Scotland/Scots > Life and exploits of Rob Roy MacGregor

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Graham of Kiftearn was factor on the
estate of Montrose, and second cousin
to that nobleman. Being in the con-'
stant practice of distressing those ten¬
ants who were in arrear, he was despised
in the country. He had once seques¬
trated the goods and cattle of a poor
widow for arrears of rent; when Rob
heard of the cruelty, he went to her,
and gave her the 300 merks she owed,
at same time desiring her, when she paid
it, to get a receipt. On the legal day,
the officers appeared at the widow's
house to take away her effects. She
paid their demand ; but Rob met them j
made them surrender tire money they
had extorted ; gave them a good drub¬
bing, and an advice never again to act
in the same manner.
Sometimes the rich procured a mort¬
gage bond upon the , property of his
needy neighbour ; and this was gene¬
rally turned into an authority to seize
their lands by force. Glengyle was un¬
der a bond of this kind, when Rob Roy’s
nephew succeeded to it. Rob, knowing
what advantage would be taken of the
contract, gave his nephew the money,
for the puij )se of retrieving the bond.
The period of redemption had only a
lew iponths to run; and, under pretence