Historical fiction; Jacobite Rebellion, 1745-1746 -- Fiction; Scotland -- History -- 18th century -- Fiction
When the dinner was removed, the Baron announced the health of the
King, politely leaving to the consciences of his guests to drink to
the sovereign DE FACTO or DE JURE, as their politics inclined.
The conversation now became general; and, shortly afterwards, Miss
Bradwardine, who had done the honours with natural grace and simplicity,
retired, and was soon followed by the clergyman. Among the rest of the
party, the wine, which fully justified the encomiums of the landlord,
flowed freely round, although Waverley, with some difficulty, obtained
the privilege of sometimes neglecting the glass. At length, as the
evening grew more late, the Baron made a private signal to Mr. Saunders
Saunderson, or, as he facetiously denominated him, ALEXANDER AB
ALEXANDRO, who left the room with a nod, and soon after returned, his
grave countenance mantling with a solemn and mysterious smile, and
placed before his master a small oaken casket, mounted with brass
ornaments of curious form. The Baron, drawing out a private key,
unlocked the casket, raised the lid, and produced a golden goblet of
a singular and antique appearance, moulded into the shape of a rampant
bear, which the owner regarded with a look of mingled reverence, pride,
and delight, that irresistibly reminded Waverley of Ben Jonson's Tom
Otter, with his Bull, Horse, and Dog, as that wag wittily denominated
his chief carousing cups. But Mr. Bradwardine, fuming towards him with
complacency, requested him to observe this curious relic of the olden
time.
'It represents,' he said, 'the chosen crest of our family, a bear, as ye
observe, and rampant; because a good herald will depict every animal in
its noblest posture; as a horse SALIENT, a greyhound CURRANT, and, as
may be inferred, a ravenous animal IN ACTU FEROCIORI, or in a voracious,
lacerating, and devouring posture. Now, sir, we hold this most
honourable achievement by the wappen-brief, or concession of arms,
of Frederick Redbeard, Emperor of Germany, to my predecessor, Godmund
Bradwardine, it being the crest of a gigantic Dane, whom he slew in
the lists in the Holy Land, on a quarrel touching the chastity of the
Emperor's spouse or daughter, tradition saith not precisely which, and
thus, as Virgilius hath it--
Mutemus clypeos, Danaumque insignia nobis
Aptemus.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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