Note 51 — BOOK V.

Wallace’s Narrative, p. 395. “Sir James Turner has a merrie fact, which he says occurred here. I was lodged that night at the principall alehouse of the toune, where I was indifferentlie well used, and visited by some of their officers and ministers. Most of their foot were lodged about the church and churchyard, and order given to ring bells next morning for a sermon to be preached by Mr Welsh. Maxwell of Monreth and Major Mackulloch invited me to heare that phanatic sermon, for soe they merrilie call’d it. They said that preaching might prove ane effectuall meane to turn me, which they heartilie wished. I answered them that I was under guards, and that if they intended to heare that sermon, it was probable I might heare it likewise; for it was not like my guards would goe to church and leave me alone at my lodgings. Bot to what they spoke of my conversion, I said it wold be hard to turne a Turner. Bot because I found them in a merry humour, I said if I did not come to heare Mr Welsh preach, then they might fine me in fourtie shillings Scots, which was duoble the soume of what I had exacted from the phanatickes. Bot there was no sermon that day, which, undoubtedly, I would have heard, if there had been anie.” Pp. 163-4. Afterwards, he has this passage—“This I shall say they were not to learn to plunder, and that I have not seene lesse of divine worship any where, than I saw in that armie of theirs; for thogh at their rendezvouses and halts they had opportunitie enough everie day for it, yet did I never heare any of ther ministers (and as themselves told me there was not so few as two-and-threttie of them, whereof onlie five or sixe convers’d with me) either pray, preach, or sing psalms; neither could I learn that it was ever practised publicklie, except once by Mr Robbison at Corsfairne, ane other time by Mr Welsh at Damellington, and now the third time by Mr Semple at Lanrick, where the lawful pastor was forced to resigne his pulpit to him.” P. 169.