Ringan Gilhaize, or, The Covenanters

by John Galt

  CHAPTER XLVIII

  It might have been thought, considering the poor hand which the prelaticcurates made of it in their endeavours to preach, that they would haveset themselves down content with the stipend, and allowed the flocks tofollow their own shepherds in peace; but their hearts were filled withthe bitterness of envy at the sight of the multitudes that went forth togather the manna in the fields, and their malice was exasperated to awonderful pitch of wickedness by the derision and contempt with whichthey found themselves regarded. No one among them all, however, feltthis envy and malice more stirring within him, than did thearch-apostate James Sharp; for the faithfulness of so many ministers wasa terror and a reproach to his conscience and apostacy, and made himlabour with an exceeding zeal and animosity to extirpate so manyevidences of his own religious guilt. Accordingly, by his malignantcounsellings, edicts and decrees came out against our tabernacle in thewilderness, and under the opprobrious name of conventicles, our holymeetings were made prohibited offences, and our ministers subjected topains and penalties, as sowers of sedition.

  It is a marvellous thing to think of the madness with which the minds ofthose in authority at that time were kindled; first, to create causes ofwrong to the consciences of the people, and afterwards to enact laws forthe natural fruit of that frantic policy. The wanton imposition of theprelatic oppression begat our field preachings, and the attempts todisperse us by the sword brought on resistance. But it belongs not to meand my story to treat of the folly of a race and government, upon whom acurse was so manifestly pronounced; I shall therefore return from thisgenerality to those particulars wherein I was myself a witness or asufferer.

  During the greater part of the year after the banishment of Mr Swintonfrom the manse and kirk, we met with little molestation; but from timeto time rumours came over us like the first breathings of the coldblasts in autumn, that forerun the storms of winter. All thoughts ofinnocent pastimes and pleasures passed away, like the yellow leaves thatfall from the melancholy trees; and there was a heaviness in the tread,and a solemnity in the looks of every one, that showed how widely theshadows of coming woes were darkening the minds of men.

  But though the Court of Commission, which the apostate James Sharpprocured to be established for the cognisance of those who refused toacknowledge the prelatic usurpation, was, in its proceedings, guided byas little truth or principle as the Spanish inquisition, the violenceand tyranny of its awards fell less on those of my degree than on thegentry; and it was not till the drunkard Turner was appointed general ofthe West Country that our personal sufferings began.

  The curates furnished him with lists of recusants; and power having beengiven unto him to torment men for many days, he was as remorseless asJames Sharp's own Court in the fines which he levied, and in eating thepeople up, by sending his men to live upon them at free quarters, tillthe fines were paid.

  In our neighbourhood we were for some time gently dealt with; for thecolonel who, at Ayr, had the command under Turner, was of a humanespirit, and for a season, though the rumour of the oppressions inDumfries-shire and Galloway, where the drunkard himself reigned andruled, dismayed and troubled us beyond utterance, we were stillpermitted to taste of the Gospel pastures with our own faithfulshepherd.

  But this was a blessing too great in those days to be of a continuanceto any flock. The mild and considerate gentleman, who had softened therigour of the prelatic rage, was removed from his command, and in hisplace came certain cruel officers, who, like the serpents that were sentamong the children of Israel in the desert, defiled our dwellings, andafflicted many of us even unto death. The change was the more bitterlyfelt, because it was sudden, and came upon us in an unexpected manner,of which I will here set down some of the circumstantials.

  According to the usage among us, from the time when Mr Swinton wasthrust from the ministry, the parish had assembled, on the third Lord'sDay of May, in the year 1665, under the big sycamore-tree at ZachariahSmylie's gable, and which has ever since been reverenced by the name ofthe Poopit Tree. A cart served him for the place of lecture andexhortation; and Zachariah Smylie's daughter, Rebecca Armour, a godlywidow, who resided with him, had, as her custom was in fine weather,ordered and arranged all the stools and chairs in the house, with themilk and washing-boynes upside down, around the cart as seats for theaged. When the day was wet or bleak, the worship was held in the barn;but on this occasion the morning was lown and the lift clear, and thenatural quietude of the Sabbath reigned over all the fields. We had sunga portion of the psalm, and the harmonious sound of voices and spiritsin unison was spreading into the tranquil air, as the pleasant fragrancyof flowers diffuses itself around, and the tune, to which we sung thedivine inspiration, was the sweet and solemn melody of the Martyrs.

  Scarcely, however, had we proceeded through the second verse, when MrSwinton, who was sitting on a stool in the cart, with his back to thehouse, started up and said, "Christians, dinna be disheartened, but Ithink I see yonder the glimmerin' of spears coming atween the hedges."

  At these words we all rose alarmed, and, on looking round, saw someeight or ten soldiers, in the path leading from the high road, comingtowards us. The children and several of the women moved to run away, butMr Swinton rebuked their timerarious fear, and said,--

  "O! ye of little faith, wherefore are ye thus dismayed? Let us put ourtrust in Him, who is mightier than all the armies of all the kings ofall the earth. We are here doing homage to Him, and He will protect Histrue vassals and faithful people. In His name, therefore, Christians, Icharge you to continue His praises in the psalm; for in His strength Iwill, to the end of my intent, this day fulfil the word and theadmonition; yea, even in the very flouting of the adversary's banner."

  The vehemence of Elijah was in his voice; we resumed our formerpostures; and he himself leading on the psalm, we began to sing anew ina louder strain, for we were fortified and encouraged by his holyintrepidity. No one moved as it were an eyelid; the very children weresteadfast; and all looked towards the man of God as he sat in his humbleseat, serene, and more awful than ever was Solomon on the royal throneof the golden lions, arrayed in all his glory.

  The rough soldiers were struck for a time with amazement at thereligious bravery with which the worshipping was continued, and theyhalted as they drew near, and whispered together, and some of them spokeas if the fear of the Lord had fallen upon them. During the whole timethat we continued singing, they stood as if they durst not venture todisturb us; but when the psalm was finished, their sergeant, a lewdroister, swore at them, and called on them to do their duty.

  The men then advanced, but with one accord we threw ourselves in betweenthem and the cart, and cried to Mr Swinton to make his escape; he,however, rose calmly from his seat and said,--

  "Soldiers, shed no blood; let us finish our prayer,--the worst of menafter condemnation are suffered to pray,--ye will, therefore, not surelyrefuse harmless Christians the boon that is aloo't to malefactors? Atthe conclusion I will go peaceably with you, for we are not rebels; weyield all bodily obedience to the powers that be, but the upright mindwill not bend to any earthly ordinance. Our bodies are subject to theKing's authority, and to you as his servants, if ye demand them, we areready to deliver them up."

  But the sergeant told him harshly to make haste and come down from thecart. Two of the men then went into the house, and brought out the churnand bread and cheese, and with much ribaldry began to eat and drink, andto speak profane jests to the young women. But my brother interposed,and advised all the women and children to return to their homes. In themeantime, Zachariah Smylie had gone to the stable and saddled his horse,and Rebecca Armour had made a small providing of provisions for MrSwinton to take with him to the Tolbooth of Irvine; for thither thesoldiers were intending to carry him that night, in order that he mightbe sent to Glasgow next day with other sufferers. When, however, thehorse was brought out, and the godly man was preparing to mount thesergeant took him by the sleeve, and pulled him back, saying, "The horseis for
me."

  Verily at this insult I thought my heart would have leapt out; and everyone present gurled and growled; but the soldiers laughed at seeing thesergeant on horseback. Mr Swinton, however, calmly advised us to make noobstacle: "Good," said he, "will come of this, and though for a seasonwe are ordained to tribulation, and to toil through the slough ofdespond, yet a firm footing and a fair and green path lies in a peacefulland beyond."

  The soldiers then took him away, the blasphemous sergeant riding, like aMerry Andrew, on Zachariah Smylie's horse before them, and almost thewhole congregation following with mournful and heavy hearts.