MR. PATRICK ADAMSON, first minister of Paisley, was a preacher of much repute in the church; but ambition and private interest had more sway with him than the interest of Christ. And having wrought himself into the king's favour by undermining the government and discipline of the church, he was declared bishop by Morton about 1578. But got the bishoprick of St. Andrews 1584, after which he not only spoke and wrote in favours of prelacy, but became a persecutor of his faithful brethren. In the height of his grandeur, he used to boast that three things could not fail him, his learning, the king's favour, and his riches: for the first, in the just judgment of God, he could not speak a word of sense before or after his meat. For the second, he lost the king's favour and had his bishoprick taken from him, and was heard say, he was sure the king cared more for his dogs than for him. And for his riches, he was so reduced that he had to get charity from those ministers whom before he harrassed. Before, for his pride, contumacy and other enormities he was excommunicated by the church, but being now in extreme poverty and sickness, he made a recantation and confession, supplicating the church he might be absolved from the censure; which at last was by them granted. Whether this repentance proceeded from constraint to get a little outward sustenance, as was suspected, I cannot say; but in this situation he died, in great want and extreme misery, about the year 1591—Fulfilling of the Scriptures, &c.

MR. JAMES NICHOLSON, a creature of the same make; one eminent for parts and learning in these times, and at first a great opposer of prelacy. But being still gaping for riches, honour and preferment, shifted from one benefice to another, till he got the bishopric of Dunkeld: yea, so forward was he to establish prelacy, that he behoved to be one of those who assisted the king at Hampton court against eight of his brethren who were more faithful than himself in 1606. But his honour continued not long, for being stricken with sickness of body and seized with melancholy of mind and horror of conscience, he could have no rest. Physicians being brought, he told them his trouble was of another kind, for which they could give him no cure; for, said he, "The digesting of a bishoprick hath racked my conscience. I have against much light and over the belly of it, opposed the truth and yielded up the liberties of Christ to please an earthly king, &c." And so in great horror of conscience he made his exit, August 1609.—Calderwood, &c.

GEORGE HUME, Earl of Dumbar, one of king James's creatures, and the only instrument (I may say) used by him at that time to overturn the Presbyterian form of church-government and discipline, and introduce prelacy into Scotland: for which purpose he was by him sent as commissioner to both the general assemblies 1608 and 1610. He brought some English doctors to persuade, a strong guard to intimidate the faithful, and money to bribe those of a contrary disposition; which he distributed to these mercenary creatures for their votes. He so far succeeded, as to get a new set of bishops erected, and then returned to England, where, with the wages of iniquity, he built a sumptuous palace at Berwick. When he intended to keep St. George's day, and solemnize his daughter's marriage with Lord Walden, the Lord pulled him down from the height of all his honours by a sudden and surprizing death. That day his thoughts perish, and with the builder of Jericho, for all his acquisitions in Scotland and England, in a short time there was not a foot breadth of land left of it to his posterity.—Calderwood, Fulfilling of the Scriptures, &c.

MR. GEORGE GLADSTONE, at first, was such a zealous Presbyterian, that he vowed he should never be bishop of St. Andrews, because they were hated and came all to untimely ends. But his motives not being good, he returned from court 1605, with a presentation to the very same bishoprick. Again, when called up to court next year, to assist the king against the faithful Scottish ministers, he was adjured by his brethren of the ministry in the presbytery of St. Andrews, that as he should be answerable to God, he should do nothing to the prejudice of the church of God; he took God to witness, it should be so. But they soon found the contrary to their sad experience; for he not only became a cruel enemy to his brethren who continued faithful, but also a lazy time-serving hireling, oftimes loitering upon his bed in the very time of sermon.—Instance, being one time on his bed in time of the afternoon sermon, both he and the congregation were alarmed with the cry of Murder, his sister's son in the house having killed his cook with a dagger, as he was making ready his supper.—At this rate he continued till 1615, that he was seized with a fearful and strange disease, (which historians forbear to name) and what was worse, with obstinate and senseless stupidity, approving of his former courses, and in that situation he died, May 2, 1615.—Calderwood and others.

MR. ALEX^R. FORBES, a bird of the same feather, was first made bishop of Caithness, then of Aberdeen. He was not only an enemy to the faithful servants of Christ, but even of such a poor, low disposition, and such a table friend and flattering spunger, that he was nicknamed Collie; because so impudent and shameless that he would follow the lords of session, advocates, &c. when they went to dinner, and cringe about, and sometimes follow them uncalled, and sit down in their houses at table.—At last he was seized with sickness at Leith, and fell under sore remorse of conscience for his past life: he sent for bishop Spotiswood, and would gladly have communicated his mind to him; but it seems he would not leave his playing at cards (albeit it was on the Sabbath day), and so he in this condition died.—Calderwood.

MR. ANDREW FORRESTER, sometime minister at Dunfermline, when sent to the General Assembly 1610, was by his brethren adjured, that, as he should answer to Jesus Christ, he should consent to no alteration in the government of the church: yet, having received 50 merks from Dumbar, (a small equivalent to the cause of Christ) he voted for prelacy. After which, he was convicted of taking silver out of the poor's box with false keys, and then fell into a fearful distemper, insomuch that, from some words of the chancellor apprehending he should be hanged, he run out of the pulpit one day when going to preach, in a fit of distraction, confessing he had sold Christ at that assembly. He was also seized with sickness. Mr. Row made him a visit, and found him in a lamentable condition. He asked, if he was persuaded that God had called him to the ministry. He answered, "Nay, I ever sought the world, and so is seen on me." He next asked, what he got at the assembly for selling the liberties of the church? He answered, 50 merks, at which his horror recurred, apprehending that he was instantly to be executed. Mr. Row desired him to pray; he said he could not. Mr. Row prayed, in time of which the buttons burst off his breast, and the blood gushed terribly both from mouth and nose. After prayer, he asked, if he was prepared for death? He answered, no, woes me. Next day he made him another visit, and found him senseless and stupid, and so left him. After which he died in great infamy, poverty and misery. Nor was Mr. Paton, another of the same stamp, much better.—This and more was declared anent them by Mr. Row before the assembly at Glasgow, 1638.—Stevenson.

MR. WILLIAM COOPER, sometime minister at Perth, witnessed no small zeal against prelacy, both doctrinally and from the press, and yet through covetousness and court preferment, he was made bishop of Galloway: after which none was more forward for the corruption of the times.—He left his diocese, says the historian, and took up his residence in the Cannongate of Edinburgh, and committed his ministerial affairs to others, by whom was extorted the enormous sum of 100,000l. In his visits once in two years he behaved most impiously, thrust in ignorant persons to cures, and admitted his servant unto the ministry at his bed-side, desired the presbytery of Kirkudbright to dispense with one who kept a woman with him in fornication, and above all, was a fervent presser of the king's injunctions for keeping Christmass, &c. and sent up his advice 1619, for punishing those who did not comply. Some time before his death, he took a hypochondriack distemper, apprehending his head was all glass, which much affrighted him.—Some brought his former discourses to him to reconcile, which disquieted him more. Being at his pastime at Leith, he apprehended he saw armed men coming upon him; the company shewing him the contrary, he fell a-trembling, went home and took bed; and being in great anguish and trouble of spirit, he would often point with his finger to the earth, and cry, "A fallen star, a fallen star." And so he ended his life in great horror and anguish of mind.[273] On his court-advancement Mr. Simson of Stirling made the following line,

Aureus, heu! fragilem confregit malleus urnam.

MR. PATRICK GALLOWAY was another of this fraternity; for when minister of Perth, he was not only a strenuous opposer of prelacy in the church; but also for his faithful and free rebukes to Arran and Lenox, who carried on the court affairs then, he was persecuted and obliged to abscond some time, about 1584. But afterwards being carried down with the current of the times, he was transported to Edinburgh, where he became a mighty stickler for prelacy, especially, the five articles of Perth; insomuch that by the year 1620, he pressed kneeling at the sacrament with much impudence and indecency; and though he would not preach on Sabbath, yet he behoved to preach on Christmass.—At his Christmass sacrament 1621, he commanded the communicants to kneel, and he himself bowed with the one knee and sat with the other. Thus he continued to the dotage of old age, and at last died upon the stool, easing himself; and (as worthy Mr. Welch had before foretold) without the least sense or signs of true repentance.

—— HAMILTON, Marquis of Hamilton, for his many good services to king James against the Presbyterian interest, was by him appointed commissioner to the parliament 1621, on design to have the five articles of Perth (viz. 1. Kneeling at the communion; 2. Private communion; 3. Private baptism; 4. Observation of holy days; 5. Confirmation of children) ratified: all the faithful ministers being by him discharged, the city and the parliament guarded, that no protestations might be got offered. Through threats and flattery he got that dismal affair effected; but not without a notable mark of divine displeasure: for, in that moment he arose to touch the act with the sceptre, a terrible flash of fire came in at the window, followed with three fearful claps of thunder, upon which the heavens became dark, and hailstones and a terrible tempest ensued; which astonished every beholder, and made the day afterward be called the black Saturday; because it began in the morning with fire from earth, and ended in the evening with fire from heaven.—And on the Monday, when the act was read at the cross of Edinburgh, the fire and thunder again recurred.—However, the Marquis having got the king's design partly accomplished returned to court, and not long after, for such services, it is said, he was poisoned by the king's principal minion the Duke of Buckingham.—Calderwood, &c.

JAMES STUART, son to Mary Stuart queen of Scotland, was in his youth educated by the famous Buchanan, and brought up in the true reformed Protestant Presbyterian religion, then established in Scotland, which was by him more than once ratified when he was in his swaddling cloaths, as one well observes, Christ reigned in Scotland in his minority. The church had its various turns according to the dispositions of the regents, the king's favourite flatterers and court-parasites; but whenever he began to think of obtaining the crown of England, he began to introduce Episcopacy into the church of Scotland to gain the English nation. And though he was a habitual gross swearer, and such a master of dissimulation, that what he exalted at one time he set himself to destroy at another, he carried still a face of religion in profession while in Scotland. The church had many struggles, sometimes Israel, and sometimes Amalek prevailed; but as soon as he ascended the throne of England, he wholly assumed an arbitrary power and absolute supremacy over the church, which before he had long grasped at. And though he had sworn to maintain the Presbyterian form of church-government and discipline, &c. his desire of unlimited authority made him now relish Episcopacy to the highest degree: the bishops were his creatures. By bribery, falsehood and persecution he introduced prelacy into Scotland, created such bishops whom he knew would stick at nothing to serve his purpose. Such as opposed his measures in both kingdoms, especially Scotland, shared deep in his persecuting vengeance, some were imprisoned, others deprived of their offices, while numbers fled to foreign countries where they might serve God with a safe conscience. Toward the end of his reign he waxed still worse:—a high commission court was by him erected 1610: a set of wicked profane bishops installed about 1618, by the help of whom and other corrupt clergy, he got the five articles of Perth agreed to by a patched assembly that year—in 1621. He got them ratified by act of parliament, and then they began to be pressed with rigour. In England matters were but little better: a declaration was emitted for using sports and gaming on the Lord's day after sermon, which profanations continue there to this day. He had before wrote against the pope, threatening a malediction upon any of his posterity that should apostatize to popery; but now he hastened toward Rome; for, upon the match of his son with France, he agreed to the following articles, That all laws formerly made against popery should not be executed: 2. That no new laws should be made against Roman Catholics, but they should have a free toleration in England, Scotland and Ireland.—At the same time, to the arch-bishop of Embrun he acknowledged the pope's authority, and it is said, concluded on a convocation for that purpose at Dover or Boloign, in order to effect a more full toleration for papists. By his management in favours of popery, his son-in-law the Protestant king of Bohemia lost a kingdom.—In Scotland, several were incarcerate and fined for non-conformity. He had commanded Christmass communion to be kept at Edinburgh; but, by the Lord's immediate hand in the plague, he was in that defeated. The next year being 1624, he resolved to have it kept with great solemnity; but before that he was cut off on March 27, by what they call a Quartan ague, in the 59 year of his age[274], but (rather of poison as has been supposed) with such suspicious circumstances, says a historian, as gave occasion of inquiry into the manner of his death, in the first two parliaments of his son; all which came to nothing by their sudden dissolution—Welwood's memoirs, Calderwood, Burnet, Bennet's memorial of Britain's deliverances, &c.

PATRICK SCOTT, a gentleman in Fife, being a violent enemy to the cause of Christ and religion, after he had wasted his patrimony, had to take himself to several wretched shifts at court; and amongst others set forth a recantation under the name of Mr. David Calderwood then under banishment; in which, it was thought, he was assisted by the king. But this project failing, he set off for Holland in quest of Mr. David, with a design, as appeared, to have dispatched him. But providentially he was detained at Amsterdam till he heard that Mr. Calderwood was returned home. This made him follow. After which he published a pamphlet full of lies, intituled, Vox vera, but as true as Lucian's Historia. But after all his unlawful ungodly shifts, he became so poor (and at last died so miserable) that he had nothing to bury him: so that the bishop had to contribute as much as got him laid below ground for the good service he had done the king and bishops.—Calderwood.

MR. WILLIAM FORBES (perhaps a son of the forementioned Forbes) was first made doctor in Aberdeen 1621 and 1622. When the people of Edinburgh had made choice of faithful Mr. Andrew Cant for their minister, the provost sent and brought this Forbes, as one whom he and the episcopal faction knew would please the king, and in this they succeeded to their desire; for he was not only a violent presser of Perth articles, but he also preached up Arminianism, and essayed to reconcile the papists and the church of Scotland together anent justification. And when complained of by some of the bailies and citizens of Edinburgh, all the redress they got was to be brought before the council and by the king's order handled severely by fining and banishment. When Charles I. came to Edinburgh 1633, he erected a new bishoprick there, to which he nominated this Forbes for bishop as one staunch to his interest. No sooner got he this power than he began to shew his teeth by pressing conformity both by word and writing, and for that purpose sent instructions to all the presbyteries within his jurisdiction. The people of Edinburgh were also threatened by the bishop's thunder; for on the first communion finding them not so obsequious as he would have had them, he threatened that, if life was continued, he should either make the best of them communicate kneeling or quit his gown; and who doubts of his intention to do as he had promised? But he soon found he had reckoned without his host; for before he could accomplish that, God was pleased to cut him off on the 12th of April following by a fearful vomiting of blood, after he had enjoyed this new dignity about two months. Burnet says, he died suspected of popery.—Burnet's history, and Stevenson's history, vol. 1.

MR. JOHN SPOTISWOOD was first minister at Calder; but by his undermining practice he got himself wrought into the bishoprick of Glasgow, and a lord of the session, 1609. From thence he jumped into the arch-bishoprick of St. Andrews 1615, and aspired still higher till he was made chancellor of Scotland. He was a tool every way fit for the court measures, as he could be either papist or prelate, provided he got profit and preferment. When in France with the Duke of Lenox, he went to mass, and in Scotland he had a principal hand in all the encroachments upon the church and cause of Christ from 1596 to 1637. And for practice a blacker character scarcely ever filled the ministerial office. An adulterer, a simoniack, a drunkard tippling in taverns till midnight, a profaner of the Lord's day by playing at cards and jaunting through the country, a falsifier of the acts of assembly, a reproacher of the national covenant;—for which crimes he was excommunicated by that venerable assembly at Glasgow 1638; after which, having lost all his places of profit and grandeur, he fled to England (the asylum then of the scandalous Scots bishops) where he died about the year 1639, in extreme poverty and misery; according to Mr. Welch's words, He should be as a stone cast out of a sling by the hand of God, and a malediction should be on all his posterity;—which all came to pass; his eldest son a baron came to beg his bread; his second son, president of the session, was executed in Montrose's affair; his daughter who married lord Roslin, was soon rooted out of all estate and honours. Their fruit shalt thou destroy from earth, and their seed from amongst the children of men[275].—Calderwood, Stevenson, &c.

JOHN LOGIE student in the university of Aberdeen, was such a malignant enemy to the work of reformation and the national covenant, that when commissioners were sent from Edinburgh there in the year 1638, in order to reconcile them to the covenant, while Mr. Henderson was preaching in the earl Marshal's closs for that purpose, he threw clods at them with great scorn and mockery. But in a few days, he killed one Nicol Ferrie a boy, because the boy's father had beat him for stealing his pease; and tho' he escaped justice for a time, yet he was again apprehended and executed in the year 1644. Such was the consequence of disturbing the worship of God and mocking the ambassadors of Jesus Christ.—Stevenson, &c.

CHARLES I. succeeded his father James VI. and exactly trod in the same steps, and with no better success. He grasped at the prerogative; and to establish absolute power, prelacy, superstition and Arminianism seemed his principal aim.—In England he infringed the liberties of parliament, and by his marriage the nations became pestered with papists: in Scotland he pressed Perth articles, the service book, and then, by Laud's direction, the book of canons which he and the rest of the bishops had compiled for them about 1637, contrary to his coronation-oath taken at Edinburgh 1633. But in these he was repulsed by the Scots covenanters 1639 and 1640.—Again, when he was confirming all oaths, promises, subscriptions and laws for establishing the reformation in the Scots parliament 1641, in the mean time, he was encouraging his Irish cut-throats to murder betwixt two or three hundred thousand innocent Protestants in Ireland, the letters that he had sent for that purpose being produced afterward. After his return to England, matters became still worse betwixt him and the English parliament; so that both parties took the field, in which by his means a sea of innocent blood was spilt, the Scots assisting the parliament as bound by the Solemn League, that he might overturn the covenanted interest in that land. Notwithstanding all his solemn engagements, oaths and confirmations of acts of parliament, by his direction, Montrose was sent down from court to raise an insurrection in the Highlands; by whom the bloody Irish were invited over, whereby in a few years many thousands of the covenanters his best subjects were killed.—But all his bloody schemes for overturning that covenanted interest that he had so solemnly bound himself to defend and maintain, proving abortive, he fell at last into the hands of Cromwel and the Independent faction, who never surceased, till they brought him to the block, Jan. 30. 1649. At his death, notwithstanding his religious pretences, (being always a devotee of the church of England) he was so far from repentance, that he seemed to justify the most part of his former conduct[276]—Civil wars of Gr. Br., Bailie's let., Bennet, Welwood and Guthrie's memoirs, &c.

JAMES, Duke of Hamilton, though none of the most violent prosecutors of the malignant interest against the reformation, yet was always one who conformed to his master Charles 1st's measures, and was by him sent down commissioner to the assembly 1630, which he commanded to dissolve (though they did not obey) and left it. He published the king's declaration against the covenants and covenanters. And though none of the most rigid, yet he may be justly accounted the head of the malignant faction in Scotland, from 1638 to 1648, since he, contrary to the solemn league and covenant, raised a large army in Scotland and went to England in behalf of the king. But he was shamefully defeated by Cromwel, and taken prisoner to London. After some time's confinement he was executed.—Bailie's Letters, Civil Wars, &c.

JAMES GRAHAM, Earl, afterwards Marquis, of Montrose, in the year 1638, took the covenanters side, was a prime presser of the covenants, was one of the commissioners sent to Aberdeen 1638 for that purpose, and in 1639, was sent north to suppress the malignant faction of the Huntleys. The same year he was ordered north again to quell Aboyn and the Gordons, which he routed at the bridge of Dee. He commanded two regiments of the covenanters under general Lesly for England 1640, and led the van of the army for England. But shifting sides 1643, he offered to raise forces for the king, came from court, and set up the king's standard at Dumfries. From thence he went to the north and joined M'Donald with a number of bloody Irishes, where they plundered and wasted the country of Argyle, marched southward and gained six battles over the covenanters, viz. at Trippermoor, Aberdeen, Inverlochy, Alfoord, Aldearn and Kilsyth, where many, some say, thirty thousand of the Covenanters were killed. But at last was defeated at Philiphaugh by Lesly 1645. For this conduct he was excommunicated by the general assembly. He went abroad and there remained till the year 1650, that when the treaty was on the very anvil with Charles II. he received another commission from him to raise a new insurrection in the north, but was defeated by colonels Strahan, Ker, and Halkel, and afterwards taken in the laird of Ason's ground, and brought to Endluish, where he was condemned to be hanged on a gallows thirty feet high two hours, and then quartered, and his legs and arms hung up in the public places of the kingdom, May 21st, 1650. Mr. Blair and some other ministers were sent to him to use means to persuade him to repentance for his former apostate and bloody life, but by no means could they persuade this truculent tyrant and traitor to his country to repent. He excused himself, and died under the censure of the church, obstinate and utterly impenitent.—Montrose, Guthrie, and Blair.

WILLIAM MONRO, a kind of gentleman in the parish of Killern, was a hater of God and every thing religious; for while Mr. Hog was minister there sometime before the restoration, a gentleman in the parish having one of his family dead, intended to bury in the church; but, this being contrary to an act of the general assembly, Mr. Hog refused it. But Monro, being a brisk hectoring fellow, promised to make their way good in spite of all opposition. Accordingly, when they came to the church door, Mr. Hog opposed them: whereupon Monro laid hands on him to pull him from the door; but Mr. Hog, being able both of body and mind, wrested the keys from the assailant, telling him, that if he was to repel force by force, perhaps he would find himself no gainer: withal, telling the people, that that man had grieved the Spirit of God, and that they should either see his speedy repentance, or then a singular judgment upon him. He went on in his wicked courses a few months, till in one of his drunken revels, he attacked a mean man, and threw him in the fire. The poor man in this extremity drew out the wretch's own sword, and thrust it through his belly; on which his bowels came out, and so he expired in a miserable condition.—Memoirs of the life of Mr. Hog.

JOHN, Earl of Middleton, at first lifted arms with the covenanters, and had a share of the victory of the Gordons at the bridge of Dee. Yea, he was so zealous in that profession, that one time having sworn the covenants, he said to some gentlemen present, that it was the pleasantest day he ever saw, and if he should ever do any thing against that blessed day's work, he wished that arm (holding up his right arm) might be his death. But finding presbyterian discipline too strict for a wicked vitious life, he shifted sides and became major general to duke Hamilton 1648, and came upon a handful of covenanters at a communion at Machlin muir; and, contrary his promise, killed a number of them. He became a great favourite of Charles II. and laid a scheme to take him from the convention of estates to the north to free him of any further covenant engagements, for which he was excommunicated by the church; and though the sentence was taken off upon his feigned repentance, yet it was never by him forgot, till he got the blood of the pronouncer, Mr. Guthrie. After the restoration, he was advanced to great honour, and sent down commissioner to the parliament 1661, where he got the covenanted work of reformation wholly overturned by the infamous act rescissory,—oath of allegiance,—act establishing episcopacy and bishops in Scotland,—the act against the covenants, &c. But this would not do; he must have a glut of the blood of Argyle and Mr. Guthrie: and more, he behoved to come west, and grace that drunken meeting at Glasgow by whom several hundred of the faithful ministers were thrust out. From thence he arrived at Air, where he and some more drunken prelates drank the devil's health at the Cross in the middle of the night. It were endless almost to sum up the cruelties by his orders exercised upon those who would not conform to prelacy for the space of two years; in so much that he imposed no less than the enormous sum of one million seventeen thousand and three hundred and fifty pounds in the parliament 1662 of fines. So that in the south and western parts of Scotland, men either lost their consciences or their substance. But being complained of at court, that he had amerced large sums into his own hands, he hastened up, but was but coldly received by the king, (who had now got his turn done by him) Lauderdale being now his rival: He lost his office and honour, and lived sober enough, till as an honourable kind of banishment, he was sent off as governor to Tanguirs on the coasts of Africa; but he lived but a short and contemptuous life there, till the justice and judgment of God overtook him; for, falling down a stair, he broke the bone of his right arm; at the next tumble the broken splinter pierced his side; after which he soon became stupid, and died in great torment. This was the end of one of those who had brought the church of Scotland on her knees by prelacy.—Wodrow.

ROBERT MILNE, bailie (or according to some provost) sometime of Linlithgow, swore the covenants with uplifted hands; but soon after the restoration, to shew his loyalty, did in a most contemptuous manner burn the said covenants, the causes of wrath, lex rex, western remonstrance, with several other acts of church and state at the Cross, and to grace the solemnity, French and Spanish wine was distributed most liberally, wherein the King's and Queen's healths were drunken. But this vile Pageantry, similar to Balthazzers quaffing in the holy vessels, did not pass long without a note of observation, for though Milne had scraped together much riches, yet, in a short time, he became an insolvent bankrupt, and was forced to flee to the Abbey; after which he became distracted, and died in great misery at Holyrood-house.—Wodrow.

—— MAXWELL of Blackston rose with Caldwall, Kersland and some others of the Renfrew gentlemen, who intended to join Col. Wallace, and that handful who rose 1666; but being by Dalziel prevented from joining them, was obliged to disperse; and, though Blackston was a socius criminis, (had it been a crime,) yet to save his estate and neck, he went first to the arch-bishop, then to the council, and accused and informed against the rest: and, though he thus purchased his liberty, he had nothing afterwards to boast of; for these gentlemen mostly got honourably off the stage; whereas after that he never had a day to do well, (as himself was obliged to confess) every thing in providence went cross to him, till reduced, and then he took a resolution to go to Carolina: but in this he was disappointed also; for he died at sea in no comfortable manner; and was turned into the fluid ocean as a victim for fishes to feed upon.—Wodrow.

DAVID M'BRYAR, an heritor in Irongray parish, was chosen a commissioner of the burgh for Middleton's parliament, in which he intended to have charged his minister Mr. Welch with treason. After which he became a cruel persecutor; nor was he less remarkable in that country for a wicked and villainous practice, than for his furious rage against the godly; but in a short time he became insolvent, and for fear of caption was obliged to skulk privately among his tenants. In the mean time, one Gordon, a north country man of the same stamp, coming forth to agent a curate's cause in that country, and travelling through Irongray parish found Mr. M'Bryar, in the fields very dejected and melancholy like, and concluding him to be one of the sufferers, commanded him to go with him to Dumfries. But M'Bryar, fearing nothing but his debt, refused: whereupon Gordon drew his sword, and told him he must go. He still refused, till in the struggle Gordon run him through the body, and so he expired. Gordon made it no secret, that he had killed a whig (as he called him) but when they saw the body, they soon knew who it was, and immediately Gordon was taken to Dumfries himself, and hanged for killing one as honest as himself. Here remark a notable judgment of God: M'Bryar was killed under the notion of one of those he persecuted, and then one persecutor was the instrument to cut off another.—Wodrow, Fulfilling of the Scriptures.

SIR WM. BANNANTINE, another of this wicked persecuting gang, having got a party under command, took up garrison in the castle or house of Earlston after Pentland, where he committed such cruelties upon the poor people in these bounds who would not comply with prelacy as are shocking to nature to relate: In the parishes of Dalry, Carsphern and Balmagie, he fined and plundered numbers. He tortured a poor woman, because he alledged, she was accessory to her husband's escape, with fire matches betwixt her fingers, till she almost went distracted and shortly after died. He also tortured James Mitchel of Sandywell the same way, though nothing but 16 years of age, because he would not tell things he knew nothing of. Sometimes he would cause make great fires, and lay down men to roast before them, if they would not or could not give him money, or information concerning those who were at Pentland. But his cruel reign was not long-lived; for the managers not being come to that altitude of cruelty as afterward, an enquiry was made into his conduct, and he laid under two hundred pounds of fine; and, because Lauderdale would not remit this, it is said, he attempted to assassinate him. However, he was obliged to leave the king's dominions, and go over to the wars in the low countries, where, at the siege of Graves, as he was walking somewhat carelesly, being advised to take care of himself, he said, canons kill none but fey folk. At that very nick of time, a canon ball came, and severed his heart from his body to a considerable distance according to a wicked imprecation often used by him in his ordinary discourse, that if such a thing were not so, he wished his heart might be driven out of his body.—Wodrow.

MR. JAMES HAMILTON, brother to lord Belhaven, but of the clerical order. Before the 1638 assembly, he had received episcopal ordination; but upon the turn of affairs then, he became a zealous covenanter; and being settled minister at Cambusnethen, such was his zeal, that he not only bound his people to these covenants, but excommunicated all from the tables, who were not true to them, using Nehemiah's form, shaking the lap of his gown, saying, So let God shake out every man, &c. But how he himself kept them, the sequel will declare. For his cunning, time serving temper made him too volatile for a presbyterian; for no sooner did prelacy again get the ascendant after the restoration, then he got himself into the leet of bishops, and must needs up to London to be consecrated. The bishoprick of Galloway came to his share; and then he began to shew his teeth against the covenanters, and procured letters from the council against several of the field preachers: and having got Sir Thomas Turner south for that purpose, he oftimes hunted him out beyond his intention unto many outrageous oppressions, though Turner was one like himself every way qualified for such exercises. Thus he continued for about 12 years, till at last he was called before the supreme tribunal to answer for his perfidy, apostacy, treachery and cruelty by a death suitable and similar unto such a life. The circumstances of which for want of certain information I am not able to relate at present[277].

MR. ANDREW HONYMAN, son to a baker who dedicated more than one cake to the muses; for all his four sons were scholars. Mr. Andrew, the eldest, was first minister at Ferry-parton, then transported to St. Andrew's, and being zealously affected to presbyterian church-government, and one of good parts, he was employed by the presbytery to draw up a testimony for the same about 1661. Nay, such was his zeal, that he said, if ever he spoke or acted otherwise, he was content to be reckoned a man of a prostitute conscience; and that, if he accepted a bishoprick, he wished he might worry on it. But on an interview with Sharp at Balmany Whins, he first got the arch-deanry of St. Andrew's, and then the bishoprick of Orkney; and having alway run greedily after the error of Balaam, from a zealous covenanter he became a fiery bigot for prelacy, and was the first after the restoration that wrote in defence of that constitution (against Naphtali) for that, that hand upon the wrist received the pistol shot intended for Sharp 1668. But this did not deter him from his former wicked practices, till about the year 1677, he met with harsher treatment (says the historian) from a more dreadful quarter, when he died at his house in Orkney.—Sharp's life, Wodw.

MR. THOMAS BELL, born in Westruther in Berwickshire, was, by Mr. John Vetch's generosity, put to school, and being minister there, he procured also a bursary for him; but after his laureation, falling into drunkenness, he went over to the English side, where shifting sides, he obtained a parsonage and became curate of Longhorsly; and was a violent persecutor of the presbyterians, especially these who had fled from Scotland, and particularly Mr. William Vetch (brother to his former benefactor) then at Stanton-hall; and being one time drinking with some papists who were stimulating him one against Mr. Vetch and his meeting, he vowed he should either ruin him or he him: in which he was as good as his word; for having brought him to many hardships he at last got him apprehended and sent off to Edinburgh, 1679. He did not long continue this trade; for, meeting with a gentleman, he boasted, that this night Mr. Vetch would be at Edinburgh, and to-morrow hanged. But in three days he himself, being abroad and drinking at a certain place till ten o'clock at night, must needs set home. The curate of the place urged him to stay the night being stormy and the water big, but he would not: so setting off and losing his way, and coming to the river Pont, where, as was supposed, he alighted to find the way by reason of the snow; and stepping over the brink of the river to the arm-pit, where the old ice bare him up, and the new ice by reason of some days thaw, froze him in; so that, after two days, he was found standing in this posture with the upper part of his body dry. Some went to help him out, but few could be got to give his corpse a convoy: So that they were obliged to lay him across a horse's back with a rope about his neck and through below the beasts belly fastened to his heels; and so he was carried off by a death suitable enough to such a wicked malevolent life.—Vetch's life at large.

MR. JAMES SHARP was son to William Sharp and grand son to the piper of —— so much famed for his skill in playing a spring called Coffee. However, the wind of the bag procured James a handsome education, after which he obtained a regent's post in the university of St. Andrew's. To relate every thing in the black and dismal story of his life would fill a volume. I shall only point at the principal lineaments thereof. While regent, he furiously beat one of his colleagues honest Mr. Sinclair on the Lord's day at the college table. He took up his lodging in a public inn, and there got the hostler one Isabel Lindsay with child. When she came to be delivered, he prevailed with her, upon promise of marriage, to consent to murder the infant, which he himself effected with his handkerchief, and then buried it below the hearth stone. When the woman, after he was bishop, stood up once and again before the people, and confronted him with this, he ordered her tongue to be pulled out with pincers, and when not obeyed, caused her to be put in the branks and afterwards banished with her husband over the water. For this and the striking of Mr. Sinclair he pretended a great deal of repentance and exercise of conscience, and being one eloquent of tongue, he soon deceived the ministry, and was by them advanced to be minister at Crail and then to make sure, he took the covenants a second time. In Cromwel's time, he took the tender, and became a thorough paced Cromwelian. When the time of his advancement approached at the restoration, being one of a zealous profession, his brethren sent him (as one whom they could confide in) over to Charles II. at Breda, that they might have the Presbyterian form of church-government continued. In the mean time, he in their name supplicated him to have episcopacy restored, because he saw it would please the malignant faction. After the king's arrival, he was again employed in the same errand, and, while at London undermining that noble constitution, he made his brethren believe all the while by letters, how much he had done for their cause, till he got it wholly overturned; and then, like another Judas, he returned, and for his reward obtained the arch bishoprick of St. Andrew's, and according to some 50,000 merks a year, and counsellor and primate of Scotland. No sooner was the wicked Haman advanced, than he began to persecute and harrass all who would not comply with his measures. He perjured himself in Mr Mitchel's case, had an active hand in all the bloodshed on scaffolds and fields from 1660 till his death, and kept up the king's orders of indemnity till the last ten of the Pentland men were executed. Nor was he any better in his domestick character, for sometimes he would, when at table, whisper in his wife's ears, the devil take her, when things were not ordered to his contentment. In a word, the ambition of Diotrephes, the covetousness of Demas, the treachery of Judas, the apostacy of Julian, and the cruelty of Nero, did all concenter in him. But to come to his death, having hunted out one Carmichael to harrass the shire of Fife, a few Fife gentlemen went out in quest of the said Carmichael, upon the 3d of May 1679—But missing him, they providentially met the bishop his master, which they took as a kind of providential call to dispatch him there. And having stopt his coach, commanded him to come out and prepare for death. But this he refused. This made them pour in a number of shot upon him, after which, being about to depart, one behind heard his daughter who was in coach, say, There is life yet. This made them all return. The commander (Burly) finding him yet safe, and understanding shooting was not to do his turn, commanded him to come out, and told him the reason of their conduct, namely, his opposition to the kingdom of Christ, murdering of his people, particularly Mr. James Mitchel, and James Learmond. The bishop still lingered, and cried for mercy, and offered them money. He said, Thy money perish with thee. He again commanded him to come out and prepare for death and eternity. At last he came out; but by no means could they prevail with him to pray. Upon which they all drew their swords, and then his courage failed him. The commander struck him, which was redoubled by the rest, until he was killed. And so he received the just demerit of his sorceries, villanies, murders, perfidy, perjury and apostacy. Then Phinehas rose and executed justice.—Vid. his life, Wodrow.

JOHN, Earl (afterwards Duke) of Rothes, was son to that famous reformer the Earl of Rothes. He at first set out that way. But, after the Restoration, being one of a profane wicked life, he exactly answered the taste of king and court. So he was made president of the council, and on Middleton's fall, commissioner, with many other places of power and trust heaped upon him, all which titles, &c. died with him. After Pentland, with others, he made a tour through the west, and caused twelve more of the Pentland men to be executed at Irvine and Air.—He perjured himself in Mr. Mitchel's case, and was the contriver of that barbarous unheard-of cruelty exercised on worthy Hackston of Rathillet. Nay, such was his zeal in serving his master Charles (or rather Diabolus) that he professed his willingness to set up popery in Scotland at the king's command, for which, with his other flagitious wickedness, such as uncleanness, adulteries, ordinary cursing, swearing, drunkenness, &c. he was one of those excommunicated by Mr. Cargil at Torwood, Sep. 1680. Thus he continued to wallow in all manner of filthiness, till July next year, that death did arrest him, Mr. Cargil being then in custody, he threatened him with a violent death; to whom Mr. Cargil answered, that die what death he would, he should not see it: which came to pass; for that morning (Mr. Cargil was to be executed in the afternoon) Rothes was seized with sickness and a dreadful horror of conscience; some of his wife's ministers were sent for, who dealt somewhat freely with him: to whom he said, "We all thought little of that man's sentence, (meaning Mr. Cargil) but I find that sentence binding on me now, and will bind me to eternity." And so roaring out, till he made the bed shake under him, he died in that condition,—Wodrow, Walker's life of Mr. Cargil, &c.

HUGH PINANEVE, factor to the lady Loudon while the earl was a refugee in Holland, was a most wicked wretch both in principle and practice, and an inveterate enemy to the sufferers, in so much, that being at a market at Mauchlin some time after Mr. Cameron's death, when drinking in a room with one Robert Brown, before they took horse, he brake out in railery against Mr. Cameron and the sufferers: Mr. Peden, overhearing him in the next room, came to the chamber door and said, Sir, hold your peace, ere twelve o'clock, you shall know what for a man Mr. Cameron was: God shall punish that blasphemous mouth and tongue of yours in a most remarkable manner for a warning to all such railing Rabshakehs. Brown, knowing Mr. Peden, hastened the factor home and went to his own house, and Hugh to the earl's house. But when casting off his boots, he was suddenly seized with great pains through his whole body. Brown, using to let blood, was immediately sent for.—But when he came, he found him lying, and his mouth gaping wide, and his tongue hanging out: he let a little blood, but to no effect; he died before midnight in this fearful condition.—Peden's life, &c.

JOHN NISBET, factor to the arch-bishop of Glasgow, was a drunkard, a hater of all religion and piety, and such a professed malignant wretch, that when Mr. Cargil was brought in prisoner to Glasgow, July 1681, looking over a stair to him in way of ridicule, cried three times over, Will you give us one word more, (alluding to a word Mr. Cargil sometimes used in his pathetic way of preaching). To whom Mr. Cargil with much regret and concern, said,—"Mock not, lest your bands be made strong. Poor man, the day is coming ere you die, that you shall desire to have one word and shall not have it." Shortly, he was suddenly struck by God, and his tongue three days successively swelled in his mouth, so that he could not speak one word. Two Glasgow men made him a visit, and desired him to commit to writing the reason of this, and if he desired to speak; to whom he wrote, "That it was the just judgment of God, and the saying of the minister verified on him for his mocking of him; and if he had the whole world, he would give it for the use of his tongue again." But that he never got, but died in great torment and seeming horror.—Wodrow, Walker, &c.

J—— ELLIES, was one employed by the bloody managers about Bothwel affair, and being a lawyer, he behoved to shew his parts in pleading against the servants of Jesus Christ, namely, in the trial of Messrs. Kid and King: and though he got their lives pleaded away, and his conscience kept quiet for a little, yet shortly death did arrest him; and then his conscience awakened; and under the horror of that, he died in a very pitiful and shocking manner.—History of the sufferings, &c.

JOHN, Earl (afterwards Duke) of Lauderdale, at first set up for a prime covenanter, and swore them more than once; and, if I mistake not, was the same called lord Maitland ruling elder from Scotland to the Westminster assembly, and had a principal hand in the whole management during the second reformation period; but, falling in with Charles II. he soon debauched him. After the restoration, he became a furious malignant, and being one whose nature and qualifications did exactly correspond with the king's, he complied in every thing that pleased him, for which he heaped upon him titles, places of power, profit and preferment, all which died with himself. He was made secretary of state, president of the council, and commissioner to the parliament 1669, where he got that hell-hatched act of supremacy passed, which has plagued this church and nation ever since; at the instigation of Dr. Burnet, he set the indulgence on foot 1670; got the act against conventicles made, which occasioned so many hardships and bloodsheds in this land; nay, such was his fury, that when they would not comply, he uncovered his arm to the elbow in council, and swore by Jehovah he would make the best of them submit. In a word, he was the prime instrument of all the cruelties exercised for a number of years, while he obtained the king's ear. Nor was this all; for he became notorious for a wicked profligate life and conversation; a thing common with apostates:—a Sabbath-breaker, gaming on the Lord's day, a profane swearer and blasphemer, a jester on scripture and things religious, one time saying to prelate Sharp, Sit thou on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool. He perjured himself in Mr. Mitchel's case, promising in council he should be indemnified to life and limb, and then swearing before the judiciary, that there was no such promise or act made. For these, with his other sins of adultery, counselling the king, and assisting him in all his tyrannies in overturning the work of reformation, and murdering those who adhered to these covenants that he himself had engaged in, he was also one of those excommunicated at Torwood, 1680. Towards the end of his life, he became such a remarkable Epicurean, that it is incredible the flesh, or juice of flesh, it is said, he devoured in one day, eating and drinking being now his only exercise and delight. His scheme of management had rendered him odious to the English patriots. Now his effeminate life made him unfit for business: so, about 1681, he was obliged to resign his offices; after which, by old age and vast bulk of body, his spirits became quite sunk, till his heart was not the bigness of a walnut: and so at last upon the chamber box, (like another Arius) he evacuated soul, vital life, and excrements all at once; and so went to his own place.—Burnet and Wodrow's histories, and Walker's remarks.

J—— WYLIE, though of no great note, yet for a wicked life and practice was a tool fit enough for the dreary drudgery of persecution: in which he got a party of soldiers to assist him as often as he would. In this devilish employment, amongst other instances, he got a party of Blackaras' troop, 1683, and came upon John Archer, while his children were sick, and himself ill of the gravel; yet he must needs have the mother of the children too, though she could not leave them in that condition. While he insisted, one of the dragoons said, The devil ding your back in twa: have ye a coach and six for her and the children? Wylie, with cursing, answered, She shall go, if she should be trailed in a sledge; which was his common bye-word when hauling poor people to prison. However, he got Archer and five small children to Kirkaldy tolbooth. But what then? In a little after, having taken a gentleman prisoner, he went with him to a public house near Clunie in the parish of Kinglassie to see some public matters accommodated; but not agreeing, Wylie made a great splutter, and amongst other imprecations said, The devil take me, if I carry him not to Couper tolbooth this night. The gentleman's man, a young hardy fellow, told him roundly, his master should not go there. Upon which, Wylie gave him a blow: the fellow ran to a smith's shop, and getting a goad of iron, made at Wylie. A scuffle ensued, in which he broke Wylie's back in two; which obliged them to get two sledges and tie him across on them, and so carry him home; and in a short time he died in great agony. The Lord shall break the arm of the wicked—Wodrow.

MR. FRANCIS GORDON, a volunteer in the Earl of Airly's troop, but chiefly so from a principle of wickedness. He had committed several outrages upon the suffering people of God, and intended more (as appeared from several of their names in his pocket to be taken at his death) had not God cut his days short; for he and another wicked companion left their troop at Lanerk, and came with two servants and four horses to Kilkcagow, searching for sufferers. Gordon rambling through the town, offering to abuse some women, at night coming to East-seat, Gordon's comrade went to bed, but he would sleep none, roaring all night for women. In the morning, he left the rest, and with his sword in his hand came to Moss-plate. Some men who had been in the fields all night, fled; upon which he pursued. In the mean time, seeing three men, who had been at a meeting in the night, flee, he pursued and overtook them: one of them asked, why he pursued them? He said, to send them to hell. Another said, That shall not be; we will defend ourselves. Gordon said, Either you or I shall go to it just now: and so, with great fury, run his sword at one of them, which missed his body, but went through his coat. The said person fired at him, but missed him; whereupon he roared out, God damn his soul; another fired a pocket pistol, which took his head; and so he fell down dead. Thus his assiduity brought him to his end, near four miles from the troop, and one from his companion.—Walker.

THOMAS KENNOWAY, an officer of the guards and another booted apostle for the propagation of Episcopacy, was with Dalziel at Pentland and at the apprehending of Mr. M'Kail at Braid's craigs, and the apprehending of Mr. King after Bothwel. He attacked a meeting at Bathgate, shot one dead, and took fourteen prisoners, who were afterwards banished 1681. He came with a party to Livingston parish, where he rifled houses, broke open chests, abused women with child, took an old man and his son, and offered to hang them on the two ends of a tow. He spent the Lord's day in drinking, saying, he would make the prisoners pay it. He was a profane adulterer, a drinker, a fearful blasphemer, curser and swearer. He would sometimes say, Hell would be a good winter but a bad summer-quarters. One asked him, if he was never afraid of hell? He swore he was never afraid of that, but he was sometimes afraid the rebels (so he called the sufferers) should shoot him dead at a dykeside. In the midst of this career, he comes out of Edinburgh, Nov. 1683, with a roll of 150 persons, probably of his own up-giving to be apprehended. He alights at Livingston, where he meets one Stuart. When drinking, he shewed him his commission, and told him, he hoped in a few days to be as good a laird as many in that country: but regretted he was now so old, and would not get it long enjoyed. They came to Swine's-abbey, where they continued some days drinking, laying their projects. But on the 20th of November being somewhat alarmed, they run to the door of the house, thinking none would be so bold as attack them, but were instantly both shot dead on the spot.[278] And thus their wicked lives were ended, and their malevolent designs left unaccomplished.—Wodrow.

JAMES IRVIN of Bonshaw, at first a trader in Irish horses, then a high-way man, but one who loved the wages of unrighteousness:—for having got notice of Mr. Cargil, Mr. Smith, &c. he went to the council, and got a commission and a party, and surprized them at Coventorn mill. This made him cry out, "O blessed Bonshaw! and blessed day that ever I was born! that has found such a prize!" meaning the 5000 merks set on Mr. Cargil's head. At Lanerk, when tying Mr. Cargil's feet hard below the horse's belly, Mr. Cargil said, "Why do you tie me so hard? Your wickedness is great: you will not long escape the just judgment of God; and if I be not mistaken, it will seize you near this place." Nor was this all; having apprehended George Jackson 1683, in the Lord's night, he offered to set him on a horse's bare back, and tie his head and feet together, and offered him the king's health, which he refused. On the morrow, when setting him on the horse, he caused hold a trumpet to his ear and bade sound him to hell: at which the martyr smiled. In the same year having apprehended twelve prisoners, he carried them to Hamilton, then to Lanerk, where they were augmented to thirty. They were cast at night into a dungeon without fire or candle: next morning, he tied them two by two on a horse's bare back, and their legs twisted below the horses bellies to the effusion of their blood, and so drove them to Edinburgh at the gallop, not suffering so much as one of the poor prisoners to alight to ease nature. But being now arrived at the very summit of his wicked cruelty, he returned to Lanerk, and at the very place where he had bound Mr. Cargil, one of his drunken companions and he falling at odds, while he was easing himself on a dunghill, his comrade coming out with a sword, ran him through the body till the blood and dirt, with Eglon's, came out. His last words were, "God damn my soul eternally, for I am gone." Mischief shall hunt the violent man, till he be ruined.—Wodrow, Walker's remarks.

CHARLES II. succeeded his father Charles I. He was from his infancy such a dissembler, that he could metamorphose himself unto any profession that was most for his carnal ends and political interest. In his exile, he confined himself to popery. When he came to treat with the Scots for a crown, he became a Protestant and a Presbyterian too. So that he took the covenants twice in one year at Spey and Scoon, and emitted a declaration at Dunfermline of his own sins and his father's wickedness. Upon his being again expelled these dominions, he turned papist again, and came under obligations to promote that interest, if ever he should be restored again. No sooner was he restored, than he restored episcopacy in England, and by the help of a set of poor time-serving wretches got the work of reformation overturned in Scotland, and then episcopacy, prelacy, and arbitrary power began to shake its bloody dart. The persecuting work began; Presbyterian ministers were driven from their charges, and killed or banished. He got himself advanced head of the church, and then commanded these covenants he had more than once sworn, to be burnt by the hand of the hangman, and then the laws against covenanters were written in blood and executed by dragoons. It were almost endless to relate all the cruelties exercised upon the poor wanderers during his reign, before, at, and after Pentland, by the Highland host.—At and after Bothwel, boots, thumbkins and cutting off of ears came in fashion. Some put to death on scaffolds; some in the fields, and some made a sacrifice to the manes of Sharp; some drowned on ship-board, some women hanged and drowned in the sea mark, some kept waking for nine nights together; some had their breasts ript up, and their hearts plucked out, and cast into the fire, others not suffered to speak to the people in their own vindication for the beating of drums, &c. Nor were things in England much better: two thousand ministers were thrust out by the Bartholomew act, and laid under a train of cruel hardships, even such as were a shame to any Protestant nation. Many of the English patriots were murdered; Essex, Russel and Sidney came to the razor and the block. And for his practice, he was now drunken in all manner of uncleanness and filthiness. For all the numbers of strumpets and harlots he had, his own sister the duchess of Orleans could not be exempted. But drawing near his end, the popish faction of York his brother grew stronger, on suspicion that he intended to curb them. To cut the matter short, he was seized with an apoplectic fit, or rather had got a dose of poison: he formerly professed to caress the church of England, now in views of death father Huddleston was brought to administer the popish sacraments of the host and extreme unction, absolution and the eucharist. The host sticking in his throat, water was brought instead of wine to wash it down. Afterward bishop Ken came and pronounced another absolution upon him; and here observe, that he who was justly excommunicated by a lawful minister of the church of Scotland for his gross perjury, contempt of God and religion, lechery, treachery, covenant breaking, bloodshed, &c. was now absolved, first by a popish priest, and then a prelate of the church of England, and all without any the least signs of repentance, else he would never in his last words have recommended the care of two of his harlots (one of whom being in bed beyond him, his queen being elsewhere) to the care of his brother. And so, having drunk his death in a popish potion, he died unlamented. For his character, in all respects in nature, feature and manners, he resembled the tyrant Tiberius; and for all the numerous brood of bastards begot on other men's wives, he died a childless poltroon, having no legitimate heir to succeed him of his own body, according to the divine malediction, Write this man childless: for no man of his seed shall prosper, sitting on the throne of David, and ruling any more in Judah.

THOMAS DALZIEL of Binns, a man natively fierce and rude, but more so from his being brought up in the Muscovy service, where he had seen little else than tyranny and slavery: Nay, it is said, that he had there so learned the arts of divilish sophistry, that he sometimes beguiled the devil, or rather his master suffered himself to be outwitted by him[279]. However he behoved to return and have a share of the persecuting work; and after murdering a number of the Lord's witnesses at Pentland, he came west to Kilmarnock, where he committed many unheard of cruelties; instance, his putting a woman in the thieves hole there, in the Dean amongst toads and other venomous creatures, where her shrieks were heard at a distance, but none durst help her, and all because a man pursued ran through her house: and also his shooting one Findlay at a post without the least crime or shadow of law; with the many cruelties exercised upon the country after Bothwel; for these and his uncleanness and contempt of marriage from his youth, drunkenness, atheistical and irreligious conversation, he was another of these excommunicated at Torwood. After which he waited sometime on the council at Edinburgh to assist them in the persecuting work there, till the year 1685, that one William Hannah was brought before the council, and, when pleading, he was too old to banish, Dalziel told him roughly, he was not too old to hang: he would hang well enough. This was among the last of his public maneuvres: For that same day August 22d, when at his beloved exercise, drinking wine, while the cup was at his head, he fell down (being in perfect health) and expired.—Wodrow, Hind let loose, Naphtali, &c.

GEORGE CHARTERS, sometime a kind of factor to the duke of Queensberry, in imitation of his master was such an assiduous persecutor, "That he could boast that he had made 26 journeys in a year in pursuit of the whigs." And, if the same with Bailiff Charters who was on the scaffold with John Nisbet of Hardhill, and though the martyr spoke most meekly there, yet this Charters was rude to him. But that night he had a child overlaid in the bed, and in two days fell into great horror of conscience, crying out, Oh, for the life of John Nisbet. His friends thought to have kept it secret, and diverted him; but he became worse and worse, still crying out, Oh, for the life of John Nisbet, until he fell into a most terrible distraction. So that he sat night and day wringing about his nose and roaring ever, John Nisbet, to the terror of all around him[280].—Appendix to the Cloud of Witnesses, and Lady Earlstoun's Letter from Blackness in manuscript.

MR. —— EVANS, a man of no great note, but abundantly qualified to make merchandize of the people of God; for being master or commander of a ship wherein 190 of Christ's prisoners were put to be banished 1685, to the West-Indies, during their voyage of three months space, he made them endure the most excruciating hardships. They were crammed in so close night and day, that they could have no air, and so tormented with hunger and thirst, that they were obliged to drink their own urine: Whereby 32 of them died. After their arrival in Jamaica, they were imprisoned and sold for slaves. But Evans fell sick, and his body rotted away piece-meal while alive, so that none could come near him for stink. This wrought horror of conscience in him; whereupon he called for some of the prisoners, and begged forgiveness, and desired them to pray for him, which they did; so he died. Howard's case who got the price was still less hopeful; for he fell down betwixt two ships, and perished in the Thames. Nor were the ship's crew who assisted them much better; for 40 of them took a pestilent fever, and turned mad and leapt over board and perished.—Wodrow.

SIR ROBERT LAURIE of Maxwelton, was another enemy to the poor people of God. When Cornet Baillie had met with W. Smith in Glencairn parish, 1684, his Father being one of Sir Robert's tenants, went to beg favour for his son. But Sir Robert presently sentenced him to present death. Bailie refused to execute it, because illegal. But the cruel monster threatened him to do it without delay; and being shot, Maxwelton refused him burial in the church-yard: The same day being the day of his daughter's marriage, his steward declared, that a cup of wine that day being put into his master's hand, turned into congealed blood. However, in a short time, he fell from his horse, and was killed dead—Wodrow, Appendix to the Cloud, &c.

—— WHITEFORD, son to Whiteford, pretended bishop of Brichen, (who was excommunicated by the Assembly 1638) went first to England; thence to Holland, where he killed Dorislaus, and being turned papist, to be out of Cromwel's reach, he went over to the duke of Savoy's service, and was there when the terrible massacre was committed upon the poor Vandois (probably about 1655) where he committed many barbarous murders upon them with his own hands. He returned home, and it appears, he was made a captain of the guard, and had a share in the persecuting work. However, he had a small pension given him for such service. But he sickened before York's parliament sat down, 1686, and being haunted with an intolerable horror of conscience of the execrable murders he had committed, called for some ministers, and told them his abhorrence of popery: "For (said he) I went to priests of all sorts; they all justified me in what I had done, and gave me absolution. But now I am persuaded by an awakened conscience." And so he died as one in despair, roaring out against that bloody religion that had undone him.—Burnet's history, &c.

PHILIP STANDFIELD, son to Sir James Standfield of New-milns, was a mocker of God and all things religious. While student at the university of St. Andrew's, he came to a meeting where Mr. John Welch was preaching in Kinkell Closs: in the time of the sermon, out of malice and mockery, he cast somewhat that hit the minister, who stopped and said, He knew not who it was, that had put that public affront upon a servant of Christ; but be who it would, he was persuaded that there would be more present at the death of him who did it, than were hearing him that day; and the multitude was not small. However, this profligate went home and continued his wicked courses, till the year 1688, that he murdered his own father; for which he was taken to Edinburgh, and executed. In time of his imprisonment, he told some, he was confident that God was now about to accomplish what he had been before by his servant forewarned of.—Wodrow.

JOHN ALLISON, sometime chamberlain to the duke of Queensberry, to please his master, became a most violent persecutor of God's people. It were needless to condescend upon particular instances: the way and manner of his death plainly shews what his conduct had been, and from what principle he had acted: for being seized with a terrible distemper wherein he had the foretaste of hell both in body and soul; in body he was so inflamed, that it is said, he was put in a large pipe of water, and the water to shift successively as it warmed. But the horrors of his awakened conscience they could by no means cool, but still he cried out in despair, that he had damned his soul for the duke his master, till he died.—M. S. and Appendix to the Cloud, &c.

GEORGE LORD JEFFERIES, an Englishman, was born in Wales about 1648. He first studied the law, then he became serjeant of the city of London; he next stepped to the recordership of the city; from thence he became chief justice of the city of Chester; and in 1683, was made lord chief justice of the king's bench. In this, as in all his other offices, he behaved most indecently; for besides his being scandalously vitious, he was almost every day drunk, besides a drunkenness of fury in his temper by which he brought the lord Russel, and the famous Alg. Sidney unto their ends. He also handled Mr. Baxter and others severely. But the most tragical story of his life fell out 1685. After Monmouth was defeated and himself and many of his little army taken, Jefferies was sent by his master king James to the West as ordinary executioner to try the prisoners; and here his behaviour was beyond any thing ever heard of, I believe, in a Christian nation. He was perpetually after drink or in rage, liker a fury than a judge: where no proof could be had, he commanded the pannels to plead guilty, if they desired mercy; and then, if they confest any thing, they were immediately hung up. In a few towns in the west of England, he pronounced sentence of death on some 500 or 600 persons, 292 of them received this sentence in an hours space; and of these 600 250 were executed; others had the benefit of his avarice; for pardons were by him sold from 10 pound to 14000 guineas. He sentenced the lady Lesly for harbouring a stranger one night. Miss Gaunt was burnt. A poor man was hanged for selling three-pence worth of hay to Monmouth's horse. Some were hanged at the stanchions of windows, others had their bowels burnt and their bodies boiled in pitch, and hung round the town. Bloody Kirk put in for part of the honour. At Taunton he hanged nine without suffering them to take leave of their wives and children. At some places they cast off so many with a health to the King, and a number more with a health to the Queen, drinking it at every turn, and perceiving the shaking of their legs in the agonies of death, they said, they were dancing, and called for music, and to every one cast over a spring was played on pipes, hautboys, drums and trumpets, with a huzza and a glass of wine. Jefferies sentenced one Tutchin for changing his name to seven years imprisonment, and whipping through all the market towns in the shire, which was once a fortnight during that time; which made Mr. Tutchin petition the king for death. Many other cruelties were then committed, but the foregoing swatch may suffice. Jefferies returned to London, where his master James, for his good services, made him lord chancellor. Being now above the reach or envy of the people, he set himself to assist his master in bringing in popery; but their mad hasty zeal spoiled the project, and so his master having to flee his dominions, Jefferies, disguised in a seaman's dress in a collier, essayed to escape after and in imitation of his master, but was taken and severely drubbed by the populace, and then brought to the lord mayor. Jefferies to be freed of the people, desired to be sent to the Tower; because they were waiting with clubs upon him. The mayor seeing this, and the chancellor in such a gloomy appearance, was so struck that he fell into fits and soon died. Jefferies, being sent to the Tower, continued with few either to pity or supply him. At last a barrel of oysters being sent him, he thanked God he had yet some friends left: but when tumbled out with or without oysters, a strong cord halter fell out, which made him change countenance on the prospect of his future distiny. A distemper with the gravel seized him, contracted through his former intemperate wicked bloody life, and the horrors of an awakened conscience; and at last, whether nature wrought out itself, or, if he himself helped the fatal stroke, (as is most likely) is uncertain; 1689.—Vide his life, and the Western Martyrology or Bloody Assizes, &c.

JOHN GRAHAM of Claverhouse in Angus, a branch of the house of Montrose, another champion for the prince of the kingdom of darkness. To improve the cruelty of his nature, he was sometime in the French service. He returned to Scotland 1677. The vivacity of his genius soon recommended him to Charles and James, who bestowed upon him the command of a troop of horse: and then he began the spoiling and killing the people of God; wherein he was alway successful, except at Drumclog. One of his exploits was at Bewly-bog, where the writer of his memoirs says, he killed 75 and took many prisoners. After Bothwel, had Monmouth granted it, he would have killed the prisoners, burnt Glasgow, Hamilton and Strathaven, and plundered the western shires. To enumerate all the cruelties, bloodshed and oppression committed by him, while he ranged up and down the country for ten years space, were a talk here too tedious: in which time it is said, he killed near 100 persons in cold blood. In Galloway, he and his party ravished a woman before her husband's eyes, took a young boy, tied his two thumbs with a cord, and hung him to the balk or roof of the house. Another they took and twisted a small cord about his head with their pistols to the scull. In 1682, he pursued and shot one W. Graham when escaping from his mother's house. In 1683, he shot four men on the water of Dee, and carried two to Dumfries, and hanged them there. In 1685, he caused shoot one in Carrick, and in the same year most cruelly shot John Brown at his own door in Moor-kirk, and a little after shot A. Hyslop in Annandale. These and such services procured him a higher title of honour: he was created Viscount Dundee, and made privy counsellor. In York's reign, his conduct was much of a piece, running up and down the country, making people swear they would never lift arms against king James. He was alway staunch to popery, and when the convention met at Edinburgh, he went off with some horse to the north, and raised the clanships for James's interest; where he shifted from place to place till June 13, 1689, that he came to a pitched engagement with Gen. Mackay on the braes of Gillicrankie on the water of Trumble. The battle was very bloody, and by Mackey's third fire Claverhouse fell, of whom historians give little account; but it has been said for certain, that his own waiting man taking a resolution to rid this world of this truculent bloody monster; and knowing he had proof of lead[281], shot him with a silver button he had before taken off his own coat for that purpose. However he fell, and with him popery and king James's interest in Scotland. Behold thou art taken in thy mischief, because thou art a bloody man—Claverhouse's memoirs, History of the Sufferers, Defoe's memoirs, &c.

ALEX. GORDON of Kilstuers in Galloway set out amongst the suffering remnant, joined the united societies who followed faithful Mr. Renwick, and was for some time most zealous for that cause; for which he was apprehended, but rescued at Enterkine-path, August 1684, when going to Edinburgh; at which some of the sufferers were not a little (if not too much) elated. But never being right principled, as Mr. Peden perceived, when he refused to sail the sea with him from Ireland before this. He first fell in with Langlands and Barclay in favour of Argyle's attempt, 1685, and from that time he became a most violent traducer and reproacher of Mr. Renwick and the faithful party both by tongue and pen to render them odious: then he fell into a kind of profligate life, (as Mr. Renwick often said, that these who fell from strictness in principle would not long retain strictness of practice) at last being at Edinburgh, he got drunk, and then must needs fight, as is usual with such miscreants; and, having in the squabble lost much blood, his head became light, so that when going up stairs, he lost his feet and falling down brained himself, and so expired.—Faithful Contendings, Walkers Remarks.

SIR GEORGE M'KENZIE of Rosehaugh, was another notorious apostate; for after he had made no small profession of presbyterian principles and holiness of life, he after the restoration, not only apostatized from that profession, but fell into a most wicked and flagitious life and conversation; which were qualifications good enough then to gain him the post of an advocate. Sometime after Pentland, he pleaded the sufferers part; but afterwards shifted sides (being advanced to be king's advocate) and pleaded most strenuously against them, and even with such a degree of fury that neither prelate nor bloody manager could ever charge him with the least thing that looked like moderation. It were needless to relate what hand he had in the bloody work at that time, seeing he pleaded away almost the lives of all that were executed from 1677 to 1688. Nay, such was his rage at the cause of Christ and his people, that before they escaped his hands, he would charge them with what in his conscience he knew was false: and, if they would not answer questions to his mind, he would threaten to pull out their tongues with pincers. At the same time pleaded that murderers, sorcerers, &c. might go free. In one of his distracted fits, he took the Bible in his hand and wickedly said, it would never be well with the land till that book was destroyed. These and the like procured him a place in that black list excommunicated at Torwood. After the persecuting work was over, he went up to London, where he died with all the passages of his body running blood (like Charles IX. of France author of the Paris massacre.) Physicians being brought could give no natural cause for it, but that it was the hand of God on him for the blood he had shed in his own land.—Vid. West's memoirs, and History of the sufferings of the church of Scotland.

SIR JAMES JOHNSTON of Westerraw (alias Westerhall) another of the same kidney was an egregious apostate. He was such a zealous professor, that when the test was first framed, he could boast that he was an actual covenanter, and so scorned it. But, on the first trial, he not only took it, but furiously pressed it on others; and, having gathered the parish for that purpose, 1683, he in one of his rages said, "The devil damn his soul; but before to-morrow's night they should all be damned by taking it as well as he." And for persecuting work, he exacted 11,000l. in Galloway by oppression, digged a man's body out of the grave, plundered the poor widow woman's house where he died, because he was one of the sufferers, and caused Claverhouse, somewhat contrary to his mind to shoot An. Hyslop because taken on his ground. He lived till or after the revolution, that he died in great torture of body and grievous torment and horror of conscience, insomuch that his cries were heard at a great distance from the house, as a warning to all apostates.—Wodrow, Appendix to the Cloud &c.

SIR JOHN WHITEFORD of Milton (Carluke parish) was a wicked man, and such a persecutor, that he was said with his servants to have murdered severals when flying from Pentland, and had a principal hand in informing against Gavin Hamilton in Mauldslie, who was taken and executed with others at Edinburgh Dec. 7, 1666, and was one of the test circuits 1683. This and other pieces of the like employment made James Nicol a martyr say, That the world would see that house a desolation, and nettles growing in its closs:—which came to pass soon after the Revolution, when he became insolvent, his estate sequestrated, and orders obtained to apprehend him: which at last was effected although he defended himself some time with stones from the battlement. The lands changed many masters, and for some years lay desolate; and it has been observed, that till of late, no man dwelt in it above the space of seven years.—M. S.

—— DOUGLAS, laird of Stenhouse, was another of this fraternity. He assisted Maxwelton at the murder of William Smith in Hill; and, though but a man of mean estate, for this and his excessive harrassing, spoiling and fining the people of God, and because a professed papist, he was advanced to the honour of being sometime secretary to king James VII. (whether it was he that was advanced to be earl Milford, I know not) but his wicked honours were short lived; his name soon became extinct, having neither root nor branch, male nor female, for a remembrance left of him. Their fruit shalt thou destroy from earth, and their seed from among the children of men.

WILLIAM, Duke of Queensbury, was a prime instrument in managing the persecuting work in that period: he once said, they should not have time to prepare for heaven, hell was too good a place for them to dwell in. He was, while an earl, for his zeal in suppressing the rebels (as they called them) made a chancellor and treasurer in 1679.—Afterwards made a Duke and appointed commissioner by James VII. to the parliament 1685, where he got an act made for taking the test,—act of regularity,—act for taking the allegiance,—and that heaven-daring act declaring it treason to take the covenants,—with a great number banished during the parliament. Such was his vigilance by his factors and emissaries, that saints blood like water was shed; and his own tenants were cruelly spoiled and harrassed; and though he fell somewhat out of king James's favour in the last years of his reign, yet he still retained his persecuting spirit, even after the Revolution; for he opposed Mr. Vetch's settlement at Peebles, and for seven sessions pleaded it both before the lords and the church, till he {illegible} removed, 1694—But all this did not pass without a note of observation of divine vengeance even in this life; for, taking a fearful disease, it is said, that, like another Herod, the vermin issued in such abundance from his body, that two women were constantly employed in sweeping them into the fire. Thus he continued, till the fleshy parts of his substance were dissolved, and then he expired.[282]—M. S. History of the sufferings, &c.