{"collection":"myth-cosmogony","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/gutenberg_32841/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/gutenberg_32841","id":"gutenberg_32841","license":"Public Domain (US)","rights_basis":"gutenberg_metadata_copyright_false","source":"gutenberg","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/32841","summary":null,"tags":["Category: British Literature","Category: Mythology, Legends & Folklore","Ghosts"],"text":"Produced by Chris Curnow, Lindy Walsh and the Online\nDistributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe Laird o' Coul's Ghost.\n\n\n\n\n  _AN EIGHTEENTH-CENTURY CHAP-BOOK._\n\n  The Laird o' Coul's Ghost.\n\n\n  FROM THE ORIGINAL MS. IN THE POSSESSION OF\n  THE REV. DR. GORDON, ST. ANDREW'S, GLASGOW.\n\n\n  LONDON:\n  ELLIOT STOCK, 62, PATERNOSTER ROW.\n  1892.\n\n\n\n\nINTROIT.\n\n\nThe MS. of _Coul's Ghost_ was found among the Papers of Collector\nHamilton, of Dalzell (pronounced _Deell_), who died in the summer of 1788,\naged 91 years. This incident made him 25 years old when this Story was\nfledged, which was in 1722. In 1733 Lady Anne Spencer, Duchess of\nHamilton, came to Hamilton Palace, and the Collector gave to Her Grace\nthis Story to read. The Duke, to play a practical joke on the Collector,\ncaused one of his servants to whisper to him while at supper, that there\nwas a Gentleman calling, who desired to see him immediately. Being asked\nWho he was, the valet answered, \"_The Laird o' Coul_.\" The Guests were all\namused at the Collector's embarrassment, who sat still and allowed the\n\"Gentleman\" to await in the Hall!\n\n_The Laird o' Coul's Ghost_ first appeared in type in 1750, and was\neagerly bought by all and sundry from the _Flying Stationers_ who hawked\nit about the country. Mrs. Ogilvie delivered it to Watkins, the King's\nPrinter, which was Published from Newcastle. In 1788 a fanatical\ncharacter, Mrs. Elizabeth Steuart, of Coltness, termed \"Aunt Betty,\"\nbecame a convert to the Halcyon notions of Emmanuel Swedenborg, founder of\n\"the New Jerusalem Sect.\" This personage was related to Henry Erskine,\nLord Advocate for Scotland, and was enraptured with the Penny Chap-Book:\nso much so that she embodied it in her \"Remarks and Illustrations of the\nWorld of Spirits,\" which she strictly enjoined her Nephew to print after\nher decease. Not a Copy of this Brochure of 206 pages is in any of our\nUniversity Libraries; and a few weeks ago L3 3s. were paid for a soiled\ncopy. \"Aunt Betty\" does not miss to note one point in _The Laird o' Coul's\nGhost_ that may insinuate her imaginations about Angels and the Unseen;\nwhile she adverts to the Ghosts of Lord Clarendon, Sir George Villiars,\nthe father of the Duke of Buckingham, and to the Dialogue of Dives and\nLazarus, in that remarkable Parable. She ferreted out from Mrs. Henrietta\nHog, Edinburgh, daughter of the Rev. Mr. Ogilvie, Innerwick, that the\nSequel was undoubtedly the genuine Copy in her father's handwriting. No\ndeclaration has been given how the MS. came into Collector Hamilton's\npossession. Mr. Ogilvie died soon after the Conference.\n\nJ. F. S. G.\n\n  ABBACY OF SUSANNA RIG,\n      GLASGOW,\n         _Xtmas, 1891_.\n\n\n\n\nThe First Conference\n\n     _An Account of Mr. Maxwell Laird of Coul his Appearance after Death\n     to Mr. Ogilvie a Minister of the present Establishment at Innerwick,\n     3 Miles East from Dunbar._\n\n\nUpon the 3d Day of February, 1722, at seven a clock at Night after I had\nparted with Thurston [his Name Cant], and was coming up the Burial Road,\none came riding up after me: upon hearing the Noise of his Horse's feet, I\ntook it to be Thurston, but upon looking back, and seeing the Horse of a\ngreyish Colour, I called \"Who is there?\" The Answer was, \"The Laird of\nCoul [his Name Maxwell], be not afraid.\" Then looking to him by the Help\nof the dark Light which the Moon afforded, I took him to be Collector\nCastellow designing to put a Trick upon me, and immediately I struck at\nhim with all my Force, with my Cane, thinking I mould leave upon him a\nMark, to make him remember his Presumption; but being sensible I aimed as\nwell as ever I did in my Life, yet my Cane finding no Resistance, but\nflying out of my Hand the Distance of about 60 Feet, and observing it by\nits white Head, I dismounted and took it up, and had some Difficulty in\nmounting again, what by the ramping of my Horse, and what by Reason of a\ncertain Kind of Trembling throughout my whole Joints; Something likewise\nof Anger had its share in the Confusion; for, as I thought, he laughed\nwhen my Staff flew away; Coming up with him again, who halted all the Time\nI sought my Staff, I asked once more, \"Who he was?\" He answered, \"The\nLaird of Coul.\" I enquired--j{st}, \"If he was the Laird of Coul, what\nbrought him hither?\" and \"What was his Business with me?\"\n\nC. The reason of my waiting on you is, that I know you are disposed to do\nfor me a Thing which none of your Brethren in Nithsdale will so much as\nattempt, tho' it serve to ever so good Purposes. I told him I would never\nrefuse to do a Thing to serve a good Purpose, If I thought I was obliged\nto do it as my Duty. He answered, since I had undertaken what he found few\nin Nithsdale would, for he had tryed some upon that Subject, who were more\nobliged to him than ever I was, or to any Person living: I drew my Horse,\nand halted in Surprize, asking What I had undertaken? He answered, that on\nthe Sabbath last, I had heartily condemned M{r}. Paton, and the Rest of\nthe Ministers in Dumfries Presbytery for dissuading Dr. Menzies's Man,\nfrom keeping his Appointment with me, and that if you had been in their\nPlace, you would have persuaded the Lad to do as I desired him; and that\nyou would have gone with him, lest he had been feared; and that if you had\nbeen in Mr. Paton's Place, you would have delivered my Commissions your\nself, since it tended to do some People Justice.\n\nO. Pray, Coul, who informed you that I talked at that Rate?\n\nC. You must know, that we are acquainted with many Things, that the Living\nknow nothing about. These Things you did say, and much more to that\nPurpose, and all that I want is, that you fulfill your Promise, and\ndeliver my Commissions to my loving Wife.\n\nO. 'Tis a Pity, Coul, that you who know so many Things, should not know\nthe Difference between an absolute, and a conditional Promise. I did\nindeed at the Time you mention, blame Mr. Paton, for I think him justly\nblameable, for hindering the Lad to meet with you, and if I had been in\nhis Place, I would have acted quite the Reverse: but did I ever say, that\nif you would come to Innerwick, and employ me, that I would go all the way\nto Dumfries upon that Errand? That is what never so much as once entered\ninto my Thought.\n\nC. What was in your Thought I do not pretend to know; but I can depend\nupon my Information, that these were your _Words_: but I see you are in\nsome Disorder, I will wait on you again, when you have more presence of\nmind.\n\nBy the Time we were got to James Dickson's Inclosure below the Churchyard,\nand while I was recollecting in my mind, whether ever I had spoken these\nWords he alledged, he broke from me thro' the Churchyard with greater\nviolence, than ever any man on horseback is capable of, and with such a\nsinging and buzzing noise, as put me in greater Disorder, than I was all\nthe Time I was with him. I came to my House, and my Wife observed\nsomething more than ordinary Paleness in my Countenance, and would alledge\nthat something ailed me. I called for a Dram & told her I was a little\nuneasie; after I found myself a little eased and refreshed, I retired to\nmy Closet, to meditate on this the most astonishing Adventure of my whole\nLife.\n\n\n\n\nThe 2d Conference.\n\n\nUpon the 5th of March 1722. Being at Blarehead baptizing the Shepherd's\nChild, I came off at Sunsetting, or, a very little after. Near Will.\nWhite's March the Laird of Coul came up with me on Horseback as formerly,\nand, after his first Salutation bid me not be afraid, for he would do me\nno Harm. I told him I was not in the least afraid, in the Name of God, and\nof Christ my Saviour, that he would do the least Harm to me: for, I knew\nthat He in whom I trusted was stronger than all them put together, and if\nany of them should attempt even to do the Horse I rode upon, Harm, as you\nhave done to Dr. Menzies' man,[1] if it be true that is said, and\ngenerally believed about Dumfries, I have free access to complain to my\nLord and Master, to the Lash of whose Resentment you are as much liable\nnow as before.\n\nC. You need not multiply Words upon that Head, for you are as safe with\nme, and safer, if safer can be, than when I was alive.\n\nI said, Well then, Coul, Let me have a peaceable and easy Conversation\nwith you for the Time we ride together, and give me some Information about\nthe Affairs of the other World, for no man inclines to lose his Time, in\nconversing with the Dead, without having a Prospect of hearing and\nlearning something that may be usefull.\n\nC. Well, Sir, I will satisfy you, as far as I think it proper and\nconvenient. Let me know what Information you want from me.\n\nO. May I then ask you, if you be in a State of Happiness or not?\n\nC. There are a great many Things that I _can_ answer, which the Living are\nentirely ignorant of: there are many more Things, that notwithstanding the\nadditional Knowledge I have acquired, since my Death, that I _cannot_\nanswer, and there are several Things and Questions that you may start, of\nwhich the last is one, that I _will_ not answer.\n\nO. Then I know not how to manage our Conversation, for whatever I shall\nenquire of you, I see you can easily shift me, so that I might profit more\nby conversing with myself.\n\nC. You may try.\n\nO. Well then, what sort of a Body is it that you appear in, and what sort\nof a Horse is it that you ride on, that appears so full of mettle?\n\nC. You may depend upon it, 'tis not the same Body that I was witness to\nyour Marriage in, nor in which I died, for that is in the Grave rotting;\nbut it is such a Body as answers me in a Moment, for I can fly as fast as\nmy Soul can do without it, so that I can go to Dumfries and return again,\nbefore you ride twice the Length of your Horse; nay if I incline to go to\nLondon, or to Jerusalem, or to the Moon, if you please, I can perform all\nthese Journeys equally soon, for it costs me nothing but a Thought or\nWish; for this Body you see, is as fleet as your Thought, for in the same\nMoment of Time that you can carry your Thoughts to Rome, I can go there in\nPerson. And for my Horse, he is, much like myself, for 'tis Andrew\nJohnstoun who was seven years my Tennant, and he died about 48 Hours\nbefore me.\n\nO. So it seems when Andrew Johnstoun inclines to ride, you must serve him\nfor an Horse, as he now does you.\n\nC. You are mistaken.\n\nO. I thought all Distinction between Mistresses and Maids, Lairds &\nTennants had been done away at Death.\n\nC. True 'tis so, yet still you don't take up the matter.\n\nO. Is then, Sir, this one of the Questions you _will not_ answer?\n\nC. You are still mistaken; for that Question I _can_ answer, and after\nthis you may readily understand.\n\nO. Tell me then, Coul, have you never yet appeared before God, nor\nreceived any Sentence from him as a Judge.\n\nC. Never yet.\n\nO. I know you was a Scholar, Coul; and 'tis generally believed there is a\nprivate Judgment, besides the general at the great Day. The former is\nimmediately after Death. Upon this he interrupted me, crying, No such\nThing, no such Thing, no Tryal till the last Day: The Heaven which good\nMen enjoy immediately after Death, consists only in the Serenity of their\nThoughts, the Satisfaction of a good Conscience, and the certain Hope they\nhave of an Eternity of Joy when that Day shall come. The Punishment or\nHell of the wicked immediately after Death, consists in the dreadful\nThings of their awakened Conscience, and the Terror of facing the great\nJudge, and the sensible Apprehensions of eternal Torments ensuing; and\nthis bears still a due Proportion to the Evils they have done, when they\nwere living. So indeed the State of some good Folks differs but little in\nHappiness from what they enjoyed upon Earth, save only they are freed from\nthe Body and the Sins and Sorrows that attend it. And, on the other Hand,\nthere are some, who may be said rather not to have been _good_ than that\nthey have been _wicked_ while living: their Condition is not easily\ndistinguished from that of the _former_, and under that Class comes a\ngreat Herd of Souls, a vast Number of your ignorant People, who have not\nmuch minded the Concerns of Eternity, but, at the same Time, have lived in\nmuch Indolence, Ignorance, and Innocence.\n\nO. I always thought that their rejecting the Terms of Salvation offered,\nwas sufficient Ground for God to punish them with his eternal Displeasure.\nAnd as to their Ignorance, that could never excuse them, since they lived\nin a Place of the World, where the Knowledge of these Things might easily\nhave been attained.\n\nC. They never properly rejected the Terms of Salvation, they never,\nstrictly speaking, rejected Christ, poor Souls! they had as great Liking\nboth to Him, and to Heaven, as their gross understandings were capable of;\nand as to their Ignorance, impartial Reason must make many allowances,\nsuch as, the Stupidity of their Parents, their want of Education, their\nDistance from People of good Sense and Knowledge, the uninterrupted\nApplication they were obliged to give to their secular affairs, for their\ndaily Bread, the impious Treachery of their Pastor, whom they heard\nperhaps but once a month, or so, and thro' his unfaithfulness are\nperswaded, that if they be of such or such a Party all is well; and many\nother Considerations of the like Nature, which God who is pure and perfect\nReason itself will not overlook. These are not so much under the Load of\nthe Divine Displeasure, as they are _out of His Graces and Favours_, for\nyou know it is one Thing to be discourted, and quite anoyr Thing to be\npersecuted with all the Power and Rage of an incensed earthly King. So I\nassure you, men's Faces in this World are not more various and different,\nthan their Conditions are after Death.\n\nO. I am loath to believe all that you have said at this Time, Coul; but I\nwill not dispute these matters with you, besides, some Things you have\nadvanced, seem to contradict the Scriptures, which I shall ever look upon\nas the infallible Truths of God; for I find by the Parable of Dives and\nLazarus, that one was immediately carried up by the Angels to Abraham's\nBosom, and the other thrust down to a Place of Torment.\n\nC. Excuse me, Sir, that does not contradict one word that I have said; but\nyou seem not to understand the Parable, whose only End is to illustrate\nthe Truth, that a Man may be very happy and flourishing in this World, and\nmost wretched in the next; and that a man may be most miserable and\nwretched in this World, and most glorious and happy in the next.\n\nO. Be it so, Coul, I yield that Point, and shall pass to another, which\nhas afforded me much Speculation since our last encounter, and that is,\nhow you came to know that I talked after the manner I did concerning Mr.\nPaton and you on the j{st} Sabbath of February. Was you present with us\nbut invisible.\n\nHe answered somewhat haughtily, No, Sir, I was not present myself.\n\nO. I would not have you to be angry, Coul; I proposed this Question for my\nown satisfaction, but, if you judge it improper to answer it, Let it pass.\n\nAfter he had paused, with his Eyes fixed, as I thought, on the Ground for\nabout 3 or 4 Seconds at most; with some Haste and seeming Cheerfulness, he\nsays: Well, Sir, I will satisfy you in that Point. You must know, that\nfrom Time to Time, there are sent from Heaven Angels to guard and\nComfort, and to do oyr special Services to good People, and even the\nSpirits of good men departed are employed on that very Errand.\n\nO. And do you think every Man has a Guardian Angel?\n\nC. No, but a great many particular Men have, and there are but few Houses,\nof Distinction especially, but what have one attending them. And from what\nyou have already heard of these Spirits, 'tis no difficult Matter to\nunderstand, how he may be serviceable to each particular Member of it,\ntho' in different Places, at a great Distance. Many are the good offices\nthat the Angels do to Men that fear God, tho' many Times they are not\nsensible of it, and I know assuredly, that one powerful Angel, or even an\nactive clever Spirit departed, may be sufficient for some villages: But\nfor your great Cities, such as London, Edinburgh, or the like, there is\none great Angel that has the Superintendency of the whole; and there are\ninferior ones, or Spirits departed, to whose particular Charge, such a\nparticular man of Weight and Bussiness is committed. Now, Sir, the Kingdom\nof Sathan does ape the Kingdom of Christ as much in matters of Politicks\nas can be: well knowing that the Court of Wisdom is above; so that, hence\nare sent out Missionaries too in the same order. But because, the Kingdom\nof Sathan is much better replenished than the other, instead of one Devil,\nin many Instances, there are 2 or 3 commissioned to attend a particular\nFamily, if it be a Family of great Influence, Power, or Distinction.\n\nO. I read that there are 10-000d Times 10-000d Angels that wait on God,\nand sing his Praise, and do his Will; and I cannot understand how the good\nAngels should be inferior in Number to the Evil.\n\nC. Did I not say that whatever the Number be, yet the Spirits departed\nwere employed in the same Bussiness? So, as to the Number of original\nDevils, whereof Sathan is the chief, I cannot determine. But you need not\ndoubt that there are more Spirits departed in that Place you in a loose\ngeneral Sense call _Hell_, by almost an Infinity, by what are gone to that\nPlace, which in the like Sense, you call _Heaven_, which likewise are\nemployed to the same Purpose. And I can assure you, by the Bye, that there\nare as great Differences between Angels, both good and bad, as there are\namongst Men, with Respect to their Sense, Knowledge, Cleverness, and\nCunning or Action. Nay, which is more, the departed Spirits on both\nSides, out doe Severals, from their j{st} Departure, of the Original\nAngels; This you'l think a Paradox, yet 'tis true.\n\nO. I don't doubt of it, but what is that to my Question, concerning which\nI am sollicitous?\n\nC. Take a little Patience, Sir; from what I have said, you might have\nunderstood me, if you had your Thoughts about you, but, I shall explain my\nself to you. Both the good and bad Angels have their stated Times of\nRendezvous, and the particular Angel that has the charge either of Towns,\nCities or Kingdoms, not to mention inferiour Villages and Families, and\nPersons; all that are transacted in these several Parts of the Country,\nare then made open, and at their Encounters, on each Side, every Thing is\ntold, as in your Paroch, at Milns, Kilns and Smiddies, only with this\nDifference, that many Things false are told at the living Encounters, but\nnothing but what is exact Truth is told amongst the Dead. Only, I must\nobserve to you, that as I am credibly informed, several of the inferiour\nbad Angels, or Spirits of wicked departed, have told mighty Things which\nthey have done; and when a more intelligent Spirit has been sent out upon\nEnquiry, and, the Report of the former, seeming doubtful, he brings in a\ncontrary Report, and making it appear Truth, the former fares very ill.\n\nO. Does ever the like happen among good Angels?\n\nC. I believe never, for their Regard to Truth prevents it; for while they\nobserve Truth, they do their Bussiness, and keep their Station, and God is\nTruth.\n\nO. So much Truth being among the good Angels, I shall be apt to think,\nthat Lyes and Falshood will be as much in Vogue amongst the bad.\n\nC. A gross mistake, and 'tis not the alone mistake, that the living Folks\nlabour under anent another World: for the Case is plainly this; as an ill\nman will not stick at any Falshood, that may promote his Design, so as\nlittle will an evil Spirit departed stand at any Thing which may make him\nsuccessfull; but in making Reports, he must tell the Truth, and nothing\nbut the Truth, or, Wo be to him; But besides their stated monthly,\nQuarterly, and yearly meetings, or whatever they happen to be, the\ndeparted Spirits acquainted can make a Trip to sea, and converse with one\nanother, yearly, daily and weekly, or oftener if they please. Thus I\nanswer the Question you are so much concerned about; for, my Information\nwas from no less than three, viz. Andrew Aikman, who attends Thurston's\nFamily, and James Corbet who waits upon M{r} Paton's for the Time, and was\nthen looking after M{rs} Sarah Paton, when shee was at your House, and an\noriginal Emissary appointed to wait on your's.\n\nO. At this I was much surprized, and after a little thinking, I asked him;\nand is there really, Coul, an Emissary from Hell, in whatever Sense you\ntake it, who attends my Family?\n\nC. Yes, you may depend upon it.\n\nO. And what do you think is his Bussiness?\n\nC. To divert you from your Duty, and to cause you under hand do as many\nill Things as he can, for much depends on having the Minister on their\nSide.\n\nO. Upon this I was struck with a Sort of Terrour, that I cannot account\nfor, nor express. In the mean Time, he said several Things that I did not\nnotice, but after a little, I coming to my former Presence of mind, said.\nBut Coul, tell me in earnest, if there be a Devil that attends my Family,\ntho' invisible to us all?\n\nC. Just as sure as you are breathing; but be not too much dejected upon\nthis Information; for, I tell you likewise, there is a good Angel that\nattends you, who is stronger than the other.\n\nO. Are you sure of that, Coul?\n\nC. Yes, there is one just now riding at your Right-hand, who might as well\nhave been else where, for I meant you no Harm.\n\nO. And how long has he been with me?\n\nC. Only since we past Brunsley, but now he is gone.\n\nO. Coul, we are just now upon Elmscleugh, and I desire to part with you,\ntho' I have gained more from our Conversation together, than what perhaps\nI would have done otherwise in a twelve month, I chuse rather to see you\nat another Time, when you are at Leisure, and I wish it may be at as great\na Distance from Innerwick as you can.\n\nC. Be it so, but I hope you will be as obliging to me, next Encounter, as\nI have been to you this.\n\nO. I promise you, I will, as far as it consists with my Duty to my Lord\nand Master Christ Jesus; and since you oblige me so much by Information,\nyou may depend upon it, I will answer all the Questions you can propose,\nso far as it consists with my Knowledge; but I believe you want no\nInformation from me.\n\nC. I came not to be instructed by you, but I want your Help of anoyr Kind.\nbut more of this at next meeting, so, says he, I bid you Farewell and went\noff peaceably at the Head of the Paith[2] opposite to Elmscleugh.\n\n\n\n\nThe Third Conference.\n\n\nUpon the 9{th} of April 1722. as I was returning from Old Hamstocks, Coul\nstruck up with me upon the Back, at the Foot of the ruinous Inclosure\nbefore we come to Dodds. I told him his last Conversation had proven so\nacceptable to me, that I was well pleased to see him again, and that there\nwas a vast number of Things, which I wanted to inform my Self further of,\nif he would be so good as to satisfy me.\n\nC. Last Time we met, I refused you nothing that you asked, and now I\nexpect, you will refuse me nothing that I ask.\n\nO. Nothing, Sir, that is in my Power, or, that I can with safety to my\nReputation and Character. What then are your Demands upon me?\n\nC. All I desire is, that as you proposed that Sabbath Day, you will go to\nmy wife, who now possesses all my Effects, and tell her the following\nParticulars, and desire her, in my Name, to rectify these Matters. 1{st}\nThat I was justly owing to Provost Crosby L500 Scots, and three years\nInterest, but upon hearing of his Death, my good Brother, the Laird of\nChapel and I, did forge a Discharge narrating the Date of the Bond, the\nSum, and oyr Particulars, with this onerous Clause, that at that Time it\nwas fallen by, and could not be found, with an Obligation on the Provost's\nPart, to deliver up the Bond assoon as he could hit upon it, and this\nDischarge was dated three Months before the Provost's Death: and when his\nonly Son and Successor Andrew Crosby wrote to me concerning this Bond, I\ncame to him, and shewed him that Discharge, which silenced him, so that I\ngot my Bond without more adoe. And when I heard of Robert Kennedy's Death,\nwith the same Help of Chapel, I got a Bill upon him, for L190 sterline,\nwhich I got full and compleat Payment of, and Chapel got the half. When I\nwas in Dumfries the Day Thomas Greer died, to whom I was owing an account\nof L36 sterline, Chapel my good Brother at that Time was at London, and\nnot being able of my Self, being but a bad writer to get a Discharge of\nthe account, which I wanted exceedingly, I met accidentally with Robert\nBoyd a poor Writer Lad in Dumfries. I took him to Mrs Carricks, gave him a\nBottle of wine, and told him, that I had payed Thomas Greer's Account, but\nwanted a Discharge, and if he would help me to it, I would reward him. He\nflew away from me in great Passion, saying he would rayr be hanged; but,\nif I had a mind for these Things, I had best wait till Chapel came home.\nThis gave me great Trouble, fearing that what he & I had formerly done,\nwas no Secret. I followed Boyd to the street, made an Apology that I was\njesting, commended him for his Honesty, and took him solemnly engaged that\nhe should not repeat what had passed. I sent for my Cousin Barn-howrie\nyour good Brother, who with no Difficulty for one Guinea and an half,\nundertook and performed all that I wanted, and for one Guinea more, made\nme up a Discharge for L200 Scots, which I was owing to your Fayr in Law\nand his friend M{r} Morehead, which Discharge I gave in to John Ewart,\nwhen he required the Money, and he, at my Desire, produced it to you,\nwhich you sustained. A great many of the like Instances were told, which I\ncannot remember, the Person's Names, and Sums: But added he, what vexes me\nmore than all these, is the Injustice I did to Homer Maxwell Tenant to\nLord Nithsdale for whom I was Factor. I had borrowed 2,000{d} merks from\nhim, 500{d} of which he borrowed from another Hand, and I gave him my\nBond; for Reasons I contrived, I obliged him to Secrecy, he dyed within\nthe year, he had nine Children, and his wife had dyed a month before\nhimself. I came to seal up his Papers for my Lord's Security. His eldest\nDaughter intreated me to look through them all, and to give her an account\nwhat was their Stock, and what was their Debt. I very willingly undertook\nit, and in going through his Papers, I put my own Bond in my Pocket. His\ncircumstances proved bad, and the nine Children are now starving. These\nThings I desire you to represent to my Wife; take her Brother with you,\nand let them be immediately rectifyed, for shee has sufficient Fund to do\nit upon, and, if that were done, I think I would be easie and happy;\ntherefore I hope you will make no Delay.\n\nO. After a short Pause I answered; 'tis a good Errand, Coul, that you are\nsending me to do Justice to the oppressed and injured; but notwithstanding\nthat I see my Self among the Rest, that come in for L200{d} Scots, yet I\nbeg a little Time to consider on the Matter, and since I find you are as\nmuch master of Reason _now_ and more than ever; I'l j{st} reason with you\nupon the matter in it's general view; and then, w{t} Respect to the\nExpediency of my being the particular messenger; and this I'le do, w{t}\nall manner of Frankness. For, from what you have said, I see clearly what\nyour present state is, so that, I need not ask any more Questions upon\nthat Head, and you need not bid me take Courage, or not be afraid, for at\nthis moment, I am no more afraid of you, than of a new born Child.\n\nC. Well, say on.\n\nO. Tell me then, since such is your Agility, that in the twinkling of an\nEye, you can fly 1000{d} miles, if your Desire to do Justice to the\noppressed Persons be so great as you pretend; what is the Reason, that\nyou do not fly to the Coffers of some rich Jew or Banker, where is\nthousands of Gold and money, invisibly lift it, and invisibly return it to\nthe Persons injured. Or, since your wife has sufficient Fund and more, why\ncan't you empty her Purse in your Hat invisibly to make the People amends?\n\nC. Because I _cannot_.\n\nO. If these Things were rectified, _you would be easy and happy_. I do not\nat all credit that; for whatever Justice may now be done to these People,\nyet the Guilt of the base Action must still belong to you.\n\nC. Now, you think you have silenced me, and gained a notable victory,\nbut, I will shew you your Mistake immediately, for I cannot touch any\nMan's Gold or Money by Reason of these Spirits, which are the stated\nGuardians of Justice and Honesty.\n\nO. What is that you tell me, Coul; Do not unworthy Fellows break Houses\nevery Night, and yet you, who can put your Self in 100{d} Shapes in a\nMoment, cannot do it; what is that you say Coul?\n\nC. 'Tis true, Sir, that among the Living, Men may find some probable way\nof securing themselves, but, if Spirits departed were allowed, then no Man\nwould be secure, for, in that Case, every Man they had a Prejudice at,\nwould soon be beggared.\n\nO. But might not you go, to the Mines of Mexico, where these little Sums\nwould never be missed?\n\nC. No, for the same Reason.\n\nO. But, Coul there is so much Treasure lost in the Sea, you can easily\ndive into the Bottom of it, search that, and refund these People their\nLosses, and thereby no Man is injured.\n\nC. You are a little too forward, and incline much to banter; what I said\nmight satisfie you; but since it does not, I tell you further, that no\nSpirits, good or bad, have any Power to take any Money or Gold: the Good\nnever do. And the Bad, if once in an Age they do, it is no Small Parcel\n[so, in the Copy]; for if it were allowed them, then, they would be very\nsuccessful in their Bussiness, for they would never fail to gain their\nPoint.\n\nO. What hinders them, said I, Coul?\n\nC. Superior Power, that guards & governs all.\n\nO. You have satisfied me entirely upon that Head, said I; but prithee,\nCoul, what is the Reason, that you cannot go to your Wife yourself, and\ntell her what you have a Mind to; I should think this a sure way to gain\nyour Point.\n\nC. The Reason is, _because I cannot_.\n\nO. That does not satisfy me Coul.\n\nC. And that is one of the Questions that I told you long ago, I _would\nnot_ answer. But, if you will go, as I desired, I promise I mail give you\nfull satisfaction, after you have done your Bussiness. Trust me for once,\nand believe me I will not disappoint you.\n\n\n\n\nThe Fourth Conference.\n\n\nUpon the 10{th} of April 1722. coming from old-Camus upon the Post road, I\nmet with Coul as formerly, upon the Head of the Pathe called the _Pease_.\nHe asked me, if I had considered the matter he had recommended? I told\nhim, I had, and was in the same opinion that I was of, when we parted:\nthat I could not possibly undertake his Commission, unless he would give\nit in Writing under his Hand. I wanted nothing but Reason to determine me,\nnot only in that, but all oyr Affairs of my Life. I added that the List\nof his Grievances was so long, that I could not possibly remember them\nw{t}out being in Writing.\n\nI know, said he, that this is a mere Evasion: but tell me, if your\nNeighbour, the Laird of Thurston will do it? I would gladly wait upon him.\n\nO. I am sure, said I, he will not: and, if he inclined so, I would do what\nI could to hinder him; for, I think, he has as little Concern in these\nmatters, as I. But tell me, Coul, is it not as easie for you to write your\nstory, as to tell it, or to ride on What is it you call him, for I have\nforgotten your Horse's Name.\n\nC. No, Sir, 'tis not, and perhaps I may convince you of it afterwards.\n\nO. I would be glad to hear a Reason that is solid, for your not speaking\nto your Wife your Self. But however, any rational Creature may see, what a\nFool I would make of my self, if I should go to Dumfries and tell your\nWife, that you had appeared to me, and told me of so many Forgeries and\nVillanies which you had committed, and that shee behoved to make\nReparation. The Event might, perhaps, be, that shee would scold me: for,\nas 'tis very probable, shee will be loth to part with any money shee\npossesses, and therefore tell me, I was mad, or possibly might pursue me\nfor Calumny. How could I vindicate my Self, how should I prove, that ever\nyou had spoken with me? M{r} Paton, and the Rest of my Broyrn would tell\nme, that it was a Devil who had appeared to me, and why should I repeat\nthese Things as Truth, which he that was a Lyar from the Beginning had\ntold me? Chapel and Barn-howrie would be upon my Top, and pursue me before\nthe Commissary, and every Body will look upon me, as brainsick or mad.\nTherefore, I entreat you, do not insist upon sending me an April-Errand:\nThe Reasonableness of my Demand I leave to your Consideration, as you did\nyour former to mine; for I think what I ask is very just. But dropping\nthese matters till our next Interview; give me leave to enter upon some\nmore diverting Subject; and I do not know, Coul, but thro' the Information\ngiven to me, you may do as much Service to Mankind, as the Redress of all\nthe Wrongs, you have mentioned would amount to, &c.\n\n\nTHE END.\n\n\n_Elliot Stock, Paternoster Row, London._\n\n\n\n\nFootnotes:\n\n[1] The first appearance that Coul made was to Dr. Menzies's Servant at a\nTime he was watering his Master's Horse. At some subsequent Appearance,\nwhile the Lad was about the same Business, whether Coul had done him any\nreal Harm, or, that the Lad had fallen from his Horse thro' Fear and\nConfusion, is uncertain, but so it was, that the Lad was found Dead on the\nRoad.\n\n[2] A Paith in Scottish signifies a steep, and oft times rugged Road.\n\n\n\n\nTranscriber's Notes:\n\nPassages in italics are indicated by _italics_.\n\nSuperscripted letters are shown in {superscript}.","title":"The Laird o' Coul's Ghost","tradition":"myth-cosmogony","translated_text":null,"word_count":6301}