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　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；
  （wh