Page:Life & prophecies of Mr. Alexr. Peden.pdf/34

 accomplishment of this, in every particular, to our great grief.

37. In the beginning of May, 1685 he came to the house of John Brown and Marion Weir, whom he married before he went to Ireland, where he stayed all night; and in the morning when he took farewell, he came out at the door, saying to himself. 'Poor woman, a fearful morning!" twice over: "A dark misty morning." The next morning between five and six, the said John Brown, having gone about the worship of God in his family was going with a spade in his hand to make ready some peat-ground: the mist being very dark he knew not until cruel and bloody Claverhouse compassed him with three troops of horse, and brought him to his house and there examined him; who, though he was a man of stammering speech, yet answered him solidly and distinctly: which made Claverhouse to ask these whom he had taken to be his guides through the muirs, if ever they heard him preach? They answered. "No no he was never a preacher" He said, 'If he has never preached, meikle, he has prayed in his time." He said to John, "Go to your prayers, for you shall immediately die" When he was praying, Claverhouse interrupted him three times: One time that he stopt him he was pleading that the Lord would spare a remnant, and not make a full end in the day of his anger; Claverhouse said, "I gave you time to pray and ye are begun to preach" He turned about upon his knees, and said, "Sir, you know neither the nature of praying nor preaching that calls this preaching!" Then continued without confusion. When ended, Claverhouse said, "Take goodnight of your wife and children." His wife standing by with her child in her arms, that she had brought forth to him, and another child of