parsnips. I have heard
enough since I came here, to satisfy me that a cavalier of honour is
free to take any part in this civil embroilment whilk he may find
most convenient for his own peculiar. Loyalty is your pass-word,
my lord--Liberty, roars another chield from the other side of
the strath--the King, shouts one war-cry--the Parliament, roars
another--Montrose, for ever, cries Donald, waving his bonnet--Argyle
and Leven, cries a south-country Saunders, vapouring with his hat
and feather. Fight for the bishops, says a priest, with his gown and
rochet--Stand stout for the Kirk, cries a minister, in a Geneva cap and
band.--Good watchwords all--excellent watchwords. Whilk cause is the
best I cannot say. But sure am I, that I have fought knee-deep in blood
many a day for one that was ten degrees worse than the worst of them
all."

"And pray, Captain Dalgetty," said his lordship, "since the pretensions
of both parties seem to you so equal, will you please to inform us by
what circumstances your preference will be determined?"

"Simply upon two considerations, my lord," answered the soldier.
"Being, first, on which side my services would be in most honourable
request;--And, secondly, whilk is a corollary of the first, by whilk
party they are likely to be most gratefully requited. And, to deal
plainly with you, my lord, my opinion at present doth on both points
rather incline to the side of the Parliament."

"Your reasons, if you please," said Lord Menteith, "and perhaps I may be
able to meet them with some others which are more powerful."

"Sir, I shall be amenable to reason," said Captain Dalgetty, "supposing
it addresses itself to my honour and my interest. Well, then, my lord,
here is a sort of Highland host assembled, or expected to assemble, in
these wild hills, in the King's behalf. Now, sir, you know the nature of
our Highlanders. I will not deny them to be a people stout in body
and valiant in heart, and courageous enough in their own wild way of
fighting, which is as remote from the usages and discipline of war as
ever was that of the ancient Scythians, or of the salvage Indians of
America that now is, They havena sae mickle as a German whistle, or a
drum, to beat a march, an alarm, a charge, a retreat, a reveille, or the
tattoo, or any other point of war; and their damnable skirlin' pipes,
whilk they themselves pretend to understand, are unintelligible to the
ears of any cavaliero accustomed to civilised warf