prisoners, and promised them their lives, which was done by Thomas Dalziel, called general, who took them prisoners, and after promising to set them at liberty, delivered them up to the bloody council, who most cruelly murdered them, against, and without all law and reason, never speaking of conscience,-for, they had lost all of that-that they ever had, when they burnt the covenant, and murdered the Marquis of Argyle, and my lord Warriston, and that eminent minister, Mr. James Guthrie, who were murdered against the very act of their own laws. 5. I bear witness and testimony against the cutting off heads and hands, and setting them up upon the ports of Edinburgh, and elsewhere through the kingdom of Scotland, as if they had been thieves or malefactors. 6. I testify and bear witness against all the imprisonments, finings, and confinings of the people of God, for adhering to his word and our covenants. 7. I testify and bear witness against the pressing of the declaration against our covenants upon the consciences of the Lord's people. 8. I testify and bear witness against the imposing and paying of cess and militia-money, both for oppressing the consciences, and grinding the faces of the poor. 9. I testify and bear witness against that cruel and hell-hatched act of sending the highland host, and the rest of that cabal, to oppress and plunder the people of God. 10thly and lastly, I bear witness against all the oppression, spoiling, robbing, and hunting of the people of God, and that, against all manner of law and reason. I shall be a standing witness against them, aye and until they repent. O that the Lord would pour out his Spirit upon all that have so grievously turned aside, and make them to lie in the dust, and to take with their sins; but I fear a holy God has given them up to themselves, and sealed their hearts with obduration, and so they are become proof against all dispensations; but sure, such as will not bow to God, shall be broken by the mighty rod of iron that is in his hand to bruise the nations. I have here left my testimony against the perjury, bloodshed, and oppression of the people of God, which has been done by him who is called the king of Britain and Ireland; and the perjury and bloodshed acted by noblemen and gentlemen, that have been assisting and strengthening his hand in bloody and cruel courses; and therefore I leave my testimony against them, and my blood upon their heads, and especially against such as were present in the council when I was examined, and these perjured lords of the criminal court, where I was sentenced to die here in this place of execution; and also, I leave my blood upon the head of assizers, and all others who said Amen to my sentence:whatever they have been, and yet are, except they repent, my blood shall be charged upon them! Likewise, I leave my testimony against all who curried arms to guard me to this scaffold, they shall be guilty of my blood, if mercy and grace prevent it not.

"Likewise, I bear witness, and leave my testimony against the reception of the duke of York, first and last, that professed papist, who has been laying out himself to carry us back to Rome, and that not only by the bloody council, and other perjured noblemen and gentlemen but also by the city of Edinburgh, that went out of the port to receive him, as though he had been a king, with shooting of

guns, sounding of trumpets, beating of drums, and kindling of bonfires; (which is contrary to the word of God and our covenant,) after he had been cast off justly by the other kingdom of England: I shall be a witness against that action in the great day. And particularly, I leave my blood upon that wretch and bloody tyrant, the duke of York; for it is to satisfy him, and to quench his implacable thirst after blood, that I am brought hither this day, The last time he came to Scotland, he got a sacrifice of the blood of these five that suffered at Magus-muir, who were indeed highly honoured, and nothing short of these that went before them; and now, he must have this our blood to quench his thirst upon; but that heart of his that is so rejoicing at the hearing and seeing of our death, ere long shall tremble, when my heart shall sing Hallelujah to the Lamb of God, and join in my note, and pass my sentence with the great Judge against him, and all the enemies of God, if great repentance and free grace prevent it not.

"And with respect to that for which I am sentenced to death, because of many mistakes, even among the godly, through wrong information I here as a dying man declare, that I had before me no design but only the glory of God, and the coming of Christ's kingdom, and his reigning as King in Zion. And for this I am sentenced, and for this I lay down my life this day, and I do it willingly and cheerfully, and not by constraint; for if I had been left of a holy God, so far as to quit one hoof of his truth, I might have redeemed my life as some have done, who were as deeply engaged to stand by the truth, even to the resisting unto blood, as I was, and seemed to be as deeply concerned as I was. How they have come out of prison I know not, but God knows, and to him they will, and must give account thereof, and to him I leave it; but I think there are few that come out of prison now, that can say, they have neither touched, tasted, nor handled the abominations of these times wherein they live: therefore I leave my testimony and witness against all that have come out of prison, by taking of the bond, (if it were but to compear before these bloody enemies of God,) in as far as they were convinced that it was sin, as some of them were; otherwise their tongue and pen have lied; which I leave to God and their own conscience to determine, whether or not they have sinned in so doing. Next, I here, as a dying man, do declare, that if the blotting of paper to them would save my life, I would not do it at that rate; for I see they are setting themselves to ensnare poor things; and I see neither ministers nor professors to give their advice in this matter, if it be not to make them take the bond, as they did to these poor things in the churchyard. Also, I leave my testimony, and bear witness against all the unfaithfulness of ministers and professors. 1st. I bear witness against the unfaithfulness of these ministers, that were with the public resolutions, to bring in, or keep in, any of these men that were open and avowed malignants and enemies to God,-so contrary to our covenant. 2dly, I bear testimony against that Act at Glasgow, whereby six hundred ministers and upwards did quit their charge and turn their back upon their flock; and since, many of them are turned

ravening wolves, and greedy dogs that cannot bark, according to that word, Ezek. xiii. 4, 5. O Israel, thy prophets are like the foxes in the desert, who have not gone up to the gap, neither made up the hedge for the house of Israel to stand in the battle, in the day of the Lord.' Had it not been their duty to have stood by their charge until they had been driven out of their pulpits? 3dly, I leave my testimony against both Indulgences, first and last, and against all that comply and go on with them in that sinful course, aye and until they repent, I shall be a standing witness against them. Surely, if they be found with clean fingers when God comes to inquire after blood, I am mistaken: but O! what will they answer, when Christ will say, 'Come here, Sir, give me an account of your talent: what did you do with your ministry? laid ye it aside at the command of Charles Stuart and the bloody council? and had ye more delight to be a Doctor or Chamberlain, than to be a minister?' O let the unfaithful minister remember that word in Ezek. xxxiii. 6. But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned, and if the sword come and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman's hand.' I fear that the blood of many souls will be required at the hands of the most part of the ministers of Scotland.

"I bear witness, and leave my testimony against the unfaithfulness of many ministers, who have left their wonted love and burning zeal, which they had when they ventured upon the high places of the earth in preaching the gospel. And now, in the last place, I bear testimony against all that have preached, written against, or reproached that poor party that were occasionally met at Airsmoss, only for the hearing of the gospel.

"And now, when I am stepping out of time into eternity, I declare that I adhere to all the doctrines that ever I heard Mr. Richard Cameron, or Mr. Donald Cargill preach; and my soul blesseth God that ever I heard either of them; for my soul hath been refreshed to hear the voice and shouting of a King among these field-meetings, wherein the fountain of living waters has been made to run down among the people of God, in such a manner that armies could not have terrified us. O! I am sure the blood that has been shed in the fields, and on scaffolds in Scotland for the cause and interest of Jesus Christ, will have a glorious crop, in spite of devils and men; and I am sure, the seed sown at Airsmoss will have as glorious a vintage, as ever any seed in Scotland had.

"And now, O ye that are the poor remnant that are to stay behind, who are the butt of the fury, not only of the open and bloody enemies, but also of many ministers and professors, who have gone out of the way themselves, and will not suffer others to walk in it; I have this to say to you, be earnest and constant in kything of love to Christ; walk with more fear, lest ye offend a holy and jealous God. O beware that ye quit not your integrity; there are many waiting for your halting, yea, and longing for it. Cast not off the way of Christ because of suffering. If ye knew what of his love and comforting

presence I had, since I was called to witness for him against these bloody traitors, that are thirsting after the blood of the Lord's people, ye would long for such proofs of his love; seek him early, and ye shall find him. Be not troubled because of our death, it is not a death unto the soul, but an inlet of life to it; for 'to be dead to the world is to be alive to Christ.' 'Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord, from henceforth, they rest from their labours, and their works do follow them.' And rejoice, O ye poor of the flock, that wait with fear and trembling, and with faith and love in exercise; it is to you that he will come: he meeteth him that rejoiceth in, and worketh righteousness. Blessed are ye that weep now, for ye shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek; for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are the merciful; for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness; for they shall be filled. Blessed are the pure in heart; for they shall see God. Blessed are the peace-makers; for they shall be called the children of God. Blessed are they that are reproached for righteousness' sake; for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake.' O friends, it is only you that have ground to rejoice; if ye be helped by him to keep the word of his patience, he will keep you in the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the face of the earth.

"O dear friends and followers of Christ, hold on your way, weary not, faint not, and you shall receive the crown of life. It is they that overcome by the blood of the Lamb, and the word of their testimony, that shall stand,-being clothed in white robes, before the throne, for these are they that come out of great tribulation. Remember, that there is a book of remembrance written, and the names of those are written in it, that speak often one to another.' O my friends, let it be your study to keep up private fellowship-meetings, wherein so much of the power and life of religion is to be found. Remember, that here I, as a dying sufferer for Christ, leave this charge to every one of you, that have any love to Christ; set about this and other duties with more fervent love and zeal than heretofore hath been done; and be much in private prayer; wrestle with God upon the account of Jacob's trouble. I will say this, that the more ye seek for Zion, the more ye will get for yourselves. Let not the reproaches cast upon the way of God stumble you. And see that when you are reviled, ye revile not again; but rather with meekness and love, in the fear of the Lord, study ye to gain others; but if they will not hearken when this is done, then be free and faithful in testifying against them for so doing; but especially let your conversation testify your dislike of these sinful courses. And now, my dear friends in Christ, I leave you to him, who has promised to be with you in fire and water, and bear the weight of all your reproaches, and who is afflicted in all your afflictions.'

"As for you that are lying in black nature, I exhort you to repent of your sins, and come out of that woful estate, wherein ye are now lying, and close with a slain Mediator upon his own terms. O fall in

love with the way of salvation. O can ye think of the way of redemption, and not stand and wonder at the condescendency of free grace? I tell you, 'Except you repent, ye shall all perish !'

if

"I have a word to speak to you that are cruel and open enemies to Christ and his cause. Remember, the saints shall judge the world; and then we shall not get leave to stand on equal terms with you; but we shall be set on thrones, with crowns on our heads, and harps in our hands, to sing praise to the Lamb: and then we shall pass our sentence, with the great Judge, upon all the enemies of God, and you shall be turned into hell, with all the nations that forget God,' ye repent not. I pray that the Lord would open your eyes that you may see your sins, and turn from them and live. I forgive all men the wrongs they have done, or can do to me; but for the wrongs done to Christ, in robbing him of his right over his church and people, I know vengeance belongs to God, and he will repay them; therefore I leave them under process, aye and until they repent. And now, I begin to enjoy him who is invisible; for it is but little we can see of him now but this I am sure of, that I shall be made conform to him through his sufferings. Therefore, I take my leave of all the world, and the enjoyments thereof. I leave my wife and child to my covenanted God, who gave them to me, and willingly quit and give them up to him, hoping, that he will be a husband to the widow, and a father to the fatherless,' according to his promise. I hope, that the friends of the Lord will remember the living for the dead's sake. Farewell, wife and child, parents and relations, and all friends and acquaintances! Welcome, heaven, angels, and saints; welcome God and Father; welcome lovely Jesus Christ; welcome Holy Spirit of grace, into thy hands I commend my soul and spirit.

Sic Sub.-JOHN POTTER.".

VII. ISABEL ALISON.

[The trial and execution of this and another young female, Marion Harvie, may, as Wodrow has remarked, be well regarded as " a flaming proof of the iniquity of the period." Isabel Alison belonged to Perth, and was a young unmarried woman of sober and religious habits. She had occasionally heard Mr. Cargill and some others, preach in the fields. And merely for this nonconformity and for speaking against the severity used upon some pious people in the neighbourhood, she was seized and carried before a magistrate. Here, in her simplicity, she confessed having held converse with some who had been declared rebels, and a party of soldiers were forthwith sent to carry her to Edinburgh. When brought before the Council, the most captious and ensnaring questions were put to her, and by means, partly of promises, and partly of

Cloud of Witnesses, pp. 117-127