70 SCOTLAND ILLUSTRATED. 



the enemy, while their forts are left. Dismantle their strongholds, said they, 

 and the fear of reaction is neutralized ; but unless you do so, the priest will 

 return to his idols, the soldier to his entrenchments, and that destruction 

 at which we now hesitate, be visited upon our own heads. No, they concluded; 

 to keep the wolf from the fold, we must unroof liis lair. 



Actuated by such reasoning, it is no wonder that so many of the monastic 

 edifices of Scotland were dehvered to the flames, or otherwise mutilated of their 

 fairest proportions. The character of Knox, however, will be always inter- 

 preted according to the religious tenets of his biographer ; but we have less 

 to do with liis personal character than with the great revolution which he 

 accomplished. The mere question of what he tvas, is best answered by what 

 he did — and what he did, who else could have done ?* 



The poet Dunbar was also a native of this county — but of his family, birth, 

 or education, nothing is known. The first character in which he is met with, 

 is that of a travelling novitiate of the Franciscan order. His chief productions 

 were, " The Thistle and the Rose" — a beautiful allegory, in honour of the 

 marriage of James IV. with Margaret Tudor — and " The Golden Terge." 

 Although a great favourite at court, he appears never to have reached pre- 

 ferment, but to have languished over his sole inheritance, the " lyre," and 

 died neglected about 1535.-(- 



The prelate and historian, Burnet, born at Edinburgh, and afterwards so 

 distinguished in tlie great leading events of his time, was several years rector 

 of Salton, where he first engaged in the clerical functions. His principal work, 

 the " History of the Reformation of the Church of England," in addition to 

 a high and well-established fame as a writer, procured him the thanks of both 

 Houses of Parliament. His popularity, however, soon changed to suspicions 

 wliicli led to his temporary expatriation in Italy, Switzerland, and Holland; 



* He died at Edinburijli, in November, 1572 ; and, at his funeral, the earl of Morton, whom he had 

 often censured wiih-pcculiar severity, pronounced this eulogium upon him as he was committed to the 

 eartii — " Here he lies who never feared the face of man." 



I In his piece called the " Flyting," Kennedy tells Dunbar, — 



" Thy geir and substance is a widdy teucli 

 On Saltonne Mount, about thy craig to rax; 

 And yet Mount Saltoune's o;allows is owcr fair 

 For to be fleyt with sic a frontless face." 



Dimbar in the same piece says, in proof of his nativity — 



■" I haif on me a pair of I.owthhinc hippes." 



I 



