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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　top　might　the　better　protect　the　base。　　

It　is　formed　of　rough　stones；　selected　with　care；　and　laid　in

courses　or　circles；　with　much　compactness；　but　without　cement

of　any　kind。　　The　tower　has　never；　to　appearance；　had　roofing

of　any　sort；　a　fire　was　made　in　the　centre　of　the　space　which

it　encloses；　and　originally　the　building　was　probably　little　more

than　a　wall　drawn　as　a　sort　of　screen　around　the　great　council

fire　of　the　tribe。　　But；　although　the　means　or　ingenuity　of

the　builders　did　not　extend　so　far　as　to　provide　a　roof；　they　supplied

the　want　by　constructing　apartments　in　the　interior　of

the　walls　of　the　tower　itself。　　The　circumvallation　formed　a

double　enclosure；　the　inner　side　of　which　was；　in　fact；　two　feet

or　three　feet　distant　from　the　other；　and　connected　by　a　concentric

range　of　long　flat　stones；　thus　forming　a　series　of　concentric

rings　or　stories　of　various　heights；　rising　to　the　top　of　the　tower。　　

Each　of　these　stories　or　galleries　has　four　windows；　facing

directly　to　the　points　of　the　compass；　and　rising　of　course　regularly

above　each　other。　　These　four　perpendicular　ranges　of　windows

admitted　air；　and；　the　fire　being　kindled；　heat；　or　smoke　at

least；　to　each　of　the　galleries。　　The　access　from　gallery　to　gallery

is　equally　primitive。　A　path；　on　the　principle　of　an　inclined

plane；　turns　round　and　round　the　building　like　a　screw；　and　gives

access　to　the　different　stories；　intersecting　each　of　them　in　its

turn；　and　thus　gradually　rising　to　the　top　of　the　wall　of　the

tower。　　On　the　outside　there　are　no　windows　；　and　I　may　add；

that　an　enclosure　of　a　square；　or　sometimes　a　round　form；　gave

the　inhabitants　of　the　Burgh　an　opportunity　to　secure　any

sheep　or　cattle　which　they　might　possess。



Such　is　the　general　architecture　of　that　very　early　period

when　the　Northmen　swept　the　seas；　and　brought　to　their

rude　houses；　such　as　I　have　described　them；　the　plunder　of

polished　nations。　　In　Zetland　there　are　several　scores　of　these

Burghs；　occupying　in　every　case；　capes；　headlands；　islets；　and　similar

places　of　advantage　singularly　well　chosen。　　I　remember

the　remains　of　one　upon　an　island　in　a　small　lake　near　Lerwick；

which　at　high　tide　communicates　with　the　sea；　the　access　to

which　is　very　ingenious；　by　means　of　a　causeway　or　dike；

about　three　or　four　inches　under　the　surface　of　the　water。　　This

causeway　makes　a　sharp　angle　in　its　approach　to　the　Burgh。　　

The　inhabitants；　doubtless；　were　well　acquainted　with　this；　but

strangers；　who　might　approach　in　a　hostile　manner；　and　were

ignorant　of　the　curve　of　the　causeway；　would　probably　plunge

into　the　lake；　which　is　six　or　seven　feet　in　depth　at　the　least。　　

This　must　have　been　the　device　of　some　Vauban　or　Cohorn　of

those　early　times。



The　style　of　these　buildings　evinces　that　the　architect　possessed

neither　the　art　of　using　lime　or　cement　of　any　kind；　nor

the　skill　to　throw　an　arch；　construct　a　roof；　or　erect　a　stair　；

and　yet；　with　all　this　ignorance；　showed　great　ingenuity　in　selecting

the　situation　of　Burghs；　and　regulating　the　access　to

them；　as　well　as　neatness　and　regularity　in　the　erection；　since

the　buildings　themselves　show　a　style　of　advance　in　the　arts

scarcely　consistent　with　the　ignorance　of　so　many　of　the　principal

branches　of　architectural　knowledge。



I　have　always　thought；　that　one　of　the　most　curious　and　valuable

objects　of　antiquaries　has　been　to　trace　the　progress　of

society；　by　the　efforts　made　in　early　ages　to　improve　the　rudeness

of　their　first　expedients；　until　they　either　approach　excellence；

or；　as　is　more　frequently　the　case；　are　supplied　by　new　and

fundamental　discoveries；　which　supersede　both　the　earlier　and

ruder　system；　and　the　improvements　which　have　been　ingrafted

upon　it。　　For　example；　if　we　conceive　the　recent　discovery

of　gas　to　be　so　much　improved　and　adapted　to　domestic　use；　as

to　supersede　all　other　modes　of　producing　domestic　light；　we

can　already　suppose；　some　centuries　afterwards；　the　heads　of　a

whole　Society　of　Antiquaries　half　turned　by　the　discovery　of　a

pair　of　patent　snuffers；　and　by　the　learned　theories　which　would

be　brought　forward　to　account　for　the　form　and　purpose　of　so

singular　an　implement。



Following　some　such　principle；　I　am　inclined　to　regard　the

singular　Castle　of　Coningsburgh…I　mean　the　Saxon　part　of　it…

as　a　step　in　advance　from　the　rude　architecture；　if　it　deserves

the　name；　which　must　have　been　common　to　the　Saxons　as　to

other　Northmen。　　The　builders　had　attained　the　art　of　using

cement；　and　of　roofing　a　building；…great　improvements　on　the

original　Burgh。　　But　in　the　round　keep；　a　shape　only　seen　in

the　most　ancient　castles…the　chambers　excavated　in　the　thickness

of　the　walls　and　buttresses…the　difficulty　by　which　access

is　gained　from　one　story　to　those　above　it；　Coningsburgh　still

retains　the　simplicity　of　its　origin；　and　shows　by　what　slow

degrees　man　proceeded　from　occupying　such　rude　and　inconvenient

lodgings；　as　were　afforded　by　the　galleries　of　the　Castle

of　Mousa；　to　the　more　splendid　accommodations　of　the　Norman

castles；　with　all　their　stern　and　Gothic　graces。



I　am　ignorant　if　these　remarks　are　new；　or　if　they　will　be

confirmed　by　closer　examination　；　but　I　think；　that；　on　a　hasty

observation；　Coningsburgh　offers　means　of　curious　study　to

those　who　may　wish　to　trace　the　history　of　architecture　back

to　the　times　preceding　the　Norman　Conquest。



It　would　be　highly　desirable　that　a　cork　model　should　be

taken　of　the　Castle　of　Mousa；　as　it　cannot　be　well　understood　by

a　plan。



The　Castle　of　Coningsburgh　is　thus　described：…



‘‘The　castle　is　large；　the　outer　walls　standing　on　a　pleasant

ascent　from　the　river；　but　much　overtopt　by　a　high　hill；　on

which　the　town　stands；　situated　at　the　head　of　a　rich　and　magnificent

vale；　formed　by　an　amphitheatre　of　woody　hills；　in

which　flows　the　gentle　Don。