The Wallace Cultural History List

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The Freedom-L is a FREE interactive list dedicated to the discussion of the Celts, their history and their culture. We focus on Scotland and the legacy left by William Wallace and Robert the Bruce. However, we do not limit the conversation on the Freedom-L and enjoy all conversations on the events of history and culture not only those having to do with Scotland.


We also love Scottish History and its key players:
Robert the Bruce, William Wallace, Andrew De Moray, The Plantagenets, Rob Roy, Angus Og, St. Columba and many more!

We also love the events in Scottish history:
The Battle of Stirling, Bannockburn, Falkirk, Culloden, the Glencoe Massacre, the Declaration of Abroath, the Jacobites, the many clan and border wars.

But, part of our favortie pastime is learning about each other and our different cultures!

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HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE FREEDOM-L

Who were the Celts
The Celts left no written record of their early history. The first written mention of them came from their Mediterranean neighbors. To the Greeks, they were known the Keltoi. Around the year 500 BC, Hecataeus wrote of the trading center Massilia (Marseilles) as being located in the land of the Ligurians, near the land of the Celts. He also mentions a Celtic town in Austria in the present day province of Styria. Herodotus (ca 484-420BC?)
also refers to the Celts at a slightly later date, mentioning in his work, The Histories, that the source of the Danube lay in the land of the Celts. He located the Celts as occupying the lands to the West and North of the
Mediterranean, beyond the Pillars of Hercules, the Straits of Gibraltar, in
the Danube region, and behind Marseilles. In other words, the Celts were already in the Iberian Peninsula, Aquitaine, and north of the Alps - a sizable portion of Europe. What he didn't know was that they had recently
reached Britain, which is known to have had Celtic habitation by 500 BC. (It wasn't until c. 350 that Celts crossed to Ireland.)..........

Russ Jamison
(excerpt from Russ essay on the Celts)

The Reformation

mainly a question for John here -- but perhaps others know too?)
I had always known the Reformation led to a tremendous splitting - up philosophically of Christianity, but had the main streams of
Protestantism falling under either Martin Luther or John Calvin (this begs the question of what to do with the Baptists & others, but why sweat the small stuff?
Of course, the Presbyterians were good Calvinists, and defined their differences with Lutherans over such major theological issues as whether to serve grape juice or wine at communion, Transsubstantiation,
Predestination, and the like. (Mind you, I was 17 when engaged in these studies).
Now, a chance comment by someone on another list informs me that the
reason for the formation of the Presbyterian Church was not theological at all, but political -- it seems John Knox broke with Luther over the issue of whether individuals had the right to disagree with their government.
If this is true -- then Griping about Government -- and fully realizing that "The Government is not the Nation", is a well-worn Scottish
tradition that was successfully transplanted to the US. OK, I've somewhat clumsily asked a question -- probably I've asked several questions and my old English teacher would rebuke me severely for sloppy writing. Nevertheless, information would be welcome.
Ken

Lowlanders

It is difficult to find much info on the Lowland Families compared at least to the Highlanders. The Lowlands were molded by a lot of inter-marriages between Southern Scots and English, Irish, Norse, etc. The Highlanders being kinda reclusive in the hills were less exposed to other peoples. So, the
family histories are a little easier to document. Although, there were many Lowlanders that were not happy to intermingle with others either. And there are a lot of good Border War stories around.
Here is all i could find on the Maxwell's
Their badge is a Stag before a holly bush
their Motto : Reviresco ( I again flourish)
They were a very powerful border family. The lived in the parish of Maxwell near the river Tweed and it is from here their took their name. Maxwell means "Macca's Well" and the area was named for Macca the 11th century king of Man. They have in the past feuded with the Johnston family which resulted in the murder of Sir James Johston in 1608 which in turn caused the execution of the 7th Lord John Maxwell in 1613 for the killing. Steve , can fill in the rest !!
Elizabeth Mckaskle
(Elizabeth also has a website with an essay on Bannockburn included) Click below to go there.
Click here Bannockburn Essays

Folklure

This is a supposedly completely true story from the Loch Awe area. Duncan Campbell was an 18th Century laird of Inverawe. A fugitive came to him seeking his protection. Campbell gave his solemn promise 'as an
Inverawe' to protect him with his own life if necessary. Too late, he discovered that thids fugitive was the murderer of his foster-brother.
Campbell could not go back on his word, but was tormented by his conscience, and the recurring appearance of his foster brother calling for revenge. After many months the apparition disappeared, giving a warning that the two of them would meet one more time at a place called Ticonderoga.
The name meant nothing to Campbell.
Some years later, in 1758, Campbell was serving with his regiment in North
America during the Seven Years War, when he was mortally wounded at the siege of Fort Carillon. As he lay dying, the spectre of his foster brother stood silently beside him. He learned that the Native American name for the place was Ticonderoga. He died shortly afterwards and is buried in the Fort
Edward cemetary near the Hudson Falls.
Transatlantically spooky huh?
Love from Karen F

Scottish Recipes

Nan's Famous Shortbread
Here's my Nan's recipe for shortbread which we used to have especially each
New Year's Day (and other days when we begged and pleaded enough). Enjoy!
INGREDIENTS:
1 lb Butter
1 1/4 cups Sugar
1 cup Rice Flour
4 cups All Purpose Flour
DIRECTIONS:
1. Pour the sugar over the butter and let stand at room temperature until
the butter is soft. Cream butter and sugar.
2. Mix the two flours together and then blend into the other ingredients.
3. Knead forever!!
4. Roll out to 1/4" on a lightly floured board.
5. Cut into desired shapes and prick with a fork.
6. Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet for 20 minutes at 350F, watching very
carefully to prevent overcooking.
7. Allow to cool before serving.
8. Eat lots!!!
fran-tic

Travel tips for the Isles

Having been to he isles of harris and lewis (they are connected by a bridge), let me pass on some current information:
NEVER, NEVER, NEVER STAY THERE OVER A SUNDAY. PERIOD.
there are no ferries in or out on sundays. there are no stores open. the only restaurants open (and pubs, too) are those that are part of
hotels or inns (i think there are four betwixt the two isles). nothing is open, except the churches. there are at least 4masses/sermons/etc. on sundays at each of the houses of worship. then there are the
pentecostals, who have an extremely strong foot hold on these isles. and have church all day. no stores are open, and only one petrol
station is allowed to pump-it is a three pump hole in a wall half way down the joined isles, and he can only sell to off isle people on
sundays. you can't have fun, you aren't supposed to drink, and you can't do any type of work (even mend clothes). they even lock up the swings on sunday!!!s'truth!!! the rest of the week it is a very friendly, quaint, conservative set of isles. there is a lovely old
church (1200's?) on the southern end, the ruins of an old abbey, fascinating standing stones, and, of course, the mills that produce the
exquisite harris tweed ( all the mills are on lewis). the countryside is rough and rugged and breathtaking. oh, yes, and there is one of the old sod huts to go see (except on sundays). gaelic is prevalent here outside the town of lewis. there are lots of b&b's, but beware, they may be operated by those same folks that won't let you do anything on
sunday! harris tweed is superb. there are about a thousand cottage industries making it, and you can get some great buys.
remember:NEVER ON SUNDAYS!!!
doc linda

Guide Tour to the Highlands

For those unfamiliar with the Galloway Highlands, allow me a digression.
Most light treatments of Scotland divided it into Northern Highlands and
Southern Lowlands -- which, IMHO, is an unfortunate over simplification --
resulting from more recent social integration of the Galloway Highlands into the rest of lowlands. However, historically the Northern Highlands and the Galloway Highlands had much more in common with each other than either had in common with Edinburgh, Glasgow and the more gentile lowland merchant, farmer townsman, etc.
This is the highland of fierce independent chieftains who maintained closer
contact with the Vikings than the Scots up until the 11th century. This is a land of hard, independent, martial men; where robbery and
"blackmail" (the protection racket to us; not blackmail as we know it) were respected everyday professions. Where raiding, arson, kidnapping, murder and extortion were important parts of the social system. A land of sheiling communities for the women -- with all its inherent hardship, toil, and isolation.
This was a land where family unity and a tribal system (Clanship) survived for 300 years after the imposition of the of the feudal institutions and was too strong for that form of government. This is the land of Maxwells Vs. Johnstones -- probably the bitterest and bloodiest family quarrel in the history of the British Isles -- including the Scottish Highlands. Many modern-day Maxwells and Johnstones remain unaware of the bloody feuds of their ancestors. It seems to have been a perpetual battle for control of the West March that flourished especially in the sixteenth and early seventeenth. [The last three paragraphs were taken from _The Steel Bonnets:The Story of the Anglo-Scottish Border Reivers_, by George MacDonald Fraser, 1971. which I strongly recommend if you have not read it.] This is the land where both Robert the Bruce and William Wallace launched their wars and recruited many of there supporters. The Maxwells fought by
Robert the Bruce side at Bannockburn.
From this land Clans, such as the Maxwells, plotted to restore Mary, Queen of Scots; and fought and died in the Jacobite cause. One of the writers (Geddes MacGregor?, George MacDonald Fraser? ) that I have read wrote about the plight of the government in Edinburgh governing the two. Neither saw anything good come out of Edinburgh. The Government could not provide peace, protection, justice, or regress. Why look to Edinburgh when the real needs were met locally -- in one case by a three foot piece of steel freely wheeled and in the other by the thundering hooves of a thousand or more lances. But back from history. This is a wonderful laid-back area that rivals the Northern Highlands in scenery. I recommend it to everyone planning a trip to Scotland.
Dave Hicks

The Irish Brigade

Incidentally, the Irish Brigade had another sterling moment (one amongst many) in yet another set of horrific circumstances during Burnside's disastrous Fredericksburg campaign. (With the Union's uncompromisingly blundering leadership for the first three years -- Lincoln changed commanders more frequently than most of the men were able to change their socks, it's amazing we're not all sitting under the stars and bars (right, Donna?)). Anyway, The Irish brigade was the second line in Hancock's (ordered-under-protest) assualt on the stone wall -- with unquestionable valor under fire -- followed close behind by our own boys, the 20th Maine.
Anyway, thought you might be interested,
steve

The 1745 Rebellion

steve wrote:
> With all due respect to fans of the Bonnie Prince and even more respect to > the memory of the gallant who fell for the belief in a dream of the > restoration of Scottish independence, i'd have to take the condemnation of > the Bonnie Prince even further. Steve, thanks for the "start". I remember being anxious to hear your take
on the '45 way back when... I hope your spare time catches up with you.
I emphatically agree with your assertion that the prince showed "not a really impressive performance". I think the words chosen here are far more accurate than was intended. He'd have made a marvelous contemporary era politician.
But in 1745 the Clan system was coming to an end. The burden of modernity and the stress of intensifying government was pressing it
deeper and deeper into the heather. The Chiefs had everything to lose and
not much more than a continuation of their beleaguered way of life to gain.
It was just a matter of time... accept the inevitable and fade away
unobtrusively, or stand and fight.
The Chiefs were not inclined to simply fade away;. They'd been on the verge of "That Final Battle" for the run of the century.
(I've always been fascinated by the parallels of the '45, Falkirk and Culloden Moor, from the clan perspective, to that of the final "Indian
Wars", particularly Little Big Horn and Wounded Knee. Both cases represented the end of the "heathen" and were followed by their own peculiar brand of Clearances... I would also add the demise of the Zulu after
Isandhlwana and Rorke's Drift.)
The prince knew nocht of the Gaels, and barely a little of the Scot nation itself. The Young Pretender had nothing to lose and a throne to gain. (The Bruce was in a feebly familiar straight early in his career, but he was a man who fought in the ranks his whole life, in *and* out of battle. They are not comparable men.)
I don't hold the prince to blame for the results. He was not a military man, his mistakes were common. He may have been taken by wild and outrageous fantasies, perhaps delusions, but he had a dream that many found reasons of their own to share. No, the uprising was inevitable through time, eternal even; as was it's ultimate failure. A more fitting man would only have secured the old ways a bit longer... The heritage, customs and will of the Gael Highlander was annihilated on that field. Yet at the same time it was immortalized...
(Jacobite piper's air, "Hey Johnny Cope, are ye wauken yet?")
From such small battles was a kingdom built, By such bold forays was a border held, By men in hodden grey or tattered kilts Who knew defeat, but know not to be quelled; And they that fell today were of our blood That can not all be drunk by greedy earth, And who so fell in honour where he stood Fulfilled the purpose of his warrior birth.
Aye! To fight again!
Mat

William Wallace's Denial

"....I cannot be a traitor for I owe him (Edward I) no allegiance. He is not my sovereign; for he never recieved my homage; and whilst life is in this persecuted body, he never shall recieve it. To the other points where of I am accused, I freely confess them all. As governor of my country I have been an enemy to it's enemies; I have slain the english; I
have mortally opposed the english king; I have stormed and taken the towns and castles which he unjustly claimed as his own. If I or my soldiers have plundered or done injury to the houses or ministers of religion, I repent me of my sin; but it is not of Edward of England I shall ask pardon."
William Wallace's retort to Sir Peter Mallorie (the king's justice) before his execution in London the next day.
Date of execution:- August 23 1305
Is it not ironic that there are incredibly accurate dates of Wallace's death but none that specify exactly when he was born?
I think that when William Wallace died a dream was set in stone. And if he were here today, perhaps Scotland may be a different place, but then again, perhaps not :)
Keith M.

Robert Burns

In looking up some Scottish ballads, I came across this introduction to Burns' poem, and wanted to share.
"In September 1793, Burns wrote to a friend: "There is in many places of Scotland a tradition...that it [the old air Hey tuttie taitie]
was Robert Bruce's march at the battle of Bannockburn. This thought in my
yesternight's evening walk warmed me to a pitch of enthusiasm on the theme of Liberty and Independence, which I threw into a kind of Scottish ode, fitted to the air, that one might suppose to be the gallent royal
Scot's address to his heroic followers on that heroic morning. So may God ever defend the cause of truth and liberty as He did that day. Amen." This being the intro to "Scots, Wha Hae" recently printed on this list.
Melody Nolan

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