78 John Welsh, the Irongray Covenanter. 



[Skeochhill] in Irongray parish, about 4 or 5 miles above 

 Dumfries. The Assembly was large, greater than at East 

 Nisbet, more Gentlemen and Strangers from far and near. 

 Mr Arnot lectured, Mr W. preached and broke up the action. 

 There were 2 long tables, longer than at East Nisbet and more 

 communicants, all the rest of the minrs [ministers] exhorted 

 to several tables. Mr D[ickson] preach'd afternoon, the 

 whole action was closed that day without disturbance. It was 

 a cloudy gloomy day in the skies, often like to rain; but the 

 clouds seemed singularly to be restrained tho' heavy with 

 rain, for ere the people got to their homes there fell down a 

 great rain, which waxed the waters. The Earl of Nithsdale, 

 a Papist, and Sir John Dalziel, a great enemy of those meet- 

 ings, had some of their ill set domestics there, who waited on 

 and heard till about the time of the afternoon sermon, and 

 then slipt away. They were suspected to come there for 

 no good. At the time of the people's dismissing there arose 

 an alarm with cry (How it rose I cannot tell) that there was a 

 party approaching. Whereupon those gentlemen and horse 

 which came from Clydsdale drew instantly together. The 

 Gentlemen and people of Galloway and Nithsdale had not 

 drawn together in any posture of defence neither intended, 

 but upon any appearance of imminent hazard were ready. 

 These seeing the Clydsdale men so quickly drawing together 

 and putting themselves in a posture, they found themselves 

 also in a necessity of doing the like. The Laird of Earlston 

 elder, who had been a captain in the former wars, drew out 

 a large troop of Galloway horse. Another gentleman (for- 

 merly also a captain of horse) drew out another troop of 

 Nithsdale horse ; several companys of foot, I suppose 4 or 5 

 were also drawn out of the rest with their officers. All this 

 was done in shorter space [than] could be believed. For the 

 people was most cheerfully willing and resolute : parties and 

 single horsemen were on several quarters sent out to look 

 about them while others of the people were drawing together. 

 Those who went forth returned and reported that they only 

 heard a rumour that some party was come into the country, 

 but could not inform themselves of any near at hand or any 

 stir among the enemies of the country ; so after two hours 



