Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border, Volume 2 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 315 pages of information about Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border, Volume 2.

Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border, Volume 2 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 315 pages of information about Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border, Volume 2.

  “There is not ane of a’ yon men,
   “But wha is worthy other three;
  “There is na ane amang them a’,
   “That in his cause will stap to die.

  “An’ as for Burly, him I knaw;
   “He’s a man of honour, birth, an’ fame;
  “Gie him a sword into his hand,
   “He’ll fight thysel an’ other ten.”

  But up spake wicked Claver’se then,
   I wat his heart it raise fu’ hie! 
  And he has cry’d that a’ might hear,
  “Man, ye hae sair deceived me.

  “I never ken’d the like afore,
   “Na, never since I came frae hame,
  “That you sae cowardly here suld prove,
   “An’ yet come of a noble Graeme.”

  But up bespake his cornet, then,
  “Since that it is your honour’s will,
   “Mysel shall be the foremost man,
  “That shall gie fire on Loudoun Hill.

  “At your command I’ll lead them on,
   “But yet wi’ nae consent o’ me;
  “For weel I ken I’ll ne’er return,
   “And mony mae as weel as me.”

  Then up he drew in battle rank;
   I wat he had a bonny train! 
  But the first time that bullets flew,
   Ay he lost twenty o’ his men.

  Then back he came the way he gael,
   I wat right soon an’ suddenly! 
  He gave command amang his men,
   And sent them back, and bade them flee.

  Then up came Burly, bauld an’ stout,
   Wi’s little train o’ westland men;
  Wha mair than either aince or twice
   In Edinburgh confined had been.

  They hae been up to London sent,
   An’ yet they’re a’ come safely down;
  Sax troop o’ horsemen they hae beat,
   And chased them into Glasgow town.

THE BATTLE OF BOTHWELL-BRIDGE.

It has been often remarked, that the Scottish, notwithstanding their national courage, were always unsuccessful, when fighting for their religion.  The cause lay, not in the principle, but in the mode of its application.  A leader like Mahomet, who is, at the same time, the prophet of his tribe, may avail himself of religious enthusiasm, because it comes to the aid of discipline, and is a powerful means of attaining the despotic command, essential to the success of a general.  But, among the insurgents, in the reigns of the last Stuarts, were mingled preachers, who taught different shades of the presbyterian doctrine; and, minute as these shades sometimes were, neither the several shepherds, nor their flocks, could cheerfully unite in a common cause.  This will appear from the transactions leading to the battle of Bothwell Bridge.

We have seen, that the party, which defeated Claverhouse at Loudoun Hill, were Cameronians, whose principles consisted in disowning all temporal authority, which did not flow from and through the Solemn League and Covenant.  This doctrine, which is still retained by a scattered remnant of the sect in Scotland, is in theory, and would be in practice, inconsistent with the safety of any well regulated government,

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Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border, Volume 2 from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.