s for taking
the sacrament at the hands of any Episcopalian curate, and tenfold more
at those of Curate Haddo, there was nothing further from her purposes;
and Montroymont had to put his hand in his pocket month by month and
year by year. Once, indeed, the little lady was cast in prison, and the
laird, worthy, heavy, uninterested man, had to ride up and take her
place; from which he was not discharged under nine months and a sharp
fine. It scarce seemed she had any gratitude to him; she came out of
gaol herself, and plunged immediately deeper in conventicles, resetting
recusants, and all her old, expensive folly, only with greater vigour
and openness, because Montroymont was safe in the Tolbooth and she had
no witness to consider. When he was liberated and came back, with his
fingers singed, in December 1680, and late in the black night, my lady
was from home. He came into the house at his alighting, with a
riding-rod yet in his hand; and, on the servant-maid telling him, caught
her by the scruff of the neck, beat her violently, flung her down in the
passage-way, and went upstairs to his bed fasting and without a light.
It was three in the morning when my lady returned from that conventicle,
and, hearing of the assault (because the maid had sat up for her,
weeping), went to their common chamber with a lantern in hand and
stamping with her shoes so as to wake the dead; it was supposed, by
those that heard her, from a design to have it out with the good man at
once. The house-servants gathered on the stair, because it was a main
interest with them to know which of these two was the better horse; and
for the space of two hours they were heard to go at the matter, hammer
and tongs. Montroymont alleged he was at the end of possibilities; it
was no longer within his power to pay the annual rents; she had served
him basely by keeping conventicles while he lay in prison for her sake;
his friends were weary, and there was nothing else before him but the
entire loss of the family lands, and to begin life again by the wayside
as a common beggar. She took him up very sharp and high: called upon
him, if he were a Christian? and which he most considered, the loss of a
few dirty, miry glebes, or of his soul? Presently he was heard to weep,
and my lady's voice to go on continually like a running burn, only the
words indistinguishable; whereupon it was supposed a victory for her
ladyship, and the domestics took themselves to bed. The next