Confessions of A Justified Sinner | Page 3

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THE PRIVATE MEMOIRS AND CONFESSIONS OF A JUSTIFIED
SINNER
WRITTEN BY HIMSELF
WITH A DETAIL OF CURIOUS TRADITIONARY FACTS, AND
OTHER EVIDENCE, BY THE EDITOR
By James Hogg

THE EDITOR'S NARRATIVE
It appears from tradition, as well as some parish registers still extant,
that the lands of Dalcastle (or Dalchastel, as it is often spelled) were
possessed by a family of the name of Colwan, about one hundred and
fifty years ago, and for at least a century previous to that period. That
family was supposed to have been a branch of the ancient family of
Colquhoun, and it is certain that from it spring the Cowans that spread
towards the Border. I find that, in the year 1687, George Colwan
succeeded his uncle of the same name, in the lands of Dalchastel and
Balgrennan; and, this being all I can gather of the family from history,
to tradition I must appeal for the remainder of the motley adventures of
that house. But, of the matter furnished by the latter of these powerful
monitors, I have no reason to complain: It has been handed down to the
world in unlimited abundance; and I am certain that, in recording the
hideous events which follow, I am only relating to the greater part of
the inhabitants of at least four counties of Scotland matters of which
they were before perfectly well informed.
This George was a rich man, or supposed to be so, and was married,
when considerably advanced in life, to the sole heiress and reputed
daughter of a Baillie Orde, of Glasgow. This proved a conjunction
anything but agreeable to the parties contracting. It is well known that
the Reformation principles had long before that time taken a powerful
hold of the hearts and affections of the people of Scotland, although the
feeling was by no means general, or in equal degrees; and it so
happened that this married couple felt completely at variance on the
subject. Granting it to have been so, one would have thought that the
laird, owing to his retiring situation, would have been the one that

inclined to the stern doctrines of the reformers; and that the young and
gay dame from the city would have adhered to the free principles
cherished by the court party, and indulged in rather to extremity, in
opposition to their severe and carping contemporaries.
The contrary, however, happened to be the case. The laird was what his
country neighbours called "a droll, careless chap", with a very limited
proportion of the fear of God in his heart, and very nearly as little of the
fear of man. The laird had not intentionally wronged or offended either
of the parties, and perceived not the