Preston Fight Part 16

XII.

Warkworth Castle

NEXT day, the two insurgent chiefs, who were lodged with all their followers in Warkworth Castle, were joined by Lord Widdrington with thirty hors.e.m.e.n.

His lordship would have brought double that number of men, but horses and equipments for them were wanting. Plenty of raw undisciplined infantry could be found, but cavalry were required.

On the whole, however, the prospects of the insurgents were very encouraging. They had plenty of friends at Alnwick and Morpeth, and an insurrection would undoubtedly have taken place in Newcastle, had it not been checked by the sudden arrival of Sir Charles Hotham's regiment of foot from Yorkshire.

From accounts received from every quarter it was certain that the whole country was in a most disturbed state, and reinforcements, though on a somewhat small scale, were constantly arriving. The insurgents had not been many hours in Warkworth when their numbers were augmented by a hundred horse.

Immediately on the arrival of Lord Widdrington at Warkworth, the first business of the insurgent leaders was to collect all their forces in the courtyard of the castle, and proclaim King James.

A large concourse likewise a.s.sembled, and great enthusiasm prevailed. No locality could have been better chosen for the ceremonial, which produced a very striking effect, and no ill omen attended it. On the contrary, everything appeared auspicious. The day was fine, and the proud old castle looked its best, and seemed to smile upon the scene.

After the proclamation had been made-amid loud flourishes of trumpets and beating of drums, accompanied by the shouts of the a.s.semblage-the royal banner was placed on the Lion Tower.

Later on in the day, a banquet was given in the great baronial hall in the keep, at which all the insurgent officers a.s.sisted.

The entertainment was intended to celebrate the appointment of Mr. Forster as General of the Northumbrian forces, which had taken place that day at the recommendation of the Earl of Derwent.w.a.ter and Lord Widdrington, the only persons who could have opposed him.

But they both felt that the commander of the English army must not be a Roman Catholic, and therefore withdrew their own claims, and supported the High Tory squire, who was generally very popular in the county, and to whom objections on the score of religion could not be raised. However deficient Mr. Forster might be in military knowledge and skill, it was thought he would be saved from any grave error by Colonel Oxburgh, whom he proposed to have constantly near him.

The banquet pa.s.sed off very well, and the best feeling towards the new commander was manifested on all hands.

Some little disturbance was made by the Laird of Otterburn, but it was quickly set right, and General Forster put more constraint upon himself than he had been accustomed to do in former days at Bamborough.

Next day, the castle began to a.s.sume the appearance of a garrison.

The court-yard was filled with recruits, who were continually arriving, and Colonel Oxburgh and Captain Wogan were entirely occupied in examining them.

As much discipline as possible was observed, but in the present state of things it was very difficult to maintain it.

General Forster rode to Alnwick, accompanied by Lord Derwent.w.a.ter and Lord Widdrington, and attended by a strong guard, and brought back with him some necessary supplies.

On his return he was welcomed by the arrival of a troop of Scottish cavalry (known as the Merse Troop), under the command of the Honourable James Hume, brother to the Earl of Hume.

This was one of the five troops composing the division of South Country Scots now marching into England, from Moffat in Annandale, and commanded by Lord Kenmure.

The Merse troop, it appeared, had marched from Jedburgh, over a mountainous and marshy country to Rothbury, where Captain Hume heard of Forster and Lord Derwent.w.a.ter, and finding they were now posted at Warkworth, came on thither. Behind, but following the same route, were the four other troops, respectively commanded by the Honourable Basil Hamilton of Beldoun, the Earl of Wintoun, Captain James Dalziel, brother of the Earl of Carnwath, and Captain Lockhart.

The chief command of the South Country Scots, as we have said, belonged to Lord Kenmure.

The Merse troop did not remain long at Warkworth, but after conferring with General Forster, Captain Hume moved off with his men to Felton, there to await instructions from his commander.

It was, however, agreed that an early meeting should take place at Rothbury between the Northumbrian insurgents and the battalion of the South Country Scots.

By noon next day, so many reinforcements had arrived that General Forster found himself at the head of nearly five hundred men.

Unfavourable news, however, from Newcastle, caused Forster to postpone his meditated attack on the town.

Extraordinary exertions had been made by Sir William Lorraine and the other magistrates, who had raised train-bands, seized and imprisoned all the Papists, and shut the gates. Furthermore, it was stated that seven hundred of the inhabitants had formed themselves into a company of volunteers, and that the keelmen, most of whom were Presbyterians, and strongly opposed to the Stuarts, had offered an additional body of seven hundred men.

But by far the most alarming piece of intelligence was, that General Carpenter had been sent by Government in pursuit of the rebels, with three regiments of dragoons and Sir Charles Hotham's regiment of foot, and was now within a day's march of Newcastle.

After consultation with his advisers, General Forster did not think it prudent to give battle to Carpenter till he could be certain of the support of Lord Kenmure and Brigadier Mackintosh, and he therefore determined to move to Hexham.

Accordingly, on the following day, he marched with his whole force to Morpeth, and on the common near the town was joined by the Merse troop. Learning that General Carpenter had reached Newcastle, he continued his march to Hexham.

Not without great reluctance was the proposed attack on Newcastle abandoned by the insurgents, for had they gained that important town, they would have been masters of the county.

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XIII.

Organisation of the Force

LORD DERWENt.w.a.tER was close to his own domains, and a messenger having been sent to Dilston to acquaint the countess with the arrival of the insurgent army at Hexham, she immediately rode over thither, accompanied by Dorothy Forster, who was staying with her at the time.

Though rejoiced to see her husband, the countess appeared greatly disappointed that so little had been achieved, and told the earl she would rather have heard from him at Newcastle, than have seen him at Hexham.

Nor did Dorothy Forster show more consideration to her brother, but blamed him severely for quitting Warkworth.

"What could we do there?" cried the general. "We should have been cut off from a junction with our Scottish allies and compelled to surrender."

"Now you have lost the whole of the coast from Bamborough to Newcastle," cried Dorothy.

"One daring deed has been done," said the earl. "The fort on Holy Island has been surprised by Lancelot Errington. But I fear he will not be able to hold it."

"You ought to go to his succour," said Dorothy to her brother.

"You expect impossibilities from us," replied the general.

"Nothing is impossible," rejoined Dorothy. "I shall never be content till you have fought a battle and gained a victory. I do not like a retreat."

"Women know nothing of warfare," said the general, shrugging his shoulders.

Just then an express arrived from Lord Kenmure, saying that he had arrived at Rothbury with the whole of his force, and desired to know whether he should remain there, or advance.

"Bid him advance!" cried Dorothy.

"Methinks I had best resign my command to you," observed the general. "But I must beg you to cease this interference." Then addressing the messenger, he said, "Go back to his lordship, and say I will join him to-morrow at Rothbury."

"Hold, general," cried the countess. "Had you not better give this matter some consideration?"

"It requires none," replied Forster. "Take my message to Lord Kenmure," he added to the messenger, who immediately departed.

After some further conversation, the countess and Dorothy, who had not dismounted, rode back through the woods to the castle.

Meanwhile, Charles Radclyffe and Captain John Shaftoe had set off to Dilston with a dozen men, and after searching the old tower and some other places, brought back all the arms they could find.

A very important matter had now to be settled, which had already been too long deferred. This was the organisation of the force, and in carrying out this necessary measure Colonel Oxburgh was of utmost use.

After some deliberation it was decided that the division commanded by General Forster should consist of five troops, of which that of the Earl of Derwent.w.a.ter ranked first, and was to be commanded by Charles Radclyffe and Captain John Shaftoe, whom we have just mentioned. The second troop, belonging to Lord Widdrington, was to be commanded by Captain Thomas Errington of Beaufront, who had formerly been in the French service, and was brother of Lancelot Errington, who had just surprised Holy Island.

The third and fourth troops were respectively commanded by Captain John Hunter and Captain Robert Douglas, the first of whom had been a contraband trader of great daring and skill, and the other a Border farmer, who had been employed by Forster in searching for horses and arms, and had been extraordinarily successful.

Some objection was made to these two persons on the score of position, but it was urged by Forster that they would be of great use.

The fifth and last troop was commanded by Captain Wogan.

The first and second troops were composed of gentlemen, who were quite as well mounted and well armed as their leaders. Many of them had thoroughbred horses-much better adapted for speed than endurance-and the rest were provided with hunters. Not being able to procure military saddles, they were obliged to content themselves with those in ordinary use; and their equipments were by no means complete. Still, in spite of these drawbacks, they presented a very gallant appearance when drawn up in the market-place to proclaim King James.

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XIV.

The Earl's brief Visit to Dilston

AFTER the business of the day was concluded General Forster and the officers sat down to dinner, but Lord Derwent.w.a.ter excused himself from joining the party as he wished to ride over to Dilston. He did not take a servant with him, and said he should return by midnight.

It was growing dusk as he rode through the woods that skirted his domains, but it was quite light enough to enable him to distinguish the castle. His heart was sad as he gazed at it, for he felt he could not remain there. The place seemed his own no longer.

However, he strove to stifle those painful feelings, and they soon gave way to other emotions.

Still, he could not banish the notion that the place was changed, though in what respect he could scarcely tell, for a groom came to take his horse, and Newbiggin welcomed him at the entrance, and with a manifestation of delight that could not fail to touch his master.

"I hope your lordship is coming to remain with us-at least, for a few days?" said the butler.

"Alas! no," replied the earl. "I must return to Hexham to-night, and to-morrow morning we march to Rothbury."

The butler looked quite cast down.

"I fear Dilston will never again be what it was, my lord," he said. "How I wish your lordship could give up this perilous expedition and return to us."

"That is impossible, Newbiggin," said the earl, scarcely able to repress a sigh. "I must go on now. But where is the countess?"

"She is here," cried a well-known voice.

And next moment she flew towards him, and was clasped in his arms.

It is very questionable whether Lord Derwent.w.a.ter's brief visit to his mansion was not productive of more pain to him than pleasure.

So many fresh anxieties were aroused that they marred his happiness, and the moments flew by so quickly that they seemed gone ere they could be numbered. How much had he to say to the countess! And yet how little was said. Half the time they sat together they were silent, but it was a silence more eloquent than words. And when the countess spoke it was ever to incite him to brave deeds.

After awhile they were joined by Dorothy Forster and Father Norman, and then the conversation turned chiefly on the incidents of the march. The countess and Dorothy still believed that the insurrection would be successful, but the priest was less hopeful.

"But where and when will the battle be fought that is to give the crown to King James?" inquired Dorothy.

"That I cannot tell you," replied the earl. "But I do not think it will be fought in Scotland, though we shall probably march there to meet our allies. However, a few days may decide. General Carpenter is now at Newcastle, with four regiments of dragoons, and we have yet to learn his plans. Should he not find out we have flown, he may march to attack us at Hexham, and then you will see him here."

Never did the devout Earl of Derwent.w.a.ter neglect his religious duties. Ma.s.s was therefore performed at the little chapel before his departure, and at the conclusion of the service he did not reenter the mansion, but tenderly embracing the countess, bade farewell to her and Dorothy, and mounting his dapple-grey steed took his way alone through the wood to Hexham.

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XV.

How the Earl was rescued by Nathan the Woodcutter