Chapter 13

To face the garment of rebellion
With some fine colour, that may please the eye
Of fickle changelings, and poor discontents,
Which gape and rub the elbow at the news
Of hurlyburly innovation.--HENRY THE FOURTH, PART II.

There had been great preparations made at Ellieslaw Castle for the
entertainment on this important day, when not only the gentlemen of note
in the neighbourhood, attached to the Jacobite interest, were expected
to rendezvous, but also many subordinate malecontents, whom difficulty
of circumstances, love of change, resentment against England, or any of
the numerous causes which inflamed men's passions at the time, rendered
apt to join in perilous enterprise. The men of rank and substance were
not many in number; for almost all the large proprietors stood aloof,
and most of the smaller gentry and yeomanry were of the Presbyterian
persuasion, and therefore, however displeased with the Union, unwilling
to engage in a Jacobite conspiracy. But there were some gentlemen of
property, who, either from early principle, from religious motives, or
sharing the ambitious views of Ellieslaw, had given countenance to his
scheme; and there were, also, some fiery young men, like Mareschal,
desirous of signalizing themselves by engaging in a dangerous
enterprise, by which they hoped to vindicate the independence of their
country. The other members of the party were persons of inferior rank
and desperate fortunes, who were now ready to rise in that part of the
country, as they did afterwards in the year 1715, under Forster and
Derwentwater, when a troop, commanded by a Border gentleman, named
Douglas, consisted almost entirely of freebooters, among whom the
notorious Luck-in-a-bag, as he was called, held a distinguished command.
We think it necessary to mention these particulars, applicable solely
to the province in which our scene lies; because, unquestionably, the
Jacobite party, in the other parts of the kingdom, consisted of much
more formidable, as well as much more respectable, materials.

One long table extended itself down the ample hall of Ellieslaw Castle,
which was still left much in the state in which it had been one hundred
years before, stretching, that is, in gloomy length, along the whole
side of the castle, vaulted with ribbed arches of freestone, the groins
of which sprung from projecting figures, that, carved into all the
wild forms which the fantastic imagination of a Gothic architect could
devise, grinned, frowned, and gnashed their tusks at the assembly below.
Long narrow windows lighted the banqueting room on both sides, filled
up with stained glass, through which the sun emitted a dusky and
discoloured light. A banner, which tradition averred to have been taken
from the