o Linlithgow, December 28th, 1678. These letters are
all quoted from Napier's book. I have thought it better to give the date
of the letter than the reference to the page.

[21] Claverhouse to Linlithgow, February 24th, 1679.

[22] George, eleventh Lord Ross, was joined with Claverhouse in the
command of the western shires. He had married Lady Grizel Cochrane,
daughter of the first Earl of Dundonald, and aunt of the future Lady
Dundee.

[23] Printed in Sharpe's edition of Kirkton's "History of the Church of
Scotland." It differs in some, but not very important, points from the
account printed in the same volume from Wodrow's manuscripts.

CHAPTER IV.

The die was now fairly cast. In a general rising lay the only hope of
safety for Sharp's murderers. Desperate themselves, they determined to
carry others with them along the same path, and by some signal show of
defiance commit the party to immediate and irretrievable action. The
occasion for this was easily found. May 29th, the King's birthday, had
been, as already mentioned, appointed as a general day of rejoicing for
his restoration. This had from the first given offence as well to those
members of the Presbyterian Church who saw in his Majesty's return no
particular cause for joy, as to those more ascetic spirits who objected
on principle to all holidays. May 29th was therefore hailed as the day
divinely marked, as it were, for the purpose on hand, a crowning
challenge to the King's authority.

The business was put in charge of Robert Hamilton, a man of good birth
and education, but violent and rash, without any capacity for command
and, if some of his own side may be trusted, of no very certain courage.
With him went Thomas Douglas, one of the fire-breathing ministers,
Balfour and Russell and some seventy or eighty armed men. Glasgow had
been originally chosen for the scene of operations; but a day or two
previously a detachment of Claverhouse's troopers had marched into that
city from Falkirk, and the little town of Rutherglen, about two miles to
the west of Glasgow, was chosen instead.

On the afternoon of the 29th Hamilton and his party made their
appearance in Rutherglen. They first extinguished the bonfire that was
blazing in the King's honour; and, having then lit one on their own
account, proceeded solemnly to burn all the Acts of Parliament and Royal
Proclamations that had been issued in Scotland since Charles's return. A
paper was next read, c