his demerits, but before a base mechanical burgo-master,
who shall menace him with the rasp-house, the cord,
and what not, as if he were one of their own mean,
amphibious, twenty-breeched boors. So not being
able to dwell longer among those ungrateful plebeians,
who, although unable to defend themselves by their
proper strength, will nevertheless allow the noble
foreign cavalier who engages with them nothing beyond
his dry wages, which no honourable spirit will put
in competition with a liberal license and honourable
countenance, I resolved to leave the service of the
Mynheers. And hearing at this time, to my exceeding
satisfaction, that there is something to be doing this
summer in my way in this my dear native country, I
am come hither, as they say, like a beggar to a bridal,
in order to give my loving countrymen the advantage
of that experience which I have acquired in foreign
parts. So your lordship has an outline of my brief
story, excepting my deportment in those passages of
action in the field, in leaguers, storms, and onslaughts,
whilk would be wearisome to narrate, and might, peradventure,
better befit any other tongue than mine own.”
CHAPTER III.
For pleas of right let
statesmen vex their head,
Battle’s my business,
and my guerdon bread;
And, with the sworded
Switzer, I can say,
The best of causes is
the best of pay.—Donne.
The difficulty and narrowness of the road had by this
time become such as to interrupt the conversation
of the travellers, and Lord Menteith, reining back
his horse, held a moment’s private conversation
with his domestics. The Captain, who now led
the van of the party, after about a quarter of a mile’s
slow and toilsome advance up a broken and rugged ascent,
emerged into an upland valley, to which a mountain
stream acted as a drain, and afforded sufficient room
upon its greensward banks for the travellers to pursue
their journey in a more social manner.
Lord Menteith accordingly resumed the conversation,
which had been interrupted by the difficulties of
the way. “I should have thought,”
said he to Captain Dalgetty, “that a cavalier
of your honourable mark, who hath so long followed
the valiant King of Sweden, and entertains such a
suitable contempt for the base mechanical States of
Holland, would not have hesitated to embrace the cause
of King Charles, in preference to that of the low-born,
roundheaded, canting knaves, who are in rebellion
against his authority?”
“Ye speak reasonably, my lord,” said Dalgetty,
“and, CAETERIS PARIBUS, I might be induced to
see the matter in the same light. But, my lord,
there is a southern proverb, fine words butter no parsnips.
I have heard enough since I came here, to satisfy
me that a cavalier of honour is free to take any part
in this civil embroilment whilk he may find most convenient
for his own peculiar. Loyalty is your pass-word,
