Запретный лес
IV. The Faithful Servant
Montrose,therecusant,hadmadehiswaynorthwhenhewasleastexpected,andwasnowleadingahostofwildIrishtotheslaughterofthegodly.Therehadbeenbattlesfought,somesaidnearPerth,othersasfaroffasAberdeen,andthevictoryhadnotbeentotherighteous.HideoustalesweretoldoftheseIrish,ledbyaleft-handedMacdonald--savageasAmalekites,blindzealotsofRome,burningandslaughtering,andsparingneithersexnorage.Thetrouble,nodoubt,wouldbeshort-lived,forLeven’smenweremarchingfromEngland,butitbetokenedsomebackslidinginGod’speople.ThePresbyteryheldaspecialmeetingforprayer,wheninlengthysupplicationstheAlmightywasbesoughttoexplainwhetherthesinforwhichthisdisasterwasthepunishmentlaywithParliamentorAssembly,armyorpeople.
ToDavidthetalewasstaggering.Montrosewastohimonlyaname,thenameofagreatnoblewhohadatfirstservedthecauseofChristandthenbetrayedit.ThisJudashadnotyetgonetohisaccount,wasstillpermittedtotroubleIsrael,andnowhehadcrownedhismisdeedsbyleadingsavagesagainsthisownkindlyScots.LikeallhisnationhehadahorroroftheIrish,whosebarbarityhadbecomealegend,andofRome,whomheconceivedasanunsleepingAntichrist,givenaleaseoftheworldbyGodtillthecupofherabominationwasfull.Thenewsshookhimoutofhispoliticalsupineness,andforthemomentmadehimasardentaCovenanterasMr.Muirheadhimself.Thencamethestorm,whenhisheadwasfilledwithotherconcerns,anditwasnottillFebruarythatthePresbyterymetagain.
