These interludes and representations carried with them the appearance of the superstition of the times, which John Bale, Bishop of Ossory, afterwards laboured to reform, by writing, with more sobriety, several comedies and tragedies in the reign of King Edward VI., and, during his banishment, in that of Queen Mary, upon religious subjects. Several of those pieces are yet extant, printed in black letter; and though they show the taste of the age, they would by no means please the present."--_The History of the City of Dublin_, by WALTER HARRIS, ESQ. 8vo. Dublin, 1766, pp. 142, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9. CHAPTER III.--VOL. III., p. 36. "_Running Footmen._" MR. WEBER, in a note to "The Knight of the Burning Pestle," in his edition of the works of Beaumont and Fletcher, vol. I. p. 194, Edinburgh, 1812, observes, that "the running footmen were a fashionable piece of splendid folly prevalent at that time. They were still kept by some noblemen in Scotland about the middle of the last century, and are yet to be met with occasionally upon the continent. Like the jockeys, they are put upon a particular diet; and in order to prevent cramps, the calves of their legs are greased." CHAPTER V.--VOL. III., p. 87. "_Turnberry Castle._" "The ruins of Turnberry Castle are on a promontory of the sea coast, two miles west of Kirkoswald, and five south-west of Maybole. This castle belonged to Alexander Earl of Carrick, who died in the Holy Land, and left an only daughter, named Martha, who married Robert Bruce, Lord of Annandale. In the expedition of Edward I. the English were in possession of this castle. At present nothing more than the foundation of the building, and some vaults beneath it, remain."--PLAYFAIR'S _Geographical and Statistical Description of Scotland_, vol. I. pp. 178, 179. CHAPTER V.--VOL. III., p. 92. "_Caerlaverock Castle._" "_Caerlaverock Castle_ was founded in the sixth century by the son of Lewarch Hen, a famous British poet; it was the chief seat of the family of Maxwell in the days of King Malcolm Canmore. It stood on the north shore of Solway Firth, nine miles from Dumfries, between the Nith and Locher; and was deemed impregnable before the use of fire-arms. In the reign of King Robert Bruce the proprietor of it demolished all its fortifications, lest it should fall into the hands of the English. It was, however, again fortified, for in 1355 it was taken by Sir Roger Kirkpatrick, and levelled with the ground. Its materials were employed to erect a new building, which was demolished by the Earl of Essex, A. D. 1570. The fortifications of this place were once more renewed by Robert, the first Earl of Nithisdale, in 1638, who nobly supported the cause of Charles I., and maintained a considerable garrison at his own expense."--PLAYFAIR'S _Geographical and Statistical Description of Scotland_, vol. I. pp. 107, 108. * * * * *