Revenge

In the reign of Charles II., Alexander Cockburn, the hangman of Edinburgh, and who must have officiated at the exits of many of the “ martyrs” in the Grassmarket, was found guilty of the murder of a “bluegown,” or privileged beggar, and accordingly suffered that fate which he had so often meted out to other men.

One Mackenzie, the hangman of Stirling, whom Cockburn had traduced and endeavoured to thrust out of office, was the triumphant executioner of the sentence.

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