The Heart of Mid-Lothian, Complete

  NOTE G.--MUSCHAT'S CAIRN.

  Nichol Muschat, a debauched and profligate wretch, having conceived ahatred against his wife, entered into a conspiracy with another brutallibertine and gambler, named Campbell of Burnbank (repeatedly mentionedin Pennycuick's satirical poems of the time), by which Campbell undertookto destroy the woman's character, so as to enable Muschat, on falsepretences to obtain a divorce from her. The brutal devices to which theseworthy accomplices resorted for that purpose having failed, theyendeavoured to destroy her by administering medicine of a dangerous kind,and in extraordinary quantities.

  This purpose also failing, Nichol Muschat, or Muschet, did finally, onthe 17th October 1720, carry his wife under cloud of night to the King'sPark, adjacent to what is called the Duke's Walk, near Holyrood Palace,and there took her life by cutting her throat almost quite through, andinflicting other wounds. He pleaded guilty to the indictment, for whichhe suffered death. His associate, Campbell, was sentenced totransportation, for his share in the previous conspiracy. See_MacLaurin's Criminal Cases,_pp. 64 and 738.

  In memory, and at the same time execration, of the deed, a _cairn,_ orpile of stones, long marked the spot. It is now almost totally removed,in consequence of an alteration on the road in that place.