So little, however, was he at this
time in love with vanity, that he had quite forgotten the ceremony in
which Fergus had laboured to engage his curiosity. But next day a formal
'Gazette' was circulated, containing a detailed account of the battle of
Gladsmuir, as the Highlanders chose to denominate their victory. It
concluded with an account of the court afterwards held by the Chevalier
at Pinkie House, which contained this among other high-flown descriptive
paragraphs:--
'Since that fatal treaty which annihilates Scotland as an independent
nation, it has not been our happiness to see her princes receive, and her
nobles discharge, those acts of feudal homage which, founded upon the
splendid actions of Scottish valour, recall the memory of her early
history, with the manly and chivalrous simplicity of the ties which
united to the Crown the homage of the warriors by whom it was repeatedly
upheld and defended. But on the evening of the 20th our memories were
refreshed with one of those ceremonies which belong to the ancient days
of Scotland's glory. After the circle was formed, Cosmo Comyne
Bradwardine of that ilk, colonel in the service, etc.
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