her to make ourselves to
be spoken about, but with solemnity as men that enter well-knowing into
the ante-chamber of death. An we desired our own lives, we should
receive Tests and Indulgences thankfully; and go sit in our kennels,
like douce tykes that are ready to run at the platter and whistle.

"But for all that, we are loyal men and no rebels, though to-day we cast
off Charles Stuart--ay, and will do our best to make an end of his rule,
so that he shall no more reign over this realm. This we shall do, not by
private assassination, which we abhor and abominate; but by the levying
of open war. We declare ourselves loyal to any covenanted king--ay, and
had Charles Stuart kept his engagements, plighted and sworn, there is no
man here that would not right gladly have laid down his life for him.

"All ye that stand by, hear this word of Richard Cameron! There are
those behind me, who heard with their ears the oath that the King sware
at Perth, when before the Solemn Convocation he spake these words: 'I
Charles, King of Great Britain and Ireland, do assure and declare by my
solemn oath in the presence of Almighty God, the Searcher of hearts, my
allowance and approbation of the National Covenant and of the Solemn
League and Covenant above written, and faithfully oblige myself to
prosecute the ends thereof in my station and calling.'

"The King," cried Cameron, "who sware these oaths hath cast us off. We
have not cast off the King! There is one waiting in the Low Countries
whence I came, and looking towards the hills of Scotland, to see if
there be any faithful. Shall the fortress be utterly broken down with
none to build her up? Are there no watchmen to tell the towers
thereof--none to cry from rampart to rampart, 'What of the night?' Ay,
there be here in Sanquhar town this day at the least twenty men that
have not bowed the knee to Baal. This day we come to lay down our lives,
as happily as children that have spent their play-day in the fields, and
being tired, would lay them down to sleep. But ere we go, because the
time cannot be long, we come to give the banner of the Lord once more to
the winds--the banner of that other Kingdom in Scotland that is
Christ's. Behold!"

And with that he lifted up the banner-staff which he held in his hand,
and there floated out upon the equal-blowing wind the blue banner of
Christ's Covenant. And as the golden scroll of it took the air, there
came that into the hearts of most of us, w