"They do, by heaven!-Come Roderick Dhu, And of his clan the boldest two, And let me but till morning rest, I write the falsehood on their crest."- Thou bear'st the belt and spur of Knight."- He gave him of his Highland cheer, And bade the Saxon share his plaid. It rests with me to wind my horn,- Then rest thee here till dawn of day; O'er stock and stone, through watch and ward, As far as Coilantogle's ford; From thence thy warrant is thy sword."- CANTO FIFTH. THE COMBAT. FAIR as the earliest beam of eastern light, When first, by the bewilder'd pilgrim spied, The Scottish Highlanders, in former times, had a concise mode of cooking their venison, or rather of dispensing with cooking it, which appears greatly to have surprised the French, whom chance made acquainted with it. The Vidame of Charters, when a hostage in England, during the reign of Edward VI., was permitted to travel into Scotland, and penetrated as far as to the remote Highlands (au fin fond des Sauvages) After a great hunting party, at which a most wonderful quantity of game was destroyed, he saw these Scottish savages devour a part of their venison raw, without any further preparation than compressing it between two batons of wood, so as to force out the blood, and render it extremely hard. This they reckoned a great delicacy; and when the Vidame partook of it, his compliance with their taste rendered him extremely popular. This curious trait of manners was communicated by Mons. de Montmorency, a great friend of the Vidame, to Brantome, by whom it is recorded in Vies des Hommes Illustres, Discours, lxxxix. art. 14. The process by which the raw venison was rendered eatable is described very minutely in the romance of Perceforest, where Estonne, a Scot tish knight-errant, having slain a deer, says to his companion Claudius: Sire, or mangerez vous et moy aussi. Voire si nous auions de feu dit Claudius. Par l'ame de mon pere, dist Estonne, je vous atoumeray et cuiray a la maniere de nostre pays comme pour cheualier errant. Lors tira son espee, et sen vint a la branche dung arbre, et y fait vng grant trou, et puis fend la branche bien deux piedx, et boute, la cuisse du cerf entredeux, et puis prent le licol de son cheval, et en lye la brunche, et destraint si fort, que le sang et les humeurs de la chairsaillent hors, et demeure la chair doulce et seiche. Lors prent la chair, et oste ius le cuir, et la chaire demeure aussi blanche comme si ce feust dung chappon. Dont dist a Claudius, Sire, ie la vous ay cuiste a la guise de mon pays, vous en pouez manger hardyement, car ie mangeray premier. Lors met sa main a sa selle en eng lieu quil v auoit, et tire hors sel et poudre de poiure et gingembre, mesle It smiles upon the dreary brow of night, Shine martial Faith, and Courtesy's bright star, Through all the wreckful storms that cloud the brow of War. II. That early beam, so fair and sheen, So tangled oft, that, bursting through, III. At length they came where, stern and steep, ensemble, et le iecte dessus, et le frote sus bien fort, puis le couppe a moytie, et en donne a Claudius l'une des pieces, et puis mort en l'autre aussi sauoureusement quil est aduis que il en feist la pouldre voller. Quant Claudius veit quil le mangeoit de tel goust, il en print grant faim, et commence a manger tresvoulentiers, et dist a Estonne: Par l'ame de moy, ie ne mangeay onequesmais de chair atournee de telle guise: mais doresenauant ie ne me retourneroye pas hors de mon chemin par auoir la cuite. Sire, dist Estonne, quant is suis en desers d'Escosse, dont ie suis seigneur ie cheuaucheray huit iours ou quinze que ie n'entreray en chastel ne en maison, et si ne verray feu ne personne viuant fors que bestes sauuages, et de celles mangeray atournees en ceste ma niere, et mieulx me plaira que la viande de l'empereur. Ainsi sen vont mangeant et cheuauchant iusques adonc quilz arriuerent sur une moult belle fontaine qui estoit en vne valee. Quant Es tonne la vit il dist a Claudius, allons boire a ceste fontaine. Or beuuons, dist Estonne. du boire que le grant dieu a pourne a toutes gens, et que me plaist mieulx que les ceruoises d'Angle terre."-La Treselegante Hystoire du tresnoble Roy Perce forest. Paris, 1531, fol. tome i. fol. lv. vers. After all, it may be doubted whether la chaire nostree, for so the French called the venison thus summarily prepared, was any thing more than a mere rude kind of dear-ham. [MS." And slept until the dawning streak Purpled the mountain and the lake."] IMS.-" And lights the fearful way along its side." $ The Scottish Highlander calls himself Gael, or Gaul, and terms the Lowlanders, Sassenach, or Saxons. [MS.-" At length they paced the mountain's side And saw beneath the waters wide."] TIMS. The rugged mountain's stunted screen Was dwarfish { conso} with cliffs between."] So toilsome was the road to trace, Led slowly through the pass's jaws, And ask'd Fitz-James, by what strange cause He sought these wilds? traversed by few, Without a pass from Roderick Dhu. IV. "Brave Gael, my pass, in danger tried, V. "Thy secret keep, I urge thee not;- [MS-I dreamed not now to draw my blade."] A knight's bold wanderings } far and wide." [MS.-"Thy secret keep, I ask it not."), SMS-Which else in hall had peaceful hung."] There is scarcely a more disorderly period in Scottish history than that which succeeded the battle of Flodden, and occupied the minority of James V. Feuds of ancient standing broke out like old wounds, and every quarrel among the independent nobility, which occurred daily, and almost hourly, gave rise to fresh bloodshed. "There arose," says Pitscottie," great trouble and deadly feuds in many parts of Scotland, both in the north and West parts. The Master of Forbes, in the north, slew the Laird of Meldrum, under tryst :" (i. e. at an agreed and secure meeting "Likewise, the Laird of Drummelzier slew the Lord Fleming at the hawking; and, likewise, there was slaughter among many other great lords," p. 121. Nor was the matter ch mended under the government of the Earl of Angus: for though he caused the King to ride through all Scotland," under the pretence and colour of justice, to punish thief and traitor, none were found greater than were in their own company. And Bode at that time durst strive with a Douglas, nor yet a Douglas's an; for if they would, they got the worst. Therefore, none dant plainzie of no extortion, theft, reiff, nor slaughter, done to them by the Douglasses, or their men; in that cause they were not heard, so long as the Douglas had the court in guiding."-Ibid. p. 133. The ancient Highlanders verified in their practice the lines of Gray: VI. Wrothful at such arraignment foul, And heard'st thou why he drew his blade? The Gael beheld him grim the while, 66 Saxon, from yonder mountain high, Deep waving fields and pastures green, Your own good blades must win the rest. Seek other cause 'gainst Roderick Dhu."-T Foes to the gentler genius of the plain; For where unwearied sinews must be found, With side-long plough to quell the flinty ground; To turn the torrent's swift descending flood; To tame the savage rushing from the wood; They guard with spirit what by strength they gain'd; (As lawless force from confidence will grow,) Fragment on the Alliance of Education and Government. So far, indeed, was a Creagh, or foray, from being held disgraceful, that a young chief was always expected to show his talents for command so soon as he assumed it, by leading his clan on a successful enterprise of this nature, either against a neighbouring sept, for which constant feuds usually furnished an apology, or against the Sassenach, Saxons, or Lowlanders, for which no apology was necessary. The Gael, great traditional historians, never forgot that the Lowlands had, at some remote period, been the property of their Celtic forefathers, which furnished an ample vindication of all the ravages that they could make on the unfortunate districts which lay within their reach. Sir James Grant of Grant is in possession of a letter of apology from Cameron of Lochiel, whose men had committed some depredation upon a farm called Moines, occupied by one of the Grants. Lochiel assures Grant, that, however the mistake had happened, his instructions were precise, that the party should foray the province of Moray, (a Lowland district,) where, as he coolly observes, "all men take their prey." 474 VIII. Answer'd Fitz-James,-"And, if I sought, Hadst thou sent warning fair and true,- Hadst thou, unheard, been doom'd to die, "Well, let it pass; nor will I now To chafe thy mood and cloud thy brow. To match me with this man of pride: This rebel Chieftain and his band!"* IX. "Have, then, thy wish!"-he whistled shrill, Watching their leader's beck and will, T Like the loose crags whose threatening mass (MS. "This dark Sir Roderick? This savage Chieftain }and his band."] + [MS.-"From copse to copse the signal flew. Instant, through copse and crags, arose." I [MS." The bracken bush shoo's forth the dart."] [MS." And each lone tuft of broom gives life To plaided warrior arm'd for strife. That whistle manned the lonely glen With full five hundred armed men."] [The Monthly reviewer says:-"We now come to the chef d'auvre of Walter Scott,-a scene of more vigour, nature, and animation, than any other in all his poetry." Another anonymous critic of the poem is not afraid to quote, with reference to the effect of this passage, the sublime language of the Prophet Ezekiel :-"Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, Frophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord God: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live. So I prophesied as he command ed me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army."-Chap. xxxvii. v. 9, 10.1 The Mountaineer cast glance of pride Then fix'd his eye and sable brow Full on Fitz-James-" How say'st thou now? X. Fitz-James was brave:-Though to his heart On bracken green, and cold gray stone. XI. Fitz-James look'd round-yet scarce believed Nor would I call a clansman's brand trative of the character of the ancient Gael, is not imaginary, but borrowed from fact. The Highlanders, with the inconsistency of most nations in the same state, were alternately capable of great exertions of generosity, and of cruel revenge and perfidy. The following story I can only quote from tradition, but with such an assurance from those by whom it was communicated, as permits me little doubt of its authenticity. Early in the last century, John Gunn, a noted Cateran, or Highland robber, infested Inver ness-shire, and levied black mail up to the walls of the provincial capital. A garrison was then maintained in the castle of that town, and their pay (country banks beng unknown) was usually transmitted in speeic, under the guard of a small escort. It chanced that the officer who commanded this little party was unexpectedly obliged to halt, about thirty miles from Inver ness at a miserable inn. About nightfail, a stranger, in the Highland dress, and of very prepossessing appearance, entered the same house. Separate accommodation being impossible, the Englishman offered the newly arrived guest a part of his supper. which was accepted with reluctance. By the conversation he found his new acquaintance knew well all the passes of the country, which induced him eagerly to request his company on the ensuing morning. He neither disguised his business and charge, nor his apprehensions of that celebrated freebooter, John Gunn. The Highlander hesitated a moment, and then frankly consented to be his guide. Forth they set in the morning; and, in travelling through a solitary and dreary glen, the discourse again turned on John Gunn. Would you like to see him?" said the guide; and, without waiting an answer to this alarming question, he whistled, and the Engligh officer, with his small party, were surrounded by a body of Highlanders, whose numbers put resistance out of question, and who were all well and Stranger," resumed the guide, "I am that very John Gunn by whom you feared to be intercepted, and not without cause: for came to the inn last night, with the express purpose your route, that I and my followers might ease you of your charge by the road. But I am incapable of betraying the trust you fe This incident, like some other passages in the poem, illus-posed in me, and having convinced you that you are in my TIMS." All silent, too, they stood, and still Watching their leader's beck and will, Like the loose crags, whose tottering mass man the mountaineer professes himself to be, these circum stances are all admirably imagined and related."Monthly Review.] of learning They moved:-I said Fitz-James was brave, XII. The Chief in silence strode before, And reach'd that torrent's sounding shore, Sweeps through the plain, and ceaseless mines And here his course the Chieftain staid, Hath led thee safe, through watch and ward, A Chieftain's vengeance thou shalt feel. power, I can only dismiss you unplundered and uninjured." He then gave the officer directions for his journey, and disappeared with his party, as suddenly as they had presented themselves. [MS.-" And still, from copse and heather bush, Fancy saw spear and broadsword rush."] [MS-" On Bochastle the martial lines."] The torrent which discharges itself from Loch Vennachar, the lowest and eastmost of the three lakes which form the scenery adjoining to the Trosachs, sweeps through a flat and extensive moor, called Bochastle. Upon a small eminence, called the Dun of Bochastle, and indeed on the plain itself, are some intrenchments, which have been thought Roman. There is adjacent to Callender, a sweet villa, the residence of Captain Fairfoul, entitled the Roman Camp. One of the most entire and beautiful remains of a Roman Encampment now to be found in Scotland, is to be seen at Ardoch, Dear Greenloaning, about six miles to the eastward of Dunblane. This encampment is supposed, on good grounds, to have been constructed during the fourth campaign of Agricola in Britain; it is 1060 feet in length, and 900 in breadth; it could contain 26,000 then, according to the ordinary distribution of the Roman soldiers in their encampments. There appears to have been three or four ditches, strongly fortified, surrounding the camp. The four entries crossing the lines are still to be seen distinctly. The general's quarter rises above the level of the camp, but is not exactly in the centre. It is a regular square of twenty yards, enclosed With a stone wall, and containing the foundations of a house, 30 feet by 20. There is a subterraneous communication with a smaller encampment at a little distance, in which several Roman helmets, spears, &c. have been found. From this camp at Ardoch, the great Roman highway runs east to Bertha, about 14 miles distant, where the Roman army is believed to have passed over the Tay into Strathmore."-GRAHAM.] 5 The duellists of former times did not always stand upon those punctilios respecting equality of arms, which are now judged essential to fair combat. It is true, that in formal combats in the lists, the parties were, by the judges of the field, put as nearly as possible in the same circumstances. But in private duel it was often otherwise, In that desperate combat which was fought between Quelus, a minion of Henry III. of France, and Antraguet, with two seconds on each side, from which only two persons escaped alive, Quelus complained that his antagoist had over him the advantage of a poniard, which he used in parrying, while his left hand, which he was forced to employ for the same purpose, was cruelly mangled. When he charged Antraquet with this odds, Thou hast done wrong." answered he, to forget thy dagger at home. We are here to fight, and not to settle punctilios of arms." In a similar duel, however, a younger brother of the house of Aubanye, in Angoulesme, behaved more generously on the like occasion, and at once threw away his dagger when his enemy challenged it as an undue advantage. See, here, all vantageless I stand, And thou must keep thee with thy sword."- The Saxon paused:-"I ne'er delay'd, Then, by my word," the Saxon said, "The riddle is already read. Seek yonder brake beneath the cliff,- But at this time hardly any thing can be conceived more horridly brutal and savage, than the mode in which private quarrels were conducted in France. Those who were most jealous of the point of honour, and acquired the title of Ruffines, did not scruple to take every advantage of strength, numbers, surprise, and arms, to accomplish their revenge. The Sieur de Brantome, to whose discourse on duels I am obliged for these particulars, gives the following account of the death and principles of his friend, the Baron de Vitaux: J'ay oui conter à un Tireur d'armes, qui apprit à Millaud à en tirer, lequel s'appelloit Seigneur le Jacques Ferron, de la ville d'Ast, qui avoit este a moy, il fut despuis tue à Saincte Basille en Gascogne, lors que Monsieur du Mayne l'assi- gea, lui servant d'Ingénieur et de malheur, je l'avois addressé audit Baron quelques trois mois auparavant, pour l'exercer à tirer, bien qu'il en sceust prou; mais il n en fit compte: et le laissant, Millaud s'en servit, et le rendit fort adroit. Ce Seigneur Jacques donc me raconta, qu'il s'estoit monté sur un noyer, assez loing, pour en voir le combat, et qu'il ne vist jamais homme y aller plus bravement, ny plus résolument, ny de grace plus asseurée ny détermin e. Il commença de marcher de cinquante pas vers son ennemy, relevant souvent ses moustaches en haut d'une main; et estant à vingt pas de son ennemy, (non plustost,) il mit la main à l'espée qu'il tenoit en la main, non qu'il l'eust tirée encore; mais en marchant, il fit voller le fourreau en l'air, en le secouant, ce qui est le beau de cela, et qui monstroit bien une grace de combat bien asseurée et froide, et nullement témtraire, comme il y en a qui tirent leurs expres de cinq cents pas de l'ennemy, voire de mille, comme j'en ay veu aucuns. Ainsi mourut ce brave Baron, le paragon de France, qu'on nommoit tel, à bien venger ses querelles, par grandes et déterminées resolutions. Il n'estoit pas seulement estimé en France, mais en Italie. Espaigne, Allemaigne, en Boulogne et Angleterre ; et desiroient fort les Etrangers, venant en France. le voir; car je l'ay veu, tant sa renommée volloit. Il estoit fort petit de corps, mais fort grand de courage. Ses ennemis disoient qu'il ne tuoit pas bien ses gens, que par advantages et supercheries. Certes, je tiens de grands capitaines, et mesme d'Italiens, qui ont estez d'autres fois les premiers vengeurs du monde, in ogni modo, disoient-ils, qui ont tenu cette maxime, qu'une supercherie ne se devoit payer que par semblable monnoye, et n'y alloit point là de déshonneur."-Oeuvres de Brantome, Paris, 1787-8. Tome viii. p. 90-92. It may be necessary to inform the reader, that this paragon of France was the most foul assassin of his time, and had committed many desperate murders, chiefly by the assistance of his hired banditti; from which it may be conceived how little the point of honour of the period deserved its name. I have chosen to give my heroes, who are indeed of an earlier period, a stronger tincture of the spirit of chivalry. (MS." In lightning flash'd the Chief's dark eye."] TIMS." He stoops not, he, to James nor Pate."] My thought, and hold thy valour light "I thank thee, Roderick, for the word! Ill fared it then with Roderick Dhu, ["The two principal figures are contrasted with uncommon felicity. Fitz-James, who more nearly resembles the French Henry the Fourth than the Scottish James V., is gay, amorous, fickle, intrepid, impetuous, affectionate, courteous, graceful, and dignified. Roderick is gloomy, vindictive, arrogant, undaunted, but constant in his affections, and true to his engagements; and the whole passage in which these personages are placed in opposition, from their first meeting to their final conflict, is conceived and written with a sublimity which has been rarely equalled."-Quar. Rev., 1810.] A round target of light wood, covered with strong leather, and studded with brass or iron, was a necessary part of a Highlander's equipment. In charging regular troops they received the thrust of the bayonet in this buckler, twisted it aside, and used the broadsword against the encumbered soldier. In the civil war of 1745, most of the front rank of the clans were thus armed; and Captain Grose informs us, that, in 1747, the privates of the 42d regiment, then in Flanders, were for the most part permitted to carry targets.-Military Antiquities, vol. i. p. 164. A person thus armed had a considerable advantage in a private fray Among verses between Swift and Sheridan, lately published by Dr. Barrett, there is an account of such an encounter, in which the circumstances, and consequently the relative superiority of the combatants, are precisely the reverse of those in the text:"A Highlander once fought a Frenchman at Margate, The weapons, a rapier, a backsword, and target; Brisk Monsieur advanced as fast as he could, But all his fine pushes were caught in the wood, And Sawny, with backsword, did slash him and nick him, While t'other, enraged that he could not once prick him, Cried, Sirral, you rascal, you son of a whore, "West Me will fight you, be gar! if you'll come from your door."" I The use of defensive armour, and particularly of the buckler, or target, was general in Queen Elizabeth's time, although that of the single rapier seems to have been occasionally practised much earlier. Rowland Yorke, however, who betrayed the fort of Zutphen to the Spaniards, for which good service he was afterwards poisoned by them, is said to have been the first who brought the rapier-fight into general use. Fuller, speaking of the swashbucklers, or bullies, of Queen Elizabeth's time, says, Smithfield was formerly called Ruthian's Hall, where such men usually met, casually or otherwise, to try masteries with sword and buckler. More were frightened than hurt, more hurt than killed therewith, it being accounted unmanly to strike beneath the knee. But since that desperate traitor Rowland Yorke first introduced thrusting with rapiers, sword and buckler are disused." In "The Two Angry Women of Abingdon," a comedy, printed in 1599, we have a pathetic complaint: Sword and buckler fight begins to grow out of use. I am sorry for it: I shall never see good manhood again. If it be once gone, this poking fight of rapier and dagger will come up; then a tall man and a good sword and buckler man, will be spitted like a cat or rabbit." But the rapier had upon the continent long superseded, in private • See Douce's Illustrations of Shakspeare vol. ii. p. 61. Against the winter shower is proof, ་་ Now, yield thee, or by Him who made The world, thy heart's blood dyes my blade!"Thy threats, thy mercy, I defy! 64 Let recreant yield, who fears to die."T duel, the use of sword and shield. The masters of the noble science of defence were chiefly Italians. They made great mys tery of their art and mode of instruction, never suffered any per son to be present but the scholar who was to be taught, and even examined closets, beds, and other places of possible conceal ment. Their lessons often gave the most treacherous advan tages; for the challenger, having the right to choose his weapons, frequently selected some strange, unusual, and inconvenient kind of arms, the use of which he practised under these instruct ers, and thus killed at his ease his antagonist, to whom it was presented for the first time on the field of battle. See BRANTOME'S Discourse on Duels, and the work on the same subject, si gentement ecrit," by the venerable Dr. Paris de Puteo. The Highlanders continued to use broadsword and target until disarmed after the affair of 1745-6. $IMS.- Not Roderick thus, though stronger far, More tall and more inured to war.") [This couplet is not in the MS.] I have not ventured to render this duel so savagely desperate as that of the celebrated Sir Ewan of Lochiel, chief of the clan Cameron, called, from his sable complexion, Ewan Dhn. He was the last man in Scotland who maintained the royal cause during the great Civil War, and his constant incursions rendered him a very unpleasant neighbour to the republican garrison at Inver lochy, now Fort William. The governor of the fort detached a party of three hundred men to lay waste Lochiel's possessions, and cut down his trees; but, in a sudden and desperate attack made upon them by the chieftain with very inferior numbers, they were almost all cut to pieces. The skirmish is detailed in a curious memoir of Sir Ewan's life, printed in the Appendix of Pennant's Scottish Tour. "In this engagement, Lochiel himself had several wonderful escapes. In the retreat of the English, one of the strongest and bravest of the officers retired behind a bush, when he observed Lochiel pursuing, and seeing him unaccompanied with any, he leapt out, and thought him his prey. They met one another with equal fury. The combat was long and doubtful: the English gentleman had by far the advantage in strength and size; but Lochiel, exceeding him in nimbleness and agility, in the end tript the sword out of his hand: they closed and wrestled, till both fell to the ground in each other's arms. The English officer got above Lochiel, and pressed him hard, but stretching forth his neck, by attempting to disengage himself, Lochiel, who by this time had his hands at liberty, with his left hand seized him by the collar, and jumping at his extended throat, he bit it with his teeth quite through, and kept such a hold of his grasp, that he brought away his mouthful: this, he said, was the sweetest bit he ever had in his lifetime."-Vol. i. p. 375. ** (MS. Yield they alone who fear to die.' |