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At this all the six were in the utmost horror and confusion, and really appeared like the guilty persons. But the vintner, observing them endeavouring to get away, made such a noise of murder, that immediately all the family were out of their beds, and the watch at the house-door, to know the reason of such an alarm. The thieves were instantly conveyed to a place of durance for that night, and in the morning were sent to the main prison, when, after a little time, they took their trials, were found guilty of Mr. Hamilton's death, and executed accordingly.

Sawney came off very wonderfully from this matter, though neither his wife's admonitions, nor his own frequent asseverations to her to leave off his irregular course of life, were of any force to make him abandon it; the bent of doing ill, and living extravagantly, was too deeply rooted within him, ever to expect any reformation to take place. He began to shew himself a monster in iniquity, and committed every wickedness that could exaggerate the character of a most prophane wretch. For it is impossible to enumerate, much more to describe, the quantity of his villainies, they being a series of such horrid and incredible actions, that the very inserting them here would only make the reader think an imposition were put upon him in transmitting accounts so shocking and horrible. The money he had obtained of Mr. Hamilton was a dear purchase; it was soon played away with and consumed, which made him throw himself on other shifts to support his pockets; to which end he visited the high-way, and put those to death who offered to oppose him. His character was too well known in the west of Scotland, to want any further information about him, which obliged him to hasten to Edinburgh; where, meeting with a gang of his profession, who knew him to be most accomplished in their way, he was constituted general of their body, and each man had his particular lodging in the city. But Sawney, who ever chose to act the principal part in all encounters, industriously took lodgings at a house noted for entertaining strangers, where he was not long in insinuating himself into their acquainiance, by making them believe that he was a stranger as well