Tracts, legal and historical

114
the veil from their private lives. Although most
incorrect in matters of fact, Craig certainly was a
person of great literary merit and endowments, but
he, as well as most of his legal brethren, may too
truly illustrate the truth of these observations.
Previous to the sixth of February 1607, Alexan-
der Hay of Dalgattie, instituted an action for adul-
tery against his wife, Elizabeth Keith Lady Allar-
dice, a woman, as can be proved, of a profligate cha-
racter ; " the fait being allegit committit be hir, and
upone hir pert." In this emergency the lady having
raised a counter action of the same nature against
him, applied to her friend Sir John Lindsay of Ben-
scho, a noted courtier and spendthrift, who went to
Craig, and on condition of his assisting her, " pro-
mittit to him for his panes, and reward ane gude
and sufficient haiknay naig, quhilk he promittit to
have deliuerit (to him) wyt all diligence possible
yerefter." In the hopes of such a munificent return,
Craig, " according to the said paction and promeis,
enterit as procurator for the said actionis,"and "be his
great diligence and travellis efter the pleading of the
saidis cawsis be the space of tua yeris, the lady Aller-
des wes assoheit, and the fault fund wyt the said
Laird of Dalgatie." The parties having now at-
tained their end, as might fairly have been expected,
thought no more either of Craig, or the nag, weigh-
ing them perhaps, in the same scale, and like generals
in war, after availing themselves of an artifice, despis-
ing the tools they had employed.