to the world in unlimited abundance; and I am certain that, in
recording the hideous events which follow, I am only relating to
the greater part of the inhabitants of at least four counties of
Scotland matters of which they were before perfectly well
informed.

This George was a rich man, or supposed to be so, and was
married, when considerably advanced in life, to the sole heiress
and reputed daughter of a Baillie Orde, of Glasgow. This proved
a conjunction anything but agreeable to the parties contracting. It
is well known that the Reformation principles had long before
that time taken a powerful hold of the hearts and affections of the
people of Scotland, although the feeling was by no means
general, or in equal degrees; and it so happened that this married
couple felt completely at variance on the subject. Granting it to
have been so, one would have thought that the laird, owing to his
retiring situation, would have been the one that inclined to the
stern doctrines of the reformers; and that the young and gay dame
from the city would have adhered to the free principles cherished
by the court party, and indulged in rather to extremity, in
opposition to their severe and carping contemporaries.

The contrary, however, happened to be the case. The laird was
what his country neighbours called "a droll, careless chap", with a
very limited proportion of the fear of God in his heart, and very
nearly as little of the fear of man. The laird had not intentionally
wronged or offended either of the parties, and perceived not the
necessity of deprecating their vengeance. He had hitherto
believed that he was living in most cordial terms with the greater
part of the inhabitants of the earth, and with the powers above in