John Cheap, the Chapman's Library. Vol. 2: Religious and Scriptural: The Scottish Chap Literature of Last Century, ClassifiedGraham, Dougal
Religion
John Cheap, the Chapman's Library. Vol. 2: Religious and Scriptural: The Scottish Chap Literature of Last Century, Classified
Graham, Dougal
Chapbooks, Scottish; English literature -- 18th century; Popular literature -- Scotland
The following Account of the Battles of Drumclog and Bothwell
Bridge, is taken from an American Newspaper, entitled the
‘National Gazette.’ It is written by the Laird of Torfoot, an
officer in the Presbyterian army, whose estate is at this day in
the possession of his lineal descendants of the fifth generation.
“It was a fair Sabbath morning, 1st June 1679, that an assembly of
the Covenanters sat down on the heathy mountains of Drumclog. We
had assembled not to fight, but to worship the God of our fathers.
We were far from the tumult of cities.--The long dark heath waved
around us; and we disturbed no living creatures, saving the
pees-weep and the heather-cock. As usual, we had come armed. It was
for self-defence. For desperate and ferocious bands made bloody
raids through the country, and, pretending to put down treason,
they waged war against religion and morals. They spread ruin and
havoc over the face of bleeding Scotland.
The venerable Douglas had commenced the solemnities of the day.
He was expatiating on the execrable evils of tyranny. Our souls
were on fire at the rememberance of our country’s sufferings and
the wrongs of the church. In this moment of intense feeling, our
watchman posted on the neighbouring heights fired his carabine and
ran towards the congregation. He announced the approach of the
enemy. We raised our eyes to the minister. “I have done,” said
Douglas with his usual firmness--“You have got the theory,--now for
the practice; you know your duty; self-defence is always lawful.
But the enemy approaches.” He raised his eyes to heaven and uttered
a prayer--brief and emphatic--like the prayer of Richard Cameron,
“Lord, spare the green, and take the ripe.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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