[38] “An old antiquarian friend, long since dead, told me that Sir Robert had grown so corpulent in his latter days that his body could not be decently carried down the winding stair for burial; and that accordingly a portion of the wall between the two windows looking on to the Plainstones had to be temporarily removed, and that through the wide vacancy thus created the coffin was lowered down. My informant, who was old enough to remember all about the taking down of the lodging in 1826, added that the appearance of the wall between the windows justified the tradition.”—Letter from Wm. M‘Dowall, Esq., author of the History of Dumfries, to Lieut.-Col. Alexander Fergusson, author of the Laird of Lag.
[39] A corrupt form of the Latin “dirige,” from a Catholic chant for the dead.
[40] A commonly used term for the dead bell is “skellat.”
[41] The bell here referred to was the old bell of St. Ninian, the “Clog Rinny” or bell of Saint Ninian, made of malleable iron coated with bronze, and which only measured 6½ inches in height. It is mentioned in the accounts of James IV.: “March 17, 1506, in Penyghame to ane man that bure Saint Ninian’s bell IX.s.” It was in existence at old Penninghame in 1684 when Symson wrote, one hundred and seventy years after. It is described and illustrated in Wilsons’ Prehistoric Annals of Scotland (1857).
[42] Curiously enough, a few years ago, workmen engaged in the Portpatrick water and drainage scheme stumbled upon a large cavernous space at the very place where the reputed sounds of the ghostly pipe music were heard.
[43] Lodnagappal (Celtic): The swamp of the horses.
[44] Patiesthorn, situated at the north end of Parton Mill, overlooking Drumrash and Skirmers and the Ken below Kenmure Castle. There is no house now—only Patiesthorn Wood.
[45] Captain John Garmory of the Bardsea, lost afterwards with all hands on the passage from Liverpool to the Water of Urr.
[46] Walter Bower, or Bowmaker, Abbot of Inchcolm.
[47] The account of these wonderful happenings was published in the form of a chapbook, and obtained a large circulation.