131. Saint Modan. A Scotch abbot of the 7th century. Scott says here: "I
am not prepared to show that Saint Modan was a performer on the harp. It
was, however, no unsaintly accomplishment; for Saint Dunstan certainly
did play upon that instrument, which retaining, as was natural, a
portion of the sanctity attached to its master's character, announced
future events by its spontaneous sound. 'But labouring once in these
mechanic arts for a devout matrone that had sett him on work, his violl,
that hung by him on the wall, of its own accord, without anie man's
helpe, distinctly sounded this anthime: Gaudent in coelis animae
sanctorum qui Christi vestigia sunt secuti; et quia pro eius amore
sanguinem suum fuderunt, ideo cum Christo gaudent aeternum. Whereat all
the companie being much astonished, turned their eyes from beholding him
working, to looke on that strange accident.... Not long after, manie of
the court that hitherunto had born a kind of fayned friendship towards
him, began now greatly to envie at his progresse and rising in goodness,
using manie crooked, backbiting meanes to diffame his vertues with the
black markes of hypocrisie. And the better to authorise their calumnie,
they brought in this that happened in the violl, affirming it to have
been done by art magick. What more? this wicked rumour encreased, dayly,
till the king and others of the nobilitie taking hould thereof, Dunstan
grew odious in their sight. Therefore he resolued to leaue the court,
and goe to Elphegus, surnamed the Bauld, then bishop of Winchester, who
was his cozen. Which his enemies understanding, they layd wayte for him
in the way, and hauing throwne him off his horse, beate him, and dragged
him in the durt in the most miserable manner, meaning to have slaine
him, had not a companie of mastiue dogges, that came unlookt uppon them,
defended and redeemed him from their crueltie. When with sorrow he
was ashamed to see dogges more humane than they. And giuing thankes to
Almightie God, he sensibly againe perceaued that the tunes of his violl
had giuen him a warning of future accidents' (Flower of the Lives of
the most renowned Sainets of England, Scotland, and Ireland, by the R.
Father Hierome Porter. Doway, 1632 4to. tome i. p. 438).
"The same supernatural circumstance is alluded to by the anonymous
author of Grim, the Collier of Croydon:
'-----[Dunstant's harp sounds on the wall.]
'Forrest. Hark, hark, my lord, the holy abbot's harp
Sounds by itself so hanging on the wall!
'Dunstan. Unhallow'd man, that scorn'st the sacred rede,
Hark, how the testimony of my truth
Sounds heavenly music with an angel's hand,
To testify Dunstan's integrity,
And prove thy active boast of no effect.'"
141. Bothwell's bannered hall. The picturesque ruins of Bothwell Castle
stand on the banks of the Clyde, about nine miles above Glasgow. Some
parts of the walls are 14 feet thick, and 60 feet in height. They are
covered with ivy, wild roses, and wall-flowers.
"The tufted grass lines Bothwell's ancient hall,
The fox peeps cautious from the creviced wall,
Where once proud Murray, Clydesdale's ancient lord,
A mimic sovereign, held the festal board."
142. Ere Douglases, to ruin driven. Scott says: "The downfall of the
Douglases of the house of Angus, during the reign of James V., is the
event alluded to in the text. The Earl of Angus, it will be remembered,
had married the queen dowager, and availed himself of the right which he
thus acquired, as well as of his extensive power, to retain the king
in a sort of tutelage, which approached very near to captivity. Several
open attempts were made to rescue James from this thraldom, with
which he was well known to be deeply disgusted; but the valor of the
Douglases, and their allies, gave them the victory in every conflict.
At length, the king, while residing at Falkland, contrived to escape by
night out of his own court and palace, and rode full speed to Stirling
Castle, where the governor, who was of the opposite faction, joyfully
received him. Being thus at liberty, James speedily summoned around him
such peers as he knew to be most inimical to the domination of Angus,
and laid his complaint before them, says Pitscottie, 'with great
lamentations: showing to them how he was holding in subjection, thir
years bygone, by the Earl of Angus, and his kin and friends, who
oppressed the whole country, and spoiled it, under the pretence of
justice and his authority; and had slain many of his lieges, kinsmen,
and friends, because they would have had it mended at their hands, and
put him at liberty, as he ought to have been, at the counsel of
his whole lords, and not have been subjected and corrected with no
particular men, by the rest of his nobles: Therefore, said he, I
desire, my lords, that I may be satisfied of the said earl, his kin, and
friends; for I avow, that Scotland shall not hold us both, while [i.e.
till] I be revenged on him and his.
'The lords hearing the king's complaint and lamentation, and also the
great rage, fury, and malice, that he bure toward the Earl of Angus, his
kin and friends, they concluded all and thought it best, that he should
be summoned to underly the law; if he fand not caution, nor yet compear
himself, that he should be put to the horn, with all his kin and
friends, so many as were contained in the letters. And further, the
lords ordained, by advice of his majesty, that his brother and friends
should be summoned to find caution to underly the law within a certain
day, or else be put to the horn. But the earl appeared not, nor none
for him; and so he was put to the horn, with all his kin and friends:
so many as were contained in the summons, that compeared not, were
banished, and holden traitors to the king.'"
159. From Tweed to Spey. From the Tweed, the southern boundary of
Scotland, to the Spey, a river far to the north in Invernessshire; that
is, from one end of the land to the other.
170. Reave. Tear away. The participle reft is still used, at least in
poetry. Cf. Shakespeare, V. and A. 766: "Or butcher-sire that reaves his
son of life" (that is, bereaves); Spenser, F. Q. i. 3. 36: "He to him
lept, in minde to reave his life;" Id. ii. 8. 15: "I will him reave of
arms," etc.