66 John Welsh, the Irongray Covenanter. 



soldiery. The rebels marched swiftly on Dumfries, where Sir 

 James was residing, making their rendezvous at Irongray 

 Church. From a petition to the Privy Council by Jean 

 Dalziell, widow of Bernard Sanderson, the curate who suc- 

 ceeded Welsh in Irongray, we learn that " on 15th November, 

 1666, the said Mr Bernard, being ane old and infirme man, 

 was by the late rebells most barbarously and unchristianly 

 abused and his house and bairn yeards plundered " (P.C. 

 Reg., iii., 437). Next morning Sir James was taken at 

 Dumfries by the rebels and carried off to Corsock. The news 

 of the rising reached Edinburgh, where Welsh was. He 

 hastened to join the rebel forces, reaching Dalmellington on 

 Sunday, November i8th, where Sir James met him. " After 

 my guards had supped at my charges, Mr Welsh sent out one 

 to enquire of me if I would receive a visit from him ; my 

 answer was, he was a person I was looking for these two 

 years bygone, but I had found him now in a wrong time. 

 However, he might come when he pleased." Welsh pre- 

 sented himself and delivered " a tedious discourse " on the 

 Covenant, warning Turner to think of death, which he knew 

 not how soon might overtake him. He told him further that 

 the Lord had revealed to him that the time appointed for the 

 deliverance of His people had come. Turner replied that 

 revelations and miracles had ceased, and Welsh and his men 

 had better go home and submit. " But by these discourses I 

 prevailed as much with him as he did with me by his. I 

 called for a cup of ale purposely that I might hear him say 

 grace. In it he prayed for the King, the restoration of the 

 Covenant, and the downfall of prelacy. He prayed likewise 

 for me, and honoured me with the title of God's servant, who 

 was then in bonds. He prayed for my conversion, and that 

 repentance and remission of sins might be granted me. After 

 this the conference broke up." From Dalmellington Turner 

 was conveyed to Ochiltree, and Welsh retired to the wilds of 

 Galloway. They met again at Ochiltree, Welsh returning 

 " with his army, for so some of the rebels would needs have 

 it called. I saw them afar off, and reckoned them to be near 

 100 ill-armed foot and some 15 or 16 horse." Some were no 

 doubt Irongray parishioners, for nearly the whole parish 



