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A Traditional Tale of
Lanarkshire
Chapter 3
Mary was too generous to
be happy in the safety of her father, when that was bought with the life
of his brave deliverer. When Graham was taken away, she felt a pang as
if he had been led to execution. Instead, therefore, of indulging in
selfish congratulation, her whole soul was taken up in the romantic and
apparently hopeless scheme of extricating him from his danger. There was
not a moment to lose; and she asked her father if he could think of any
way in which a rescue might be attempted.
"Mary, my dear, I know of none," was his answer. "We live far from any
house, and before assistance could be procured, they would be miles
beyond our reach."
“Yes, father, there is a chance," said she, with impatience. "Gallop
over to Allister Wilson’s on the other side of the hills. He is a strong
and determined man, and, as well as some of his near neighbours, is
accustomed to contest. You know he fought desperately at Drumclog; and
though he blamed you for not joining the cause, he will not be loth to
assist in this bitter extremity.”
Allan, at these words, started up as if awakened from a reverie. "That
will do, my dear bairn. I never thought of it; but your understanding is
quicker than mine. I shall get out the horse ; follow me on foot, as
hard as you can."
This was the work of a minute. The horse was brought from the stable,
and Allan lashed him to his full speed across the moor. Most fortunately
he arrived at Allister’s house as the latter was on the point of leaving
it. He carried a musket over his shoulder, and a huge claymore hung down
from a belt girded round his loins.
"You have just come in time,” said this stern son of the Covenant, after
Allan had briefly related to him what had happened. "I am on my way to
hear that precious saint, Mr Hervey, hold forth. You see I am armed to
defend myself against temporal foes, and so are many others of my
friends and brethren in God, who will be present on that blessed
occasion. Come away, Allan Hamilton, you are one of the timid and
faint-hearted flock of Jacob, but we will aid you as you wish, and
peradventure save the young man who has done you such a good turn."
They went on swiftly to a retired spot at the distance of half a mile;
it was a small glen nearly surrounded with rocks. There they beheld the
Reverend Mr Hervey standing upon a mound of earth, and preaching to a
congregation, the greater part of the males of which were armed with
muskets, swords, or pikes; they formed, as it were, the outworks of the
assembly, —the women, old men, and children being placed in the centre.
These were a few of the devoted Christians who, from the rocks and caves
of their native land, sent up their fearless voices to heaven—who,
disowning the spiritual authority of a tyrannic government, thought it
nowise unbecoming or treasonable to oppose the strong arm of lawless
power with its own weapons ; and who finally triumphed in the glorious
contest, establishing that pure religion, for which posterity has
proved, alas, too ungrateful !
ln the pressing urgency of the case, Allister did not scruple to go up
to the minister, in the midst of his discourse. Such interruptions
indeed were common in these distracted times, when it was necessary to
skulk from place to place, and perform divine worship as if it was an
act of treason against the state. Mr Hervey made known to his flock in a
few words what had been communicated to him, taking care to applaud
highly the scheme proposed by Wilson. There was no time to be lost, and
under the guidance of Allister the whole of the assemblage hurried to a
gorge of the mountains through which the troopers must necessarily pass.
As the route of the latter was circuitous, time was allowed to this
sagacious leader to arrange his forces. This he did by placing all the
armed men—about twenty-live in number—in two lines across the pass.
Those who were not armed, together with the women and children, were
sent to the rear. When, therefore, the soldiers came up, they found to
their surprise a formidable body ready to dispute the passage.
"What means this interruption?" said Ross, who acted the part of
spokesman to the rest. Whereupon Mr Hervey advanced in front—"Release,"
said he, "that young man whom ye have in bonds. "
“Release him!" replied Ross. "Would you have us release a murderer? Are
you aware that he has shot his officer? ”
"I am aware of it," Mr Hervey answered, "and I blame him not for the
deed. Stand forth, Allan Hamilton, and say if that is the soldier who
saved your life ; and you, Mary Hamilton, stand forth likewise.”
Both, to the astonishment of the soldiers, came in front of the crowd.
"That,” said Allan, “is the man, and may God bless him for his humanity?
—"It is the same," cried his daughter; "I saw him with these eyes shoot
the cruel Clobberton. On my knees I begged him to sue for mercy, and his
kind heart had pity upon me, and saved my father."
"Soldiers," said Mr Hervey, "I have nothing more to say to you. That
young man has slain your captain, but he has done no murder. His deed
was justifiable : yea, it was praiseworthy, in so far as it saved an
upright man, and rid the earth of a cruel persecutor. Deliver him up,
and go away in peace, or peradventure ye may fare ill among these, armed
men who stand before you.’
The troopers consulted together for a short time, till, seeing that
resistance would be utter madness against such odds, they reluctantly
let go their prisoner. The first person who came up to him was Mary
Hamilton. She loosened the cords that tied him, and presented him with
conscious pride to those of her own sex who were assembled round.
"Good bye, Graham," cried Ross, with a sneer;—"you have bit us once, but
it will puzzle you to do so again. We shall soon ‘harry’ you and your
puritanical friends from your strong-holds. An ell of strong hemp is in
readiness for you at the Grassmarket or Edinburgh. Take my defiance for
a knave, as you are," added he, with an imprecation.
He had scarcely pronounced the last sentence when Graham unsheathed the
weapon which hung at his side, sprang from the middle of the crowd, and
stood before his defier.
"Ross, you have challenged me, and you shall abide it — draw!" Here
there was an instantaneous movement among the Covenanters, who rushed in
between the two fierce soldiers, who stood with their naked weapons,
their eyes glancing fire at each other. Mary Hamilton screamed aloud
with terror, and cries of "separate them!" were heard from all the
women. Mr Hervey came forward and entreated them to put up their swords.
and he was seconded by most of the old men; but all entreaties were in
vain. They stood fronting each other, and only waiting for free ground
to commence their desperate game.
"Let me alone," said Graham, furiously, to some who were attempting to
draw him back; "am I to be bearded to my teeth by that swaggering
ruffian? "
"Come on, my sweet cock of the Covenant," cries Ross, with the most
insulting derision, "you or any one of your canting crew—or a dozen of
you, one after the other."
"Let Graham go," was heard from the deep stern voice of Allister Wilson;
"let him go, or I will meet that man with my own weapon. Mr Hervey, your
advice is dear to us all, and well do we know that the blood of God’s
creatures must not be shed in vain; but has not that man of blood openly
shed us, and shall we hinder our champion from going forward to meet
him? No; let them join in combat and try which is the better cause. If
the challenger overcomes, we shall do him no harm, but let him depart in
peace: if he be overcome, let him rue the consequences of his
insolence."
This proposition, though violently opposed by the women and the aged
part of the crowd, met the entire approbation of the young men. Each
felt himself personally insulted, and allowed, for a time, the turbulent
passions of his nature to get the better of every milder feeling. A
space of ground was immediately cleared for the combat, the friends of
Ross being allowed to arrange matters as they thought fit. They went
about it with a coolness and precision which showed that to them this
sort of pastime was nothing new. " All is right—fall on," was their cry,
and in a moment the combatants met in the area. The three troopers
looked on with characteristic sang froid, but it was otherwise with the
rest of the bystanders, who gazed upon the scene with the most intense
interest. Some of the females turned away their eyes from it, and among
them Mary Hamilton, who almost sank to the earth, and was with
difficulty supported by her father.
The combat was desperate, for the men were of powerful strength, and of
tried courage and skill in their weapons. The blows were parried for
some time on both sides with consummate address, and neither could be
said to have the advantage. At length, after contending fiercely, Ross
exhibited signs of exhaustion—neither guarding himself nor assaulting
his opponent so vigorously as at first. Graham, on noticing this,
redoubled his efforts. He acted now wholly on the offensive, sending
blow upon blow with the rapidity of lightning. His last and most
desperate stroke was made at the head of his enemy. The sword of the
latter, which was held up in a masterly manner to receive it, was beat
down by Graham’s weapon, which descended forcibly upon his helmet. The
blow proved decisive, and Ross fell senseless upon the ground. His
conqueror immediately wrested the weapon from him, while a shout was set
up by the crowd in token of victory. The troopers looked mortified at
this result of the duel, which was by them evidently unexpected. Their
first care was to raise up their fellow comrade. On examination, no
wound was perceived upon his head. His helmet had been penetrated by the
sword, which, however, did not go further. His own weapon had
contributed to deaden the blow, by partially arresting that of Graham in
its furious descent. It was this only which saved his life. In a few
minutes he so far recovered as to get up and look around him. The first
object which struck him was his opponent standing in the ring wiping his
forehead.
"Well, Ross," said one of his companions, "I always took you to be the
best swordsman in the regiment; but I think you have met your match.”
"My match? confound me!" returned the vanquished man, "I thought I would
have made minced meat of him. There, for three years, have I had the
character of being one of the best men in the army at my weapon, and
here is all this good name taken out of me in a trice. How
mortifying—and to lose my good sword too!"
"Here is your sword, Ross, and keep it," said Graham. "You have behaved
like a brave man; and I honour such a fellow, whether he be my friend or
foe. Only don’t go on with your insolent bragging—that is all the advice
I have to give you ; nor call any man a knave till you have good proof
that he is so. "
"Well, well, Graham,” answered the other, "I retract what I said; I have
a better opinion of you than I had ten minutes ago. Take care of old
Dalzell - his "lambs" will be after you, and you had better keep out of
the way. Take this advice in return for my weapon which you have given
me back. It would, after all, be a pity to tuck up such a pretty fellow
as you are; although I would care very little to see your long-faced
acquaintances there dangling by their necks. Give us your hand for old
fellowship, and shift your quarters as soon as you choose. Good bye." So
saying, he and his three comrades departed.
After these doings, it was considered imprudent for the principal actors
to remain longer in this quarter. Mr Hervey retired about twenty miles
to the northward, in company with Allan Hamilton and his daughter, and
Allister Wilson. Graham went by a circuitous route to Argyleshire, where
he secreted himself so judiciously, that though the agents of government
got information of his being in that country, they could never manage to
lay hand upon him. These steps were prudent in all parties ; for the
very day after the rescue, a strong body of dragoons was sent to the
Lowthers, to apprehend the above named persons. They behaved with great
cruelty, burning the cottages of numbers of the inhabitants, and
destroying their cattle. They searched Allan Hamilton’s house, took from
it everything that could be easily carried away, and such of his cattle
as were found on the premises. Among other things, they carried off the
body of the sanguinary Clobberton, which they found on the spot where it
had been left, and interred it in Lanark churchyard, with military
honours. None of the individuals, however, whom they sought for were
found.
For a short time after this, the persecution raged with great violence
in the south of Lanarkshire; but happier days were beginning to dawn;
and the arrival of King William, and the dethronement of the bigoted
James, put an end to such scenes of cruelty. When these events occurred,
the persecuted came forth from their hiding-places. Mr Hervey, among
others, returned to the Lowthers, and enjoyed many happy days in this
seat of his ministry and trials. Allan and his daughter were among the
first to make their appearance. Their house soon recovered its former
comfort; and in the course of time every worldly concern went well with
them. Mary, however, for a month or more after their return, did not
feel entirely satisfied. She was duller than was her wont, and neither
she nor her father could give any explanation why it should be so. At
this time a tall young man paid them a visit, and, strange to say, she
became perfectly happy. This visitor was no other than the wild fighting
fellow Graham,—now perfectly reformed from his former evil courses, by
separation from his profligate companions, and by the better company and
principles with which his late troubles had brought him acquainted.
A few words more will end our story. This bold trooper and the beautiful
daughter of Allan Hamilton were seen five weeks thereafter going to
church as man and wife. It was allowed that they were the handsomest
couple ever seen in the Lowthers. Graham proved a kind husband; and it
is hardly necessary to say that Mary was a most affectionate and
exemplary wife. Allan Hamilton attained a happy old age, and saw his
grandchildren ripening into fair promise around him. His daughter, many
years after his death, used to repeat to them the story of his danger
and escape, which we have here imperfectly related. The tale is not
fictitious. It is handed down in tradition over the upper and middle
wards of Lanarkshire, and with a consistency which leaves no doubt of
its truth.
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