CHAPTER II.

DESCRIPTION OF THE ANCIENT HOME OF THE BOYDS IN SCOTLAND.

DEAN CASTLE, long the residence of the old and ancient Boyd family, stands at the distance of nearly a mile in the northeast direction from the present sight of the city of Kilmarnock, which now rests upon the lands once owned by this noble family, in the county of Ayrshire, on the western coast of Scotland. Its situation, though not the most romantic, can scarcely fail to delight the admirer of the gentle as well as the magnificent in nature. On the right and on the left the ground rises in pleasing elevations, and the Castle was almost embosomed in woods, and no road led to it except the principal one from the southwest, and a private path that lay along the stream in the direction of Fenwick. Probably, it derived its name, as the word Dean, according to Dr Jamieson, signifies a small valley or hollow where the ground slopes on both sides. Close by the Castle the scene is enlivened by two little mossy streams, locally called the Borland and the Craufurdland, which there meet and mingle with each other, forming what is termed Kilmarnock Water. The view in the neighborhood, too, is considerably beautified by several steep woody braes. From one of these, near Assloss, the Castle presents a majestic and stern appearance. Though gray and rent with years, it looks as if conscious of its strength, and as if frowning defiance down the valley that stretches before it. From the same eminences we have a glimpse of the town, with its towers and spires, which give to it an air of importance and the eye, ranging still farther, rest delighted on the beautiful green hills of Craigie, and the more romantic heights of Dundonald. In early times, according to the oral tradition, a dense wood, which stretched itself behind and on each side

of the Castle, concealed it in a great measure from the scrutinizing eye of the invader, and made it almost inaccessible to strangers, save by the principal approach, which was from the south-west, in which direction was situated the huts or hovels of the vassals of the manor. In those days, therefore, this old baronial stronghold was not only picturesque and secluded, but was secure in a great degree from the attacks of neighbouring chiefs, or of the more ruthless hordes who sought to reduce the country to a state of thraldom; for the alarm could be readily given by the vassals from the glen, or by the warder, whose eye from the watch-tower could distinctly descry every movement of the advancing foemen.

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The Dean Castle consists of two separate towers of unequal height, and appears to have been surrounded by a wall or rampart, part of which still stands. The period at which either of the towers was erected is unknown, but both bear the marks of considerable antiquity. Grose visited the Castle about the year of 1789, and made à drawing of it for his " Antiquities of Scotland." He supposes the higher one to have been built about the beginning of the fifteenth century. In the wall of a lower edifice, and looking into the court, is r which the family arms are sculptured, and beneath which are the words "JAMES BOYD and CATHERINE CRAIK" were lately legible; and these being the names of the eighth Lord Boyd and his Lady, it has sometimes been conjectured that the whole of the lower mansion was erected in their time, namely, about the middle of the seventeenth century: for the estate devolved on the eighth Lord Boyd in 1640, and his death took place about the year 1654. This conjecture, however, appears to be incorrect; for Pont, in his "Cunningham Topographized,” which was written, as we have said, about 1609, speaks of both towers as then existing. That portion of the building, therefore, on which the arms are sculptured, must have been only an addition made by the eighth Lord Boyd. It also appears, from the same authority, that both towers are of greater antiquity than was supposed by Grose. Pont's words are: "Killmernock Castell. It is a staitly faire ancient bulding, arrysing in two grate heigh towers, and bulte arround courtewayes, vith fyve ("There is great reason says the Editor of the above Topographizes, that the word five, here has been erroneously translated from the original MS. for fine; and that illusion is simply to the cheerful and elegant range of building fronting the south, the walls of which still remain

pretty entire. To the east and north, the enclosing rampart walls still stand to their full height, whilst the great tower, or donjon-keep, occupies almost entirely the western angle of the square; so that no possible site would appear within for any further structures of the least. consequence whatever.") low buldings; it is veill planted, and almost environed with gardens, orchards, and a parke; it belonged first to ye Locartts, lord thereof, then to the Lord Soulis, and the cheiffe duelling almost for 300 zeirs of the Lords Boyde." It may also be mentioned that on another part of the lower building the remains of two figures, a male and female, are or lately were discernible; but no inscription describing them, or leading to a knowledge of the date of their erection, can be traced.

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As a place of strength, as well as a spacious manor-house the Dean appears to have been superior to many of the strong-holds of our Scottish barons of the olden time. The walls of the higher tower are about nine or ten feet thick; the lower storey consists of several dark vaulted rooms; and on the second flat is a large hall thirty-eight feet in length, twenty-two in breadth, and twenty-six in height. It had a fine arched stone ceiling, and was furnished with stone seats, which jut out round the 10 part of the walls, and which, in all likelihood, were cushioned or covered with some kind of cloth when the Castle was inhabited. From this apartment a short passage leads to a trap-door of the dungeon or prison, which is immediately beneath, in the center of the wall, at the north corner of the tower. It measures fifteen feet by five; and must have been a dreary place for the poor wight whose misfortune it was to be incarcerated within it; for it had no aperture by which light or air could be admitted, save a little obloug opening about three or four inches wide; and even the little light that could thus enter had to struggle down, in a slanting direction, through the wall, which is about ten feet thick, ere it could soothe the prisoner with its cheering influThe dungeon has now a door broken into it from the outside, and is, or lately was, used as a milk-house. Adjoining is another gloomy apartment, which, it is probable, was also a place of confinement. This well shows that the Castle was not used, as a shelter for the homeless wanderers, who sought to worship God according to the dictates of their own consciences, but as a stronghold for their merciless enemies. At the time Dalziel occupied the town, a party of his soldiers was stationed in this fortress, and many were the severities which the

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people in the neighbourhood suffered from their doings. An instance of their cruelty may be given. When traversing the fields one day in quest of the sufferers, they observed an individual hurrying from them at a distance; and suspecting that he was flying through a consciousness of guilt, they pursued him like demons bent on some infernal enterprise. The man however, kept in advance of them, at length reaching a house, he passed through it by a passage that led to the back premises; and with great presence of mind, concealed himself in a pool of water, where he stood with only his head above the surface. In the course of a few minutes the soldiers were in the house, expecting their prey: but no person, save the mistress of the cottage, could be found. They threatened her with instant death if she did not produce the object of their search. She acknowledged that a man had run through the house, but who he was and where he had gone she knew not. Maddened by disappointment, they seized her and lead her a captive to Kilmarnock, where, notwithstanding her declarations of innocence, she was condemned to be immured in a dark subterraneous apartment in Dean Castle. This harsh sentence, we need scarcely say, was promptly executed and tradition affirms that the poor creature was never released, but left to perish in that dreary abode, among filth and vermin. Whether William Boyd the first Earl of Kilmarnock took any active part against these sufferers, the authorities which we have consulted do not inform us but without doubt, he did not. On the third flat there have been apparently, two chambers. These are now roofless and otherwise much dilapidated. One of them, with a large window looking to the north, is said to have been the chapel. In the walls of these rooms are two curious little recesses. One of them, with two narrow loopholes looking in different directions, was, perhaps, used as a watch-house in times of emergency. It has a small stone seat and a fire-place, but is so contracted in its dimensions that a person can scarcely stand upright within it. The other recess was probably a place for a bed, as there were in Scottish castles. The upper or attic storey has also contained two or more rooms; and, crowning the eastern corner, there seems to have been another watch-house, which must have commanded an extensive

view of the adjacent country. On the top of the walls, a walk or passage, about four feet in breadth, leads round the tower. It is a plain battlement or parapet, considerable portions of which yet remain, and in which, here and there, are little openings. A narrow spiral stair led