o private property.

Burley and Macbriar, having established themselves in their new
acquisition, were joined by Kettledrummle in the course of the day, and
also by the Laird of Langcale, whom that active divine had contrived to
seduce, as Poundtext termed it, from the pure light in which he had been
brought up. Thus united, they sent to the said Poundtext an invitation,
or rather a summons, to attend a council at Tillietudlem. He remembered,
however, that the door had an iron grate, and the Keep a dungeon, and
resolved not to trust himself with his incensed colleagues. He therefore
retreated, or rather fled, to Hamilton, with the tidings, that Burley,
Macbriar, and Kettledrummle, were coming to Hamilton as soon as they
could collect a body of Cameronians sufficient to overawe the rest of the
army.

"And ye see," concluded Poundtext, with a deep sigh, "that they will then
possess a majority in the council; for Langcale, though he has always
passed for one of the honest and rational party, cannot be suitably or
preceesely termed either fish, or flesh, or gude red-herring--whoever has
the stronger party has Langcale."

Thus concluded the heavy narrative of honest Poundtext, who sighed
deeply, as he considered the danger in which he was placed betwixt
unreasonable adversaries amongst themselves and the common enemy from
without. Morton exhorted him to patience, temper, and composure; informed
him of the good hope he had of negotiating for peace and indemnity
through means of Lord Evandale, and made out to him a very fair prospect
that he should again return to his own parchment-bound Calvin, his
evening pipe of tobacco, and his noggin of inspiring ale, providing
always he would afford his effectual support and concurrence to the
measures which he, Morton, had taken for a general pacification.

[Note: Moderate Presbyterians. The author does not, by any means,
desire that Poundtext should be regarded as a just representation of
the moderate presbyterians, among whom were many ministers whose
courage was equal to their good sense and sound views of religion.
Were he to write the tale anew, he would probably endeavour to give
the character a higher turn. It is certain, however, that the
Cameronians imputed to their opponents in opinion concerning the
Indulgence, or others of their strained and fanatical notions, a
disposition not only to seek their own safety, but to enjoy