Report of the Meetings for 1892. 73 



" This our march (to Dnns) did mnch affray the English camp : Dunce 

 Law was in their sight within six or seven miles ; for they lay in pavilions 

 some two miles above Berwick, on the other side of Tweed, in a fair plain 

 along the river. The King himself beholding us through a prospect 

 (glass) did conjecture us to be sixteen or eighteen thousand men ; we 

 were indeed above twelve thousand ; but at one time we were above 

 twenty thousand." 



" It would have done you good to have casten your eyes athort our 

 brave and rich Hill, as oft I did, with great contentment and joy. For I 

 (quoth the wren) was there among the rest; being chosen preacher by 

 the Gentlemen of our Shire, who came late with my Lord of Eglington. 

 Our Hill was garnished on the top, towards the south and east, with our 

 mouTited cannon ; well near to the number of forty, great and small. Our' 

 regiments lay on the sides of the Hill almost round about, the place was 

 not a mile in circle ; a pretty round rising in a declivity, without steepness, 

 to the height of a bow shot ; on the top somewhat plain ; about a quarter 

 of a mile in length, and as much in breadth, as I remember, capable of 

 tents for forty thousand men. The crowners lay in kennous (canvass) 

 lodges high and wide ; their captains about them in lesser ones ; the 

 sojours about, all in huts of timber covered with divot (turf) or straw. 

 Our crowners for the most part were noblemen. Our captains for the 

 most parts barons or gentlemen of note ; our lieutenants, almost all 

 sojonrs who had served over sea in good charges. Every company had 

 flying at the Captain's tent-door a brave new Colour with the Scottish 

 Arms, and this ditton, FOR CHRIST'S CROWN AND COVENANT, 

 in golden letters. Our General had a brave royal tent, but it was 

 not set up. He lay at the foot of the hill in the Caatle, with 

 Baillie his lieutenant-general. 



" The councils of war were keeped daily in the Castle of Dunce ; the 

 ecclesiastic meetings in Rothes' large tent. The General and Baillie 

 came nightly on their horses for the setting of the watch. Our sojours 

 were all lusty aud full of courage, the most of them stout young plough- 

 men ; great cheerfulness in the face of all. The only difficulty was £o get 

 them dollars or two the man, for their voyage from home apd the time 

 they entered on pay ; for among our yeomen money at any tim«, let be 

 then, uses to be very scarce. 



"Our sojours grew in experience of arms, in courage, in favour daily : 

 every one encouraged the other, the sight of the nobles and their beloved 

 pastors daily raised their hearts. The good sermons and prayers 

 morning and even, under the roof of Heaven, to which their drums did 

 call them for bells ; the remonstrances very frequent of the goodness of 

 their cause ; of their conduct hitherto by a hand clearly Divine ; also 

 Leslie his skill and fortune, — made them all so resolute for- battle as 

 could be wished. We were feared (afraid) that emulation among our 

 nobles might have done harm when they should be met in the fields ; but 

 such was the wisdom and authority of that old, little, crooked souldier, 

 that all, with an incredible submission from the beginning to the end, 

 K 



