rendered averse from him, and thereby inclined to practise against him, John was released out of prison, upon this condition, (for the performance whereof his sons-in-law undertook), that he should be placed in the front of the battle, and there, by his valour should wait the decision of Providence. And indeed the man, otherwise fraudulent, was in this faithful to the King; for he behaved himself so valiantly, that that day’s work procured him not only pardon for what was past, but large rewards for the future.”--_Buchanan’s Hist._ vol. i. p. 310. It may here be mentioned, that, since the Note on page 152 was printed off, we have learned from one, whose researches, and connection with the name, entitle him to express an opinion, that the M’Kerlies of Wigtonshire are descended from Kerlé, or Kerlie, who, with Sir William Wallace and Stephen of Ireland, carried by assault the Fort of the Black-Rock of Cree, or Cruggleton Castle, and who was the last friend that clung to the fortunes of his master. Although the records of the burgh of Witham furnish no information on the subject, being all of a date subsequent to the Reformation, it is still handed down by tradition, that the M’Kerlies were once proprietors of Cruggleton Castle. T. SINGULAR LEGEND. Page 169. This monkish legend Henry has carefully preserved; and as it affords a specimen of the superstition of the age, we shall give it a place for the gratification of the curious among our readers. “Wyss clerkyss yeit it kepis in remembrans, How that a monk off Bery abbay than, In to that tym a rycht religiouss man; A yong monk als with him in ordour stud, Quhilk knew his lyff was clene, perfyt, and gud. This fadyr monk was wesyd with seknace, Out off the warld as he suld pass on cace, His brothyr saw the spret lykly to pass; A band off him rycht ernystly he coud ass. To cum agayn and schaw him off the meid, At he suld haiff at God for his gud deid. He grantyt him, at his prayer to preiff, To cum agayn, gyff God wald geiff him leiff. The spreyt, changyt out off this warldly payn, In that sammyn hour cum to the monk agayn. Sic thing has beyn, and is be woice and sycht. Quhar he apperyt, thar schawyt sa mekill lycht, Lyk till lawntryns it illumynyt so cler, At warldly lycht thar to mycht be no peyr, A woice said thus:--‘God has me grantyt grace That I sall kep my promess in this place.’ The monk was blyth off this cler fygur fayr; Bot a fyr brand in his forheid he bayr, And than him thocht it myslikyt all the lawe. ‘Quhar art thou spreyt? Ansuer, sa God the sawe.’ ‘In purgatory.’--‘How lang sall thow be thair?’ ‘Bot halff ane hour to com, and litill mair. Purgatory is, I do the weill to wit, In ony place quhar God will it admyt. Ane hour of space I was demed thar to be; And that passis, supposs I spek with the. Quhy has thow that, and all the layff so haill?’