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of the church。  But if; on the other hand; the titulars were men

of inferior importance; who had been inducted into the office

by the interest of some powerful person; it was generally understood

that the new Abbot should grant for his patron's benefit

such leases and conveyances of the church lands and tithes as

might afford their protector the lion's share of the booty。  This

was the origin of those who were wittily termed Tulchan*



*   A _Tulchan_ is a calfs skin stuffed; and placed before a cow who has

*   lost its calf; to induce the animal to part with her milk。 The resemblance

*   between such a Tulchan and a Bishop named to transmit the temporalities

*   of a benefice to some powerful patron; is easily understood。



Bishops; being a sort of imaginary prelate; whose image was set

up to enable his patron  and  principal  to  plunder  the  benefice

under his name。



There were other cases; however; in which men who had got

grants of these secularised benefices; were desirous of retaining

them for their own use; without having the influence sufficient

to establish their purpose ; and these became frequently unable

to protect themselves; however unwilling to submit to the exactions

of the feudal tyrant of the district。



Bannatyne; secretary to John Knox; recounts a singular

course of oppression practised on one of those titulars abbots; by

the Earl of Cassilis in Ayrshire; whose extent of feudal influence

was so wide that he was usually termed the King of Carrick。  

We give the fact as it occurs in Bannatyne's Journal; only premising

that the Journalist held his master's opinions; both with

respect to the Earl of Cassilis as an opposer of the king's party;

and as being a detester of the practice of granting church revenues

to titulars; instead of their being devoted to pious uses;

such as the support of the clergy; expense of schools; and the relief

of the national poor。  He mingles in the narrative; therefore;

a well deserved feeling of execration against the tyrant who employed

the torture; which a tone of ridicule towards the patient;

as if; after all; it had not been ill bestowed on such an equivocal

and amphibious character as a titular abbot。  He entitles his

narrative;



The Earl Of Cassilis' Tyranny against a quick (_i。e。_

          living) man。



‘‘Master Allan Stewart; friend to Captain James Stewart of

Cardonall; by means of the Queen's corrupted court; obtained

the Abbey of Crossraguel。  The said Earl thinking himself

greater than any king in those quarters; determined to have that

whole benefice (as he hath divers others) to pay at his pleasure ;

and because he could not find sic security as his insatiable appetite

required; this shift was devised。  The said Mr Allan being

in company with the Laird of Bargany; (also a Kennedy;) was;

by the Earl and his friends; enticed to leave the safeguard which

he had with the Laird; and come to make good cheer with the

said Earl。  The simplicity of the imprudent man was suddenly

abused; and so he passed his time with them certain days; which

he did in Maybole with Thomas Kennedie; uncle to the said Earl:

after which the said Mr Allan passed; with quiet company; to

visit the place and bounds of Crossraguel; 'his abbacy;' of which

the said Earl being surely advertised; determined to put in practice

the tyranny which long before he had conceaved。  And so;

as king of the country; apprehended the said Mr Allan; and

carried him to the house of Denure; where for a season he was

honourably treated; (gif a prisoner can think any entertainment

pleasing;) but after that certain days were spent; and that the

Earl could not obtain the feus of Crossraguel according to his

awin appetite; he determined to prove gif a collation could work

that which neither dinner nor supper could do for a long time。  

And so tho said Mr Allan was carried to a secret chamber:

with him passed the honourable Earl; his worshipful brother;

and such as were appointed to be servants at that banquet。  In

the chamber there was a grit iron chimlay; under it a fire;

other grit provision was not seen。  The first course was;…‘My

Lord Abbot;' (said the Earl;) ‘it will please you confess here;

that with your own consent you remain in my company; because

ye durst not commit yourself to the hands of others。' The

Abbot answered; ‘Would you; my lord; that I should make a

manifest lie for your pleasure ? The truth is; my lord; it is against

my will that I am here; neither yet have I any pleasure in your

company。' ‘But ye shall remain with me; nevertheless; at this

time;' said the Earl。 ‘l am not able to resist your will and pleasure;'

said the Abbot; 'in this place。' ‘Ye must then obey me;'

said the Earl;…and with that were presented unto him certain

letters to subscribe; amongst which there was a five years' tack;

and a nineteen years' tack; and a charter of feu of all the lands

(of Crossraguel; with all the clauses necessary for the Earl to

haste him to hell。  For gif adultery; sacrilege; oppression; barbarous

cruelty; and theft heaped upon theft; deserve hell; the

great King of Carrick can no more escape hell for ever; than

the imprudent Abbot escaped the fire for a season as follows。



‘‘After that the Earl spied repugnance; and saw that he could

not come to his purpose by fair means; he commanded his cooks

to prepare the banquet: and so first they flayed the sheep; that

is; they took off the Abbot's cloathes even to his skin; and next

they bound him to the chimney…his legs to the one end; and his

arms to the other; and so they began to beet '_i。e。_ feed' the fire

sometimes to his buttocks; sometimes to his legs; sometimes to

his shoulders and arms; and that the roast might not burn; but

that it might rest in soppe; they spared not flambing with oil;

(basting as a cook bastes roasted meat); Lord; look thou to sic

cruelty! And that the crying of the miserable man should not

be heard; they dosed his mouth that the voice might be stopped。  

It may be suspected that some partisan of the King's 'Darnley's'

murder was there。  In that torment they held the poor man;

till that often he cried for God's sake to dispatch him; for

he had as meikle gold in his awin purse as would buy powder

enough to shorten his pain。  The famous King of Carrick and

his cooks perceiving the roast to be aneuch; commanded it to be

tane fra the fire; and the Earl himself began the grace in this

manner:…‘_Benedicite; Jesus Maria_; you are the most obstinate

man that ever I saw; gif I had known that ye had been

so stubborn; I would not for a thousand crowns have handled

you so; I never did so to man before you。' And yet he returned

to the same practice within two days; and ceased not till

that he obtained his formost purpose; that is; that he had got

all his pieces subscryvit alsweill as ane half…roasted hand could

do it。  The Earl thinking himself sure enough so long as be

had the half…roasted Abbot in his awin keeping; and yet being

ashamed of his presence by reason of his former cruelty; left the

place of Denure in the hands of certain of his servants; and the

half…roasted Abbot to be kept there as prisoner。  The Laird of

Bargany; out of whose company the said Abbot had been enticed;

understanding; (not the extremity;) but the retaining of the

man; sent to the court; and raised letters of deliverance of the

person of the man according to the order; which being disobeyed;

the said Earl for his contempt was denounced rebel; and

put to the horne。  But yet hope was there none; neither to the

afflicted to be delivered; neither yet to the purchaser '_i。e。_ procurer'

of the letters to obtain any comfort thereby ; for in that

time God was despised; and the lawful authority was contemned

in Scotland; in hope of the sudden return and regiment of that

cruel murderer of her awin husband; of whose lords the said

Earl was called one; and yet; oftener than once; he was solemnly

sworn 

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