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A house which Lord Stowell acquired by his marriage with an heiress, Anna Maria Bagnall. Byron, in English Bards and Scotch Reviewers, attributes the authorship of Peter Plymley to "Smug Sydney." See also his allusion to "Peter Pith" in Don Juan, canto xvi.
At the advance of Bagnall he withdrew however to a strong position a few miles from the fort, and there awaited attack. The battle was not long delayed. The bitter personal hatred which animated the two leaders seems to have communicated itself to the men, and the struggle was unprecedentedly fierce and bloody.
"By `orthodox," said the Vicar of Sebergham, after a sonorous clearing of his throat, "I understand a man who keeps to the Articles of the Church, and does not run into any extravagances and enthusiasm." "Hear him!" cried Mr Bagnall, as if he were at a Tory meeting. Hatty burst out laughing, but immediately smothered it in her handkerchief. "I do hear him, and with pleasure," said Mr Keith.
In the thick of the engagement Bagnall, lifting his beaver for a moment to get air, was shot through the forehead and fell. His fall was followed by the complete rout of his army. Fifteen hundred soldiers and thirteen officers were killed, thirty-four flags taken, and all the artillery, ammunition, and provisions fell into the victor's hands.
But Flora did not lose her temper, as I should have done: she held her own with a quiet dignity which I envied, but could never have imitated. "Pardon me, Sir. I was about to say the direct contrary that if my aunt had allowed it, I for one would rather not have gone." "Afraid of a fall, eh?" laughed Mr Bagnall. "Well, ladies are not expected to be as venturesome as men."
"Sir," demanded Mr Bagnall, looking his adversary straight in the face, "are you not orthodox?" He spoke rather in the tone in which he might have asked, "Are you not honest?" "May I ask you to explain the word, before I answer?" was Mr Keith's response. "I mean, are you one of these Methodists?" "Certainly not. I belong to the Kirk of Scotland."
Mr Keith is a Scotsman, and such are commonly good reasoners and love a tilt; and 'tis but well in a young man to keep his wits in practice. But we must not get too far, you know." "Just so! just so!" saith Father, who I think was glad to have a stop put to this sort of converse. "Mr Bagnall, I am sure, bears no malice. Sir Robert, when do the Holme Cultram hounds meet next?"
Flora's colour rose again. "The hare, Sir," she said. "The hare!" cried Mr Bagnall, leaning back in his chair to laugh. "Well, Miss Flora, you are quixotic." "May I quote my father, Sir?" was her reply. "The world not ready for him? No, I should think not!" laughed Father. "Not just yet, my little lady-errant." Flora smiled quietly. "Perhaps it will be, some day. Uncle Courtenay," she said.
I do not know why it is they always appear to reckon snaring wild game which belongs nobody a more wicked thing than breaking all the Ten Commandments. Would it not have been in them if it were? Only Sir Robert Dacre said, "Poor old creature! don't let us saddle her with Joe's sins. I dare say she has plenty of her own." "Plenty? I should think so. She is a horrid old wretch," answered Mr Bagnall.
I have heard Mr Bagnall speak of this doctrine, which he said was shocking and wicked, for it gave men licence to live in sin. We work, saith he, not for that we would be saved by our works, but out of gratitude that we have been saved by Christ, who commands these works to such as would follow Him. I wonder if Mr Bagnall knows that, and if he ever reads the Articles.