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.

384 WAVERLEY NOVE LS.
And now, hinny, gang awa', and serve the folk, but first bring me my
dinner, and twa chappins o' yill and the mutchkin stoup o' brandy."
Having thus devolved his whole cares on Jenny as prime *minister, Niel
Blane and the ci-devacnt laird, once his patron, but now glad to be his
trencher-companion, sate down to enjoy themselves for the remainder of the
evening, remote from the bustle of the public room.
All in Jenny's department was in full activity. The knights of the
popinjay received and requited the hospitable entertainment of their captain, who, though he spared the cup himself, took care it should go round
with due celerity among the rest, who might not have otherwise deemed
themselves handsomely treated. Their numbers melted away by degrees,
and were at length diminished to four or five, who began to talk of breaking
up their party. At another table, at some distance, sat two of the dragoons
whom Niel Blane had mentioned, a sergeant and a private in the celebrated
John Grahame of Claverhouse's regiment of Life-Guards. Even the noncommissioned officers and privates in these corps were not considered as
ordinary mercenaries, but rather approached to the rank of the French
mousquetaires, being regarded in the light of cadets, who performed the
duties of rank-and-file with the prospect of obtaining commissions in case
of distinguishing. themselves.
Many young men of good families were to be found in the ranks, a circumstance which added to the pride and self-consequence of these troops.
A remarkable instance of this occurred in the person of the nQn-commissioned officer in question. His real name was Francis Stewart, but he was
universally known by the appellation of Bothwell, being lineally descended
from the last earl of that name-not the infamous lover of the unfortunate
Queen Mary, but Francis Stewart, Earl of Bothwell, whose turbulence and
repeated conspiracies embarrassed the early part of James Sixth's reign,
and who at length died in exile in great poverty. The son of this Earl had
sued to Charles I. for the restitution of part of his father's forfeited estates,
but the grasp of the nobles to whom they had been allotted was too tenacious to be unclenched. The'breaking out of the civil wars utterly ruined
him, by intercepting a small pension which Charles I. had allowed him,
and he died in the utmost indigence. His son, after having served as a
soldier abroad and in Britain, and passed through several vicissitudes of
fortune, was fain to content himself with the situation of a non-commissioned officer in the Life-Guards, although lineally descended from the
royal family, the father of the forfeited Earl of Bothwell having been a
natural son of James VI.* Great personal strength and dexterity in the
use of his arms, as well as the remarkable circumstances of his descent,
had recommended this man to the attention of his officers. But he partook
in a great degree of the licentiousness and oppressive disposition, which
the habit of acting as agents for government in levying fines, exacting free
quarters, and otherwise oppressing the Presbyterian recusants, had rendered too general among these soldiers. They were so much accustomed
to such missions; that they conceived themselves at liberty to commit. all
manner of licence with impunity, as if totally exempted from all law and
authority, excepting the command of their officers. On such occasions
Bothwell was usually the most forward.
* The history of the restless and ambitious Francis Stewart, Earl of Bothwell, makes a considerable figure
in the reign of James VI. of Scotland, and First of England. After being repeatedly pardoned for acts of
treason, he, was at length obliged to retire abroad, where lie died in great misery. Great part of his forfeited estate was bestowed on Walter Scott, first Lord of Buccleugh, and on the first Earl of Roxburghe.
Francis Stewart, son of the forfeited Earl. obtained from the favour of Charles I. a decreet-arbitral, appointing lthe two noblemen, grantees of his father's estate, to restore the same, or make some compensation
for retaining it. T'rie barony of Crichton, with its beautiful castle, was surrendered by the curators of
Francis, Earl of Buccleugh, but lie retained the far more extensive property in Liddesdale. James Stewart
also, as appears from writings in the author's possession, made an advantageous composition with the Earl
of Roxbiarghe. "But," says the satirical Scotstarvet, "mate parta petas dilabustur; for he never brooked them
(enjoyed them) nor was anything the richer, since they accrued to his creditors, and are now in the possession of Dr. Seaton. His eldest son Francis became a trooper m the late war; as for the other brothel, Johzn