on terms short of
the dethronement of the royal family, and the declared independence of
the church with respect to the state, were cowardly labourers, who were
about to withdraw their hands from the plough, and despicable trimmers,
who sought only a specious pretext for deserting their brethren in arms.
These contradictory opinions were fiercely argued in each tent of the
insurgent army, or rather in the huts or cabins which served in the place
of tents. Violence in language often led to open quarrels and blows, and
the divisions into which the army of sufferers was rent served as too
plain a presage of their future fate.

CHAPTER IX.

The curse of growing factions and divisions
Still vex your councils!
Venice Preserved.

The prudence of Morton found sufficient occupation in stemming the
furious current of these contending parties, when, two days after his
return to Hamilton, he was visited by his friend and colleague, the
Reverend Mr Poundtext, flying, as he presently found, from the face of
John Balfour of Burley, whom he left not a little incensed at the share
he had taken in the liberation of Lord Evandale. When the worthy divine
had somewhat recruited his spirits, after the hurry and fatigue of his
journey, he proceeded to give Morton an account of what had passed in the
vicinity of Tillietudlem after the memorable morning of his departure.

The night march of Morton had been accomplished with such dexterity,
and the men were so faithful to their trust, that Burley received no
intelligence of what had happened until the morning was far advanced.
His first enquiry was, whether Macbriar and Kettledrummle had arrived,
agreeably to the summons which he had dispatched at midnight. Macbriar
had come, and Kettledrummle, though a heavy traveller, might, he was
informed, be instantly expected. Burley then dispatched a messenger to
Morton's quarters to summon him to an immediate council. The messenger
returned with news that he had left the place. Poundtext was next
summoned; but he thinking, as he said himself, that it was ill dealing
with fractious folk, had withdrawn to his own quiet manse, preferring a
dark ride, though he had been on horseback the whole preceding day, to a
renewal in the morning of a controversy with Burley, whose ferocity
overawed him when unsupported by the firmness of Morton. Burley's next
enquiries were directed after Lord