An Historical Romance.
BY JAMES GRANT, ESQ.,
AUTHOR OF
"THE ROMANCE OF WAR, OR THE GORDON HIGHLANDERS,"
"MEMOIRS OF KIRKALDY OF GRANGE," &C.
Dost thou admit his right,
Thus to transfer our ancient Scottish crown?
Ay, Scotland was a kingdom once,
And, by the might of God, a kingdom still shall be!
ROBERT THE BRUCE, ACT II.
IN THREE VOLUMES.
VOL. I.
LONDON:
HENRY COLBURN, PUBLISHER,
GREAT MARLBOROUGH STREET.
1850.
Contents
Preface
I. The Place of Bruntisfield
II. The Preacher
III. The Old Clockcase
IV. A Pair of Blue Eyes
V. A Pair of Rapiers
VI. The Old Tolbooth
VII. The Laigh Council House
VIII. The Privy Council
IX. Dejection
X. Hope
XI. Clermistonlee at Home
XII. The Cottage of Elsie
XIII. A Reverse
XIV. Walter and Lilian
XV. Love and Burnt-sack
XVI. The Ten O'Clock Drum
XVII. Clermistonlee Makes a Bad Mistake
XVIII. The Growth of Love and Hope
XIX. The Old Scottish Service
From the historical and descriptive nature ofthe following tale, the Author intended thatcertain passages should be illustrated with notes,containing the local traditions and authoritiesfrom which it has been derived; but on secondthoughts he has preferred confining theseexplanations to the preface.
History will have rendered familiar to thereader the names of many who bear a prominentpart in the career of Walter Fenton; but thereare other characters of minor importance, who,though less known to fame than Dundee andDunbarton, were beings who really lived andbreathed, and acted a part in the great drama ofthose days. Among these, we may particulariseDouglas, of Finland, and Annie Laurie.
This lady was one of the four daughters of SirRobert Laurie, the first Baronet of Maxwelton,and it was to her that Finland inscribed thosewell-known verses, and that little air which nowbear her name, and are so wonderfully plaintiveand chaste for the time; but it is painful to recordthat, notwithstanding all the ardour and devotionof her lover, the fair Annie was wedded asdescribed in the romance. Her father, Sir Robert,was created a baronet in 1685.
The Old Halberdier and Hugh Blair (mentionedso frequently) are also real characters.The former distinguished himself at the battle ofSedge