Guy Mannering.

GUY MANNERING. 29
lowing peculiarities. iHe was born in the parish of
Kirkmichael, about the year 1671; and as he died at
Kirkcudbright 23d November, 1792, he must then have
been in the one hundred and twentieth year of his age.
It cannot be said that this unusually long lease of existence was noted by any peculiar excellence of conduct or
habits of life. Willie had been pressed or enlisted seven
times, and had deserted as often; besides three times
running away from the naval service. He had been
seventeen times lawfully married; and besides such a
reasonably large share of matrimonial comforts, was, after
his hundredth year, the avowed father of four children,
by less legitimate affections. He subsisted, in his extreme old age, by a pension from the present Earl of
Selkirk's grandfather. Will Marshal is buried in Kirkcudbright church, where his monument is still shown,
decorated with a scutcheon suitably blazoned with two
tups' horns and two curtty spoons.
In his youth he occasionally took an evening walk on
the highway, with the purpose of assisting travellers by
relieving them of the weight of their purses. On one
occasion, the Caird of Barullion robbed the Laird of
Bargally, at a place between Carsphairn and Dalmellington. His purpose was not achieved.without a severe
struggle, in which the Gipsy lost his bonnet, and was
obliged to escape, leaving it on the road. A respectable
farmer happened to be the next passenger, and seeing the
bonnet, alighted, took it up, and rather imprudently put
it on his own head. At this instant, Bargally came up
with some assistants, and recognising the bonnet, charged
the farmer of Bantoberick with having robbed him, and
took him into custody. There being some likeness between the parties, Bargally persisted in his charge, and