第87章

deClunybroughtoffandstillpreserves；andhistribelykewaysbroughtoffmanyarms；-theColonelwasafterwardstakenup，and，hiswoundsbeingdress’d，withgreatdifficultierecovered。Mons。deClunylostonlyintheactiontwelvemen，ofwhomsomehaveingbeenonlywounded，fellafterwardsintothehandsoftheenemy，andweresentasslavestoAmerica，whenceseveralofthemreturned，andoneofthemisnowinFrance，aserjeantintheRegimentofRoyalScots。Howsoontheaccountsoftheenemie’sapproachhadreachedthePrince，H。R。H。hadimmediatelyorderedMi-LordleComtedeNairne，Brigadier，who，beingproscribed，isnowinFrance，withthethreebatalionsoftheDukeofAthol，thebatalionoftheDukeofPerth，andsomeothertroupsunderhiscommand，inordertosupportCluny，andtobringofftheartilirie。ButtheactionwasintirelyoverbeforetheComtedeNairne，withhiscommand，cou’dreachnightotheplace。Theythereforereturn’dalltoPenrith，andtheartiliriemarchedupingoodorder。NordidtheDukeofComberlandeverafterwardsdaretocomewithinaday’smarchofthePrinceandhisarmydureingthecourseofallthatretreat，whichwasconductedwithgreatprudenceandsafetywheninsomemannersurroundedbyenemies。’’

NoteBB，p。<？p383>-OathupontheDirk。

AstheheathendeitiescontractedanindelibleobligationiftheysworebyStyx，theScottishHighlandershadusuallysomepeculiarsolemnityattachedtoanoathwhichtheyintendedshouldbebindingonthem。Veryfrequentlyitconsistedinlayingtheirhand，astheyswore，ontheirowndrawndirk；whichdagger，becomingapartytothetransaction，wasinvokedtopunishanybreachoffaith。Butbywhateverritualtheoathwassanctioned，thepartywasextremelydesiroustokeepsecretwhattheespecialoathwas，whichheconsideredasirrevocable。Thiswasamatterofgreatconvenience，ashefeltnoscrupleinbreakinghisasseverationwhenmadeinanyotherformthanthatwhichheaccountedaspeculiarlysolemn；andthereforereadilygrantedanyengagementwhichboundhimnolongerthanheinclined。

Whereas，iftheoathwhichheaccountedinviolablewasoncepubliclyknown，nopartywithwhomhemighthaveoccasiontocontractwouldhaverestedsatisfiedwithanyother。LouisXI。ofFrancepractisedthesamesophistry，forhealsohadapeculiarspeciesofoath，theonlyonewhichhewaseverknowntorespect，andwhich，therefore，hewasveryunwillingtopledge。TheonlyengagementwhichthatwilytyrantaccountedbindinguponhimwasanoathbytheHolyCrossofSaintLod’Angers，whichcontainedaportionoftheTrueCross。Ifheprevaricatedaftertakingthisoath，Louisbelievedheshoulddiewithintheyear。TheConstableSaintPaul，beinginvitedtoapersonalconferencewithLouis，refusedtomeetthekingunlesshewouldagreetoensurehimsafeconductundersanctionofthisoath。But，saysComines，thekingreplied，hewouldneveragainpledgethatengagementtomortalman，thoughhewaswillingtotakeanyotheroathwhichcouldbedevised。Thetreatybrokeoff，therefore，aftermuchchafferingconcerningthenatureofthevowwhichLouiswastotake。

Suchisthedifferencebetweenthedictatesofsuperstitionandthoseofconscience。

Ahomelymetricalnarrativeoftheeventsoftheperiod，whichcontainssomestrikingparticulars，andisstillagreatfavouritewiththelowerclasses，givesaverycorrectstatementofthebehaviourofthemountaineersrespectingthissamemilitarylicense；andastheversesarelittleknown，andcontainsomegoodsense，weventuretoinsertthem。

Now，gentlereaders，IhaveletyoukenMyverythoughts，fromheartandpen，’Tisneedlessfortoconten’

Oryetcontroule，Forthere’snotawordo’tIcanmen’-

Soyemustthole。

Foronbothsides，somewerenotgood；

Isawthe