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Old Mortality

Walter Scott,

Angus Calder (Introduction)

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Jun 10, 2020 John added it · review of another edition

Shelves: sir-walter-scott

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Old Mortality is the second volume of Tales of My Landlord, which was made up of four volumes with each containing a separate Scottish regional tale. The name Old Mortality comes from a meeting Scott had with a man that had spent 40 years wandering around Scotland with his donkey maintaining the graves and monuments of Covenanters killed in the rebellion.

Old Mortality takes place in 1679 when the Royalist forces led by John Graham of Claverhouse engage with the Covenanting army. The Covenanters Old Mortality is the second volume of Tales of My Landlord, which was made up of four volumes with each containing a separate Scottish regional tale. The name Old Mortality comes from a meeting Scott had with a man that had spent 40 years wandering around Scotland with his donkey maintaining the graves and monuments of Covenanters killed in the rebellion.

Old Mortality takes place in 1679 when the Royalist forces led by John Graham of Claverhouse engage with the Covenanting army. The Covenanters oppose the reintroduction of Episcopalian church government or Erastianism by Charles II. It led to 270 ministers without work and hence poverty as they refused to take an oath of allegiance. However, the ministers still had the loyalty of their parishioners and conducted worship in remote places. The assaissination of the Archbishop led to a rebellion between the Covenanters and Royalists.

The hero of the story is Henry Morton of Milnwood, a Presbyterian. He is arrested by Claverhouse's troops for hiding John Balfour of Burley who was involved in the murder of the Archbishop.

Morton is sentenced to death and the is saved by Lord Evandale, his rival for the hand of Edith Bellenden. He escapes when the Convenaters defeat the Royalists at the Battle of Drumclog and joins the Covenanters as one of their military leaders. He is moderate in his views as opposed to the lunacy of some of his colleagues. During the story he manages to save Lord Evandale's life twice and after the battle of Bothwell Bridge, Evandale returns the favour and Morton is sent into exile to Holland.

Several years later he returns and he is thought dead by everyone as the ship he was on to Holland sank with the loss of all hands. On his return he finds Edith about to marry Evandale and she see's him outside a window and thinks he is a ghost and see's this as a bad sign and omen so refuses to marry Evandale. Morton also meets Burley where they argue and then Morton finds out that Evandale is to be murdered and tries to save him. He fails and gets the girl.

I enjoyed the story with the romance, battles, conflict amongst the Convenanters, the humourous Cuddie, Morton's servant and the scenery descriptions especially Burley's hideout are excellent. I also have been to Fife so the area is familiar in parts where the story is set.

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Aug 01, 2016 Tracey marked it as to-read

Jan 10, 2023 Tom rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

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