Mission Reformation | Part 5
May 8, 2025 | Written by Second Deputy Friar Bill Broadhurst.
Each trooper overcame the warren of fire doors in our quarters in timely fashion, and we mustered on the morn.
By now the effects of the campaign were beginning to show. The permutations and combinations of mixing outerwear had been exhausted. The surprising heat truncated the options for wearing a sweater over what you sported two days before. The troops gamely dealt with this vexation by engaging in selective amnesia, greeting one another each morning by saying, “That’s cute.”
This collective mental resilience was certainly a credit to each trooper. But truth be told, that resilience had been fueled in great part by the nightly exhortations of one of our own. Dubbed Echol the Wanderer for his singular battle prowess revealed at Urquhart Castle, this 1st Pres-Richmond ex-pat engaged us nightly in humorous and poignant exchanges after dinner. His contributions to the campaign were truly immeasurable.
Thus instilled with fresh resolve, the troop continued the campaign. Today’s objective had been St. John’s, where John Knox had so powerfully preached against idolatry that the populace (who apparently missed the point of the sermon) went on a destructive rampage of local Papist places of worship.
But plans had to be altered. Our concern was now not only the Scots. The English were in the field. We were thus forced to move against powerful Balmoral, home to English royalty for centuries. Mary directed the ever-trusted Tina towards our goal, and soon Balmoral lay before us.
We advanced with willing but trembling hearts. Recognizing the risks of a frontal assault, Mary went to parley with the castle keeper. She negotiated favorable terms, requiring us only to lay down our arms in exchange for free movement about the place.
We agreed, and soon were strolling about the house, grounds and gardens. His Majesty had remained in London and so missed out on the opportunity to enjoy our company. Nonetheless Balmoral was ours.
The morning’s anxieties had left us a bit peckish, so we focused our attention on driving on to the larders of Scone Palace (site of the coronation and consecrations of scores of Scottish kings). Given our capture of Balmoral, we knew that the Scots would be prepared for us.
Certainly they were, but not as we imagined. They greeted us upon arrival with a classic and scrumptious English tea. As he appeared to be cleansed of the coo lathering he had previously suffered, Rev. Brannan was welcomed back to table.
Afterwards of tea, we enjoyed a tour of the palace. Thereafter we wandered about the grounds and abbey, to the amusement of resident peacocks.
As the day’s campaign had taken longer than anticipated, we thought it best to skip a visit to St. John’s, as John Knox had probably done enough damage from there for all Presbyterians.
We moved on to quarter at the remote but accessible Murrayshall Country Estate, which had no apparent fire doors but lavish accommodations. It would be our home for two days.
Tomorrow, St. Andrews and a spy at the Old Course. Sort of.
