One night, about a month after the ploy whereof I have spoken in the
foregoing chapter, just as my father had finished the worship, and the
family were composing themselves round the fireside for supper, we were
startled by the sound of a galloping horse coming to the door; and
before any one had time to open it, there was a dreadful knocking with
the heft of the rider's whip. It was Nahum Chapelrig, who being that day
at Kilmarnock, had heard, as he was leaving the town, the cry get up
there that the Aggressor was coming from York with all the English
power, and he had flown far and wide on his way home publishing the
dismal tidings.
My father, in a sober manner, bade him alight and partake of our supper,
questioning him sedately anent what he had heard; but Nahum was raised,
and could give no satisfaction in his answers; he, however, leapt from
his horse, and drawing the bridle through the ring at the door-cheek,
came ben to the fire where we had all so shortly before been
harmoniously sitting. His eyes were wide and wild; his hair, with the
heat he was in, was as if it had been pomated; his cheeks were white,
his lips red, and he panted with haste and panic.
"They're coming," he cried, "in thousands o' thousands; never sic a
force has crossed the Border since the day o' Flodden Field. We'll a'
either be put to the sword, man, woman, and child, or sent in slavery to
the plantations."
"No," replied my father, "things are no just come to that pass; we have
our swords yet, and hearts and hands to use them."
The consternation, however, of Nahum Chapelrig that night was far ayont
all counsel; so, after trying to soothe and reason him into a more
temperate frame, my father was obligated to tell him, that since the
battle was coming so near our gates, it behoved the Covenanters to be
in readiness for the field, advising Nahum to go home, and be over with
him betimes in the morning.
While they were thus speaking, James Newbigging also came to the door
with a rumour of the same substance, which his wife had brought from
Eglinton Castle, where she had been with certain cocks and hens, a
servitude of the Eglintons on their mailing; so that there was no longer
any dubiety about the news, though matters were not in such a desperate
condition as Nahum Chapelrig had terrified himself with the thought of.
Nevertheless, the tidings were very dreadful; and it was a judgment-like
thing to hear that an anointed king was so far left to himself as to be
coming with wrath, and banners, and trampling war-horses, to destroy his
subjects for the sincerity of their religious allegiance to that
Almighty Monarch, who has but permitted the princes of the earth to be
set up as idols by the hands of men.
James Newbigging, as well as Nahum, having come ben to the fireside, my
father called for the Books again, and gave out the eight first verses
of the forty-fourth psalm, which we all sung with hearts in holy unison
and zealous voices.
When James Newbigging and Nahum Chapelrig were gone away home, my father
sat for some time exhorting us, who were his youngest children, to be
kind to one another, to cherish our mother, and no to let auld doited
aunty want, if it was the Lord's will that he should never come back
from the battle. The which to hear caused much sorrow and lamentation,
especially from my mother, who, however, said nothing, but took hold of
his hand and watered it with her tears. After this he walked out into
the fields, where he remained some time alone; and during his absence,
me and the three who were next to me, were sent to our beds; but, young
as we then were, we were old enough to know the danger that hung over
us, and we lay long awake, wondering and woful with fear.
About two hours after midnight the house was again startled by another
knocking, and on my father inquiring who was at the door, he was
answered by my brother Jacob, who had come with Michael and Robin from
Glasgow to Kilmarnock, on hearing the news, and had thence brought
William and Alexander with them to go with their father to the war. For
they had returned to their respective trades after the day of the
covenanting, and had only been out at Hepburn's raid, as the ploy with
the Irvine men was called in jocularity, in order that the neighbours,
who venerated their grandfather, might see them together as Covenanters.
The arrival of her sons, and the purpose they had come upon, awakened
afresh the grief of our mother; but my father entreated us all to be
quiet, and to compose ourselves to rest, that we might be the abler on
the morn to prepare for what might then ensue. Yet, though there was no
sound in the house, save only our mother's moaning, few closed their
eyes, and long before the sun every one was up and stirring, and my
father and my five brothers were armed and belted for the march.
Scarcely were they ready, when different neighbours in the like trim
came to go with them; presently also Nahum Chapelrig, with his banner,
and fife, and drum, at the head of some ten or twelve lads of his
clachan, came over; and on this occasion no obstacle was made to that
bravery which was thought so uncomely on the day of the covenanting.
While the armed men were thus gathering before our door, with the intent
of setting forward to Glasgow, as the men of the West had been some time
before trysted to do, by orders from General Lesley, on the first alarm,
that godly man and minister of righteousness, the Reverend Mr Swinton,
made his appearance with his staff in his hand, and a satchel on his
back, in which he carried the Bible.
"I am come, my friens," said he, "to go with you. Where the ensigns of
Christ's Covenant are displayed, it is meet that the very lowest of his
vassals should be there;" and having exhorted the weeping women around
to be of good cheer, he prayed for them and for their little children,
whom the Aggressor was, perhaps, soon to make fatherless. Nahum
Chapelrig then exalted his banner, and the drum and fife beginning to
play, the venerable man stepped forward, and heading the array with his
staff in his hand, they departed amidst the shouts of the boys, and the
loud sorrow of many a wife and mother.
I followed them, with my companions, till they reached the high road,
where, at the turn that led them to Glasgow, a great concourse of other
women and children belonging to the neighbouring parishes were
assembled, having there parted from their friends. They were all
mourning and weeping, and mingling their lamentations with bitter
predictions against the King and his evil counsellors; but seeing Mr
Swinton, they became more composed, and he having made a sign to the
drum and fife to cease, he stopped, and earnestly entreated them to
return home and employ themselves in the concerns of their families,
which, the heads being for a season removed, stood the more in need of
all their kindness and care.
This halt in the march of their friends brought the onlookers, who were
assembled round our house, running to see what was the cause; and, among
others, it gave time to the aged Ebenezer Muir to come up, whom Mr
Swinton no sooner saw than he called on him by name, and bade him
comfort the women, and invite them away from the high road, where their
presence could only increase the natural grief that every covenanted
Christian, in passing to join the army, could not but suffer, on seeing
so many left defenceless by the unprovoked anger of the Aggressor. He
then bade the drum again beat, and, the march being resumed, the band of
our parish soon went out of sight.
While our men continued in view Ebenezer Muir said nothing; but as soon
as they had disappeared behind the brow of the Gowan-brae, he spoke to
the multitude in a gentle and paternal manner, and bade them come with
him into the neighbouring field, and join him in prayer; after which he
hoped they would see the wisdom of returning to their homes. They
accordingly followed him, and he having given out the twenty-third
psalm, all present joined him, till the lonely fields and silent woods
echoed to the melody of their pious song.
As we were thus standing around the old man in worship and unison of
spirit, the Irvine men came along the road; and seeing us, they hushed
their drums as they passed by, and bowed down their banners in reverence
and solemnity. Such was the outset of the worthies of the renewed
Covenant, in their war with the first Charles.