Arthur M. Winfield - "The Rover Boys in New York"

Arthur Christopher Benson - "The Upton Letters"

Robert Herrick (1868 1938) - "Together"

Algernon Blackwood - "The Extra Day"

Waverley, Volume I

S >> Sir Walter Scott >> Waverley, Volume I




NOTE 9

After the Revolution of 1688, and on some occasions when the
spirit of the Presbyterians had been unusually animated against
their opponents, the Episcopal clergymen, who were chiefly
nonjurors, were exposed to be mobbed, as we should now say, or
rabbled, as the phrase then went, to expiate their political
heresies. But notwithstanding that the Presbyterians had the
persecution in Charles II and his brother's time to exasperate
them, there was little mischief done beyond the kind of petty
violence mentioned in the text.

NOTE 10

I may here mention that the fashion of compotation described in
the text was still occasionally practised in Scotland in the
author's youth. A company, after having taken leave of their host,
often went to finish the evening at the clachan or village, in
'womb of tavern.' Their entertainer always accompanied them to
take the stirrup-cup, which often occasioned a long and late
revel.

The poculum potatorium of the valiant Baron, his blessed Bear, has
a prototype at the fine old Castle of Glamis, so rich in memorials
of ancient times; it is a massive beaker of silver, double gilt,
moulded into the shape of a lion, and holding about an English
pint of wine. The form alludes to the family name of Strathmore,
which is Lyon, and, when exhibited, the cup must necessarily be
emptied to the Earl's health. The author ought perhaps to be
ashamed of recording that he has had the honour of swallowing the
contents of the Lion; and the recollection of the feat served to
suggest the story of the Bear of Bradwardine. In the family of
Scott of Thirlestane (not Thirlestane in the Forest, but the place
of the same name in Roxburghshire) was long preserved a cup of the
same kind, in the form of a jack-boot. Each guest was obliged to
empty this at his departure. If the guest's name was Scott, the
necessity was doubly imperative.

When the landlord of an inn presented his guests with deoch an
doruis, that is, the drink at the door, or the stirrup-cup, the
draught was not charged in the reckoning. On this point a learned
bailie of the town of Forfar pronounced a very sound judgment.

A., an ale-wife in Forfar, had brewed her 'peck of malt' and set
the liquor out of doors to cool; the cow of B., a neighbour of A.,
chanced to come by, and seeing the good beverage, was allured to
taste it, and finally to drink it up. When A. came to take in her
liquor, she found her tub empty, and from the cow's staggering and
staring, so as to betray her intemperance, she easily divined the
mode in which her 'browst' had disappeared. To take vengeance on
Crummie's ribs with a stick was her first effort. The roaring of
the cow brought B., her master, who remonstrated with his angry
neighbour, and received in reply a demand for the value of the ale
which Crummie had drunk up. B. refused payment, and was conveyed
before C., the bailie, or sitting magistrate. He heard the case
patiently; and then demanded of the plaintiff A. whether the cow
had sat down to her potation or taken it standing. The plaintiff
answered, she had not seen the deed committed, but she supposed
the cow drank the ale while standing on her feet, adding, that had
she been near she would have made her use them to some purpose.
The bailie, on this admission, solemnly adjudged the cow's drink
to be deoch an doruis, a stirrup-cup, for which no charge could be
made without violating the ancient hospitality of Scotland.

NOTE 11

The story last told was said to have happened in the south of
Scotland; but cedant arma togae and let the gown have its dues. It
was an old clergyman, who had wisdom and firmness enough to resist
the panic which seized his brethren, who was the means of rescuing
a poor insane creature from the cruel fate which would otherwise
have overtaken her. The accounts of the trials for witchcraft form
one of the most deplorable chapters in Scottish story.

NOTE 12

Although canting heraldry is generally reprobated, it seems
nevertheless to have been adopted in the arms and mottos of many
honourable families. Thus the motto of the Vernons, Ver non semper
viret, is a perfect pun, and so is that of the Onslows, Festina
lente. The Periissem ni per-iissem of the Anstruthers is liable to
a similar objection. One of that ancient race, finding that an
antagonist, with whom he had fixed a friendly meeting, was
determined to take the opportunity of assassinating him, prevented
the hazard by dashing out his brains with a battle-axe. Two sturdy
arms, brandishing such a weapon, form the usual crest of the
family, with the above motto, Periissem ni per-iissem--I had died,
unless I had gone through with it.

NOTE 13

Mac-Donald of Barrisdale, one of the very last Highland gentlemen
who carried on the plundering system to any great extent, was a
scholar and a well-bred gentleman. He engraved on his broad-
swords the well-known lines--

Hae tibi erunt artes pacisque imponere morem,
Parcere subjectis, et debellare superbos.

Indeed, the levying of black-mail was, before 1745, practised by
several chiefs of very high rank, who, in doing so, contended that
they were lending the laws the assistance of their arms and
swords, and affording a protection which could not be obtained
from the magistracy in the disturbed state of the country. The
author has seen a Memoir of Mac-Pherson of Cluny, chief of that
ancient clan, from which it appears that he levied protection-
money to a very large amount, which was willingly paid even by
some of his most powerful neighbours. A gentleman of this clan,
hearing a clergyman hold forth to his congregation on the crime of
theft, interrupted the preacher to assure him, he might leave the
enforcement of such doctrines to Cluny Mac-Pherson, whose
broadsword would put a stop to theft sooner than all the sermons
of all the ministers of the synod.

NOTE 14

The Town-guard of Edinburgh were, till a late period, armed with
this weapon when on their police-duty. There was a hook at the
back of the axe, which the ancient Highlanders used to assist them
to climb over walls, fixing the hook upon it and raising
themselves by the handle. The axe, which was also much used by the
natives of Ireland, is supposed to have been introduced into both
countries from Scandinavia.

NOTE 15

An adventure very similar to what is here stated actually befell
the late Mr. Abercromby of Tullibody, grandfather of the present
Lord Abercromby, and father of the celebrated Sir Ralph. When this
gentleman, who lived to a very advanced period of life, first
settled in Stirlingshire, his cattle were repeatedly driven off by
the celebrated Rob Roy, or some of his gang; and at length he was
obliged, after obtaining a proper safe-conduct, to make the
cateran such a visit as that of Waverley to Bean Lean in the text.
Rob received him with much courtesy, and made many apologies for
the accident, which must have happened, he said, through some
mistake. Mr. Abercromby was regaled with collops from two of his
own cattle, which were hung up by the heels in the cavern, and was
dismissed in perfect safety, after having agreed to pay in future
a small sum of black-mail, in consideration of which Rob Roy not
only undertook to forbear his herds in future, but to replace any
that should be stolen from him by other freebooters. Mr.
Abercromby said Rob Roy affected to consider him as a friend to
the Jacobite interest and a sincere enemy to the Union. Neither of
these circumstances were true; but the laird thought it quite
unnecessary to undeceive his Highland host at the risk of bringing
on a political dispute in such a situation. This anecdote I
received many years since (about 1792) from the mouth of the
venerable gentleman who was concerned in it.

NOTE 16

This celebrated gibbet was, in the memory of the last generation,
still standing at the western end of the town of Crieff, in
Perthshire. Why it was called the kind gallows we are unable to
inform the reader with certainty; but it is alleged that the
Highlanders used to touch their bonnets as they passed a place
which had been fatal to many of their countrymen, with the
ejaculation 'God bless her nain sell, and the Teil tamn you!' It
may therefore have been called kind, as being a sort of native or
kindred place of doom to those who suffered there, as in
fulfilment of a natural destiny.

NOTE 17

The story of the bridegroom carried off by caterans on his bridal-
day is taken from one which was told to the author by the late
Laird of Mac-Nab many years since. To carry off persons from the
Lowlands, and to put them to ransom, was a common practice with
the wild Highlanders, as it is said to be at the present day with
the banditti in the south of Italy. Upon the occasion alluded to,
a party of caterans carried off the bridegroom and secreted him in
some cave near the mountain of Schiehallion. The young man caught
the small-pox before his ransom could be agreed on; and whether it
was the fine cool air of the place, or the want of medical
attendance, Mac-Nab did not pretend to be positive; but so it was,
that the prisoner recovered, his ransom was paid, and he was
restored to his friends and bride, but always considered the
Highland robbers as having saved his life by their treatment of
his malady.

NOTE 18

This happened on many occasions. Indeed, it was not till after the
total destruction of the clan influence, after 1745, that
purchasers could be found who offered a fair price for the estates
forfeited in 1715, which were then brought to sale by the
creditors of the York Buildings Company, who had purchased the
whole, or greater part, from government at a very small price.
Even so late as the period first mentioned, the prejudices of the
public in favour of the heirs of the forfeited families threw
various impediments in the way of intending purchasers of such
property.

NOTE 19

This sort of political game ascribed to Mac-Ivor was in reality
played by several Highland chiefs, the celebrated Lord Lovat in
particular, who used that kind of finesse to the uttermost. The
Laird of Mac---was also captain of an independent company, but
valued the sweets of present pay too well to incur the risk of
losing them in the Jacobite cause. His martial consort raised his
clan and headed it in 1745. But the chief himself would have
nothing to do with king-making, declaring himself for that
monarch, and no other, who gave the Laird of Mac ---- 'half-a-guinea
the day and half-a-guinea the morn.'

NOTE 20

In explanation of the military exercise observed at the Castle of
Glennaquoich, the author begs to remark that the Highlanders were
not only well practised in the use of the broadsword, firelock,
and most of the manly sports and trials of strength common
throughout Scotland, but also used a peculiar sort of drill,
suited to their own dress and mode of warfare. There were, for
instance, different modes of disposing the plaid, one when on a
peaceful journey, another when danger was apprehended; one way of
enveloping themselves in it when expecting undisturbed repose, and
another which enabled them to start up with sword and pistol in
hand on the slightest alarm.

Previous to 1720 or thereabouts, the belted plaid was universally
worn, in which the portion which surrounded the middle of the
wearer and that which was flung around his shoulders were all of
the same piece of tartan. In a desperate onset all was thrown
away, and the clan charged bare beneath the doublet, save for an
artificial arrangement of the shirt, which, like that of the
Irish, was always ample, and for the sporran-mollach, or goat's-
skin purse.

The manner of handling the pistol and dirk was also part of the
Highland manual exercise, which the author has seen gone through
by men who had learned it in their youth.

NOTE 21

Pork or swine's flesh, in any shape, was, till of late years, much
abominated by the Scotch, nor is it yet a favourite food amongst
them. King Jamie carried this prejudice to England, and is known
to have abhorred pork almost as much as he did tobacco. Ben Jonson
has recorded this peculiarity, where the gipsy in a masque,
examining the king's hand, says--

You should, by this line,

Love a horse and a hound, but no part of a swine.

The Gipsies Metamorphosed.

James's own proposed banquet for the Devil was a loin of pork and
a poll of ling, with a pipe of tobacco for digestion.

NOTE 22

In the number of persons of all ranks who assembled at the same
table, though by no means to discuss the same fare, the Highland
chiefs only retained a custom which had been formerly universally
observed throughout Scotland. 'I myself,' says the traveller,
Fynes Morrison, in the end of Queen Elizabeth's reign, the scene
being the Lowlands of Scotland, 'was at a knight's house, who had
many servants to attend him, that brought in his meat with their
heads covered with blue caps, the table being more than half
furnished with great platters of porridge, each having a little
piece of sodden meat. And when the table was served, the servants
did sit down with us; but the upper mess, instead of porridge, had
a pullet, with some prunes in the broth.'--Travels, p. 155.

Till within this last century the farmers, even of a respectable
condition, dined with their work-people. The difference betwixt
those of high degree was ascertained by the place of the party
above or below the salt, or sometimes by a line drawn with chalk
on the dining-table. Lord Lovat, who knew well how to feed the
vanity and restrain the appetites of his clansmen, allowed each
sturdy Fraser who had the slightest pretensions to be a
Duinhewassel the full honour of the sitting, but at the same time
took care that his young kinsmen did not acquire at his table any
taste for outlandish luxuries. His lordship was always ready with
some honourable apology why foreign wines and French brandy,
delicacies which he conceived might sap the hardy habits of his
cousins, should not circulate past an assigned point on the table.

NOTE 23

In the Irish ballads relating to Fion (the Fingal of Mac-Pherson)
there occurs, as in the primitive poetry of most nations, a cycle
of heroes, each of whom has some distinguishing attribute; upon
these qualities, and the adventures of those possessing them, many
proverbs are formed, which are still current in the Highlands.
Among other characters, Conan is distinguished as in some respects
a kind of Thersites, but brave and daring even to rashness. He had
made a vow that he would never take a blow without returning it;
and having, like other heroes of antiquity, descended to the
infernal regions, he received a cuff from the Arch-fiend who
presided there, which he instantly returned, using the expression
in the text. Sometimes the proverb is worded thus--'Claw for claw,
and the devil take the shortest nails, as Conan said to the
devil.'

NOTE 24

The description of the waterfall mentioned in this chapter is
taken from that of Ledeard, at the farm so called, on the northern
side of Lochard, and near the head of the lake, four or five miles
from Aberfoyle. It is upon a small scale, but otherwise one of the
most exquisite cascades it is possible to behold. The appearance
of Flora with the harp, as described, has been justly censured as
too theatrical and affected for the lady-like simplicity of her
character. But something may be allowed to her French education,
in which point and striking effect always make a considerable
object.

NOTE 25

The author has been sometimes accused of confounding fiction with
reality. He therefore thinks it necessary to state that the
circumstance of the hunting described in the text as preparatory
to the insurrection of 1745 is, so far as he knows, entirely
imaginary. But it is well known such a great hunting was held in
the Forest of Brae-Mar, under the auspices of the Earl of Mar, as
preparatory to the Rebellion of 1715; and most of the Highland
chieftains who afterwards engaged in that civil commotion were
present on this occasion.





GLOSSARY


A', all.

ABOON, abune, above.

ABY, abye, endure, suffer.

ACCOLADE, the salutation marking the bestowal of knighthood.

AIN, own.

ALANE, alone.

AN, if.

ANE, one.

ARRAY, annoy, trouble.

AULD, old.

AWEEL, well.

AYE, always.

BAILIE, a city magistrate in Scotland.

BAN, curse.

BAWTY, sly, cunning.

BAXTER, a baker.

BEES, in the, stupefied, bewildered.

BELIVE, belyve, by and by.

BEN, in, inside.

BENT, an open field.

BHAIRD, a bard.

BLACK-FISHING, fishing by torchlight poaching.

BLINKED, glanced.

BLUDE, braid, blood.

BLYTHE, gay, glad.

BODLE, a copper coin worth a third of an English penny.

BOLE, a bowl.

BOOT-KETCH, a boot-jack.

BRAE, the side of a hill.

BRISSEL-COCK, a turkey cock.

BREEKS, breeches.

BROGUES, Highland shoes.

BROKEN MEN, outlaws.

BROUGHT FAR BEN, held in special favor

BROWST, a brewing.

BRUIK, enjoy.

BUCKIE, a perverse or refractory person.

BULLSEGG, a gelded bull.

BURD, bird, a term of familiarity.

BURN, a brook.

BUSKING, dress, decoration.

BUTTOCK-MAIL, a fine for fornication.

BYDAND, awaiting.

CAILLIACHS, old women on whom devolved the duty of lamenting for
the dead, which the Irish call keening.

CALLANT, a young lad, a fine fellow.

CANNY, prudent, skillful, lucky.

CANTER, a canting, whining beggar.

CANTRIP, a trick.

CARLE, a churl, an old man.

CATERAN, a Highland irregular soldier, a freebooter.

CHAP, a customer.

CLACHAN, a hamlet.

CLAW FAVOUR, curry favour.

CLAYMORE, a broad sword.

CLEEK, a hook.

CLEIK the cunzie, steal the silver.

COB, beat.

COBLE, a small fishing boat.

COGS, wooden vessels.

COGUE, a round wooden vessel.

CONCUSSED, violently shaken, disturbed, forced.

CORONACH, a dirge.

CORRIE, a mountain hollow.

COVE, a cave.

CRAME, a booth, a merchant's shop.

CREAGH, an incursion for plunder, termed on the Borders a raid.

CROUSE, bold, courageous.

CRUMMY, a cow with crooked horns.

CUITTLE, tickle.

CURRAGH, a Highland boat.

DAFT, mad, foolish.

DEBINDED, bound down.

DECREET, an order of decree.

DEOCH AN DORUIS, the stirrup-cup or parting drink.

DERN, concealed, secret.

DINMONTS, wethers in the second year.

DOER, an agent, a manager.

DOON, doun, down.

DOVERING, dozing.

DUINHE-WASSEL, dunniewassal, a Highland gentleman, usually the
cadet of a family of rank.

EANARUICH, the regalia presented by Rob Roy to the Laird of
Tullibody.

ENEUGH, eneuch, enough.

ERGASTULO, in a penitentiary.

EXEEMED, exempt.

FACTORY, stewardship.

FEAL AND DIVOT, turf and thatch.

FECK, a quantity.

FEIFTEEN, the Jacobite rebellion of 1715.

FENDY, good at making a shift.

FIRE-RAISING, setting an incendiary fire.

FLEMIT, frightened,

FRAE, from.

FU, full.

FULE, fool.

GABERLUNZIE, a kind of professional beggar.

GANE, gone.

GANG, go.

GAR, make.

GATE, gait, way.

GAUN, going.

GAY, gey, very.

GEAR, goods, property.

GILLFLIRT, a flirty girl.

GILLIE, a servant, an attendant.

GILLIE-WET-FOOT, a barefooted Highland lad.

GIMMER, a ewe from one to two years old.

GLISKED, glimpsed.

GRIPPLE, rapacious, niggardly.

GULPIN, a simpleton.

HA', hall.

HAG, a portion of copse marked off for cutting.

HAIL, whole.

HALLAN, a partition, a screen.

HAME, home.

HANTLE, a great deal.

HARST, harvest.

HERSHIPS, plunder.

HILDING, a coward.

HIRSTS, knolls.

HORNING, charge of, a summons to pay a debt, on pain of being
pronounced a rebel, to the sound of a horn.

HOWE, a hollow.

HOULERYING AND POULERYING, hustling and pulling.

HURLEY-HOUSE, a brokendown manor house.

ILK, same; of that ilk, of the same name or place.

ILKA, each, every.

IN THE BEES, stupefied.

INTROMIT, meddle with.

KEN, know.

KITTLE, tickle, ticklish.

KNOBBLER, a male deer in its second year.

KYLOE, a small Highland cow.

LAIRD, squire, lord of the manor.

LANG-LEGGIT, long-legged.

LAWING, a tavern reckoning.

LEE LAND, pasture land.

LIE, a word used in old Scottish legal documents to call attention
to the following word or phrase.

LIFT, capture, carry off by theft.

LIMMER, a jade.

LOCH, a lake.

LOON, an idle fellow, a lout, a rogue.

LUCKIE, an elderly woman.

LUG, an ear, a handle.

LUNZIE, the loins, the waist.

MAE, mair, more.

MAINS, the chief farm of an estate.

MALT ABUNE THE MEAL, the drink above the food, half-seas over.

MAUN, must.

MEAL ARK, a meal chest.

MERK, 13 1/3 pence in English money.

MICKLE, much, great.

MISGUGGLED, mangled, rumpled.

MONY, many.

MORN, the morn, tomorrow.

MORNING, a morning dram.

MUCKLE, much, great.

MUIR, moor.

NA, nae, no, not.

NAINSELL, own self.

NICE, simple.

NOLT, black cattle. ony, any.

ORRA, odd, unemployed.

ORRA-TIME, occasionally.

OWER, over.

PEEL-HOUSE, a fortified tower.

PENDICLE, a small piece of ground.

PINGLE, a fuss, trouble.

PLENISHING, furnishings.

PLOY, sport, entertainment.

PRETTY MEN, stout, warlike fellows.

REIFS, robberies.

REIVERS, robbers.

RIGGS, ridges, ploughed ground.

ROKELAY, a short cloak.

RUDAS, coarse, hag-like.

SAIN, mark with the sign of the cross, bless.

SAIR, sore, very.

SAUMON, salmon.

SAUT, salt.

SAY, a sample.

SCHELLUM, a rascal.

SCOUPING, scowping, skipping, leaping, running.

SEANNACHIE, a Highland antiquary.

SHEARING, reaping, harvest.

SHILPIT, weak, sickly.

SHOON, shoes.

SIC, siccan, such.

SIDIER DHU, black soldiers, independent companies raised to keep
peace in the Highlands; named from the tartans they wore.

SIDIER ROY, red soldiers, King George's men.

SIKES, small brooks.

SILLER, silver, money.

SIMMER, summer.

SLIVER, slice, slit.

SMOKY, suspicious.

SNECK, cut.

SNOOD, a fillet worn by young women.

SOPITE, quiet a brawl.

SORNERS, sornars, sojourners, sturdy beggars, especially those
unwelcome visitors who exact lodgings and victuals by force.

SORTED, arranged, adjusted.

SPEIR, ask, investigate.

SPORRAN-MOLLACH, a Highland purse of goatskin.

SPRACK, animated, lively.

SPRING, a cheerful tune.

SPURRZIE, spoil.

STIEVE, stiff, firm.

STIRK, a young steer or heifer.

STOT, a bullock.

STOUP, a jug, a pitcher.

STOUTHREEF, robbery.

STRAE, straw.

STRATH, a valley through which a river runs.

SYBOES, onions.

TA, the. TAIGLIT, harassed, loitered.

TAILZIE, taillie, a deed of entail.

TAPPIT-HEN, a pewter pot that holds three English quarts.

TAYOUT, tailliers-hors; in modern phrase, Tally-ho!

TEIL, the devil.

TEINDS, tithes.

TELT, told.

TILL, to. TOUN, a hamlet, a farm.

TREWS, trousers.

TROW, believe, suppose.

TWA, two.

TYKE, a dog, a snarling fellow.

UNCO, strange, very.

UNKENN'D, unknown.

USQUEBAUGH, whiskey.

WA', wall.

WARE, spend.

WEEL, well.

WHA, who.

WHAR, where.

WHAT FOR, why.

WHILK, which.

WISKE, whisk, brandish.





END OF VOLUME I

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