MAYBOLE. — CASSILIS. — COLZEAN. 187 



ancestor of this family, for a provost, a rector, and three prebendaries. It has 

 shared the fate of most other religious buildings of that period, and is now only 

 used as a sepulchre for the pious founder's posterity, the chief of whom is the 

 noble family* above mentioned. Maybole is considered as possessing great 

 salubrity of climate, and noted for instances of longevity. In former times it 

 was the winter rendezvous of all the neighbouring gentry, whose somewhat 

 stately domiciles are stiU surviving chronicles of those primitive times. Of these 

 fiimily mansions — once no less than twenty-eight in number — the most remark- 

 able is the " Castle," here represented. It is one of the finest existing specimens 

 of its order, and afibrds a clear idea of the style and accommodation necessary for 

 a nobleman's establishment of that epoch. With this fortahce, the well known story 

 of " Johnny Faa," and the catastrophe which followed, are so closely associated, 

 that we shall be readily excused — especially by our continental readers — if we 

 annex the popular version, concerning which the reader will find some curious 

 particulars in the Waverley Anecdotes. 



John, the sixth earl of Cassilis, a stern Covenanter, and of whom it is remem- 

 bered, that " he would never permit his language to be understood but in its direct 

 sense," obtained the hand of Lady Jane Hamilton, daughter of the first earl of 

 Haddington. The match, it is said, in extenuation of her subsequent conduct, was 

 contracted without the lady's consent, whose affections had been previously 

 engaged by a Sir John Faa, a neighbour of her father's in Dunbar, who was 

 neither " grave nor solemn," like his rival, but young, handsome, and debonair. 

 The marriage, nevertheless, was solemnized, and the lady accompanied her lord 

 to the family mansion of Cassilis, which still forms one of the chief attractions on 

 the banks of the Doon. The union was crowned by the birfli of three children, 

 one of whom was afterwards married to Bishop Burnet. But this lady, it appears, 

 though a mother, was still haunted, in imagination at least, by the gallant 

 knight of Dunbar, whose admiration had suffered no abatement, and at length 

 betrayed him into the wild scheme of carrying her off". Favoured by the temporary 

 absence of Lord Cassilis, who was in England on some public mission, the 

 moment was seized for effecting the abduction. Sir John, supported by a band of 

 desperate accomplices, all disguised as gipseys, presented himself at the castle 

 gate, and announced his arrival and intention, by an expressive serenade. And 



• The ancient power and possessions of the Kennedies is perpetuated in the following proverb : 



" From Wigion and the town of Ayr, 

 Portpatrick and the Cruives of Cree, 

 No man may think to prosper there, 

 Unless he court with Kennedie." 



