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tions; and in this seeming soft raiment they concealed weapons of defence or offence, with which to arm themselves and the body-guard, if occasion called for resistance. To appearance, they had no object but careless sport and glee; some playing on the Scottish harp, others blowing the bagpipes, or beating targets for drums, and jingling bells. Whenever the procession halted, they danced, flourishing about the banners of their leader. The exterior bands perhaps represented, in dumb show, or pantomime, the actions of warriors, or the wildest buffoonery; and those were followed by crowds, who, with all the grimaces and phrases of waggery, solicited money or garniture from the nobles and gentry that came to gaze upon them. Wherever they appeared, multitudes joined them; some for the sake of jollity, and not a few to have their fate predicted by spae-wives, warlocks, and interpreters of dreams, who invariably were found in the train of the Abbot of Unreason.

A family, once illustrious among the heroes and legislators of Scotia, but now fallen into decay, have preserved a remarkable tradition concerning the troublous times of the Reformation in that country. About the end of May, in 1569, the Abbot of Unreason, accoutred as already depicted, and accompanied by a retinue in the usual style, appeared on the outer verge