The Men of the Moss-Hags Being a history of adventure taken from the papers of William Gordon of Earlstoun in Galloway   By: Samuel R. Crockett (1860-1914)

BEING A HISTORY OF ADVENTURE TAKEN FROM THE PAPERS OF WILLIAM GORDON OF EARLSTOUN IN GALLOWAY AND TOLD OVER AGAIN BY

S. R. CROCKETT

New York MACMILLAN AND CO. AND LONDON 1895 All rights reserved

COPYRIGHT, 1895, BY MACMILLAN AND CO.

Norwood Press J. S. Cushing & Co Berwick & Smith Norwood Mass. U.S.A.

To ANDREW LANG Poet, Romancer, Scholar, and Friend of the goodly fellowship of the White Rose I, born of the Hill Folk dedicate this attempt at a true history of some who fought bravely beneath the Banner of Blue

PREFATORY NOTE.

I desire to express grateful thanks to my researchers, Mr. James Nicholson of Kirkcudbright, who examined on my behalf all the local records bearing upon the period and upon the persons treated of in this book; and to the Reverend John Anderson of the Edinburgh University Library, who brought to light from among the Earlstoun Papers and from the long lost records of the United Societies, many of the materials which I have used in the writing of this story.

I owe also much gratitude to the Library Committee of the University of Edinburgh, for permission to use the letters which are printed in the text, and for their larger permission to publish at some future time, for purposes more strictly historical, a selection from both the sets of manuscripts named above.

Most of all, I am indebted to my friend, Mr. John McMillan of Glenhead in Galloway, who has not only given me in this, as in former works, the benefit of his unrivalled local knowledge, but has travelled with me many a weary foot over those moors and moss hags, where the wanderers of another time had their abiding places. Let him accept this word of thanks. He is not likely to forget our stay together in the wilds of Cove Macaterick. Nor I our journey home.

S. R. CROCKETT.

Penicuik, Aug. 5, 1895.

CONTENTS.

I. MY GOSSIP, MAISIE MAY

II. GAY GARLAND CARRIES DOUBLE

III. GAY GARLAND COMES HOME SADDLE EMPTY

IV. SANDY GORDON COMES OVER THE HILL ALL ALONE

V. THE CLASH OF WORDS

VI. THE CLASH OF SWORDS

VII. THE FIELD OF BOTHWELL BRIG

VIII. THE CURATE OF DALRY

IX. THROUGH DEATH'S DARK VALE

X. THE GRAVE IN THE WILDERNESS

XI. THE BLOOD OF THE MARTYRS

XII. WE RIDE TO EDINBURGH

XIII. WULLCAT WAT DARES HEAVEN AND HELL

XIV. THE THING THAT FELL FROM TRAITOR'S GATE

XV. THE BICKER IN THE SNOW

XVI. THE GREY MOWDIEWORT

XVII. OVER THE MUIR AMANG THE HEATHER

XVIII. AULD ANTON OF THE DUCHRAE

XIX. THE SWEET SINGERS OF THE DEER SLUNK

XX. THE HOME OF MY LOVE

XXI. THE GREAT CONVENTICLE BY THE DEE WATER

XXII. PEDEN THE PROPHET

XXIII. BIRSAY THE COBBLER

XXIV. THE SANQUHAR DECLARATION

XXV. THE LAST CHARGE AT AYRSMOSS

XXVI. HIDING WITH THE HEATHER CAT

XXVII. THE WATER OF THE WELL OF BETHLEHEM

XXVIII. THE WELL HOUSE OF EARLSTOUN

XXIX. CUPBOARD LOVE

XXX. THE BULL OF EARLSTOUN'S HOMECOMING

XXXI. JEAN'S WA'S

XXXII. PLAIN WORDS UPON MEN

XXXIII. THE GARDENER OF BALMAGHIE

XXXIV. THE TESTING OF THE TYKE

XXXV. KATE OF THE DARK BROWS

XXXVI. THE BLACK HORSE COMES TO BALMAGHIE

XXXVII. A CAVALIER'S WOOING

XXXVIII. IN COVE MACATERICK

XXXIX. THE BOWER OF THE STAR

XL. MARDROCHAT THE SPY

XLI. THE HOUSE OF THE BLACK CATS

XLII. THE NICK O' THE DEID WIFE

XLIII. THE VENGEANCE OF "YON"

XLIV. A DESIRABLE GENERAL MEETING

XLV. THE OUTFACING OF CLAVERS

XLVI. THE FIGHT AT THE CALDONS

XLVII. THE GALLOWAY FLAIL

XLVIII. THE FIGHT IN THE GUT OF THE ENTERKIN

XLIX. THE DEATH OF MARDROCHAT

L. THE BREAKING OF THE THIEVES' HOLE

LI. THE SANDS OF WIGTOWN

LII. THE MADNESS OF THE BULL OF EARLSTOUN

LIII. UNDER SENTENCE OF DEATH

LIV. ROBBERY ON THE KING'S HIGHWAY

LV. THE RED MAIDEN

LVI. THE MAID ON THE WHITE HORSE

FOLLOWETH THE AUTHOR'S CONCLUSION

THE MEN OF THE MOSS HAGS.

CHAPTER I.

MY GOSSIP, MAISIE MAY.