© 
I 800.] 
SINGULAR CONCEALMENT. - 
In the reign of Charles II. the prefby- 
terians in Scotland, who firft recalled the 
faithlefs monarch, and placed him on the 
throne of that kingdom, were rewarded, 
after his complete reftoration, by the 
enactment and barbarous execution of 
fevere penal laws againft them. Many 
of them, in confequence, fled to the moun- 
tains with their preachers. Of this number 
was a Mr. David WILLIAMSON, a very 
famous preacher, who was particularly 
From the Port-Folio 
obnoxious to the government, and was> 
hunted continually by parties of dragoons, 
like a hart upon the mountains. Hence 
came the name of Hill-preachers, other- 
wile called Cameronians, trom their leader 
Mr. Cameron, who was the firft {eparatift 
trom the prefbyterian conformifts of that 
reign, ith 
Mafter Davin, or Mefs Davin, as the 
Scottifh clergy were then often called, 
being clofely purfued one night, took 
refuge in the houfe of a lady of good 
fafhion, which he had no fooner entered, 
than the dragoons came up. The lady 
was in great perplexity on this trying 
occafion; but, as the fex often poflels 
aftonifhing prefence of mind, fhe imme- 
diately refolved to put him to bed with 
her daughter, a young lady of great 
beauty. She thought that the place which 
would be leaft fufpegted; and could not 
imagine, that a man ‘of his cloth and 
character, furrounded with bloody execu- 
tioners, who inftantly murdered their 
unfortunate victims, could be capable of 
any thing injurious to her daughter’s 
“innocence. Matter David was accordingly 
put to bed to the young lady, booted and 
{purred, and cloathed as he was, with the 
addition only of a woman’s night-cap. 
The troopers having fearched every corner 
of the houfe, at laft went towards the 
young lady’s bed-chamber.. The mother, 
with admirable fpirit and addrefs, told 
them, that her daughters were in bed, 
and that fhe hoped, as they were foldiers 
and gentlemen, they would offer no rude- 
nefs to unprote&ted females. She then, 
with an air of freedom, opened the door. 
They went in, fearched a little about the 
room, and, then foftly opening the cur- 
‘tains, they were fatisfied, by the appear- 
ance of the head cloaths, that their prey 
was not there; and fo very modeitly 
retired. But as they were to lodge in 
the neighbourhood, fhe was obliged to 
leave Matter David in quiet poffeffion of 
his concealment, for the reft of the night. 
Thus fhe faved her preacher; but the was 
{0 far miftaken in her judgment of his 
MONTHLY MAG. NO, 57. 
of a Man of Letters. Py 
gifts, that fhe was forced, affhert time 
after, to give her daughter ‘to hin in 
marriage, to fave them both from publit 
{candal and ruin. 
Some years afterwards, the perfecution 
having abated, Mr. Williamfon was fent 
to London, as one of the Commiffioners 
from the General Aflembly of Scotland, 
to the King. His Majefty, who had 
heard the ftory, was curious to fee this 
wonderful man; and accordingly Matter 
David and his fpoufe were jnvited tor 
private audience ; for fhe thought it right 
not to expofe her hufband to temptation; 
and accordingly attended him on all his 
: journies.? The merry monarch, being fully 
fatisfied of the truth of their narration, 
declared very frankly that, when he was 
in the oak, after the battle of Worcefter, 
the moft beautifui woman in Great Britain 
would have been jin no danger from him ; 
and then difmiffed them very favourably. 
Mr. Williamfon was afterwards one of 
the minifters of Edinburgh, where he died 
at an advanced ace, and with a refpectable 
charaéter, of which the author of this 
article gives no other particulars. 
— 
FRAGMENT FROM THE JOURNAL OF A 
VERY DESERVING RUSSIAN OFFICER. 
In the year 1770, the RufMfians laid 
fiege to Lemnos, and in a fhort time 
obliged the fortrefs to capitulate. Eight 
hoftages were fent to the camp as fecurity 
for the capitulation. But the Turks, 
who were to march out with the honours 
of war, not having a fufficient number. of 
tranfports to get off-in immediately, de- 
layed the furrender fo long under this 
pretext, till fuddenly a confiderable fuc- 
cour appeared under the command of 
Afpan Pafha; the Ruffians were now 
forced to retreat. Count Alexius Orloff 
therefore abandoned the fort to the Turks, 
went out to fea again with the fleet; and 
took the hoftages with him. Soon after- 
wards he received a letter from the Turkith 
commander, which in a faithful tranflation 
runs thus: - 
<¢ From the Fortrefs of Lemnos, 
Sept. 28, 1770. 
‘¢ Tlluftrious benefa@tor! courteous and 
humane! ordained of God to the practice of 
all goodnefs} Pofleffor of every heroic virtue! 
Plenipotentiary of her Imperial Majefty of 
Rufhia! Count Orloff, Q 
“* God blefs you to the end of your days! 
As to-us, we are well. 
«© The fortrefs that has been befieged by 
you, and which you obliged by capitulation 
to hoift the white flag, and as fecurity for 
the terms entered into on both fides, eight 
hoftages are taken away by you, is at prefent 
1a ; in 
