Lady Ashton answered his letter by his own messenger, who was not
allowed to remain at Ravenswood a moment longer than she was engaged
in penning these lines.
"For the hand of Mr. Ravenswood of Wolf's Crag--These:
"SIR, UNKNOWN:
"I have received a letter, signed 'Edgar, Master of Ravenswood,'
concerning the writer whereof I am uncertain, seeing that the honours of
such a family were forfeited for high reason in the person of Allan,
late Lord Ravenswood. Sir, if you shall happen to be the person so
subscribing yourself, you will please to know, that I claim the full
interest of a parent in Miss Lucy Ashton, which I have disposed of
irrevocably in behalf of a worthy person. And, sir, were this otherwise,
I would not listen to a proposal from you, or any of your house, seeing
their hand has been uniformly held up against the freedom of the subject
and the immunities of God's kirk. Sir, it is not a flightering blink of
prosperity which can change my constant opinion in this regard, seeing
it has been my lot before now, like holy David, to see the wicked great
in power and flourishing like a green bay-tree; nevertheless I passed,
and they were not, and the place thereof knew them no more.
Pages:
493
494
495
496
497
498
499
500
501
502
503
504
505
506
507
508
509
510
511
512
513
514
515
516
517