Wilson's Tales of the Borders and of Scotland Volume XI Part 22

Of the warriors from Fife, every man perished; but their price was a costly sacrifice of the boldest lives in England. The streets ran deep with blood; and, independent of slaughtered enemies, the mangled and lifeless bodies of seventeen thousand of the inhabitants paved the streets. The war of death ceased only from lack of lives to prey upon.

With the exception of the Red Hall, the town was an awful and a silent charnel-house. Within it were the thirty brave Flemings, pouring their arrows upon the triumphant besiegers, and resolved to defend it to death. Amongst them was the father of Isabella, and by his side his intended son-in-law, his hands, which lately held a bride's dripping with blood. The entire strength of the English army pressed around the Hall; and fearful were the doings which the band of devoted merchants, like death's own marksmen, made in the midst of them. What the besiegers, however, failed to effect by force, they effected by fire; and the Red Hall became enveloped in flames--its wool, its silk, and rich merchandise blazing together, and causing the fierce element to ascend like a pyramid. Still the brave men stood in the midst of the conflagration, unquailed, hurling death upon their enemies; and, as the fire raged from room to room, they rushed to the roof of their hall, discharging their last arrow on their besiegers, and waving their swords around their heads, with a shout of triumph.

There also stood the father, his daughter, and her lover, smiling and embracing each other in death. Crash succeeded crash--the flames ascended higher and higher--and the proud building was falling to pieces. A louder crash followed, the fierce element surrounded the brave victims--the gentle Isabella, leaning on her bridegroom, was seen waving her slender hand in triumph round her head--the hardy band waved their swords, and shouted, "_Liberty!_" and in one moment more the building fell to the earth; and the heroes, the bridegroom, and his bride, were buried in the ruins of their fortress and their factory.

Thus fell the Red Hall, and with it the commercial glory of Berwick.

END OF VOL. XI.

FOOTNOTES:

[A] This tale was written by Mr Wilson from the circ.u.mstance of "The Tales of the Borders" having been adopted as a lesson-book in several schools--ED.

[B] The contrast here shown may be extended by a reference to "The Henpecked Man," and thus three specimens of the _uxori emanc.i.p.atus_ will be brought into comparison.--ED.

[C] The same anecdote is related of Dr Thomas Brown, the philosopher.

[D] A phrase signifying that a smuggling vessel had delivered her cargo.