They don't write them like that anymore...

[f4f3]

I came across this in Neil Asherson's excellent "Stone Voices", a book with a lot to say about Scotland, and Argyll, and Kimartin Glen and our place in the landscape. It shoots off 100 ideas that need chased down, or written up, none more than the brief chapter on Scotland's own religious terrorists, the Covenanters (one of their exploits was to drag the Bishop of St Andrews from his carriage, and slash him to death).

He quotes the inscription below, crediting Thorbjorn Campbell (Thorbjorn Campbell!) for collecting it. There is an entire novel, or a fantasy series, compressed into the 14 lines, at least four book titles, and an image burned into my brain of flaming bullets cleaving souls from unshriven bodies.

Yes, they knew how to engrave in those days...

Comments

[danieldwilliam.livejournal.com]

Great stuff.

[f4f3.livejournal.com]

It may be the earliest reference to "The Killing Time" I've seen - and that must be a book title soon.