "Our ain Lord Nithsdale - Will soon be 'mang us here. - - -Then the speaker says:-- - - "Brush me my coat, carlin', - Brush me my shoon; - I'll awa and meet Lord Nithsdale, - When he comes to our town." - - -"Alack-a-day," says the carlin'. "He has escaped to France, with scarce -a penny." - -"Then," says the first speaker, "we'll sell our corn and everything we -have and send the money to our lord, and we'll make the pipers blow and -lads and maidens dance, and we'll all be glad and joyful and play 'The -Stuarts back again,' and make the Whigs go mad." - - * * * * * - -Lord Derwentwater's fate was not so happy as that of Lord Nithsdale, -though Lady Derwentwater made a desperate effort to save him. - -It was she indeed who had urged him to throw in his lot with the -Stuarts, saying that it was not good that he should hide his head when -other gentlemen were mustering for the cause. - -The peasantry still think that Lady Derwentwater sits on her ruined -tower lamenting the evil counsel she gave her husband, and they hasten -by in fear when they see her lamp-light flickering. - -Derwentwater is described in the old ballads, as "a bonny lord," with -hair of gold, and kind love dwelling in his hawk-like eyes. - -He passionately loved his beautiful home in Tynedale, the foundations of -which may still be seen. The wooded glen below the castle, with the -little burn running through it, spanned by a grey bridge is romantically -beautiful. - -His "Farewell" to all this beauty is pathetic. - - "Farewell to pleasant Ditson Hall, - My father's ancient seat; - A stranger now must call thee his, - Which gars[#] my heart to greet.[#] - Farewell each kindly well-known face, - My heart has held so dear: - My tenants now must leave their lands, - Or hold their lives in fear. - -[#] makes. -[#] weep. - - No more along the banks of Tyne, - I'll rove in autumn grey; - No more I'll hear, at early dawn, - The lav'rocks[#] wake the day: - Then fare thee well, brave Witherington, - And Forster ever true. - Dear Shaftsbury and Errington, - Receive my last adieu. - -[#] larks. - - And fare thee well, George Collingwood, - Since fate has put us down, - If thou and I have lost our lives, - Our King has lost his crown. - Farewell, farewell, my lady dear, - Ill, ill thou counsell'dst me: - I never more may see thy babe - That smiles upon thy knee. - - And fare thee well, my bonny grey steed, - That carried me aye so free; - I wish I had been asleep in my bed, - The last time I mounted thee. - The warning bell now bids me cease; - My troubles nearly o'er; - Yon sun that rises from the sea, - Shall rise on me no more. - - Albeit that here in London town - It is my fate to die, - O carry me to Northumberland, - In my father's grave to lie: - There chant my solemn requiem - In Hexham's holy towers, - And let six maids of fair Tynedale - Scatter my grave with flowers. - - And when the head that wears the crown, - Shall be laid low like mine, - Some honest hearts may then lament - For Radcliff's fallen line. - Farewell to pleasant Ditson Hall, - My father's ancient seat; - A stranger now must call thee his, - Which gars my heart to greet." - - -Before his death, Earl Derwentwater signed a paper acknowledging "King -James the Third" as his sovereign, and saying that he hoped his death -would contribute to the service of his King. - -He is said to have looked closely at the block, and to have asked the -executioner to chip off a rough place that might hurt his neck. Then, -pulling off his coat and waistcoat, he tried if the block would fit his -head, and told the executioner that when he had repeated "Lord Jesus -receive my soul" for the third time, he was to do his office, which the -executioner accordingly did at one blow. - -History tells that Derwentwater was brave and open-hearted and generous, -and that his fate drew tears from the spectators, and was a great -misfortune to his country. He was kind to the people on his estates, to -the poor, the widow and the orphan. - -His request to be buried with his ancestors was refused, and he was -interred at St Giles, Holborn, but his corpse was afterwards removed and -carried secretly to Northumberland, where it was deposited in Dilston -Chapel. The aurora borealis, which appeared remarkably vivid on the -night of his execution, was long called in that part of the country -"Lord Derwentwater's Lights." - -Immediately after Derwentwater's execution, Lord Kenmure also suffered -death. After his execution, a letter was found in his pocket addressed -to the Pretender, by the title of King James, saying that he died in his -faithful service, and asking him to provide for his wife and children. - -The following ballad describes his rising in the Stuart cause-- - - "O Kenmure's on and awa', Willie, - O Kenmure's on and awa'; - And Kenmure's lord's the bravest lord - That ever Galloway saw. - Success to Kenmure's band, Willie! - Success to Kenmure's band! - There's no a heart that fears a Whig, - That rides by Kenmure's hand. - - His lady's cheek was red, Willie, - His lady's cheek was red, - When she saw his steely jupes[#] put on, - Which smell'd o' deadly feud. - Here's Kenmure's health in wine, Willie, - Here's Kenmure's health in wine; - There ne'er was a coward o' Kenmure's blude, - Nor yet o' Gordon's line. - -[#] armour. - - There's a rose in Kenmure's cap, Willie, - There's a rose in Kenmure's cap, - He'll steep it red in ruddie heart's blade, - Afore the battle drap. - Here's him that's far awa', Willie, - Here's him that's far awa', - And here's the flower that I lo'e best, - The rose that's like the snaw. - - O Kenmure's lads are men, Willie, - O Kenmure's lads are men, - Their hearts and swords are metal true, - And that their foes shall ken. - They'll live, or die wi' fame, Willie, - They'll live, or die wi' fame, - And soon wi' sound o' victorie - May Kenmure's lord come hame." - - - - - *Chapter XLVIII* - - *The Nine Nicks o' Thirlwall* - - -If you stand upon Rose Hill, which rises from the banks of the river -Irthing just where Northumberland meets Cumberland, you have lying -around you one of the finest wild prospects in the United Kingdom. Hills -to the north, stretching away into Scotland; hills to the east, broken -into picturesque valleys, especially the great gap through which rushes -the young Tyne; hills to the south, dominated by the powerful head of -Cross Fell, a great sprawling mountain, not a peaked one, the highest -stretch of which is nearly three thousand feet above sea level. - -But while drinking in the glories of the distances, the eye will note -with curiosity a strange-looking but picturesque hill only a couple of -miles to the South-east, with a long rocky ridge at its top deeply cut -into or "nicked" in nine different places, this giving it a very wild -appearance. It is one of these hills which tempts the keen observer to -go on and explore it. If we cut direct to it, over the fields, it is -rough going, but the view is good all the way. And there are four -special objects of interest, all close together; the rushing Tipalt -river, Thirlwall Castle, the Roman wall, and the Nine Nicks. - -Thirlwall Castle rises tall, square, and stern, with a dark fir-wood -behind it at the foot of the hill, where a bend in the river makes a -natural moat. Approaching it from Rose Hill, it looks as if the -building were still nearly complete, but the south side has almost -entirely fallen away and all the floors and the roof are out. Edward I. -slept in this Castle when it was newly built, in 1306; but now it is -grass-grown and moss-grown, and its three bare walls rise gaunt and grim -to the sky. It is entirely built out of stones with Roman chisel marks, -taken from the great Roman wall, which unfortunately was once regarded -as a handy stone-quarry for anyone to take from. - -The name "Thirlwall" means "Drill-wall," and marks the spot as that at -which the wild Northern tribes first "drilled" or broke through the -wall. The name was, of course, given to the place long before this -castle was built. - -To mount from Thirlwall Castle to the top of the Nine Nicks is an easy -enough task for any vigorous person. It is just a fine healthy scramble. -When at the top, it becomes evident that some sort of fortification once -existed there. In point of fact this was the important Roman station -called "Magna" which stood at about the middle of the Roman Wall. The -wall ran from sea to sea, that is to say, from the mouth of the Tyne to -the Solway. Thus it was nearly eighty miles long, and a very elaborate -structure indeed. - -It consisted of three distinct portions:-- - -1. The main stone wall, with a ditch to the north of it. - -2. An earth-work to the south of this, consisting of either two or -three ramparts about seventy feet apart, with a ditch between. - -8. Stations, Castles and Watch-towers. Sometimes these were to the -north of the wall, sometimes in the middle, sometimes south, according -to the nature of the country. - -The height of the main wall was from sixteen to twenty feet, including -battlements. It was six to nine feet thick. Fancy a powerful military -wall of about eighteen feet high stretching nearly eighty miles right -across England! It hardly seems possible that the Romans could -undertake such a work. The square strong stones were carefully selected -and often brought from quarries at a distance. These stones flanked the -outsides of the wall, and in between was strong concrete which was -poured in while in liquid. - -The second wall was of earth and stones, and, of course, lower than the -first. Then there was a castle every mile, some of which can still be -clearly traced, and a "station," about every four miles, of which -several interesting ruins remain. There was a road eighteen feet wide -between the two walls. - -Those who have the energy to toil on for a full dozen miles of rough -walking, along the wall, eastward from Thirlwall, will be rewarded by -some of the most romantic scenes in Britain. They will see the wall at -its best. They will pass Whinshields, the highest point in the wall, -1230 feet above sea level. The wild Northumbrian lakes will lie at -their feet; if the day is fine, the Solway will be seen glistening, -thirty miles to the west; and on the east the eye follows the Tyne -almost to the sea. The Pennine Ridge bars the view twenty miles to the -south, while on the North the High Cheviot is clear and strong, thirty -miles away. - -Passing Whinshields, it is not far to Borcovicus (often called -Housteads) where lie the remains of a large Roman Station, wonderful -remains, showing the whole outline with startling clearness. This -station covered five acres, and here was quartered a cohort of the -Tungrian infantry, consisting of a thousand brave soldiers, servants of -Imperial Rome. - -But, after all, nothing is so impressive as the remains of the wall -itself. Stand at the top either of Whinshields or of the Nine Nicks, -and try to imagine what it looked like in Roman days. Eastward along -the Tyne valley and westward along the Irthing valley ran this wonderful -work, this powerful girdle of stone. The very spot was chosen with -great judgment, for these valleys gave the Romans a district protected -by the bleak hills, where they could live and where they could keep -cattle and grow grain. But the hilly nature of the ground must have -added to the difficulty of the builders. The wall had to run up steep -hill sides and cling to the edge of cliffs, and precipices; it had to be -carried by bridges over roaring torrents, and when it reached low-lying -ground it had to avoid the treacherous swamps and morasses. And yet, -despite every obstacle, the great wall ran on its direct way, as strong -and persistent as the great people who built it. - -It withstood the shock of war, it was not flung down by soldiers -marching against it. But to the people who wanted to build castles or -houses or farms, or even to mend roads, the wall offered a mass of -material ready to hand, and it suffered not from man's energy so much as -from his laziness. Century after century it was robbed of its stones; -to-day a series of long grass-grown mounds, a few feet high, running -across the meadows, are nearly all that remain of one of the most -wonderful pieces of building that was ever erected in Great Britain. -Even today, in its decay, it is one of the most romantic features of a -highly romantic district. - - - - - *Chapter XLIX* - - *In Wild Northumberland To-day* - - -These tales of the Borders would hardly be complete without a few -concluding words about the great romantic charm which still invests the -Borderline. Let us, for example, make a brief survey of some of the -haunting spots in wild Northumberland. We will pass over such towns as -Warkworth, Alnwick, Alnmouth; beautiful as they are, they have moved -with the times and are too modern to be more than mentioned here. But -in a place like Holy Island we feel the call of the old days, and the -charm that was theirs. This Island was the scene of the first efforts -of Christianity to curb the wild and warlike Northumbrians; St Aidan, -and St Cuthbert, both men of remarkable genius and great influence, -taught there lessons of peace and justice without which every warlike -state would descend into mere savagery. The island is about two miles -square, and at low tide it is easy to walk across the sands to or from -the mainland of Northumberland. The distance is two and a half miles, -and it is necessary to take off shoes and stockings, for the water on -the sands will often be six inches deep. A row of posts marks the way, -and some of them have ladders, reaching up to a barrel on the top, so -that any caught by the tide can find a safe harbour wherein they will -suffer nothing more serious than a long wait! The island is inhabited -by fishing folk, living simple healthy lives. There are fine rocks and -splendid sands; beautiful flowers and lovely shells. The seabirds are -wonderful. The ruins of the old Cathedral and castle are very -interesting, it is a delightful old-world place, out of the rush and -hurry of modern life. - -Retracing our steps to the mainland, and proceeding westward for a dozen -or so miles as the crow flies, we reach the River Till, and the field of -Flodden. Here we are near to the big wild wall of the Cheviot hills, -and to keep on the English side of the border we need to turn due south. -It is then about thirty miles of rough walking through these grandly -rugged hills before we come to the field of Otterburn. - -But we realise in that walk how it was that the district produced and -still produces a hardy race of hunters and sheep-farmers, and why it is -that the towns and farms nestle in the valleys, so that the Borderers, -when they meant to say, "Rouse the neighbourhood," used the phrase, -"Raise the _water_" (meaning, of course, the houses along the -waterside). Further south, still going among splendid shaggy hills, we -reach the North Tyne River, and soon afterwards some highly interesting -Roman remains, including the arches of a fine bridge over the river at -the Roman Station of Cilurnum, near Chollerford. This is on the Roman -Wall, which has already been described under the heading of Thirlwall. -A few miles to the west would bring us to the picturesque but -little-known Northumberland Lakes, where the wild swans nest. If we -continue south and south-west we can follow the beautiful valleys of the -Allan or the South Tyne. This is a district of hills, roads, and -castles; the domain of the fated Lord Derwentwater was near here. For -beauty the whole of this neighbourhood would be hard to beat; yet it is -too little known. - -If we still go south, the scenery grows wilder and wilder as we approach -the huge mountain of Cross Fell. We may cross into south-east Cumberland -and visit the quaint old town of Alston, one of the highest towns in -England. Here were once the royal silver mines, when English coins were -made from Alston silver. Lead is chiefly mined there now, and the mines -are worth a visit. Near Cross Fell also is a rough road called the -"Maiden Way," and an old legend says it was made by women, who carried -the stones in their aprons! The western slope of the Fell is famous for -a specially violent wind called the "Helm wind," which rages there at -certain seasons. It is just as if it were rushing fiercely down the -hill, with a roaring noise and strength enough to overturn a horse and -cart, and to beat the grass and grain till it is black! But though it -does a deal of damage it is very exhilarating, making people feel merry -in spite of themselves. And on Cross Fell slopes can be seen the -beautiful River Tees, which can be followed to its grand waterfalls of -the the Cauldron and the High Force. In the first the water dashes on -to huge rocks, and is thrown back on itself, roaring, foaming, and -fighting; in the second, it tumbles sheer down a dark and noble cliff. -And everywhere on the heights there are splendid views. - -In making any such excursions as the ones here outlined, into the -out-of-the-way parts of Northumberland and the Borders, we find an added -pleasure in the character of the people. The Borderers are still a -grand race; big men, vigorous, honest, courteous, hospitable, free from -all that is mean and small. In some districts you can hear "thou" and -"thee" still used, and meet old men who have never seen a railway. One -dear old farmer, a real picture of a simple honest man, hearing I had -come from London, asked me if the London men had got their hay-crop in -yet! One typical Northumbrian, of great natural intelligence, bearing a -name famous on the Borders, is station-master at a local station that -stands in a wood, and between trains, studies bird and wild-flower till -he has made himself a most interesting naturalist. A stranger who has -lost his way will find these courteous folk ready to walk a mile or two -with him, out of their own way, just to set him right; and he who is -tired and hungry will be invited to step in and eat, and perhaps find -himself introduced to all the family and treated like an honoured guest; -then, not a penny of payment taken, they will set him on his way with a -bunch of the best flowers from the garden! For hearts on the Border are -very human and warm. So that in due time he who knows the Borderers -will delight to hear the unmistakeable Northumbrian or the pronounced -Border accent. And he will say to himself: Splendid is the Border -scenery, and stirring are the Border ballads, but best of all are the -Border men. - - - - - * * * * * * * * - - - - - TOLD THROUGH THE AGES - -Legends of Greece and Rome -Favourite Greek Myths -Stories of Robin Hood and his Merry Outlaws -Stories of King Arthur and his Knights -Stories from Herodotus -Stories from Wagner -Britain Long Ago -Stories from Scottish History -Stories from Greek Tragedy -Stories from Dickens -Stories from the Earthly Paradise -Stories from the AEneid -The Book of Rustem -Stories from Chaucer -Stories from the Old Testament -Stories from the Odyssey -Stories from the Iliad -Told by the Northmen -Stories from Don Quixote -The Story of Roland -Stories from Thucydides -The Story of Hereward -Stories from the Faerie Queene -Cuchulain: The Hound of Ulster -Stories from Xenophon -Old Greek Nature Stories -Stories from Shakespeare -Stories from Dante -Famous Voyages of the Great Discoverers -The Story of Napoleon -Stories of Pendennis and the Charterhouse -Sir Guy of Warwick -Heroes of the Middle Ages -The Story of the Crusades -The Story of Nelson -Stories from George Eliot -Froissart's Chronicles -Shakespeare's Stories of the English Kings -Heroes of Modern Europe -The Story of King Robert the Bruce -Stories of the Scottish Border -The Story of the French Revolution -The Story of Lord Kitchener -Stories of the Saints -The Story of St Elizabeth of Hungary -In Feudal Times -The High Deeds of Finn -Early English Travel and Discovery -Legends of Ancient Egypt -The Story of the Renaissance -Boyhood Stories of Famous Men -Stories from French History -Stories from English History -Famous English Books and their Stories -Women of the Classics -In the Days of the Guilds -Science through the Ages - -_Other volumes in active preparation_ - - - - - - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK STORIES OF THE SCOTTISH BORDER -*** - - - - -A Word from Project Gutenberg - - -We will update this book if we find any errors. - -This book can be found under: http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/38845 - -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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