their eyes, vowed, in the presence of God, faithfully to observe all its stipulations, and then affixed to it their signatures with the utmost joy.* The solemn dedication of themselves to the Lord, and to the promotion of his cause, by so many thousands of every rank and age, was truly affecting; and while it inspired the friends of the covenant with renewed vigor, it completely destroyed all the remaining hopes of their prelatical oppressors."Now," exclaimed the Archbishop of Glasgow, in despair, "all that we have been doing these thirty years past is at once thrown down." The Tables immediately afterwards transmitted copies of the covenant to every part of the country; and by the end of April, nearly the whole of Scotland, excepting courtiers, papists, prelates, and a few of the conforming clergy, chiefly in Aberdeen, cheerfully attached to it their signatures. Such is the origin of the Covenanters.

In November, 1638, the General Assembly of Scotland met in Glasgow. This body consisted of one hundred and forty ministers, forty-seven ruling elders, and forty-eight commissioners from burghs and universities. This assembly, though protested against by those in favor of Episcopacy, excommunicated two arch-bishops, six bishops, for flagrant immoralities; they also suspended a number of unworthy ministers, whose doctrine and conduct gave universal offense. They also passed several other acts for the regulation of religious affairs in Scotland. These proceedings gave great offense to Charles, who immediately set himself about leading an army of thirty thousand horse and foot into Scotland, to reduce the nation to obedience to his will. The Covenanters on the other hand made every preparation to defend their liberties, and General Leslie, who had served on the continent under the famous Gustavus, was invited home to take command of the army.

In March, 1639, the Covenanters made themselves masters of Edinburgh Castle, and soon after nearly every fortified place in Scotland. General Leslie with the main body of the Covenanters arrived at the borders, and encamped at Dunglass; and Monro, who had collected a considerable number of troops in Dumfries, Wigton, and Kirkcudbright, lay at Kelso. The royal army had pitched at Birks, a plain on the south side of the Tweed, about three miles from Berwick. The approach of the Covenanters filled the English army with so much alarm, that Charles found it necessary to issue a milder proclamation, promising, on a demonstration of their obedience in civil matters, to grant their just supplications, but commanding their army not to approach within ten miles of the royal camp, under pain of being declared rebels. The Covenanters hailed this proclamation as a token of peace, which they still earnestly desired, and implicitly complied with his majesty's injunctions. But imagining that their obedience proceeded from timidity, Charles, at the suggestion of the excommunicated prelates, published another proclamation, "offering indemnity to all, except a few, who should within eight days lay down their arms, declaring those who would not obey, to be rebels, and setting a price on the heads of their

"The original copy of the covenant was written on a very large skin of parchment, of the length of four feet, and depth of three feet eight inches, and is so crowded with names on both sides, that there is not the smallest space left for more; and it appears that when there was but little room left on which to sign, the subscriptions were shortened by only inserting the initial letters of the Covenanters' names, which the margin and other parts are so full of, and the subscriptions so close, that it would be a difficult task to number them."

leaders." This proclamation was made at Dunse, and attempted to be published at Kelso by the Earl of Holland, at the head of four thousand men; but on the appearance of Monro and his troops, the English fled in the utmost disorder. These proceedings at once convinced the Covenanters of the duplicity of Charles, and of his determination to continue hostilities. Leslie, accordingly, having ordered the troops at Kelso to join the main army, marched to Dunse-law, and on the first of June pitched his camp in the very sight of the English. The general committee at Edinburgh, also, aware of the state of the army, sent dispatches throughout the kingdom requiring new levies of men; and so faithfully were their orders attended to, that "the whole country" rose at the call, and hastened to Dunse-law. The appearance of the Scottish camp at this period was truly gratifying, while the exemplary piety, of both officers and men, exhibited a spectacle which we in vain look for among the military in times more modern. "It would have done you good," says Baillie, "to have cast your eyes athwart our brave and rich hills as oft as I did. Our hill was garnished on the top towards the south and east with our mounted cannon. The crowners lay in canvas lodges, high and wide; their captains about them in lesser ones; the soldiers about all in huts of timber covered with divot or straw. Every company had, flying at the captain's tent door, a brave new color stamped with the Scottish arms, and this motto, FOR CHRIST'S CROWN AND COVENANT,' in golden letters. Our soldiers were all lusty and full of courage; and grew in experience of arms, in courage, and in favor daily. Had you 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. For myself, I never found my mind in better temper than it was all that time since I came from home, till my head was again homeward, for I was as a man who had taken my leave of the world, and was resolved to die in that service without return.”

The near approach of the Scottish army, which had now increased to upwards of twenty-four thousand men, so greatly alarmed the English, that they immediately began to entrench themselves; and on the Scots discovering a disposition to advance still nearer, the king at length found it necessary to give them a hint that he wished for peace. So desirous were the Covenanters even yet to come to equitable terms with a monarch who had treated them with so much severity, and over whom they now seemed to enjoy a decided advantage, that they immediately dispatched the Earl of Dunfermline, with an humble supplication to his majesty, to deign to listen to their complaints. But though Charles now found himself under the necessity of treating, he resolved first to have his humor a little gratified, by requiring that the proclamation which they had refused to publish in Edinburgh, should be read at the head of the troops in the Covenanters' camp. This was refused; but in order to show their readi ness to gratify his majesty, the proclamation was read with great reverence at the general's table. With this Charles was satisfied; and commissioners on each side were chosen to conclude a treaty. Having received a safe-conduct. the Scottish commissioners proceeded to the English camp; but scarcely were they met in Arundel's tent. before Charles abruptly entered, and demanded to know what were those requests to which they alleged he had refused to listen. This demand called forth an explanation from the commissioners, which Charles ordered them to commit to writing. But though he found himself unable to answer their paper, which vindicated the proceedings of the assembly at Glasgow, yet influenced by his base flatterers the bishops, he insisted, before proceeding further, on an answer to the three following questions:-1. Whether his majesty has the sole indiction of the general assembly or not? 2. Whether his majesty has a negative voice in assemblies? And, 3. Whether the assembly may sit after his majesty has, by his authority commanded them to rise?" Having already given him explicit answers to all these questions, the Covenanters naturally imagined that Charles only wished to gain time: and they therefore resolved that their army should approach within cannon shot of the royal camp. This was sufficient to gain the end which they had in view: for no sooner did intelligence of their intention reach Charles, than he departed from his questions, and hastily concluded a treaty of peace, by which all differences were referred to a general assembly, to be held on the 6th of August, and a free parliament in a fortnight afterwards. The chief articles of this treaty, which, extorted as it was from the imperious monarch, he never intended to fulfill, were, that both armies should be disbanded, that all the forts and castles taken by the Covenanters should be delivered up to the king, that the fleet should be withdrawn, that all fortifications should desist.-and that all forfeitures should be restored. The articles were signed on the 18th of June, and proclaimed in both camps, and the Scottish army was immediately afterwards disbanded.

COLONEL GARDINER.

THE following is a north-west view of Colonel James Gardiner's monument, just erected by the side of the North British Railway, about fifty rods from Tranent station, ten miles from Edinburgh.

Colonel Gardiner's Monument, Erected in 1853. [Drawn October 17th.] The railway and the telegraph wires pass directly in front of the The little village of Prestonpans, on the sea shore, is upwards of a mile from this place. The house in which Colonel Gardiner lived is the one seen in the back ground at the end of the avenue, made by long ranges of venerable trees, standing probably at the time he occupied the house. A fine garden is situated in the rear of the house enclosed with a wall. Colonel Gardiner was killed about one-fourth of a mile eastward of the monument; most of the soldiers who were killed were buried in the vicinity in one common grave. The spot is designated by a thorn bush now growing over their remains. The following are the inscriptions on the monument :

"To COLONEL GARDINER, who fell in the battle of Prestonpans, 21st September, 1745. His valor, his high scorn of death to Fame's proud meed no impulse owed; his was a pure, unsullied zeal for Britain and for God. He fell! he died! the exulting foe trod careless o'er his noble clay. Yet not in vain our champion fought in that disastrous day.

Erected by public subscription, 1853. This neighborhood, alike hallowed by his life and renowned by his death, gratefully accepts the guardianship of his memory."

Colonel Gardiner, so well known to the religious world, by his life, written by the celebrated Dr. Doddridge, was born at Carriden, in Linlithgowshire, January 10th, 1687. His mother took

great care to instruct him in the true principles of Christianity. He, however, entered the army at a very early age, and at fourteen years of age held an ensign's commission in a Scotch regiment in the Dutch service. Living among dissolute persons, he became one of the most distinguished among them, and pursued his pleasures with such apparent satisfaction, that he was called by a kind of dreadful compliment the "happy rake." He, however, afterwards used to relate that when some of his dissolute companions were congratulating him on his distinguished felicity, a dog at that time being in the room, he could not forbear groaning inwardly, and saying to himself, "Oh, that I were that dog." The remarkable change which took place in his feelings in July, 1719, effecting an entire change in his conduct, is thus described by Dr. Doddridge.

He had spent the evening (and, if I mistake not, it was the Sabbath) in some gay company, and had an unhappy assignation with a married woman, of what rank or quality I did not particularly inquire, whom he was to attend exactly at twelve. The company broke up about eleven; and not judging it convenient to anticipate the time appointed, he went into his chamber to kill the tedious hour, perhaps with some amusing book, or some other way. But it very accidentally happened, that he took up a religious book, which his good mother or aunt had, without his knowledge, slipped into his portmanteau. It was called, if I remember the title exactly, "The Christian Soldier, or Heaven taken by Storm;" and was written by Mr. Thomas Watson. Guessing by the title of it that he should find some phrases of his own profession spiritualized in a manner which he thought might afford him some diversion, he resolved to dip into it; but he took no serious notice of any thing he read in it. And yet, while this book was in his hand, an impression was made upon his mind, (perhaps God only knows how), which drew after it a train of the most important and happy consequences.

He thought he saw an unusual blaze of light fall upon the book while he was reading, which he at first imagined might happen by some accident in the candle. But lifting up his eyes, he apprehended, to his extreme amazement, that there was before him, as it were suspended in the air, a visible representation of the Lord Jesus Christ upon the cross, surrounded on all sides with a glory; and was impressed, as if a voice, or something equivalent to a voice, had come to him, to this effect, (for he was not confident as to the very words,) "Oh, sinner! did I suffer this for thee, and are these thy returns?" Rut whether this were an audible voice, or only a strong impression on his mind equally striking, he did not seem very confident; though, to the best of my remembrance, he rather judged it to be the former. Struck with so amazing a phenomenon as this, there remained hardly any life in him; so that he sunk down in the arm-chair in which he sat, and continued, he knew not very exactly how long, insensible, (which was one circumstance that made me several times take the liberty to suggest that he might possibly be all this while asleep.) But however that were, he quickly after opened his eyes, and saw nothing more than usual.

It may easily be supposed he was in no condition to make any observation upon the time in which he had remained in an insensible state; nor did he, throughout all the remainder of the night, once recollect that criminal and detestable assignation which had before engrossed all his thoughts. He rose in a tumult of passions not to be conceived, and walked to and fro in his chamber, till he was ready to drop down, in unutterable astonishment and agony of heart, appearing to himself the vilest monster in the creation of God, who had all his lifetime been crucifying Christ afresh by his sins, and now saw, as he assuredly believed, by a miraculous vision, the horror of what he had done. With this was connected such a view both of the majesty and goodness of God, as caused him to loathe and abhor himself, and to repent as in dust and ashes. He immediately gave judgment against himself, that he was most justly worthy of eternal damnation. He was astonished that he had not been immediately struck dead in the midst of his wickedness; and (which I think deserves particular remark) though he assuredly believed that he should e'er long be in hell, and settled it as a point with himself for several months, that the wisdom and justice of God did almost necessarily require that such an enormous sinner should be made an example of everlasting vengeance, and a spectacle as such both to angels and men; so that he hardly durst presume to pray for pardon; yet what he then suffered was not so much from the fear of hell, though he concluded it would soon be his portion, as from a fear of that horrible ingratitude he had shown to the God of his life, and to that blessed Redeemer who had been in so affecting a manner set forth as crucified before him.

Charles P

Charles the Pretender's Signature.

Ever after this period Colonel Gardiner led a most exemplary life in all the varied and trying situations in which he afterwards was placed. Charles the

Pretender having landed in Scotland, Sir John Cope, commanderin-chief of the forces in North Britain, mustered a body of troops at Prestonpans, near Colonel Gardiner's residence. The following account is from Dr. Doddridge :

He [Colonel Gardiner] continued all night under arms, wrapped up in his cloak, and generally sheltered under a rick of barley which happened to be in the field. About three in the morning, he called his domestic servants to him, of which there were four in waiting. He dismissed three of them, with a most affectionate Christian advice, and such solemn charges relating to the performance of their duty and the care of their souls, as seemed plainly to intimate that he apprehended it at least very probable he was taking his last farewell of them. There is great reason to believe that he spent the little remainder of the time, which could not be much above an hour, in those devout exercises of soul, which had so long been habitual to him, and to which so many circumstances did then concur to call him. The army was alarmed by break of day, by the noise of the rebels approach, and the attack was made before sun-rise, yet when it was light enough to discern what passed. As soon as the enemy came within gun-shot, they made a furious fire; and it is said that the dragoons, which constituted the left wing, immediately fled. The Colonel, at the beginning of the onset, which in the whole lasted but a few minutes, received a wound by a bullet in his left breast, which made him give a sudden spring in his saddle; upon which his servant who had led the horse, would have persuaded him to retreat; but he said it was only a wound in the flesh, and fought on, though he presently after received a shot in his right thigh. In the mean time, it was discerned that some of the enemies fell by him, and particularly one man who had made him a treacherous visit but a few days before, with great professions of zeal for the present establishment. Events of this kind pass in less time than the description of them can be written, or than it can be read. The Colonel was for a few moments supported by his men, and particularly by that worthy person Lieutenant Colonel Whitney, who was shot through the arm here, and a few months after fell nobly in the battle of Falkirk, and by Lieutenant West, a man of distinguished bravery, as also by about fifteen dragoons, who stood by him to the last. But after a faint fire, the regiment in general