Happily for the well-being of future generations, our covenanting forefathers stood their ground with Christian heroism, for both civil and religious liberty were involved in the struggle. Their so-called fanaticism consisted in a refusal to give up the worship of God after the manner dictated by conscience and practised by their forefathers; in declining to attend the ministry of the ignorant, and too often vicious, curates forced upon them; and in refusing to take the oath of allegiance just referred to by Will Wallace.
Conventicles, as they were calledor the gathering together of Christians in houses and barns, or on the hillsides, to worship Godwere illegally pronounced illegal by the King and Council; and disobedience to the tyrannous law was punished with imprisonment, torture, confiscation of property, and death. To enforce these penalties the greater part of Scotlandespecially the south and westwas overrun by troops, and treated as if it were a conquered country. The peopleholding that in some matters it is incumbent to obey God rather than man, and that they were bound not to forsake the assembling of themselves togetherresolved to set the intolerable law at defiance, and went armed to the hill-meetings.
They took up arms at first, however, chiefly, if not solely, to protect themselves from a licentious soldiery, who went about devastating the land, not scrupling to rob and insult helpless women and children, and to shed innocent blood. Our Scottish forefathers, believingin common with the lower animals and lowest savagesthat it was a duty to defend their females and little ones, naturally availed themselves of the best means of doing so.
About this time a meeting, or conventicle, of considerable importance was appointed to be held among the secluded hills in the neighbourhood of Irongray; and Andrew Black, the farmer, was chosen to select the particular spot, and make the preliminary arrangements.
Now this man Black is not easily described, for his was a curiously compound character. To a heart saturated with the milk of human kindness was united a will more inflexible, if possible, than that of a Mexican mule; a frame of Herculean mould, and a spirit in which profound gravity and reverence waged incessant warfare with a keen appreciation of the ludicrous. Peacefully inclined in disposition, with a tendency to believe well of all men, and somewhat free and easy in the formation of his opinions, he was very unwilling to resist authority; but the love of truth and justice was stronger within him than the love of peace.
In company with his shepherd, Quentin Dicka man of nearly his own size and buildAndrew Black proceeded to a secluded hollow in Skeoch Hill to gather and place in order the masses of rock which were to form the seats of the communicants at the contemplated religious gatheringwhich seats remain to this day in the position they occupied at that time, and are familiarly known in the district as the Communion stones of Irongray.
Chapter Two.
The Fanatic and the Spy.
The night was dark and threatening when Andrew Black and his shepherd left their cottage, and quickly but quietly made for the neighbouring hill. The weather was well suited for deeds of secrecy, for gusts of wind, with an occasional spattering of rain, swept along the hill-face, and driving clouds obscured the moon, which was then in its first quarter.
At first the two men were obliged to walk with care, for the light was barely sufficient to enable them to distinguish the sheep-track which they followed, and the few words they found it necessary to speak were uttered in subdued tones. Jean Black and her cousin Aggie Wilson had reported their rencontre with the two dragoons, and Quentin Dick had himself seen the main body of the troops from behind a heather bush on his way back to the farm, therefore caution was advisable. But as they climbed Skeoch Hill, and the moon shed a few feeble rays on their path, they began to converse more freely. For a few minutes their intercourse related chiefly to sheep and the work of the farm, for both Andrew and his man were of that sedate, imperturbable nature which is not easily thrown off its balance by excitement or danger. Then their thoughts turned to the business in hand.
Nae fear o the sodgers comin here on a nicht like this, remarked Andrew, as a squall nearly swept the blue bonnet off his head.
Maybe no, growled Quentin Dick sternly, but Ive heard frae Tam Chanter that servants o that Papist Earl o Nithsdale, an o the scoondrel Sir Robert Dalziel, hae been seen pokin their noses aboot at Irongray. If they git wund o the place, were no likely to hae a quiet time ot. Did ye say that the sodgers ill-used the bairns?
Na!ane o them was inclined to be impident, but the ither, a guid-lookin young felly, accordin to Jean, took their pairt an quarrelled wi his comrade, sae that they cam to loggerheeds at last, but what was the upshot naebody kens, for the bairns took to their heels an left them fechtin.
An what if they sud fin yer hoose an the bairns unproteckit? asked the shepherd.
Theyre no likely to fin the hoose in a nicht like this, man; an if they do, theyll fin naebody but Ramblin Peter there, for I gied the lassies an the women strick orders to tak to the hidy-hole at the first soond o horses feet.
By this time the men had reached a secluded hollow in the hill, so completely enclosed as to be screened from observation on all sides. They halted here a few moments, for two dark forms were seen in the uncertain light to be moving about just in front of them.
Its them, whispered Andrew.
Whae? asked the shepherd.
Alexander McCubine an Edward Gordon.
Guid an safe men baith, responded Quentin; ye better gie them a cry.
Andrew did so by imitating the cry of a plover. It was replied to at once.
The stanes are big, ye see, explained Andrew, while the two men were approaching. Itll tak the strength o the fowr o us to lift some o them.
Weve got the cairn aboot finished, said McCubine as he came up. He spoke in a low voice, for although there was no probability of any one being near, they were so accustomed to expect danger because of the innumerable enemies who swarmed about the country, that caution had almost become a second nature.
Without further converse the four men set to work in silence. They completed a circular heap, or cairn, of stones three or four feet high, and levelled the top thereof to serve as a table or a pulpit at the approaching assembly. In front of this, and stretching towards a sloping brae, they arranged four rows of very large stones to serve as seats for the communicants, with a few larger stones between them, as if for the support of rude tables of plank. It took several hours to complete the work. When it was done Andrew Black surveyed it with complacency, and gave it as his opinion that it was a braw kirk, capable o accommodatin a congregation o some thoosands, mair or less. Then the two men, Gordon and McCubine, bidding him and the shepherd good-night, went away into the darkness from which they had emerged.
Wharll they be sleepin the nicht? asked the shepherd, as he and Andrew turned homeward.
I the peat-bog, I doot, for I daurna tak them hame whan the dragoons is likely to gie us a ca; besides, the hidy-hole wull be ower fu soon. Noo, lad, he added, as they surmounted a hillock, from which they had a dim view of the surrounding country, gang ye doon an see if ye can fin oot onything mair aboot thae sodgers. Ill awa hame an see that as right there.
They parted, the shepherd turning sharp off to the right, while the farmer descended towards his cottage. He had not advanced above half the distance when an object a little to the left of his path induced him to stop. It resembled a round stone, and was too small to have attracted the attention of any eye save one which was familiar with every bush and stone on the ground. Grasping a stout thorn stick which he carried, Andrew advanced towards the object in question with catlike caution until quite close to it, when he discovered that it was the head of a man who was sleeping soundly under a whin-bush. A closer inspection showed that the man wore an iron headpiece, a soldiers coat, and huge jack-boots.
A dragoon and a spy! thought Andrew, while he raised his cudgel, the only weapon he carried, and frowned. But Andrew was a merciful man; he could not bring himself to strike a sleeping man, even though waking him might entail a doubtful conflict, for he could see that the troopers hand grasped the hilt of his naked sword. For a few moments he surveyed the sleeper, as if calculating his chances, then he quietly dropped his plaid, took off his coat, and untying his neckcloth, laid it carefully on one side over a bush. Having made these preparations, he knelt beside Will Wallacefor it was heand grasped him firmly by the throat with both hands.
As might have been expected, the young trooper attempted to spring up, and tried to use his weapon; but, finding this to be impossible at such close quarters, he dropped it, and grappled the farmer with all his might; but Andrew, holding on to him like a vice, placed his knee upon his chest and held him firmly down.
Its o nae manner o use to strive, ye see, said Andrew, relaxing his grip a little; Ive gotten ye, an if ye like to do my biddin Ill no be hard on ye.
If you will let me rise and stand before me in fair fight, Ill do your business if not your bidding, returned Wallace in a tone of what may be termed stern sulkiness.
Div ye think its likely Ill staund before you in fair fecht, as you cadyou wi a swurd, and me wi a bit stick, my lad? Na, na, yell hae to submit, little though ye like it.
Give me the stick, then, and take you the sword, I shall be content, said the indignant trooper, making another violent but unsuccessful effort to free himself.
Its a fair offer, said Andrew, when he had subdued the poor youth a second time, an reflecs favourably on yer courage, but Im a man o peace, an have no thirst for bloodshedwhilk is more than ye can say, young man; but if yell let me tie yer hands thegither, an gang peaceably hame wi me, Is promise that nae mischiefll befa ye.
No man shall ever tie my hands together as long as there is life in my body, replied the youth.
Stop, stop, callant! exclaimed Andrew, as Will was about to renew the struggle. The pride o youth is awful. Hear what Ive gotten to say to ye, man, or Ill hae to throttle ye ootright. Itll come to the same thing if yell alloo me to tie ane o my hands to ane o yours. Ye canna objec to that, surely, for Ill be your prisoner as muckle as youll be mineand thatll be fair play, for well leave the swurd lyin on the brae to keep the bit stick company.
Well, I agree to that, said Wallace, in a tone that indicated surprise with a dash of amusement.
An ye promise no to try to get away when youre tied towhen Im tied to you?
I promise.
Hereupon the farmer, reaching out his hand, picked up the black silk neckcloth which he had laid aside, and with it firmly bound his own left wrist to the right wrist of his captive, talking in a grave, subdued tone as he did so.
Nae doot the promise o a spy is hardly to be lippened to, but if I find that yere a dishonourable man, yell find that Im an uncomfortable prisoner to be tied to. Noo, git up, lad, an well gang hame thegither.
On rising, the first thing the trooper did was to turn and take a steady look at the man who had captured him in this singular manner.
Weel, what dye think o me? asked Andrew, with what may be termed a grave smile.
If you want to know my true opinion, returned Wallace, I should say that I would not have thought, from the look of you, that you could have taken mean advantage of a sleeping foe.
Ayan I would not have thought, from the look o you, retorted Andrew, that ye could hae sellt yersel to gang skulkin aboot the hills as a spy upon the puir craters that are only seekin to worship their Maker in peace.
Without further remark Andrew Black, leaving his coat and plaid to keep company with the sword and stick, led his prisoner down the hill.
Andrews cottage occupied a slight hollow on the hillside, which concealed it from every point of the compass save the high ground above it. Leading the trooper up to the door, he tapped gently, and was promptly admitted by some one whom Wallace could not discern, as the interior was dark.
Oh, Uncle Andrew! Im glad yeve come, for Peter hasna come back yet, an Im feared somethin has come ower him.
Strike a light, lassie. Ive gotten haud o a spy here, an canna weel dot mysel.
When a light was procured and held up, it revealed the pretty face of Jean Black, which underwent a wondrous change when she beheld the face of the prisoner.
Uncle Andrew! she exclaimed, this is nae spy. Hes the man that cam to the help o Aggie an me against the dragoon.
Is that sae? said Black, turning a look of surprise on his prisoner.
It is true, indeed, that I had the good fortune to protect Jean and her friend from an insolent comrade, answered Wallace; and it is also true that that act has been partly the cause of my deserting to the hills, being starved for a day and a night, and taken prisoner now as a spy.
Sir, said Andrew, hastily untying the kerchief that bound them together, I humbly ask your pardon. Moreover, its my opeenion that if ye hadna been starvin ye wadna have been here e noo, for yere uncommon teuch. Rin, lassie, an fetch some breed an cheese. Whars Marion an Isbl?
They went out to seek for Peter, said Jean, as she hastened to obey her uncles mandate.
At that moment a loud knocking was heard at the door, and the voice of Marion, one of the maid-servants, was heard outside. On the door being opened, she and her companion Isabel burst in with excited looks and the information, pantingly given, that the sodgers were comin.
Haud yer noise, lassie, an licht the firepit on the parritch pat. Come, Peter, lets hear a aboot it.
Ramblin Peter, who had been thus named because of his inveterate tendency to range over the neighbouring hills, was a quiet, undersized, said-to-be weak-minded boy of sixteen years, though he looked little more than fourteen. No excitement whatever ruffled his placid countenance as he gave his reportto the effect that a party of dragoons had been seen by him not half an hour before, searching evidently for his masters cottage.
Theyll soon find it, said the farmer, turning quickly to his domestics Away wi ye, lassies, and hide.
The two servant-girls, with Jean and her cousin Aggie Wilson, ran at once into an inner room and shut the door. Ramblin Peter sat stolidly down beside the fire and calmly stirred the porridge-pot, which was nearly full of the substantial Scottish fare.