he inquired if there was any appearance of rain, they said they saw none. He said, These braes look very burnt-like, being a cold east drought. Gavin said, we fear, if the Lord send not rain, there will be a scarcity of bread. He said, I have been thinking upon that since I came into this wood; but if I be not under a delusion, (for this was his ordinary way of speaking when he gave his thought of what was to come) you need not fear that, as long as this persecution lasts: For the Lord has a greater respect to his own suffering people, than to suffer such a rough wind to blow in such an east wind; for, if that were, the heavy end of that stroke would come upon his own people. For me, I am to die shortly by the hand of this bloody enemy; but you that outlive this persecution, as I am of the mind you will both do, (which they did both, and saw the sad accomplishment) you will see cleanness of teeth, and mony a black pale face, which shall put many a thousand to their graves in Scotland, with unheard-of natures of fluxes, and severs, and otherwise; and there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people: Mr Peden did foresee and foretel the same things, but in his own peculiar way of expressing himself, saying, "As long as the lads are upon the hills, and in glens and caves, you will have Bannock o'er night; but, if once they were beneath the bield of this brae, you will have clean teeth, and mony a black and pale face in Scotland." The sad accomplishment of these sayings will lamentably appeal in these following instances.
In the year 1694, in the month of August, that crop got such a stroke in one night, by east mist or fog standing like mountains, (and where it remained longest and thickest, the badder were the effects,) which all our old men, that had seen frost, blasting, and mildewing, had never seen the like, that it got little good of the ground.
In November, that winter, many were smitten with many fore fluxes, and strange fevers, (which carried
