fold when king Charles was beheaded, but, to tendant might obscure and cloud, if the conviction of all, he proved himself alibi. The commissioner had no orders from court about him, and many were of opinion he was cast in among so good company as the Marquis and Mr. Guthrie, both executed this week, that so unknown an at

ended it, he took off a ring from | signed for the blood's dropping so long after 1661. his finger and gave to a friend of his the head was put up, and especially for its upon the scaffold, desiring him to take it to not washing out of the leather; and they his wife, and tell her, "He died in humble could give none. This odd incident beconfidence, and found the cross of Christ ginning to be talked of, and all other mesweet." He said, “ Christ had done all for thods being tried, at length the leather was him, and it was by him alone he was justi- removed, and a new cover put on this was fied;" and being desired to look up to that much sooner done than the wiping off the Christ, he answered, "He looketh down guilt of this great and good man's blood from and smileth upon me." Then cheerfully the shedders of it, and this poor nation. mounting up some steps of the ladder to the The above report I shall say no more of. cord, he said, "Dear friends, pledge this It was generally spoken of at the time, and cup of suffering before you sin, as I have is yet firmly believed by many; at this disnow done; for sin and suffering have been tance I cannot fully vouch it as certain, perpresented to me, and I have chosen the suf- haps it may be thought too miraculous for fering part." Then the cord being about his this age we are now in: but this I will afneck, he said, " Now I am near my last, and firm, that Mr. Guthrie's blood was of so cryI desire to reflect on no man, I would only ing a nature, that even Sir George Mackenacquaint you of one thing, the commissioner zie was sensible, that all his rhetoric, though and I went out to the fields together for one he was a great master in that art, had not cause, I have now the cord about my neck, been sufficient to drown it; for which cause and he is promoted to be his majesty's com- he very wisely passed it over in silence. missioner, yet for a thousand worlds I This is another instance of the lameness of would not change lots with him, praise and his vindication. glory be to Christ for ever." After he had prayed again a little, and given the sign, he was turned over.

It was very confidently asserted at this time, that some weeks after Mr. Guthrie's head had been set up on the Nether Bow Port in Edinburgh, the commissioner's coach coming down that way, several drops of blood fell from the head upon the coach, which all their art and diligence could not wipe off. I have it very confidently affirmed, that physicians were called and inquired, if any natural cause could be as

SECT. V.

Of the sufferings of Mr. Alexander Moncrief, Mr. Robert M'Vaird, and some other min isters, not unto death; as likewise of several gentlemen, during this session of parlia ment, 1661.

THE sufferings to be narrated in the after books of this history, were alleged to be for crimes and misdemeanors contrary to the then laws: but it is plain the things alleged

your turn, you must bear testimony for God, be zealous for his cause, and repent now of your sins; so shall you avoid that curse pronounced against the lukewarm Laodiceans, "I will spue you out of my mouth." As to the really godly, I would say this, be not afraid nor astonished to bear testimony, and suffer for his truth. As for myself, it pleased the Lord, in the fourteenth year of my age, to manifest his love to me, and now it is about twenty-four years since, all which time I professed the truth, which I suffer for, and bear testimony to at this day; and I am not afraid of the cross upon that account: it is sweet, it is sweet, otherwise how durst I look upon the corpse of him who hangs there, with courage, and smile upon those sticks and that gibbet, as the gates of heaven. I die confident in the faith of the prophets and

apostles, bearing my testimony to the gospel, as it is now preached by an honest ministry in this city; though alas! there be a corrupt generation among the ministry. I bear witness with my blood to the persecuted government of this church, in general assemblies, synods, and presbyteries, and also to the protestation against the public resolutions. I bear witness to the covenants, national and solemn league, and now am to seal these with my blood. I likewise testify against all popery, prelacy, idolatry, superstition, and the Service-book, for I have not taken a little pains in searching out those things, and have found them to be but the relics of the Romish superstition and idolatry, left in king Henry VIII. his time, who, though it pleased the Lord to make use of him for beginning the work of reformatio, yet he was no good man.

against the two martyrs we have been hearing of, were evidently according to standing law and equity, our constitution and statutes, overturned by this parliament, and those which followed.

After the reader hath had the vouched narrative of the managers' proceedings against the two first worthies in Scotland's wrestlings and battles, he cannot but stand amazed at the impudence of some episcopal writers, who assert, that no presbyterians in the reign of king Charles II. suffered for their principles, and upon matters of conscience. Though it should be pretended, that my lord Argyle and Warriston suffered for their compliances with the English, after they had conquered the nation, and this be made treason against all sense and reason, yet what can be said of Mr. Guthrie, whom the king himself vindicates, and all the world knew had opposed Cromwell, and several other ministers and gentlemen in this section, and the after part of this book? To those then I come forward, and shall give some account of a good many ministers and gentlemen, who, during the meeting of parliament, suffered very much, though by the good providence of God, their lives were spared for a scason. I begin with the ministers.

Mr. Simpson was not at the meeting in Edinburgh, August last, though I find he is charged with this in his indictment, which, with his answers, falling much in with Mr. Guthrie's process, above insert, I do not insert here. Towards the beginning of June, after he had been accused in parliament by the king's advocate, of seditious practices, and the copy of a libel sent him to answer in prison; such was the justice of this period, that the parliament, without allowing him to be heard, or, as far as I can find, so much as once sisting him before them, banished him the king's dominions; which some questioned whether a Scots parliament could do. He was cast in with Mr. M'Vaird, and underwent the same fate, both of them dying in Holland.

The reverend Mr. Alexander Moncrief, minister of the gospel at Scoonie in Fife, was another of those ministers, and was indeed very hardly dealt with. I shall give a distinct account of this singularly pious and useful minister, from some hints I have from very good hands, and the parliament records: his papers were burnt some time before his death, and his contemporaries much gone;

I have little more to record of the ten ministers who were seized with Mr. Guthrie, than what has been pointed at upon the former chapter. Their paper, designed for a The editor of Kirkton's History of the Church of Scotland informs us, that Mr. Simptestimony, was, when sent to court, enter-son's life was spared at the intercession of Sharpe; tained with threatenings and ridicule. This, and in support of this opinion, quotes from the Wodrow MSS. the following letter from that with the restless endeavours of the managers prelate to Primrose, lord register: "That your at Edinburgh, in this hour and power of parliamentary acts of justice have been tempered with mercy, I think, should not be displeasing, darkness, prevailed so far, that one or two especially since the object of that mercy hath concerned in it, fainted, and, after some ver- made a confession, which I wish may have as bal acknowledgments, of which I have not way as his former actings had in perverting binding an influence for converting those of his heard the tenor, got off, and were permitted them. I did, at my first access to the king, beg to retire to their houses. that the lives of Mr. Gillespie and Mr. Guthrie might be spared, which his majesty denied me but now the recommendation of the parliament upon a ground which I could not bring, I hope will prevail with so generous a prince, more merciful than the kings of Israel. Upon an earnest letter from Mr. James Simpson to me, to whom I did owe no great kindness, I begged of the king that he might not be proceeded against for his life and corporal punishment, which his by a letter for that purpose, directed to my lord majesty was pleased generously to grant to me commissioner. When your lordship shall hear me." my inducements, I hope you will not condemn Kirkton's History of the Church of Scotland, p. 113, Note.-Ed.

None, I have heard of, was dealt more severely with by this session of parliament, than Mr. James Simpson, minister at Airth, of whom some account hath been given upon the first chapter. He was a person of singular piety, considerable learning, and a most affectionate and melting preacher. I am told he came a great length in writing a critical and very exact commentary upon the whole Bible, which was once in his

"

During the usurpation, Mr. Alexander Moncrief was persecuted by the English for his loyalty to the king, and his constant praying for him. His house was many times searched and rifled by the English, and he obliged to hide. Upon the Sabbath he had spies set upon him, and was closely watched where he went after preaching. Frequently he was hotly pursued; and one time a party of horse came after him when fleeing, and by a special providence, though attacked once and again by them, by his own fortitude and resolution he got clear of them, and escaped at that time. Thereafter in a neighbouring congregation he was seized, and imprisoned some time, merely for praying for the king. Being shortly after liberate, he was pitched upon, as a person of great courage and boldness, to present the protestation and petition against the toleration, and other encroachments upon the church and state, October, 1658, signed by himself and several other ministers of Fife, to general Monk. This he did with the greatest firmness, and it exposed him further to the extremities of that time. All the return he had to those sufferings for his loyalty, was, as we heard, August 23d last, to be seized when petitioning according to law. For any thing I can find, he continued under confinement till July 12th this year; and every body, and he himself expected he should never have been liberate till he came to a scaffold.

1661. and it is to be regretted so lame an | her to endeavour to prevail with him to reaccount can be given of this man cede from some of his principles, otherwise, of God. I shall put all I have to say of they told her, it was impossible to save his this good man in this place; and indeed life. This excellent woman answered, "That much of it concerns this period. they all knew she was happy in a good husband, that she had great affection to him, and many children; yet she knew him to be so steadfast to his principles where his conscience was concerned, that nobody needed deal with him upon that head; for her part, before she would contribute any thing that would break his peace with his Master, she would rather choose to receive his head at the Cross." About this time likewise, two ladies of the first quality were pleased to concern themselves so far in Mr. Moncrief, as to provide a handsome compliment in plate, (which was not unusual at this time) and send it to the advocate's lady. Afterwards they went and visited her, and addressed her in his behalf, but were told, it was impossible to save his life; and the compliment was returned. Yet providence so over-ruled this matter, that Mr. Moncrief being much respected, and his hardships almost universally regretted upon account of his eminent piety, integrity, and uprightness, severals of all ranks and different persuasions, and unknown to him, did zealously, and with out any application, interpose for him; so that the spirits of some of his hottest and most violent persecutors, who had resolved upon his death, began to soften and become more friendly. His process lingered till, after a tedious imprisonment, he fell sick, and ob tained the favour of confinement to a chamber in Edinburgh. By the records of parliament, I find they passed the following sentence upon him, July 12th, "The king's majesty and estates of parliament, having considered the report of the lords of articles anent the process against Mr. Alexander Moncrief, minister of Scoonie, and his own carriage before them, in owning his accession to the " Remonstrance" and " Causes of God's Wrath," do accordingly declare the said Mr. Alexander to be for ever incapable of exercising any public trust, civil or ecclesiastic, and also discharge him of all public trust, civil or ecclesiastic within this kingdom, until, in the next session of parliament, further order be taken concerning him,

Much about the time with Mr. James Guthrie, he had his indictment and charge sent him, which I have not seen, but find it run upon his having a share in the "Remonstrance," and in forming the " Causes of God's Wrath;" and he refused to retract any thing in them. He was several times brought before the parliament, and his prosecution for his life was so hot, that the carl of Athole and others in parliament, particularly interested and concerned in Mr. Moncrief and his wife, being importuned by her to appear for him in parliament, dealt with

1661.

and discharge him in the meantime to go to chamber of the close, save the house the said parish.” where he lodged, into which they never entered, though the door was open. At another time when he was lurking in a private family without the wall of Edinburgh, a party was sent to apprehend him; providentially he had gone out to walk near by the house where he was: the party observing him, and by his gravity suspecting him a minister, one of them said, "That may be the man we are seeking :” “Nay,” said another, "he would not be walking there;" thus they entered into the house and searched it narrowly for him. Again, when advertised that the soldiers were coming to search for him in his own house, he lingered till another minister came in to him, and said, “ Sir, you must surely have a protection from heaven, that you are so secure here, when the town is in a disorder, and a general search to be made;" and immediately he went off. In a little Mr. Moncrief went out, and he was not well down stairs, when the guard came up and searched his house. He took a little turn in the street, and came back to his house again, just as the guards went off.

And to give the reader all I have of this worthy person together. After this sentence, when living peaceably some eight or nine miles from his parish, people began to resort to him, and hear him preach in his own family; whereupon, under a most severe storm in the middle of winter, by virthe of an act we shall afterwards meet with, he was charged to remove from his house, and required to live twenty miles from his charge, and seven or eight miles from a bishop's seat or royal burgh, and was with his family forced from his house, and obliged to wander in that great storm. And when he had transported his furniture to a place at a competent distance, even there he got a second charge to remove to a further disstance, till he was obliged to transport his family to a remote place in the Highlands, where his good God, who had all along countenanced and supported him wonderfully in his troubles, honoured him to be instrumental in the conversion of many.

Thereafter, the persecution somewhat abating, he brought his family to Perth for the education of his children, where he continued preaching the gospel; a few at first, but afterwards a great many attended his ministry. Being informed against, we may easily guess by whom, a party of the horse guards were sent to apprehend him, but he escaped, though his house was narrowly and rudely searched: this forced him from his family, and he was obliged to lurk a good while. At length he came in with his family to Edinburgh, where he preached the gospel many years in private, under a series of trouble and persecution. He was intercommuned, as we shall hear, and his house and many other places-in and about the city narrowly searched for him, yet he was always marvellously hid. Many instances might be given when he went to the country. Many times parties of the guards were sent in quest of him, and sometimes he would meet them in his return, and pass through them unknown. When he was lodged in a remote part of the suburbs of Edinburgh, a captain with a party of the regular troops, searched every house and

Those and many other preservations he could not but remark. But the persecution still continuing, and turning hotter, he was obliged to dismiss, and scatter his family for some time. He was solicited, when in those circumstances, to leave the kingdom, and had an ample call to Londonderry in Ireland; yet he always declined to leave his native country, and in his pleasant way used to say, "He would suffer where he had sinned, and essay to keep possession of his Master's house, till he should come again.” He had a sore sickness about the beginning of June, 1680. I have in mine eye a large collection of heavenly expressions he then had, too long to be here inserted.

Mr. Moncrief's memory is yet savoury to many; and there are several alive who can bear witness that God was with him and ir, him of a truth. He left many seals of his ministry in Fife, and was a most faithful and painful minister. His sufferings are a little hinted at in "The Fulfilling of the Scriptures," p. 343. But such was his selfdenial, that though he be not named nor his persecutors, as long as he lived he would not