A LATE LETTER Concerning the SUFFERINGS OF THE Episcopal Clergy IN SCOTLAND.  
LONDON: Printed for Robert Clavel at the Peacock in St. Paul's Church-yard. 1691.   

A LATE LETTER Concerning the SUFFERINGS OF THE Episcopal Clergy in Scotland.  
SIR,  
IN Obedience to your Commands, which declares the Concernment you have for your afflicted Brethren in Scotland, as in duty I am obliged, so I shall give you as short and true Account as I can of the Persecution of the Presbytery of Stranraver in the Reinds of gallovvay, the only Presbytery in the West of Scotland which had the Opportunity of giving Obedience to their present Majesties Government, and I shall the more willingly comply with your Desire, because the Cases of the afflicted Clergy of Scotland touches that but slightly, and promises a fuller Account of that Presbytery. But for a greater Light to what I writ to you of that Persecution, I must entreat your patience, to suffer me to usher it in with a brief Narrative of the Condition of that Place in Anno 1686. after the time of that Episcopal Parliament, which refused to r●scind the Penal Laws, and so go on until the Ministers there were forced to flee for their Lives, which the Presbyterians are pleased to call Deserting.  
Sir, In that Presbytery there were very few Dissenters in Anno 1686. only the old Lady Logan in the Paroch of Kirkmaden, and Margaret Kennedy Relict of Thomas Hay of Park in the Paroch of Stranraver. There lived at Stranraver at that time one Mr. James Bell, who in the time of Presbytery had been the reputed Minister of Kirkcolme, four Miles from that Town: This Mr. Bell was the only Presbyterian Preacher which then lived in that Country; who, with his whole Family went to Church, and was one of the Ministers of Stranraver's constant hearers, even after the first draft of Indulgence came out in February 1687. until the two last Lords-days preceding the second Edition: at which time, by the Advice of his Brethren( who posted to each of them their Injunctions) he set up a separate Congregation at his own House; he being at first but only frequented by Women and Children, therefore when any of his Irish Brethren passed through that Town, either Morning or Evening, he persuaded them to give a Lecture at his House for propagating the good Cause. After their busy endeavours that way, gaining very few Proselytes, at last there was one William Torbran, who, for being concerned in the Rebellion that was on foot in Anno 1679.( commonly called the Bothel-Bridge Rebellion) and for murdering a Child of Mr. Hutcheoson's then Minister of Inch in gallovvay, and now one of the Ministers of Gray-Friers Church at edinburgh, did flee to Ireland, but upon the Indulgence returned to Stranraver; this Torbran being rich and active, he made a considerable Figure amongst the Inhabitants of that place. He brought off from the Church John Vans a present Bailzie or Alderman of Stranraver, a Man violent on whatsoever side he be engaged. These two judging Mr. Bell unfit to advance the Presbyterian Interest by his preaching, and having assurance that their Indulgence would be continued, they, with the Advice and Concurrence of some Presbyterian Landlords and Ladies, resolved to bring in another Tool fitter for their purpose: And pursuant thereto, after the example of these Landlords towards their Farmers, Vans and Torbran sent for the Inhabitants of that Town one by one, to persuade them to grant the respective Proportions of a stipend they had cast upon them for a Maintenance to the Preacher they designed to call, as those Lairds and Ladies about then had condescended to already; for you must know, the Meeting-house then to be built at Stranraver, and the Preacher that was to hold forth in it, was to serve that corner of the Country. As the Farmers in the Country at first refused their Masters, so the People of Stranraver at first declined the motion of these two Men; declaring there was no necessity of another Preacher, whilst they could hear a Protestant Minister in the Church; but what by their Threats and Promises, and fear of loss of Trade, the Lairds and Ladies having prohibited their Tenants from buying any Goods, or employing any tradesman but those whose Zeal that way appeared for Presbytery, the greatest part of them were forced at last to submit.  
Sir, as I have  told, this was the practise not only of many of the Presbyterian Landlords and Ladies in the Country, but even many of these Gentlemen, who appeared zealous for the Church before they had any prospect of the Indulgences being continued; but at this time, what by their Wives importunities, and the advantage they perceived others got by raising the Proportions their Neighbours cast upon their Tenants or Farmers, to amount to much more than for what they bargained with their Preacher( the Lairds being both the Tax-masters and Collectors) they not only deserted the Church, but become bigot the other way. What the Farmers gave was no Free-will offering( as the Presbyterian Preachers gave it out) but merely forced. There were two Gentlemen in that Country, who ●o●●en their Common People were appointed by the King's Council to take the Oath of tho Test, these two threatened and beat those Farmers and Tenants, in whom they had any Interest, when they declared they would not take that Oath, and so forced them to do it. And again, when the Indulgence was given them, that they might not be disappointed of the Advantage that did accrue to others by their Taxes, they beat the same Tenants from the Church, and forced them to perjure themselves.  
Sir, You must know the most part of the Landlords in that Country deal no other ways with their Farmers than as with Slaves, who impose upon them what they please; if the Tenant die rich, the Laird must be Tutor to his Children, or if he die in Arrears to him, then the Laird is Executor, Creditor, and seizes upon all. So that these Farmers, like the Turks, are not sure if their Children or relics shall possess any thing that belongs to them after their Death, for some way or other the Laird Monopolises all  
Such were the Methods of these Oppressors for building their schismatic chapels, and to drain the Churches; yea sometimes their Preacher and his Company made their progress through all the parochs where there were not a Meeting-house, or where there were any Barns nighest the Churches there, he preached to affright good People from going to Church, his Company abusing and railing against those that went any way by their Preacher. This was their practise until the landing of King William, then their Designs( by the Advice of some wicked Instruments in England) being advanced to raze the Church, and by a Persecution to force the Ministers to flee for their Lives, that the Presbyterians might be armed for that purpose, they forged Sham-plots, which they spread abroad in the West of Scotland the Week before christmas, 1688. Upon Saturday night the 22th of Decemb. the People of Stranraver had the dismal News of the burning of Kirkendbright sent them in a Letter from John Muire now Provost of Air, and Commissioner from that Town to the present Parliament. Whereupon the People of Stranraver armed and kept Guard; and that same Night, to strengthen their belief of it, at Twelve of the clock at Night, they had an Alarm that those murdering Papists were entering Stranraver, which so terrified those People, that poor Women that had lain five or six days in Child-bed, in a frosty Night did run out into the Fields only in their Smocks, with their tender Infants in their Arms. Such, by their cruel Shams, was the beginning of their taking up Arms, and the Foundation they laid for a through Establishment of their Discipline. Afterwards there was nothing amongst them but Mustering and Exercising, that they might be able, as they gave it out, to encounter with the Papists, which in that Kingdom amounts to a very small number; and in the Country of gallovvay so few( there being none in the Shire, but some in the Stewartry) that one Troop of the Militia carried them all to Joal. But the poor Clergy of Scotland have sadly found it, that Bishops and all Episcopal Ministers, and those who frequented the Church, were the Papists( as they are pleased to call all those of the Churches of England and Scotland) that they made so great preparation against; for immediately upon their taking up Arms, the Persecution of the Church commenced. Then in Troops they went to Ministers Houses, abused their Persons, spoiled their Furniture and Books, and banished them from their Charges and Livings, and made havoc of all the Clergy in the Western Shires, except that of gallovvay: for the Gentlemen of that County, not fully acquainted with the design of turning out Ministers, nor what thanks would be afterwards given for doing of it, they sent Messengers to the Camaronians( the most active People thereabout in that Persecution) and kept them off the Ministers of the Presbytery of Stranraver. None of these Ministers had any visit from them until the Convention of Estates adjourned, except one Night, seven of these Reformers went to the Ministers of Leswalt and Kircolme, and inquiring for Arms, at length discharged them to preach; and about Two of the Clock in the Morning went to the Minister of Stranraver's house, when he was abroad, who broken open his Doors, and with naked Swords and bended Pistols, terrified his Wife and young Children, threatening the greatest Cruelty against them, if that Minister did preach any more in his Church, and if his Wife did not deliver to them what Arms her Husband had, either belonging to himself or his Brethren, alleging, that because dwelling in a Town, his Brethren for Security would leave what Arms they had with him.  
After this those Ministers continued preaching in their Churches, although they had but very small Congregations; for the news of that cruel Persecution, and that Presbytery was to be set up, which the Presbyterians did very industriously spread abroad, did frighten the most part of their People from the Churches into their Meeting-houses. So that they had but Congregations like that of Noah's Ark, until the Protestants were forced to flee from Ireland, then they had numerous Congregations, that place of the Country lying nighest to Ireland of any part of the southwest of Scotland. After the Proclamation came out, appointing all Ministers to pray for their present Majesties King William and Queen Mary, all the Ministers of that Presbytery( except one who was occasionally absent about his Affairs at edinburgh) obeied it, and gave all due Obedience to the present Government in the State: afterwards they continued in the Exercise of their Ministry until Whitsuntide, a little before which time the Commissioners of that Shire came home from edinburgh fully instructed with all the fanatic Intrigues. They brought along with them a Commission from the Committee to discharge the present Magistrates of that Town of their Offices, and to cause new ones to be elected in their room. These two Commissioners called for one Patrick Paterson, who had formerly been Mayor or Provost of that Town, who  told him they would so far persuade the Inhabitants or over-rule them, as to restore him to his former place, if he would condescend to put the Minister of Stranraver out of his Church, and assist them in thrusting out the rest of his Brethren from theirs: which Provost Paterson declined, declaring he was not so fond of Government, as to accept of it for such Conditions. Whereupon they called upon William Torbran, whom I have already mentioned, who but a little time before, was in the Records of that Town bound over to the Peace, for offering to murder his Son-in-Law, whom he had cheated out of his Patrimony left him by his Father, for desiring a part of his own to set up for himself, and to live upon. This Torbran the two Commissioners judge the fittest Man, and he cheerfully undertakes the Bargain, assuring them they required no more of him than what he wished had been done long before; for that Party thought themselves far out, in that their Zeal against the Ministers had not so timously appeared as their provident Brethrens did; yet although they were longer in Executing their Malice upon these Ministers of that Presbytery, then any where else in the West, yet they afterwards sufficiently recommended their Zeal for Presbytery, by the Cruelties and Barbarities inflicted on them.  
These Commissioners, I mentioned, brought with them from edinburgh some Contributions to be distributed amongst the Irish Protestants, who were in great numbers about Stranraver; this Money they only give to some of the rudest Fanaticks that came from Ireland, and that not as Charity either, but as Wages for to abuse the Ministers, and to thrust them from their Churches and Livings; who indeed, although as they pretended to slay from Ireland for the Protestant Religion, yet did not in the least scruple to persecute Protestant Ministers. There was one William Ferguson of Latterpin in the Viscount of Kenmure's Regiment, who knew the Country better then any of these Irish People, who was sent for to be their Captain; he with his Guards upon Whitsunday Eve, went through the most part of the Ministers of that Presbytery, discharging them under the pain of Death to preach any more in their Churches; amongst the rest, he went to the Minister of Stranraver, after they had bolted the Doors and Windows of his Church, and made him their Prisoner. Mr. Ramsay the Minister enquired by what Order? Whom he answered, That Morning he had come from the Viscount of Kenmure, who, has he had chased away Mr. brown his own Minister, and the rest of his Neighbour Brethren from their Churches, so his Lordship had ordered him to come up, and put the Ministers of that Presbytery from their Churches. Afterwards, calling for the Ministers Gown, and not finding it, he brought him to the across, when they came there, Ferguson shouted, and cried out, I discharge you in King William, Queen Mary, and the Conventions Name, upon the pain of Death, to preach any more in the Church of Stranraver. To which the Minister replied, If he could have Patent doors he would preach, and would hazard to undergo their Cruelty, rather than desert his Charge, unless he could produce him some Warrant from Authority for what he did. And opening the Proclamation of Estates publicly discharged him to offer any Injury to him, or any of his Brethren comform to that Proclamation, which he  told him was a better Order than Ferguson's invisible one. Upon which Discourse, Ferguson offered to tear the Proclamation out of the Ministers hands; upon which he  told him, That he was a proper Servant of theirs, to tear their public Orders, when their private Commands( if there were any such as he alleged) came to be put in Execution, lest they should appear as inconsistent with themselves, as he would make them. Upon which Discourse an Irish Preacher of theirs came up to the Minister, and said to him, That he and all the rest of Baal's Priests( by that term understanding all Episcopal Ministers) were too long permitted to live, let be, suffered to preach, and seduce that People any longer. To which the Minister answered, That neither he nor any of his Brethren could be called Baal's Priests; that they had preached against the Idolatry of the Church of Rome, when they were sinfully silent, out of fear King James would have taken away their Indulgence; and while the Church was opposing Popery, they did their best to bring it in: and had the Episcopal Parliaments condescended to Abrogate the Penal Statutes, as the Presbyterians did( notwithstanding they had the impudence to call them Papists) they would never have got an Indulgence. Afterwards that Presbyterian Preacher canted anent Calls, and several other impertinent Trash; to all which the Minister answered him. These ruffians not daring, although often times they threatened, at that time to do him harm, because several of his Friends were present, and some good Church People that knew them in Ireland, who would have stood up in the Ministers Defence, had they offered any Violence to his Person: At last, having more Ministers that Night to visit, they were content to dismiss him for that time.  
The next day, not having liberty to preach in his own Church, the Doors and Windows being bolted and guarded, he went to the Minister of Leswalls, who being in suspense what to do, his Church Doors were open and without guard, but he was threatened Death if he preached; the Minister of Stranraver undertook to preach for him, which so incensed that Party against him and his poor Family, that a great Party of them came to his House upon monday thereafter, and made search for him and his Gowns, and approaching nigh his Books, which his Wife guarded, lest they should spoil them, they so tossed his Wife, being big with Child, within a Fortnight of her Time, that she fell down in a Swoon amongst their Feet, and they worse then Savages, without regard to her Sex or Condition, most inhumanly stepped over her, without offering to take her up. And they not finding the Minister, and leaving his Wife in so sad a Condition, did drown out his Fire, abused his household Goods and Furniture, throwing out the greatest part of them to the Streets, and by public Proclamation discharged the People of that Town, under the greatest peril, either to lend, sell, or give any thing for the Sustenance of him or his Family. Afterwards, that Afternoon they came several times in search of Mr. Ramsay and his Gowns; and his Wife recovering, she took the Courage to inquire at them, What they would do with her Husband and his Gown if they had them? They answered, They would pull his Gown over his shoulders, and his Head with it. And understanding they intended to tear his Gown, and to burn it at the across of that Town, it being the most public place in that Country, with the Solemnity of tolling of Bells, and discharging of Muskets: Mr. Ramsay's Wife  told them, They needed not be so much offended for want of her Husband's Gown, for rather than they should be disappointed of the Solemnity they intended, she would give them one black Gown of her own, which she would more willingly spare than any of her Husbands. At which, being ashamed, they went away, and troubled her no more at that time. This Troop after this manner wont through all these Ministers of the Presbytery of Stranraver, and in what Paroch there were any Presbyterian Preachers, there they thrust the Ministers not only from their Churches, but also their Houses and Barns, whereof these Preachers immediately took possession. Amongst the rest, they most barbarously abused the Family of Mr. Nacsmyth, Minister of Kirkcolme, and the Persons of Mr. Cameron Minister of Inch, beating him, and throwing a shower of Stones upon him, when he was going towards his Church; as also Mr. Young Minister of Kirkmaden, whom they swore by what is sacred, that they would shoot him dead, because he would not deliver them his Gowns, nor would not cut his own Girdle, nor deliver to them the Liturgy of the Church of England to be burnt, for which Mr. Young was set on his Knees to receive the shot from one campbel of Carrickfergus, who presented, but his Neighbours, with their Muskets turning the Mouth of his aside, when he was a shooting, by God's Providence Mr. Young was saved. This Mr. Young hath a sickly Woman to his Wife, who hath kept her Bed these Eight years by-gone, these barbarous Wretches, when they thrust him out of his Manse or Parsonage House, would not allow his Wife the time to put on her Clothes, but threw her almost naked into the Garden; at last, when through the intercession of the Gentlemen of that Paroch, his Wife was permitted to live in the Stable. The Presbyterian Preacher, Mr. James Wilson, who took possession of the House, knowing Mrs. Young's Distemper to be a violent headache, that Preacher caused his Servants to go to the Stable door where the sick Gentlewoman lay, who there beat upon Platters and other things that could make any Noise to disturb her Head, and increase her Pain, and that not once, but twice or thrice each day whilst she lay in the Stable, near an hour at every time, tormenting her so that she was sorc'd to hire a House some where else, where she might have the liberty to endure her Affliction peaceably. Which was all the Reparation Mr. Young had for building that Stable, and expending thirty pounds sterling in meliorating the Mansion-House.  
Thus after they had thrust all these Ministers from their Churches, and some from their Houses and Barns, their Fury was a little abated until August following, when the Commissioners came home, from that Session of Parliament which abolished Episcopacy, with new Instructions from the Brethren. One of them  told Mr. William Sommervell Moderator, who was Minister of Leswalt, in which Paroch that Commissioner lived, that he was reproved on the Road for suffering that Minister to live so long in his Manse( when indeed Mr. Sommervell, a good natured Gentleman, lived in a Barn at Dunduff, a good way from the Manse or Parsonage House, and only his Wife, a near cousin to that Commissioner, lived at the Manse, to take care of the Gleab●) and that Commissioner further  told that Minister, that they were resolved once to chase all the Ministers out of their proper parochs, adding, that they might look to themselves, how they came back. And because that Mr. Sommervell was so bold as to keep any of his Family about the Manse, that he should cause him meet with a more severe visit e're long: And indeed he was as good as his word( although Sheriff of the Shire, he was obliged to protect those who had given Obedience to the Government) for he hounded out those barbarous Russins upon him, who abused his Person and Goods, and chased him out of his own Paroch: And when one Mr. Cleveland seeing their barbarity, spoken in that Ministers behalf, and upbraided them for their Cruelty, although he himself was a rigid Presbyterian, yet they beat him, and wounded him in the Arm, so full were they of Rancour and Cruelty towards the poor Episcopal Clergy, that none dared so much as speak one word in their favours.  
There was a new Fund of Money, fifteen or twenty pounds Sterling sent from edinburgh in July with Mr. Bowis Minister of Stephen's Church, to be delivered to Provost Torbran, and his Associates, to be distributed amongst the distressed Irish People at Stranraver. They comform to their laudable Custom, employ that Money to bring down some Mountaineers, giving Two shillings a day to each of them to drive every Minister, and their Families, out of their respective parochs, that they might not reap their Gleebs, and that their tithe might come in to their Presbyterian Curates. Upon the Twentieth day of August 1689. there went Ten of those barbarous Wretches to Mr. Cameron Minister of Inch, abused his Furniture, and one Mr. Meikan so beat his Servant, that he left him almost dead upon the place. Upon the way betwixt Stranraver and the hired Barn where Mr. Cameron lived, Two of these Wretches did overtake Mr. Ramsay, Minister of Stranraver, as he was going to visit Mr. Cameron, and carried him along with them, who came there while they were wounding Mr. Cameron's Servant, and Mr. Cameron and his Wife, and a tender Infant on her Breasts, in their hands, imploring Mercy from that barbarous Crew for themselves and Servants. When Mr. Ramsay came nigh them they shouted, and with a seeming Joy called to each other, There is another Dog: and that Mr. Meikan, like a mad man, run towards Mr. Ramsay with his naked Sword, and in a great Fury was drawing a full stroke towards his Head, which doubtless would have killed him dead, but that by the good Providence of God one of his Fellows, more sober than he, warded off the blow. Afterwards they consulted to shoot these two Ministers, next to tie their hands, and drive them into a Lake nigh that place to drown them, and to rumour it abroad that they did it themselves, and so were guilty of Felo de se. At last, by mollifying words, they persuaded those Savages to forbear their Persons for that time, threatening in the mean time their death if they continued Eight days longer in that Country, allowing Mr. Cameron five days longer to transport his Furniture out of that Paroch. But a Messenger coming from one of the Commissioners, and Gilbert Moteir ruling Elder of that Paroch, with Orders not to allow Mr. Cameron one hour to transport his Family; and so they immediately broken part of his household Goods, and cast out his Furniture. The reason of that peremptory Message was, because Mr. miller, a Meeting-House Preacher, who preached in two or three parochs thereabouts, was the next day to get a Call to Mr. Cameron's Church, and they must have Mr. Cameron to desert his Paroch before they could call another. While those Wretches were busied in abusing Mr. Cameron's Goods, Mr. Ramsay got out of the way, and by by-ways got to his own House; for he overheard them say that they would led him in a new Procession. But as for Mr. Cameron, they so threatened the People that hired him that Barn( after he had been twice put from his own House, and once out of his own Barn) that those People, or any in his Paroch, when they would very willingly keep and shelter their Minister, yet they dared not lodge Mr. Cameron and his poor Family one Night longer, that he, his Wife, and tender Infant, were exposed to the rigidity of a could and stormy Night, having no other place to lie in but in the open Air.  
Next day after they had banished Mr. Cameron from his Paroch, they went to Mr. Sommervell, and treated him as I have already  told you, and then to Mr. Naesmyth, Minister of Kirkcolme, whom after they had put from his Manse, they then put from the Barn he had hired, abusing his Furniture, and would not allow him so much time, as until his Wife should be brought to Bed and recover, who every Minute expected her pains, and was that Week delivered of a Child. Neither did they spare Mr. Bowis, Minister of Stephen's Church, notwithstanding his Endeavours to wheedle himself into their Favours, but as they put him out of his Church, so they dispossessed him of his House, threw out his Goods, and abused his Furniture, the very day before he was going to transport himself and Goods for edinburgh, that he might not have any reason to say he went voluntarily away, but as other Ministers was forced.  
And Mr. Ramsay, Minister of Stranraver, being informed that Mr. miller, that he might lift his tithe of the Herrings, and seize upon his Living, intended to hound them out upon him, and to cause them pour the Dregs of their Fury on his Family, while they were making their progress in the Country, chasing the Shepherds from their Flocks, that the Wolves might more easily devour them, reserving him to the last Scene, because in a public place; he was forced to flee to Ireland: But what through their outrageous Carriage, and affliction his Wife was in for fear of his life, she contracted a Fever, which went through his whole Family; and yet when absent, and his poor Wife and three young Children were lying at the point of Death, Mr. miller seized upon his tithe of the Herrings; and in that deplorable Condition his poor Family was in, miller would not allow them the value of one of Mr. Ramsay's Herrings to succour their lives. Mr. Ramsay continued two Months and a half in Ireland, and served the Cure of Donoghadee for Mr. Maxwell, who was then Chaplain to Colonel Herbert's Regiment; and when the Camp at Dunodalk broken up, and Mr. Maxwell returned home, hearing that something of the Presbyterian Fury was abated, he went home to his distressed Family. But he, and those Ministers who lived at Stranraver, were in such a Condition that they could scarcely live, for they would give them nothing of their by-gone Stipends for a present Subsistence, they would not give so much to Mr. Ramsay as to pay the Funerals of one of his Children, when he died. Yea, so cruel and unjust were they to the Ministers in that Country, that the Sheriff encouraged all those to whom they were owing any thing, to sue them before him and his Deputy, and sentenced them to make payment; while on the other hand he refused to hear them as to their pursuit of by-gone Stipends, that they might have wherewith to pay their just Debts, and nourish the Lives of their Families, which reduced them to the most pinching Extremities, so that they were forced to sell the Furniture of their Houses at low Rates to pay their Debts, and supply the Necessities of their Families. Sir, when they were wearied with mobbing the Ministers, and their Fund of money failed to pay their Souldiers, when the People of Ireland went home; at last, ashamed any further to abuse the Persons of the Ministers, and to banish them out of the Shire, as well as parochs, they at last took that method to starve them out of that Country; a Cruelty intolerable, and of which the very Turks would have been ashamed to be guilty.  
Sir, This is a true Account of the Persecution of the Presbytery of Stranraver; and had it not been for imposing upon your Patience, by a longer Paper, I could have added many more considerable things in that Persecution, which would almost surpass the belief of sober Christians, that those who make such glorious pretences, as to be the only People of God, should be so unlike God, and guilty of such monstrous Barbarities, as they can scarcely charge the most Savage Infidels with the like: But what I have wrote, I am able to prove, when called, by many unacceptionable Witnesses, and maugre their Malice and common Impudence to deny the Truth of what makes against them; when questioned, I shall make this, and much more appear, as also, the Persons and Names of those, who were either the Projectors, Abettors, or Instruments of this Persecution to their Infamy and Disgrace.  
Sir, I thought to have given you a short Account of the general Persecution of the whole Clergy, which might be reduced into four Classes. 1. Those persecuted by the Mobile before the 13th day of April, 1689. and not noticed by the Estates, but totally neglected, as Deserts, and left without the protection of the Government, as the Conventions Proclamation, dated the said day, does sufficiently insinuate. 2. Those who complied, and were persecuted by the Rabble, as the Presbytery of Stranraver, and many Ministers in the East and South of Scotland; or those, who after they complied, were deprived by the council, because they did it not on the individual day appointed, when the Proclamation came not to their hands against the time required, nor could they have the opportunity of obtaining it sooner, then when they obeied it; as Mr. David Young a Minister in Pearthshire, the Minister of Torryburne, the Minister of North-Berwick, and several others. 3. Those who were deprived by the council for not compliance, there being not so much as 24 hours given some of them to advice on so weighty an Affair. 4. Those who are now deposed by the holy Inquisition of the Presbyterian Preachers; of each of which I could give you many sad Instances, and with what hard measure they have been treated: But because the Instances of the first three Classis, are already in print, and those of the last Classis shortly coming out. I shall only trouble you with a short Account of Mr. Douglas, who you know is now in England, who was mobbed before the 13th of April, 1689.  
Sir, In the beginning of February, 1688 / 9. upon a monday there came to Skirling Seventy Camaronians and surrounded Mr. Douglas his House, and forced open his Doors, and after many approbrious Speeches belched out against him, and all the Episcopal Clergy, they discharged him to preach any more under the hazard of his life; yet afterwards Mr. Douglas continued preaching for several Lord's days, but under such Apprehensions of their Fury, that he was forced to retire all the Week from his own House, and abscond; but they receiving Information that he preached after they discharged him, in the beginning of March thereafter, on a Lord's day after he had done with Sermon, they came again towards Skirling, thinking to find Mr. Douglas at the Church, but having timous Advertisement, and a Horse ready at the Church Style to leap on, before they came to that Town, he escaped to edinburgh; wherefore being disappointed, they set Watches for him in every Corner to murder him, if he attempted to return to his Church and House, so that he was forced to stay at edinburgh. But it was not enough that they had affrighted him from home, but next they came upon his Wife, threatening her with the greatest of Severities if she did not depart out of that House and Paroch; but at last, procuring a little time for transporting her Family and Furniture, she wrote to her Husband for his Advice; who knowing the Severities his Neighbours met with, and what murders and slaughters had been committed by that hellish Crew, and following the advice of our Saviour, when we are persecuted in one City to fly to another, he wrote to his Wife to transport her self and Family as soon as possible to edinburgh, where yet she continues, since he came to England; and notwithstanding of this Severity done him and his Family, he is neglected by the Convention, left without the protection of the Government, and by this current Parliament, in its last Session, called a Deserter.  
Sir, Notwithstanding of this cruel and barbarous Persecution, of which I have but given you a very small and imperfect Account, it being much sadder and more afflictive then I am able to express; yet after repeated Complaints thereof to some of those entrusted for present with the Government in Scotland, no Redress could be had, nor Consideration taken thereof, but to the prejudice of those Ministers who were not then involved in so sad Circumstances; for a new Petition occasioned a new Snare for intrapping those, who had not been as yet catched in their Nets, and no relief afforded those under the lash; but their business waved, or if some shame Redress was proposed then under hand, some dealt with those Parochiners, whom it concerned, to render the same ineffectual: As in the Case of the Minister of Bogie, when the Heritors of his Paroch protected him against the Mobile, a great Person wrote them a Letter, forbidding them to assist their Minister, but to suffer the Rabble to take their Course; which Letter his Grace, my Lord Duke of Hamilton, produced at the council Table to the consternation of the Person who wrote it. And when Complaints were given in, that Person who wrote the said Letter, would not suffer them to be heard, but would tell the Complainers, That the Common People were enraged, and now when they had the opportunity, they would revenge themselves, and it were not fit at this time to contradict them.  
What Reasons were given them by our Clergy, the two last Reigns to provoke them to lay aside all Humanity, and against the common Rules of Society, let be Christianity to become so cruel and barbarous, I am altogether ignorant; and I am sure our Clergy are able to defy them to give one Instance, where any Dissenter suffered Death, or were any ways injured by the Information or Instigation of any Minister of Scotland, or that any Dissenter did suffer purely for dissenting, but only in the Case of open Rebellion, which being destructive of Civil Government, no Civil Magistrate can tolerate; or in the Case of the murder of Dr. Sharp Archbishop of St. Andrews, or the wounding Dr. Honnyman Bishop of Orkney, with a poisoned Bullet, which occasioned his Death; or the murder of Mr. Peter Peirson Minister of Carspherne in gallovvay; or the murder of Mr. Stewart and Mr. Kenneway, two Gentlemen of the King's Life Guard at Swine-Abby; or the horrid butcheries and murder committed on the Person of Mr. Blair, one of the Duke of Hamilton's Chamberlains, they ripping up his Body alive, and taking out his Bowels, at his own House; or the barbarous Cruelties committed upon the Persons of Mr. Lawson Minister of Irongray, whom, after he had plentifully entertained them at his House, he being a lame man, they brought out and wounded him in nineteen several places of his Body, whereof thirteen were in his Head, leaving him in their apprehension dead, although afterwards by God's good Providence, to the admiration of all men, he recovered; as also for their barbarous Cruelties committed upon Mr. Ramsay, then Minister of Auchinleck, Mr. show of Ainworth, and several others; and yet when any of them were punished for these notorious Crimes, as the Authors, Abettors, or Actors, the Clergy never appeared against them, either as Judges, Accusers, Party, or Witnesses. Yea when the Government commanded the Clergy to inform against those People, they generally declined it, until at last, when the Justice Courts went through the Country, they summoned the Clergy to give in Catalogues of their Parochiners and Dissenters upon Oath, or otherwise to be committed to Goal, to abide Trial for disobeying Authority; so that being upon Oath forced to give in the Names of Dissenters, yet they did it with such excuses and mitigations, that very few ever suffered, either in their Persons or Estates, upon their Information, which sufficiently testified the Ministers aversion to any thing that in the least might give them reason to suspect them in having any dealing in what was inflicted on them by the Government. Even oftentimes the Ministers employed their power and moyen to save them when accused; and now those who by their intercession escaped, will not aclowledge those Ministers as active Instruments, but tell them it was against their Inclinations to save them, and that God forced them to do what they did, as Andrew Ross, Son to John Ross of Carnebrock,  told Mr. Naesmyth, who saved his Father, and pleaded of a Fine that was to be imposed upon him; and as several others speak to their Benefactors; all the reward that Mr. Naesmyth got for his kindness, was, that the same Andrew Ross  told Mr. Naesmyth, that it was not fit that either he, or any other Minister, should be suffered to live in that Country, least they might afterwards do them harm, and give information of their designs. And indeed, Sir, those who escaped by the intercession of any Minister, are now become the greatest Enemy and Persecutor that such a Minister hath, as that Andrew Ross caused to draw up a Summons to that Minister to depart from his Church and Manse, and was the great cause of all those Troubles that Mr. Naesmyth met with since. Sir, for all the loud clamours of a Persecution against the Presbyterians in the two last Reigns, I can confidently affirm, and am able to prove, the Episcopal Clergy were the only Persons persecuted all the time, either in their Names, Goods, or Persons, several of them murdered, some wounded, and others affrighted from their Houses, and forced in frost and stormy Nights to wander about for fear of their lives. And indeed, because the Presbyterians were not suffered, without punishment, to supplant Government, murder, plunder, and defame, then they rung it abroad that they were persecuted; and because the Episcopal Clergy was established by Law, and countenanced by the Government, as more consonant to Monarchy, and of more Apostolical, quiet, and better Principles than the others; when only the Civil Powers took cognizance of the fanatic crimes, therefore they gave it out, that by Prelacy they were persecuted.  
Now they change their Note, and sound it abroad that Episcopacy was an intollerale Grievance to that Nation, and they had reason so barbarously to abuse the Clergy of Scotland, because intruders, Presbytery being the ancient Church Government of that Kingdom, and by which it was reformed.  
Indeed, if their Argument were as true, as they have the affrontary to affirm it, yet when we consider, Scotland was reformed in a tumultuary way, and against the will of the supreme Magistrate, because they pretended only to be Presbyters who had the chief hand in the Reformation, if it follow that therefore Presbytery ought to be the Church Government, the Argument will as well hold that the Government should be Anarchy and Confusion in the State, and the Civil Government should be as confused and tumultuary, as Presbytery in the Church, is sufficiently known to be; and we may fairly guess whether these men tend at last, who make the pretence of a Presbyterian Reformation, for setting up Presbytery in Scotland; that if King William, or any other Prince, offer to kerb them when insolent( which is a common virtue amongst them) if it be in their power, they will not stand to set up as fair a Plea for Democracy in the State, which they may as rationally urge upon the same principle that they pled for Presbytery in the Kirk. And indeed King James the Sixth of Scotland, and First of England, who understood them very well, and did see through their Designs, and was partly disciplined by them, in his Basilicon Doron, can tell us, that they are the Pests of the Commonwealth, as well as Church. Whatever Favours have been hitherto conferred on them, will never be able to secure them; if they be restrained in the least Extravagancy for the future. King James and his Son King Charles may be sufficient Lessons to their Royal Successors King James from his own Experience in his Basilicon Doron, declares, That no Deserts will oblige them, nor Oaths nor Obligations bind them; and then in that Testament of his to the Prince, protests before the great God, that the wild Highlanders and Border-thieves, were not so unthankful, nor guilty of more vile lies and perjuries, then these fanatic Spirits. And alas! we found it too sad a truth; that in so far as that glorious Martyr King Charles the First receaded from the Golden Rules which his Royal Father wrote in that Book for the Government of Scotland, that blessed Prince advanced so many steps towards his Martyrdom. Nor is it to be imagined, that the Presbyterians now in Scotland are more moderate than their Predecessors( which all good Christians would have wished) but their Cruelty towards the poor Clergy there, their engaging Parents at the Baptism of their Children to bring them up comform to their Covenants, and with Rules, and others Prayers, to purge England of Prelacy and Superstition, as well as Scotland, are clear indicium's of their Moderation, that they are of the holy and covenanted Seed, and degenerate nothing, but exactly trace the glorious footsteps of their Forefathers.  
2. As to their pretence, That Scotland was Reformed by Presbyters. I would inquire, who Ordained these Presbyters? Whether Bishops, or not? If they were not ordained by Bishops, what Miracles did they work to prove their extraordinary Mission, that I may believe them to be Presbyters, as they give it out? If they were ordained by Bishops, it cannot be called a pure Presbyterian Reformation, for I suppose, which none can deny, they were obliged to preach the Gospel, as the Bishop who conferred orders upon them, bound them thereunto. And that the Gospel was preached at the Reformation first by Presbyters, from thence to infer their Exemption from Episcopal Jurisdiction for the future, and obligation to abolish that Sacred Order, is such an Inference as might have justified the Samaritans and Ethiopians, if they had set up only the Government of Deacons in their Churches, and had rejected the Authority of the Apostles, because they were at first converted by Philip a Deacon.  
3. That these premises are as false as the Conclusion is which they draw from them, will appear, in that Scotland had several Bishops who reformed, viz. amongst the rest Dr. Gordon Bishop of gallovvay, and Adam Bishop of Orkney; that the latter reformed, we have an undeniable instance in that of the Consistories offering to Excommunicate him for marrying Queen Mary and the Earl of Bothwell; and it were a contradiction to Excommunicate one who was not of the Protestant Communion. Further, in those places where Popish Bishops were possessed of the Revenues at the beginning of the Reformation, there were Protestant Bishops appointed in their places under the Name of Superintendants, who had the power of Ordination and Jurisdiction lodged in them( although I must confess they were not consecrated by other Bishops) yet none could ordain or exercise Jurisdiction without them, which sufficiently testified the humour and opinion of these times against a Presbyterian Parity; for these Superintendants went up and down their particular Jurisdictions holding Visitations, and exercising Discipline, and had a larger Maintenance allowed them than other Ministers, upon the account of their Dignity and expenses in traveling to their Visitations. The other B●shops of that Kingdom sate in Parliament, and there represented the Clergy, the first Estate thereof. There was scarce any mention of the Geneva Discipline, until in the Year of our Lord 1575. Mr. Andrew Melvill brought the same to Scotland, whom John Durie abetted at edinburgh, no doubt, being a popular man, because he missed a Superintendency. So that as for the Antiquity of that Pageant Government of Presbytery in Scotland, the Reformation was not only begun, but also fully settled for many years under the Government of Bishops and Superintendants, until King James in Anno 1592. was forced to set Presbytery up, by the importunity of a factious Nobility, who were still abusing him, each different Party taking possession of his Royal Person, until they forced him to grant their Demands. But then that wise Prince recovered his Liberty, and more command of his own Person and judgement, he set himself in earnest about the Restauration of that truly Ancient and Apostolical Government of the Church by Bishops, which out of all our impartial Historians, will sufficiently appear to any unprejudged Readers.  
Sir, The sad Account which I have given you of the Prsecution of the Scotch Clergy, although it be not fully, but imperfectly represented by me, yet methinks it is so great, as to move compassion in any Christian heart towards them; but more especially, if we consider that not only they are forced from their Livings, and their Persons abused, but also by those Machiavelians murdered in their Names and Reputation; an Injury more grievous than Death itself; it being the design of those vile liars and Slanderers, not only to bespatter a whole Church,( the greatest impudence imaginable) but also so to blacken them, as that they may be esteemed the greatest Criminals in the world, that their Cruelties might be excused, and those Ministers deprived of that Pity and Compassion that their Calamity would move from the most Savage Breasts but that of the Presbyterians, which is the severest of all Persecutions. God be thanked, notwithstanding the Reproaches of their implacable Enemies, I am able to affirm, that they suffer not as evil doers, neither for the manifest Breach of Divine or human Laws, but only for that Venerable and Sacred Order of Eiscopacy, and their Zeal for the Church against the Fanaticks of the Kirk, which I hope you, and all true Sons of the Church will so consider, as to afford them your Prayers and Endeavours for their Restoration and present Relief.  
FINIS.