Huronnesclois, about }e first Ladie-day last. Clenges thame of ]>e thift, but fyllis thame upone J»e ressett of ]>6 said nolt, and being airt and pairt with John Hall of Heviesyde, being ane outlaw and fugitive in selling of thame.
"Item quhair Johne Irwine, callit lang Laird Hoddame, his brother and his spouse ar aocusit for airt and pairt of J?e thifteous, steilling, resett and away takin of seviD gaitt furth of Je lands of Broohtschall, at several tymes, perteining to Elizabeth Hardie, spous to umquhill David Dalrymple, betwixt Yull and Candlemas last; and for & cruell burning of ane barne full of come, beir, quheit, and ry, perteining to W m Bell in Holmheid, upon Jra tent day of Febrnar last by past. Clengit of the haill.
"Williame Scott of Burnefute upon the watter of Aill, actit him as cawtionar, and souertie for Geordie Jonsoune in Eschinsyd, that he sail compeir befoir his Maties saids Commissionaris the nixt Justice Court to be haldin be thame and underly his hienes lawis, under ]>e pane of fyve hundreth merkis.
"The persounis foirsaid fund guyltie and foull of certain crymis of thift and utheris contenit in fair particular dittayes, wer, be ]>e saidis Commissioners, decernit and condempnit, thay, and ilkane of Jem to be takin to ]>e place of execution, and there to be hangitt be ]>e heid, ay quhill thay wer deid, and all thair landis, guds and geir to be escheit and inbrooht to his hienes use, as was pronuncit in judgement be Jie mouth of e said Johne Junkisoune, dempstar of J>e said Court." — Annals of Hawick, pp. 215-305.
The language of the pulpit in the middle of the 17th century is exemplified by the following extract from a sermon preached by Mr. James Bow, sometime minister of Strowan, in St. Giles' Church, Edinburgh, on the occasion of the signing of the "Solemn League and Covenant," in 1638, which was long famous under the name of the " Pockmanty Preaching":—
"The Kirk of Scotland was a bony trotting Naig, but then she trotted sae hard, that never a man durst ryd her, but the Bishops; wha after they had gotten on her back, corce-langled her, and hopshaikled her, and when shee becam a bony paceing beast, they tooke great pleasure to ryde on her. But their cadgeing her up and downe from Edenbrugh to London, and it may be from Eome to, gave her sik a hett cott, that we have been these twall months by gane stirring her up and downe, to keep her frae foundrying.
"Yea, they made not only ane Horse, but ane Ass, of the Kirk of Scotland. Hou sae? ko ye. What meane ye by this? He tell you hou : they made Balaam's Ass of her. Ye ken well eneugh Balaam was ganging ane unluckie gate, and first the Angel mett him in a broad way, and then the Ass, bogled and startled, but Balaam gote by the Angel, and till her and battand her sufficiently ; that was when Episcopacy came in, and then they gave the Kirk of Scotland her paiks.
"AfterwardB Balaam mett the Angel in a narrow gate, and shee startled more than before; but Balaam till her againe, and whaked
