220 A SCOTTISH BLOOD-FEUD 



cover of the smoke from the burning thatch. Only one 

 man of Lady Cassilis's following was killed, she herself 

 was released, and afterwards, at the intercession of the 

 wives of the country gentlemen of Ayr, with whom 

 Drummurchie was on the best of personal terms, the 

 master and the other prisoners were also set at liberty 

 after some days' confinement. 



A grisly episode is here recorded, wherein a member 

 of a family shortly to become famous came to a violent 

 end. Thomas Dalrymple, brother of the laird of Stair, 

 had been one of Bargany's men at the battle of Maybole, 

 and Cassilis had obtained letters of horning [outlawry] 

 against all his opponents in that affair. Him the earl, 

 as he was riding to Galloway, met by accident on the 

 bridge of Girvan, seized, and hung him on the dule tree 

 ' besyd the yett [gate] of Craigneill.' The chronicler 

 feelingly observes that he was ' ane pretty little manne, 

 and werry kynd. He was ane manne that had never 

 offendit manne.' It was unwise of him to go about 

 unattended ; and doubtless a similar fate would have 

 overtaken the other adherents of Bargany had they laid 

 aside their arms and dismissed their attendants. 



The usual consequence was not lacking. To avenge 

 Dalrymple, Mure of Cloncaird rode to Cassilis's house of 

 the Inch 1 in Galloway, and there slew his lordship's 

 master of the works. 



Drummurchie was now persuaded by the lady of 

 Bargany and others that the country was too hot to 

 hold him, so he went to France, and thence to Ireland, 

 'quhair he was wondir weill interteynit, and sindry of 

 thais that wes at the slachter of Oulzean.' The men who 



1 Now Lochinch, the seat of the Earl of Stair. 



