The House of Whispers | Page 5

at the time; but in his
absence his eldest son, William, Master of Dunning, called out a
number of his clansmen, and marched towards Glencardine for the
purpose of putting a stop to the abbot's proceedings. The Grahams of
Glencardine, having been apprised of their neighbour's intention,
mustered in strong force, and marched to meet him. The opposing
forces encountered each other at the north side of Knock Mary, about
two miles to the south-west of Crieff, while a number of the clan
M'Robbie, who lived beside the Loch of Balloch, marched up the south
side of the hill, halting at the top to watch the progress of the combat.
The fight began with great fury on both sides. The Glencardine men,
however, began to get the upper hand and drive their opponents back,
when the M'Robbies rushed down the hill to the succour of the
Killearns. The tables were now turned. The Grahams were unable to
maintain their ground against the combined forces which they had now
to face, and fled towards Glencardine, taking refuge in the Kirk of
Monzievaird. The Killearns had no desire to follow up their success
any farther, but at this stage they were joined by Duncan Campbell of
Dunstaffnage, who had come across from Argyllshire to avenge the
death of his father-in-law, Robert of Monzie, who, along with his two
sons, had a short time before been killed by the Lord of Glencardine.
An arrow shot from the church fatally wounded one of Campbell's men,
and so enraged were the besiegers at this that they set fire to the
heather-thatched building. Of the one hundred and sixty human beings
who are supposed to have been in the church, only one young lad
escaped, and this was effected by the help of one of the Killearns, who
caught the boy in his arms as he leaped out of the flames. The Killearns
did not go unpunished for their barbarous deed. Their leader, with

several of his chief retainers, was afterwards beheaded at Stirling, and
an assessment was imposed on the Killearns for behoof of the wives
and children of the Grahams who had perished by their hands.
The Killearn by whose aid the young Graham had been saved was
forced to flee to Ireland, but he afterwards returned to Scotland, where
he and his attendants were known by the name of "Killearn Eirinich"
(or Ernoch), meaning Killearn of Ireland. The estate which he held, and
which is situated near Comrie, still bears that name. The site of the
Kirk of Monzievaird is now occupied by the mausoleum of the family
of Murray of Ochtertyre, which was erected in 1809. When the
foundations were being excavated a large quantity of charred bones and
wood was found.
The history of Scotland is full of references to the doings at
Glencardine, the fine home of the great Lord Glencardine, and of
events, both in the original stronghold and in the present mansion,
which have had important bearings upon the welfare of the country.
In the autumn of 1825 the celebrated poetess Baroness Nairne, who had
been born at Gask, a few miles away, visited Glencardine and spent
several weeks in the pleasantest manner. Within those gaunt ruins of
the old castle she first became inspired to write her celebrated "Castell
Gloom," near Dollar:
Oh Castell Gloom! thy strength is gone, The green grass o'er thee
growin'; On Hill of Care thou art alone, The Sorrow round thee flowin'.
Oh Castell Gloom! on thy fair wa's Nae banners now are streamin'; The
howlit flits amang thy ha's, And wild birds there are screamin'.
Oh, mourn the woe! oh, mourn the crime Frae civil war that flows! Oh,
mourn, Argyll, thy fallen line, And mourn the great Montrose!
The lofty Ochils bright did glow, Though sleepin' was the sun; But
mornin's light did sadly show What ragin' flames had done! Oh, mirk,
mirk was the misty cloud That hung o'er thy wild wood! Thou wert like
beauty in a shroud, And all was solitude.

A volume, indeed, could be written upon the history, traditions, and
superstitions of Glencardine Castle, a subject in which its blind owner
took the keenest possible interest. But, tragedy of it all, he had never
seen the lovely old domain he had acquired! Only by Gabrielle's
descriptions of it, as she led him so often across the woods, down by
the babbling burn, or over the great ivy-covered ruins, did he know and
love it.
Every shepherd of the Ochils knows of the Lady of Glencardine who,
on rare occasions, had been seen dressed in green flitting before the
modern mansion, and who was said to be the spectre of the young Lady
Jane Glencardine, who in 1710 was foully drowned in the Earn by her
jealous lover,