Page:History of the Scottish martyrs.pdf/16

16 was conducted to the puter chamber of the captain of the guard where he was kept until the preparations for his execution were completed. Part of these preparations consisted in loading the great guns with which the castle of St. Andrews was guarded, and placing cushions and cloths for the accommodation of the cardinal and bishops on the tops of the walls which overlooked the place appointed for Mr. Wishart's execution. The gentlemen and men at arms, belonging to the lordly prelate's establishment, were also ordered to put on thier armour, and surround the scaffold. Everything being ready, the officers and executioners, or rather tormenters, of whom there were several no proceeded to the apartment occupied by Wishart, whom they led forth in the midst of a noisy flourish of trumpets, and other warlike instruments. When brought to the scaffold, to which he was immediately bound with strong iron chains, he desired liberty to address a short prayer to that Great Being into whose presence he was about to appear. Having concluded his devotions, the pile on which he was to suffer was fired; the flames, during their progress, igniting the bags of powder hung around the person of the miserable sufferer, was heard at short intervals exploding with a great noise, and materially increasing the agonies of the dying martyr. The captain of the guard exhorting him to remember God, and ask forgiveness of his sins;-he replied, as calmly and collectedly as if the flames which were rapidly consuming him had been playing harmlessly around his limbs, Captain, God forgive yon man who is revelling in such splendour, and so much at ease on yonder wall, but within a very short time he shall lie an object of more disgust than he is now of envy." When he had