d
found him very melancholy. She earnestly desired to know how it was with
him. He said, That weary promise I gave to these ministers has lain
heavy upon me, and for which my carcase shall dung the wilderness, and
that ere it be long. Being now near his end, he had such a large earnest
of the Spirit, which made him have such a longing desire for full
possession of the heavenly inheritance, that he seldom prayed in a
family, asked a blessing or gave thanks, but he requested patience to
wait until the Lord's appointed time came.

His last-sabbath[174] he preached (with Mr. Cargil in Clydesdale) on
Psal. xlvi. 10. _Be still and know that I am God_, &c. That day he said,
He was sure that the Lord would lift up a standard against Antichrist,
that would go to the gates of Rome and burn it with fire, and that blood
should be their sign, and _no quarter_ their word; and earnestly wished
that it might begin in Scotland. At their parting, they concluded to
meet the second Sabbath after this at Craigmead.--But he was killed on
the Thursday thereafter. And the Sabbath following, Mr. Cargil preached
in the parish of the Shots upon that text, _Know ye not that there is a
great man and prince fallen this day in Israel?_

The last night of his life, he was in the house of William Mitchel in
Meadow-head, at the water of Ayr, where about 23 horse and 40 foot had
continued with him that week. That morning a woman gave him water to
wash his face and hands; and having washed and dried them with a towel,
he looked to his hands, and laid them on his face, saying, This is their
last washing, I have need to make them clean, for there are many to see
them. At this the woman's mother wept. He said, Weep not for me, but for
yourself and yours, and for the sins of a sinful land, for ye have many
melancholy, sorrowful and weary days before you.

The people who remained with him were in some hesitation, whether they
should abide together for their own defence, or disperse and shift for
themselves. But that day, being the 22d of July, they were surprised by
Bruce of Earls-hall; who, having got command of Airely's troop and
Strahan's dragoons (upon notice given him by Sir John Cochran of
Ochiltree[175]) came furiously upon them about four o'clock in the
afternoon, when lying on the east end of Airs-moss. When they saw the
enemy approaching, and no possibility of escaping, they all gathered
round about him, while he prayed a short word; wherein he rep