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Justified Sinner, by James Hogg

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Title: The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner

Author: James Hogg

Posting Date: March 21, 2009 [EBook #2276]
Release Date: August, 2000

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

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THE PRIVATE MEMOIRS
AND CONFESSIONS
OF A JUSTIFIED SINNER

WRITTEN BY HIMSELF

WITH A DETAIL OF CURIOUS TRADITIONARY FACTS, AND
OTHER EVIDENCE, BY THE EDITOR

By

James Hogg

THE EDITOR'S NARRATIVE

It appears from tradition, as well as some parish registers still
extant, that the lands of Dalcastle (or Dalchastel, as it is often
spelled) were possessed by a family of the name of Colwan, about one
hundred and fifty years ago, and for at least a century previous to
that period. That family was supposed to have been a branch of the
ancient family of Colquhoun, and it is certain that from it spring the
Cowans that spread towards the Border. I find that, in the year 1687,
George Colwan succeeded his uncle of the same name, in the lands of
Dalchastel and Balgrennan; and, this being all I can gather of the
family from history, to tradition I must appeal for the remainder of
the motley adventures of that house. But, of the matter furnished by
the latter of these powerful monitors, I have no reason to complain: It
has been handed down to the world in unlimited abundance; and I am
certain that, in recording the hideous events which follow, I am only
relating to the greater part of the inhabitants of at least four
counties of Scotland matters of which they were before perfectly well
informed.

This George was a rich man, or supposed to be so, and was married, when
considerably advanced in life, to the sole heiress and reputed daughter
of a Baillie Orde, of Glasgow. This proved a conjunction anything but
agreeable to the parties contracting. It is well known that the
Reformation principles had long before that time taken a powerful hold
of the hearts and