Maitland Club > Miscellany of the Maitland Club > Volume 3, Parts 1 and 2

454 BURNING OF AUCHTERARDER, 1716.
many of the Rebells orders, was by them carry 'd prisoner to the Sherriff-
mure, where in the time of the Battle he made his escape, but durst
never after stay at home so as to be seen by them. Being surpriz'd in
his House that morning the Rebells came to burn, and knowing the
danger he was in, because they had threatned to kill him, hid himselfe
behind a chest, and lay there in his shirt upon the cold ground a whole
day, and did not get his escape made till in the hurry and time of the
burning, he was forced naked as he was to run through the snow a full
mile to a wood to save himselfe.
M r William Davidson School-master, who had been very active all
the time of the Rebellion in supporting and encouraging the Kings
Friends in the Country, and being upon that account every da)' threat'-
ned to be seized by the Garrison of Tullibardine which is within a mile
of that place, was when he heard noise in the morning endeavouring to
make his escape, but was seized by the Rebells, stript, robb'd of what
money was about him, and last with much to do escaped, wading with
great difficulty to the Wood where Shearer his brother in law was gone
before. After he was gone the Highlanders broke into his house, where
tho' his Wife was bigg with Child they fell a plundering, and when she
seem'd but to murmur at it, they knockt her down with the butt-end of
a Gun, and left her lying dead upon the ground, blooding at mouth and
nose.
William Friskan Merchant, who tho' his house and all that was in it
was burnt, thought himselfe happy that he had escaped with some
money that he had in a bagg to the Church. But in the generall search
which the Rebell Guard made upon all those that were in the Church
they found his money about him, beat him severely and took it from him.
The Church and some few little houses such as stables and byers
being preserved by the tempestuousness of the day from the first
burning, the poor miserable people was begun to shelter them-
selves in them the best they cou'd ; when on Friday the 27 lh in the