THE SANQUHAR DECLARATION.
I think it was during the week I lay thus in the barn at the Duchrae,
often with Richard Cameron or his young brother Michael at my back in
the quiet of the corn mow, that first I got within me the true spirit of
the Covenant. Then it was that I heard all the troubles and the sins of
Scotland redd[6] up and made plain; for in the night watches Cameron and
his brother had great communings together. Richard was all for being
done with the authority of the King, and making but one cast for it.
Michael thought that the time was not ripe nor the men ready.
[Footnote 6: Cleared up.]
Now these two youths were they who chiefly set Scotland in a lowe at
this time, when Lauderdale had so nearly trampled out the red cinders of
the fire of Presbytery. It was strange to think, that he who should blow
them again into a flame had once been a Prelatist, and that from the
wicked shire of Fife. When one cast it up to him, Richard Cameron said:
"Ay, it humbles us all to remember the pit from which we were digged!"
Then one night in the barn we gave in very solemnly our adhesions to the
disowning of Charles Stuart and his brother James--all save my cousin
Wat, who said:
"I canna bide to cast off the blood of Bruce. I had rather kiss the Red
Maiden."
And with that, early in the morning he left us, which was a surprising
grief to me, for he and I had been brothers in peril during many months.
Whither he went I knew not then, but it shall be related in its proper
place and all that befel him in his lonely wanderings, after he parted
from me.
"We must not do this thing lightly or gladly," said Richard Cameron to
us that abode with him in the barn. "We have laid our accounts with the
worst that the Government may do to us. We count not our lives dear. We
see plainly that naught is to be gained save by defiance, any more. The
Indulgence is but a dish of sowens with a muzzle thereafter, to make us
for ever dumb dogs that will not bark. Who shall hinder or blame, if we
choose to lay down our lives in the high places of the field, that the
old faith be not forgotten, neither the old Covenant engagements to our
Lord Christ for ever abrogated?"
Yet I think there was not one of us that was not heart-sorry to break
with the House of Stuart. For after all we were of Scotland, and we or
our fathers had stood for the Scots House and the Scots King against
Cromwell and the supplanters. At any rate, let it not be said of us that
we did this thing lightly; but rather with heavy hearts, because the
King had been so far left to himself as to forswear and abandon the
solemn engagements which he had undertaken.
So it came to pass in the mid days of the year, that one afternoon we
rode away through the lonely hills by Minnyhive, and turned north up the
fair valley of the water of Nith. Here and there we gathered one to whom
the word had been passed, finding them waiting for us at some green
loaning foot or at the mouth of some glen. Little we said when a friend
joined us; for our work was sad and solemn, and to be done once and for
all. We rode as it were under the shadow of the scaffold. Yet I think we
thought not so much of ourselves, as of the women folk that abode at
home. I know that I was wae for my mother, who was now like to lose her
two sons as she had aforetime lost her husband, and sometimes also I
thought of the lass Maisie Lennox, and what she would do wanting her
father.
But this I put from me, for after all Covenanting was man's business.
And as Richard Cameron said:
"They that are trysted to the Bridegroom's work, must taigle themselves
with no other marriage engagements!"
At the Menick foot, where that long stey pass begins, there met us ten
men of the Upper Ward, all douce and stalwart men, armed and horsed as
well as any of our men out of Galloway. I was the youngest of them all
there, and indeed the only one that was not a mighty man of his arms.
There had been indeed some talk of leaving me at the Duchrae to keep the
place--which I knew to be but an excuse. But one James Gray of Chryston,
a laird's son and a strong man, cried out, "Let the lad come, for his
brother Sandy's sake!"
A saying which nettled me, and I replied instantly:
"Let any man stand out against me with the pistol and small sword, and I
will show him cause why I should come for mine own!"
At this Cameron rebuked me:
"Ah, William, I see well that thou hast the old Adam in thee yet. But
was there ever a Gordon that would not go ram-stam at the boar, whatever
his religion?"
Then I, who knew that I had spoken as a carnal man, was somewhat shamed.
Yet was I glad also that no man took my challenge, for indeed I had
small skill of the sword. And with the shearing sword especially, my
blows were as rat-tail licks to the dead strikes of Richard Cameron or
even those of my brother Sandy. But nevertheless only to say the thing,
did me good like medicine.
So into the town of Sanquhar we rode two and two, very slow and quiet,
for Cameron had forbidden us to ride with a tight rein and the horses
champing, as indeed I longed to do for pride and the lust of the eye.
"For thus," said he, "do the King's troopers, when they enter a town, to
take the eyes of the unthinking. But contrariwise, we are come to do a
deed in Scotland that shall not be forgotten while Nith water runs, and
to tie a band which shall not be broken through. We ourselves shall fall
and that speedily--that know we well--but, nevertheless, that which we
do this day shall one day bring the tyrant's downfall!"
And so indeed it proved to be.
Sanquhar is ever a still place, as though there were no other day there
but the Sabbath only. Also the inhabitants are douce and grave, and so
remain to this day--buying and selling, eating and drinking, as though
they were alone on God's universe. But that day as we came riding up the
street, there was a head at every window and I heard the wives cry:
"The hill-folk have risen and come riding into Sanquhar!"
And this pleased me in the heart, though I know well I should have had
my mind set on other matters.
At the cross we formed up, setting our horses ten on either side and
Richard Cameron in the midst, he alone dismounted and standing on the
steps of the cross. We sat still and quiet, all being bareheaded. For
show I had plucked my brand out of its scabbard. But Cameron sternly
bade me put it back again, and gave me his horse to hold instead. Which
thing grieved and shamed me at the time sadly enough, though now I am
both proud and glad of it.
"The time for drawn steel is yet to come, William. Be sure that thou art
then as ready as now," he said.
We sang our psalm of Covenant-keeping, and the hills gave it back to us,
as though the angels were echoing the singing of it softly in heaven.
After that, Cameron stood up very straight, and on his face, which was
as the face of a lion, there was a great tenderness, albeit of the
sterner sort.
The townsfolk stood about, but not too near, being careful and cautious
lest they should be called in question for compliance with the deed, and
the strange work done by us that day; for the King's scoop-net gathered
wide. Also the innocent were often called to judgment, especially if
they had something to lose in goods or gear, as was the case with many
of the well-doing burghers of Sanquhar.
"This day," cried Cameron, loudly and solemnly, after he had prayed, "do
we come to this town of Sanquhar to cast off our allegiance to Charles
Stuart and his brother James. Not hastily, neither to make ourselves to
be spoken about, but with solemnity as men that enter well-knowing into
the ante-chamber of death. An we desired our own lives, we should
receive Tests and Indulgences thankfully; and go sit in our kennels,
like douce tykes that are ready to run at the platter and whistle.
"But for all that, we are loyal men and no rebels, though to-day we cast
off Charles Stuart--ay, and will do our best to make an end of his rule,
so that he shall no more reign over this realm. This we shall do, not by
private assassination, which we abhor and abominate; but by the levying
of open war. We declare ourselves loyal to any covenanted king--ay, and
had Charles Stuart kept his engagements, plighted and sworn, there is no
man here that would not right gladly have laid down his life for him.
"All ye that stand by, hear this word of Richard Cameron! There are
those behind me, who heard with their ears the oath that the King sware
at Perth, when before the Solemn Convocation he spake these words: 'I
Charles, King of Great Britain and Ireland, do assure and declare by my
solemn oath in the presence of Almighty God, the Searcher of hearts, my
allowance and approbation of the National Covenant and of the Solemn
League and Covenant above written, and faithfully oblige myself to
prosecute the ends thereof in my station and calling.'
"The King," cried Cameron, "who sware these oaths hath cast us off. We
have not cast off the King! There is one waiting in the Low Countries
whence I came, and looking towards the hills of Scotland, to see if
there be any faithful. Shall the fortress be utterly broken down with
none to build her up? Are there no watchmen to tell the towers
thereof--none to cry from rampart to rampart, 'What of the night?' Ay,
there be here in Sanquhar town this day at the least twenty men that
have not bowed the knee to Baal. This day we come to lay down our lives,
as happily as children that have spent their play-day in the fields, and
being tired, would lay them down to sleep. But ere we go, because the
time cannot be long, we come to give the banner of the Lord once more to
the winds--the banner of that other Kingdom in Scotland that is
Christ's. Behold!"
And with that he lifted up the banner-staff which he held in his hand,
and there floated out upon the equal-blowing wind the blue banner of
Christ's Covenant. And as the golden scroll of it took the air, there
came that into the hearts of most of us, which filled them to the
overflow. The tears ran down and fell upon our horses' necks. "FOR
CHRIST'S CROWN AND COVENANT," ran the legend. Then we gathered ourselves
closer about the battle-flag, for which we had come out to die. As one
man we drew our swords, nor did Cameron now gainsay us--and lifting them
high up, till the sun glinted bonnily upon them, we sang our solemn
banding song. I never felt my heart so high or heaven so near, not even
at the great field-preaching by the water of Dee, when I sat by the side
of Maisie Lennox. Even thus we sang,
"God is our refuge and our strength,
In straits a present aid;
Therefore, although the earth remove,
We will not be afraid."
Then we rode out of Sanquhar town, for once gallantly enough, having
solemnly set ourselves to face the King in open field--we that were but
twenty men against three kingdoms. Well we knew that we should be put
down, but we knew also that so long as there were a score of men in
Scotland, to do as we had done that day, the cause and the flag would
never be wholly put down.
So the douce burghers of Sanquhar watched us ride away, our swords
gleaming naked because we had appealed to the sword, and were prepared
to perish by the sword, as the word is. Also our blue banner of the
Covenant waved bravely over our heads, in token of our dependence on
Jehovah, the God of battles.
And as we rode was it not I, William Gordon of Earlstoun, who carried
the banner-staff, for Richard Cameron had given it into my hands. So I
had not lived in vain, and Sandy would never again bid me sew
bairn-clouts, and bide at home among the women. I wished my father had
been alive to see me.