Grizel Cochrane is a figure from 17th century Scottish lore. Cochrane's father,
John Cochrane of Ochiltree, had been captured following the
Monmouth Rebellion against the rule of
James VII
James VII and II (14 October 1633 16 September 1701) was King of England and King of Ireland as James II, and King of Scotland as James VII from the death of his elder brother, Charles II, on 6 February 1685. He was deposed in the Glorious Re ...
, in 1685, and was therefore scheduled to be condemned to death.
[Jessie Macka, ''The Spirit of the Rangatira: And Other Ballads'' (1889), p. 19.] According to the legend, in order to prevent the execution from being carried out, Grizel disguised herself as a man and robbed the postman who carried the death warrant, on a lonely part of
Tweedmouth Moor.
When initial efforts to seek a pardon were unsuccessful, Grizel robbed the postman a second time fourteen days later, to again stave off the execution. The second robbery provided enough time for the pardon to be secured.
A Scottish ballad titled ''Cochrane's Bonny Grizzy'' was written in honor of the account.
[''Reliques of Ancient English Poetry'' (1873), p. 512-14.]
External links
Women of Scotland page on Grizel Cochrane.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cochrane, Grizel
17th-century Scottish women
Date of birth unknown
Date of death unknown
Year of birth unknown
Year of death unknown
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