the infantry, but was repulsed by a withering fire. Bravely and well did the old officer execute his commission. He rescued the clansmen before they had ever become aware of the deadly peril of their position.

IV. The General Engagement.

After these desperate sallies and charges the engagement became general. When Montrose saw that Airlie had saved the impetuous clansmen, a load was lifted from his heart, and he now struck at his foe with all the strength he could command. For a time the air was filled with the clangour of the weapons and the shouts of the warriors. The Campbells stood firm, and fell where they fought. The Lowland spearmen made a good defence, but were at length borne back. The horsemen also lost ground before the nimble, shirt-clad Highlanders. At this juncture Baillie rode to the rear to bring up the reserves. The Fife men, instead of answering their general's call, when they saw those in front of them recoiling, deemed the day lost. The fainthearted cowards broke and fled without ever firing a shot. Then began a scene of unparalleled and hideous carnage. The cavalier horse, still fresh, under Sir Nathaniel Gordon, charged forward in a mass. That August afternoon the claymore, the dirk, the clubbed musket, and the Lochaber axe did a fearful and bloody work. The Highlanders were as strong as lions, and in their shirts they were as fleet as deer. Very few foot soldiers escaped. They were butchered in the fields; they were smothered in the bog. In the heat of the victory fearful acts were committed. A poor Covenanter clung to the stirrup of the venerable Earl of Airlie begging for mercy, but a passing trooper clove him

down. Many peasantry perished. A farmer and his four sons were hacked to pieces. In Kirkcaldy 200 women were made widows. It was a terrible sight on which that August sun set, for over 6000 dead lay strewn on the battlefield.

The only chance of escape lay with the well-mounted horsemen. Even they, however, were not always fortunate. We may be well assured that wherever men are toiling and suffering there will be found many a romantic story of broken hearts and lacerated affections. And the battle of Kilsyth is no exception to the rule. Amongst the thousand horsemen of Baillie there was not one more finely equipped than young Francis Gordon, a cadet of a noble Covenanting family. His burnished armour, his richly-caparisoned steed, awakened the rapacity of one of Montrose's troopers. Singling him out he gave chase, and lay hard on his track. The pursuit was hot; but, coming up with the young Covenanter near the Bonny-Water, the clansman slew his foeman and appropriated his armour and trappings. The body was buried in the field where he fell, and the year following a slab was placed over his grave. His death was all the sadder that he was about to be married to a young lady of uncommon personal attractions and his equal in station. This lady was unconsolable, and never ceased to bewail her lover's untimely fate. The people of the district cherish the careful tradition, how there came to the locality a young lady, who, during the longest days was to be seen keeping her vigil by the graveside. The long years went by, the bloom faded from her cheek, the form became bowed, her hair became white as snow, she leant on a staff the very picture of tottering decrepitude, but still the peasants saw her keeping her holy watch and intruded not upon her. Then when she had

CHAPTER IX.

Worshi

Livingston to Robe-ARCHIBALD GRAHAM-San GABRIEL CUNNINGHAM- Public Barton-JAMES GARTSHORE-WALTER M' Prelate versus Presbyter-A Parish Riot-I tion-Michael Robe-Elected to Easter Lenzi Parochial Cases and Anecdotes-Cursing the ant to be Appointed.

THE period of one hundred years from of William Livingston to the parish of ordination of James Robe, bridges ove tumult which arose from the steady a resistance which Scotsmen offered to violent, and sometimes insidious efforts o Episcopacy, to impose upon Scotland church government and discipline. It w time. The religious liberties of the peopl by every kind of political and ecclesias from the clansmen of Montrose to the ] Often discomfited, often persecuted, the Ch was still triumphant, and is seen when th riding gallantly on the surface of the water

The first of the six ministers who fill u the history of Kilsyth is Archibald Graha was a student of the University of Gla admitted to Monyabroch on the 11th ] after the church had been vacant for fou He took an interest in the welfare of his

er's Court in Edinburgh. The charge inst him was his opposition to Episcopacy bedience in the matter of the practice of the constitutions. He was found guilty, and He married Barbara, daughter of Thomas of Ballinton, who predeceased him. He was twenty-two years, and survived his deposition ars, dying May, 1655, aged 71 years. The of Archibald Graham, nearly synchronises areer of the saintly Samuel Rutherford, Divinity in St. Mary's College, St. Andrews, known amongst readers of devout literature r of a serious of singular letters, in which he exuberant but sanctified fancy, and which ted with such massy thoughts as loudly 1 united to Jesus Christ in the strongest He wrote a number of able works, and his a Dispute for the Just Prerogative of King was eventually ordered to be burned at the s of Edinburgh and at the gates of his is personal influence was more salutary and ve than his books. It filled the Church with eatly needed in the midst of her theological fes, the warmth of a sympathetic evangelical

His simple love of Christ infected his the people heard gladly the preachers who f St. Mary's Well.

Cunningham, M.A., was the minister of