some distance off, and madefor the same place of refuge.
Springing up a spiral stair, three steps at a time, Black did not stoptill he gained the attics, and leaped through the open doorway of agarret, where he found an old woman wailing over a bed on which lay thecorpse of a man with a coffin beside it.
"What want ye here?" demanded the old creature angrily.
"Wow! wumman, I'm hard pressed! They're at my heels!" said Black,looking anxiously at the skylight as if meditating a still higherflight.
"Are ye ane o' the persecuted remnant?" asked the woman in a changedtone.
"Ay, that am I."
"Hide, then, hide, man--haste ye!"
"Where?" asked the perplexed fugitive. "There," said the woman,removing the coffin lid. Andrew hesitated. Just then hurryingfootsteps were heard on the stair. He hesitated no longer. Steppinginto the coffin he lay down, and the woman covered him up.
"Oh, wumman!" said Black, lifting the lid a little, "tak' care ye dinnameddle wi' the screw-nails. They may--"
"Wheesht! Haud yer tongue!" growled the woman sharply, and reclosed thelid with a bang, just as Ramblin' Peter burst into the room.
"What want ye here, callant?"
Peter drew back in dismay.
"I'm lookin' for--I was thinkin'--Did 'ee see a man--?"
The lid of the coffin flew off as he spoke, and his master sprang out.
"Man, Peter," gasped the farmer, "yours is the sweetest voice I've heardfor mony a day. I verily thocht I was doomed--but come awa', lad.Thank 'ee kindly, auld wife, for the temporary accommodation."
The intruders left as abruptly as they had entered. That night thewhole party was reassembled in Mrs. Black's residence in CandlemakerRow, where, over a supper "o' parritch an' soor mulk," Andrew Blackheard from Jock Bruce all about the Declaration of Rutherglen, and thedefeat of Claverhouse by the Covenanters at Drumclog.
"The thundercloods are gatherin'," said Black with a grave shake of thehead, as the party broke up and were about to separate for the night."Tak' my word for 't, we'll hear mair o' this afore lang."
We need scarcely add that on this occasion Andrew was a true prophet.
CHAPTER EIGHT.
BOTHWELL BRIDGE.
Matters had now come to such a pass that it was no longer possible todefer the evil day of civil war.
Persecuted inhumanly and beyond endurance, with every natural avenue ofredress closed, and flushed with recent victory, the Covenantersresolved not only to hold together for defensive purposes, but to takethe initiative, push their advantage, and fight for civil and religiousliberty. It was the old, old fight, which has convulsed the worldprobably since the days of Eden--the uprising of the persecuted manyagainst the tyrannical few. In the confusions of a sin-stricken world,the conditions have been occasionally and partially reversed; but, forthe most part, history's record tells of the abuse of power on the partof the few who possess it, and the resulting consequence that:--
"Man's inhumanity to man Makes countless thousands mourn--"
Until the down-trodden have turned at bay, and, like the French in 1793,have taken fearful vengeance, or, as in the case of the Covenanters atthe time of which we write, have reaped only disaster and profounderwoe.
There were, however, two elements of weakness among the Covenanters in1679 which rendered all their efforts vain, despite the righteousness oftheir cause. One was that they were an undisciplined body, withoutappointed and experienced officers; while their leader, Robert Hamilton,was utterly unfitted by nature as well as training for a militarycommand. The other weakness was, that the unhappy differences ofopinion among them as to lines of duty, to which we have beforereferred, became more and more embittered, instead of being subordinatedto the stern necessities of the hour.
The earnest men of God amongst them could no doubt have brought thingsto a better state in this crisis if their counsels had prevailed, butthe men whose powers of endurance had at last given way were too manyand strong for these; so that, instead of preparing for united action,the turbulent among them continued their dissensions until too late.
After Drumclog, Hamilton led his men to Glasgow to attack the enemy'sheadquarters there. He was repulsed, and then retired to Hamilton,where he formed a camp.
The Privy Council meanwhile called out the militia, and ordered all theheritors and freeholders to join with the Regulars in putting down theinsurrection. A good many people from all quarters had joined theCovenanters after the success at Drumclog; but it is thought that theirnumbers never exceeded 4000. The army which prepared to meet them underthe command of the Duke of Monmouth and Buccleuch was said to be 10,000strong--among them were some of the best of the King's troops.
The Duke was anxious to delay matters, apparently with some hope ofreconciliation. Many of the Covenanters were like-minded; and it issaid that Mr. Welsh visited the royal camp in disguise, with a view to apeaceful solution; but the stern spirits in both camps rendered thisimpossible. Some from principle, others from prejudice, could not seetheir way to a compromise; while the unprincipled on either side "criedhavoc, and let slip the dogs of war!"
It was on Sabbath the 22nd of June that the Duke's army reached BothwellMoor; the advanced guards entering Bothwell town within a quarter of amile of the bridge which spans the Clyde. The Covenanters lay encampedon Hamilton Moor, on the southern side of the river.
That morning a company of stalwart young men, coming from the directionof Edinburgh, had crossed Bothwell Bridge before the arrival of theroyal army and joined the Covenanters. They were preceded by two men onhorseback.
"It seems a daft-like thing," said one horseman to the other as theytraversed the moor, "that the likes o' me should be ridin' to battlelike a lord, insteed o' trudgin' wi' the men on futt; but, man, it's no'easy to walk far efter wearin' a ticht-fittin' buit--though it was onlyfor a wee while I had it on. It's a' verra weel for you, Wull, that'soor eleckit captain, an' can sit yer horse like a markis; but as for me,I'll slip aff an' fecht on my legs when it comes to that."
"There's no military law, Andrew, against fighting on foot," returnedthe captain, who, we need scarcely say, was Will Wallace; "but if youare well advised you'll stick to the saddle as long as you can. See,yonder seems to be the headquarters of the camp. We will report ourarrival, and then see to breakfast."
"Ay--I'll be thankfu' for a bite o' somethin', for I'm fair famished;an' there's a proverb, I think, that says it's ill fechtin' on an emp'ystammack. It seems to me there's less order an' mair noise yonder thanbefits a camp o' serious men--specially on a Sabbath mornin'."
"The same thought occurred to myself," said Wallace. "Perhaps they havecommenced the services, for you know there are several ministers amongthem."
"Mair like disputation than services," returned the farmer with a graveshake of his head.
Finding that Andrew was correct, and that the leaders of the little armywere wasting the precious moments in irrelevant controversy, theEdinburgh contingent turned aside and set about preparing a hastybreakfast. This reinforcement included Quentin Dick, Jock Bruce, DavidSpence, and Ramblin' Peter; also Tam Chanter, Edward Gordon, andAlexander McCubine, who had been picked up on the march.
Of course, while breaking their fast they discussed the _pros_ and_cons_ of the situation freely.
"If the King's troops are as near as they are reported to be," saidWallace, "our chances of victory are small."
"I fear ye're richt," said Black. "It becomes Ignorance to haud itstongue in the presence o' Knowledge, nae doot--an' I confess to bein' asignorant as a bairn o' the art o' war; but common sense seems to saythat haverin' aboot theology on the eve o' a fecht is no sae wise-likeas disposin' yer men to advantage. The very craws might be ashamed o'sic a noise!"
Even while he spoke a cry was raised that the enemy was in sight; andthe confusion that prevailed before became redoubled as the necessityfor instant action arose. In the midst of it, however, a few among themore sedate and cool-headed leaders did
their best to reduce the littlearmy to something like order, and put it in battle array. There was nolack of personal courage. Men who had, for the sake of righteousness,suffered the loss of all things, and had carried their lives in theirhands for so many years, were not likely to present a timid front in thehour of battle. And leaders such as John Nisbet of Hardhill, one of themost interesting sufferers in the twenty-eight years' persecution;Clelland, who had fought with distinguished courage at Drumclog; HenryHall of Haughhead; David Hackston of Rathillet; John