HERE LIES

the Corpse of JOHN
SEMPLE who was
Shot by Kilkerran
at command of
Cornet James Douglas
Also Here lies
THOMAS MCCLORGAN

who was shot
uncertain by whom
for their adherence
to the Word of GOD
And the Covenanted
Reformation 1685.

On the other side:

ERECTED

A.D. MDCCCXXV

By a public
contribution

to the memory of those
who for their

Devoted attachment

To the cause of

Truth fell victims to

Despotic power.

Lying flat on the ground, in the front of the obelisk, is the old monument. Its inscription can still be distinctly read.

Of Thomas M'Clorgan nothing seems now to be known beyond what is on the tombstone. The "Cloud of Witnesses" records, "John M'Glorgan was

killed at Drummellian's house in the night-time, not known by whom." Perhaps this is the same person. Wodrow gives an account of John Semple's death, and says it "is attested by several honest people yet in that parish, from their particular knowledge of all its circumstances, Gilbert M'Lurkin, Thomas Alexander, and others." The narrative is told with much simplicity. It is:

"John Semple was a person who lived a very quiet and innocent life, with his wife and three or four children; he never carried arms, nor gave the least disturbance to the Government, only from a principle of conscience came not to the church to hear the episcopal ministers; and being given to hospitality, and of a compassionate temper, he did sometimes harbour those poor people who were then hunted for their lives. Upon these accounts April this year (1685), Alexander Ferguson of Kilkerran, living at Moorston, a country house about a mile from Eldington, went to Blawhan garrison, commanded by Dundas, and informed against John Semple. The commander detached a party about sunset, Alexander Ferguson being their guide, who conducted them first to his own house at Moorston, where they supped. And about midnight, when they reckoned he would be at home, and all ready for their purpose, they came straight towards Eldington, and surrounded the house. John Semple hearing the sound of their feet about the house, and a confused noise of whispering, dreaded what was the matter, and having a right thought of their design, considered with himself what to do in that extremity, and at length concluded to venture his escape out at

a narrow window, which while he was endeavouring, and half out and half in, five or six of the party espied him and discharged their pieces at him, and killed him dead on the spot. After they had perpetrate this murder, as if they had done some worthy exploit, they and the said Ferguson went to the barns of Bargeny, and drank and caroused till next night. An honest woman near that place, in a little time meeting with Ferguson, challenged him, how his conscience suffered him to be thus accessory to the death of that innocent man, who left a wife and four or five small shiftless children behind him. He scornfully replied that it was a piece of kindness done to her and them, since her husband, with those he entertained, would have eaten up all they had."

After viewing the monument, we walked round to the other side of the church, to the ruins of the session house, on the floor of which are two large dark-looking stones, about five feet each in circumference. There is a two-fold tradition regarding them— that the two have fallen from the skies, and certainly the stones have a meteoric look, had they not been so large; and second, that they are the old standard weights of the district. If so, the district has in the past certainly not been fleeced by light weights.

From the churchyard we walked about a quarter of a mile, up the steep road that leads from the churchyard, and had a fine view of the fruitful country in the valley beneath, with Killochan Castle, embowered among trees in the foreground, and to the west of it the mansion of Trochrig, once associated with the

name of Zachary Boyd, who did so much for the Glasgow University; while looking west was the sea and the cone-like rock of Ailsa Craig at least twelve miles away.

LD CUMNOCK lies about half-a-mile to the west of the station, on the South-Western Railway, that runs from Glasgow to Dumfries and Carlisle. The road is nearly downhill the whole way to the bed of the Lugar Water, that skirts the west side of Old Cumnock. The churchyard is on the right-hand side, on a knowe or hill, before the town is reached. As we entered, on the left was the object of our visit, the three tombstones overshadowed by two aged thorns, and all three enclosed within an iron railing. The first of the stones is that erected to the memory of Peden. It is a flat stone, and, according to the gravedigger, is the fourth stone that has been put up. The remains of the old stones lie by its side. The inscription is: