Ayrshire > Volume 2

THE BOYLES OF KELBURN 133
the peace — and, because he failed to find the security,
he was escheated. His father, however, became
cautioner for five hundred merks, and his goods were
released from the forfeiture. For the same cause,
however, another son, Thomas, was put to the horn.
When, in the fulness of years, John Boyle, the old
laird of Kelburn, died, he was succeeded by his grandson
John, who survived him only five years, and who in
turn was succeeded by his son John, who held the
family estates for fifty-one years, from 1560 till 1611.
The initials of this John Boyle, and those of his wife,
Marion Crawfurd, stand above the lintel of what was
once the entrance door, now built up, of the old house,
but within its double semicircular mouldings. Above
the mouldings the family arms were displayed on a
stone built into the wall, with the date 1581. The
carvings, obliterated by time, have now been restored.
This laird is said b}^ Crawfurd to have been a most
zealous loyalist in the service of Queen Mary during the
civil wars. He was on his way, tradition tells, with a
party of his followers, to join the royal standard, when
the news reached him of the battle of Langside ; and he
turned sadly homewards. How long he continued
loyal to the cause of the unfortunate Queen history does"
not say, but as the years went on, and the prospects of
Mary's restoration died away, he associated himself
with Lord Boyd, long the faithful adherent of the
Queen, who had made his peace with the Regent, and
covenanted, with his household, tenants, and friends,
to " ride and gang with the said Nobill Lord, and serve
him in the Kingis weris and all uthir his honest and
lesum erandis, bissnes, and effeiris."
These .also were stormy and uncertain times in
Scotland. Law and order were at a discount. There
were sore trials both in Church and State. The central
power had so much ado taking care of itself that it could
not control the turbulent lords and lairds of the west,
and, in the distracted condition of society, these became
a law to themselves, and the blood feud was at its