The Fair Maid of Perth | Page 7

artisan, in
offering to take a share in the conflict. Both incidents, however, were
introduced, no doubt from tradition, by the Continuator of Fordun
[Bower], whose narrative is in these words:
Anno Dom. millesimo trecentesimo nonagesimo sexto, magna pars
borealis Scotiae, trans Alpes, inquietata fuit per duos pestiferos
Cateranos, et eorum sequaces, viz. Scheabeg et suos consanguinarios,
qui Clankay, et Cristi Jonsonem ac suos, qui Clanqwhele dicebantur;
qui nullo pacto vel tractatu pacificari poterant, nullaque arte regis vel
gubernatoris poterant edomari, quoadusque nobilis et industriosus
Dominus David de Lindesay de Crawford, at Dominus Thomas comes
Moraviae, diligentiam et vires apposuerunt, ac inter partes sic
tractaverunt, ut coram domino rege certo die convenirent apud Perth, et
alterutra pars eligeret de progenie sua triginta personas adversus triginta
de parte contraria, cum gladiis tantum, et arcubus et sagittis, absque
deploidibus, vel armaturis aliis, praeter bipennes; et sic congredientes
finem liti ponerant, et terra pace potiretur. Utrique igitur parti summe
placuit contractus, et die lunae proximo ante festum Sancti Michaelis,
apud North insulam de Perth, coram rege et gubernatore et innumerabili
multitudine comparentes, conflictum acerrimum inierunt; ubi de
sexaginta interfecti sunt omnes, excepto uno ex parte Clankay et
undecim exceptis ex parte altera. Hoc etiam ibi accidit, quod omnes in
procinctu belli constituti, unus eorum locum diffugii considerans, inter
omnes in amnem elabitur, et aquam de Thaya natando transgreditur; a
millenis insequitur, sed nusquam apprehenditur. Stant igitur partes
attonitae, tanquam non ad conflictum progressuri, ob defectum evasi:
noluit enim pars integrum habens numerum sociorum consentire, ut
unus de suis demeretur; nec potuit pars altera quocumque pretio
alterum ad supplendum vicem fugientis inducere. Stupent igitur omnes
haerentes, de damno fugitivi conquerentes. Et cum totum illud opus
cessare putaretur, ecce in medio prorupit unus stipulosus vernaculus,
statura modicus, sed efferus, dicens: Ecce ego! quis me conducet

intrare cum operariis istis ad hunc ludum theatralem? Pro dimidia enim
marca ludum experiar, ultra hoc petens, ut si vivus de palaestra evasero,
victum a quocumque vestrum recipiam dum vixero: quia, sicut dicitur,
"Majorem caritatem nemo habet, quam ut animam suam ponat suis pro
amicis." Quali mercede donabor, qui animam meam pro inimicis
reipublicae et regni pono? Quod petiit, a rege et diversis magnatibus
conceditur. Cum hoc arcus ejus extenditur, et primo sagittam in partem
contrariam transmittit, et unum interficit. Confestim hinc inde sagittae
volitant, bipennes librant, gladios vibrant, alterutro certant, et veluti
carnifices boves in macello, sic inconsternate ad invicem se trucidant.
Sed nec inter tantos repertus est vel unus, qui, tanquam vecors ant
timidus, sive post tergum alterius declinans, seipsum a tanta caede
praetendit excusare. Iste tamen tyro superveniens finaliter illaesus
exivit; et dehinc multo tempore Boreas quievit, nec ibidem fuit, ut
supra, cateranorum excursus.
The scene is heightened with many florid additions by Boece and
Leslie, and the contending savages in Buchanan utter speeches after the
most approved pattern of Livy.
The devotion of the young chief of Clan Quhele's foster father and
foster brethren in the novel is a trait of clannish fidelity, of which
Highland story furnishes many examples. In the battle of Inverkeithing,
between the Royalists and Oliver Cromwell's troops, a foster father and
seven brave sons are known to have thus sacrificed themselves for Sir
Hector Maclean of Duart; the old man, whenever one of his boys fell,
thrusting forward another to fill his place at the right hand of the
beloved chief, with the very words adopted in the novel, "Another for
Hector!"
Nay, the feeling could outlive generations. The late much lamented
General Stewart of Garth, in his account of the battle of Killiecrankie,
informs us that Lochiel was attended on the field by the son of his
foster brother.
"This faithful adherent followed him like his shadow, ready to assist
him with his sword, or cover him from the shot of the enemy. Suddenly
the chief missed his friend from his side, and, turning round to look
what had become of him, saw him lying on his back with his breast
pierced by an arrow. He had hardly breath, before he expired, to tell
Lochiel that, seeing an enemy, a Highlander in General Mackay's army,

aiming at him with a bow and arrow, he sprung behind him, and thus
sheltered him from instant death. This" observes the gallant David
Stewart, "is a species of duty not often practised, perhaps, by our aide
de camps of the present day."-- Sketches of the Highlanders, vol. i. p.
65.
I have only to add, that the Second Series of Chronicles of the
Canongate, with the chapter introductory which precedes, appeared in
May, 1828, and had a favourable reception.
ABBOTSFORD, Aug. 15, 1831.

CHAPTER I
.
"Behold the Tiber," the vain Roman cried, Viewing the ample Tay from
Baiglie's side; But where's the Scot that would the vaunt repay, And
hail the puny Tiber for