Preston Fight by W. Harrison Ainsworth

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VI

Lancashire Witches

NEVER had Lancaster been so gay as during its occupation by the rebels.

Instead of showing themselves hostile, as had been apprehended, the majority of the inhabitants proved exceedingly friendly.

At many houses where the young insurgents were quartered, they were treated like guests. Tea parties were given to which they were invited, and they were thus enabled to make the acquaintance of the female members of the family. As these young troopers could not be distinguished either in manner or attire from their officers, they were frequently questioned as to their actual military rank, and gave something like the following explanation.

“In our regiment there are no common men. We serve as gentlemen, and are treated like gentlemen by our officers. But though we consider ourselves quite equal to our leaders, we unhesitatingly obey them. By us the word of command is never disputed. Though most of us have grooms, each of us attends to his own horse, and you see how well the horses look, in spite of our long march. We are never out of spirits. We take the rough and the smooth, as they come. Hitherto, we have had plenty of rough work, and very little enjoyment. The ‘smooth’ has come at last. The kindness and courtesy of the gentlemen of Lancaster, and the attentions shown us by the ladies, make ample amends for previous hardships.”

Such was the account of themselves given by the handsome young troopers, and listened to with the greatest interest by the ladies, who thought that a regiment composed entirely of gentlemen must be victorious either in love or war.

It happened, singularly enough, at the time of the Jacobite expedition, that Lancaster and Preston abounded in pretty girls. Always famed for the beauty and fascinations of the fair sex-who have been designated the “Lancashire witches”-the whole county was remarkably rich in feminine attraction at that particular juncture.

Of the Preston belles we shall speak hereafter. For the present, we must confine ourselves to the beauties of Lancaster.

If we said there were a hundred really handsome young women in Lancaster at the time of which we speak, we should be under the mark. We believe there were double the number, and they were all as gay and good-humoured as they were beautiful.

Since we cannot describe them all, we shall select three of the most attractive-namely, Dryope Dutton, Nicola Glasson, and Aurelia Heysham.

Had they not been nearly of an age, these three lovely girls might have been taken for sisters, so much were they alike. Each was between nineteen and twenty-each had delicately-formed features, blonde tresses, and blue eyes, capable of the tenderest expression-and each was tall and graceful. All three knew how to set off their charms to advantage by dress.

Dryope Dutton, however, was considered the prettiest girl in Lancaster, and had the greatest number of admirers, all of whom were sent about their business on the arrival of the rebel army, their places being immediately filled by gallant young insurgents. None of her new suitors were discouraged by Dryope, but she appeared to have a decided preference for Captain Shaftoe.

Following Dryope’s example, Nicola and Aurelia, dismissed their lovers, and laid themselves out to captivate the new-comers, in which design they were eminently successful.

The rest of the pretty girls did the same thing. None of them would now be seen without a Jacobite admirer.

During their stay at Lancaster nothing was thought of but flirting by the amorous youths, who were completely enthralled by their lady-loves, and had these syrens desired to turn them from their cause, we fear they might have succeeded.

Luckily, all the girls professed themselves ardent Jacobites, and if they fancied their lovers were lukewarm, strenuously urged them to go on.

As we have intimated, the town now presented a very lively appearance. Not only was the terrace near the castle thronged with handsome young troopers and charming girls; but when the promenade was over, the company wandered about the streets, visiting the market-place, the town-hall, the custom-house, the quays and the bridge, and strolling on the banks of the Lune.

On Sunday, Saint Mary’s Church was crowded by the same young ladies, who expressed a great desire to hear the Reverend Mr. Paul, who had recently joined the expedition, read prayers, and Mr. Patten preach; but it may be doubted whether they were not still more anxious to meet their admirers.