Ayrshire > Volume 2

298 HISTORY OF AYRSHIRE
Alexander, fifth Earl of Glencairn, was one of the
chief promoters of the Reformation movement in
Scotland. From his youth he had been indoctrinated
in the cause. Not only, while yet he was Lord Kilmaurs,
had he taken an active part, along with his father, in.
its furtherance, even to the extent of incurring the
displeasure of the ruling powers in Scotland and the
suspicion of those in England who had endeavoured to
ensure his support by means of a substantial pension ;
he had even gone the length of composing a satirical
poem against the order of the Grey Friars, who had
made themselves odious by their persecution of George
Buchanan. Whatever Lord Kilmaurs was, he was not
a highly gifted poet ; nevertheless his poem, " Ane
Epistle direct fra the Holye Armite of Allarit (Thomas
Doughtie, the founder of the chapel of Our Lady of
Loretto ; formerly called Allarit, or Allaret) to his
Brethern the Gray Frieres," lacks neither in pungency
nor in terseness, and it so commended itself to John
Knox that the Scottish Reformer printed it in his
" History of the Reformation." Its spirit and style
will be comprehended from the following extract : —
I, Thomas, hermit in Larite
Saint Francis' order do heartily greet,
Beseeching you with firm intent
To be walkryfe and diligent ;
For these Lutherians, risen of new
Our order daily do pursue.
These smaiks (mean fellows) do set their haill intent,
To read the English New Testament.
They say we have them clean deceavit ;
Therefore in haste they maun be stoppit !
Our state, " hypocrisie " they prize (account),
And us blaspheamis on this wyse : —
Saying that we are heretikes,
And false, loud lying mastiff tykes,
Stout fishers with the Fiend's net,
The up-closers of Heaven's yett,
Cankered corrupters of the Creed,
Hemlock-sowers amongst good seed,
Kirk men that are to Christ unkent,
A sect that Satan's self has sent !