*A_Tulchan_isacalfsskinstuffed，andplacedbeforeacowwhohas*lostitscalf，toinducetheanimaltopartwithhermilk。Theresemblance*betweensuchaTulchanandaBishopnamedtotransmitthetemporalities*ofabeneficetosomepowerfulpatron，iseasilyunderstood。
Bishops，beingasortofimaginaryprelate，whoseimagewassetuptoenablehispatronandprincipaltoplunderthebeneficeunderhisname。
Therewereothercases，however，inwhichmenwhohadgotgrantsofthesesecularisedbenefices，weredesirousofretainingthemfortheirownuse，withouthavingtheinfluencesufficienttoestablishtheirpurpose；andthesebecamefrequentlyunabletoprotectthemselves，howeverunwillingtosubmittotheexactionsofthefeudaltyrantofthedistrict。
Bannatyne，secretarytoJohnKnox，recountsasingularcourseofoppressionpractisedononeofthosetitularsabbots，bytheEarlofCassilisinAyrshire，whoseextentoffeudalinfluencewassowidethathewasusuallytermedtheKingofCarrick。
WegivethefactasitoccursinBannatyne’sJournal，onlypremisingthattheJournalistheldhismaster’sopinions，bothwithrespecttotheEarlofCassilisasanopposeroftheking’sparty，andasbeingadetesterofthepracticeofgrantingchurchrevenuestotitulars，insteadoftheirbeingdevotedtopioususes，suchasthesupportoftheclergy，expenseofschools，andthereliefofthenationalpoor。Heminglesinthenarrative，therefore，awelldeservedfeelingofexecrationagainstthetyrantwhoemployedthetorture，whichatoneofridiculetowardsthepatient，asif，afterall，ithadnotbeenillbestowedonsuchanequivocalandamphibiouscharacterasatitularabbot。Heentitleshisnarrative，TheEarlOfCassilis’Tyrannyagainstaquick_i。e。_
livingman。
``MasterAllanStewart，friendtoCaptainJamesStewartofCardonall，bymeansoftheQueen’scorruptedcourt，obtainedtheAbbeyofCrossraguel。ThesaidEarlthinkinghimselfgreaterthananykinginthosequarters，determinedtohavethatwholebeneficeashehathdiversotherstopayathispleasure；
andbecausehecouldnotfindsicsecurityashisinsatiableappetiterequired，thisshiftwasdevised。ThesaidMrAllanbeingincompanywiththeLairdofBargany，alsoaKennedy，was，bytheEarlandhisfriends，enticedtoleavethesafeguardwhichhehadwiththeLaird，andcometomakegoodcheerwiththesaidEarl。Thesimplicityoftheimprudentmanwassuddenlyabused；andsohepassedhistimewiththemcertaindays，whichhedidinMaybolewithThomasKennedie，uncletothesaidEarl：
afterwhichthesaidMrAllanpassed，withquietcompany，tovisittheplaceandboundsofCrossraguel，[hisabbacy，]ofwhichthesaidEarlbeingsurelyadvertised，determinedtoputinpracticethetyrannywhichlongbeforehehadconceaved。Andso，askingofthecountry，apprehendedthesaidMrAllan，andcarriedhimtothehouseofDenure，whereforaseasonhewashonourablytreated，gifaprisonercanthinkanyentertainmentpleasing；butafterthatcertaindayswerespent，andthattheEarlcouldnotobtainthefeusofCrossraguelaccordingtohisawinappetite，hedeterminedtoprovegifacollationcouldworkthatwhichneitherdinnernorsuppercoulddoforalongtime。
AndsothosaidMrAllanwascarriedtoasecretchamber：
withhimpassedthehonourableEarl，hisworshipfulbrother，andsuchaswereappointedtobeservantsatthatbanquet。Inthechambertherewasagritironchimlay，underitafire；
othergritprovisionwasnotseen。Thefirstcoursewas，——`MyLordAbbot，’saidtheEarl，`itwillpleaseyouconfesshere，thatwithyourownconsentyouremaininmycompany，becauseyedurstnotcommityourselftothehandsofothers。’TheAbbotanswered，`Wouldyou，mylord，thatIshouldmakeamanifestlieforyourpleasure?Thetruthis，mylord，itisagainstmywillthatIamhere；neitheryethaveIanypleasureinyourcompany。’`Butyeshallremainwithme，nevertheless，atthistime，’saidtheEarl。`lamnotabletoresistyourwillandpleasure，’
saidtheAbbot，’inthisplace。’`Yemustthenobeyme，’
saidtheEarl，——andwiththatwerepresenteduntohimcertainletterstosubscribe，amongstwhichtherewasafiveyears’tack，andanineteenyears’tack，andacharteroffeuofallthelandsofCrossraguel，withalltheclausesnecessaryfortheEarltohastehimtohell。Forgifadultery，sacrilege，oppression，barbarouscruelty，andtheftheapedupontheft，deservehell，thegreatKingofCarrickcannomoreescapehellforever，thantheimprudentAbbotescapedthefireforaseasonasfollows。
``AfterthattheEarlspiedrepugnance，andsawthathecouldnotcometohispurposebyfairmeans，hecommandedhiscookstopreparethebanquet：andsofirsttheyflayedthesheep，thatis，theytookofftheAbbot’scloatheseventohisskin，andnexttheyboundhimtothechimney——hislegstotheoneend，andhisarmstotheother；andsotheybegantobeet[_i。e。_feed]thefiresometimestohisbuttocks，sometimestohislegs，sometimestohisshouldersandarms；andthattheroastmightnotburn，butthatitmightrestinsoppe，theysparednotflambingwithoil，bastingasacookbastesroastedmeat；Lord，lookthoutosiccruelty！Andthatthecryingofthemiserablemanshouldnotbeheard，theydosedhismouththatthevoicemightbestopped。
ItmaybesuspectedthatsomepartisanoftheKing’s[Darnley’s]
murderwasthere。Inthattormenttheyheldthepoorman，tillthatoftenhecriedforGod’ssaketodispatchhim；forhehadasmeiklegoldinhisawinpurseaswouldbuypowderenoughtoshortenhispain。ThefamousKingofCarrickandhiscooksperceivingtheroasttobeaneuch，commandedittobetanefrathefire，andtheEarlhimselfbeganthegraceinthismanner：——`_Benedicite，JesusMaria_，youarethemostobstinatemanthateverIsaw；gifIhadknownthatyehadbeensostubborn，Iwouldnotforathousandcrownshavehandledyouso；Ineverdidsotomanbeforeyou。’Andyethereturnedtothesamepracticewithintwodays，andceasednottillthatheobtainedhisformostpurpose，thatis，thathehadgotallhispiecessubscryvitalsweillasanehalf-roastedhandcoulddoit。TheEarlthinkinghimselfsureenoughsolongasbehadthehalf-roastedAbbotinhisawinkeeping，andyetbeingashamedofhispresencebyreasonofhisformercruelty，lefttheplaceofDenureinthehandsofcertainofhisservants，andthehalf-roastedAbbottobekeptthereasprisoner。TheLairdofBargany，outofwhosecompanythesaidAbbothadbeenenticed，understanding，nottheextremity，buttheretainingoftheman，senttothecourt，andraisedlettersofdeliveranceofthepersonofthemanaccordingtotheorder，whichbeingdisobeyed，thesaidEarlforhiscontemptwasdenouncedrebel，andputtothehorne。Butyethopewastherenone，neithertotheafflictedtobedelivered，neitheryettothepurchaser[_i。e。_procurer]
oftheletterstoobtainanycomfortthereby；forinthattimeGodwasdespised，andthelawfulauthoritywascontemnedinScotland，inhopeofthesuddenreturnandregimentofthatcruelmurdererofherawinhusband，ofwhoselordsthesaidEarlwascalledone；andyet，oftenerthanonce，hewassolemnlysworntotheKingandtohisRegent。’’
TheJournalistthenrecitesthecomplaintoftheinjuredAllanStewart，CommendatorofCrossraguel，totheRegentandPrivyCouncil，averringhishavingbeencarried，partlybyflattery，partlybyforce，totheblackvaultofDenure，astrongfortalice，builtonarockoverhangingtheIrishchannel，wheretoexecuteleasesandconveyancesofthewholechurchesandparsonagesbelongingtotheAbbeyofCrossraguel，whichheutterlyrefusedasanunreasonabledemand，andthemoresothathehadalreadyconveyedthemtoJohnStewartofCardonah，bywhoseinteresthehadbeenmadeCommendator。Thecomplainantproceedstostate，thathewas，aftermanymenaces，stript，bound，andhislimbsexposedtofireinthemanneralreadydescribed，till，compelledbyexcessofagony，hesubscribedthecharterandleasespresentedtohim，ofthecontentsofwhichhewastotallyignorant。Afewdaysafterwards，beingagainrequiredtoexecutearatificationofthesedeedsbeforeanotaryandwitnesses，andrefusingtodoso，hewasoncemoresubjectedtothesametorture，untilhisagonywassoexcessivethatheexclaimed，``Fyeonyou，whydoyounotstrikeyourwhingersintome，orblowmeupwithabarrelofpowder，ratherthantorturemethusunmercifully?’’uponwhichtheEarlcommandedAlexanderRichard，oneofhisattendants，tostopthepatient’smouthwithanapkin，whichwasdoneaccordingly。Thushewasoncemorecompelledtosubmittotheirtyranny。Thepetitionconcludedwithstating，thattheEarl，underpretenceofthedeedsthusiniquitouslyobtained，hadtakenpossessionofthewholeplaceandlivingofCrossraguel，andenjoyedtheprofitsthereofforthreeyears。
ThedoomoftheRegentandCouncilshowssingularlythetotalinterruptionofjusticeatthiscalamitousperiod，eveninthemostclamantcasesofoppression。TheCouncildeclinedinterferencewiththecourseoftheordinaryjusticeofthecounty，whichwascompletelyunderthesaidEarlofCassilis’control，
andonlyenacted，thatheshouldforbearmolestationoftheunfortunateComendator，underthesuretyoftwothousandpoundsScots。TheEarlwasappointedalsotokeepthepeacetowardsthecelebratedGeorgeBuchanan，whohadapensionoutofthesameAbbacy，toasimilarextent，andunderthelikepenalty。
TheconsequencesarethusdescribedbytheJournalistalreadyquoted。
``ThesaidLairdofBarganyperceivingthattheordinerjusticecouldneitherhelptheoppressed，noryettheafflicted，appliedhismindtothenextremedy，andintheend，byhisservants，tookthehouseofDenure，wherethepoorAbbotwaskeptprisoner。ThebruitflewfraCarricktoGalloway，andsosuddenlyassembledherdandhyre-manthatpertainedtothebandoftheKennedies；andsowithinafewhourswasthehouseofDenureenvironedagain。ThemasterofCassiliswasthefrackast[_i。e。_thereadiestorboldestandwouldnotstay，butinhisheatwouldlayfiretothedungeon，withnosmallboastingthatallenemieswithinthehouseshoulddie。
``Hewasrequiredandadmonishedbythosethatwerewithintobemoremoderate，andnottohazardhimselfsofoolishly。Butnoadmonitionwouldhelp，tillthatthewindofanhacquebuteblastedhisshoulder，andthenceasedhefromfurtherpursuitinfury。TheLairdofBarganyhadbeforepurchest[obtained]
oftheauthorities，letters，chargingallfaithfullsubjectstotheKing’sMajesty，toassisthimagainstthatcrueltyrantandmansworntraitor，theEarlofCassilis；whichletters，withhisprivatewritings，hepublished，andshortlyfoundsicconcurrenceofKyleandCunyngbamewithhisotherfriends，thattheCarrickcompanydrewbackfrathehouse：andsotheotherapproached，furnishedthehousewithmoremen，deliveredthesaidMrAllan，andcarriedhimtoAyr，where，publiclyatthemarketcrossofthesaidtown，hedeclaredhowcruellyhewasentreated，andhowthemurderedKingsufferednotsictormentashedid，exceptingonlyheescapedthedeath：and，therefore，publicklydidrevokeallthingsthatweredoneinthatextremity，andespeciallyherevokedthesubscriptionofthethreewritings，towit，ofafyveyeirtackandnineteenyeartack，andofacharteroffeu。Andsothehouseremained，andremainstillthisday，the7thofFebruary，1571，inthecustodyofthesaidLairdofBarganyandofhisservants。Andsocrueltywasdisappointedofproffeitpresent，andshallbeeternalliepunished，unlessheearnestlyrepent。Andthisfarforthecrueltycommitted，togiveoccasionuntoothers，andtosuchashatethemonstrousdealingofdegeneratenobility，tolookmorediligentlyupontheirbehaviuours，andtopaintthemforthuntotheworld，thattheythemselvesmaybeashamedoftheirownbeastliness，andthattheworldmaybeadvertisedandadmonishedtoabhor，detest，andavoidthecompanyofallsictyrants，whoarenotworthyofthesocietyofmen，butoughttobesentsuddenlytothedevil，withwhomtheymustburnwithoutend，fortheircontemptofGod，andcrueltycommittedagainsthiscreatures。LetCassilisandhisbrotherbethefirsttobetheexampleuntoothers。
Amen。Amen。’’*
*Bannatyne’sJournal。
Thisextracthasbeensomewhatamendedormodernizedinorthography，torenderitmoreintelligibletothegeneralreader。
Ihavetoadd，thattheKennediesofBargany，whointerferedinbehalfoftheoppressedAbbot，werethemselvesayoungerbranchoftheCassilisfamily，buthelddifferentpolitics，andwerepowerfulenoughinthis，andotherinstances，tobidthemdefiance。
Theultimateissueofthisaffairdoesnotappear；butasthehouseofCassilisarestillinpossessionofthegreaterpartofthefeusandleaseswhichbelongedtoCrossraguelAbbey，itisprobablethetalonsoftheKingofCarrickwerestrongenough，inthosedisorderlytimes，toretainthepreywhichtheyhadsomercilesslyfixedupon。