John Neilson, the Laird of Corsack, a worthy man, was, unfortunately for himself, a Nonconformist. First he was fined in four hundred pounds Scots, and then through cessing he lost nineteen hundred and ninety-three pounds Scots. He was next obliged to leave his house and flee from place to place, during which wanderings he lost his horse. His wife and children were turned out of doors, and then his tenants were fined till they too were almost ruined. As a final stroke, they drove away all his cattle to Glasgow and sold them.[4] Surely it was time that something were done to alleviate so much sorrow, to overthrow such tyranny. About this time too there arrived in Galloway a person calling himself Captain Andrew Gray, and advising the people to revolt. He displayed some documents purporting to be from the northern Covenanters, and stating that they were prepared to join in any enterprise commenced by their southern brethren. The leader of the persecutors was Sir James Turner, an officer afterwards degraded for his share in the matter. "He was naturally fierce, but was mad when he was drunk, and that was very often," said Bishop Burnet. "He was a learned man, but had always been in armies, and knew no other rule but to obey orders. He told me he had no regard to any law, but acted, as he was commanded, in a military way."[5] This was the state of matters, when an outrage was committed which gave spirit and determination to the oppressed countrymen, lit the flame of insubordination, and for the time at least recoiled on those who perpetrated it with redoubled force. FOOTNOTES: [1] "Theater of Mortality," p. 10; Edin. 1713. [2] "History of My Own Times," beginning 1660, by Bishop Gilbert Burnet, p. 158. [3] Wodrow's "Church History," Book II. chap. i. sect. 1. [4] Crookshank's "Church History," 1751, second ed. p. 202. [5] Burnet, p. 348. II THE BEGINNING I love no warres, If it must be I love no jarres, Warre we must see Nor strife's fire. (So fates conspire), May discord cease, May we not feel Let's live in peace: The force of steel: This I desire. This I desire. T. JACKSON, 1651.[6]