throughout all parts of the land, even in the eyes of enemies and neutrals, than their victory would have done. The provost caused imprison them all together in an old kirk called Haddow's Hole, where the charity of the godly people of the town appeared in furnishing them with all necessaries, both for maintenance and the healing of their wounds. There were about fifty prisoners; but by accession of these whom the Lothian barbarians had taken, there were within two or three days after about eighty prisoners. The chief whereof were captain Andrew Arnot,* brother to the laird of Lochridge in Stewarton of Cunninghame, taken by some wicked men of Tranent; Mr. Alexander Robison, treacherously betrayed by the laird of Morton after he had delivered his arms upon treaty, to let him go freely where he pleased;† Mr. * The Parliament in 1649 appointed "Captain Andro Arnet to be Root-master" to the troop of horse in the sheriffdom of Fife and Kinross, commanded by Lord Elcho.-(Act. Parl. Scot. vi. 389, 392.) He subscribed the protestation against the meetings of the General Assembly, in 1651 and 1652, which approved of the Public Resolutions. (Representation-and Protestation, p. 18.) In 1661, "Captaine Arnot in Lochrig" was fined along with others, to repair the injuries sustained by the Earl of Queensberry and his son in 1650. (Act. Parl. Scot. vii. 96.) + The person who apprehended Robison was Sir John Gibson of Pentland, (second son of President Durie) who "possessed all and sundrie the lands of Mortoun and Mortoun-hall." (Act. Hugh M‘Kell, son to Mr. Matthew M'Kell, minister of Bothwell, taken also by the country people about Parl. Scot. viii. 273.) He was one of the clerks of Session; and that he was alive at the time here referred to, appears from the following act of sederunt respecting his son. June 20th 1676, the Lords" nominated Mr. Alexander Gibson to continue in that chamber, wherein his father and he does serve." (Acts of Sederunt, p. 125.) Two persons of the name of Robison, or Robertson, are mentioned in this narrative. The one accompanied Colonel Wallace from Edinburgh, left him on the way to the west, and never joined the party in arms. Kirkton calls him Mr. Alexander Robison. (Hist. p. 234, 236.) The other was taken by the laird of Morton and executed at Edinburgh. That he was a different person from the former appears from his trial. "The assize unanimously, in one voice-finds-Mr. Alexander Robertsone to be guilty of ryseing and joyning in arms with the rebells, and that he was one of those that went to Dumfries and seized on Sir James Turner, and that he went alongst with the rebells to Aire, and that he was at Lanark, and took the covenante with the rest of that party there, and came allongst with them to Collingtoune and Pentland hills; and that he was in armes at the conflict with Captaine Arnote against his Majesties forces, and that he had a drawen sword there and discharged his pistols in the fight."-(Samson's Riddle, 36, 37.) He addressed the following letter to Captain Arnot, probably on the morning of the latter's execution: "DEAR FRIEND, now in tears, bot ere long in joy, I drink this cup to you: but the cup of salvation will be your draught ere long. I have had much libertie for you this night. Run the race with courage; make stepping stones of your wife and children; it is an excellent change and niffer you are to make: Insteed of the wife of your bosome, handsome and heartsome, enjoyment of Christ without intermission; instead of peace with the world, peace with God, and peace of conscience which will give you the true enjoyment of just peace with God. You are credited with that which hath been the desire of precious godly men, and Braidscraigs. All these three were put up in the tolbooth. Thomas Paterson, merchant of Glasgow, died in Haddow's Hole of his wounds, within four or five days after; and the provost having caused instruments be taken that he was dead, some honest men in the town caused warn their neighbours to the burial privately; lest if Burnet, bishop of Glasgow, had got notice, he should have impeded his burial, or done some violence to his corpse. Thus was his body buried honestly in the Greyfriars, which was no sooner interred, than the said bishop sent to the grave, and thereupon protested, that the said Thomas Paterson, rebel, his dying unforfaulted yet the Lord wold not make use of them as vessels to pour such liquor into; and he hath chosen you. O give him thanks! O praise, O blesse, blesse, blesse him! Ye have the forestart of me; O if I were counted worthie! Noe more, being in hast, but leaves you to him who will wype away all tears from your eyes with the napkin of pardoning mercie. I rest, Your's in Christ, ALEX. ROBERTSON, with you in prison." The letter is addressed " For his dear friend, in the same bonds with me, (though I be not credited with the same work) Captain Arnot." (MSS. in Adv. Lib. No. xxxii. M. 6, 14, art. 63.)-Captain Arnot was executed on the 7th of December, 1666. Mr. Alexander Robertson was tried on the 10th, and executed on the 14th, of the same month. |