CURIOUS CREATURES. 299 



Scots yards, and somewhat bigger than ane ordinarie 

 man's leg, &c. . . . This creature, being a terrour to the 

 country people, had its den in a hollow piece of ground, 

 on the syde of a hill, south east from Lintoun Church, 

 some more than a myle, which unto this day is knowne 

 by the name of the Worme's glen, where it used to rest 

 and shelter itself ; but, when it sought after prey, then 

 would it wander a myle or two from its residence, and 

 make prey of all sort of bestiall that came in its way, 

 which it easily did because of its lownesse, creeping 

 amongst the peat, heather, or grasse, wherein that place 

 abounded much, by reasone of the meadow grounde, 

 and a large flow moss, fit for the pasturage of many 

 cattell. . . . Soe that the whole country men thereabout 

 wer forced to remove ther bestiall and transport them 

 3 or 4 myles from the place, leaving the country de- 

 solate, neither durst any person goe to the Church, or 

 mercat, upon that rod, for fear of this beast.' 



" Somerville happening to come to Jedburgh, on the 

 King's business, found the inhabitants full of stories 

 about the wonderful beast. 



" ' The people who had fled ther for shelter, told soe 

 many lies, as first, that it increased every day, and was 

 beginning to get wings : others pretended to have seen 

 it in the night, and asserted it was full of fyre, and in 

 tyme, would throw it out, &c., with a thousand other 

 ridiculous stories.' 



" Somerville determined to see the monster, and, ac- 

 cordingly, rode to the glen about sunrise, when he was 

 told it generally came forth. He had not to wait long, 

 till he perceived it crawl out of its den. When it ob- 

 served him, it raised itself up, and stared at him, for 

 some time, without venturing to approach ; whereupon 



