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Chronicles of Gretna Green
By Peter Orlando Hutchinson (1844)


PREFACE.

The following Work must not be mistaken for a fiction: it is not a fiction, it is a history. If we have not everywhere preserved the sedate and plodding doggedness of the grave historian, this will nothing invalidate our veracity ; for we believe we may confidently say, that we have not brought forward any fact, professedly as such, without having had good authority for so doing. Our materials and our anecdotes were collected ^ in the parish of Gretna Green itself, and that, too, 2 from such sources as may be held worthy of credit. That portion of the Work most pleasurable to the general taste, will, perhaps, be the Second Volume, or the portion which comes down nearer to the present day; but if there are any persons living who have visited the Hymeneal shrine of Gretna, (which no doubt there are,) we hope they will not feel offended at anything these pages contain. Our purpose has not been to annoy any one, but only to write a history.

A word for the illustrations. The survey for the Map was made before our own eyes; and though not trigonometrically done, we believe it to be tolerably accurate. The views are engraved from sketches made by us on the spot, and their fidelity may be relied on.

London, December 1843.

CONTENTS OF THE FIRST VOLUME

Chapter I.
Situation of Gretna.—The Debateable Land.—Walls of Agricola and Adrian.—Wall of Severus.—Arthur's Court. — Arthur's Queen insulted. — Pcredur and the Knight. — Pcredur's knight-errantry. — His Prowess.— Gwalchmai's Offer.— Percdur and Gwalchmai.— Pere-dur's Courtship.

Chapter II.
The Picts.—First Gretna Nuptials.—Origin of Chau-eer's "Wife's Tale."—Arthur and the Grim Baron.— The Grim Lady.—The Secret revealed.—Gawaine's Magnanimity.—Fetehing the Bride.—The Reward of Friendship.—The Bride's Tale.—The First Marriage at Gretna.

Chapter III.
Legend of King Arthur and Sir Owain.

Chapter IV.
Ancient Kings of Scotland.—Wars between the Britons, Danes, and Saxons.

Chapter V.
Downfall of the Saxons, and establishment of the Norman ascendancy. —Battle between the English and Scoto-Saxons.

Chapter VI.
State of Scotland at the death of Alexander III.—Voy-nge of Sir Patric Spens.—Competitors for the Crown of Scotland.—Siege of Carlisle.—Heroism of the Women in the Castle.

Chapter VII.
Battles between the English and the Scotch in the reign of Edward the First.

Chapter VIII.
Military Annals : Bruce and Baliol.—Border Laws.

Chapter IX.
Border Feuds: Percy and Douglas.

Chapter X.
Border Feuds.

Chapter XI.
Treaty of Peace between James IV. of Scotland and Henry VII. of England.—Minority of James V.—His Adventures in disguise.—The Gaberlunzie Man.

Chapter XII.
The Widow of Annandale, Sir John Charters, and the King.

Chapter XIII.
History of John Armstrong, the famous Border Outlaw.

Chapter XIV.
Dick o' the Cow, and the Laird's Jock.

Chapter XV.
Feat of the Blind Harper of Lochmaben.

Chapter XVI.
The Raid of Solway Moss.

Chapter XVII.
Sketch of the History of Mary Queen of Scots.

Chapter XVIII.
Loves of Mary and Bothwell.

Chapter XIX.
The Lord Scroop, and the Bold Buccleuch.—The False Sakelde.—Willie o'Kinmont captured and rescued.

Chapter XX.
The "Pretender"

Chapter XXI.
Attempt of the Young Pretender.— His advance to Derby.—Retreat to Scotland.—Battle of Culloden.—Present appearance of the Field of Battle.

Chapter XXII.
A Tragical Love Story of the "Olden Time."

CONTENTS OF THE SECOND VOLUME

Chapter I.
Topography of the Country between Carlisle and Gretna

Chapter II.
Gretna Green: its Toll-gate Keeper and Marrying-houses

Chapter III.
Description of Gretna Hall, the principal Marriage-house

Chapter IV.
Lord Erskine's Marriage at Gretna

Chapter V.
Poverty in relation to the Married State.—Lord Hardwicke's Marriage's Act, which put an end to Fleet Marriages, and gave birth to those of Gretna.—Disquisition on Gretna Marriages

Chapter VI.
Gretna Marriages.—Wakefield and Miss Turner

Chapter VII.
Gretna Marriages.—Wakefield and Miss Turner

Chapter VIII.
Gretna Marriages.—Wakefield and Miss Turner

Chapter IX.
Ancient Marriage Customs

Chapter X.
Essay on Marriage

Chapter XI.
The new Marriage Act

Chapter XII.
Rivalry of the Gretna Priests

Chapter XIII.
Qualifications or non-qualifications of the Gretna Green Priests

Chapter XIV.
Erroneous idea that the Priest of Gretna is a Blacksmith

Chapter XV.
Runaway Match of a Bishop's Daughter

Chapter XVI.
Visit to the Gretna Priest

Chapter XVII.
Expenses of Marriage at Gretna

Chapter XVIII.
Expenses of Marriage at Gretna, continued

Chapter XIX.
Story of an Elopement from Bath to Gretna

Chapter XX.
Recapitulation of the subject

Chapter XXI.
Advice to Young Ladies


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