itted to a mere reader to have so good a peep
behind the scenes of the mighty drama of war. We have plenty of
chroniclers of that epoch--marching us with swinging historic stride on
from battle unto battle--great in describing in long sentences the
musterings, the conflicts, and the retreats. In Spalding, however, we
shall find the numbers and character of the combatants, their arms,
their dresses, the persons who paid for these, and the prices paid--the
amount they obtained in pay, and the amount they were cheated out
of--their banners, distinguishing badges, watchwords, and all other like
particulars, set down with the minuteness of a bailiff making an
inventory of goods on which he has taken execution. He is very specific
in what one may term the negative side of the characteristics of
war--the misery and desolation it spreads around. The losses of this
"gudeman" and that lone widow are stated as if he were their law agent,
making up an account to go to a jury for damages for the "spulzie of
outside and inside plenishing, nolt, horse, sheep, cocks and hens, hay,
corn, peats, and fodder." He specifies all the items of mansions and
farm-houses attacked and looted, or "harried," as he calls it--the doors
staved in, the wainscoting pulled down--the windows smashed--the
furniture made firewood of--the pleasant plantations cut down to build
sleeping-huts--the linen, plate, and other valuables carried off: he
will even, perchance, tell how they were distributed--who it was that
managed to feather his nest with the plunder, and who it was that was
disappointed and cheated.

He had opportunities of bestowing his descriptive powers to good
purpose. Besides its ordinary share in the vicissitudes and calamities
of the war, his town of Aberdeen was twice pillaged by Montrose, with
laudable impartiality--once for the Covenanters and once for the
Royalists. Here is his first triumphant entry:--

"Upon the morne, being Saturday, they came in order of battle, being
well armed both on horse and foot, ilk horseman having five shot at the
least, whereof he had ane carbine in his hand, two pistols by his sides,
and other two at his saddle-torr; the pikemen in their ranks with pike
and sword; the musketeers in their ranks with musket, musket-staff,
bandelier, sword, powder, ball, and match. Ilk company, both horse and
foot, had their captains, lieutenants, ensigns, sergeants, and other
officers and commanders, all for the most part in bu