14

HISTOBY OF ENGLAND.

probably regarded as a legitimate exercise of patriarchal juris-diction. To the Master of Stair it seemed that people amongwhom such things were done and were approved ought to betreated like a pack of wolves, snared by any device, andslaughtered without mercy. He w'as well read in history, anddoubtless knew how great rulers had, in his own and othercountries, dealt with such banditti. He doubtless knew withwhat energy and what severity James the Fifth had put downthe mosstroopers of the border, how the chief of Henderlandhad been hung over the gate of the castle in which he had pre-pared a banquet for the King; how John Armstrong and histhirty six horsemen, when they came forth to welcome theirsovereign, had scarcely been allowed time to say a singleprayer before they were all tied up and turned off. Nor probablywas the Secretary-ignorant of the means by wdiich Sixtus theFifth had cleared the ecclesiastical state of outlaws. Theeulogists of that great pontiff tell us that there was oneformidable gang which could not be dislodged from a strong-hold among the Apennines. Beasts of burden were thereforeloaded with poisoned food and wine, and sent by a road whichran close to the fastness. The robbers sallied forth, seized theprey, feasted and died; and the pious old Pope exulted greatlywhen he heard that the corpses of thirty ruffians, who had beenthe terror of many peaceful villages, had been found lyingamong the mules and packages. The plans of the Masterof Stair were conceived in the spirit of James and of Sixtus;and the rebellion of the mountaineers furnished what seemed tobe an excellent opportunity for carrying those plans into effect.Mere rebellion, indeed, he could have easily pardoned. OnJacobites, as Jacobites, he never showed any inclination to bearhard. He hated the Highlanders, not as enemies of this or thatdynasty, but as enemies of law, of industry and of trade. Inhis private correspondence he applied to them the short and