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　XXXIII
  Note　H。…Hedge…Priests。
  It　is　curious　to　observe；　that　in　every　state　of　society；　some
  sort　of　ghostly　consolation　is　provided　for　the　members　of　the
  community；　though　assembled　for　purposes　diametrically　opposite
  to　religion。　　A　gang　of　beggars　have　their　Patrico；　and
  the　banditti　of　the　Apennines　have　among　them　persons　acting
  as　monks　and　priests；　by　whom　they　are　confessed；　and　who
  perform　mass　before　them。　　Unquestionably；　such　reverend
  persons；　in　such　a　society；　must　accommodate　their　manners
  and　their　morals　to　the　community　in　which　they　live；　and　if
  they　can　occasionally　obtain　a　degree　of　reverence　for　their　supposed
  spiritual　gifts；　are；　on　most　occasions；　loaded　with　unmerciful
  ridicule；　as　possessing　a　character　inconsistent　with　all
  around　them。
  Hence　the　fighting　parson　in　the　old　play　of　Sir　John　Oldcastle；
  and　the　famous　friar　of　Robin　Hood's　band。　　Nor　were
  such　characters　ideal。　　There　exists　a　monition　of　the　Bishop
  of　Durham　against　irregular　churchmen　of　this　class；　who　associated
  themselves　with　Border　robbers；　and　desecrated　the
  holiest　offices　of　the　priestly　function；　by　celebrating　them　for
  the　benefit　of　thieves；　robbers；　and　murderers；　amongst　ruins
  and　in　caverns　of　the　earth；　without　regard　to　canonical　form；
  and　with　torn　and　dirty　attire；　and　maimed　rites；　altogether
  improper　for　the　occasion。
  NOTE　TO　CHAPTER　XLI。
  Note　I。…Castle　of　Coningsburgh。
  When　I　last　saw　this　interesting　ruin　of　ancient　days；　one
  of　the　very　few　remaining　examples　of　Saxon　fortification；　I
  was　strongly　impressed　with　the　desire　of　tracing　out　a　sort　of
  theory　on　the　subject；　which；　from　some　recent　acquaintance
  with　the　architecture　of　the　ancient　Scandinavians；　seemed　to
  me　peculiarly　interesting。　　I　was；　however；　obliged　by　circumstances
  to　proceed　on　my　journey；　without　leisure　to　take　more
  than　a　transient　view　of　Coningsburgh。　　Yet　the　idea　dwells　so
  strongly　in　my　mind；　that　I　feel　considerably　tempted　to　write
  a　page　or　two　in　detailing　at　least　the　outline　of　my　hypothesis；
  leaving　better　antiquaries　to　correct　or　refute　conclusions
  which　are　perhaps　too　hastily　drawn。
  Those　who　have　visited　the　Zetland　Islands；　are　familiar　with
  the　description　of　castles　called　by　the　inhabitants　Burghs；　and　by
  the　Highlanders…for　they　are　also　to　be　found　both　in　the　Western
  Isles　and　on　the　mainland…Duns。　　Pennant　has　engraved
  a　view　of　the　famous　Dun…Dornadilla　in　Glenelg；　and　there　are
  many　others；　all　of　them　built　after　a　peculiar　mode　of　architecture；
  which　argues　a　people　in　the　most　primitive　state　of　society。
  The　most　perfect　specimen　is　that　upon　the　island　of　Mousa；
  near　to　the　mainland　of　Zetland；　which　is　probably　in　the
  same　state　as　when　inhabited。
  It　is　a　single　round　tower；　the　wall　curving　in　slightly；　and
  then　turning　outward　again　in　the　form　of　a　dice…box；　so　that
  the　defenders　on　the