Page:Life of the martyr, John Brown, of Priesthill, in the parish of Muirkirk, Ayrshire (3).pdf/22

22 field. Not long after this he appeared openly in arms at Inverness, and was successful at the battle of Killicrankie ; putting William's army to flight; but while in the act of rasing himself on the saddle, and waving with his arm pointing to guard the pass of Killicrankie, that his favourite maxim 'no quarter' might be put into execution, Lo! a musket ball passed into his arm-pit, that proved fatal in a few hours after. His estate was made over to the house of Douglas, and his widow marrying to Lord Kilsyth, and returning to Holland, became, along with her children, the victim of a dreadful misfortune The house in which she resided at Utrecht, falling suddelny in and overwhelming the whole family, his name and titles became extinct.' The poor widow of Priesthill and her children did inherit the earth, and had a name long after that of her oppressors was not--About forty years ago, a gentleman riding to Edinburgh fell into conversation with a respectable-looking country woman on the road, and learning that she was a grand-daughter of John Brown, le on that account made her ride behind him into the city. So much was the memory of the Christian Carrier respected. And what was a proof of the harmony of his family, she could not tell whether she was of the first or the second wife's children. None of them now reside at priesthill but their house stands, and the broad flat stone that covers their father's grave, is shewn, with this inscription;

In death's cold bed, the dusty part here lies Of one who did the earth as dust despise ; Here in this place from earth he took departure ; Now he has got the garland of the martyr.

Butchered by Clavers and his bloody band, Raging most ravenously o'er all the land, Only for owning Christ's supremacy, Wickedly wrong'd by encroaching tyranny.