, 1863-12-19


Walter, would thou shouldst hew me in
pieces, and fling my mangled body to your
hounds"
"Troth and It's no bad thought" said
the sorcerer. "Thou mayest have thy wish.
Yet, boy, ye think that have no mercy !;
l will teach thee that l have, and refined
mercy, too. Now, tell me truly, were in
thy power as thou art in mine, what fate
would ye award to SOULS 2"
"Then, truly" replied Walter, " would
hang thee on the highest tree in Branxholm
woods"
---~vrr spoken, young srdMg:Bow, re- ro:
turned SOULS; "and will show thee, though
ye think have no mercy, that l am more
mcrciful than thou. Ye would choose for
me the highest tree, but shall give thee
the choice Of the tree from which you may
prefer your body to hang, aud from whose
top the owl may sing its midnight song, and
to which the ravens shall gather for feast.
And thou, pretty face" added he, turning
to Marien, "sith you will not, even to save
him, give me thine hand, i faith if l may
not be thy husband, will be thy priest and
celebrate your marriage, for will bind your
hands together, and ye shall hang on the
next branch to him."
For that l thank thee" said the un-
daunted maiden. 81
He then called together his four remain
ing armed men, and placing halters round
the necks Of his intended victims, they were
dragged forth to the woods around the Her
mitage, where Walter was to choose the fatal
tree.
Now deep mist covered the face Of the
earth, and they could perceive no object at
the distance of half bOw-shOt before them /;
and, ere he had approached the wood where
he was to carry his mereilcss project into
execution
1.-The wood comes towards usv' exclaimed
one Of his followers.
"What! the wood comes ~ cried SOULS,
and his cheek became pale, and he thought
Of the words Of the demon" Beware Of a
coming wood" and, for time, their remem-
brance, and the forest that seemed toadyance
before him, deprived his arm of strength
and his mind of resolution; and, before his
heart recovered, the followers Of the house
of Branxholm, to the number Of fourscore,
each bearing tall branch Of the rowan-tree
in his hand,t as charm against sorcery,
perceived, and, raising loud shout, SUI
rounded him.
The cords with which the arms Of Marion
and Walter were bound were instantly cut
asunder. But, although the odds against
him wSga Ms twenty to oiia the daring Sonlis
defedrtfism alf Yea, wikn his followers
were ovcrpOwered, his single arm dealt death
around.
Now there was not day passed that com
laints were not brought to King Robert,
from those residing on the Borders, against
Lord Souls, for his laHless oppression, his
cruelty, and his wizard-craft. And, one day,
there came before the monarch, ono after an-
other, some complaining that he had brought
diseases on their cattle, or destroyed their
houses by fire, and third, that he had stolen
away the fair bride of BanxhOlm's heir;
and they stood before the King, and begged
to know what should be done unto him.
Now the King was wearied with their i'm
portunities and complaints, and exclaimed,
peevishly and unthinkingly, Boil him, if
you please, but let me hear no more about
him - But
1T is tho curse of kings 10 be attended
BY slaves that take their humor for warrant
and, when the enemies Of Soulis heard these
words from the lips of the King, they has
tened away to put them in execution; and
with them they took wise man, one who
was learned in breaking the spells of sor-
cery, and with him he carried scroll, on
which was written the secret wisdom Of Mi
chacl the Wizard; and they arrived before
Hermitage Castle while its lord was con-
tending single-handed against the rctainers
Of Branxholm, and their swords were blunt
ed on his buckler, and his body received no
wounds. They struck him to the ground
with their lances; and they endeavored to
bind his hands and his feet with cords, but
his spell snapped them asunder as threads.
"Wrap him in lead," cried the wise man,
" and boil him Herewith, according to the
command Of the King; for water and hempen
cords have no power over his sorcery."
Many ran towards the castle, and they
tore tho lead from the turrets, and they held
down the sorcerer, and rolled the sheets
around him in many folds, till be was pow
erlcss as child, and the foam fell from his
lips in the impotency Of his rage. Others
procured caldron, in which it was said
many Of his incantations were performed,
and the cry was raised
"Boil him on the Nine-stane rigW
And they bore him to where the stones
Of the Druids are to be seen till this day,
and the two stones are yet pointed out from
which the caldron was suspended. They
kindled piles Of figgots beneath It, and they
bent the living body Of Souls within the lead,
and thrust it into the caldrOn, and, as the
flames arose, the flesh and the bones Of the
wizard were consumed in the boiling lead.
Such was the doom Of SOULS.
The King sent messengers to prevent his
hasty words being carried into execution,
but they arrived too late.
In few weeks there was mirth and music
and a marriage feast in the bowers Of Branx-
holm, and fair Marion was the bride.
*When cattle died suddenly, it was be-
lieved to be by an arrow-schot; that is,
shot or struck down by the invisible dart Of
a sorccrer. -,il.alR i.s 4o
tit is probable that the legend Of the
q coming wood" referred 10 in the tradition