sixth of October was named, and all
were to assemble at Greenrig. Here those who rode from Bywell were met
by Mr. Forster, with a party of twenty gentlemen. The meeting might have
recalled the days of the Cavaliers: the winding of the river Tyne in the
valley; the rural village of Bywell; on the rising ground to the right a
ruin, once the fortress of the vale, and held in former times by the
Baliols, presented a scene of tranquil beauty, which some who met that
day were destined never to look upon again.

The low situation of Greenrig was deemed inconvenient for the purpose of
the insurgents, and the party ascended a hill called the Waterfalls,
from which they could see the distant country. This spot is thus
described: "As you look upon Bywell from the most pleasing point of
view, the landskip lies in the following order:--from the road near the
front of the river, the ruined piers of a bridge become the front
objects; behind which, in a regular cascade, the whole river falls over
a wear, extended from bank to bank, in height above eight feet
perpendicular; a mill on the right hand, a salmon lock on the left: the
tower and the two churches stretch along the banks of the upper basin of
the river, with a fine curvature; the solemn ruins of the ancient castle
of the Baliols lift their towers above the trees on the right, and make
an agreeable contrast with the adjoining mansion-house. The whole
background appears covered with wood."[189]

On this height Mr. Forster and his party paused; but they had not been
long there before they saw the Earl of Derwentwater, who came that
morning from Dilstone, advancing. He was attended by several friends and
by all his servants, some mounted on his coach-horses, and all well
armed. As they marched through Corbridge, this gallant troop drew their
swords. They were reinforced by several other gentlemen at the house of
Mr. Errington, where they stopped; and they then advanced to the spot
where their friends awaited their approach. They now mustered sixty
horse, mostly composed of gentlemen and their attendants. After a short
council it was decided that they should proceed towards the river
Coquet, to Plainfield: here they were joined by several stragglers: they
marched that evening to Rothbury a small market-town, where they
remained all night, and continued their march on the following morning,
the seventh of October, to Warkworth Castle.

In thus assembling his friends and his tenant