The Waverley novels, by Sir Walter Scott, complete in 12 vol., printed from the latest English ed., embracing the author's last corrections, prefaces & notes.

462 WAYVER LEY NOVELSo.
enemy, Cornet Grahame commanded his trumpeter to sound a parley. The
insurgents having no instrument of martial music wherewith to make the
appropriate reply, one of their number called out with a loud, strong voice,
demanding to know why he approached their leaguer.
" To summon you in the King's name, and in that of Colonel John Grahame of Claverhouse, specially commissioned by the right honourable Privy
Council of Scotland," answered the Cornet, " to lay down your arms, and
dismiss the followers whom ye have led into rebellion, contrary to the laws
of God, of the King, and of the country."
"Return to them. that sent thee," said the insurgent leader, "and tell
them that we are this day in arms for a broken Covenant and a persecuted
Kirk; tell them that we renounce the licentious and perjured Charles Stuart, whom you call king, even as he renounced the Covenant, after having
once and again sworn to prosecute to the utmost of his power all the ends
thereof, really, constantly, and sincerely, all the. days of his life, having no
enemies but the enemies of the Covenant, and no friends but its friends.
Whereas, f-ar from keeping the oath he had called God and angels to witness, his first step, after his incoming into these kingdoms, was the fearful
grasping'at the prerogative of the Almighty, by that hideous Act of Supremacy, together with his expulsing, without summons, libel, or process
of law, hundreds of famous faithful preachers, thereby wringing the bread
of life out of the mouth of hungry, poor creatures, and forcibly cramming
their throats with the lifeless, saltless, foisonless, lukewarm drammock of
the fourteen false prelates, and their sycophantic, formal, carnal, scandalous
creature-curates."
"I did not come to hear you preach," answered the officer, " but to know,
in one word, if you will disperse yourselves, on condition of a free pardon
to all but the murderers of the late Archbishop of St. Andrews; or whether
you will abide the attack of his Majesty's forces, which will instantly advance upon you."
" In one word, then," answered the spokesman, "'we are here with our
swords on our thighs, as men that watch in the night. We will take one
part and portion together, as brethren in righteousness. Whosoever assails
us in our good cause, his blood be on his own head. So return to them
that sent thee, and God give them and thee a sight of'the evil of your
ways!"'
" Is not your name," said the Cornet, who began to recollect having seen
the person whom he was now speaking with, "John Balfour of Burley?"
"And if it be," said the spokesman, "hast thou ought to say against
it?"
"Only," said the Cornet, "that as you are excluded from pardon in the
name of the King and of my commanding officer, it is to these country
people, and not to you, that I offer it; and it is not with you, or such as
you, that I am sent to treat."
" Thou art a young soldier, friend," said Burley, "and scant well learned
in thy trade, or thou wouldst know that the bearer of a flag of truce cannot
treat with the army but through their officers; and that if he presume to
do otherwise, he forfeits his safe-conduct."
While speaking these words, Burley unslung his carabine, and held it in
readiness.
"I am not to be intimidated from the discharge of my duty by the
menaces of a murderer," said Cornet Grahame. -" Hear me, good people!
-I proclaim in the name of the King, and of my commanding officer, full
and free pardon to all, excepting"" I give thee fair warning," said Burley, presenting his piece.
" A free pardon to all," continued the young officer, still addressing the
body of the insurgents —" to all but" —
" Then the Lord grant grace to thy soul-amen!" said Burley.