, the court and the country party,
the former held meetings, issued proclamations, and offered rewards,
ascribing all to the violence of party spirit, and deprecating the
infernal measures of their opponents. I did not understand their
political differences; but it was easy to see that the true Gospel
preachers joined all on one side, and the upholders of pure morality
and a blameless life on the other, so that this division proved a test
to us, and it was forthwith resolved that we two should pick out some
of the leading men of this unsaintly and heterodox cabal, and cut them
off one by one, as occasion should suit.

Now, the ice being broke, I felt considerable zeal in our great work,
but pretended much more; and we might soon have kidnapped them all
through the ingenuity of my patron, had not our next attempt
miscarried, by some awkwardness or mistake of mine. The consequence was
that he was discovered fairly, and very nigh seized. I also was seen,
and suspected so far that my reverend father, my mother, and myself
were examined privately. I denied all knowledge of the matter; and they
held it in such a ridiculous light, and their conviction of the
complete groundlessness of the suspicion was so perfect, that their
testimony prevailed, and the affair was hushed. I was obliged, however,
to walk circumspectly, and saw my companion the prince very seldom, who
was prowling about every day, quite unconcerned about his safety. He
was every day a new man, however, and needed not to be alarmed at any
danger; for such a facility had he in disguising himself that, if it
had not been for a password which we had between us, for the purposes
of recognition, I never could have known him myself.

It so happened that my reverend father was called to Edinburgh about
this time, to assist with his counsel in settling the national affairs.
At my earnest request I was permitted to accompany him, at which both
my associate and I rejoiced, as we were now about to move in a new and
extensive field. All this time I never knew where my illustrious friend
resided. He never once invited me to call on him at his lodgings, nor
did he ever come to our house, which made me sometimes to suspect that,
if any of our great efforts in the cause of true religion were
discovered, he intended leaving me in the lurch. Consequently, when we
met in Edinburgh (for we travelled not in company), I proposed to go
with him to look for lodgings, telling him at the