192 Kenmure Castle. 



another letter, written by Claverhouse, from Xewton of Gallowav, 

 dated 1st March, 1682, he says — " I wish the Gordons here were 

 transplanted to the north and exchanged with any other branch 

 of that family who are so very loyal there and disaffected here." 

 Galloway was now in the throes of the "killing time." Shortly 

 after the brutal murder of Bell of Whiteside, Kenmure met Lag 

 and Claverhouse on the street at Kirkcudbright. Kenmure 

 bitterly reproached Lag for such barbarity to his kinsman, 

 especially in not even giving Bell a decent burial, after being .so 

 ruthlessly shot down. "Oh take him," replied Lag, "and salt 

 him in your beer barrel." Kenmure's sword at once flashed from 

 its scabbard, and he would have killed Lag there and then had 

 Claverhouse not spurred his horse in between the combatants. 



The Unhappy '15. 



This Viscount was present at the famous Convention of 

 Estates held in Edinburgh on the 16th March, 1689. He was 

 also one of the landlords in Galloway who petitioned the Privv 

 Council in June, 1697, to make and mark a road for driving cattle 

 from New-Galloway to Dumfries. He died in 1698, and was suc- 

 ceeded by his son William as 6th Viscount. William was a Jaco- 

 bite, and at this time it had been seriousl)- proposeci to send a 

 French expedition to Kirkcudbright in aid of the Pretender. 

 This port was chosen for several rea.sons, because it was the least 

 guarded, and because it was the stronghold of the Pretender's 

 warmest partisans, such as the Gordons, the Maxwells, and 

 Fergu.sons, and many more. At first Kenmure was unwilling to 

 take the lead, but owing to the enthusiasm of his wife (Mary 

 ■Dalziel, sister of Lord Carnwath), and the prospect of higher 

 'honours, he agreed. Tradition savs that on the morning of his 

 departure his horse, which was generally tractable and gentle, 

 resisted violently, and refused to allow him to mount. This was 

 looked upon as a bad omen, but his wife unfurled the .standard of 

 blue silk which she had wrought with her own hands, and handed 

 it to him, saving, "Go on, mv Lord go on; you are in a good 

 •cause; a faint heart never won a fair lady.'' This banner bore 

 the words "No Union," and underneath a representation of the 

 Thistle and St. Andrew. He rode off at the head of a goodly 

 company of enthusiastic supporters, with black cockades in their 

 bonnets, accompanied by a large number of minstrels. This 

 accounts for the .song, " O, Kenmure's on and awa', Willie." 



