end notes-第2章

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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　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