Salt-foot controversy

LETTER OF CANDIDUS. 9
last portion, a few years after, was also disposed of to
an advocate in Edinburgh, of the name of Harper ;
and it has since passed, together with other property
of greater extent, into a younger branch of the Lee
family.
There is another anecdote of these two rival lairds,
Sir Walter Stewart and Somerville of Camnethan,
which is recorded in the family history above allud-
ed to ; and I shall beg leave to mention it, as illus-
trative of the characters of both.
When Oliver Cromwell, after reducing Scotland
to subjection, directed a valuation to be taken of
the landed property of the kingdom (and which con-
stitutes the rule whereby the cess and sundry other
public burdens are still paid), the Laird of Camne-
than, anxious to exhibit his importance as a land-
holder, gave in his rent-roll at an extravagant value,
and, as it was supposed, greatly beyond the truth.
Sir Walter, on the other hand, who would have
spilt the last drop of his blood in a contest for supe-
riority on any other occasion, when called upon for
his return, took care to exhibit a statement as great-
ly below the mark. On this, his neighbours, who
knew of their bickerings, did not fail to rally him,
for being thus far surpassed by his rival, although
well-known to be possessed of a far more valuable
estate. But the wily knight, who guessed at the
object of the Protector's policy, was resolved to act
with becoming moderation on such an occasion, and
encouraged his brother, Sir James, in the same pru-
dent line of conduct. He therefore only laughed