MARY OF LORRAINE.
Reading edition
An Historical Romance.
BY
JAMES GRANT,
AUTHOR OF "THE ROMANCE OF WAR," "THE AIDE-DE-CAMP," "ARTHUR BLANE," ETC. ETC.
"It was English gold and Scots traitors wan Pinkeycleuch, but no Englishman." OLD RHYME.
A NEW EDITION
LONDON: GEORGE ROUTLEDGE & SONS, BROADWAY, LUDGATE HILL; NEW YORK: 129, GRAND STREET. 1865.
Contents
I. THE TOWER OF FAWSIDE II. WESTMAINS III. THE DEATH FEUD IV. AN OLD SCOTTISH MATRON V. THE "GOLDEN ROSE." VI. CURIOSITY VII. THE BRAWL VIII. THE REGENCY OF ARRAN IX. MISTRUST X. IN WHICH THE PATIENT PROGRESSES FAVOURABLY XI. THE OPAL RING XII. MASTER POSSET XIII. HOME XIV. PRESTON TOWER XV. THE LETTER OF THE VALOIS XVI. THE COUNTESS XVII. A SNARE XVIII. THE DEATH-ERRAND XIX. CADZOW FOREST XX. MILLHEUGH XXI. A BOTHWELL! A BOTHWELL! XXII. THE SCORNED AMITY XXIII. CADZOW CASTLE XXIV. THE JOURNEY XXV. THE PROCESSION XXVI. THE CONVENTION OF ESTATES XXVII. MADELINE HOME XXVIII. CHAMPFLEURIE XXIX. THE DOUGLAS ROOM XXX. THE ROMAN ROCK XXXI. THE JOURNEY HOME XXXII. THE CHATELAINE OF THE TORWOOD XXXIII. THE NEISH'S HEAD XXXIV. THE NEISH'S HEAD—STORY CONTINUED XXXV. A RIVAL XXXVI. THE RETURN XXXVII. LADY ALISON XXXVIII. THE CHAPEL OF ST. MARTIN XXXIX. THE LURE XL. THE WAKENING XLI. A BLOODY TRYST XLII. THE PASSING BELL XLIII. THE CROSS OF FIRE XLIV. THE INVASION XLV. THE MEN-AT-ARMS XLVI. THE PARLEY XLVII. THE BLACK SATURDAY XLVIII. THE BATTLE XLIX. THE FLIGHT L. HAWTHORNDEN LI. JOY LII. PEDRO DE GAMBOA LIII. THE GUISE PALACE LIX. THE DEPARTURE LV. SEQUEL TO THE INVASION LVI. THE ISLE OF REST NOTES I: FAWSIDE OF THAT ILK NOTES II: THE BATTLE OF PINKEY
PREFACE.
In the following pages I have endeavoured to describe something of the manners and inner life of the Lowland Scots at the period referred to, modernizing the language, which, to my English readers, might otherwise prove unintelligible.
For the political corruption of the Scottish noblesse at that—as at every other—period of their annals, ample proofs to support me are furnished by "Rymer's Foedera," and "Tytler's History;" while the fact that Henry VIII. and his successors too often employed in Scotland other and very different emissaries than the two I shall introduce to the reader, has been amply proved by the Calendar of State Papers on Scotland, lately published by Mr. Thorpe, who shows us that, in addition to the devastations and burning of his lawless invading armies of English, Spaniards, and Germans, he was base enough to hire secret assassins, to remove all who were inimical to his matrimonial speculations in Scotland.
Incidentally, I have introduced the terrible episode of a Highland feud which occurred in the time of James V. The story of "The Neish's Head" is still remembered in Strathearn; and I believe a different version of it appeared some years ago in a work entitled "The Scottish Wars."
The mode of torture mentioned in the adventure at Millheugh Tower, was not uncommon in those barbarous days. My attention was called, by a friend, to a paper which is preserved at Cullen House, Bauffshire, and which furnished the idea.
It formed part of a collection of MSS. which belonged to the late Rev. John Grant, of Elgin, and which, with his library, he bequeathed to his chief, the Earl of Seafield. It refers to the feud between the Earls of Huntley and Murray (which ended in the murder of the latter, at the Castle of Donibristle, in Fifeshire), and is a copy of a petition from the latter noble, the chief of the Grants, and Dunbar, sheriff of Moray, praying the government of James VI. to grant them protection against Huntley and his followers, and craving redress for injuries which they had sustained at his hands. After narrating many instances of fire-raising and bloodshed perpetrated by the Gordons, it demands justice "for the cruel slaughter of John Mhor, son of Alaster Mhor Grant, a kinsman and follower of John Grant, of Freuchie, who was hanged and smeikit in the cruick, till he died, by Patrick Gordon, brother to William Gordon, of Monaltrie, and five or six others, at the instance and command of the said George, Earl of Huntley."
In this document, which was dated 1591, there is another barbarity which I care not committing to print; but such were the cruelties and recklessness of life, about the times immediately before and after the Reformation, and the regency of Mary of Lorraine.
In the notes I have given a list—the gradual collection of years—of some of those Scottish gentlemen who fell in defence of their country on the 10th of September, 1547; and I have little doubt that many of my readers may discover their ancestors amongst them. I have seen no similar list so ample, save one that I possess of the brave who died at Flodden with King James.
26, DANUBE STREET, EDINBURGH, May, 1860.
MARY OF LORRAINE.