end notes-第3章

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

sworn　to　the　King　and　to　his　Regent。''



The　Journalist　then　recites　the　complaint　of　the　injured

Allan　Stewart；　Commendator　of　Crossraguel；　to　the　Regent

and　Privy　Council；　averring　his　having　been　carried；　partly　by

flattery；　partly　by　force；　to　the　black　vault　of　Denure；　a　strong

fortalice；　built　on　a　rock　overhanging　the　Irish　channel；　where

to　execute　leases　and　conveyances　of　the　whole　churches　and

parsonages　belonging　to　the　Abbey　of　Crossraguel；　which　he

utterly　refused　as　an　unreasonable　demand；　and　the　more　so

that　he　had　already　conveyed　them　to　John　Stewart　of　Cardonah；

by　whose　interest　he　had　been　made　Commendator。　　The

complainant　proceeds　to　state；　that　he　was；　after　many　menaces；

stript；　bound；　and　his　limbs　exposed　to　fire　in　the　manner　already

described；　till；　compelled　by　excess　of　agony；　he　subscribed　the

charter　and　leases　presented　to　him；　of　the　contents　of　which　he

was　totally　ignorant。　　A　few　days　afterwards；　being　again　required

to　execute　a　ratification　of　these　deeds　before　a　notary　and

witnesses；　and　refusing　to　do　so；　he　was　once　more　subjected　to

the　same　torture；　until　his　agony　was　so　excessive　that　he　exclaimed；

‘‘Fye　on　you；　why　do　you　not　strike　your　whingers　into

me；　or　blow　me　up　with　a　barrel　of　powder；　rather　than　torture

me　thus　unmercifully？''　upon　which　the　Earl　commanded

Alexander　Richard；　one　of　his　attendants；　to　stop　the　patient's

mouth　with　a　napkin；　which　was　done　accordingly。　　Thus　he

was　once　more　compelled　to　submit　to　their　tyranny。　　The　petition

concluded　with　stating；　that　the　Earl；　under　pretence　of

the　deeds　thus　iniquitously　obtained；　had　taken　possession　of

the　whole　place　and　living　of　Crossraguel；　and　enjoyed　the　profits

thereof　for　three　years。



The　doom　of　the　Regent　and　Council　shows　singularly　the

total　interruption　of　justice　at　this　calamitous　period；　even　in　the

most　clamant　cases　of　oppression。　　The　Council　declined　interference

with　the　course　of　the　ordinary　justice　of　the　county；

（which　was　completely　under　the　said　Earl　of　Cassilis'　control；）

and　only　enacted；　that　he　should　forbear　molestation　of

the　unfortunate　Comendator；　under　the　surety　of　two　thousand

pounds　Scots。　　The　Earl　was　appointed　also　to　keep　the

peace　towards　the　celebrated　George　Buchanan；　who　had　a　pension

out　of　the　same　Abbacy；　to　a　similar　extent；　and　under　the

like　penalty。



The　consequences　are　thus　described　by　the　Journalist　already

quoted。



‘‘The　said　Laird　of　Bargany　perceiving　that　the　ordiner

justice　could　neither　help　the　oppressed；　nor　yet　the　afflicted；

applied　his　mind　to　the　next　remedy；　and　in　the　end；　by　his　servants；

took　the　house　of　Denure；　where　the　poor　Abbot　was

kept　prisoner。　　The　bruit　flew　fra　Carrick　to　Galloway；　and　so

suddenly　assembled　herd　and　hyre…man　that　pertained　to　the

band　of　the　Kennedies；　and　so　within　a　few　hours　was　the　house

of　Denure　environed　again。　　The　master　of　Cassilis　was　the

frackast　＇_i。e。_　the　readiest　or　boldest）　and　would　not　stay；　but

in　his　heat　would　lay　fire　to　the　dungeon；　with　no　small　boasting

that　all　enemies　within　the　house　should　die。



‘‘He　was　required　and　admonished　by　those　that　were　within

to　be　more　moderate；　and　not　to　hazard　himself　so　foolishly。　　But

no　admonition　would　help；　till　that　the　wind　of　an　hacquebute

blasted　his　shoulder；　and　then　ceased　he　from　further　pursuit

in　fury。　　The　Laird　of　Bargany　had　before　purchest　＇obtained＇

of　the　authorities；　letters；　charging　all　faithfull　subjects　to　the

King's　Majesty；　to　assist　him　against　that　cruel　tyrant　and

mansworn　traitor；　the　Earl　of　Cassilis；　which　letters；　with　his

private　writings；　he　published；　and　shortly　found　sic　concurrence

of　Kyle　and　Cunyngbame　with　his　other　friends；　that

the　Carrick　company　drew　back　fra　the　house：　and　so　the　other

approached；　furnished　the　house　with　more　men；　delivered　the

said　Mr　Allan；　and　carried　him　to　Ayr；　where；　publicly　at　the

market　cross　of　the　said　town；　he　declared　how　cruelly　he　was

entreated；　and　how　the　murdered　King　suffered　not　sic　torment

as　he　did；　excepting　only　he　escaped　the　death：　and；　therefore；

publickly　did　revoke　all　things　that　were　done　in　that　extremity；

and　especially　he　revoked　the　subscription　of　the　three　writings；

to　wit；　of　a　fyve　yeir　tack　and　nineteen　year　tack；　and　of　a

charter　of　feu。　　And　so　the　house　remained；　and　remains　（till

this　day；　the　7th　of　February；　1571；）　in　the　custody　of　the　said

Laird　of　Bargany　and　of　his　servants。　　And　so　cruelty　was　disappointed

of　proffeit　present；　and　shall　be　eternallie　punished；　unless

he　earnestly　repent。　　And　this　far　for　the　cruelty　committed；

to　give　occasion　unto　others；　and　to　such　as　hate　the　monstrous

dealing　of　degenerate　nobility；　to　look　more　diligently　upon　their

behaviuours；　and　to　paint　them　forth　unto　the　world；　that　they

themselves　may　be　ashamed　of　their　own　beastliness；　and　that

the　world　may　be　advertised　and　admonished　to　abhor；　detest；

and　avoid　the　company　of　all　sic　tyrants；　who　are　not　worthy　of

the　society　of　men；　but　ought　to　be　sent　suddenly　to　the　devil；

with　whom　they　must　burn　without　end；　for　their　contempt　of

God；　and　cruelty　committed　against　his　creatures。　　Let　Cassilis

and　his　brother　be　　the　　first　　to　　be　　the　　example　　unto　　others。

Amen。　　Amen。''*



*　Bannatyne's　Journal。



This　extract　has　been　somewhat　amended　or　modernized　in

orthography；　to　render　it　more　intelligible　to　the　general　reader。　　

I　have　to　add；　that　the　Kennedies　of　Bargany；　who　interfered

in　behalf　of　the　oppressed　Abbot；　were　themselves　a　younger

branch　of　the　Cassilis　family；　but　held　different　politics；　and

were　powerful　enough　in　this；　and　other　instances；　to　bid　them

defiance。



The　ultimate　issue　of　this　affair　does　not　appear；　but　as　the

house　of　Cassilis　are　still　in　possession　of　the　greater　part　of　the

feus　and　leases　which　belonged　to　Crossraguel　Abbey；　it　is

probable　the　talons　of　the　King　of　Carrick　were　strong　enough；

in　those　disorderly　times；　to　retain　the　prey　which　they　had　so

mercilessly　fixed　upon。



I　may　also　add；　that　it　appears　by　some　papers　in　my　possession；

that　the　officers　or　Country　Keepers　on　the　border；　were

accustomed　to　torment　their　prisoners　by　binding　them　to　the

iron　bars　of　their　chimneys；　to　extort　confession。





NOTE　TO　CHAPTER　XXXI



Note　F。…Ulrica's　Death　song。



It　will　readily　occur　to　the　antiquary；　that　these　verses　are

intended　to　imitate　the　antique　poetry　of　the　Scalds…the　minstrels

of　the　old　Scandinavians…the　race；　as　the　Laureate　so　happily

terms　them；



‘‘Stern　to　inflict；　and　stubborn　to　endure；

Who　smiled　in　death。''



The　poetry　of　the　Anglo…Saxons；　after　their　civilisation　and

conversion；　was　of　a　different　and　softer　character；　but　in　the

circumstances　of　Ulrica；　she　may　be　not　unnaturally　supposed

to　return　to　the　wild　strains　which　animated　her　forefathers

during　the　time　of　Paganism　and　untamed　ferocity。





NOTE　TO　CHAPTER　XXXII

Note　G。…Richard　Cur…de…Lion。



The　interchange　of　a　cuff　with　the　jolly　priest　is　not　entirely

out　of　character　with　Richard　I。；　if　romances　read　him　aright。　　

In　the　very　curious　romance　on　the　subject　of　his　adventures

in　the　Holy　Land；　and　his　return　from　thence；　it　is　recorded

how　he　exchanged　a　pugilistic　favour　of　this　nature；　while　a

prisoner　in　Germany。　　His　opponent　was　the　son　of　his　principal

warder；　and　was　so　imprudent　as　to　give　the　challenge　to

this　barter　of　buffets。　　The　King　stood　forth　like　a　true　man；

and　received　a　blow　which　staggered　him。　　In　requital；　having

previously　waxed　his　hand；　a　practice　unknown；　I　believe；　to

the　gentlemen　of　the　modern　fancy；　he　returned　the　box　on　the

ear　with　such　interest　as　to　kill　his　antagonist　on　the　spot。…_See；

in　Ellis's　Specimens　of　English　Romance；　that　of　Cur…de…Lion_。





NOTE　TO　CHAPTER　XXX