A SHORT MEMORIAL OF THE Sufferings AND Grievances, PAST and PRESENT OF THE PRESBYTERIANS IN SCOTLAND: Particularly of those of them called by Nickname Cameronians.  
Printed in the Year, 1690.   

TO THE READER.  
IT is not needful in the entry to give a Deduction, either of the Excellent Establishments of Religion and Civil Liberties, and Provisions made for security of both, that our Fathers obtained and Enjoyed, by the Mercy of GOD, under the Patrociny of Righteous Rulers; Or of the deplorable Demolishments of these Invaluable Intersts, since the unhappy Re-introduction of Prelacy and Tyranny, which brought Popery to the very Birth in this Land, had it not pleased the Most High GOD, by the interposition of the present King, as an Instrument, to make it abortive. But it is very useful and pleasant, to remember that the Reformation of the Church of Scotland, was sometimes as far Celebrated among all the Churches, as now it is Depreciated incontempt and Obscurity: Among other peculiar Eminencies of it above many other Churches, she had this very early for the subject of her Gloriation, through Grace; that at once and from the Beginning, both, Doctrine, Worship, Discipline and Government were Reform, according to the Pattern of the Institutions of Christ, to that degree of Purity, that our very first Reformers could assert, to the praise of Grace, that no Corruption was left in this Church, that ever flowed from the Man of Sin. Which, through the Blessing of GOD upon the Faithful and earnest Labours and Wrestling of His Servants in the Ministry, made such progress in a short time; that not only the Doctrine was perfectly purged of the Leaven of Popery, Arminianism, Socinianism etc. and all other Heresies; the Worship, of all Idolatry and Superstition: but the Discipline was impartially exercised, and the Government Reform from Diocesan Prelacy, Sectarian Confusions, and Erastian Supremacy of the Civil Powers, and framed in the nearest Conformity to the Primitive Apostolic Pattern, according to the Word of GOD, and example of the best Reformed Churches, in the Presbyterial Order, of Congregational, Classical, Synodical, and National Assemblies. In the Preservation and Observation of which Beautiful Order, making our Church Beautiful as Tirzah, Comely as Jerufalem, Terrible as an Army with Banners. This was also her Privilege and Praise, which is the Fruit of this Government wheresoever it hath Place, that she was Once and for a long time, as much admired for Union, as of late for Divisions since these Corruptions made a Breach upon Us: Her Name was once called Philadelphia among all the Reformed Churches; and 'twas long since attested at that unhappy Convention at Perth, which attempted the Introduction of some Popish Novations, in the Year 1618. That from that backward, to the Year 1558. there had been neither Schism nor Heresy in this Church; as also from thence forward, the same might have been said, excepting the Contentions which the Prelates and Malignants occasioned, until the fatal Catastrophe. No Church on Earth had more Purity, Order, or Unity, and was freer of Corruption, Defection and Division, that this Church. This our Renowned Reformation in Doctrine, Worship, Discipline and Government, as it was Founded on the Law and the Testimony of the GOD of Heaven; so it was Confirmed by all the Sanctions, Ratifications and Securities, that any Right can be capable of among Men: Not only by many Laws, penal, and Statutory, Established as Bulworks, for Preserving and Defending it against all the forementioned Adversaries; by many Constitutions and Acts of General Assemblies, ratified by Parliaments: But by many, again and again Renewed National and Solemn Covenants, sworn to the most High GOD by all Ranks, from the King to the Beggar, in all Capacities and Conditions. This Testimony, for this Covenanted Reformation, so Confirmed and Established; as it hath been Transmitted to Us, through a long continued Tract of many Wrestling and Sufferings, from our worthy Ancestors, and sealed by much Precious Blood and the Bonds and Bondage of many Faithful Martyrs and Confessors of Christ, adhering to the same in our day; so, as it was then and now Stated and Sealed, hath been and is thought by all the Asserters of our Reformation, to have such a near and clear Connexion with the great Concern of the Crown-Prerogatives, and Imperial Dignities of the Prince of the Kings of the Earth, as Head of His visible Kingdom, whose incommunicable Glory it is, without Competitoor Copartner, either Coordinate or Subordinate, to Institute his own Government, prescribe His own Laws, appoint his own Ordinances (which He will have observed without addition, dimunition or alteration, until His second coming) and to constitute His own Officers, Clothed only with His Authority, and to be regulated only by His Instructions in their Ministerial Function without any Dependence on, Subordination to, or Indulgence from any Man or Angel, in the exercise thereof, under their Master Christ alone; to whom it belongs as properly to Rule the Church his own free Kingdom, according to the good pleasure of His own Will, as it belongs to Him to save his Church by the Merit of his own Sufferings; that our Famous Fathers, and such of their Children as have been faithful in following their footsteps, have judged it a Testimony worthy to Sacrifice all their Interests upon, in opposing and contending against all the Invasions and Usurpations made upon these Prerogatives of Christ, and Privileges of His Church, by Popery Prelacy, and Erastian Supremacy, all condemned in the Law of GOD, diseharged by the Laws of the Land, and Abjured in our Covenants National and Solemn League; As being highly derogatory to the Glory of Christ, contradictory to His revealed will, offensive to His People, obstructive to the Power, and destructive to the peace, purity and Liberty of His precious Gospel.  
Now for adbering to this complex Testimony, what have been the Sufferings and Grievances of Presbyterians in general, and ours in particular since Anno 1660: from the Popish; Prelatical and Malignant Party, is more fully demonstrated, (with the Principles and Testimony contended for by us, vindicated) in Naphtali, Jus populi, the Hind let loose, our Informatory Vindication, & the Testimony against the Toleration, given in by that faithful & zealous Minister of Christ, Mr. James Renwick; and here summarily Remonstrated. We had once a Resolution, at the first appearance of the Prince of Orange; who, under GOD, was the Honoured Instrument of our begun enlargement from them, To have Addressed his Highness with this same Memorial: But that failing, after this long suspense in expectation of some Redress of Grievances, whereof we and many others have been in a great measure disappointed; We have been induced to publish it in this juncture, with an Appendix of our present complaints of somethings that we understand to be wrong in the Church, State, Army and Country, at the time of the writing thereof; which was in the time, and upon occasion of the many Adjournments of Parliament: Wherein perhaps something will occur, which may seem obliquely to reflect upon the Government, when we complain of the ill Administrations of many Malignants in power: But as they are sad Truths which cannot be denied, and though we may be charged with Imprudence in speaking so freely what many Thousands, and those of the surest Friends the Government hath, do think: So, however we be neither Politicians nor Flatterers, we think Conscience and Loyalty both, doth oblige us to speak what concerns the King and Country both to hear. We do not blame the King for delaying the satisfaction that his People have long waited for, further than for permitting some into Trust, who have abused him with misinformations of what they waited for, and with counsels to delay their satisfaction. Nor are we jealous of his Majesty's sincere intentions to perform what he hath promised, and the Estates Demanded, as necessary for settling the Church, securing Laws, restoring Liberties, and Redressing Grievances; Albeit many here complained of, have laboured to suggest grounds of such jealousy. We have got already so much Advantage by the success of his Heroic Expedition; And so many repeated Assurances of his Royal Resolutions to fulfil his Declaration and Promises to our satisfaction; none of which we can charge him with the breach of though many of them are not yet accomplished; that we should be very unworthy to jealous his Integrity. We consider his Majesty, stated in very Difficult and Dangerous Circumstances, since he interposed himself in our Gap, between an angry God and a sinful Provocking People; Wherein he hath to do with a potent Enemy without, and many undermyning Enemies about his Hand, seeking to ensnare him in sin and expose him to ruin; and hath in his two Kingdoms of Britain People of different Interests and Inclination, whom to Govern will require great deliberation, and consequently occasion delays: But we lay the blame where it should lie, on the Malignants at Court, Council and Parliament, who are seeking to betray him and us both. If some of these be exposed, and their old pranks discovered, and the Grievous effects of their being so much in Power hinted at; We hope the Candid Reader will think it no ill service either to King or Country.  

ERRATA  
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A SHORT MEMORIAL OF THE GRIEVANCES and SUFFERINGS Of the PRESBYTERIANS in SCOTLAND, Since the Year 1660.  
Particularly of those of them called CAMERONIANS.  
AFTER King Charles returned from his Exile, the first Device, which the Malignants then advanced to the highest places of Trust fell upon, 
Grievance 1.  for overturning our Religion, Laws, and Liberties, was to prevent and obstruct all access either to Justice or Mercy for such as they had a mind to destroy, and preclude all Applications for a Redress of Grievances. Hence, when some faithful Ministers were drawing up a Monitory Supplication to the King, congratulating his Return, and minding him of his Covenant Engagements and promises to promote and preserve the work of Reformation; the Committee of States then sitting, caused apprehend, and without hearing incarcerate them, for no other cause but that Supplication: against which at that time there was no Law; and which all Law and Reason of the World will justify, as the most innocent expedient of getting their just complaints heard and redressed, and the common privilege of all men, which slavery itself cannot take away. Yet as all Men, and they themselves, could not but, see this a manifest subverting of the Subjects Liberty: So, in procureing a Law to approve it afterwards, they made it worse and more illegal, in declaring Petitions to be unlawful and seditious, Carol. 2. Parl. 2. Sess. 2. Act 2. Hence no Petition or Remostrance of public Grievances, Oppressing, and enslaving Church or Nation, either durst be offered, or could find Access or Acceptance, being interdicted and also punished very severely; as in the instance of the Grievances given in against Lauderdale. Nor durst Prisoners tender the most innocent Supplication, even for release or a more easy Confinement, in any terms that seemed either to reflect on their severity, or represent the illegality of their prosecutions, or in the least to vindicate the cause they were suffering for; which caused many afterwards to decline all petitioning, and choose rather to lie under the most unsupportable bondage, for fear of having it made more miserable.  
The next succeeding Devices, to undermine and overturn our Religion and Liberty, 
Grievance 2.  were the Mischiefs framed into Law by the first Session of the first Parl: Charles 2. held by the Earl of Middletoun 1661. Wherein by the very first Act thereof, all the Members were involved in a Conscience Ensnaring and Enslaving Oath of Absolute and Implieite Allegiance and Supremacy, (without the former usual Limitations then standing unrepealed) not only wronging Parliaments in their Privileges, and the Church in her Liberties, but the Lord Jesus Christ in his Prerogative of Supremacy, and Headship over the Church; making the King a Pope, and not only a Church Member (as a Magistrate) or Church Officer, but the Supreme Architectonick Head of the Church. For refusing this afterwards, many Ministers and others were banished; several of them made to subscribe a Bond to remove out of all his Majesty's Dominions within a month, not to return under the pain of Death; And many kept in prison by the Arbittary Power of the Council, beside the tenor and extent of their own wicked Act thereupon.  
In the following Acts of that same Session of Parliament, they advanced the King's Prerogative to the highest pitch of Absoluteness: 
Grievance 3.  and the acknowledgement of this vast and unlimited prerogative, in all particulars, was form and imposed, Charl: 2: Parl: 1. Sess. 1. Act 2, 3, 4, 5, 11. This was the foundation of all the succeeding Tyranny, and source of the Nations slavery; and in itself a head of sufferings to several Gentlemen and others, who could not in Conscience subscribe or make that acknowledgement of such a prerogative; which would manifestly have imported an approving of the first audacious and presumptuous effect and attempt of its power, exerted in rescinding and annulling at one blow all the Righteous and Legal Establishments of the Covenanted Reformation, and all the Acts made in favours thereof in all the Parliaments and Conventions of Estates from the year 1640. to 1650. even those that the then King Charles 1. approved, owned, and called.  
They rested not here, in a general or gradual unhinging of Legal Constitutions, 
Grievance 4.  made for security of our Religion and Liberty; but then took advantage of the universal silent Submission of the Nation, to break down at once the carved work of the whole Fabric of the Reformation as with Axes and Hammers, in that insolent effrontry and indignity against Heaven, in making void the National and Solemn League and Covenants: which the Church and State both in their Representatives and Members, did most solemnly Swear and Subscrive, for themselves and Posterity: which, for the matter of them perpetually obliging, for the manner so Religiously engaged into, and for their ends so Glorious, no power on Earth can dispense with, disannul, or disable: which not only the Lord from Heaven did ratify, by the Conversion of many Thousands, and vouchsafing his presence gracious in Ordinances and propitious in Providences at the subscriving of them; But in this Land, at the Inauguration of the King Charles 2. (being the condition upon which he was admitted to the Government) the latter of these Covenants was Ratified and Established, as the great fundamental Law of the Kingdom, whereon all the Rights and Privileges either of King or People are principally bottomed and secured, and as the very Magna Charta of our Reformation. Yet this not only they did break in Heaven-daring boldness; but to flatter the King in making way for Prelacy, Tyranny, and Popery, and to indulge the licentiousness of some debauched Nobles, who could not endure the Yoke of Christ's Government according to his Institutions there Covenanted to be preserved; they enacted and declared, it should have no Obligation or binding Force any farther; and that none should henceforth require the renewing of it Carol. 2. Parl. 1. Sess. 1. Act. 7. And afterwards, that the National Covenant and Solemn League and Covenant were in themselves Unlawful Oaths: and therefore annulled all Acts and Constitutions Ecclesiastical or Civil approving them, Parl. 1. Sess. 2. Act. 2. And not only so but in contempt of Heaven, they caused burn them by the hand of the Hangman. For adhering unto these Sacred, Inviolable, and Indispensible Engagements, the sufferings of Presbyterians have in a great measure been stated since that time.  
The next wicked project was, 
Grievance 5.  to remove out of the way all who were eminent Instruments, in promoting that work of Reformation now about to be razed, and whom they feared would obstruct their Antichristian and Tyrannical designs, both in the State and in the Church. Accordingly the Noble Marquis of Argyle was beheaded for no other alleged cause but for his compliance with the English, when they had made a Conquest of our Land, Wherein also the Judges that condemned him were Socii Criminis. And afterwards, the Lord Wariston upon the same pretence: And for the same pretended cause, many other Gentlemen, above 800 were Arbitrarly and Exorbitantly fined; some under divers styles twice over. Such of the Ministry also as had been most faithful & servant for the interests of their Master and of his Church were cruelly and most illegally removed; some by Death, as famous Mr. Guthrie, for asserting the Kingly Prerogative of Christ in opposition to the Erastian Supremacy encroaching thereupon; others by Banishment, for giving faithful warning, and protesting against the defection of that time, thereby only contraveening a wicked Proclamation discharging them to speak against the Proceedings of the State; others Indicta causa, without access to give in their defences, or to get so much as an extract of their sentence.  
After they had thus prepared their way, 
Grievance 6.  by the very first Act of the second Sess of the first Parl. anno 1662. They reestablished and redintegrated their Dagon of Episcopal Prelacy, with all its inseparably concomitant retinue of Pride, Perjury, Simony, Sacrilege, and intolerable Usurpations and Corruptions; And wreathed again about our Neck that Yoke which neither our Fathers, who wrestled much against it, nor we were nor ever shall be able to bear: which as it is insupportable to, and hated of all the Godly (and desirable to none, but dissolute & debauched Persons, who cannot endure Christ's discipline impartially exercised, and do find encouragement under the wings of Prelacy) being in its original both the Mother and Daughter, Root and Offspring, Cause and Effect of Popery; a device which advanced the Man of Sin to his height in the World, and the only remaining support of his hopes of recovering these Kingdoms, by Christ's conquest rescued from his Tyranny; in its nature, evidently eversive of the very nature of Gospel Church Government; in its ends only adapted to bring the Church into a slavish dependence on & subordination to an usurped Supremacy of the Magistrate, which is a change only of the Pope not of the Popedom; And in its effects, always found to be most deplorably destructive to the purity and power of Religion, and peace of its sincere profession, and that which hath introduced and encouraged Impiety, Error, Schism, and Persecution in these Lands: So by all the sober and judicious that have known the Case of this Church and Kingdom it hath been acknowledged to be the source and spring of all our Sorrows and Grievances, under which we have groaned these 28 Years. This abjured Prelacy, as it was introduced by manifest Perjury and Persidy, so it was at first erected and hitherto advanced and supported on such a Foundation, as might bear out and justify the Contrivers and Promoters of it, as well in all attemprs to set up Popery itself: the Act establishing it Declaring, the disposal of the Government of the Church doth properly belong to his Majesty as an inherent Right of the Crown, by virtue of his Royal Prerogative and Supremacy in causes Ecclesiastic; An usurpation upon the Kingdom of Christ equivalent to any that ever the Papacy itself durst aspire unto over the Government of the Church. The first effect whereof was by another Act 1 Sess. 2 Parl. Carol. 2. the restoring the old exploded bondage of Parronages; another old Relict of Popish Slavery, depriving the Church of the freedom of Calling and Choosing their own Pastors: And dispossessing all the Ministers, who entered since the Year 1640. of their Churches and Benefices, possessed without the presentations of Patrons After which, by the instigation of the Prelates, the Council passed an Act October 1662., whereby above 300 Ministers were violently put out of their Charges, and their Congregations laid desolate, without all Legal Procedure, without either Accusation or Citation, Conviction or Sentence, or a hearing allowed to them. And therefore for simple Nonconformity, and refusing subjection to and taking Collations from the Prelates, the rest of the Ministers, in great numbers, were, with cruelty more beseeming Turks, thrust from their Labours and banished, with a nice and strange confinement; 20. Miles from their own Parish Church, Six Miles from a Cathedral, and three Miles from a Burgh. In whose room succeeded, a swarm of Ignorant and Scandalous Apostates, the Prelates and their Mercenary Substitutes the Curates: against whom such Charges might always have been adduced, and to this day such Accusations are in readiness to be produced, to any competent ludicatories, that shall be called to cognosce upon them, of the pernicious Errors of Popery, Socinianism, and Arminianism maintained by many of them, Abominable Adulteries committed by others of them, the Profanity, Sensuality, and Debauchery, Oppression and Persecution of Godliness and good Men chargeable on the generality of them, and Perjury in breach of Covenant, and Schismatical intrusion without consent of the Church owned of all of them, and Ungodliness by them transfused over all the Land; as could not but make them detested of all, as the greatest stain to be suffered in a Reformed Church.  
Upon the back of this, by the instigation of the Prelates, who scorned to be and one, 
Grievance 7.  no not by julian the Apostate, in surpressing Religion, they proceeded to poison all the Seminaries of Learning: Ordaining, in Act. 9 Sess. 2. Parl. 1. Carol. 2. That none be Masters in any University, except they both take the Oath of Supremacy, and submit to and own Prelacy; or be so much as a Pedagogue to Children, without the Prelate's Licence. By which course Honest and Learned Men were brought to considerable Straits and Sufferings; and Ungodly and Unsound Masters had access and encouragement, to corrupt the Youth with perverse and Malignant Principles, to the great and observable Detriment and Decrement of Religion, Learning, Sobriety, and Morality in the Nation.  
The next Contrivance was, to corrupt all the Fountains of Judicature. And for this End it was enacted, 
Grievance 8.  Act 5. Sess. 2. Parl. 1. Carol. 2. That all Persons, in any public Trust or Office whatsoever, should subscribe the Declaration, renouncing and abjuring the Covenants; And that not only under the Certified penalty of Forefaulting the Privileges of Magistrates; But also of all the Privileges of Merchandizing, Trading, and others, belonging to a Burgess, Act 3. Sess. 3. Parl 1. Carol. 2. Whereby Perjury was made the chief and indispensable Qualification, and Conditio sine qua non of all that were capable of Exercising any power in Church or State; contrate to known Laws yet unrepealed, which make them that are guilty of Perjury, incapable of being entrusted with any public Administration in the Kingdom.  
The Parliaments thus corrupted, and instigated by the Bishops and Curates, 
Grievance 9  Establish wicked Laws pressing Conformity. And in the very first of them, made such a stretch, beyond all bounds of Charity, Justice, Reason, or Humanity, that they made all Addresses to God or Man, remonstrating such Grievances and reflecting on such proceedings to be Criminal; Declaring Petitions to be Seditious, And discharging all Writing, Printing, Remonstrating, Praying, or Preaching, showing any dislike of the King's Absolute Prerogative and Supremacy in Causes Ecclesiastic, or of the Government of the Church by Bishops, Act 2. Sess. 2. Par. 1. Carol. 2. And Act 4 ibid. They not only prohibited any to Preach in public, or so much as in Families without the Prelate's Licences but Discharged all Private Meetings in Houses for Religious Exercise, of such as could not in Conscience give their Countenance to the Curate's Service in Churches.  
Then in the 3 Sess. Act. 2. 
Grieance 10.  They Declare, that all Non conformed Ministers, that shall presume to Exercise their Ministry, shall be punished as Seditious Persons: And Require of all, in acknowledgement of and Compliance with his Majesty's Government Ecclesiastical, that they give their concurrence and countenance to the Curates, and attend their Meetings for Worship: Ordaining, that whosoever shall withdraw, shall incur, each Nobleman, Gentleman, or Heretor, the loss of a fourth part of their Years rend, every Yeoman the loss of a fourth or under of his Movables, each Burgess the loss of his Burgeship, with the fourth of his Movables, with a reference to the Council, for farther punishment, and more effectual Execution: Which the Council very vigorously Prosecuted, in emitting most rigorous Proclamations after that: Some requiring all to keep their Parioch Churches under the pain of 20. shil. toties quoties; Some discharging all Preaching, Praying, or Hearing in Families, where three or some more than the Domestics were found, as unlawful Conventicles; Others Certifying, that all such Meetings, not Authorised, shall be punished by Pecunial and Corporal pains, at the Arbittement of the Council; Other Commanding all Masters of Families, Heretors, Landlords, and Magistrates of burgh's, ro cause their Servants, Dependants, Tenants, Taxmen, Cottars, and all under their Charge, to submit and conform to the Curates their Ministry.  
For putting these Laws in Execution, 
Grievance 11.  the King erected a High Commission Court; consisting of some Prelates, Noblemen, Magistrates of burgh's, and some Soldiers, impowered, by virtue of his Prerogative Royal and Supremacy, to suspend, deprive, and Excommunicate, As also to punish by Fining, Confining, and Incarcerating, all keepers of Conventicles, and all Non Conformists: A hotchpotch mongrel Monster of a Judicatory, Authorized by the Prerogative against the Laws of GOD and Man, meddling with Causes and Censures Ecclesiastic and Civil, most Illegal and Arbitrary, both for its Constitution and Procedure: Whereby persons brought before them were made to answer super inquirendis, contrare to express standing Law joc. 6. Parl. 10. Act. 13. Anno. 1585. without either Libel or Accuser, or admitting Legal Defences except they take the Oaths; and sentenced with Stigmatising, Scourging, Banishment, Deportation and Slavery to Barbados, etc. By orders from this Court, especially from the Prelates, whose country sides were in a great measure Depopulate for Nonconformity, by Soldiers; Sometimes besetting the Churches, where honest Ministers were not yet ejected, and forcing all within to pay fines; Sometimes going to the Curates Churches, and Amerciating all the Absents in such fines as they pleased; Sometimes by force driving all to Church, beating, wounding, and binding the Reousants; Sometimes exacting exorbitant fines by Plunder, to the Harassing and making Havoc of whole Country sides; sparing sometimes Complyers no more than Recusants; And punishing Husbands for their Wives, Parents for their Children; Yea doubling and tripling the same exactions after payment; yet compelling them sometimes, to subscribe an acknowledgement that the Captain had used them civilly and discreetly; Then after all, Apprehending, Imprisoning, Scourging some, Stigmatising others, and sending them to Foreign parts, that would not for all this conform.  
Hereupon, being outwearied with intolerable oppressions, a small party of Dissenters were partly compelled, and party by a surprise of Providence engaged, 
Grievance 12.  to run together for their own defence, at Pentland Anno 1666. Where, after the defeat, The Prisoners that were taken upon Quarter and solemn parol to have their life spared, were treacherously given up to be Condemned, the very manner of their Execution being first determined and described before Arraigment, and cruelly hanged; their Heads being set up at Edinburgh, Glasgow, Air, Dumsreis, and at Hamiltoun; Turks would have blushed to have seen the like. Among the rest one eminent Minister, Mr. Hugh Mckail, for having but a Sword though not present at the Fight, was first cruelly tortured with the Iron boots, and afterwards execute to the death. At their Executions Drums were beat that they might not be heard; a Barbarity never known in Scotland before; and rarely heard of except in the Duke d' Alva's murdering the Protestants in the Netherlands; But frequently used almost at all the Executions since of our Martyred Brethren in this Land. Immediately hereafter Soldiers were sent out on free Quarter, to examine men by Tortures, threatening to kill or roast alive all that would not delate all they knew Accessary to that rising: Who accordingly, by fire Matches and other tortures, forced Women to discover their Husbands and other Relations, although they knew not it they were there; stripped them who Reset the Fugitives, and thrusted them in crowds to Prisons in cold and nakedness; And some they murdered without Process, that would not, because they could not, discover those persecuted people; Yea and drove away the Goods of the Country, without respect to Gild or Innocency. In the mean time, such as were in Arms, and some that were not, were Intercommuned, and interdicted of all Reset, Harbour, Hiding, Corresponding, or Comfort, under pain of Rebellion and of being counted guilty of the same Crimes, wherewith the Intercommuned were charged. And many Gentlemen, Ministers, and others, were Forfeited of their whole Estates very illegally: Yea some that were not present at that Appearance in Arms, nor Legally Convict, nor cited to answer according to Law, were yet Forfaulted before the Act of Parl. 2. Act 11. Carol. 2. contrate to express standing Statutes. And further all Dissenters, and such as did not join in suppressing that Expedition, were by order from the Council robbed of their Arms and Horses fit for service; their guilty Consciences putting them in Fears, and dictating their desert of greater opposition.  
After all these Cruelties, 
Grievance 13.  murdering the Persons and oppressing the Estates of poor Dissenters; what they could not do by Law, nor Force, nor Fury, they contrived to effectuate by Craft, under the notion of Clemency; but such a Clemency, as was a greater Cruelty than any former Persecution. The poor People that had nothing left them but a good Conscience, must have that robbed from them likewise: Therefore these wicked Councillors and Prelates, still stirred up by the Curates, having none or a seared Conscience of their own, contrived to take away from People all Remainders of Conscience, or to make them pliable to comply with every corruption they should introduce, by imposing Conscience-debauching and ensnaring Oaths and Bands most Deceitfully and Ambiguously framed, most Illegally imposed, and Insolently pressed▪ and more numerous since that time than ever was heard of in any Nation in one Age: there being scarce one year since that time, wherein several of these Oaths and Bonds have not been vented and imposed, contradictory to one another, contrary to our sworn Covenants and work of Reformation, impossible to keep, and unlawful to take.  
Yet finding they could not yet suppress the persecuted Meetings for Gospel Ordinances, 
Grievance 14.  but that the more violence was used the greater and more frequent they grew; They fell upon a more crafty device, to divide and destroy the Remnant, to overturn what remained of the Church's Privileges undestroyed, and to settle Ministers and People into a silent and stupid Submission to all the King's Usurpations upon the same, by giving an Indulgence, Anno 1669. to some outed Ministers, with Restrictions and Instructions, clearly homologatory of the Supremacy whence it flowed, establishing the height of Erastianism, prejudicial to the freedom of the Ministry, injurious to the Privileges of the Church, contrary to Presbyterian Principles, and contradictory to the Covenants: The Grant and Acceptance whereof hath been the bane of the Church of Scotland, and a Bone of Contention rending and ruining the Remnant of Ministers and People Unite before. The end of it was to advance the Supremacy; as upon this occasion they enlarged and explained it: And because it was against Law, therefore, that the King's Letter might be made the Supreme Law afterwards, at least Law enough for the Council to proceed, enact, and execute what the King pleased in matters Ecclesiastic, The Parl. 2. Act 1. Carol. 2. held by Lauderdale, Asserts and Declares, That, by virtue of the Supremacy, the ordering of the Government of the Church doth properly belong to his Majesty and Successors, as an Inherent Right to the Crown; and that he may enact and emitt such Constitutions, Acts, and Orders, concerning Church Administrations, Persons, Meetings, Matters, as he in his Royal Wisdom shall think fit, Which Acts, Orders, etc. Are to be observed and obeyed by all Subjects, any Law, Act or Custom, to the contrary notwithstanding.  
But now as before, 
Grievance 15.  faithful Ministers that were not thus Indulged, sensible of the indispensable necessity of Preaching the Gospel, and of the People's great necessity calling them to it from several quarters, after they had undergone and endured many hazards and hardships of Villainy and Violence, Imprisonment and Banishment, for meeting in the Houses, where they were easily Intraped, Interrupted, and Insulted over, were forced to go to the Fields, and Preach in places most convenient, secret and safe; whither the People, being tired of their cold and dead Curates, and wanting long the Ministry of their old Pastors, resorted in great numbers, on the greatest of hazards: the Council then, at the instigation of the Bishops and Curates, raised Troops of Horse and Dragoons to pursue them as Traitors and Rebels, for their following that Necessary and Signally blessed Duty; Empowered and Encouraged to apprehend, and bring Dead or Alive, some Ministers, with prices put upon their Heads, and to incarcerate all they could find, either at the Meetings, or suspected to be coming to or from them. Hence Prisons were filled; some were sent to the Bass; some Banished; and many hundreds driven from their Dwellings, Outlawed, and Intercommuned.  
For Legalizing such Mischiess, 
Grievance 16.  the second Sess. of the second Parliament, Anno 1670. held by Lauderdale, made many wicked Laws, causes of many Grievances following. As Act 2. Ordaining all of every quality or sex, called to depone upon Oath their knowledge of such Meetings and Persons therein, to declare the same in all particulars interrogate, under the pains of Fining, Imprisonment, or Banishment, and Deportaion to the Indies, as the Council shall think fit: obliging People thereby to betray their own Neighbours. Act 5. Declaring all outed Ministers, found Preaching or Praying, in any House except in and to their own Family, shall be Imprisoned, till they find Caution under the pain of 5000 Marks, not to do the like again; and every Hearer shall be toties quoties fined, each Tenant in 25 pounds' Scots, each Cottar in 12 Pounds, etc. And that all that Preach in the Fields, or in any House where any of the People are without Doors, shall be punished with DEATH; and any that shall seize and secure any of them, dead or alive, shall have 500 Marks reward. Act 6. Imposing most I yrannically exorbitant and grievous. Fines, upon any that shall offer their Children to be Baptised by any but Curates and Indulged Ministers; which were afterwards, by Act 11. Sess. 3. Parl. 2. laid upon all who shall keep their Children Unbaptised, for Thirty days together. Act 9 Imposing intolerable Fines on all that shall three Sabbath days together withdraw themselves from their own Paroch Churches. Act 9 Sess▪ 3. Declaring all Ordinations of Ministers, since the Year 1661. which have not been by Bishops, to be Null and Invalid; and that they are no Ministers that are otherwise Ordained: encroaching hereby on the most Intrinsic and formally Ecclesiastic Powers of the Officers of Christ's Kingdom. These wicked Acts were followed with cruel Executions, whereby many were made to endure such Havoc, as harder could not be found in the Reign of Caligula or Nero, both in their own Houses, in Prisons, and at Sea in Deportations.  
Hereafter, thinking the ordinary Forces not cruel enough in executing these enacted Mischiefs, 
Grievance 17.  they brought from the wild Highlands a Host of 10 or 11000 Barbarous Savages, and poured them in upon the Westeren Shires (all peaceable at the time, none so much as moving a Finger against them) on design, as would seem, utterly to lay them desolate: with Orders to press a Bond of Conformity, wherein every Subscriber was bound, for himself and all under him, to frequent the Paroch Church, and never go to House or Field Meetings, nor reset any that went to them, but to inform against, pursue, and deliver up all outed Preachers to Judgement. Many Houses and Families were then left desolate. the Inhabitants being made to flee in the Winter Season: many left their cattle, and in seeking to recover them lost their Lives.  
Yet the Innocent Country was made to pay for all this Service, and hire them to do more, 
Grievance 18.  by paying the imposed Cess, enacted and exacted professedly, by the Act of the Convention of Estates holden by Lauderdale, anno 1678. to raise and maintain more Forces, and to maintain the Supremacy as now Asserted and Established, and to suppress Field Meetings called Rendezvouses of Rebelion And, for the same Causes, and to suppress the Propagation of the Principles then suffered for, continued by Act 3. Parl. 3. held by the DUKE of York Commissioner. And by Act 12. Parl. 1. jac. 7. holden by Queensberry, continued and prorogued, during all the Terms of his Life-time: which, because of the Illegality of its imposition, the nature of its Exaction, being an Obedience to a wicked Law, a help to the Ungodly to make Havoc of the Church, a hire to the Soldiers to destroy what remained of Religion and Liberty, and because of its ends so expressly Declared in the Narratives of the Acts, to suppress the persecuted Gospel and destroy its Followers, many Presbyterians durst not justify by Obedience, in paying the required Moiety; but chose rather to suffer joyfully the spoiling of their Goods, and all the force and fury they could exert against them. Whereby many tho' poor yet honest and honestly provided Families, were laid waste, and exposed to the Miseries of uncertain Wander.  
At length, upon occasion of Graham of Claverhouse, his assaulting a meeting near Loudoun-hill, 
Grievance 19  carrying about with him a Minister and several Country men bound as Beasts, and getting a repulse in the rancounter with the meeting; Another Insurrection, for our Lives, Liberties, and Religion, was undertaken, and discomfited at Bothwel-bridge, anno 1679: and at the defeat several hundreds were killed on the Field, and 10. or 1100. were taken Prisoners, stripped, and carried to Edinburgh, where, after two of our Ministers were martyred for that Appearance, Mr. john King and Mr. john Kid: And after the rest of the Prisoners were kept several weeks in a Church yard without a covert either from cold or heat in the open Air; a bond was tendered, seeming to offer Life and Liberty, on terms that clearly condemned the cause, never to rise in Arms against the King, on any pretence whatsoever, etc. Which many took, and the rest of us that refused, and even many that did take it, were sent away in a Ship bound for America, between 2 and 300 in all: who were all murdered in the Ship, being shut up under the hatches, when it split upon a Rock in the North of Scotland, excepting 50: some of which are yet alive to give this account.  
After this, the grand Design of subverting and utter everting our Reformation, 
Grievance 20.  tho' from the beginning of this Fatal Catastrophe projected, and by all the forementioned Methods prosecuted hitherto, was more and more discovered, and beyond all denial demonstrated, that nothing less was intended then the gradual introduction of Popery and Slavery, and that by all the ordinat jesuitical Rules, observed in the seduction of Churches into the Roman Tyranny: The chiefest of which have always been to foment all Quarrels among Protestants, and to strengthen the Party readiest to comply, to make and execme rigorous Laws against the most tenacious, and to load the Protestant Opinions that are more obnoxious with all odious constructions. Accordingly in the first place, to propagate Defection and promote Division, a Proclamation was emitted anno 1679 inveighing against and resolutely interdicting all Field-meetings; and granting Liberty to Preach in Houses upon terms of a cautionary Bond, binding and obliging the People for their Ministers living peaceably, and in Order thereto to present him before his Majesty's Privy Council, when they should be called so to do; And in caise of falizie in not presenting him, to be liable to the sum of 6000 marks. Yet excluding all these Ministers, who were suspect to have been at that insurrection of Bothwel; And all those who should afterwards be admitted by Non conformed Ministers: Whereby those that durst not comply were exceedingly divided, and more easily destroyed.  
For their Courts of cruel Inquisition went by Circuit through the Country, 
Grievance 21.  pressing the Bond of Peace, denying the Principle and renouncing the Privilege of Defensive Arms; And taking up Portuous Rolls of all that were suspect to have been at Bothwel insurrection; whereof they reputed all to be convict, who being summoned did not appear, or were delated by Oath super inquirendis to have been seen or heard to be in Arms, or did not go to the King's Camp, about that time. Whereby, not only upon the account of that Appearance were many executed to the Death, by packing bloody Juries and Assizes, as might conduce and be for their murdering ends, besides more than can be reckoned that were kept to perish in Prisons, or Deportations to Banishment; But many Gentlemen and others were endited, Imprisoned, and some condemned to Death, others Forefaulted or Fyned above the value of their Estates, for having seen or spoken with some of those called Rebels; or because they did not discover or apprehend them, even when they did not and could not know whether they were called or counted Rebels or not.  
And some poor People, when they could not be reached any way for this insurrection at Bothwell, 
Grievance 22.  nor any other overt Act or Transgression against even their wicked Laws, were condemned for their simple declared Opinion of it: Which the Council, and Court of justiciary, particularly Sir George Mackenzie Advocate, did extort from them by terrible menacings of Death and Torture. For, being interrogate, Whether the rising at Bothwel-bridge was Rebellion, and a sin against GOD: Many, for saying it was not, yea, for not saying it was, and waving the Question, as reckoning themselves not obliged to Answer, were cruelly condemned and executed, though they declared and were known to be as free as the Child unborn of these Actions they were examined upon.  
In Fine, After our Patience had been long outwearied with insupportable Slavery, and under such intolerable Oppressions in our Consciences, Persons and Estates; so universally extended, that in the present circumstances we had more reason to hope, that past miseries, present Pressures, and future Dangers of greater Encroachments, then foreseen by all men that did not willingly shut their Eyes, should have incited and invited all, that had any regard to the great Interests of Religion and Liberty, to concur in an Essay to emancipate themselves and posterity from that Yoke of grassant & growing Tyranny, Than to fear the condemnation of any under these Oppressions, or the clamour and out cry of those that were at ease against the Informality, Illegalily, Unseasonableness, or Unfealableness of such Revolt: We were Enduced and Enforced at length, when we could do no more to preserve what remained of these Interests, or save our Consciences innocent from all participation of the sin of the destroyer of them; To declare for our parts a Revolt from, and disown Allegiance to King Charles the Second, as being no longer to be accounted our Supreme Magistrate, but ipso jure devested of that Office and Trust, Reposed and Devolved on him by express Compact and Covenant: When he broke all these conditions, whereupon his Authority and our Allegiance were founded; in his utter violating and making void the Covenant and Coronation Oath, whereby our Subjection to him, limited to those provisions, was explicitly disengaged and remitted; when he did unhinge and insringe all the Legal Establishments of our Religion; and subverted all our Religious Liberties, by usurping a Blasphemous Sacrilegious Supremacy over Ecclesiastical Ordinances instituted by Christ; And when now he had overturned all Fundamental constitutions of the State as well as the Church, subverting the People's Rights, Liberties, Laws, and all securities of our Life and Enjoyments whatsoever, by claiming and taking an Absolute Tyrannical Civil Prerogative, paramount to all Law, inconsistent either with the Freedom or Safety of the People: Whereby no shadow of Government was left, but Arbitrary Absoluteness, making the King's Letter the Supreme Law of Scotland; while Innocent and Honest People for Conscience were grievously oppressed, and Perjuries, Adulteries, Idolatries, and all Impieries, were not only Indemnified and passed without punishment, but encouraged as Badges of Loyalty. For which causes, we openly proclaimed our Revolt from the Government as it was then Administrate. And in the same Declaration, we reckoned ourselves obliged to protest against the Reception of the Duke of York in Scotland; And against his succeeding to the Crown, who was then declared incapable of Succession of the Government, by a Vote of the two Honourable Houses of the Parliament of England. For For owning, 
Grievance 22.  and not daring to disown, which Revolt, it is impossible to enumerate our Kind's and Degrees of Sufferings: for this we had our Ministers and Brethren Murdered, both in the Fields, and Scaffolds, and Prisons, and Seas; Besides those that were slain at Airds-moss, where Bruce of Earleshall attacked us, and slew Mr. Richard Cameron a Faithful and Zealous Minister with many of our Brethren. After this it was generally imposed on Prisoners, even such as could not be charged with any Accession to the forementioned Declaration, to give an account of their Thoughts and Consciences about the Lawfulness of the King's Authority: which if they could not own, or declined to declare their Thoughts, as judging it the common Interest of Mankind to plead for the Freedom of Thoughts from all humane Jurisdiction, or if any answered with such innocent Qualifications, as that they owned all Lawful Authority In the Lord, or, According to the Word of God; then they were punished as Traitors, executed to the Death, and some at their first apprehending Tormented with Fire-matches, then laid in Irons, afterwards Tortured with the Boots or Thumbkins, and after all executed in a most Barbarous manner without suffering them to speak their dying Words for beating of Drums. Thus a great number of innocent People have been destroyed, without respect to Age or Sex; some mere Boys have been for this hanged; some stooping for Age; some Women also hanged, and some Drowned, because they could not satisfy the Council, Justiciary Court, and the Soldiers, with their thoughts about the Government.  
In the Year 1681. the Duke of York, as Commissioner from his Brother, 
Grievance 23.  held a Parliament, (Auspicated with the Blood of Mr. Donald Cargil a Godly and Faithful Minister, which was shed at the Cross of EDINBURGH, the day before the sitting down of the Parliament) wherein he not only presided against all our Righteous Laws, that Make a Papist incapable of such a Trust, and against their own Laws, without taking the Oaths of Administration, but procured an Act to be made recognising his Succession to the Crown notwithstanding all standing unrepealed Laws against papists: wherein also many Acts were contrived that have been great causes of the desolation and depopulation of the Country that ensued: As Act 4. dowbling the Fines imposed by former Laws for Fieid Conventicles; And ordering Heretors and Masters to put away their Tenants, Cottars, or Servants, at any time of the Year without any warning or process of removing, notwithstanding of any Tacks or Terms to run; And to retain their goods, etc. Act 18. Declaring, that all Jurisdiction doth so reside in his Majesty, that his Majesty may, by himself or any Commissionated by him, take Cognizance and Decision of any cases or causes he pleases. Hereby a foundation was laid for overturning all Civil and Criminal Justice, and for erecting the Tyranny of the Popish Inquisition, whensoever matters were ripe for it, and for commissionating Soldiers to take away the lives of Innocents', without all Process of Law, as was frequently exemplified afterward And Act 6. and 25. Framing and Imposing on all in Trust a detestable and self contradictory Test, which turned out of all places of Trust any that retained any measure of common Honesty. For explaining which, the late Earl of Argyle was arfaigned and condemned; and escaping prison, forced to flee to foreign Lands: As many others, both Gentlemen and Commons were constrained to leave the Land; where for multiplied, illegal, and ensnaring impositions, they could neither live like Men nor like Christians, but as Asses couching under all burdens.  
These and the like Acts, with many others Arbitrarly superadded Proclamations (which have been multiplied every year beyond all reckoning, and stretching the designs of the Court beyond all Measures, no only of Legality, but of Humanity, expecting at the next Parliament to have them either justified or Indemnified and pardoned) 
Grievance 24.  were with Tyrannous Rigour executed by Circuit Courts of Inquisition (some way equally if not exceeding the Spanish, for illegality and inhumanity) pressing Conformity, submission to Prelacy, Impossing, enslaving and ensnaring Oaths and Bonds, contradictory to Reason, and contrary to Religion; and Oppressing of all Ranks, Qualities, and Vocations, with such Arbitrary Acts of Intercommuning, Fining, and other intolerable Impossitions, that they seemed to drive at no less than the overturning what remained undestroyed of Religion, Liberty, Law; or Conscience in the Nation. For not only the Poorer sort were many ways Oppressed, Plundered, Pillaged, Impoverished, and Destroyed; but Gentlemen also were extremely vexed, for alleged converse with Intercommuned Sufferers, being Before faulted, Fined, and incarcerate, till they should pay Sums, which neither they were obliged nor able to pay. And not only were the formerly persecuted Ministers, lurking in the Land, forced to leave it; or Cited and Compeared at their Courts were Imprisoned: But even the Indulged Ministers, who by the King's Supremacy were Authorized to Preach in Churches allotted to them, were as Arbitrarly Discharged, Summoned to their Circuits, and Imprisoned. Especially we, who durst not comply in less or more with any of their Impositions, nor own their Usurpations and Tyranny, whom therefore they represented in all their Edicts, as Enemies to all Government and Humane Society, were exposed to, and made to endure the utmost of their rage.  
Our Families were harassed, pillaged and laid waste, our Persons were intercommuned, 
Grievance. 25.  driven out of our own and all other habitarions into the Wilderness, being interdicted of all Harbour, Supply, Comfort or Converse, by barbarous Edicts; and incestantly pursued by numerous Forces, Horse, Foot, and Dragons powered into all parts of the Country, Impowered and Commissioned to plunder and pillage all houses where they heard we were seen; And not only to search, hunt, & chase us through all Towns, Villages, Cottages, Woods, Moors, Mosses, and Mountains, forcing us us to flee to the remotest Recesses in the wildest Deserts; But to Shoot, Hang, Drown, Murder, and make Havoc of us, where ever they could apprehend us, without Trial or Sentence. Proclamations one after another were Emitted, commanding all to raise the Hue and Cry after us, and not only to advertise the Soldiers, but to concur with them in pursuing us, and to seek us out of all our Dens and Caves in the most retired places of the Mountains, which we digged under ground, when we could not find a hiding place above the face of the Earth: Whence we were redacted to many incredible hardships and hazards, being exposed to the cold blasts of Winter, and the pinching straits of Hunger, when we could neither have Sustenance with us, nor durst we go abroad to seek it but in the peril of our Lives, and being forced to hide from Country People as well as Soldiers: Whence many of us could not escape falling into their bloody hands, who, in obedience to their murdering Mandates killed many instantly in the Fields; And such as obtained the favour of being spared for execution upon Scaffolds, though without any colourable shadow of a formal procedure, or were imprisoned, Tortured, or Banished to be Slaves, were thought to have been very mercifully dealt with. Whereupon, being driven to such a paraxisme of Danger and Despair, that neither, were we able to endure the extremities of inexpressible miseries then lying and growing upon us, nor had hope to escape in Humane probability the utter destruction intended, enacted, declared, and indefatigably pursued against us by our Enemies, the Popish, Prelatieal and Malignant faction; When so many of us were daily taken and murdered, and the rest of us could neither escape by flight out of the Land, (Orders being given to stop all passages by Sea and Land, and catch us wheresoever we could be deprehended making any such Essay) nor by lurking and hiding in the Land, through the Vigilance and Diligence of Intelligencers, who were suborned and encouraged to use all endeavours to entrap and inform of us, wheresoever we could be heard of; No other expedient was left under our Deliberation to try for preventing our utter extermination, than to publish, by affixing on the Church-doors in the night season, an Apologetic Declaration, avowing our Adherence to former Principles and Testimonies, and warning our Enemies to surcease from their wickedness and severity against us, under certifications that it should be revenged: Designing hereby mainly to restrain and deter these insolent Intelligencers.  
Hereupon followed a most violent Proclamation, 
Grievance 26.  Ordaining all that owned or refused to disown the Declaration, and the principles therein specified, should be execute to the Death; Commanding all the Subjects to concur in the pursuit of us; And for their encouragement, offering 500 Marks for each of us; Requiring also, that none presume to offer to travel in the Country without Testificates of their Loyalty, by taking the Oath of Abjuration, otherwise they should be holden as concurrers with us, and therefore that none shall be lodged without these Certificates. Hence the Trade and Commerce of the Country was much interrupted and prejudged, by prohibiting all to travel without a Pass in time of Peace. And to the reproach of all Order and Government: Ostlers and common Innkeepers were made Judges impowered to impose Oaths upon all Passengers & Travellers, that their Passes were not forged and feigned. This Oath of Abjuration was pressed universally, on pain of Death, (in some places from house to house) upon Men and Women, Young and Old; who were pressed upon the penalty of Death, without time to advise upon it, to give their judgement of the said Declaration, and of the King's Authority; which contributed very much to make it more and more questioned by many, and ridiculous to all. Hence many of us that stood out and aloof from this compliance, were shot in the Fields; some brought in Prisoners, Sentenced, and Executed all in one day; and some early in the morning, that People might not be affected with the pitiful sight of such bloody severities; Yea, sometimes the Spectators were commanded by Captain Graham in Edinburgh, to give their judgement, and declare their Opinion, whether they were justly put to Death or not.  
In process of time, the late King dying, and the Duke of York ascending the Throne; 
Grievance 27.  It would have been thought, that such Revolutions then occurring would have required and produced some Cessation, Relaxation, or Relentment of our persecution: being in ourselves, and in our persecutors esteem, persons of so mean a Figure in the World, scarce worthy to be the Object of the indignation of a new installed Prince; And his late Proclamations would make the World believe, that the beginning of his Government had put an end to all these troubles upon the account of Conscience. But on the contrare, the Acts and Executions against us in a manner did then but begin to be cruel; And all the power of the Forces was employed to destroy us, so much already destroyed. For then, more cruelly than ever, not only the standing Forces, but another Host of savage Highlanders, enured to Rapine and Murder, brought from the North, were ordered and impowered to Act against us the greatest Barbarities, in butchering and slaughtering us in the Fields where ever we could be found, without all colour of Justice, only for not satisfying them in their impertinent as well as wicked impositions on the Conscience, or form of Law, even the worst of their own Laws. Accordingly some of us at Labour, same travelling in the Road, were cut off without pity; Some surprised in Caves, and Murdered there; without time given to Pray to God for Mercy; some were taken first to Prison, then surprised with execution, without a Trial or definite sentence, not knowing when or if at all they should be execute; Some had their Ears cut, & then sentenced to be transported to jamaica, and yet some of these were kept, and again sentenced with Death, and Executed: others were sent to an old ruinous Castle Denotter, and kept in Vaults, in such crowds and Numbers, that they had no room either to sit or lie, and so cruelly treated, as would make Savages blush to hear of it, and then banished to America, and in the Voyage about 60 died.  
But as those cruelties were Monstrnous for Illegality and Inhumanity; so the ensuing Laws made in the first Parliament, james 7th. 1685. held by Queensberry Commissioner, Approving and Ratifying the same, do far exceed all former for unparalelled Attrociousness: As Act 3. Allowing Pannals already in prison, and indicted for Treason, to be cited on 24 hours. Act 4. Statuting, That such as being cited to be witnesses as in cases of Treason, Field or House Conventicles, do refuse to depone, they shall be liable to be punished as guilty of these Crimes respectively, in which they refuse to be witnesses. Act 5. Declaring, That the giving or taking the National Covenant or the Solemn League and Covenant, or writing in Defence thereof, or owning of them as Lawful, or Obligatory on themselves or others, shall infer the crime and pains of Treason. Act 6. Declaring the usual procedure of Fyning Husbands for their Wives withdrawing from the Church, to have been Legal. Act 7. Statuting, That the concealing and not revealing of any supply given to such, as are Forefaulted for Treason (to wit, the most innocent contending for the Covenants and Work of Reformation, against Popery, Prelacy, or Tyranny, and though the supply should be given to their nearest Relations so foresaulted) is Treason, and to be judged accordingly. Act 8 Statuting, That all that shall hereafter Preach at House or Field Conventicles, and all Hearers also at Field Conventicles shall be punished by Death and Confiscation. Act 13. Reinjoyning, and further extending the Imposition of the Self-contradictory Test. Act 17. Ratifying, Confirming, and Approving what hath been done by the Privy Council, Justiciary, or those commissionated by them, in Banishing, Imprisoning, and Fyning such as refused to take the Oath of Allegiance, (which includes the blasphemous Supremacy) with asserting the Prerogatives; And under the same pains, Ordaining all Subjects so to take the said Oath when required. Act 23. Ratifying and Approving the Opinion of the Lords of Council and Session, adjudging it Treason to refuse the Oath of Abjuration, confirming all the illegality of procedure thereupon. Act 24. Statuting, That all Masters, Heretors, Liferenters, etc. shall insert in all Tacks to be set by them to their Tenants, in Burgh or Landwart, an express clause, obliging the Tenant for his Wife and Family to Conformity, under exorbitant penalties. Act 25. Ratifying a Proclamation against us, as bearing the effect of an Act of Parliament; Requiring all the Subjects, upon knowledge or information of any one or two or more of us in any place, to give information thereof to the Chancellor, and to the nearest Commanders of the Forces, within the space of an hour at most for every three Miles distance, and all Sheriffs, etc. To call the Subjects to search and apprehend us; And on our flight, to acquaint the Magistrates of the next Shire, and so from Shire of Shire, till we be apprehended, or expelled from the Realm; with Certification, that whosoever fails in pursuing us whether Magistrates or Subjects, or in not giving timeous Information within the space forsaid, shall be held as Art and Part, and undergo the same Punishment with us. In which Act and Proclamation, we are called only 80 Runnagats, Traitors and Fugitives, tho` in pursuance of this cruel Edict, they have Multiplied that Number many times over and over, in imprisoning, banishing, and butchering our Dear Brethren; And yet all the Prisons they could fill, and Shipped they could fraught with us, and Gibbets they could hang us on, could never either exhaust or lesson our Number: For the more we were afflicted the more we grew; And the design to destroy us, by the mercy of our GOD counteracting it, proved always a burdensome Stone to the Destroyer's, and an help to the Destroyed. Yet though they pretended to have us expelled out of the Realm, they shut up all possible access to attempting to depart out of it: For, as Forces were lying on each side the Borders to catch us if we should escape by Land, so they prevented all probability of going by Sea, by Act 27. of this same Parliament, Forbidding and Prohibiting all Masters of Ships to export any Passenger till he be brought before the next Magistrates: which none of us durst venture upon for fear of our Lives.  
This was an unhappy Specimen of the Kings Commenced Government, 
Grievance 28.  and a very unprecedented Policy of his Counsellors, to reconcile male contented Subjects to a Loving and Consienciously Loyal Subjection to him, being in effect the same with the Advice of the Young men to Rehoboam, and productive of the same effect with that: When practically in their Acts and Actings it was declared to us, that whereas the former King had made our Yoke heavy; This would add thereto: The former had chastised us with Whips, but he would chastise us with Scorpions: Whereof having felt the smart so sharply, we could not be easily induced to a kindly acknowledgement of Allegiance out of Conscience unto him, who came not in as a Father to rule us, but as a Lion to devour us. Wherefore, tho much pressed by all the Tyrannical force, that could be exercised to enslave us under that Yoke, or destroy us for refusing, we could not in Conscience own or acknowledge his Lawful Authority. And in pressing it they gained little, after all the blood they shed on Scaffolds and Fields upon this account, but to ridicule the Government, and make it more contemptible, when they required every poor Lad & Lass in the Country to give their Opinion of the Government, a Question very unusual to be proposed to private Subjects. Men really invested with Authority do think, their Laws and Power to execute them on Offenders may well enough secure the People's subjection, and will disdain such a suspicion of the questionablenss of their Authority, as to make it a Question to the Subjects: The more it was made a Question to us, the more it became questioned and suspected: And the more we were made to inquire into it, the further we were from deprehending or recognoscing in him either the Characters or Constitution of a Magistrate to be owned. We considered the many righteous Laws, established by our worthy Ancestors, for the preservation of the True Religion and Liberties of the Kingdom, insert in the National Covenant (which every Soul in the Kingdom under the Bond of that Covenant, is bound, to maintain according to their Capacities;) As Act 8 Parl. 1. King ja: 6: repeated and ratified in many Acts afterwards, expressly providing and ordaining, that all Kings and Princes, at their Coronation and Reception of their Princely Authority, shall make their faithful promise by Oath, and that they shall profess and maintain the Protestant Religion, and shall abolish and gainstand all false Religion contrary the same, and shall rule according to Law, etc. Which Oath of Coronation he did not take, would not take, could not take, while a Papist; and therefore we could not look on him as our King by Law. We considered likewise, that in our Covenants the Allegiance that we must own to the King is expressly limited and qualified thus, In the preservation and defence of the True Religion, Liberties, and Laws of the Kingdom: Of which Qualification, Allegiance to him, a destroyer of Religion and Liberty, is nor capable. We remembered the Principles and Sentiments of our Fathers upon the Admission of King Charles 2. to the exercise of his Royal Power, Declared in their seasonable and necessary Warning, Gen: Assem. july 27: Sess: 27: 1649. Wherein they tell us, That a boundless and illimited Power is to be acknowledged in no King nor Magistrate; that there is a mutual Stipulation and Obligation between the King and the People, as both of them are tied to GOD, so each of them are tied to one another: Accordingly King's are to take the Oath of Coronation, to abolish Popery and maintain the Protestant Religion: As long therefore as the King refuses to Engage and Oblige himself for security of Religion, and safety; of his People it is consonant to Scripture and Reason and Laws of the Kingdom, that he should be refused: And that in the Covenant, the Duty of owning the King is subordinate to the Duty of preserving Religion and Liberty. And therefore, without security of these, it were a manifest breach of Covenant, and a preferring the King's Interest to the Interest of Christ, to bring him to the exercise of his power. And consequently, for us to give such a consent to it, as such an owning of him as required would amount to. Accordingly also the Commission of the General Assembly in their Act of the West-Kirk, Declared, They would not own the King nor his Interest, otherwise than with a subordination to GOD, and so far as he should own and prosecute the Cause of GOD, and disclaim his and his Father's opposition to the Work of GOD and the Covenant. We called to mind likewise, what our Renowned Reformers gave out, as the case of their Revolt from the Government of Mary Qu: Dowager, anno 1559. her persecuting the Professors of the True Religion, and oppressing the Liberties of the True Liege's, her intruding of Magistrates against all Order of Election, her Adultering and Subverting the Old Laws of the Realm, etc. Which all Men know were as applicable to King james 7th: as to her: And therefore we had their Reason to oblige us, and their example to encourage us to say with them; We own and promise to our Lawful Sovereign all due Obedience, provided we may have our Religion and Liberty secured, without which we firmly purpose never to be subject to Mortal Man. For which and many other Reasons, we reckoned ourselves under Obligations to decline the imposed owning of his Authority; and took the opportunity in the time of the Expedition of the Earl of Argyle against him, to Publish in a Declaration our Reasons why we could not acknowledge it.  
In the mean time, 
Grievance 29.  the late Earl of Argyle, with some other Noblemen and Gentlemen, Associating with the Duke of Munmouth, to essay some Diversion and Opposition to the King's designs, of advancing and establing Tyranny and Popery: All the Forces, Militia Troops and Companies, and the whole Army of Heretors were poured in upon those Places of the Kingdom, where most of us were sojourning. Who, besides all the blood shed upon the account of that Expedition, the Blood of the Earl himself, and others of both Nations engaged with him, and many of his Wassalls in the Highlands cruelly put to Death by the Marq. of Athol, had in Commission, and put in execution the Bloodiest Orders we think readily Men could ever receive or obey. The greatest employment, that that great Army had in hand and in heart, was to wreck and exert all their fury and force upon the poor Mountain-Men as they called us: Which they did by ranging and spreading themselves many miles in breadth, every one within sight of another, and searching for us through all the Rocks, Woods, Mountains, and Mosses of the Country, where we were hiding, with such Vigore, Violence, and diligence, as if they had been hunting for Hares or Foxes. And the greatest ambition and emulation of their Leaders and Champions, Graham of Claver-house, & Lieu. Gen. Douglas Brother to the Duke of Queensberry, Col. Buchan, with others of their inferior Officers, Maj. Balfour, Lieu. Creightoun, and Lieu. Livingstoun, etc. was, who should be most skilful and successful in destroying us. And all this, for no other Cause, then because we could not Answer to their satisfaction the Questions they proposed, without any warrant of Law, and against the Common Interest of Mankind, which frees all Men from being obliged to discover their secret thoughts; Namely because we could not obtain of our Consciences to declare that we would own and acknowledge that Authority which enacted, and by which they acted, all these mischiefs. Yet, to the commendation of GOD'S Clemency, and condemnation of men's cruelty, we may say, when they had shot all their bolts, after they had hanged, shot, tortured, or banished for slaves, all they could catch of us, they were further from their purpose than when they began; our Numbers and Metting for Gospel ordinances, Administrated in Purity and power, increased more and more. 
Grievance 30.   
But at length, tho' our Persecution continued, the King was pleased to change his Methods with other Dissenters. He multiplied many Favours to such of them as he called Moderate: And, by these means intending to advance the Mystery of iniquity, by stopping the mouths, and binding up the hands of all from whom he might expect Control or Contradiction, and laying them by from all open opposition to the introduction of Popery and advancement of Slavery, he purposed and proposed the repealing of the Penal Statutes against Papists, at the Parliament held by the Earl of Murray: Against which, when afterwards some of the Common sort of people, and of the Soldiers, spoke some what freely, and for showing their dislike of setting up the Idolatrous Mass, and for speaking against Popery, and the designs of the King, they were put to Death in a most Despotical and Arbitrary manner. The Persecution the mean while still continuing against us, and growing more dangerous, and worse to bear that we had all the brunt of it to sustain; while the Forces had few other to Persecute but us: which they did in great fury, murdering in Fields and Scaffolds, such as they could catch of us.  
At length, what could not be obtained by Law, at the formentioned Parliament for taking off the Penal Statutes, was effectuate by Prerogative, in a Proclamation, Feb: 12: 1687. Granting, by the King's Sovereign Authority, 
Grievance 31.  Prerogative Royal, and Absolute Power, which Subjects are to obey without Reserve; a Toleration, under certain conditions, Restrictions, and Limitations, to all sorts of Persuasions, excepting us who are left to the full vigour and utmost rigour of the Laws made against us: Suspending, stopping and Disabling all Laws, or Acts of Parliament, customs or constitutions against any Roman Catholic Subjects; giving them freedom in all respects, as much as any Prtoestant Subjects, whatsoever, not only to Exercise their Religion, but to enjoy all Offices, Benefices, etc. which he shall think fit to bestow upon them in all time coming. Hence Papists were put into places of highest Trust, both Civil and Military: And Popish Magistrates without any Election established in burgh's, etc. contrare to the known Laws of the Kingdom, admitting none to be Magistrates, or so much as a Procutator, Notar, or member of Court, who professes not the Protestant Religion, Act 9 Parl: 1. james 6. Declaring all Papists infamous, and unable to sit or stand in Judgement, pursue, bear Office, or to be admitted as proves, Witness, or Assisors against Protestants. Act 45: Parl: 3: james 6: which is extended to all and whatsomever Office, without any Exception or Restriction in all time coming. Act 5: Parl: 20: james 6: Hence also the Idolatrous Mass was set up in the most public places of the Kingdom; and Popish Seminary Priests suffered and encouraged to preach, and set up Schools, to seduce the People, especially the Youth: contrate to many express standing Laws, Act 3: Parl: 1: james 6: and Act 5: ibid.: Ordaining all layers or hearers of Mass to be punished, with imprisonment for the first fault, banishment for the second, and justifying to the Death for the third fault. Act 122: jarl: 12: K: james 6: Decerning, That, in all time coming, the saying of Mass, resetting of Jesuits, Seminary Priests, Traffiquing Papists, shall be just cause to infer the pain and crime of Treason. Act 196: Parl: 14: james 6: Ordaining in all time coming, all wilful hearers of Mass, and concealers of the same, be execute to the Death: Ratified in the 1 Act. Parl. 19 jac. 6. And in 5. Act. Parl: 20: jac: 6. Hence Papists have erected Schools, and made, sold, and dispersed their Heretical Books, tending to seduce the People from the true Religion: contrary to express Laws, Act. 106. Parl: 7: Iac: 6: Act 24, and 25: Parl: 11: ay: 6. This Popish Toleration, was neither extended to us; all the three Proclamations thereof expressly providing, that Field Conventicles, & all Preachers and Hearers thereat, be prosecuted according to the utmost Severity and Rigour of the Laws made against them, left in their full Force and Vigour, with a Command to all Judges, Magistrates and Officers of ●orces, to pursue us with all Violence; Nor could we in Conscience and Duty, directly or indirectly, suffer ourselves to be involved, by any participation therewith or acceptance thereof, in the sin of it against the Laws of GOD and Man: Since it appeared evidently to flow from a Blasphemous fountain of Absolute Power; through a Treasonable Channel of stopping, Suspending, and disabling the Penal Statutes made against the Enemies of GOD, and of the Kingdom; and to be designed for the wicked ends of subverting the Protestant Religion, and the peaceable introduction of Popish Idolatry and Heresy; And to offer, not the establishment of our Religion, but the Tolerating of it, under the scandalous notion of a thing to be suffered for a while; and with such shameful securities, as rob the Church of all her Legal Charters of Laws and Covenants establishing her Reformation, leaving her nothing in lieu thereof but a blind precarious promise of One, whose principles obliged him to keen no Faith with those to whom he promised it. But against all these indignities done to Christ, and injuries to the Church, intended and effected by this Toleration, our Ministers thought themselves obliged to bear witness and Testimony: And with respect both to necessity and duty, to continue to keep their Meetings in the open Fields, whether the Tyranny of the times had driven them: Since they durst neither seem to Homologate the Toleration, by coming under the sconce of such a protection; Nor durst they give such advantage to such as were insatiably thirsting after their Blood, and were impowered to shed it, as they were seeking and would have found, if they had shut up themselves within houses, that could neither hold their Friends, nor be hid from their Enemies. This we looked upon as a Testimony, for the interest of the Protestant Religion, for our Covenanted Reformation, for the Laws & Liberties of our Country, all undermined and sought to be subverted by that Toleration. 
Grievance 32.   
In the prosecution of this Device, when others were killed with Popish kindnesses, we were left to feel the sweet effects of Popish Cruelty. Some of our brethren were Murdered in Fields and Scaffolds, since that pretended Toleration; Many both Men and Women have been banished and Sold for Slaves in Barbados: Other severe Proclamations were issued against our Ministers, Intercommuning, & setting a price upon their Heads, to encourage all to apprehend them Dead or alive: One of them, Mr. james Renwick a painful Minister being Feb. 1688. was Executed to the Death in Edinburgh, the Drums beating all the time of his Praying and speaking upon the Scaffold. And after this, not only was the Country oppressed with Soldiers, free quarterings, and frighted with their searches, and Insolences in their riding up and down the Country, challenging peaceable Travellers upon the Road, about their Opinions of the King's Authority, and if this and that was Rebellion; and threatening present Death to such as did not satisfy them: But the City of Edinburgh vexed with universal searches, and the impositions of these impertinences, whereby many were taken and examined by Claver-house, who required them to renounce the Covenant, imprisoned the Recusants; Whereby the Prisons were crowded: And yet, notwithstanding of an Indemnity, October 2: 1688 alleged as ample as Absolute Power could make it, though not expressly excluded, they were detained Prisoners until the Report of his Highness the Prince of Orange, now King of Britain his prevailing, and fear of his Victorious Arms did move them not to keep any longer any that might be evidences and Witnesses of their Arbitrary cruelty. As the same reason also it seems did constrain them, to take down and bury the heads of those they murdered, for fear lest these monuments of their cruelty standing, might occasion the Question to be moved, by whom and for what they were set up? Than which nothing shall be more confounding to them, when inquisition shall be made for blood.  
Thus these Enemies of the Country, the encroaching Privy Council, and the Prelates in special, now universally contemned since the Toleration, were going on in their Designs to enslave the Nation, and to prevent and suppress all Essays to retrieve or revive any hopes of recovering any Liberty; 
Grievance 33.  Multiplying their searches, not only for us, but for any that were suspected to favour their present Majesty's Cause, and undertaking, so soon as it began to be surmised here; and laying up in irons and closely prison some Gentlemen, upon suspicion of their being privy to it. And, as soon as they had certain intelligence of King William his great and generous Resolutions, in order to the Restauration and Preservation of Religion, Laws, and Liberties, in these three Kingdoms, They made such vigorous preparations for opposition, and issued out such virulent Proclamations inveighing against his Highness, under such severities of certifications, requiring all from 60: to 16: to concur under their displayed Banner for Arbitrary Government, as if they had feared an Invasion from Turks or Tartars. Yet in the mean time, though there were suspicions then, and discoveries since, of an intended Popish Massacre, they disarmed the Western Shires, and sent Orders to the Officers of Forces, especially employing such as were professedly Popish, to go through the Country, and take all their Arms, leaving them nothing to defend themselves withal, and causing the People to swear that they had no other Arms than such as they got. And in their march, meeting with some of our number, they threatened to shoot them presently if they would not own King james, pray for him, and for confusion to all his Enemies: which they refusing at first were appointed to be shot, and had their faces covered with Napkins, and with great difficulty escaped by complying.  
By the former Summary and abridged Abstract and compendious Deduction of our many and manifold Grievances (the Truth whereof can be evidenced by many demonstrative Evidences) it may appear what have been our sufferiugs since that fatal Revolution, anno 1660: from the Popish, Prelatical, and Malignant Party; and what have been their Attempts, Machines', and Methods to overturn our Religion, Laws, and Liberties, and subject us to mere Arbitrary and Absolute Tyranny; At lest what have been their capital Devices, whereby they have ruined and sought to raze us; And what have been the principal causes and kinds of our Sufferings, in their prosecuting the same: The particular Relation of which, so far as can be collected, is intended (GOD willing) afterwards in due season to be published. Only here it may not be inconvenient to subjoin, by way of specimen, a short Recapitulation in bulk of some instances of our several kinds of Sufferings, with a touch at some of the most principal Instruments thereof in the five Western Shires  
First, For Fines, and other Exorbitant and Illegal Exactions of Money, the particular sums cannot be here enumerated; but their vastness, when together calculate, may be easily collected by the scraps already gathered, of some poor Families of Farmers, Cottars, Servants, etc. and many of these omitted, or not known, which would very considerably augment the sum) in some few Shires; viz. Clidsdale, Renfrew, Air, Galloway, Nithsdale, and Annandale, only for but a few years, to wit, since Bothwel bridge insurrection, amounting to above 288000. pounds Scots Money.  
Besides the many honest Families, which have been casten out of their houses, harassed and spoiled of their All: Some of their houses being thrown down, some Burnt, some shut up, their goods and moveables seized upon, their Crop and cattle also disposed of, at the will of their Persecuters, in the forementioned Shires amounting to above 200: of all which we have a particular account in readiness to instruct.  
The immediate Authors, Actors, and Instruments of these oppressions, were principally the Curates instigating the Privy Council, which impowered the Forces, and Noblemen and Gentlemen of the Country, to pray upon the poor People. All cannot be here expressed, but some of the most noted in the Western Shires shall be named, who were the greatest Persecuters and Oppressors by Finings and other Exactions.  


Of Officers of the Forces.  
Col. Dowglas, now Lief: Gen. Dowglas, Brother to the Duke of Queensberry, exacted above 2000 pounds' Scots Money, in Galloway, Nithsdale, Shire of Air, and other Places.  
Lieu. Gen. Drumond, besides the Forefaultries of Gentlemen, did also exact moneys of the poor in the Shire of Air.  
The Earl of Lithgow, and his Soldiers, spoiled much in Galloway.  
The Earl of Airly, and his Troup, in the same Shire  
The Lord Balearras, a great Oppressor in Galloway, besides all the Robberies he committed in Fife.  
— Graham of Claverhouse, afterwards Viscount of Dundee, with his Brother, and subaltern Officers in Galloway, Nithsdale, and Anandale, exacted by Fines and otherwise, above 13500: pounds Scots money.  
Col: Buchan, a most violent persecuter, in Galloway and Shire of Air, by Robberies took from the People upwards of 4000: pounds Scots.  
Major Cockburn, a great oppressor in Galloway.  
Major White, in Clidsdale and shire of Air, exacted by Fines and otherwise, above 2500. p: Scots.  
Major Balfour, now called Liev: Col; Balfour, a great persecuter and Oppressor in Clidsdale.  
Captain Strauchan, with his Troup, oppressed and spoiled much in Galloway, & other places.  
Captain Inglis with his Troup, did dispossess many Families, and got much spoil in Galloway, shire of Air, and Clidsdale.  
Captain Dowglas, in Galloway, committed much outrage and spoil.  
Captain Dalzel, harassed much in Anandale.  
Captain Bruce in Nithsdale.  
— Meldrum in Clidsdale, in several Inroads uplifted from poor Families upwards of 2300 Pounds; besides the vast sums he exacted in Mers and Tiviotdale; with the Earl of Hume, Ker of Gradown, Laird of Hayning, and Blindlee; and in Tweddale, with the Laird of Possa, all great Persecuters.  
Liv. Winram, in Galloway, a very vigilant Persecuter and Spoiler.  
Lieu. Barns also, in the same Shire took much Spoil.  
Lieu. john Living stoun, a most violent Persecuter and Exacter.  
Lieu. Lauder, in the Shire of Air, a most outrageous Persecuter and Oppressor.  
— Bonshaw, a Borderer, a Highway Man, afterwards an Officer of Dragoons, robbed much from the poor People in Clidsdale.  
Duncan Grant, a cripple with a Tree Leg, a very outrageous Persecuter, exacted in Clidsdale from poor People, above 1500 pounds.   

Of Noblemen, Gentlemen, and Others, in the abovementioned Shires, the greatest Oppressors and Persecuters of the people, were; In Clidsdale.  
— Sommervail, of spittle Sheriff de. pute. who, besides his other ways of Persecution wherein he was most Active, drew from the poorest People above 1200 pounds.  
The Laird of Halyards, who uplifted more than 8500 pounds.  
The Laird of Lachop, a great Persecuter and Oppressor.  
The Laird of Bonnytown, and Laird Symme, both violent Persecuters and Exactors.  
In the City of Glasgow, Provest johnston, Prov. Barns, Bail. john Anderson, Bail: Yuil, Bail. Graham, William Sterling Baron Baylif, great Persecuters, exacted above 20000 pounds.   

In Renfrew.  
The Earl of Glencairn, by Fines and dispossessing of Families, exacted, partly there, and partly in Clidsdale and Nidsdale, above 2400 pounds.  
Lord Semple a Papist, a persecuter.  
Alexander Hume in Eglshome, a most violent and vigilant Persecuter and Exactor, with many others.  
Mr. Ezechiel Montgomery a great Fine-Monger.   

In the Shire of Air  
The Earl of Drumfries, exacted above 1000: pounds.  
The Lord Craigy, a great persecuter and oppressor.  
William Creighton Sheriff depute very violent and active.  
Crawford of Ardmillan, a wicked persecuter and spoiler.  
Mr. William Crawford, Montgomery of Bozland, Laird of Broyche, Clark Ogilbie, all great persecuters, who sought to make themselves up with the spoils of the poor people.   

In Galloway.  
The Laird of Lag Grierson, a most wicked persecuter there, and in Nithisdale, exacted above 1200: pounds.  
The Laird of Elie, Lidderdale, and Canon of Merdrogat, all diligent persecuters and Intelligencers, together with the then Collectors.   

In Nithsdale.  
The Duke of Queensberry and his Sons oppressed much.  
john Alison Chamberlain to the Duke of Queensberry, who when dying, said, He had damned his Soul for the Duke his Master. And George Charters, another of the Duke's Factors, who vaunted, he had made 26: journeys in one year in pursuit of the whigs.  
john Dowglas of Sten-house, a Papist, exacted above 5000: p:  
The Laird of Closburn, above 700: pounds.  
Sir Robert Dalzel, upward of 400: p: of a few poor Families.  
Sir Robert Lawrie of Maxweltoun, an oppressor and persecuter.   

In Anandale.  
The Lord Anandale, dispossessed and harassed many Families, and persecuted much in Galloway.  
The Laird of Westerhall, a great Per: exacted upwards of 1000: p:  
Sir Patrick Maxwel of Sprinkell a very active and violent persecuter and oppressor.  
The Lairds of Powdeen, Castlemilk, Robert Caruthers of Ramaskells, Thomas Kennedy of Heybeiths, most violent persecuters of poor People.  
The Sums here charged upon these Gentlemen, are collected from the Minutes the Writer had by him, which he is certain are computed within the extent of the several Sums. The rest here named did also extort Considerable Sums, to their own gain and the poor People's loss; but because the forsaid Minute's do not give a Particular account of the Quotas therefore they are not supplied.  
Next for the Forefaulted Gentlemen and Heretors, we shall not meddle with them: Hoping they shall give a good account of themselves.  
And as for the number of such as have been forced to a Voluntary Exile to Foreign Countries, we think it Impossible to come to any reckoning of them: Nor of these that have been Imprisoned these 30. Years for Nonconformity, of whom it cannot be told how many have died in Prison, or contracted their Death in Prison, which speedily did follow upon their Liberation. Nor of the many extorted vast Sums, and Robberies of prisoners by jailors.  
Of the Banished, deported into other Countries, for the Cause of Adhering to the Covenant and Work of Reformation, it may suffice to give this account Besides the 6. or 7. Ministers that were banished, and went to Holland: and 7. or 8. Country People to France; Several others to Barbados, before Pentland. Since the Year 1678. there have been banished and sent away Slaves, of Men and Women, for the same Cause, 700. viz. anno. 1678. To Virginia, 60. whereof 3. or 4. were Ministers, who were all by the Mercy of God delivered at London.  
Anno. 1679. Of the Prisoners taken at Bothwel, were banished to America, 250: who were taken away by Paterson Merchant in Leith, that transacted for them with Provost Milns, Laird of Barntown; the Man that first did burn the Covenant; whereof 200: were drowned by Shipwreck, being shut up within the hatches, 50 escaped.  
Afterwards were banished to Flanders, 7. men.  
Thereafter were taken away in Banishment, by one Robert Maloch, 14. men.  
Then by Walter Gibson, Late Provest in Glasgow, to Corolina 30.  
Anno. 1685. in the time of Queensberries Parliament of Men and Women were sent to jamaica 200.  
That same Year, of the Prisoners in Dinotter with others were taken away by Pitlochie, to Newgersie 100 whereof 24. were Women.  
That same Year, 13. more were sent to Barbados.  
Anno. 1687. after the Toleration 21. Men and Women were sent to Barbados.  
As for the Number of the slain at the several Skirmages at Pentland Bothuel, Airdsmoss, etc. They amount too about 400. and some odds.  
The Number of such as have been executed to Death on Scaffolds, under colour of Law, from Mr. james Gutherie the first, to Mr. james Renwick, is about 140, whereof some were Women.    

The list of those that were killed in cold Blood, without Trial, Conviction, or any colour of Law, by the persons under written, followeth.  
Omitting the account of Finlay, murdered by General Dalzels orders at Air, because he could not discover who was at the appearance at Pentland, in the year 1666; And of james Davie in Bathgate paroch, and several others, at several times, in several places, whose blood was mingled with their sacrifice at Sermons in the Fields, before Bothwel-bridge; And of Thomas Ker of Heyhope, brother to the Laird of Cherry trees, who was forced to flee for shelter into the English Borders, and there killed by Col: Struthers, anno 1678; And of Henry Hall of Haughead, apprehended at Queensferrie by Midletoun Governor of Blackness, and after several wounds, at length knocked on the head by Tho: George Waiter at Queensferrie.  

A short hint of those that have been Murdered since the Year 1682. may suffce.  
john Graham of Claver house, Viscount of Dundee, in the Year 1682. with a party of his Troup, pursued William Graham in the parish of in Galloway, making his escape from his Mother's house, and overtaking him, instantly shot him dead.  
Item, The said Claver house, together with the Earl of Dumbarton, and Lief: Gen: Dowglas, caused Peter Gillis, john Bryce, Thomas Young, (who was taken by the Laird of Lee,) William Fiddison, and john Buiening, to be put to Death upon a Gibbet, without Legal Trial or Sentence, suffering them neither to have a Bible, nor to pray before they died, at Mauchlin, anno 1685.  
Item, The said Claverhouse coming to Galloway, in answer to the Viscount of Kenmures Letter, with a small party surprised Robert Stuart, john Grier, Robert Ferguson, and another, and instantly shot them dead, at the water of Dee, in Gallaway, December 1684. Their Corpse being buried, were at his command raised again.  
Item, The said Claverhouse in May, 1685: apprehended john Broun in priest-hill, in the parish of Moorkirk, in the Shire of Air, being at his work, about his own house, and shot him dead before his own door, in presence of his Wife.  
Item. the said Claverhouse Authorised his Troop to kill Matthew Mckel wrath, without any Examination, in the Paroch of Camonel in Carrick, Anno 1685.  
Col. james Douglass, now Lieu. General, Brother to the Duke of Queensberry, together with Liev: john Livingston, and a Party with them, surprised 5: men in a Cave at Inglestoun, in the parish of Glencarn, being betrayed by Andrew Watson now prisoner in Drumfreis; their names were john Gibson, Robert Grierson, Robert Mitchel, james Bennoch, and john Edgar, all which were at the command of the said Col: Dowglas brought forth & immediately shot dead, without giving them so much time as to recommend their Souls unto GOD. One john Ferguson, sometimes a professed Friend, thrust one of them through; supposing he was not dead: This was done in the Year, 1685.  
Item, the said Col: james Douglas and his party, shot to Death john Hunter for no alleged Cause, but running out from the house at Corchead, the same year, 1685. Item, The said Col: or Liev: Gen: james Dowglas, with Lief: Livingston, and Coronet james Dowglas, surprised six Men at Prayer at the Calduns, in the parish of Minigaf; viz: james Dun, Robert Dun, Andrew Mickale, Thomas Stevenson, john Macklude and john Stevenson, in january 1685.  
Item, The said Col: or Liev: Gen: james Dowglas caused take Adam Macquhan out of his bed, sick of a Fever, and carry him to Newtoun of Galloway, and the next day shot him dead, the foresaid year, 1685.  
Item, The said Col: or Liev: Gen: Dowglas commanded Thomas Richard, an old Man of 70: years, to be shot in the time of prayer; (he was betrayed and taken by Peter Ingles) anno 1685. at Cumnock in Kyle.  
Item, The said Col: or Liev: Gen: james Dowglas, together with the Laird of Lag, and Capt: Winram, most illegally condemned, and most inhumanely drowned at Stakes within the seamark, two Women at Wigtoun; viz: Margaret Lauchlan, upward of 60: years and Margaret Wilson, about 20: years of age, the foresaid fatal year, 1685.  
Captain Dowglas finding one Mowat, a Tailor, merely because he had some pieces of lead belonging to his Trade, took him, and without any further trial shot him dead, between Fleet and Dee in Galloway.  
Item, The said Captain Dowglas and his Men finding one Auchenleck, a deaf man, for not making answer, through defect of his hearing, instantly shot him dead off Horseback, near Carlinwark, anno 1685.  
Sir Robert Dalzel and Liev: Stratoun, having apprehended Daniel Mackmichel, and detained him 24 hours' Prisoner, took him out and shot him at Dalveen, in the parish of Durisdeer in Nithsdale, jan: 1685:  
Item, The said Captain Dalzel, and Lief: Stratoun, with their men, found William Adam hiding in a Bush, and instantly killed him, at the Walwood in Kyle, Feb: 1685.  
Captain Bruce, Capt: of Dragoons apprehended james Kirko, at the intelligence of one james Wright, carried him to Drumfreis, detained him prisoner one night, next day brought him forth to the watersands, and without any process, shot him dead. The dying Man desired a little time to make his peace with GOD; The Captain answered, oftener than once or twice, Devil a peace ye get more made up. Some Gentlewomen coming to beg his Life, were hindered by one john Craik of Stewartoun; the foresaid Dalzells 2d. son was one of them that shot him, though without command, june 1685.  
Item, The said Captain Bruce surprised in the Fields, and instantly shot three Men in the parish of Kirk-patrick in Galloway, viz. john Wallace, Edgar, and another, Feb. 1685.  
Item. The said Captain Bruce and his Men, took out of his bed Thomas Mckhaffie, sick of a Fever and shot him instantly, in the Paroch of Strat●un in Carrick, jan. 1686.  
james Dowglass Coronet of Dragoons, commanded to shot john Semple, Eslaying to escape out of his Window, in the Paroch of Dellie, Anno 1685. Kilkerron shot him.  
Item. The said Coronet Douglass Apprehended Edward Mckcen, and by search finding a Flint stone upon him, presently shot him, without any further Trial, Feb: 1685.  
Lieu. Gen. Drummond commanded without any Process or Trial john Murchie, and Daniel Mckilwrick, to be immediately shot, after they were taken, in the Paroch of Camonel in Carrick, Anno, 1685.  
At the same time, his Soldiers did shoot dead Alex. Lin.  
Captain Inglis, and his Dragoons pursued and killed james Smith, at the Burn of Ann in Kyle, 1684.  
Peter Inglis his Son, killed one john Smith in Cunningham, 1685.  
Item. The said Peter or Patrick Inglis killed one james White, struck off his head with an Axe, brought it to Newmills, and played at the Foot ball with it, he killed him at Little-black wood, the foresaid year, 1685.  
Item. The said Peter Inglis shot john Barrie, with his Pass in his hand, in Evandale, April, 1685.  
Major Balfour, together with Captain Maitland and their Party, Apprehended at their Work, Robert Tamburlaine, john Vrie, and Tho: Cook, and instantly shot them. at Pomadee, near Glasgow, May, 1685.  
Col. Buchan, with the Laird of Lee, and their men shot john Smith, in the Paroch of Lesmahago, Feb: 1685.  
Liev: Lauder shot to death William Shillilaw, at the Wood head in the Water of Air, Anno, 1685.  
Liev: Nisbet and his Party shot to death john Ferguson, George Whiteburn, and Patrick Gemmil in the parish of Finnick, in the said year, 1685.  
Lieu. Murray, now Prisoner in Edin. with his party, Shot one john Broun, after quarters given at Blackwood in Clidsdale, Mar. 1685,  
Lieu. Crichton, now prisoner in Edinburgh, did most barbarously after Quarters, shoot David Steel, in the parish of Lesmahego, Decem: 1686.  
The Laird of Stenhouse, Sir Kobert Laurie of Maxueltoun and john Craik of Stewartoun, did instigate and urge Coronet Bailie his party of Dragoons to shot William Smith in Hill, after he had been prisoner one night (it was the day of Maxueltouns daughter's Marriage,) who also refused to let him be buried in the Churchyard.  
Sir james johnstoun of Westerhall, caused apprehend Andrew Hislop in the parish of Hutton in Anandale delivered him up to Claverhouse, and never rested until he got him shot by Claverhouse his Troupers; Claverhouse would have delayed it, but Westerhall was so urgent, that Claverhouse was heard say, This Man's blood shall be upon Westerhall, May 1685.  
Sir Robert Grierson of Lag, having the command of a part of Claverhouses Troop & Strauchans Dragoons, surprised Io. Bell of Whiteside, David holiday portioner of Mayfield, Andrew Macrabeit, james Clement, and Robert Lennox of Irlintoun, and barbarously killed them after Quarters, without time allowed to pray; when john Bell of Whiteside begged a little time to pray, Lag answered, What Devil have you been doing? Have you not prayed enough these many years in the hills? and so shot him presently in the parish of Tongland in Galloway, Febr. 1685.  
Item, The said Laird of Lag having Alexander Mellubie and john Gordon Prisoners, at the Miltoun of Orr, without any Assiise or Trial, caused them to be hanged on a tree at the Kirk of Irongray, and there left them hanging.  
Item the said Laird of Lagg, with the Earl of Anandale, having Command of some Troops of Heretors, pursued another David Halyday and George Short, and apprehended and shot them, under the cloud of Night, in the Paroch of Wynhame in Galloway, Anno, 1685.  
The Laird of Culyean, for that time Captain of a Troup of Militiae and Heretors, killed William Mckergur at Blairquhan Milne, Anno, 1685.  
Item the Laird of Culyean, with the Laird of Ballochmilne, shot Gilbert Mcadam, in the Paroch of Kirkmichel, july, 1685.  
A party of Highlanders killed joseph Wilson, David Dun, Simeon Paterson, and other two, near the Water of Kill, in a Moss in Kile, Anno 1685.  
The Laird of Ironkeple commanding a party of Highlandmen, killed Robert Lochart and Gabriel Thomson, about that time also.  
Likewise, William Paterson was shot at Strevin, uncertain by whom, 1685.  
Also john Mclorgan was killed at Drummellians' House in the night time not known by whom.  
john Reid belonging sometimes to Craigies Troup, who was this last Summer in Rebellion in the Highlands, did under Cloud of Night, kill by a Shot, one George Wood, about 16 Years old, without ask one Question at him, at Tinkhorn hill in Kyle, june 1688.  
In sum their Number amounts to 78.  
The chief Contrivers and Authors of all these Slaughters and Mischiefs were, they that enacted and Subscribed the Edicts for them in Council, principally the E. of Perth Chancellor. Duke of Queensberry, Marq. of Athol, and particularly the Viscount of Tarbat, who invented this Murdering Device, wherein yet he carried so Cunningly, that he procured the dispatch of the Act to the King, with such suddenness, that he found a way to shift his own Subscribing of it.    
Having thus, in a Compendious and Cursory Glance, given this short Memorial of our Grievances and Sufferings under the former Governments, with a particular Specimen of some Instances, discovering some, and but a few of the Actors and Instruments of these Evils; whom we have specially mentioned, selected out of the Copious store of many others of that Character that might be specified, not out of a Principle of Revenge, or humour of Reproach, but from a Principle of Zeal for Justice, the Honour of the King, and Happiness of the Kingdom; We desire (in the sense of the Necessity, and in the Hope that the King and Parliament will see the Expediency of removing the former Tools of Tyranny from Power and Trust under this Government, and from a Capacity of driving their old Trade) that among others a Remark may be put upon the abovementioned Persons. We shall in the next place Condesend upon some of our present Grievances, which, instead of the Redress of the former, we are of new made to Groan under; whereby our Expectation have been in a great Measure disappointed, and the Comforts of our present Quiet and reviving in our Bondage (which yet we desire to be Thankful to God for, and to the King as his Honoured Instrument) are much embittered.  
We are but a poor People, and therefore our Grievances are the less regarded: Nor were they indeed to be so much respected, if they were peculiar to us, but being of Common Extent, and Grievous to the greatest Body of the Nation (tho' a great part are so accustomed, Issachar-like to Couch under all Burdens, in silent and stupid Submission, that their Grievances are heavier than their Groaning; and others through frequent disappointments are become so heartless in their hopes of Redress, that they have given over Complaining, except in their private Murmurings, or secret Mournings before the Lord of Heaven and Earth) we have the more Confidence to speak out what others think, and Choose rather (if it shall come to that) to suffer Once for speaking than to Continue Languishing under growing Grievances for not speaking. For our former Grievances we do not plead merit to obtain a Redress: Yet we take the Confidence to say, that as our former Sufferings, under the former Governments, should have Conciliated Compassion; so what we have endeavoured to do in evidencing our Zeal for this; might have had some Consideration. We are represented by the Viperous Curates, and other Malignants, who always sought our Ruin, as Antipods to all Mankind, Enemies to Government, and incapable of Orders: But as their Order and Cause is toto Diametro opposite unto the Institutions and Cause of Christ, and it were the Interest of all in this Hemisphere to have such a Generation of Viperous Reproachers; and their lying libels Banished to the Antipods; so they must have little wit, and less Honesty, who will entertain their Reproaches, who are as great Rebels to this Government, as we avowed ourselves to be to the former. Our Sufferings for declining the Yoke of Malignant Tyranny and Popish Usurpation are before hinted and generally known; and all that will be pleased to know, and consider our Carriage since the King did first appear in his Heroic Undertaking, to Redeem these Nations from, Popery add Slavery, will be forced to acknowledge we have given as good Evidence of our being willing to be Subjects to King William, as we gave proof before of our being unwilling to be Slaves to King james. For upon the first Report of the Prince of Orange's Expedition we owned his H. Quarrel, when as the Prelatic Faction were in Arms to Oppose his Coming to Help Us. We Prayed openly for the Success of his Arms, when in all the Churches the Prayers were for his Ruin. We Associated ourselves to Contribute what we could to the promoting of his Interest; and were with the first that Declared a desire to Engage for him, and under him at our Renewing the Covenants, when they were Associating with and for his Enemies. Accordingly for that effect, after we had gone to Arms, upon the noise of Kircudbrights Burning, we modelled ourselves in Companies; whereby we were in Readiness to offer, and had the honour to be admitted to guard and defend the Honourable Meeting of Estates, against all Attempts of the D. of Gordoun, Viscount of Dundee, or other Enemies. And thereafter understanding the Government required the raising of Forces, for the defence thereof against the intestine Insurrections, and Foreign Invasions of the Late King james, his Complices within or without the Land: Upon the first occasion, we were the first that offered to furnish a Regiment for his Majesty's Service, and accordingly made up the E. of Angus' Regiment, all in one day, without beat of Drum, or expense of Levy money; having first concerted with the Lief: Colonel Cleuland such Conditions and Provisions, as we thought necessary for securing and clearing our Conscience, Liberty and Safety; That all the Officers of the Regiment should be such, as in Conscience and Prudence, might with cordial confidence be submitted unto & followed; Such as had not served the Enemy in destroying, nor engaged by Oaths and Tests, to destroy the cause, now to be sought for and defended; But that they should be well affected, of approven Fidelity, and of a sober conversation. Having also declared, That the cause they were called to appear for, was the service of the King's Majesty, in the defence of the Nation, Recoverie and preservation of the Protestant Religion, and in particular, the work of Reformation in Scotland, in opposition to Popery, Prelacy and Arbitrary Power, in all its Branches and Steps, until the Government of Church and State, be brought to their Lustre and Integrity established in the best and purest times. Upon these terms, we offered to complete two or three more Regiments, if it had been accepted. But, before we offered to be Soldiers, we had first made an offer to be Subjects; And because we did not look upon ourselves as Subjects to the Late King, who treated us as Enemies, We made therefore a voluntary Tender of our Subjection, in a peculiar Petition by ourselves▪ which we purposed to have given in to the Meeting of Estates at their first sitting down. We showed it to several Honourable Members, but by their Advice it was delayed, until the Meeting prevented the purpose of it, by Proclaiming the King and Queen. The Tenor whereof here Follows.  

TO THE MEETING of ESTATES Of the Kingdom of SCOTLAND.  
THE NOBLEMEN, BARONS and BURGESSES, Lawfully Called and Chosen, now Assembled at Edinburgh, for Establishing the Government, Restoring and Securing the True Religion, Laws and Liberties of the said Kingdom.  
The Humble PETITION of the poor People who have Suffered Grievous Persecution, for their Revolt from, and disowning the Authority of James the VII, Pleading for the devolving the Government upon the Prince of Orange, now King of England.  
SHOWETHS,  
THat the sad effects of the Late Arbitrary and Tyrannical Course of Government, which these Nations, and we in a special manner have been groaning under these years past; From which to Relieve them, the Most Serene and Illustrious Prince of Orange was induced by the Propitious Conduct of a very Glorious Providence, to Undertake this Noble and Heroic Enterprise, And for Redressing which, This Honourable Convention is Called and convened: Together with the revived hopes, since His Highness Auspicious Arrival, that all honest men have begun to conceive and entertain, of getting their Grievances freely Represented and Redressed; The denial whereof, these several years, hath been to us, and many others, a Grievance very grievous: Have necessitate, incited, invited and encouraged us among others (though of the meanest Figure, and lowest Interest in this great Affair; Yet, as persons pressed to declare, and oppressed for declaring their Consciences, Sentiments and Resentments of the Late abused Government) to take the Boldness, now to open our hearts to this Great and Honourable Meeting; And with all humility, as becomes, to Represent to Your Honours, That, as we conceive, we wanted not Right and Reason upon Conscientious Grounds, to decline the Illegally extorted, and Arbitrarly imposed acknowledgement of our Allegiance unto james the VII. Whose Authority we could never own, because of his Illegal Investiture, without taking, or being in Capacity to take the Oath of Coronation (while addicted to Popery) contrare to the Laws of God and Man, because of his Advancing the Prerogative, unto an Illimited and most Despotical Absolutness, which all were required to obey without Reserve; And because of his Arbitrary abusing it, to the undermining and overturning our Religion, Laws and Liberties, and intended Introduction of Popery and Slavery, at the opened gap of the Prelatical Hierarchy, Erastian Supremacy, and the Late vastly extended Toleration. And because we could not own it, our Sufferings have been very great, known to this and other Nations, and we are confident will not now be condemned by any that have espoused the Cause, and have been honoured to concur in the Enterprise of Rescuing these Nations from the Unsupportable Yoke of the Late Popish Domination, upon the same, or equivalent grounds on which we durst not own it: So we prostrate ourselves, yet sorrowing under the smart of our still bleeding wounds, at your Honour's Feet, who have a Call, a Capacity, and we hope a good mind to cure them; And offer this our Petition, enforced by all the formerly felt, presently seen, and for the future feared Effects and Efforts of this Throne of Iniquity, and the mischief thereby framed into Law, and practised or projected against all Law, by the Cry of the Blood of our murdered Brethren, by the slavery of the banished free born Subjects of this Realm, by all the miseries that many forefeited, disinhereted, harassed and wasted honest Families have been redacted to (their Estates and Lives being at the mercy of incensed Soldiers) for adhering unto the Ancient Covenanted Establishments of Religion and Liberty; And by all the Arguments of Justice, Necessity and Mercy, that ever could conciliate Commiseration among Men of Wisdom, Piety and Virtue; humbly Beseeching, Requesting and Craving of your H: Now when GOD hath given you this opportunity to Act for His Glory, the good of the Church and Nation, your own Honour, and the Happiness of Posterity, Now when this Kingdom, the Neighbouring, and all other Nations of Europe, have their Eyes upon you, expecting you will acquit yourselves like the Representatives of a free Nation, in redeeming it from Slavery, otherwise ineluctable, following the Noble footsteps of your Renowned Ancestors, and the present Precedent and Pattern of this Honourable Convention and Parliament now sitting in England; That you will proceed, without any farther Procrastinations (always, especially now Dangerous, when Papists, and other Malignant Enemies are openly attempting to raise a Rebellion against the State) to declare the late Iniquous Government dissolved, the Crown Vacant, and james VII, whom we never have, and resolve with many Thousands, never again to own, to have really Forfeited, and rightly to be deprived of all Right and Title, he could ever pretend thereunto: And to provide, that it may never be in the Power of any succeeding Governor, for the time to come, to aspire unto or arrive at such a Capacity of Tyrannising. Moreover since Anarchy and Tyranny are equally to be detested, and the Nation cannot subsist without a Righteous Governor, and none can have a nearer Right, nor fitter Qualifications, than his Illustrious Highness, whom the Most High hath signally Owned and Honoured to be our deliveror from Popery end Slavery; We Cry and Crave that King William, now of England, may be Chosen and Proclaimed King of Scotland, and that the Regal Authority be devolved upon him, with such necessary Provisions, Limitations and Conditions of Compact; as may give Just and Legal Securities of the Peace and Purity of our Religion, Stability of our Laws, privileges of Parliaments, and Subjects Liberties Civil and Ecclesiastic, and make our Subjection both a clear Duty, and a comfortable Happiness. And because Kings are but Men mortal, mutable, and fallible; particularly, We crave, that he be bound in his Royal Oath; not only to Govern according to the Will and Command of GOD, and Ancient, Laudable and Righteous Laws, in the Ministration of Justice, punishment of Iniquities, Redressing of just Grievances, and preservation of true Liberties: But above all, that he and his Successors, profess persevere in, Protect and maintain the true Protestant Religion, abolish Popery and all false Religion, Heresy; Idolatry and Superstition, revive the Penal Laws against the same, re-establish and Redintegrate the Ancient Covenanted Work of Reformation of this Church, in Doctrine, worship, discipline and Government, according to the Word of GOD, Confession of Faith; Covenants National and Solemn League; upon its old foundations, as Established from the Year 1638. and downward to 1650; And that he restore and Confirm, by his Princely Sanction, the due Privileges of the Church, granted to her by▪ JESUS CHRIST, her only Head and Supreme, and never assume to himself an Erastian Supremacy over the Church in Causes Ecclessiastick, or Unbounded Prerogative, in Civils, above Law; but, as the Keeper of both Tables of the Law of God, in a way Competent to Civil Authority, interpose his Power, for the Ejecting out of the Church, the Prelates, the main Instruments of the Church and Nations Miseries. And from all Administration of the Power and Trust in the State, such Malignant Enemies as have promoted the Ruin thereof: Upon these or the like Terms, We tender our Allegiance to King William, and hope to give more pregnant Proof of our Loyalty to his Majesty, in Adverse, as well as Prosperous Providences, than they have done or can do, who profess Implicit Subjection to Absolute Authority, so long only as Providence preserves its Grandeur.  
MAY IT THEREFORE PLEASE YOUR HON. To take the Premises into Your serious Consideration, and put a Favourable Construction on this our Humble and Earnest Request, which sense of Duty, in desire to Exoner our Conseiences, and in Compliance with, and at the Solicitation of the Cries of many Thousands in the Nation, moved and craved, We take the Confidence to present to Your HON. In the Hope, that Zeal for GOD and his Church, regard to justice and Mercy, Care of Your own, as well as the Country's Interest, dutiful Love, Loyalty and Gratitude to King William, and even Pity to us, will prevail with Your Wisdom to grant in with all convenient Expedition. And Your Supplicants shall ever Pray etc.   
FROM what is above hinted, it may appear, that We are not Enemies to Government; but, that as we have had Occasion, We have given more Evidences of true Loyalty, than any of our Traducers, and of true Zeal to have this Government fixed, on such a Foundation, as may make it Secure and Stable, and Subjection thereunto to be not only a Duty, but a Comfort. And with the same inviolable Zeal, Affection and Fidelity, since others will not, We cannot forbear to Remonstrare those Grievances, that are as well hateful to GOD, and hurtful to the Government, as Grievous to Us.  
First, As to the Church, tho' all Honest Subjects have been impatiently expecting the settlement thereof, from the King's Declaration, his Promises at the Acceptance of the Crown, and his Instructions to D. Hamiltoun; Yet, to this Day, it is neither Settled, nor Purged, nor Planted, but kept in uncertain suspense what to fear, or what to hope. Popery indeed is much suppressed, in a way, wherein much of GOD, and little of Man is to be acknowledged and admired; yet the Ancient Laudable Laws against Papists, Seminary Priests, Sayers and Hearers of Mass are not Revived, Reinforced, nor put in Execution, while many of these Idolaters, and Intycers to Idolatry, are connived at, passed without punishment, and favourably Entreated, when some of us have apprehend them, and delivered them into Custody. Whence they are much encouraged where they Cohabite in great Numbers; especially in the Sea Coast of Galloway, where they may open a Door and free Ingress to the Irish, whenever they have a mind to Invade; whereby the Country about, is contiunally Tormented with fears of their Massacres and Murdering Attempts. We can never be freed from the hazard of the Return of Popery, so long as Papists are so much Tolerated, and are bragging of their hopes of getting a Toleraration established, Suspending and Dispensing with the Penal Statutes against them; which will defile the Land with Idolatry, and expose us to the Judgement of GOD.  
We desire also to be thankful, that Poperies eldest Daughter, the Episcopal Hierarehy, or Prelacy, hath got such a knock on the head, that it is abolished by Law, & its return so far Legally precluded, that the removal thereof, being one of the Stipulations & Artieles of Compact with his Majesty, at the Disposal and Acceptance of the Crown, it cannot be restored without asignal Violation of the Regal Covenant; the native Consequences whereof, may beforeseen to be so dangerous, that we hope, the King's Wisdom and Justice, will be proof, against all the Insinuations and Persuasions of the Church of England, to hazard it; yet it is a very burdensome Grievance, that the settlement of the Church Government, is so long suspended, and the Nation kept in Suspense, not knowing what shall be settled in stead of Prelacy abolished; whereby the Land is left to settle in nothing, but to rest and rot in old Crying sins, and new provocations are daily Multiplied without control; Scandals and Disorders, to the dishonour of GOD, reproach of Religion, stumbling the weak, hardening the perverse, and offending all are not restrained, but much encouraged, and different factions much fomented; while Church Government and Discipline (the only Preservative and restaurative Medicine for such Distempers) is neither established, nor any rule determined, by which it shall be Established, except the Inclinations of the People; which are in themselves very variable, and must be ruled by, and not a Rule unto the Institutions of JESUS CHRIST: And as they are variable, so they are as Various and divers, as there are Numbers of Persons or Parties, that prefer their own Humours and Interests to the Supreme Law, the revealed will of Christ: Some are for Erastianisme; Some for a constant Moderatorship; some for a Superintendency; some perhaps for Independency; some for a Toleration of all; some are for a continuance of the Curates; either without any Accommodation with them, and secluding them from a share of the Government, but suffering them still to Exercise their Ministry; Or by an Accommodation and Coalition with them in the Government also; some again are for the continuance of Patronages, how ever it be. We and many Thousands are against all these things, as being contrary to the Word of GOD, abjured frequently in our COVENANTS NATIONAL and SOLEMN LEAGVE; condemned in the confession of this, and all other best Reformed Churches; And in the doleful experience of former times, known to be inlets to many wicked inventions, innovations and corruptions in the Church; And in process of time productive of Prelacy again: Which, in the Lord's strength, We, and many Thousands, do intent never to submit to, though for our Recusancy, we should suffer the greatest persecution from Men. We are for the Restauration and Re-establishment of this Church's Ancient Covenanted Reformation, in its Doctrine, Worship, Discipline and Government (according to the Word of God, Confession of Faith, Catechisms Larger and Shorter, National and Solemn Covenants and Acts of General Assemblies) in all its Legal Immunities, Securities and Sanctions, as before the Year 1650. These Different Inclinations, cannot be a Rule of Government and order, but of Ataxie and Confusion; Nor can they be determined by a Lesbian rule, unconstant and uncertain; But somewhat, to which all must veil and and submit, and which must claim the last Appeal. Tho we might, with as great Confidence as others, Venture the success of our Plea for Presbytery, upon the decision of a Poll and Plurality of Votes, providing (which could not be denied) none be admitted to Vote, but such as are well affected to the Government of King William and Queen Marry. Yet we cannot subject the determination of that Plea, to any other Rule, than he Institution of CHRIST; considering, that either the Lord JESUS, who is anointed only King and Head of his Church, and is faithful in all his House, must not have appointed any Government or order thereof at all (which would exceedingly Reflect upon His Wisdom and Faithfulness and the Perfection of his Law) or this Government which he hath appointed, must not be Arbitrary and Ambulatory, indifferently determinable▪ by the will and inclinations of Men, no more than others of His Institutions can be. We plead for no Government, and for nothing in this of Presbytery, but what we have the Laws of CHRIST in his Word, the Ancient Laws of the Nation, the Constitutions of the Church, never yet repealed, by any subsequent Authority Ecclesiastic, and the Covenant Eengagements of all ranks in the Land, of Indespensible obligation, for: Nor do we plead for any exercise, or extent of this order, further than is necessary for the purging of the Church, of every Antichristian, or Erastian Corruption and Invention, Defection or Schism, Error or Scandal in Officers or Members impartially; And for the Planting of the Church with Godly, able and Faithful Ministers, for the Instruction, conviction conversion, Edification and Consolation of the Members thereof. But now, not only is this Government not established, but even that of Prelacy is not effectually, nor can be abolished, while the many iniquous Laws against Presbytery, and pressing submission to Prelacy are not rescinded; And while our National and Solemn League Cevenants for Preserving and Promoting Reformation, are so far forgotten and trampled upon, that the Acts Antiquating and Discharging them to be owned, are not only not Abrogated, but so far yet observed, that it is hardly allowed they should be publicly mentioned: While also, the Ecclesiastical Supremacy, a feather likewise of Antichrists wing, and a Blasphemous and Sacrilegious Encroachment upon Christ's Prerogatives, and His Kingdoms Privileges, is not revoked, nor declared void, whereby it stands declared by wicked Laws, to be the inherent Right of the Magistrate, to Order, Dispose, Alter or Innovate the external Government of the Church, and to plant, or transplant Ministers, and give them Instructions, to Regulate them in the Exercise of their Function; which, if not Abolished, will not only optn a Door to the Introdnction of Prelacy or Popery again: But if the Protestant Religion be never so well Established, this will in process of time, unhinge all possible Settlements thereof. There is nothing more the Interest of the Church, than to seek that this Mountain in the way of its Reformation, be removed; and all Acts confirming the same repealed; and Indulgences following therefrom, be declared to be Usurpations. Another Pillar of Prelacy, the constant support of it, and stop to Reformation, does yet continue, while the burdensome Bondage of Patronages is not removed; whereby the Church is Rob of the Liberty of choosing her own Guides entrusted with her greatest concerns, & the Great-men have open access Implicity to impose, and Prey upon, and Pester the Church with Corrupt Teachers: But if all these things were Rectified, it is impossible the Church can ever be settled, or purged, or planted, as long as the Episcopal Curates, intruded by the Prelates Collation and Patron's Presentation, contrare to the Institutions of Christ, and the Constitutions of this Reformed Church, without the Call, and contrare to the Inclinations of the People in many places, but every where the Bane of the Nation, the Scandal of the Church and the cause of all our Confusions, are continued in the Churches. How can the Church be settled, when those that unsettled it continue in the same Capacity to oppose all Righteous Settlements of Reformation? How can the Church be purged, when the greatest Corrupters, and the most corrupted Members, remain in Power? Either they must be looked upon, and Subject themselves as Members of the Presbyterian Church, and then Discipline cannot but strike against them, in such a measure of Severity, as may be some way proportioned to the greatness of their Scandal, their Obstinacy, Impenitency, and Continuance in it as long as they could, and the hazard of their Leavening the whole Lump; or they must be looked upon as Pure and Perfect Schismatics, setting up a distinct Church, and separate Communion, within a well Constitute National Church, and as such they ought to be Censured and Restrained. How can the Church be planted, when those Plants that the LORD never planted, fill so much of His Vineyard, and continue in so many parochs, either to starve them with the hungry Husks of Ethick Homilies and Harangues of Moral Virtues, instead of Gospel Holiness (not knowing to Preach the Mystery of the Covenant of Grace, or declare the Counsel of GOD, to the Conversion of Sinners unto CHRIST or so poison them with points of Popery, Arminianism, Socinianism: Yet many of them do yet Peaceably possess the places they were intruded into; and others dispossessed, are reponed by Force, contrare to the inclinations of the Paroch, and notwithstanding their opposition in some places, as for instance in Colintown and in Peebles, where great Insolences were committed, affronting the Magistrates, and disturbing the Presbyterian Meeting, which have been overlooked; but the least Accession to any Opposition that was made, hath been severely punished, one Francis Beatie upon this account being for these many weeks kept in prison, and his Petitions for Liberty ejected. This hath discouraged many, and opened their mouths to reflect; That though this Government be as much admitted for Acts of Mercy to Rebels, as the former was for Cruelty, yet wherever any Presbyterian can be apprehended in any fault, he must expect the rigour of Severity. We do not justify illegal Tumults, nor do we approve that people should transgress their Line and Station in endeavours of Reformation, when there is a Magistrate to be applied unto: But as Magistrates ought to interpose their Power for extruding, and easing the people of Intruders; so when they abuse it, to the re enforcing of these intrusions, honest and zealous people can as hardly be restrained from resisting such Invasions and Impositions against the Laws of GOD and Man, as they can be kept from withstanding a violent Invader of their Property, or Intruder on their Heritage. For our part, as we thought it a seasonable duty, to take the opportunity of the Interregnum, before the settlement of a Government that we could subject ourselves to, for cleansing the Western Shiers of these Creatures (which was done with all the discretion that the confusions of that time, and the feared shortness of that opportunity could admit. And whatever clamour they make of their Persecutions, in their Late Printed Account and Information to the Church of England, stuffed with Lies, we defy them to give an instance of any hurt done by us to any of their Persons or Families, or to charge us with one sixpence worth of their Goods: If any have, let it be proven and punished) which, if others in other places had imitated, in that season, with the like discretion, the Nation might have been much eased, and the Government prevented of a great deal of trouble: So, though we are not for Persecuting them who were our greatest Persecuters, nor rendering them any evil for their evil, farther than to restrain them from coming back again to Persecute us, and from Intruding, where they have no Right; Yet we are resolved, through God's Assistance, to endeavour by all approven means, to hold them out now when they are out; And sooner to die, and venture the loss of all things temporal, than to suffer any of them to repossess themselves of the Churches, whence they are thrown out; or any other within our reach, until after sufficient Evidences of their remorse they shall come in at the door of CHRIST'S Appointment. If in this we Offend the Malignants in the Parliament or Council, we cannot help it, it is not the first time, nor perhaps the last: But for the Noble & Honoured Patriots among them, who are well affected to the Cause of Reformation the Nations good, and his Majesty's Honour and Happiness, we are confident they will construct of our ingenuity in good part; as flowing from conscience and Candour. And we are hopeful his Majesty will Compassionate us in this matter; and consider the Case, that it is more for his Honour and Interest; to have respect to the Consciences of so many People, than to the humour and haughtiness of a few debauched Lords and Gentlemen, who delight in these vexations, and who by Custom, as it were, have it for their Element to impose upon poor People's Consciences. And we hope his Majesty will think upon the Redressing of this Grievance, of the Continuance of these Episcopal Curates, who took notice of this, as one of the Grievances, in his Declaration, that he came to relieve the Nation from.  
In the netxt place, as to the State, though we desire to be more abstract from these Administrations that are above our reach; yet it is obvious and Grievous to all that desire the Establishment thereof in Righteousness and Peace, that the settlement of Church and State both is Retarded and Obstructed, by the frequent Adjournments of Parliaments, in so Critical a Season when the Government is not well settled, the Enemies thereof are prevailing, the Friends thereof are sore discouraged and divided, and the Forces have no Maintenance. If ever there 〈◊〉 of Parliaments, now it must be when the greatest Interests, 〈◊〉 King and People, are in so eminent Hazard: And yet it is more Grievous, that when they Conveen, and have opportunity to Act for the good of the Nation, the settlement of the Church Government, and the Redress of Grievances, the Disputes of divided Factions, about things of lesser Moment, do hinder their Establishing of those things, that all agree are Absolutely necessary. Time might be afterwards spared for many of these Debates, with which the present precious opportunity is wasted, and they might with more Advantage and Facility be Adjusted and Composed afterwards, if once the Establishment of the Church, and the Security of the Nation were provided for, and these things, for which they have his Majesty's Instructions, were Settled and Enacted: But we fear these Differences are much Fomented by Selfseeking Malignant Incendiaries, who love to Fish in troubled Waters, and to pursue their selfish and sinistrous ends of Undermining the Church, supplanting the King's Interest, and betraying the Country's Liberties, from whom these Disorders and Grievances have proceeded, which are now desired to be Rectified and Redressed, and from whose Influence all these Retardments and Disapointments do flow, which the Nation so much complains of. For as the open and avowed Enemies of the King and Country, owning the late King james his Interest (all consisting either of the Popish or Prelatical and Malignant Faction, not so much as one Presbyterian being among them) are very many, Insolent and Prevalent; not only in the Highlands, but in all the hires of the Kingdom; and no doubt have their Active Agents, Correspondents and Abetters in the Parliament, Council and all the Supreme Judicatories of the Kingdom; so there are far moe secret undermining Enemies, who for the time are not appearing in opposition to the Government, that are as great Enemies to the King and Country, and all Righteous Interests, as any that do most appear, who are now desiring Places, and ingyring themselves into public Trust, not to serve King William, whose Advancement to the Throne they opposed, with all the Power and Policy they had; nor simply to satisfy their Insatiable Ambition, but to put themselves in better Capacity to serve King james, in Retarding all Righteous Establishments, Rending the Parliaments, and Ruining Us all: Yea, however some may account it Policy, it is not only a Grievance, but a Sin dishonouring God, and destructive to the Nation, and a dangerous Politic, threatening hazard to Religion and Liberty and the Government, that many wicked Malignants, Enemies to Reformation, are admitted & employed in the public Administrations, as Officers of State, Members of Council & Parliament, and other Judicatories and places of Trust; who not only were our cruel Persecuters, and Murderers of our brethren, whose Blood cries for Vengeance against them; but were the professed and sworn Tools of the late Tyranny, and Instruments of the Nations Slavery, Ministering to King james, and cooperating with him in all his Encroachments upon our Religion, Laws and Liberties, as absolute Vassals of his Despotical Will, under Oaths and Pensionary Obligations to obey without reserve, and to this day, are either evil Counselors to persuade the King to some degrees of Arbitrariness, or very disaffected to the Government, Counsellors to, Encouragers of, or Connivers at Rebellion against it. It had been worthy Service to the Nation, to have at first exposed these Men in their own Colours, and represented the danger of trusting them, to the King; who being much a Stranger to Men, at his first coming over, might be easily deceived in the choose of such as were to be Employed; and than it had been easier to keep out, then now to put out of Places: But it is never too late to seek to be Rid of these that were, and are like to be Instruments of our Ruin; whose Exclusion from Trust and Power to play their old Tricks, is necessary for the King's Interest as well as the Kingdoms, which are inseparable. And since the King declared against these evil Counselors; and on their Crimes and Mal-administrations, founded the Righteousness and Necessity of his Expedition, neither King nor Parliament can justly offend at; or refuse the Nations Demands, to be eased of them, nor find it convenient, that the Betrayers of our Laws, and Robbers of our Privileges under the last Government, be excluded from all share of Administration in this. We have experience of their Conduct and Administration already, wherein we found nothing but Tyranny, Rapine and Violence, and such Justice and Law as is discovered above; and therefore can never believe while only Interest hath made them change their way, that ever they shall Administer Righteous Judgement. And whatever Confidence others may have, we cannot be without fears, while we are under the power of our old Persecuters. But above all; it is most offensive to God and all Good men, that Murderers of innocent People, without and against all Law, particularly several of these above Named, should not only be Connived at, and past without punishment, but Encouraged and Entertained in Favour and Trust; some of them Discovered and Apprehended as Traitors to the present Government, are notwithstanding over looked and suffered to escape Justice, and Liberate upon Bale, as Major or Lieu. Col. Balfour, and Lieu. Nisbet; others of them are Members of Parliament, as the Commissioners for the Shire of Nithsdale and Stewartry of Anandale, Sir ja. johnstoun of Westerhal, and johnstoun of Corehead, who is notourly known to have of late several times in Cabals with jacobines drunk the late King's Health. Blood is a crying Sin, defiling the Land, which cannot be cleansed but by the Blood of them that shed it. We thirst for the Blood of none, nor crave the shedding of any, but of these who are so guilty of Blood, that they are Condemned to the punishment of Murderers, by the Law of God and all Nations, having shed the Blood of War in Peace, without all shadow of Law. But as for those that Murdered our brethren, without all Process, Accusation, Trial, Conviction, Assize or Sentence, as is observed in his Majesty's Declaration for Scotland, We should not be free of the Gild of their Impunity, if we did not seek Justice against them. Yet we wonder the less at this, that such criminals as were Authorized under the former Government, by Arbitrary orders, though without Law, to perpetrate their Crimes, are not Punished, when open avowed Traitors, Speakers of Treason, and Rebels against the Present Government, taken in ovett Acts of Lese-Majestie, discovered in Plots and Projects, and Apprehended in Arms against his Majesty, are Indemnified, Connived at, let out of Prisons and Tolerated, and thereby Encouraged and Tempted to go on in their Conspiracies, and return to the same Crimes, when ever they find Opportunity; for they will not ascribe this to his Majesty's Clemency, but to the weakness of the Government, that dare not draw its Sword of Justice. In the former Government, there was nothing but Severity against those that in the least Discented from it: In this there is nothing but Mercy to Rebels; both these are Extremes.  
In the Third place we cannot but have sad Reflections upon the bad success of the War: Which we think is not so much to be imputed to the bad Conduct of those to whom it is entrusted, as to the Wickedness and Malignancy of the Army, laying them and the Land open to the danger of the wrath of GOD; while the Abominations of Swearing, Cursing, Profaning the Sabbath, Whoredom, Drunkenness, and all debaucheries (which are severely interdicted by Military Laws, if they were put in execution) and are so abounding among Officers and Soldiers, that the honest hearted among them, whom only Conscience did prompt to engage in the service, are exceedingly discouraged, & all the fearers of GOD affrighted, to whom the abounding of, and continuance in these sins is a greater terror, than all the Numbers of Enemies. This is the more to be adverted, that all that acknowledge GOD, are astonished with His signal and stupendous strokes, so observably wasting many Thousands of the English Army in Ireland, within these few Months passed for these same Abominations. But not only are our Armies filled with the Profane end Profligate Scum of Mankind; But to the great Reproach of the Cause, wherein Religion is so nearly concerned, to the dishonour of GOD and offence of all the Godly, many Malignant Enemies to Reformation, avowed Adversaries and Persecuters of Truth and Godliness, are encouraged, employed and entrusted for the defence of the Interest, which, within this short time, they professedly opposed, and by many Dreadful Oaths were engaged to Suppress. For the old Dragoons, the Late King's Lieveguard and others, after by Executing their old Masters cruel and Arbitrary Orders, they had enriched themselves with the spoylls of the oppressed Country, and embrued their hands in the Blood of innocent and Righteous People, when they saw the Prince of Orange like to prevail, forsook their King and crowded into his Highness' Armies: Not for love to his Cause, which with the greatest keenness they contended against, as long as they could; But to prevent the just Vengeance of his Victorious Arms, then threatened. Hence they are yet entertained among the Forces, and there though they have not occasion to exert their fury, as formerly; Yet they cease not to express their Malice against us, in boasting that they hope yet to Persecute us as much as ever; And bragging they are, and shall be for Prelacy as long as they Live, not fearing to impugn the Act of Parliament against it. It is certainly a Land-sin to be witnessed against, as well as a Grievance, that such Enemies of Truth and Godliness, should be admitted unto, or continued in Power and Trust in the Army, or employed and entertained therein. It is dangerous that the Royal Standart should be a Sanctuary to them, whom Divine Justice will pursue; And absurd, that the Army should be polluted, and in danger to be infected with the Contagion of such an unhappy conjunction and unholy Association. It were more profitable and promising like, that the Tears and Cries of the many Widows and Orphans, whom their bloody Sword have beraved of their Husbands and Parents, might prevail with the Justice of the Government, to find them out and give them their reward. It were no loss, but a great advantage to the King and Country both, that the Army were throughly purged of those who betray the Interest in stead of serving it, and whose carriage declares they are in the interest of the Enemy, and were filled up with such as have another principle prompting them to serve, than the prospect of Pay, which will make them venture their dearest Blood in the Cause, with Resolution and Confidence, when those that are pursued with a guilty Conscience are afraid to look Death and Hell in the face. Hereby, as his Majesty would be far from all fears of the like Treasons and Treacheries, in some discovered already; so all Honest Men having no other Interest or End, but the Glory of God, the Peace and Prosperity of their Country, and the Honour and Happiness of the King, would be exceedingly Encouraged and Engaged to be Zealous and Resolute in the Service, when they should know they have none to Associate with, but such as are of Aproven Fidelity and good Affection to the Cause. It is yet the more Grievous, that not only so many wicked and Treacherous Men are entertained in the Army; but Men of Principle and Conscience, who are willing and Zealous to serve in the Wars with the utmost Fidelity, can find little Encouragement; and some are put out of Trust and Employment in the Army, who had given Good proof of their Zeal, fidelity and courage, by the Malignant's procurement, to the end they might be rid of the fears and jealousies they had of their opposing their sinistrous designs: Some there are we acknowledge in several Regiments and Troops, that are Men of principle, Conscience, Courage and Honour; but these labour under very many Discouragements, being very much Maligned by the rest. Particularly, we cannot but complain of the Treatment of the E. of Angues' Regiment, which was sent to Dunkeld (as would seem) on design by some to be betrayed and destroyed; For, being there posted alone in the mouth of the Highlands, the whole body of Canon's Army marched towards them, the very day they came thither, and within three days gave them a general assault: where that Regiment was left in the chock, denuded of the success that my Lord Cardross brought them, who were recalled; and denied the assistance they sought from Col. Ramsey lying at Perth▪ After which, getting the honour of that Victory, by the goodness of GOD, they were more than ever envied, by the remaining malice of their old enemies; who, when they durst do no more to destroy them openly; & their Arts failed them to get them destroyed by the common enemy, sought by all means to break them, or to blast their Reputation.  
Finally, The Country is much languishing in their jealousies, thinking their sufferings cannot be over, as long as not only the instruments, of their oppression, their Persecuters are in so much power: but the Laws and Acts of Parliament, etc. impowering them, & condemning the grounds of former sufferings, are yet standing unrepealed. Yea, they complain their sufferings still continue, while Forefaultries & Fines are not redressed; while many are impoverished by loss of Law suits, and Decreets passed against them, through their Non-appearance in their own defence, in times of hazard▪ to their persons; while many Widows and Orphans of those that lost their Lives in Fields and Scaffolds, and of those that died in banishments, are in great distress, having none to provide for them; and while many are yet in servitude in foreign Plantations, whither they were banished & sold as Slaves, who are not yet partakers of this reviving, we have got in our bondage.  
Moreover, As the unrestrained debauchery and dissoluteness of Country People is very grievous, occasioned by the want of Church Government and Discipline; So the insolence of many Gentlemen, professedly Jacobins, owning the Authority of K▪ James, drinking his health, and forcing others to it where they are numerous, impugning the present Authority, and openly speaking Treason, is an intolerable Affront to the Government: For the Honour of which, Zeal for our GOD, Loyalty to the King, and Love to our Country; observing the deficiency of others that could do it better, we could not forbear to suggest these complaints; In the hope that such as are not sensible of them, may open their eyes and see their distempers and dangers; And those that are sensible of them, may be moved to represent them to those that are in Authority, to redress and remove them. But whether Men will hear, or not hear; we are confident there is a GOD that ruleth in Jacob, to the ends of the Earth, who will hear the cry of the Humble, in His own time.  
FINIS.