74 Report of the Meetinrjs for 1892. 



gave over themselves to be guided by him as if he had been Great 

 Solyman. He keeped daily in the Castle of Dunce an honourable table; 

 for the nobles and strangers, with himself ; for the gentlemen waiters 

 thereafter at a long side table. I had the honour, by accident, one day to 

 be his chaplain at table on his left hand. The fare was as became a 

 general in time of war; not so curious by far as Arundel's (in the 

 English camp) to our nobles ; but ye know that the English snmptuosity 

 both in war and peace is despised by all their neighbours. 



" Had ye lent your ear in the morning, or especially at even, and 

 heard in the tents the sound of some singing psalms, some praying, and 

 some reading scripture, ye would have been refreshed. True there was 

 swearing, and cursing and brawling in some quarters, whereat we were 

 "grieved ; but we hoped, if our camp had been a little settled, to have gotten 

 some way for these misorders ; for all of any fashion, did regret, and all did 

 promise to contribute their best endeavours for helping all abuses. For 

 myself, I never found my mind in better temper than it was all the time 

 frae I came from home, till my head was again homeward ; for I was as a 

 man who had taken my leave from the world, and was resolved to die in 

 that service without return." 



A curious incident is related by Gordon of Rothiemay in connection 

 with the occupation of Duns Law by the Scottish army. A landslip which 

 occurred near the Camp exposed a bed of fine gravel — the "stones round 



for the most part like ball of all sizes from a pistol to field pieces." 



The occurrence was regarded by many as a direct interposition of Provi- 

 dence on behalf of the Covenanters, till it was found that the stones were 

 " lighter than lead by many degrees, so that they were only for show, but 

 not for use." — Maitland Club Miscellany, vol. i., p. 476. 



The King, finding Leslie's position too strong to be attacked, had 

 recourse to diplomacy, and a " pacification " was arranged, which led to 

 the withdrawal of the Royalist army from the Border, and the disbanding 

 of the Scottish forces. A year had scarcely elapsed, however, when 

 Charles, in shameless disregard of the provisions of the treaty, raised 

 another army, and prepared again to invade Scotland. The Covenanters 

 acted with, promptitude and energy. With Leslie at their head as before, 

 they assembled at Duns to the number of 25,000 men,* and leaving a 

 garrison there, marched into England, by way of Coldstream, and took 

 possession of Newcastle. An attempt was made by the Royalist garrison at 

 Berwick to surprise that left at Duns, but it was unsuccessful. Baillie's 



account of the affair is brief, but pointed. " The 28 of August 



as 1 think the same day, the garrison of Berwick thought to have 

 SBiprised our garrison and cannon at Dunse ; bot being discovered 



* In Row's Supplement to the Life of Robert Blair, edited by Dr 

 M'Crie for the Wodrow Society, p. 161, it is stated that "the Covenanters' 

 army lay some time at Chouseley (Choicelee) Wood, not far from Dunce, 

 till the rest of the army came up." Spalding (Troubles) calls it " Chelsea 

 Wood, by Dunse." The officers apparently had their quarters in the 

 Castle of Dons, as in the previous year. 



