' The peculiar meaning of all these
cabalistical words few or none could explain; but they implied, upon the
whole, that the Baron of Bradwardine might, in case of delinquency,
imprison, try, and execute his vassals at his pleasure. Like James the
First, however, the present possessor of this authority was more pleased
in talking about prerogative than in exercising it; and excepting that he
imprisoned two poachers in the dungeon of the old tower of Tully-Veolan,
where they were sorely frightened by ghosts, and almost eaten by rats,
and that he set an old woman in the jougs (or Scottish pillory) for
saying' there were mair fules in the laird's ha' house than Davie
Gellatley,' I do not learn that he was accused of abusing his high
powers. Still, however, the conscious pride of possessing them gave
additional importance to his language and deportment.
At his first address to Waverley, it would seem that the hearty pleasure
he felt to behold the nephew of his friend had somewhat discomposed the
stiff and upright dignity of the Baron of Bradwardine's demeanour, for
the tears stood in the old gentleman's eyes, when, having first shaken
Edward heartily by the hand in the English fashion, he embraced him a la
mode Francoise, and kissed him on both sides of his face; while the
hardness of his gripe, and the quantity of Scotch snuff which his
accolade communicated, called corresponding drops of moisture to the eyes
of his guest.
Pages:
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239