YEAR 1803
DURING the tempestuous times that ensued, from the death of the King of
France by the hands of the executioner in 1793, there had been a
political schism among my people that often made me very uneasy. The
folk belonging to the cotton-mill, and the muslin-weavers in
Cayenneville, were afflicted with the itch of jacobinism, but those of
the village were stanch and true to king and country; and some of the
heritors were desirous to make volunteers of the young men of them, in
case of anything like the French anarchy and confusion rising on the side
of the manufacturers. I, however, set myself, at that time, against
this, for I foresaw that the French business was but a fever which would
soon pass off; but no man could tell the consequence of putting arms in
the hands of neighbour against neighbour, though it was but in the way of
policy.
But when Bonaparte gathered his host fornent the English coast, and the
government at London were in terror of their lives for an invasion, all
in the country saw that there was danger, and I was not backward in
sounding the trumpet to battle. For a time, however, there was a
diffidence among us somewhere. The gentry had a distrust of the
manufacturers, and the farming lads were wud with impatience, that those
who should be their leaders would not come forth. I, knowing this,
prepared a sermon suitable to the occasion, giving out from the pulpit
myself, the Sabbath before preaching it, that it was my intent, on the
next Lord’s day, to deliver a religious and political exhortation on the
present posture of public affairs. This drew a vast congregation of all
ranks.
I trow that the stoor had no peace in the stuffing of the pulpit in that
day; and the effect was very great and speedy: for next morning the
weavers and cotton-mill folk held a meeting, and they, being skilled in
the ways of committees and associating together, had certain resolutions
prepared, by which a select few was appointed to take an enrolment of all
willing in the parish to serve as volunteers in defence of their king and
country, and to concert with certain gentlemen named therein, about the
formation of a corps, of which, it was an understood thing, the said
gentlemen were to be the officers. The whole of this business was
managed with the height of discretion; and the weavers, and spinners, and
farming lads, vied with one another who should be first on the list. But
that which the most surprised me, was the wonderful sagacity of the
committee in naming the gentlemen that should be the officers. I could
not have made a better choice myself; for they were the best built, the
best bred, and the best natured, in the parish. In short, when I saw the
bravery that was in my people, and the spirit of wisdom by which it was
directed, I said in my heart, the Lord of Hosts is with us, and the
adversary shall not prevail.
[Picture: The Silhouette]
The number of valiant men which at that time placed themselves around the
banners of their country was so great, that the government would not
accept of all who offered; so, like as in other parishes, we were
obligated to make a selection, which was likewise done in a most
judicious manner, all men above a certain age being reserved for the
defence of the parish, in the day when the young might be called to
England to fight the enemy.
When the corps was formed, and the officers named, they made me their
chaplain, and Dr. Marigold their doctor. He was a little man with a big
belly, and was as crouse as a bantam cock; but it was not thought he
could do so well in field exercises, on which account he was made the
doctor, although he had no repute in that capacity in comparison with Dr.
Tanzey, who was not, however, liked, being a stiff-mannered man, with a
sharp temper.
All things having come to a proper head, the young ladies of the parish
resolved to present the corps with a stand of colours, which they
embroidered themselves, and a day was fixed for the presentation of the
same. Never was such a day seen in Dalmailing. The sun shone brightly
on that scene of bravery and grandeur, and far and near the country folk
came flocking in; and we had the regimental band of music hired from the
soldiers that were in Ayr barracks. The very first sound o’t made the
hair on my old grey head to prickle up, and my blood to rise and glow as
if youth was coming again into my veins.
Sir Hugh Montgomerie was the commandant; and he came in all the glory of
war, on his best horse, and marched at the head of the men to the
green-head. The doctor and me were the rearguard: not being able, on
account of my age and his fatness, to walk so fast as the quick-step of
the corps. On the field, we took our place in front, near Sir Hugh and
the ladies with the colours; and after some salutations, according to the
fashion of the army, Sir Hugh made a speech to the men, and then Miss
Maria Montgomerie came forward, with her sister Miss Eliza, and the other
ladies, and the banners were unfurled, all glittering with gold, and the
king’s arms in needlework. Miss Maria then made a speech, which she had
got by heart; but she was so agitated that it was said she forgot the
best part of it: however, it was very well considering. When this was
done, I then stepped forward, and laying my hat on the ground, every man
and boy taking off theirs, I said a prayer, which I had conned most
carefully, and which I thought the most suitable I could devise, in
unison with Christian principles, which are averse to the shedding of
blood; and I particularly dwelt upon some of the specialities of our
situation.
When I had concluded, the volunteers gave three great shouts, and the
multitude answered them to the same tune, and all the instruments of
music sounded, making such a bruit as could not be surpassed for
grandeur—a long, and very circumstantial account of all which, may be
read in the newspapers of that time.
The volunteers, at the word of command, then showed us the way they were
to fight with the French, in the doing of which a sad disaster happened;
for when they were charging bayonets, they came towards us like a flood,
and all the spectators ran; and I ran, and the doctor ran; but being
laden with his belly, he could not run fast enough, so he lay down, and
being just before me at the time, I tumbled over him, and such a shout of
laughter shook the field as was never heard.
When the fatigues of the day were at an end, we marched to the
cotton-mill, where, in one of the ware-houses, a vast table was spread,
and a dinner, prepared at Mr. Cayenne’s own expense, sent in from the
Cross-Keys, and the whole corps, with many of the gentry of the
neighbourhood, dined with great jollity, the band of music playing
beautiful airs all the time. At night there was a universal dance,
gentle and semple mingled together. All which made it plain to me, that
the Lord, by this unison of spirit, had decreed our national
preservation; but I kept this in my own breast, lest it might have the
effect to relax the vigilance of the kingdom. And I should note that
Colin Mavis, the poetical lad, of whom I have spoken in another part,
made a song for this occasion that was very mightily thought of, having
in it a nerve of valiant genius, that kindled the very souls of those
that heard it.