to the crown, to the prejudice of Malcolm
Bradwardine of Inch-Grabbit, the heir-male, whose claim could not be prejudiced
by the Baron's attainder, as deriving no right through him, and who, therefore,
like other heirs of entail in the same situation, entered upon possession. But,
unlike many in similar circumstances, the new laird speedily showed that he
intended utterly to exclude his predecessor from all benefit or advantage in the
estate, and that it was his purpose to avail himself of the old Baron's evil
fortune to the full extent. This was the more ungenerous, as it was generally
known, that, from a romantic idea of not prejudicing this young man's right as
heir-male, the Baron had refrained from settling his estate on his daughter.
    This selfish injustice was resented by the country people, who were partial
to their old master, and irritated against his successor. In the Baron's own
words, »The matter did not coincide with the feelings of the commons of
Bradwardine, Mr. Waverley; and the tenants were slack and repugnant in payment
of their mails and duties; and when my kinsman came to the village wi' the new
factor, Mr. James Howie, to lift the rents, some wanchancy person - I suspect
John Heatherblutter, the auld gamekeeper, that was out wi' me in the year
fifteen - fired a shot at him in the gloaming, whereby he was so affrighted,
that I may say with Tullius in Catilinam, Abiit, evasit, erupit, effugit. He
fled, sir, as one may say, incontinent to Stirling. And now he hath advertised
the estate for sale, being himself the last substitute in the entail. - And if I
were to lament about sic matters, this would grieve me mair than its passing
from my immediate possession, whilk, by the course of nature, must have happened
in a few years. Whereas now it passes from the lineage that should have
possessed it in sæcula sæculorum. But God's will be done, humana perpessi sumus.
Sir John of Bradwardine - Black Sir John, as he is called - who was the common
ancestor of our house and the Inch-Grabbits, little thought such a person would
have sprung from his loins. Meantime, he has accused me to some of the primates,
the rulers for the time, as if I were a cut-throat, and an abettor of bravoes
and assassinates, and coupe-jarrets. And they have sent soldiers here to abide
on the estate, and hunt me like a partridge