nd, in the
parish of Fenwick, where were assembled for prayer and other religious
exercises (on a Saturday's night) other three of his faithful brethren,
_viz._ Peter Gemmel, a younger brother of the house of Horse-hill in the
same parish, George Woodburn, a brother of the Woodburns in the Muirs of
Loudon, and one John Fergushill from Tarbolton. Upon notice that
lieutenant Nisbet, and a party of col. Buchan's dragoons were out in
quest of the wanderers (as they were sometimes called) they resolved on
the Sabbath morning to depart. But old John Fergushill, not being able
to go by reason of some infirmities, they were obliged to return back
with him, after they had gone a little way from the house; and were, the
same day, apprehended. The way and manner of which, with his answers
both at Ayr, and before the council at Edinburgh, as they stand in an
old manuscript given under his own hand, while he was their prisoner, is
as follows:

"First when the enemy came within sight of the house, we seeing no way
of escape, John Fergushill went to the far end of the house, and the
other two and I followed. And ere we were well at the far end of the
house, some of the enemy were in the house. And then in a little after
they came and put in their horses, and went to and fro in the house for
more than an hour, and we four still at the far end of the house; And we
resolved with one another to keep close till they should come just on
us; and if it should have pleased the Lord to have hid us there, we
resolved not to have owned them; but if they found us out, we thought to
fight, saying one to another, It was death at length. They got all out
of the house, and had their horses drawn forth. But in a little time
came back[216], tittling one to another, and at last cried for a candle
to search the house with; and came within a yard of us with a light
burning in their hand. According to our former resolution, we did
resist them, having only three shot; and one of them misgiving, and they
fired above twenty-four shot at us, and when we had nothing else, we
clubbed our guns, till two of them were quite broke, and then went in
grips with some of them; and when they saw they could not prevail, they
cried, All to go out and fire the house. Upon which we went out after
them, and I received six wounds in the going out. After which, they
getting notice what I was, some of themselves cried out to spare my
life, for the council had offered 3000 merks f