IN ASSYNT. 153 



Neil Mackleud, Laird of Assint, who had married his sister, 

 desiring him earnestlie to apprehend any that should come in 

 his countrie, and chiefly James Graham. The Laird of Assint 

 was not negligent, but sent parties everywhere. Some of them 

 met James Graham, accompanied only with one Major Sinclare, 

 ane Orknay man. The partie apprehends them both, and 

 brings them to Andwreck (the Laird of Assint his chief resi- 

 dence.) James Graham made great offers to the Laird of 

 Assint, if he would goe with him to Orknay, all which he re- 

 fused, and did write to the leivtenant-generall. James Graham 

 was two nights in Skibo, and from thence he was conveyed to 

 Brayn, and so to Edinburgh. Being presented there before 

 the parlament, he was sentenced to be hanged publiclie at the 

 merkat crosse of Edinburgh, and to be quartered ; his head to 

 be put above the tolbuith of Edinburgh, where his vncle (the 

 Earl of Gowrie) his head was formerlie placed, the year one 

 thousand sixth hundredth ; his four quarters were appointed to 

 be sent to Glasco, Stirlin, Saint Johnston, and Aberdeen, there 

 to be hung vp ; and his bodie to be buried in the Borrow-Mure, 

 where the most odious malefactors are vsuallie hanged and 

 buried : all which was dewly performed. He was executed the 

 twentie one day of May, one thousand six hundredth and fiftie 

 years. He hade bin formerlie forfalted and excommunicated. 

 The ministers dealt verie earnestlie with him to acknowledge 

 his offence, that he might be absolued from the dreadfull sent- 

 ence of excommunication, which he refused to doe, and so 

 died obstinat. He had sent a seditious declaration into Scot- 

 land the preceding winter, full of arrogance, sedition, and vain 

 glorie; and he hade caused printe ane historic of his proceed- 

 ings formerlie in Scotland, full of lies and untruths. One of 

 these was put vpon either of his shoulders when he was vpon 

 the scaffold, which were both formerlie burnt by the hand of 

 the hangman. Thus perished James Graham (sometime Earl 

 and Marquis of Montros,) when (in his own conceit) he was 



