scovered the
place of Starhead's retreat, murdered him in his bed, and brought his head
to their master, by whom, in memorial of their vengeance, it was exposed
on the cross of Edinburgh. Heron would have shared the same fate had he
not spread abroad a report of his having died of the plague, and caused
his funeral obsequies to be performed.

Various expedients were resorted to in order to terminate the feuds which
prevailed. A common method was to get the Chiefs and Chieftains of the
opposing clans to subscribe what were called "bonds of assurance." There
can be no doubt that this might often have proved a most effective
measure, had the parties concerned only been willing to let bygones be
bygones. But it was found that the old sores were not easily healed.
Despite the utmost precautions, animosities which had been suppressed for
a time--kept as it were in abeyance--would assert themselves in a most
unexpected manner, and with redoubled force, and create a still more
distracting condition of affairs.

Prior to the Reformation, feuds were sometimes terminated by an appeal to
the religious sensibilities of the persons more immediately concerned.
They were induced to make pilgrimages to noted shrines--the shrine of St.
Ninian being a favourite resort--where, under the influence of religious
thoughts and feelings, they might be induced to take a more kindly view of
those with whom they were at feud, and make some reparation for the injury
they had inflicted. How far this method succeeded it is difficult to
determine, but the likelihood is that it was quite as effective as any
other.

Among the Chiefs, or clans, feuds were sometimes brought to an end by a
contract of marriage between a leading gentleman of one clan and a
daughter of the principal house of the other. This was the plan adopted by
the Scotts and Kers, and which, after some vexatious delays, proved
entirely successful.

But if it was found that none of the above methods of terminating the feud
could be conveniently applied, then resort was had, as has already been
hinted, to still simpler means. An atonement was made by the payment of a
sum of money called "assythment," which was sometimes found sufficient to
restore good feeling, and bring together in a spirit of amity families
that had been at feud with each other.

But these and other means of putting an end to the feud proved, perhaps,
in the majority of cases, of little or no avail. The parties conce