Biographical fiction; Historical fiction; Outlaws -- Fiction; Rob Roy, 1671-1734 -- Fiction; Scotland -- History -- 1689-1745 -- Fiction
To reward his courage, David granted him the lands of Glenorchy, and,
in remembrance of the day, added to his arms _argent_, an oak-tree
uprooted _vert_, across a claymore _azure_, which every MacGregor may
bear to this day.
But now the Campbells were lords of Glenorchy, and just as Greumoch
had ended this legend of the clan, which no doubt all his hearers
knew before, the great personage they were in search of rode into the
defile, when he was surrounded, and his retainers were scattered in a
moment.
On finding himself a prisoner, and knowing well to whom, the baronet
proposed a ransom; but bribes were offered and threats uttered in
vain to Greumoch, who ordered the prisoner to be tied up in a long
plaid, which was slung over the shoulders of Alaster Roy and another
tall gilly; and thus by turns, with two bearers at a time, he was
conveyed for about fourteen miles to a place called Tyndrum, where he
was brought before Rob Roy.
This village is at the head of Strathfillan in Breadalbane, on the
western military road.
Rob upbraided the prisoner with his cruelty and oppression, and
threatened to toss him over the rock into Loch Lomond, with a stone
in his plaid, if he did not restore the lands in Glendochart to their
original owner.
Paper was produced, a document was drawn up and signed, by the tenor
of which he and his heirs renounced them formally and for ever.
He now hoped to be allowed to depart; but there arose a cry of,--
"To the well! to the well! give him a dip in the Holy Pool of St.
Fillan!"
It was Paul Crubach who spoke.
"Be it so," said Rob; "if the water has not lost its virtue, a dip
therein may improve the Campbell's spirit of honour, and prevent him
from robbing the poor again."
In spite of his earnest entreaties, the MacGregors bore their
prisoner, who feared they were about to drown him, to the well of St.
Fillan. The whole population of the village followed, and lame Paul
hobbled in front, chuckling and laughing, while his eyes flashed with
insane delight, his long grizzled hair streaming in elf-locks on the
wind, as with one hand he brandished his wooden cross, and with the
other tolled vehemently the ancient bell of St. Fillan, which in
those days always stood upon a gravestone in the churchyard.
After permitting his men to duck the prisoner soundly, Rob procured a
horse, and sent him homeward with a safe escort under his son Coll;
but though these indignities were too great to be forgotten, in
followers Rob was too strong now to be captured, even by the
Campbells of Argyle.
For the forthcoming revolt money was requisite, and Campbell of
Aberuchail, taking advantage of Rob Roy's outlawry, had long withheld
his tribute of black-mail, so, before returning to Craigrostan, our
hero resolved on levying it, and marching from Tyndrum at the head of
his followers, appeared before the mansion of Aberuchail, the
proprietors of which had been baronets since 1627.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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