"Suspicion formed two theories regarding the cause of the fire of Frendraught. The first was, that the Laird had wilfully set fire to the tower, for the purpose of destroying the young Laird of Rothiemay. The other was, that it originated in the revengeful feelings of the Laird of Pitcaple. In the first theory there is extremely little probability. First, it could not have been premeditated; because the circumstance of Frendraught being accompanied home that day by Aboyne and Rothiemay, was entirely accidental. In the second place, there was no reason for Frendraught being inclined to murder Rothiemay, except that he grudged the payment of the fifty thousand merks to his mother; while there was every reason for his being inclined rather to befriend a youth whom he had already injured by occasioning the death of his father. In the third place, all Frendraught's family papers, with much gold and silver, both in money and plate, were consumed in the fire. And, in the fourth place, it is extremely improbable that any man of his rank should commit so deliberate and so atrocious an act of villainy. On the other hand, it seems by no means improbable that Pitcaple should have caused fire to be set to his enemy's house; a mode of reprisal which had been practised in the same district of country, as we have already seen, by a gentleman of only the preceding age. Pitcaple's men, moreover, had been heard to declare an intention of attempting some such enterprise against Frendraught; as was proved on the trial of a gentleman of the name of Meldrum, who was apprehended, condemned, and executed, for his alleged accession to their conspiracy."--CHAMBERS'S _Scottish Ballads_, p. 85. This ballad was first printed in the _North Countrie Garland_, p. 4, and afterwards with a few slight corrections in Motherwell's _Minstrelsy_, having in both cases been furnished by Mr. C. K. Sharpe. The tragic story was celebrated by one Arthur Johnston, a contemporary scholar, in two Latin poems, the one entitled, _Querela Sophi[ae] Hay, domin[ae] de Melgeine, de morte mariti_, and the other, _De Johanne Gordonio, Vicecomite de Melgeine, el Johanne Gordonio de Rothemay, in arce Frendriaca combustis_ (Finlay, i. 67). In Herd's Collection (i. 199) is a modern piece on the subject called _Frennet Hall_, in the detestable style of the last century. This very feeble production is also to be found in Ritson's _Scottish Songs_ (ii. 31), Johnson's _Museum_, and elsewhere. But Ritson gives these few stanzas of an excellent old ballad, as remembered by the Rev. Mr. Boyd, the translator of Dante: The reek it rose, and the flame it flew, And oh the fire augmented high, Until it came to Lord John's chamber-window, And to the bed where Lord John lay. "O help me, help me, Lady Frennet! I never ettled harm to thee; And if my father slew my lord, Forget the deed and rescue me."