LIFE ALEXANDER REID, & 5>rott0i) atobntantcr* WRITTEN BY HIMSELF, AND EDITED BY ARCHIBALD PRENTICE, HIS GREAT GRANDSON. MANCHESTER: PRINTED BY J. GARNETT, AT THE GUARDIAN OFFICE. 1822. PREFACE, The following short memoir, in the hand-, writing of the author, was found amongst the papers of his son, the Rev. George Re id, minister at Ochiltree, and was pub- lished, for- the perusal of his descendants, in 1802, by David and Walter Reid, grandsons of the subject of the memoir. As it was printed in a very slovenly man- ner, and full of typographical errors, I have been induced, by respect for the memory of my ancestor, to reprint it, and have added to it a few historical and biographi- cal notes, in order that it may form in itself a brief history of a period which I a2 IV consider one of the most important in the annals of our island. To those who value the liberties we now enjoy, an account of the contest for their establishment, written by one who took a part in the conflict, cannot be uninteresting; and to all who hold the religious tenets of the Covenant- ers, and, like them, acknowledge no earthly head of the church, and no prelatic autho- rity over its members, their sufferings in the good cause, and the heroic resistance they offered to the tyrannical measures of the heartless and profligate Charles, must be subjects of especial interest. To the descendants of Alexander Reid, for whom, principally, these particulars of his life are intended, I need offer no apology for their publication. Yet I may remark, that, humble as our ancestor was, and oc- cupying a rank from which the biographer has seldom thought of drawing the subject of his eulogy, he was a pious man, and therefore entitled to our respect — he was a patriot, and therefore entitled to our grati- tude. His name was not exalted by deeds of violence ;— he was not found amongst the mercenaries who sought to emerge from obscurity by implicit obedience to a ty- rant's commands; — he was not one who valued that bad fame which is to be ac- quired by the destruction of his fellow- men : but, disregarding the renown which the page of history confers, his sole am- bition was, to have his name recorded in the pages of the book of life. But the nation was grievously oppressed, and the man who dared to worship God in the manner his fathers had done, was in hourly danger of forfeiting his life for com- plying with the dictates of his conscience. In defence of civil and religious liberty our ancestor ventured into the field; and we find him, at the age of thirty-three, sti- mulated neither by the blind impetuosity of youth, nor the bigotry of age, but influ- enced by sound and liberal principles, rais- ing his arm against the oppressor, and wielding his unbought sword in the sacred cause of freedom. I trust that the perusal of these memoirs will excite in the minds of his numerous descendants, if they do not already exist a 3 VI there, those principles of piety and of patriotism which actuated him; and, that respect for his memory will be followed by its legitimate effect — emulation of his virtues. A SHORT ACCOUNT OF THE LORD'S MERCIFUL PROVIDENCES TO ALEXAN- DER REID, TENANT IN EASTER MAINS, BROXBURN, AND TO THE CHURCH IN HIS TIME. I was born in the parish of Kirkliston, in the year 1646. I was educate and brought up under the ministry of Mr. Gilbert Hall; my parents living in that parish, and getting good by his ministry in that flourishing time of the gospel;* so that * Burnett bears testimony to the excellence of the government of Scotland, during the period of Cromwell's ascendancy. — " There was good justice " done, and vice was suppressed and punished; so " that we reckon those eight years of usurpation, a " time of great peace and prosperity." Reid has characterised the period, as a " flourishing time " of the gospel. " The dispute between the Resolutiouers and the Protesters, (into which denominations the clergy were divided) and the they were such an example before me of seeking God,, that many times, when I was very young, my father praying in the family, I thought " Oh, that I could pray," going along with the words of the prayer. I was instructed not to curse, or swear, or break the sabbath day; from which, by the mercy of God, I was easily restrained: and many times, upon my companions playing on the sabbath day, I durst not do it, although I had an inclination to it. I was put to the school young, so that I learned to read the scriptures; in which, by the Lord's good hand that was with me, I greatly delighted ; and the impres- sion remained on my mind when I grew older. I read the scripture much after I was nine or ten years of age, and also preaching books; so that I was taught and brought up in presbyterian principles, which I saw clearly was according to the word of God. I was also, in my younger exertions of both parties to obtain the support of the people, by extra zeal in the discharge of their duties, made religious matters more than ever the subject of constant discussion. — " It is scarcely " credible," says Burnett, " what an effect this " had among the people, to how grea,t a measure of " knowledge they were brought, and how readily " they could pray extempore, and talk of divine " matters,'* days, instructed in our Catechisms and Confession of Faith, which contain the ground of our Christian religion; and coming to more age, and being so instruct- ed, I clearly came to understand, that the nation, and I myself, by my baptismal vows and instructions, were engaged in our solemn covenants. When I was about nine or ten years of age, I had an inclination to seek God; which I did sometimes, now and then ; but had strong repulses, from the suggestions of Satan,* on the other hand; the one pressing me to duty, the other pressing me to neglect it. Having this suggestion, " It is soon enough yet ;" and likewise * To those who may imagine that this was a pre- mature age for serious religious impressions, I quote the following passage from the work of a lady of high rank and exalted mind, who, in the memoirs of her husband, Col. Hutchinson, has shewn that puritan- ism could exist along with those " high-erected " thoughts, seated in a heart of courtesy," which characterize the gentleman. Alluding to her own character, at an earlier age than this, she says, " It " pleased God, that through the good instructions of " my mother, and the sermons she carried me to, I " was convinced that the knowledge of God was u the most excellent study, and accordingly ap- ■ plied myself to it, and to practise as I was " taught. I used to exhort my mother's maids " much, and to turn their idle discourses to good " subjects." this, " You may live civilly, without " wronging any body, and live under a 11 good honest name; for if ye begin now, " when ye are young, ye will but leave " it off again, and then that will be a " greater shame than if ye had never " begun ;" and suggested tw r o men, who were great professors, that seemed to ex- ceed many, who turned away, and left their profession; and so, I thought, it might even be with me; so that, for a lo^g time, I was mightily kept back: yet the Lord, in mercy, kept me, to look after him. While I was under these impres- sions, the sad and unhappy change of the government, from presbytery to prelacy, commenced. The first preaching that I understood any thing of, was that Mr. Gilbert Hall had at Kirkliston, before the sad change of putting the most part of the presbyterian ministers from their churches, which was in the years 1660 and 1661. At that time I was clearly convinced by the w r ord of God, and converse with sound presbyterians, that the presbyterian way was the way of truth ; so I thank the Lord that I resolved to adhere to and follow that way only, in opposition to the perjured prelacy that was pressed on the land, con- irary to the clear rule of the word of God ; and the lands solemnly engaged to the con- trary. I resolved, and, through the Lord's assistance, stood in opposition to curates in joining with them, be the hazard what it would. Notwithstanding the cruelty to our presbyterian ministers, the Lord did graciously provide the gospel for me and others, by some that continued in their kirks, after the rest were put out.* * The following extract from an article in the Edinburgh Christian Instructor, attributed to £>r, M'Crie, contains a brief account of the introduc- tion of episcopacy. It forms part of a defence of the covenanters, from the misrepresentations and calumnies contained in the Talcs of My Landlord, a work which, being as destitute of literary merit, as of historical verity, seemed below the serious notice of the author of the Life of Knox. But such is the prevailing taste for light reading, and the ignorance in matters of history, that thousands of the " read- ing public" are contented to form a judgment of their ancestors, from the distorted paintings of a trashy novel-writer; and it becomes a matter of duty, to rescue the memory of the virtuous from such misrepresentation. " During nineteen long years previous to the in- surrection at Both well, the presbyterians of Scot- land had smarted under the rod of persecution, Scarcely was Charles II. restored, when the scaf- fold was dyed with the blood of the noble Marquis of Argyle, who had placed the crown on the king's head; and of James Guthrie, whose loyalty, not of that passive, creeping, senseless kind which cavaliers and tories glory in, but enlightened, tempered, and firm, was proved by his refusing, during the whole period of the interregnum, to 6 There was one Mr. Robert Hunter, that preached for a time in Corstorphin kirk, whom we resorted to, and were much re- acknowledge either the commonwealth or the pro- tectorate. The people of Scotland were deeply rooted in their attachment to presbytery, from a persuasion of its agreeableness to scripture ; from experience of the advantages, religious and civil, which it had produced; from the oaths which they were under, to adhere to it; and from the suffer- ings which they had endured for their adherence to it, both from the court and from the sectaries of England. Upon the restoration, a proclamation was sent down to Scotland, in which the king pro- mised to preserve this form of church government in that part of his dominions. But this was merely an artifice to lull the nation asleep, until the court had gained over, or got rid of, the principal per- sons whose opposition they had reason to fear; and to prevent the general remonstrances which would otherwise have been presented from all parts of the kingdom, against the intended change; for it is beyond all doubt (whatever ignorance may assert to the contrary) that there was not then a party in Scotland, worthy of being named) which desired the restoration of episcopacy, upon reli- gious principle. Accordingly, when the parliament met, being packed by the court, and slavishly sub- missive to all its wishes, it proceeded to declare the king supreme in all causes, ecclesiastical and civil; to devolve upon him the whole right of set- tling the government of the church; to con- demn all resistance to the royal authority; and, at one stroke, to rescind all the parliaments from 1610 to 1650, even those at which his majesty and his father had been present, and all their acts, in- cluding many of the most enlightened and salutary which ever passed a Scotish legislature! Thus the Jiberties of the nation, civil and religious, were laid freshed by his preaching, and more and more confirmed in the presbyterian princb- pies : and we likewise resorted for a time at at the feet of the monarch, and the foundations of all legitimate government shaken. ' This' says Bishop Burnet, * was a most extravagant act, and * only fit to be concluded after a drunken bout. It ■ shook all possible security for the future, and laid c down a most pernicious precedent. It was a mad, * roaring time, full of extravagance. And no won- ' der it was so, when the men of affairs were almost 4 perpetually drunk.' Had not the ancient spirit of Scotland been broken by repeated disasters, and had they not been basely betrayed, the nation would have risen at once, bound this mad crew, and thrown off the degrading yoke which was im- posed on them. In the exercise of the powers with which he was invested, the king immediately restor- ed episcopacy by a royal edict, which was soon after confirmed by another parliament. One prin- cipal cause of this revolution, and of all the con- fusions, horrors, and crimes, wh'chit entailed upon the nation during twenty-eight years, was the base and unparalelled treachery of Sharp, who, having been sent to London by the presbyterians to watch over their interests, and supported there by their money, deluded them in his letters by the most solemn assurances of his fidelity, and of the secu- rity of their cause, while he had betrayed that cause, and sold himself to their adversaries; and who continued to practise the same consummate hypocrisy until he had no longer any reason for concealment, and took possession of the archbish- oprick of St. Andrew's. All the authority, and all the force of government, were henceforth employ- ed, almost solely, in enforcing subjection to a form of church-government, and to an order of men, that were odious to the nation. The Solemn League and Covenant, which was regarded with the greatest veneration, and had long been considered West Calder kirk, to Mr. Patrick Shiels, by whose preaching I was yet more confirm- ed in the presbyterian way. And their as one of the most sacred bonds of security for the national religion and liberties, was declared by statute unlawful, and all the subjects, as well as the king, who had sworn to it, were absolved from its obligation; those who were admitted to places of power and trust, were obliged explicitly to renounce it; and this renunciation soon came to be exacted from the subjects in general, under the heaviest penalties. All ministers who had been admitted to parishes after 1649, were ordered, before a certain day, to receive collation from the bishops, or else to leave their churches. In consequence of this, between three and four hundred of them were con- strained to leave their charges, which were filled with men who were, in general, the -very dregs and refuse of society. In giving them this character, we use the language, a little softened, of a bishop, who was at that time in Scotland, and was a writer in support of episcopacy. ' They were' says he, * very mean and despicable in all respects. They 1 were the worst preachers ever I heard: they were 1 ignorant to a reproach, and many of them were ' openly vicious. They were a disgrace to their or- 4 ders, and to the sacred functions; and were, in- ( deed, the dregs and refuse of the northern parts. •' Those of them who arose above contempt or ' scandal, were men of such violent tempers, that ' they were as much hated, as the others were despis- f ed.' Who can wonder that such men were de- spised and detested? Who but hypocritical infi- dels,, and profligates, and dastardly souls, would have submitted to the ministry ot such men, or have abandoned their own ministers, who had been highly respected, and were highly respectable? Accordingly, sueh of the people as had any sense of religion, or of decorum, and were not slaves to the court, or to deep prejudice, scrupled to hear 9 preaching was very savoury to me, for 1 had at that time a great memory to retain their sermons. I could have repeated the the curates, and frequented the churches of those presbyterian ministers who had not yet been eject- ed. When this was not in their power, they crav- ed instructions from their ejected pastors, who, considering the relation that had subsisted between them and their flocks as not dissolved, complied with their request, at first privately, and after- wards more publicly. This was the origin of sepa- rate meetings and conventicles, against which the vengeance of the government, and of the bishops and their worthless underlings, was now directed. M Laws, with penalties, which were gradually increased, were enacted, and every person bearing the king's commission had the power of executing them. The parliament had granted to the king a standing army, under the pretext of defending Christendom against the Turks, forsooth; but, in reality, to support his arbitrary government. The soldiers were dispersed in companies through the non-conforming parishes: the curate read over a catalogue of his parishioners on the sabbath-day, and having marked the names of such as were ab- sent, gave them in to the person who commanded the company, who immediately levied the fines incurred by the absentees. In parishes to which the nonconformists were expected to repair, the soldiers used to spend the sabbath in the nearest inn, and when warned by the psalm that public worship was drawing to a close, they sallied out from their cups, placed themselves at the doors of the church, told the people as they came out, like a flock of sheep, and seized as their prey upon such as had wandered from their own parishes. Mi- nisters who preached at conventicles were, when apprehended, committed to prison, and banished; those who attended their ministry were severely fined, or subjected to corporal punishment. Mas- B 2 10 most part of them afterward, and wrote the substance of many of them after I went home ; so that I greatly delighted to fol- low that way, and was keeped from hear- ing eurates, which I desire to bless the Lord for ; and did debate with those I met with against that perjured party, that had openly and avowedly broken the covenant, and persecuted the godly in the land. There were two scripture passages which confirmed me against that lordly prelacy, and convinced me that it was not approven of the Lord :■ — Luke xxii. 25. " And he " said unto them/ the kings of the Gen- " tiles exercise lordship over them ; and " they that exercise authority upon them, " are called benefactors. But ye shall not " be so ; but he that is greatest among " you, let him be as the younger ; and he " that is chief, as he that doth serve :•'*' and that scripture, 1. Peter v. iii. " Neither ters were obliged to enter into bonds that their ser- vants should not attend these meetings, and land- lords to come under these engagements for all that lived on their estates. If any dispute arose re- specting the fines, the person accused was obliged to travel from the most distant parts of the country, and though found innocent, was often obliged to pay what was called riding-money y for defraying the travelling expenses of his accuser, who accom- panied him." 11 " as being lords over God's heritage, but " being ensamples to the flock." There was a minister over the water, in Dalgity, called Mr. Andrew Donaldson/* that I sometimes went to ; and likewise one Mr. John Charters, of Currie, that had not taken on with the bishops, an old man, but of very small gifts, which we resorted to ; and readily, in the afternoon, some outed ministers preached, at Baberton, Riccarton, and Curriehill ; and sometimes Mr. John Welsh, t and Mr. John Semple,J who af- * Mr. Donaldson was ejected in 1664, for refusing to comply with the Bishop's summons to the pres- byteries. In 1676, he, along with Gilbert Hall, and many others, were inter communed ; that is, declared rebels, and all who rendered them the slightest aid in food or clothing, or received them into their houses, or even conversed with them, were considered as guilty with them of the same crimes* These crimes were, either hearing or preaching at conventicles, and refusing to appear when sum- moned. f Welsh was a great grandson of the intrepid reformer Knox. He was ejected from his parish in 1663; and because some women opposed the set- tlement of his successor, 100 horse and 200 of the King's guards were quartered on the inhabitants. Mr. Welsh joined the insurgents, who were defeat- ed in 1666, at Pentland. In 1 674 a reward of £400.. sterling was offered, for his apprehension; and the detestable Claverhouse declared hewould at any time ride 40 miles in a winter's night to apprehend him: yet he continued to preach on every opportunity, and happily escaped every plan for his destruction. J In 1660 Semple was imprisoned, along with B 3 12 forded no small encouragement to our souls. Now, all this time the persecution of the nonconformists grew greater and greater, by prelates and their adherents; so that all these ministers before mentioned, were casten out of their kirks, and tfct^noncon- formists in this part of the country were hard put to it, for preaching ; but yet the Lord mercifully provided for his people, that Mr. Alexander Hamilton preached in the tower of Cramond, and Mr. Robert Hunter, at Camuck; so that we resorted thither ; by whom we were confirmed more and more to adhere to that persecuted cause, believing that it was the cause of God. After this, about the year 1 666, the per- secution grew still hotter and hotter, and grew very great in the west country, be- cause of the multitude of nonconformists ; for the great part of the people there with- drew from curates, especially in Gallo- way, where the persecution rose to a great height; so that one Major Turner was sent out with his soldiers, to spoil and cruelly oppose and oppress that people eleven others, for addressing a humble supplication to, Charles, for the preservation of the reformed religion in the church of Scotland ! 13 mightily, as Naphtali doth declare fully ; so that people were forced, by that horrid cruelty, to rise in arms for their own de- fence, and the defence of their religion ;f * " Sir James Turner, who commanded a troop which lay at Dumfries, in 1666, had distinguished himself by 'his military exactions and plunder. A small party of his soldiers were one day ordered to a small village in Galloway, to bring in one of their victims. While they were treating him in the most inhuman manner, some countrymen veutured to remonstrate against their cruelty. This was re- sented by the soldiers; a scuffle ensued, and th would " praise with me !" so that I thought as the disciples did upon the mount, at the trans- figuration, "O, to be here! O, to dwell " here ! O, to be evermore in this condi- 23 ,"tion!" and many times crying, as in the Song, " I am my beloved's, and he is mine; " I am my beloved's, and his desire is to- " wards me." * But I continued in this condition for a short time ; fourteen days at the most, when I was set to my feet again; and the Lord withdrew, and hid his face. And Satan then came in with his temptations and suggestions, saying, all was but delusion; but I was persuaded that it was the finger of God, and, through all my suggestions and temptations, that this was the mighty power of God ; and this was about the two and twentieth year of my age. But I thought it was my un- guarded walk provoked the Lord to desert me; so that I was in hazard to raze the foundation of my faith. The Lord, after this, mercifully provided the gospel, mostly * superior joy Invades, possesses, and o'erwhelms the soul Of him, whom hope has with a touch made whole* 'Tis heaven, all heaven, descending on the wings Of the glad legions of the king of kings : 'Tis more— 'tis God, diffused through every part, 'Tis God himself triumphant in his heart. O welcome, now, the sun's once hated light, His noonday beams were never half so bright ! Not kindred minds alone are call'd to employ Their hours, their days, in listening to his joy; Unconscious nature, all that he surveys,^ Rocks, groves, and streams, must join him in hit praise." Coii-per, - "c'3 24 in the night-time, and stirred up his ser- vants to preach the gospel in that time, because of hazard in the day-time, except in the remote places of the muirlands, where they preached by day, in mosses and mountains. * The first field ministers that came out were Mr. John Welsh, Mr. Gabriel Sem- pe\, Mr. Samuel Arnot, Mr. John Black- adder, Mr. John Dickson, Mr. Robert Archibald, Mr. Thomas Hog,t whom the •— -: — * ?' Long ere the dawn, by devious ways, O'er hills, thro' woods, o'er dreary wastes, they sought The upland moors, where rivers, there but brooks, Dispart to different seas. Fast by such brooks, A little glen is sometimes scooped, a plat, With green-sward gay, and flowers that strangers seem Amid the heathery wild, that all around Fatigues the eye. In solitudes like these Thy persecuted children, Scotia, foiled A tyrant's and a bigot's bloody laws. "Xhere, leaning on his spear, (one of th' array Whose gleam, in former days, had scathed the rose On England's banner, and had powerless struck The infatuate monarch and his wavering hosts, > The lyart veteran heard the word of God, By Cameron thundered, or by Renwick poured In gentle stream : then rose the song, the loud Acclaim of praise; the wheeling plover ceased Her plaint; the solitary place was glad." v Graham? s Sabbath. f Mr. Dickson and Mr. Blackadder were afterwards imprisoned together, in the "Bass, an insulated rock in the firth of Forth. The latter died in prison; the former was confined seven years. Their crime was preaching at conventicles, which they did not de- ny. It is told of Mr, Hog, that James II. had him 25 nonconformists heard, sometimes by night, sometimes by day; and I did hear them sometimes, amongst others, which was a mean to strengthen me and others to conti- nue in one faith, and to hold by our pro-* fession. Some time after the encounter at Pentland, there were indulgences given by the council to some ministers, in our side of the country, — Mr. Alexander Hamilton, in Dalmeny, and Mr. John Primrose, in Queensferry ; but after this they were cast out again, and we were taken by night and by day to wait on the gospel by the outed ministers, and the Lord eminently countenanced his servants, especially in the fields in these remote places, to the great joy of his people, though in great hazard* Many more of the presbyterian' ministers took the fields in these remote places, and preached by night. In other places of the country, these ministers, Mr. Welsh, Mr. Sempel, and Mr. consulted with regard to affairs about the time of his accession; but the opinion he gave was so little relished by the king, that Hog thought it pru- dent to escape to Holland. He was there introdu- ced to the Prince of Orange, who was then contem- plating his accession to the English throne, and at whose court the expatriated Scotish clergy receiv- ed much attention. 26 Arnot, preached, although there were great sums of money offered to any that would apprehend them ; yet, for all this danger, . it scared not others to come out. There were Mr. David Hume, Mr. John Rae, Mr. Archibald Rithel, Mr. William Sempel, Mr. George Barclay, Mr. William Main, Mr. HughMackell, Mr. Robert Ross, Mr. John King, Mr. John Kid, Mr. William Bell, Mr. Patrick Anderson, Mr. James Donald- son, Mr. James Welsh, Mr. Donald Car- gil, Mr. Richard Cameron, Mr. William Lamb, Mr. John Killekine, Mr. Thomas Douglas, Mr. John Wallwood, Mr. John Mossman, Mr. John Blair, Mr. Alexander Hastie, Mr. Michael Potter, Mr. James Frazer, of Brae, with several others, who went out, and preached by night and by day, in great peril of their lives and liber- ties, and the people went out to hear them in no less peril ; but it may be said, as it was of the children of Israel in Egypt, the more they were afflicted, the more they grew;* for multitudes followed after these * The uniform fortitude of the sufferers, under the tortures which were inflicted to extort confes- sions, and the undaunted and even triumphant manner in which they met with death on the scaffold, and avowed with their latest breath their adherence to that Solemn Covenant, by 27 meetings, called conventicles. The prelatic party seeing this thing, was more and more which they considered themselves as bound to unite together in defence of their religion, had the effect of confirming in others those principles which supported them so nobly in the hour of suf- fering. The account of the torture, trial, and death of M'Kail, an accomplished young man of 26, as detailed in Woodrow, fills the mind with detesta- tion of the inhuman miscreantb who directed the proceedings, and admiration of the Christian heroism of the youthful sufferer. But the detail is of too great length to be inserted here. Burnet records his death in these terms: — "One Maccail, that was " only a probationary preacher, and had been chap- u lain in Sir James Steward's house, had gone from " Edinburgh to those who were in arms at Pent- " land. It was believed he was sent by the party " in town, and that he knew their correspondents. " So he was put to the torture, which in Scotland " they call the boots; for they put a pair of iron " boots close on the leg, and drive wedges between " these and the leg. The common torture was M only to drive these in the calf of the leg; but I M have been told they were sometimes driven on the " shin bone. He bore the torture with great con- " stancy; and either he could say nothing, or " he had the firmness not to discover those who " trusted him. Every man of them could have <' saved his own life, if he would accuse any other; " but they were all true to their friends. Maccail, " for all the pains of the torture, died in a rapture "of joy. His last words were — ' Farewel, sun, u i moon, and stars — farewel, kindred and friends— u ' farewel, world and time — farewel, weak and " ' frail body — welcome, eternity — welcome, angels " ' and saints — welcome, Saviour of the world — " ' and welcome, God, the judge of all ;' — which he " spoke with a voice and manner that struck all " that heard him. ,x 28 enraged against the presbyterians, whom they commonly called fanatics ; but the Lord eminently countenanced the labour of his servants, to the great comfort and con- solation of his people ; although they tra- velled far to remote places, in great ha- zard, both in their coming and going, and at their meetings; for there were parties both of horse and foot sent out, to search them out ; which they did in all eagerness, killing some of them in the fields, appre- hending others ; so that the enemy's cru- elty increased more and more from Pent- land to Botlrwell : but yet the Lord helped his people to wrestle on, sparing neither travel, nor expense, nor hazard. In all this time I attained not to the comfort in fellowship with God, which I attained to in the aforementioned time ; so that I was forced to cry out, " O, that it were with " me as in former times, and as in months " past, wherein the candle of the Lord " shined upon my habitation !" But the Lord, by the means of the gospel, helped me, in mercy; to follow him in his own way. I was enabled to renew the bargain at a communion in the fields, at Maybole, in Carrick ; and afterwards at several other communions ; one in the Merse, another at 29 Gallow-water, and at Bathgate commu- nion ; and at our communions at Uphall, and several other communions,, I aimed to renew the bargain betwixt Christ and my soul. Before Bothwell, the presbyterians being pursued in an hostile manner, in hazard of their lives, armed themselves for their own defence in several remote muirland places, as in Calder muir, Carnwath muir, and seve- ral parts in the west country : their ene- mies increased more and more in their cruelty, having taken a resolution to cut off and destroy, especially in the west country; for they sent forth an army of savage Highlanders, with the militia of East Lo- thian, and savage grey coats of Angus,* * " Those who have heard of modern Highland hospitality, or been amused with fables of ancient Highland chivalry, can form no idea of the horror produced by the irruption of these savages, to the number of ten thousand; armed, besides their ac- customed weapons, with spades, shovels, and mat- tocks, and with daggers or dirks, made to fasten to the muzzles of their guns; iron shackles, for bind- ing their prisoners, and thumb-locks, to oblige them to answer the questions proposed to them, and to discover their concealed treasure. The rapine and outrage committed by this lawless banditti, often without discrimination of conformists from noncon- formists, having obliged the government to order them home, the regular troops were sent to replace them, provided with instructions to proceed with so who went in a hostile manner to ruin and destroy the poor people in the west ; but the Lord himself lifted up a standard against them, when they came in as a flood. The consciences of these very men who were sent against them, were convin- ced of that people's harmlessness and inno- cency ; and they, as it were, stole away. Many of them came home, as if it had been a broken army. The power of God was so seen, that they went away as men ashamed. In the time that these folk were prepar- ing to go to the west, I was taken prisoner by one Baillie Glen, in Linlithgow, and kept a night or two, and challenged for being at conventicles, and baptizing chil- dren at them, which I did not deny. I was fined upon that account, paying 100 merks, although I had a great reluctance to give them fines, and so procured my liberty. After this, the persecution went on against the conventicles, which the enemies called rendezvouses of rebellion. Several the greatest severity against those who attended conventicles, and headed by officers who had shewn themselves best qualified for carrying these in- structions into effect." — M'Crie. 31 fast-days were kept, both in fields and houses, and Claverhouse* was sent to the west, with a troop of horse, to pursue and * " Claverhouse was not in Scotland at the begin- ning of the persecution; but he had been employed in it as the captain of the independent troop, at least two years before the affair at Drumclog. His behaviour soon recommended him to his employers. Officers not distinguished for humanity, and suf- ficiently disposed to execute the orders which they received with rigour, had been previously employ- ed by the court. But the deeds of Turner, Banna - fcyne, Grierson of Lagg, and General Dalziel, were soon eclipsed by those of Grahame, who long con- tinued to be known hi Scotland by the name of Bloody Claverhouse, His actions, ay recorded in the history of these times, do certainly prove that he was not undeserving of this appellation. A brief reference to some of these will assist us in judging of his character. We shall not speak of the blood wantonly shed by him in the pursuit of the cove- nanters, after their rout at Both well, nor of the ravages and cruelties which he committed in Ayr- shire and in Galloway, during that and the succeed- ing year; as it may be alleged, that revenge for the disgrace which he had suffered at Loudon Hill prompted him to acts not congenial to his natural dis- position : but this feeling had sufficient time to subside before 1684. During that year he had the chief com- mand in the west of Scotland; and he employed the most disgraceful and barbarous measures to discover those that were intercommuned, and, if possible, to exterminate the whole party. He sought out, and employed, persons who could with the greatest ad- dress feign themselves to be pious men, and friendly to presbyterians; and by this means discovered their retreats, or drew them from places where they Could not be attacked by his troops. Having divid- ed the country into districts, he caused his soldiers D destroy these meetings. He went west, in a great rage, vowing to raze them; and so apprehended that worthy servant of the to drive all the inhabitants of a district, like so many cattle, to a convenient place. He then called out a certain number of them, and while his soldiers sur- rounded them with charged guns, and bloody threa- tenings, he made them swear that they owned the Duke of York as rightful successor to the throne. If they had formerly taken the test or abjuration oath, he interrogated them if they had repented of this? and then caused them to swear anew that they would not, under pain of losing their part in heaven, repent of it for the future. If any hesitat- ed to swear, he was taken out a few paces from the rest, his face was covered with a napkin, and the soldiers were ordered to fire over his head, to terri- fy him into compliance. At other times, he ga- thered together ail the children of a district, from six to ten years cf age; and having drawn up a party of soldiers before them, told them to pray, as they were going to be shot. When they were suf- ficiently frightened, he offered them their lives, provided they answered such questions as he pro- posed to them, concerning their fathers, and such as visited their houses. Claverhouse scrupled not to take an active part in these disgraceful scenes, so as to fire his own pistol twice over the head of a boy of nine years of age, to induce him to discover his father. He frequently shot those who fell into his power, though unarmed, without any form of trial; and when his soldiers, sometimes shocked at the wantonness of his cruelty, hesitated in obeying his orders, he executed them himself. The case of John Brown, in the parish of Muirkirk, affords an example of this kind. He was a man of excellent character, and no way obnoxious to government, except for nonconformity. On the 1st of May, 1684, he was' at work in the fields, near to his own 33 Lord,, Mr. John King, and bound him as a beast. Going on to pursue others that were to meet at Drumclog, several of the house, when Claverhouse passed, on his way from Lesmahago, with three troops of dragoons. It is probable that information of his nonconformity had been given to the colonel, who caused him to be brought from the fields to his own door, and after some interrogatories, ordered hfm to be instantly shot. Brown, being allowed a few minutes to prepare for death, prayed in such an affecting strain, that none of the soldiers, profane and har- dened as they were, could be prevailed upon to fire; upon which Claverhouse, irritated at the de- lay, shot him dead with his own hand, regardless of the tears and intreaties of the poor man's wife, who, far gone in her pregnancy, and attended by a young child, stood by. The afflicted widow could not refrain from upbraiding the murderer, and tell- ing him that he must give an account to God fox what he had done; to which the hardened and re** morseless villain proudly replied, * To man I can * be answerable, and as for God, I will take him * into my own hand.' The apologists of Claver- house have been obliged to notice the fact of his becoming the executioner of his own sentences, in the exercise of military discipline. But, with their usual fertility in inventing excuses for his most glar- ing faults, and with their wonted ignorance of hu- man nature, they impute such deeds of cold-blooded severity, to a desire on his part to do honour to the individuals on whom the punishment was inflicted! Thus Dalrymple, after telling us that the only pu- nishmentwhich Claverhouse inflicted was death, and that all other punishments, in his opinion, disgraced a gentleman, states that a young man having fled in the time of battle, he brought him to the front of the army ; and saying that i a gentleman's son ought 6 not to fall by the hands of a common executioner,' shot him with his own pistol. Those who recollect D 2 3 £ people armed themselves for their own de- fence. Claverhouse and his troop assault- ed them (leaving some few of their number the case of poor Brown, who was neither a soldier nor a gentleman, will know how to treat this absurd and ridiculous allegation. " The most hardened and irreligious persecutors do not always feel, upon reflection, that ease of mind which they affect. It is said that Claver- house acknowledged to some of his confidential friends, that Brown's prayer often intruded on his unwelcome thoughts; and it is not improbable that some degree of remorse at his late deed made him shew an unwonted reluctance to a murder which he committed only ten days after. In one of his marauding expeditions, he seized Andrew Hislop, and carried him prisoner along with him to the house of Sir James Johnston, of Wester-raw, without any design, it would appear, of putting hirr* to death. As Hislop was taken on his lands, Wester-raw insisted on passing sentence of death on him. Claverhouse opposed this, and pressed a delay of the execution; but his host urging him, he yielded, saying, ' The blood of this poor man be * upon you, Wester-raw; I am free of it.' A High- land gentleman, who was traversing the country, having come that way with a company of soldiers, Claverhouse meanly endeavoured to make him the executioner of Waster-raw's sentence; but that gentleman having more humanity, and a higher sense of honour, drew off his men to some dis- tance, and swore that he would fight Colonel Gra- hame seoner than perform such an office. Upon this, Claverhouse ordered three of his own soldiers to do it. When they were ready to fire, they de- sired Hislop to draw his bonnet over his face; but he refused, telling them that he had done nothing of which he had reason to be ashamed, and could look them in the face without fear; and holding up his bible in one of his hands, and reminding then* 35 to keep Mr. John King, lying bound on the ground) and attacked the meeting, de- signing to cut them off; but they coura- geously stood to their own defence, and put Claverhouse to the flight, and killed some of his troops, the horse he rode on was stabbed, but getting another, he es- caped and fled to Edinburgh. All the forces in the west retired east to Edin- burgh ; and Mr. King was delivered from their hands, and set at liberty. Friends hearing of this, the number of the people in- creased to them, and gathered a consider- able number in arms, for the defence of the gospel : so that there were gathered toge- ther a considerable number of men, indif- ferently armed, but for the most part hearty of the account which they had to render, he re- ceived the contents of their muskets in his body. — Say, reader, who was the hero, and who the cow- ard, on this occasion? "We have no doubt that every person of genuine feeling, and whose judg- ment is unwarped by prejudice, will pronounce that this man met his death with truer and more praise- worthy courage, than Claverhouse afterwards did, when he died ' in the arms of victory,' to use the canting language of certain historians, i and wiped off * the stain which he had contracted by his cruelties 'to the covenanters;' a stain which no victory, however brilliant, could efface; and which all the art and labour of his most eloquent apologists, instead of covering, will only serve to bring more clearly into view." — M i Crie, D 3 36 and courageous, and such as one would have thought would stoutly debate with the ene- my; but there arose some divisions among themselves, which discouraged many. I went, having a good will to that cause,, with some of my neighbours, and joined the people, being conscious that it was my duty to assist that party, according to my power, in the defence of the presbyterian principles: but all the forces in the land gathered together at Edinburgh, and all the militia in the north, with almost all the heritors in the land, or some for them. The Duke of Monmouth came front England, with some troops of dragoons with him; so they gathered all together, and came west, to fight at Bothwell-bridge, where the presbyterian party was broken. The cause of the break was the difference amongst them, which discouraged many; and their horses were untrained. And al- though one would have thought they had a good opportunity at the bridge, yet it seemed good to the Lord that they were defeated upon a sabbath-day, to the effu- sion of the blood of many of that godly people, especially of the foot ;* for many of * It was computed that 400 were killed, and 1200 taken prisoners. 37 the horsemen escaped. But many of the foot-men that were not killed, were taken prisoners, and were very harshly dealt with; but I escaped on horseback. O, that was a dreary day to the well affected in Scotland; and a joyful day to the cruel malignants! for the prisoners were cruelly dealt with in their way to Edinburgh ; and afterwards some of their lives taken, espe- cially those two worthy ministers, Mr. John King, and Mr. John Kidd, with others, whom they cruelly martyred.* A little after the break at Bothwell- bridge, there was an indemnity t given for a time to those that had escaped. A time was set to them to come in, and sign a [C A patriot's blood may earn indeed, And for a time, secure, to his lov'd land The sweets of liberty and equal laws ; But martyrs struggle for a brighter prize, And win it with more pain. Their blood is shed In confirmation of the noblest claim — Our claim to feed upon immortal truth, To walk with God, to be divinely free, To soar, and to anticipate the skies. Yet few remember them. They lived unknown, Till persecution dragged them into fame. And chased them up to heaven." f This mock indemnity was published, with great show of rejoicing, on the very day that the heads of Mr. King and Mr. Kidd were severed from their bodies, and, with their right hands, placed on the Netherbow-port ; or gate. 38 bond ; and during this time of the indem- nity, I came home to my own house, and was thinking of no hazard till the time of indemnity was over, wherein we were to advise about the signing of the bond : but they treacherously sent out a party of sol- diers from Blackness, to apprehend Wil- liam Carmichael and me. William Carmi- chael was not at home : I was at my own house; but by the good hand of Provi- dence, I arose hastily after dinner, and went to a neighbour's house : and when I was got in, there came twenty soldiers, running in all haste, past the house where I was, and went to my own house, and made a search there, and round about the yards. I escaped their hands at that time, which I thought was very remarkable ; and I withdrew, and was on my keeping till after harvest, when that cruel tyrant, the Laird of Carlowrie, after our corn was shorn, and put in the barn-yard, seized upon it, and put my wife out of the house, and closed the barn-doors ; and she was obliged to go to a neighbour's house, with a child sucking on her breast. One day I came to see her, when that cruel man came with some of his servants; so that I was surprised, and could not 39 escape. He caused his men to seize upon me, thinking to carry me to prison. Two of his men took hold of me, to lead me away prisoner, I essaying if possible to escape : my wife earnestly desiring one of them, who was an acquaintance* and relat- ed to me> to let me go ; but he would not. His name is John Samuel. Another of Carlowrie's men, who was my own cousin, would not lay hands on me ; but that John Samuel, and another of the laird's men, held me fast ; and I essaying if possible to escape, my wife flew to the men, to loose their hands from me, but could not; and that terrible man threw her down many- times on the ground, cruelly, without mercy. He, with a staff in his hand, struck her many times; he likewise broke my head with it, that the blood ran. I put my hand to my head, and in striking again he crushed my thumb, and almost broke it. Several women in the town came, be- seeching him to let me go, but he would not; but seemingly he would have killed us, and then taken our possession, but some other women came, and violently loosed these two men's hands, my wife doing her utmost to hold the laird. I es- caped their hand at that time. He took 40 possession of all our barn-yard, in which was corn and straw, which would largely be worth 1000/. Scots. My wife and her child were driven cruelly out of the town, under cloud of night, so that we had little, of all we had, left. For at that time we had taken a farm, under that noble lord, my Lord Cardross; and, notwithstanding all that Carlowrie took from us, that public oppressor of the Lord's people, Hallyards, (who was made donator by the council,* to seize upon those people's goods that were at Both well, in three shires ; Linlithgow, Clydesdale, and Dumbarton) ; he also would have seized upon our cattle, had not my father-in-law agreed with him, and given him 100 merks. My wife, with some servants, laboured that farm at the east end of Broxburn for three years; I wandering to and fro, in daily hazard, t * This act of council occasioned great oppres- sion ; for the donators, to whom a gift was made of the property of those who had been at Both- well, plundered all whom they suspected. f Those who were actively engaged at Bothwell, and who would not renounce the principles which induced them to take arms, were fortunate if they escaped the scaffold. Amongst this number was Archibald Prentice, whose son afterwards married the daughter of Alexander Reid. He was exposed to less persecution than his friend, having rode home after the disastrous conflict without being 41 One night these troopers were sent out to apprehend some that were in hazard ; but I, providentially, went from home that same day, before the troopers came; who made a narrow search ; yet I escaped their hands, going to the Queensferry. On that same night there came a party to seek a corn- observed by any one tbat knew him, except a weaver, who lived on Caiderwater. During the subsequent years of oppression, u when murder bared her arm," and a licentious soldiery inflicted summary punishment on all whom they suspected, the weaver used often to visit Stone, where he would remark " Oh, Laird, it was a lucky thing that naebody saw you at Bothwell but me." " Indeed it was," the Laird would answer, " but ye're a discreet body, and will say nothing about it; gang awa, and fill your poke with meal, for I fancy that's what ye're come for." The revolution of 1688, which restored the liberties of an oppressed people, relieved the Laird of Stone from the petty contributions of the weaver. Archibald was the second son Of John Prentice, who, by extraordinary prowess and per- sonal bravery, having saved the life of Lockhart, one of Cromwell's generals, was by him pre- sented with the lands of Thorn, at a nominal quit -rent, as an acknowledgment of his grati- tude. He afterwards held a subordinate office at Dunkirk, when that important fortress was reluct- antly yielded up by Lockhart at the restoration; so that he was amongst the last who submitted to Charles the Second; and his son, who inherited his principles, was amongst the first to rise against that unconstitutional monarch when his intoler- ance and tyranny made resistance a virtue. Rich- ard, the eldest son of John, is mentioned in Woodrow, as having been heavily fined for attending a conventicle, 42 rade of mine, whose house I went to at near twelve o'clock at night. He told me he had a way to escape if there was any hazard. I resolved to stay with him all that night ; but we were scarcely laid down, when the troopers came to the door, and we hastily escaped out at a window, three stories high, and slid down the wall, without hurt, and mercifully and wonderfully es- caped their hands. There is one thing that deserves to be taken notice of, and recorded. When we were thus hardly dealt with, as is men- tioned before, Mr. Walter Smith,* who was an intimate Christian friend of ours, heard in Holland of our trouble and cruel usage with that cruel man, Carlowrie ; both vio- lently driven out, and forced to go under cloud of night with a young child. He wrote to us, he was persuaded the Lord would raze that man and his posterity from their habitation, (which came to pass shortly after) but wonderfully provide for us and ours, which we cannot deny but he hath done in a wonderful manner. # Mr. Smith was a man of great learning, ta- lents, and piety, which gave him very considerable influence with the covenanters. He was clerk to the council of war, and commanded as an officer at the battle of Bothwell -bridge. 43 After this, my wife lived for a time in this farm at Broxburn ; but persecution going on, ay, the longer the greater, one Westquarter got a commission from Lord Linlithgow, to hold courts, with instruc- tions not to permit any to stay in the bounds, but those that would go to hear curates ; so that my wife was put to it, if she would go ? She asked my counsel what she should do : I said I would not bid her do the thing I would not do myself; she could not stay without being apprehended. Taking to consideration there was no stay- ing without hazard ; and the chamberlain pretending that my Lord Cardross and he were in great hazard for setting his land to us, (which indeed was true, according to their law) and having one Thomas Russel that was related to him, who offered that if we would go away peace- ably from the farm, he would pay us for any thing of our goods we left behind; and seeing there was no staying, without going along with their sinful courses, in going to hear those perjured curates, my wife made a bargain with Thomas Russel ; he promising to pay us for all he got, and she thinking to stay till our victual was thresh- ed; so she bargained with that person, the E 44 chamberlain pressing to the bargain, and pretending all favour if we did it peace- ably. The time when this was done was very near Yule : our wheat seed was all sown. There was a bargain made for the wheat, and several other things, which amounted to 420 merks, for which they were to lay down present money, and my wife and some servants were to stay till the rest of the victual was threshen, to pay the farm, and what was over, a boll to ourselves. But when that treacherous man, Thomas Russel, was entered in possession, he would pay none of it, pretending we were rebels ; and also when that was done, that cruel man, Alexander Higgins, who was chamberlain, threatened and compel- led my wife to leave all, threatening to bring soldiers out of Blackness to take her ; and would not suffer any of the servants to stay; so she was forced to leave all amongst their hands, corn in the barn and barn-yard, and did not so much as get our household plenishing, nor the clothes out of the beds ; so that our family was driven away unmercifully in the midst of the winter; and those cruel men took possession of nearly all our corn, cattle, and plenishing; all we got away was about 45 300 merks of all we had, at the time of the spoiling of our goods. There were somepassages of scripture that comforted me, and bore me up. Those men aforementioned took from us what would fully amount to 2,000 merks, which was not easy for flesh and blood to bear with ; but the Lord bore me up wonderfully by his word ; Psal. cxlvi. 7« " The Lord exe- u cuteth judgment for the oppressed." Psal. ciii. 6. " The Lord executeth righteous- ness and judgment for all that are op- pressed." I saw for the time there was no justice from men ; but I was confident the Lord would take it in hand, as he did shortly upon those men, in a manner which was plainly discernible to the people, and country side where they lived.* There was another passage, Heb. x. 34. ce Ye took " joyfully the spoiling of your goods, " knowing in yourselves that ye have in " heaven a better and enduring substance." I saw that it had been the lot of the Lord's * Without entering into the question of retribu- tive justice, it may be remarked, that the subse- quent poverty and miserable deaths of the most active persecutors^ — the extinction of their families — and the infamy with which their memory was loaded, naturally enough led those who had suffered persecution, to attribute such calamities to the avenging justice of God. E 2 46 people formerly to meet with such trials as spoiling of goods, and I had reason to be content. There was another pro- mise, that was a great comfort to me, Matt. xix. 29. " And every one that hath for- " saken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or " father, or mother, or wife, or children, " or lands, for my name's sake, shall re- * ceive an hundred fold, and shall inherit " everlasting life." After we were driven from our posses- sion in Broxburn, we went to Edinburgh, and retired into quiet places, because of the cruelty of the enemy ; the persecution grow- ing hotter and hotter ; so that many of the nonconformists were apprehended, some shut up in prison, and the lives of many were taken in a cruel manner, and many put to wanderings. Both before and after Both- well, many of our field-ministers were given up to their hands* Those worthy in- struments, Mr. John Biackadder, Mr. Ar- chibald Rithel, Mr. Patrick Anderson, Mr. John Dickson, Mr. John Rae, Mr. Alexan- der Peden, Mr. Michael Potter, were all imprisoned in the Bass. The Lord gave up his servants to the cruel hands of their enemies, so that the Lord's anger seemed to burn hot against his people; and in a 47 great manner we were deprived of the gospel ; and ministers, and others that escaped, were pursued like partridges in the wilderness, so that many of the pres- byterian ministers left the land. Some went to Ireland, some to England, and some to Holland; so that the poor people that were nonconformists were left desolate, and they could scarce get their children baptized with honest presbyterian minis- ters, because of the great persecution. There were two ministers that were very useful for some time, who baptized many children privately, both by night and day, Mr. William Lamb, and Mr. John Rae, that were not apprehended for some time. Though the persecution went on, ay hot- ter and hotter, some ministers took the field, and preached and baptized, in great hazard; to wit, Mr. Donald Cargil, Mr. Thomas Douglas, and Mr. Richard Came- ron. Mr. Richard Cameron was shortly after killed in the field,* and also some * This was at Air-moss, where Mr. Cameron and his friends were attacked by a body of dragoons twice their own number. They defended them- selves ,ri*h extraordinary bravery, but they were overpowered, and nine were killed on the spot. Mr. Cameron's head and hands were cut off and sent to Edinburgh, where, by a refinement of cru- elty, they were exhibited to his father, then in prU E 3 48 eminent Christians with him. Hackstone, being apprehended in the fields, was brought to Edinburgh, and martyred in a cruel rnanner, his heart being taken out while alive ; so that the enemy went on in their persecution in a cruel manner. Mr. Donald Cargil preached in the fields a long time, and was at length taken, along with some eminent Christians, and was jnartyred shortly after at the cross of Edinburgh, and other four with him, two of them hopeful expectants, Mr. Walter Smith and Mr. James Boog g so that no- thing looked but wrath-like. Many godly son. " He took his son's head and hands and kissed " them, and said, * I know them, they are my son's, " ' my dear son's. It is the Lord — good is the " 'will of the Lord.' — His head was fixed on the " port, and his hands by his head, with the fingers " upwards." — Crookshanks. * Mr. Cargil and Mr. Smith were apprehended in the parish in which the editor of these memoirs was born ; and it is a circumstance creditable both to landlords and tenants, that the descendants of An- drew Fisher, in whose house at Covington Mill these undaunted preachers were taken, still occupy the same farm. Mr. Smith, who was an intimate friend of Alexander Tteid, was the zealous assistant of Cargil, in his perilous efforts to preach the word of God. The firmness with which they justified their conduct on the scaffold, had such an effect on Mr. Renwick, who witnessed their execution, that he devoted himself to the same cause, aud in his turn became a martyr. 49 men concluded,, that the Lord seemed to leave the land. Many countrymen that were taken were banished to Ca- rolina and New Jersey; and others that were not taken, went away willingly, with some ministers, having the sad apprehen- sion of the Lord's departure from the land, and seeing no way of escaping the cruel enemy's hands, without dreadful compli- ance, and taking dreadful bonds ; so many concluded the Lord was to leave Scotland, and set up his tabernacle in another place. At this time I was in hazard, put to wanderings and hidings, being driven away from any thing we had, as is told before. But this one thing I must declare, there was an honest man who was taken pri- soner, James Clarkson by name, a Lin- lithgow man ; my wife, who went into the Tolbooth at Edinburgh several times to see him, asked his advice concerning me, knowing my daily hazard. He declared to her, that he saw nothing but seemingly the Lord was to leave the land^ and de- sired her to tell me, and advise me, to go with them that were going away. She signified we had little to carry us over. Pie offered great encouragement in that particular. When she told me, I had an 50 aversion to leave the land, but my wife seemed to be more willing than I was ; yet the honest man offering such encourage- ment, I had some thoughts it might be a call of Providence. He sent word again by my w T ife, desiring me to seek the Lord's mind, and then do what I had liberty to do; and being in a retired place in the country, I did set a day for this end as single as I could, to seek counsel of the Lord, what to do in this matter ; and w r hen I was about that work, that passage of scripture was suggested to me, Jer. xlii. 2. "And the " people desired Jeremiah to pray for them, " that the Lord might shew them the way " wherein they might walk, and the thing u they might do;" which the prophet did, and gives them the answer, verse 9- " And u said unto them, thus saith the Lord the " God of Israel, unto whom ye sent me " to present your supplication before him, " If ye will still abide in this land, then " will I build you, and not pull you down; " and I will plant you and not pluck you " up ; for I repent me of the evil that I " have done unto you. Be not afraid of ** the king of Babylon, of whom ye are " afraid ; be not afraid of him, saith the " Lord: for I am with you to save you, 51 " and to deliver you from his hand." This scripture I got, as I thought, from the Lord, to answer my suit, and from this time I resolved not to set my face to go abroad to the plantations for safety or bread. This I remembered, when I heard that my worthy Lord Cardross was driven from his plantation by the Spaniards, because the Lord had work to do with him here, in his own native land.* He * Lord Cardross was the great-grandfather of the present Earl of Buchan and of Lord Erskine. It is gratifying to observe the continuance in a family, of those public virtues, which entitle each genera- tion to the gratitude of their contemporaries, — to see the house of "Bedford continuing strenuously to advocate the principles for which the illustrious Russell perished on the scaffold, — and a descend- ant of Cardross, daringly and successfully exert- ing his unrivalled eloquence in support of the in- vaded liberties of the subject, and gaining the high distinction of having his name constantly associ- ated with that mode of trial, which, when con- ducted in the spirit of its institution, is the best safeguard of our rights. To him whose fondly indulged anticipations of an ameliorated state of society, have met with constant and disheartening disappointment, whose " Soul is sick with every day's report, " Of wrong and outrage, with which, earth is rilled," it may be consolatory to think, that even his distant posterity, inheriting his views and feelings, may act upon them when he is mouldering in the grave. 52 was a zealous forward instrument for the overturning of that cursed prelacy, and the establishment of presbyterian go- vernment ; and thus the Lord brought him back to be a famous instrument before his removal by death; so I resolved to stay in our land. Our persecution grew ay the hotter and hotter, the devil raging in wicked men, for his time was to be but short. Searches were made through all the country, whenever they heard where any of those whom they called rebels haunted : many falling in their hands, and they tak- ing their lives in a cruel manner, not suf- fering them to speak on the scaffold; yea, some not to read, pray, or sing psalms : some of their lives were taken soon in the morning, some late at night, and some taken away to the scaffold as soon as ever they got their sentence. Great searches were made in Edinburgh, the ports closed, and guards set round about the town seve- ral times, because many persecuted people came, lurking privately in the town ; for their cruelty went so on, that they took men's lives for their opinion, although they had been in no action; and not only men's lives, but women's also, for their opinion. Two young women suffered in the town of Edinburgh; for they raged more and more.* There was one great search, in Which I narrowly escaped from the enemy's * The lives of Isobel Alison and Marion Harvey were taken, literally for their opinions, for no act was proved against them, unless it was that they had conversed with those who had been declared rebels. Their refusal to call lawful resistance rebel- lion, seemed to be the principal cause of their con- demnation. Tsobel Alison, when before the council, was asked, " Do you know the duty we owe to the "civil magistrate?" She answered, "When the " magistrates carry the sword for God, according " to what the scripture calls for, we owe them all " due reverence; but when they overturn the work •■ of God, and set themselves in opposition to him, "it is the duty of his servants to execute his laws " and ordinances upon them." This was a ques- tion by which the suspected were often tried; and the answer generally was, that obedience was due to the civil magistrate as long as he was " a terror r < to evil doers, and the praise of them that " do well," and no longer. The advocates of passive obedience and submission, under every circumstance, to the powers that be, may here be told that the humble Isobel Alison and the great John Locke agree as to the extent to which sub- mission was required by the word of God. — There appeared to be a disposition in the council to spare Marion Harvey, who was only 20 years of age, and she was asked, " Wilt you cast yourself away " so?" To which she replied, "I love my life as " well as any of you, but would not redeem it on " sinful terms." It was reserved for the reign of the gay and gallant Charles to exhibit weak and timid women suffering on the scaffold for opinion, and nobly scorning that life which was to be pur- chased by an abandonment of principle. The gaiety of Charles covered a total want of sympa- thy with his species, and an uttev indifference to 54 bands. I went to an uncle's house, near the West Kirk, and continued there all night. In the morning when we arose, there was a guard standing at the door. My aunt cried, that we should all be ru- ined, which was true according to their their sufferings. Judge Jefferies, too, was a gay and jovial companion: — so little connection have social qualities with rectitude and humanity. Executions still more appalling in their circum- stances, and, if possible, more disgraceful to the perpetrators, followed the accession of James. In 1685 two women were drowned at Wigton, for nonconformity, and refusing to take the oaths then imposed. They were fastened to stakes within the flood-mark, till the flowing of the tide should cover them! The eldest, a widow of 63 years of age, was fixed a good way beyond the other, that the sight of her death might terrify the younger, a girl of 18, to take the detested oaths; but she saw her companion covered by the gradually rising tide^ and remained unmoved. While calmly engaged in prayer, the water covered her also; but before she was quite dead, she was taken out, and asked if she would pray for the king? and one who was deeply affected, said earnestly, " Dear Margaret, say " God save the king; say God sav e the king:" to whom the youthful sufferer answered, with the greatest steadiness and composure, " God save him " if he will, for it is his salvation I desire." But this did not satisfy her executioners; for Winram, the directing murderer, charged her instantly to take the abjuration oath, which she deliberately refus- ed, and was immediately thrust back into the wa- ter, where " she finished her course with joy, and " died a virgin martyr." — One wonders that ten thousand swords did not instantly leap from their scabbards, to avenge such deeds. 55 law ; for those that haunted them were in clanger, as well as those that haunted with them. I desired her to hold her peace ; and putting on a meally-coat of my un- cle's, got safely without the guard, and went to the country. After this there was one Thomas Ken- noway, a cruel persecutor of the people of God. He haunted at the Swine-abbey ; he lived at Calder before he took on to be a trooper. He was a most wicked instru- ment in these places, about Calder, Living- stone, and Bathgate parishes. Many days he watched the field-meetings, and led out parties upon them, knowing the ground ; and after the break of Bothwell, he op- pressed all honest men that were in hazard in these places, and got money from many; oppressing the country-side mightily. His cruelty was so great against his country- men, that one James Nimmo, a Bathgate parish man, when in hazard, fled to the north for safety. This Kennoway got no- tice of it, and went to the north to search him out ; and having found him serving a gentleman, he attempted to pannel him ; but the young man escaped his hands. Kennoway immediately came home again, and was at Swine-abbey, with one Duncan F 56 Stewart, another trooper, a comrade of his : upon a night they were both slain.* This occasioned a great persecution and search in that part of the country, and no man could travel without a pass, but was challenged and counted a rebel if he had not one, and bonds and oaths were put to the country people> and those that were apprehended. The persecution going on in this manner, some of my acquaintances Went to the English border for safety ; I, hearing of this, went thither also,t and was very kindly dealt with by Christian * This was on the 20th November* 1681. Two days afterwards an act was passed by the council* authorizing the soldiers to put to instant death in the fields all who refused to answer their queries. Even the mockery of an indictment was now dis* pensed with, and the most wanton murders had the sanction of authority. The mind revolts with hor- ror at the atrocities which marked this sanguinary period, and entailed Upon the royal brothers a last- ing infamy. f During his absence his wife resided some time in Borrowstounness. She was a woman of great beauty, and the neighbours seeing her in a manner unconnected with relatives or friends, charitably chose to consider her as secretly the kept mistress of some cavalier. But she owed her safety to this misrepresentation* for it was not the profane and the profligate, but the religious and pure in heart that then suffered. When it was discovered who she was, she felt the necessity of seeking safety in flight, and exclaimed, with bitter indignation, as she was leaving the house in which she had reside .57 friends in that country; and in a little time after I went there, I was employed to be grieve to a gentleman ; for I had skill in husbandry, and continued about half a year in that service. While I was there, King Charles died, and his brother, the Duke of York, was presently admitted to the crown. The Duke of Monmouth had fled to Holland before his father's death ; for there seemed to be no safety for him here. The Earl of Argyle was there also, because he would not take that abominable test. So they being together there, with other noblemen and gentlemen in the like circumstances, and knowing there were many disaffected persons both in England and Scotland, (for any man that was not popishly in- clined, saw that there was nothing but a design to advance popery in these nations, when a professed popish king was set upon the throne,) they determined to come over with arms, Monmouth to England, and Argyle to Scotland, and what men they had with them, (many of whom might ed, " Oh, sirs, it is a sad time for Scotland, when " a woman is safe, as long as she is thought to be " a strumpet, and has to flee for her life whenever " it is found out that she is an honest woman!" She slept that night in a coal-pit. F2 58 have been officers, in respect of station) ex- pecting the assistance of all that were true protestants in the nation ; but it fell out otherwise, to the shame of protestants, for nearly all appeared against them ; but the Lord thought it fit that they should not be the instruments of our deliver- ance ; so that that valiant man and his army were broken in England,* and that worthy nobleman and others were taken in Scotland. Monmouth was taken after the battle, and was carried to Lon- don, and his life taken away by his bloody and cruel uncle ; and Argyle's life was taken away at the cross of Edinburgh ; so that these two noblemen suffered death for their attempt, with some others, who were worthy Christians. There was one Colonel Rumbell, who was an Englishman, who came with the Earl of Argyle to Scotland, who was also apprehended. They took his life in a cruel manner at the cross of Edinburgh, by tak- ing out his heart when he was alive : and they also took the lives of some others. * It was after the defeat of Monmouth, at Bridgewater, that Judge Jefferies recommended himself to his royal master, by his merciless sen- tences on those who were concerned, or suspected of having been concerned, in the insurrection. 59 At the time when these worthy men came over from Holland, I was in North* umberland, where I was a grieve to a gen- tleman. In that country the militia horse were raised, to apprehend all that they sus- pected as friends to Monmouth or Argyle. The country was searched for any they suspected, especially Scotsmen. I being in that country, and they supposing me a stranger, I was taken prisoner at Wooler ; but the captain, getting^notice on the mor- row that I was a servant to such a gentle- man in that country, and had resided there for some time, let me go in the morning after I was taken. The overthrow of these noblemen, and those that were with them, was a very grievous stroke to all well affect- ed people in the three nations : and not only the presbyterian party, but all protestants, expected nothing but ruin and desolation ; for all outward hope was gone, and no- thing looked for but the establishment of popery. In fact, no other thing appeared * for papists were put in all places of trust, in all the three nations; so that there were great fears to all honest people. But, in the mean time, there was a liberty grant- ed to all sorts of religion in the nations, which was. no less fear to honest people, f3 60 who thought that the intention of their enemies was to make them secure, that they might strengthen themselves, and cut them all off. After this king James was settled king. He had no son, nor any children by his queen. The report went that she was with child ; and according to the time they ac- counted, they said she brought forth a son; which was ground of great carousing and joy to the present* courtiers. But, in the mean time, the people doubted greatly of the truth thereof, not only the presbyte- rians, but the protestants in all the three nations; and not only the three nations, but all neighbouring protestants, especially our neighbours the Hollanders, who be- came the mean of our delivery from that bondage. The Lord stirred up the spirit of that worthy prince, the Prince of Orange, to overthrow their designs. The nobles of England, seeing they stood in slippery places, made an agreement with the prince, to come over to England, to frustrate the design of that popish king and his adher- ents ; which he engaged to do, and raised an army to go with him, with the assist- ance of Scots and English nobility that 61 were with him. King James hearing of this, gathered together all the trained men of war in the three nations, and called them from Scotland and Ireland for his assist- ance; so that army amounted to more than 32,000 expert men of war. The Prince of Orange came over, and landed in England, with but a very small army, not being in the whole 14,000 men. He issued a de- claration, shewing he was only for the pro- testant religion. The prince and many of the nobles of England having a confede- racy, they went to him with what strength they had; and many of king James's army, hearing how matters went, declared pub- licly to his face they would not fight for his interest. So that they were discourag- ed and broken without hands, because it was the Lord's time to deliver his church and oppressed people from oppression and cruel thraldom. In the mean time, when the prince came over, there were sad fears among the people of God in Scotland; and prayers put up, because other essays had misgiven, that it might not be so in this, and many set days apart, for crying mightily to the Lord for deliverance. The king was forced to retire for his safety : he was taken a little after, yet he 62 was permitted to make his escape. The Prince of Orange prospered, and was shortly after proclaimed king of England, and in a little time king of Scotland. This was the man the Lord raised up, to deliver our captives, to set at liberty our prisoners, to relieve our hunted and harried, and re- store our ancient liberties, civil and ecclesi- astical, to church and state : for there was a free convention chosen, and sat at Edin- burgh, that chose members of a free par- liament, which overturned prelacy, that cursed yoke, which neither we nor our fa- thers were able to bear, and restored and set up presbyterian government again in our land, and also the civil rights of the people. There is one thing I may notice ag very remarkable : — In the time of the conven- tion there were a set of men, commonly called the rabble, who, in a warlike pos- ture, cast out the curates in many parts of the land, as soon as they got any access, although their practice was not approven of by many honest people. These men came, in a warlike posture, to the town of Edinburgh, in the time of the convention, and offered themselves to defend and assist our well-affected noblemen and gentlemen 63 who sat in the convention ; and though there were many ill-affected in the town, yet they were received into it in a warlike pos- ture, and guarded the men who might be in hazard. This is the more remarkable, that the town of Edinburgh used not to let any soldiers enter the city, but the citizens themselves guarded it. These events shew us the mighty power of God; when he has a mind to deliver his church and people, none can withstand it. The break of king James's army, and what fell out here in Scotland, was evidently the hand of God; and the Lord was seen to own his church and people, and deliver them, as he delivered Israel from the Egyptian bon- dage ; for which we may say, that the Lord brought back our captivity : and many of his people had that to say who waited on him, and kept his way ; " Lo ! " this is our God, and we waited for him : " we rejoice in his salvation." A great part of this time we were meal- makers ; and we were provided for in this way, without being troublesome to others; our stock was very little when we set to that employment; but the Lord did prosper us in it, and it became better; but it was not my inclination to follow that employment, for 64 having been brought up from my infancy in husbandry, it was my inclination, if I had my liberty, and the opportunity of taking a farm, to have taken it. The man that came to the possession which we were put wrongously out of, had taken a tack of nineteen years from my Lord Cardross and his chamberlain, so that hopes were gone of our returning to it. Besides, our stock was so small, that we could not think of plenishing that farm ; yet there was a break in the man's tack at seven years, so that he came and quitted the farm to my Lord Cardross; who was unwilling that he should have done it, not knowing of a tenant to it. But, in the mean time, there was a man who was concerned in my lord's interest, hearing that the man was to quit the farm, and knowing that I came out of that farm, inquired of me if I would take our own farm again? I said I would glad- ly, but our stock was too small to plenish it. He said, " Fear not that, for I will help " you to plenish it." I desired him to tell me when the man quitted it, and I would advise what to do ; which accordingly he did, and I came in terms of the rent with him, and very nearly agreed. My lord being but newly come home, I 65 "went to him, and told him I would take that farm. He said, " I am glad of it ; there " shall no man get it before you, if you can " plenish it." I said, we should do our utmost. So within a little time after, we agreed : but I had my own perplexity how to get it done ; but that was not my great- est puzzle, thinking, if I should be able to plenish it, that I had been two times rob- bed already, and put out of two farms be^ fore this, and times seemed yet to be dan- gerous. What, if I should borrow from others, to lose their goods ? which would be my great perplexity and trouble while in this condition. A door being opened to return again where we were wrongously and violently put from, I desired to seek counsel of the Lord how to do in this case, And the Lord bore in that passage of scrips ture upon me, Is. lxii. 8. " The Lofd hath " sworn by his right hand, and by the arm " of his strength, Surely I will no more " give thy corn to be meat for thine ene- 4< mies ; and the sons of the stranger shall " not drink thy wine, for the which thou " hast laboured ; but they that have ga- " thered it, shall eat it, and praise the Lord; " and they that have brought it together, " shall drink it in the courts v£ my holi* <( ness." 66 After this I took courage, and ventur* ed, and got the farm plenished by the fa- vour of friends. And the Lord prospered us so, that at this time there is little or no- thing owing to any : and we are even as well in the world as those that complied with the enemy, and went over the belly of their light-heard curates, and submit- ted to bonds and tests. This I say to the praise of the Lord's goodness, even in pro- viding temporal things. And this I com- monly said of the Lord's goodness to us, that we were among the first of the cap- tives that returned to their own possession ; and, as has been said, it was evidently the Lord's hand that brought us back, and blessed our endeavours. Being settled here, the Lord mercifully provided the gospel in the place and congregation, and we got that eminent servant of the Lord, Mr. George Barclay, which was my very choice* Thus ye see the Lord's good pro- vidence in providing both spiritual and temporal mercies to us, and to the church of God. Some may ask, what is the reason that I set down these things, and record in writ the Lord's mercies to my body, to my soul, and towards the church of God, which has 67 been very remarkable in my days; of which I have given a small hint. There were these passages of scripture: Psal. cxlv. 3. " Great is the Lord, and greatly to be u praised ; and his greatness is unsearch- " able. One generation shall praise thy " works to another, and shall declare thy " mighty acts. I will speak of the glori- " ous honour of thy majesty, and of thy u wondrous works. And men shall speak u of the might of thy terrible acts ; and I " will declare thy greatness. They shall " abundantly utter the memory of thy " great goodness, and I shall sing of thy u righteousness." Psalm cv. 2. " O give u thanks unto the Lord, call upon his " name ; make known his deeds among his " people. Sing unto him, sing psalms " unto him : talk ye of all his wondrous " works." Psal. lxxviii. 1 — 8. " Give ear " O my people, to my law : incline your " ears to the words of my mouth. I will " open my mouth in a parable : I will utter " dark sayings of old ; which we have u heard and known, and our fathers have "told us. We will not hide them from " their children, shewing to the generation " to come the praises of the Lord, and his " strength, and his wonderful works that 68 " he hath done. For he established a tes- " timony in Jacobs and appointed a law in " Israel, which he commanded our fathers u that they should make them known to " their children : That the generations to " come might know them, even the chil- u dren which should be born ; who should " arise, and declare them to their children: " That they might set their hope in God,