100 JOURNAL OF JOHN ASTON, 1639 



or most part of them well timbred men, tall and active, 

 apparrelled in blew woollen wascotts and blew bonnetts. A 

 paire of bases of plad, and stockings of the same, and a 

 paire of piimpes on their feete : a mantle of plad cast over 

 the left shoulder, and under the right arm, a pocquett before 

 for their knapsack, and a pair of durgs^^ on either side the 

 pocquet. They are left to their owne election for their 

 weapons ; some carry onely a sword and targe, others mus- 

 quetts, and the greater part bow and arrowes, with a quiver 

 to hould about 6 shafts, made of the maine of a goat or 

 colt, with the haire hanging on, and fastned by some belt 

 or such like, soe as it appeares allmost a taile to them. 

 Theise were about 1,000, and had bagg-pipes (for the most 

 part) for their warlick instruments. The Laird Buchannan 

 was theire leader. Theire ensignes had strange devices and 

 strange words, in a language unknowne to mee, whether 

 their owne or not I know not. The ensignes of the other 

 Scotts had the St. Andrew's crosse in which this word : 

 "Covenant for Religion Crowne and Country." The Generall 

 Lessley's ensigne had for his device a bible crossed through 

 with two scepters, and a crowne set upon it, with this word, 

 Tuemur legihus et armis jure divino et civili. Hee had a 

 very strong and souldiourlike guai-d from the doore of his 

 house a great way in length, in 2 divided files, much more 

 stately and secure than our king, all thinges in soe good 

 equipage. After the lord chamberlaine had viewed the army 

 Lessley retouiiied with him to his house, and there entertained 

 him with a great banquett : all the Scotts much affecting 

 the lord chamberlaine, because they found him their friende, 

 and ready to incline the king and councell to pacification in 

 favour of what the Scotts desired. The confidence of the 

 Scotts in theire cause, and experience of their generall, was 

 of much more value to them than theire strength, for of 

 their 12,000 souldiours theire was not one that had any 

 defensive arnies, not soe much as a head piece, and as for 

 their offensive weapons, their musquetts were many of them 

 burding peeces, and their pykes but half ones, and very 



^^ I.e. dirks, an early use of the word. Cf. N.E.D. 



