delay of their doom; and at another time, having intercepted the flight of one of these victims, he had him shown to his family, and then murdered in the arms of his wife. The example of persons of such high rank, and who must be presumed to have had an education in some degree corresponding to their station, could not fail of operating upon men of a lower order in society. The carnage became every day more general, and more indiscriminate; and the murder of peasants at their houses, or while employed in their usual work in the fields, by the soldiers, was not only not reproved or punished, but deemed a meritorious service by their superiors.” Chap. ii. p. 128–30. [221] The following passage, with other interesting particulars relative to these times, is to be found in Scott’s ‘Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border.’ It is hardly necessary to refer to ‘Old Mortality,’ as a most vivid and affecting picture of this interesting period of our history, though coloured by the author’s prejudices in favour of the dominant party. [222] Wodrow says that the soldiers hesitated, or refused to fire, and that Claverhouse shot Brown with his own hands. [223] We give an abstract, to show both the number and nature of the crimes which were punished with death. Jan. 23. Six persons shot, surprised in prayer, in the parish of Monigaff, Galloway. Jan. 31. One person shot, taken in hiding, in Durisdeer, Nithsdale. Jan. 31. Four shot, for refusing the oath of abjuration. Straiton, Ayrshire. Feb. 19. Four shot and two hanged, taken in hiding. Orr, Galloway. Feb. 21. Five killed at Kirkonnel. Feb. 28. One killed at Barr, in Carrick. Ten others killed in the above month, at different times, dates uncertain, facts certain. And so on, through the year, but especially the first half. All these, it will be observed, are military executions solely, not men slain in fighting, nor men condemned by the civil power. Wodrow, book iii. chap. 9. § 6. [224] Instructions to General–Lieutenant Drummond for marching to the southern and western shires. Edinb. April 21, 1685. “1mo. You are to employ all his majesties standing forces, in the southern and western shires, or so many of them as you shall find expedient, for pursuing, suppressing, and utterly destroying all such fugitive rebels as resist, and disturb the peace and quiet of his majesties government: and you are to cause immediately shoot such of them to death, as you immediately find in arms. “2do. You shall give order to apprehend all persons suspect for harbourers, or resetters of rebels, and fugitive vagabonds: and punish such as you find guilty, according to law.” He is farther warranted to take free quarters, for all persons under his command (not being of his majesty’s forces), in all places where rebels, and fugitives, and vagabonds are suspected of being reset, harboured, or connived at.