Then the Earl remembered that what Dom Nicholas and I had done so easily
in the crossing of the Doon, other men as determined might also do. But
being, as I have said, by nature a brave man, he first awaited the
event. Nor was it long before, at a given signal, Drummurchie and young
Auchendrayne set their horses to the water and came at us through the
bends of the river, in spite of the shots that rained upon them, and the
men that dropped from their seats and spun down the flooded Doon. For
it was soon after the time of the Lammas floods, and the water was yet
drumlie and wan.
In our front the Craufords raged, and altogether in a trice our position
was wholly turned.
’This is not well done,’ cried our Earl to Thomas of Drummurchie, as he
laid stoutly about him. ’Thy brother had not so have treated his chief,
when he strove with the enemies of the clan. Wolf should not tear wolf,
nor Kennedy Kennedy!’
In a little it was seen that the promontory could not be kept in face of
a force three times our number, and specially when those of our own name
and ancient alliance were striving against us.
’Out of the neck of the bottle, and keep together!’ cried the Earl, who
on stricken field was no shaveling.
So with that, Earl John led his people straight across the water at the
point of the land that jutted between the forces of Auchendrayne that
came from the north, and Drummurchie’s desperate riders who beset us on
the south. So swiftly was this done that before they could close or the
Craufords come on, most part of the Cassillis folk had passed Doon
water. Though there were twenty at the least who were either drowned or
else wounded to death, where they had fought the wager out on the fair
holms of Dalrymple.
It so befel as the Minister and I were riding home, that we came on our
little company of Culzean lads riding with tired horses and slack reins
shorewards. And God be thanked for His ill-deserved mercy, in the
quarrel that had been so evilly settled, there was no loss to Culzean.
For we came not home with a single empty saddle, nor was there so much
as a pike staff left behind. The last of it that they heard was the
shouts of the Craufords as they flitted the sow over the water to the
lands of Kennedy, thus clearing their own borders ere set of sun,
according to their boast and promise.
On the morrow’s morn there came to each Kennedy’s gate a little
squealing pigling with the Cassillis colours of blue and gold tied in
derision to its curled tail. And round its neck was this motto, ’The
flitted sow of Cassillis hath pigged, and Crauford of Kerse sends the
litter home!’
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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