THE
THREE PERILS OF MAN:
A BORDER ROMANCE.
THE
THREE PERILS OF MAN;
OR,
War, Women, and Witchcraft.
A BORDER ROMANCE.
By JAMES HOGG,
AUTHOR OF "WINTER-EVENING TALES," "BROWNIE OF
BODSBECK," "QUEEN'S WAKE," &c. &c.
IN THREE VOLUMES.
VOL. II.
Beshrew me if I dare open it.
Fletcher.
LONDON:
LONGMAN, HURST, REES, ORME, AND BROWN,
PATERNOSTER-ROW.
1822.
John Moir, Printer, Edinburgh, 1822.
[1]
THE
THREE PERILS OF MAN.
CHAPTER I.
He was a base and a cruel knight,
As ever my two eyes did see;
And all that he did, and all that he said,
It was by the might of glamourye.
But yet his gear was o' the goude
As it waved and wampished in the wind;
And the coal-black steed he rode upon,
It was fleeter than the bonny hind.
Ballad of Sir Colin Brand.
The distance from Melrose to the castleof Aikwood being only about nine Englishmiles, our party came in view of it beforesun-set. It was one of those dead calmwinter evenings, not uncommon at thatseason, when the slightest noise is heard ata distance, and the echoes are all abroad.
As they drew near to the huge dark-lookingpile, silence prevailed among themmore and more. All was so still that eventhat beautiful valley seemed a waste. Therewas no hind whistling at the plough; no[2]cattle nor sheep grazing on the holms ofAikwood; no bustle of servants, kinsmen,or their grooms, as at the castles of otherknights. It seemed as if the breath of theenchanter, or his eye, had been infectious,and had withered all within its influence,whether of vegetable, animal, or humanlife. The castle itself scarcely seemed tobe the abode of man; the massy gates wereall locked; no porter was in attendance;and there was only one small piping smokeissuing from one of the turrets.
"Gude faith! callans," said Charlie,"that's a douth and an awsome lookingbigging. I wish we were fairly in, andsafely out again."
"Is that now to be my residence, Yardbire?"said the beautiful Delany. "Willyou go away, and leave Elias and me in thatfrightsome and desolate looking mansion?"
"If the great Master gie us a civil answer,"said Charlie, not well wotting whatto say,—"and desire to have you for hishandmaiden, or rather the mistress of hiscastle, to overlook the other maids, andthe spinning and weaving concerns like,[3]then we have orders to leave you. But,if he should be cross, and crabbit, andpaughty wi' us, ye're in gude hands, andwe'll no quat wi' you sae easily."
"Thou art in good hands indeed," saidthe friar: "But, alas! what is man! aflower of the field that the hand of themower cutteth down and leaveth to decay:A shadow; a sound that passeth away andis not. But, maiden, thou art in betterhands than ours; in hands that will notleave the innocent and guilt                        
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