The veteran, who in his day had had many an opportunity to become acquainted with the manners of these religionists, was not far mistaken in his conjecture; only that, instead of a prose exordium, the Laird of Langcale--for it was no less a personage--uplifted, with a Stentorian voice, a verse of the twenty-fourth Psalm: "Ye gates lift up your heads! ye doors, Doors that do last for aye, Be lifted up"-- "I told you so," said the Major to Evandale, and then presented himself at the entrance of the barricade, demanding to know for what purpose or intent he made that doleful noise, like a hog in a high wind, beneath the gates of the Castle. "I come," replied the ambassador, in a high and shrill voice, and without any of the usual salutations or deferences,--"I come from the godly army of the Solemn League and Covenant, to speak with two carnal malignants, William Maxwell, called Lord Evandale, and Miles Bellenden of Charnwood." "And what have you to say to Miles Bellenden and Lord Evandale?" answered the Major. "Are you the parties?" said the Laird of Langcale, in the same sharp, conceited, disrespectful tone of voice. "Even so, for fault of better," said the Major. "Then there is the public summons," said the envoy, putting a paper into Lord Evandale's hand, "and there is a private letter for Miles Bellenden from a godly youth, who is honoured with leading a part of our host. Read them quickly, and God give you grace to fructify by the contents, though it is muckle to be doubted." The summons ran thus: "We, the named and constituted leaders of the gentlemen, ministers, and others, presently in arms for the cause of liberty and true religion, do warn and summon William Lord Evandale and Miles Bellenden of Charnwood, and others presently in arms, and keeping garrison in the Tower of Tillietudlem, to surrender the said Tower upon fair conditions of quarter, and license to depart with bag and baggage, otherwise to suffer such extremity of fire and sword as belong by the laws of war to those who hold out an untenable post. And so may God defend his own good cause!" This summons was signed by John Balfour of Burley, as quarter-master general of the army of the Covenant, for himself, and in name of the other leaders. The letter to Major Bellenden was from Henry Morton. It was couched in the following language: