CHAPTER XXIV.
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 inthe quiet of the corn mow, that first I got within me the true spirit ofthe Covenant. Then it was that I heard all the troubles and the sins ofScotland redd[6] up and made plain; for in the night watches Cameron andhis brother had great communings together. Richard was all for beingdone 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 atthis time, when Lauderdale had so nearly trampled out the red cinders ofthe fire of Presbytery. It was strange to think, that he who should blowthem again into a flame had once been a Prelatist, and that from thewicked 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 thedisowning of Charles Stuart and his brother James--all save my cousinWat, who said:
"I canna bide to cast off the blood of Bruce. I had rather kiss the RedMaiden."
And with that, early in the morning he left us, which was a surprisinggrief 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 properplace and all that befel him in his lonely wanderings, after he partedfrom me.
"We must not do this thing lightly or gladly," said Richard Cameron tous that abode with him in the barn. "We have laid our accounts with theworst that the Government may do to us. We count not our lives dear. Wesee plainly that naught is to be gained save by defiance, any more. TheIndulgence is but a dish of sowens with a muzzle thereafter, to make usfor ever dumb dogs that will not bark. Who shall hinder or blame, if wechoose to lay down our lives in the high places of the field, that theold faith be not forgotten, neither the old Covenant engagements to ourLord Christ for ever abrogated?"
Yet I think there was not one of us that was not heart-sorry to breakwith the House of Stuart. For after all we were of Scotland, and we orour fathers had stood for the Scots House and the Scots King againstCromwell and the supplanters. At any rate, let it not be said of us thatwe did this thing lightly; but rather with heavy hearts, because theKing had been so far left to himself as to forswear and abandon thesolemn engagements which he had undertaken.
So it came to pass in the mid days of the year, that one afternoon werode away through the lonely hills by Minnyhive, and turned north up thefair valley of the water of Nith. Here and there we gathered one to whomthe word had been passed, finding them waiting for us at some greenloaning foot or at the mouth of some glen. Little we said when a friendjoined us; for our work was sad and solemn, and to be done once and forall. We rode as it were under the shadow of the scaffold. Yet I think wethought not so much of ourselves, as of the women folk that abode athome. I know that I was wae for my mother, who was now like to lose hertwo sons as she had aforetime lost her husband, and sometimes also Ithought of the lass Maisie Lennox, and what she would do wanting herfather.
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 themselveswith no other marriage engagements!"
At the Menick foot, where that long stey pass begins, there met us tenmen of the Upper Ward, all douce and stalwart men, armed and horsed aswell as any of our men out of Galloway. I was the youngest of them allthere, 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 theplace--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 hisbrother 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 Iwill 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. Butwas there ever a Gordon that would not go ram-stam at the boar, whateverhis 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 hadsmall skill of the sword. And with the shearing sword especially, myblows were as rat-tail licks to the dead strikes of Richard Cameron oreven 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 horseschamping, 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, totake the eyes of the unthinking. But contrariwise, we are come to do adeed in Scotland that shall not be forgotten while Nith water runs, andto tie a band which shall not be broken through. We ourselves shall falland that speedily--that know we well--but, nevertheless, that which wedo 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 therebut the Sabbath only. Also the inhabitants are douce and grave, and soremain to this day--buying and selling, eating and drinking, as thoughthey were alone on God's universe. But that day as we came riding up thestreet, 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 hadmy mind set on other matters.
At the cross we formed up, setting our horses ten on either side andRichard Cameron in the midst, he alone dismounted and standing on thesteps of the cross. We sat still and quiet, all being bareheaded. Forshow I had plucked my brand out of its scabbard. But Cameron sternlybade me put it back again, and gave me his horse to hold instead. Whichthing grieved and shamed me at the time sadly enough, though now I amboth proud and glad of it.
"The time for drawn steel is yet to come, William. Be sure that thou artthen 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 wasas the face of a lion, there was a great tenderness, albeit of thesterner sort.
The townsfolk stood about, but not too near, being careful and cautiouslest they should be called in question for compliance with the deed, andthe strange work done by us that day; for the King's scoop-net gatheredwide. Also the innocent were often called to judgment, especially ifthey had something to lose in goods or gear, as was the case with manyof the well-doing burghers of Sanquhar.
"This day," cried Cameron, loudly and solemnly, after he had prayed, "dowe come to this town of Sanquhar to cast off our allegiance to CharlesStuart and his brother James. Not hastily, neither to make ourselves tobe spoken about, but with solemnity as men that enter well-knowing intothe ante-chamber of death. An we desired our own lives, we shouldreceive 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 castoff 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 byprivate assassination, which we abhor and abominate; but by the levyingof open war. We declare ourselves loyal to any covenanted king--ay, andhad Charles Stuart kept his engagements, plighted and sworn, there is noman 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 arethose behind me, who heard with their ears the oath that the King swareat P
erth, when before the Solemn Convocation he spake these words: 'ICharles, King of Great Britain and Ireland, do assure and declare by mysolemn oath in the presence of Almighty God, the Searcher of hearts, myallowance and approbation of the National Covenant and of the SolemnLeague and Covenant above written, and faithfully oblige myself toprosecute the ends thereof in my station and calling.'
"The King," cried Cameron, "who sware these oaths hath cast us off. Wehave not cast off the King! There is one waiting in the Low Countrieswhence I came, and looking towards the hills of Scotland, to see ifthere be any faithful. Shall the fortress be utterly broken down withnone to build her up? Are there no watchmen to tell the towersthereof--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 thathave 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, andbeing tired, would lay them down to sleep. But ere we go, because thetime cannot be long, we come to give the banner of the Lord once more tothe winds--the banner of that other Kingdom in Scotland that isChrist'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 ofChrist's Covenant. And as the golden scroll of it took the air, therecame that into the hearts of most of us, which filled them to theoverflow. The tears ran down and fell upon our horses' necks. "FORCHRIST'S CROWN AND COVENANT," ran the legend. Then we gathered ourselvescloser about the battle-flag, for which we had come out to die. As oneman we drew our swords, nor did Cameron now gainsay us--and lifting themhigh up, till the sun glinted bonnily upon them, we sang our solemnbanding song. I never felt my heart so high or heaven so near, not evenat the great field-preaching by the water of Dee, when I sat by the sideof 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, havingsolemnly set ourselves to face the King in open field--we that were buttwenty men against three kingdoms. Well we knew that we should be putdown, but we knew also that so long as there were a score of men inScotland, to do as we had done that day, the cause and the flag wouldnever be wholly put down.
So the douce burghers of Sanquhar watched us ride away, our swordsgleaming naked because we had appealed to the sword, and were preparedto perish by the sword, as the word is. Also our blue banner of theCovenant waved bravely over our heads, in token of our dependence onJehovah, the God of battles.
And as we rode was it not I, William Gordon of Earlstoun, who carriedthe banner-staff, for Richard Cameron had given it into my hands. So Ihad not lived in vain, and Sandy would never again bid me sewbairn-clouts, and bide at home among the women. I wished my father hadbeen alive to see me.