nant's sake,
Upon the Magus-Moor in Fife,
Did tak James Sharp the apostate's life;
By Dutchman's hands was hacked and shot,
Then drowned in Clyde near this saam spot.
 
The return of John Balfour of Kinloch, called Burley, to Scotland, as well as
his violent death in the manner described, is entirely fictitious. He was
wounded at Bothwell Bridge, when he uttered the execration transferred to the
text, not much in unison with his religious pretensions. He afterwards escaped
to Holland, where he found refuge, with other fugitives of that disturbed
period. His biographer seems simple enough to believe that he rose high in the
Prince of Orange's favour, and observes, »That having still a desire to be
avenged upon those who persecuted the Lord's cause and people in Scotland, it is
said he obtained liberty from the Prince for that purpose, but died at sea
before his arrival in Scotland; whereby that design was never accomplished, and
so the land was never cleansed by the blood of them who had shed innocent blood,
according to the law of the Lord, Gen. ix. 6, Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man
shall his blood be shed.« - Scottish Worthies, p. 522.
It was reserved for this historian to discover, that the moderation of King
William, and his prudent anxiety to prevent that perpetuating of factious
quarrels, which is called in modern times Reaction, were only adopted in
consequence of the death of John Balfour, called Burley.
The late Mr. Wemyss, of Wemyss Hall, in Fifeshire, succeeded to Balfour's
property in late times, and had several accounts, papers, articles of dress,
etc., which belonged to the old homicide.
His name seems still to exist in Holland or Flanders; for in the Brussels papers
of 28th July 1828, Lieutenant Colonel Balfour de Burleigh is named Commandant of
the troops of the King of the Netherlands in the West Indies.