The Three Perils of Man

Ch.1: The English Sir Philip Musgrave has taken Roxburgh castle and is committed to hold it until the end of the Christmas holidays to satisfy his mistress Lady Jane Howard. James, Earl of Douglas, takes up a challenge by Princess Margaret to retake the castle by the same date. Sir Walter Scott of Rankleburn refuses to join Douglas directly: he is assured by an old man of the future success of the Scott family.

Ch. 2: Sir Walter discusses the situation with his kinsmen, including his officious cousin Dickie o' Dryhope, and it is resolved they should enrich themselves by intercepting the English supply chain.

Ch. 3: The opposing forces at Roxburgh engage in single combat and skirmishes, in one of which Sir Philip's brother Richard is taken prisoner.

Ch. 4: Jane Howard and Princess Margaret, both in male disguise, encounter each other uneasily at Patrick Chisholm's home of Castleweary.

Ch. 5: Princess Margaret, who has penetrated Jane Howard's disguise, tells Patrick's son Dan to take Jane and her party prisoner and convey them to Douglas. Going ahead to Hawick, Margaret disguises herself afresh as her own page Colin and attaches herself to Douglas. Back at Castleweary, Charlie Scott of Yardbire arrives and joins Dan in conveying the disguised Jane and her party to Douglas, refusing a bribe to set them free.

Ch. 6: In front of Roxburgh castle Douglas confirms Jane's identity and executes her followers.

Ch. 7: Sandy Yellowlees, a fisherman, discovers a secret supply route to Roxburgh castle: he is captured and executed by the garrison, one of whom (Sir Stephen Vernon) is exposed and executed as a traitor. During a visit under safe conduct to the Scots camp, Sir Philip meets his condemned brother and Lady Jane, increasing the pressure on him to surrender the castle.

Ch. 8: Margaret (as Colin, speaking for his mistress) demands that Douglas take the castle immediately and that he have Jane mutilated. During an English sally Colin (Margaret) is captured.

Ch. 9: Sir Richard Musgrave is executed by the Scots (but see Vol. 3, Ch. 6), and Colin (Margaret) by the English (but see Vol. 3, Ch. 10). Douglas learns of Colin's identity. A monk called Benjamin conveys instructions to Douglas from Margaret's spirit to take measured steps of revenge.

Ch. 10: A delegation sent by Sir Walter to ascertain from the wizard Michael Scott the future fortunes of his family is accommodated at Jock Robson's house. The party consists of the bard Colley Carol, Thomas Craik (the Deil's Tam), Gibby Jordan of Peatstacknowe, and a friar, with Charlie Scott as leader.

Ch. 11: The delegation survive an attack by a party of Halls trying to rescue Delany Hall, who, together with a boy called Elias, is intended as a present to Michael Scott.

Ch. 12: The delegation arrive at Aikwood tower after an adventure involving the corpse of one of the Hall party on horseback, and a general expression of suspicion of the friar's motives in offering Delany spiritual instruction using oriental language.

Ch. 1: The delegation receive a hostile reception from Michael and his entourage, but they eventually win control of the castle and lock up the seneschal Gourlay.

Ch. 2: Using sacred objects, the delegation overcome first an aggressive witch, and then Michael's three diabolical imps. They release Gourlay when Michael promises to keep him under control.

Ch. 3: Michael and the friar compete in a demonstration of their respective powers.

Ch. 4: The friar frees Michel from the power of a demon by prayer, and they exchange accounts of their beliefs. Egress from the castle being impossible, the friar having blasted the keys away along with Gourlay, Michael proposes a story-telling competition with Delany as the prize.

Ch. 5: In 'The Friar's Tale' the friar tells a story of lost love in biblical style.

Ch. 6: Delany turns out to be the daughter of the friar's lost love. In the 'Laird of Peatstacknowe's Tale' Gibby tells the story of a voracious cowherd Jock.

Ch. 7: In 'Charlie Scott's Tale' Charlie tells of his early fighting career: in one episode the spirit of the Lady of Ravensworth adjures Charlie and Will Laidlaw of Craik to take care of her son whom they have rescued.

Ch. 8: Colley Carol reveals himself to be the boy of 'Charlie Scott's Tale', and Thomas Craik identifies himself as the Jock of Gibby's narrative. In 'Tam Craik's Tale' Thomas tells the rest of his life story, involving his mistreatment by a deceitful master and his apprenticeship to a mischievous proficient in swordsmanship.

Ch. 1: A party led by Dan Chisholm, sent by Sir Walter Scott, arrives at Aikwood with food but they are repelled by a master fiend.

Ch. 2: In 'The Poet's Tale' Colley tells of three maidens who, with divine assistance, effect the abolition of the worship of Odin.

Ch. 3: Gibby is chosen by lot to be killed and eaten if it should prove necessary.

Ch. 4: Approaching Melrose, Dan and his party are met by strange horsemen purporting to be the abbot and three monks, with whom they return to Aikwood where Michael prophesies future glory for the Scott family.

Ch. 5: Michael and the abbot (revealed as the Devil) torment Dan and his party, turning them into bulls but providing the friar with the means to reinstate them.

Ch. 6: Back at Roxburgh, Sir Philip Musgrave responds to the threatened execution of his brother Richard (who was in fact not killed in Vol. 1, Ch. 9) and defilement of Lady Jane by taking his own life. Douglas visits Sir Walter, who agrees to prosecute the taking of Roxburgh in exchange for two baronies.

Ch. 7: A band including Will Laidlaw and Dan Chisholm, disguised as English peasants, bringing hides to Sir Walter, arrive at Peter Chisholm's farm (Dan leaves the group before their arrival). Will recognises his sweetheart Bess Chisholm dressed as her absent brother and reveals his identity to her. A group of actual English thieves arrive, and Laidlaw's band overcome them. Laidlaw attacks more of the thieves who are stealing the Chisholm livestock, the disguised Bess being wounded in the skirmish and granted by her grateful father to Will. Laidlaw's men are reunited with Dan, and they all make their way to Roxburgh with the accumulated hides.

Ch. 8: Sir Walter takes Roxburgh castle by disguising his men as cattle.

Ch. 9: To save her from the English hide-merchant, whose identity he never discovers, Peter Chisholm gets Laidlaw to marry Bess immediately. The friar asks Charlie Scott to agree that Delany should marry Colley Carol. An English attempt to rescue Jane Howard from the Douglas's power at Roxburgh is frustrated. The King and Queen arrive at Roxburgh.

Ch. 10: The monk Benjamin tries to persuade the King that Douglas should marry Jane Howard, but Douglas refuses, and it turns out that Benjamin is Lady Margaret in disguise: she had not in fact been executed, and was testing Douglas. The pair marry, and during the wedding celebrations the friar's mule proves disruptive.

Ch. 11: Jane Howard tells Mary Kirkmichael that she is jealous of Lady Margaret. After Mary has prepared the ground, the knights are invited to compete for ladies' favours: the friar unites Colley Carol with Delany and Charlie Scott with Jane. At the Queen's request, Charlie accompanies her in search of the Devil, but instead they meet Gibby Jordan.

Ch. 12: Gibby tells of his tormenting by Michael and the devil at Aikwood, and of Michael's death in combat with his diabolical rival.