A clear discovery of the malicious falshoods contained in a Paper Printed at LONDON, entitled, A True RELATION Of what is Discovered concerning the murder OF THE Archb P of St. Andrews, And of what appears to have been the Occasion thereof. As also, a faithful, but brief Narrative of the said Execrable murder:  

By Order of His Majesties Privy Council.   
A Most calumnious and scandalous Paper, having lately been printed, entitled, A true Relation of what is discovered concerning the Murder of the Arch Bishop of St. Andrews, and of what appears to have been the occasion thereof, of the falsehood whereof, both Printer and Author appears to have been sufficiently convinced, neither of them daring to own it by prefixing their names unto it; It is just and necessary, for vindicating of the Truth, and for doing right to the Martyr's memory, to satisfy the World by a clear discovery of the malicious calumnies and falshoods contained therein; And by a faithful and brief Narrative of the occasion and manner of that horrid and execrable murder: In order to which, that Paper shall be reviewed in its several Paragraphs, and the truth manifested by the most clear and authentic evidences, and most satisfying proofs.  

Paragraph 1.  
ONE Lovel of Cunuchie, being Vassal to the bishopric of St. Andrews; the late Archbishop, upon the account of some Feu-duties resting to him, did gift to his own behoof, the Escheat of Lovel of Cunuchie, in prejudice of his numerous Family and many Creditors. One Haxstoun of Rachillet being one of these Creditors, and at that time a favourite of the Archbishops, prevails with him, upon his giving Bond to the Bishop for 1000 l. Scots, or thereby, to assign the gift in his Favours. Thereafter the Archbishop conceiving prejudice against him, Registrates Haxstouns Bond, surprises him at St. Andrews; having called for him, takes him with Caption, and keeps him Prisoner in St. Andrews for several Months, until one Mr. Falconer a comform Minister obtains his liberty. But Haxstoun having stronger resentments of his Imprisonment, than of the liberty to which he was restored, at his liberation in presence of witnesses, Vowed and Swore, God-dam-him if ever he went to Church as long as there was a Bishop in Scotland; And that if he lived he should be revenged on the Bishops person.  
This Haxstoun was a vile person, had nothing of good in him, and was scarce admitted to the Society of Sober-men; He was not once only a Favourite, but Servant of the Bishop, having Collected part of his Rents.   
The falsehood hereof appears manifestly malicious, in so far as Haxstoun of Rachillet was so far from having been either Servant or Favourite to my Lord Arch-Bishop, that he was a man altogether unknown to his Grace, in so much as he had never spoken with him in all his life before the time, he out of pure charity to Lovel of Cunuchies Children( whose Tutor this Haxstoun was left by the Father, in regard of his near relation) made a transaction and agreement with him in favours of the said Children, which agreement is dated, February, 1677. and so favourable and charitable was my Lord Primat to the poor Children, that not only did he authorize Haxstoun their Cousin, to manage and uplift the Rents of Cunuchie,( which by a Decreet and Sentence of the Judges were due to his Grace) that thereby he might have opportunity to be helpful to them, but gave them an yearly allowance for their subsistence and maintenance; When Haxstoun had uplifted an years Rent thereof, and disposed on it, he was so far from being rigid to him, that he condescended to take his Bond, to pay at the expyring of three quarters of a year, what was presently due: The time of payment being come, Haxstoun still delays to fulfil his obligation, though frequently minded of it by my Lords Factor, who finding nothing but delays and shifts, did registrate the Bond on the ninth of January, 1678. And on the twelfth of March thereafter, while the Arch-bishop was in Edinburgh, and without his Graces knowledge, Haxstoun was, by a Messenger of Arms, apprehended in the Town of St. Andrews, and after his positive declining to give any manner of satisfaction, was committed to Prison by order of Law; of which, when the Arch-bishop had notice, he would not have given way to it, had he not been credibly informed and assured, that the Money arising by the sale of the Corns, had been dispoed of by Rathillet to Kinloch, and made use of by him, for buying Horse and Arms, for his keeping of rebellious field Conventicles. Rathillets agreement, his intromission and stated Account are still exstant under his own hand, to satisfy any who desire to see them. Haxstoun having continued some time in Prison; Dr. Falconer being his Cousin-German, mediated his liberation, and having engaged for the sum due to the Arch-bishop, obtained it: and the Doctor declareth, that being present at his enlargement, he heard him express none of these desperate words abovementioned, either as to his deserting the Church; nor utter any terrible imprecations to be avenged on the Lord Arch-bishops person. This now clearly discovers the villainy and malice of the Author of this infamous Libel, so far as relates to the business of Haxstoun of Rathillet, and the falsehood of these malicious insinuations suggested by him, as if the Lord Arch-bishop had been an oppressor of Orphans, and that by the rigorous usage of the former, he had provock'd him to a revenge so sacrilegious and execrable.  

Parag. 2. However now the Archbishop( who was enemy to any thing that had interest in Haxstoun) Commands Captain Carstairs, Garret, and one Scarlet a Tinker, to apprehended John Balfour of Kinloch, Brother-in-law to the said Haxstoun,( no Prebyterian, though an enemy to the Bishop, upon the injury done to Haxstoun his Brother-in-law) who resisted the said Carstairs, and wounded some of them; And thereupon was cited before the Council,( though Carstairs had no Warrant to apprehended him, only to gratify the Bishop) where not daring to appear, he is denunced and intercommuned, and made a stranger to his own House for two Years.   
The malice and falsehood hereof is plain and manifest, in regard that this John Balfour of Kinloch, brother in Law to the said Haxstoun of Rathillet, hath for these last seven years deserted the Church, and been a noted Ring-leader of field Conventicles, and ordinary ressetter and intertainer of vagrant incendiaries, of fugitive and intercommuned persons, Preachers and others, for which he was denunced Rebel, and Intercommuned long before the Arch-bishop had any knowledge of, or dealing with Haxstoun his brother in law; and for which Captain Carstairs had received orders from the Privy Council to apprehended him, as he had to seize several other turbulent schismatics and Intercommuned persons. In pursuance whereof, Captain Carstairs, with one Mr. Garret, and several of his Servants, came to the House of this Balfour, to seize and apprehended him, and such other turbulent and out-lawed persons as he should find therein. Balfour having intelligence of the design, did remove his Wife and Children out of the House: and when Garret and two others comes and enters the Outer-gate of Kinloch, they are saluted with eleven Shot from within, and presently retiring, were hotly pursued by thirteen or fourteen Men on horseback, with naked Swords hanging on their Wrists, and cock't Pistols; who having given eleven cruel wounds to Mr. Garret, leaving him for dead, they follow hard after Captain Carstairs, calling to him that he would yield, and render himself in the name of God, and of the Covenant, wounding him in the Face, and firing many Pistols at him and his servants, till by flight they made their escape from their fury. And here, out of the Depositions taken upon Oath, before His Majesties Privy Council, and yet extant in the Records thereof, are set down the names of those bloody Zealots, who thus resisted the Kings Authority, and deforced and wounded those who were empowered by the Privy Council for executing the Laws, viz. John Balfour of Kinloch, 〈◇〉 Hamilton of Kinkell, Andrew Henderson son to John Henderson in Kilbrachmount, James Russel in Kings-Kettle, Patrick Miller in Nether-urquhart, John Henderson servant to the said 〈◇〉 Hamiltoun of Kinkell, John Balfour tenant in the Lands of Lundie, James Reid in Kettle, John Airthie, Thomas Fairn, James Skinner, all these three in Stramiglo; James Thomson in Easter Collessie, 〈◇〉 Turnbul tenant to Broom-hall, Alexander Walker, and Alexander Cowper counsellors in Leslie, severals whereof are now found to be Actors and parricides in committing the nefarious murder upon the Arch-bishop: And this attempt made by Captain Carstairs, and rebellious deforcement made by John Balfour of Kinloch, happened on the sixth day of November, 1677. of which the Arch-bishop knew nothing, until Captain Carstairs sent one to give him account of what he had met with in the executing of the Councils Orders in Fife, and what had so contingently fallen out, merely upon an information the Captain had as he went in quest of other rebellious and intercommuned persons, without any design in the Captain at that time to have seized John Balfour, and therefore without any intention in the Arch-bishop, much less command to apprehended him. From all which it is easy to observe how many impudent forgeries are heaped together in this particular, relating to John Balfour of Kinloch, by this malicious Author; 1. That the Arch-bishop should have enmity against Balfour of Kinloch, because of his interest in Haxstoun, and from that motive should have commanded Captain Carstairs to apprehended him; whereas the Order to seize Balfour was from the Privy Council, and not from the Lord Primat. And this design and attempt to apprehended him, being made on the sixth of November, 1677. did fall out four Months before Haxstoun was imprisoned, he being apprehended with Caption on the 12. of March, 1678. And so before it can be supposed that the Arch-bishop could have any malice or enmity against Balfour of Kinloch, upon the account of his relation to Haxstoun of Rathillet. 2. That this Balfour should be no Presbyterian; whereas he is one of the Zealots of that party, and greatest leaders of field Conventicles, and at this present a chief Officer, or Commander among the rebels who have proclaimed the Covenant at Rutherglen. 3. That one Scarlet a Tinker, should have been with Captain Carstairs at the encounter with Balfour; whereas it is notour, that this fellow was one of Welshes Guard, and would neither have undertaken, nor have been trusted in any such enterprise: and is now in prison, and to be arraigned for this Treasonable Crime of guarding and assisting a declared Traitor. 4. That Carstairs had no warrant to apprehended this Balfour; it being apparent that he had an express Order for that effect fom the Privy Council. 5. That this Balfour was denunced and intercommuned for the deforcement of Carstairs; whereas he was declared fugitive, and intercommuned several years before that violence was committed.  

Parag. 3. Wherewith, and with the robbing and spoiling committed by Bailiff Carmichael, the Secret Councils Sheriff-depute in Fife, The said Haxstoun and Balfour, being enraged and inflamed with the desire of revenge upon the Archbishop, they did upon the third of May instant, with eight or nine other Ruffians,( three of them called as they say, Balfours) wait his return from Edinburgh to St. Andrews, and there near a house called Magus, in an open Muire, and within two miles or thereby of St. Andrews, they pursue him; the Coachman and Postilion perceiving, advertises him, and drives with all their might to escape; So that for near three quarters of a Mile they could not overtake them. At last Balfour and Haxstoun being better mounted than the rest, Balfour comes up with the Postilion, commands to stop, and he refusing, strikes him over the face with his Sword, dismounts him, and disorders the Coach-horse; Haxstoun comes to the Coach and Fires several Pistols at the Bishop; but none of them, although they hit his Body, did pierce him; they pierced through his Clothes, but left only blunt marks upon his Body, somewhat like to burning.  
Whereupon Haxstoun drags him out of his Coach, strikes him over the left Eye with a deep wound, who thereupon fell, and gave him several other mortal stroke upon his head, and cuts in his arms, rifles his pockets, and his Daughters( who was with him in the Coach) of their Gold Watches and Papers, disarms his servants without hurting any, except the Postilion, who was wounded at first; and that his Daughter received a wound on her thumb, grasping to save her Father; and then flee all together.  
This is the account both of the Persons, the occasion of their wicked act, and the circumstances of the act itself: Which is discovered and made known by the Examination of the Bishops own servants upon Oath, and a servant of the house near the place where the fact was done, where Haxstoun and Balfour left their Coats before they attacked the Bishop; and after it was done, came and brought them away.  
The Bishops servants depone, That a man mounted on a bay Horse struck the Postilion and turned the Coach; and that he mounted on the white, dragged the Bishop out of the Coach, and killed him with his Sword.  
And the servant in the House depones, That it was John Balfour of Kinloch was mounted on the bay Horse, and Haxstoun that was mounted on the white. That these two persons had a personal spite and hatred at the Bishop for the causes before, all know, and the Records witness. That the Bullets did not pierce his Body, was seen by the chirurgeon, William Borthwick, who was sent by the Council to view his Body.   
As for the robbing and spoiling pretended to be committed by Bailiff Carmichael, the Secret Councils Sheriff-depute, &c. It is sad to see what shifts malice will contrive, to justify even the most sacrilegious and bloody Crimes; it being a strange inference, suppose it were true, that Bailiff Carmichael had done ill things in Fife, that therefore their rage against him should have provoked them to so horrid and barbarous a murder of any other person. 2. Bailiff Carmichael being deputed by the Sheriff-principal of Fife, to execute the Laws against keepers of Field-conventicles, and other disorderly persons in Fife, did neither rob nor spoil, but proceeded in a legal and moderat manner, in sentemcing and fining according to Law, such as were cited before the Sheriff-court, according to very considerat and legal Instructions he had received from the Privy Council for that effect. Nor doth it appear, that any of the bloody Murderers of the Lord Archbishop, were ever so much as cited before the said deputy, much less fined by him; So that this pretence for so bloody a villainy, is altogether vain, groundless and frivolous.  
As to what is said of his Body, being hit with several Shots, but not pierced thereby, and that they left only blunt marks somewhat like unto burning; whereby the Author in a most hellish manner insinuats, that the Body of this consecrated person was hard and proof of shot, and whereby he commits a more villainous murder upon the famed and character of the Martyr, then the bloody assassins did upon his person: The falsehood of this is apparent, from the subscribed Testimony of a Doctor of Medicine, and of three chirurgeons, produced before the Privy Council, and still exstant in the hands of the Clerks thereof( whereof William Borthwick is one, and the principal) whereby it is attested and declared, that among his many other wounds, that he received one, two or three inches below the right Clavicle, in betwixt the second and third Rib, by a shot.  
It shall be unnecessary to say any more of the other manifest and barefaced lies contained in the foresaid Paper, such as that the murderers hurt none of his servants, except the Postilion; whereas the best armed of his servants was wounded in the head by a sword, and his Daughter, besides the wound of her Thumb, had another in her Thigh; and that they dragged him out of his Coach, whereas indeed he very composedly opened the door of the Coach himself, and with meekness and resolution stepped out, and went forward to the murderers, who were, with so Grave and Reverend a Presence and Resolution, so much stunned and amazed, that they looked upon one another, and stood a little while like men confounded, and unresolved what to do: Since enough is said to discover this infamous Libel to be a congestion of lies and malicious untruths heaped together, upon design to vindicat the fanatic Party, and keepers of Field-Conventicles, from the guilt of that sacred and innocent blood; as if nothing but private picque or revenge had provoked the barbarous assassins to this nefarious Murder; whereas the Actors thereof are all known to have been Presbyterian Zealots, bigot Fanaticks, and constant frequenters of Field-Conventicles, and are now in arms, and some of them prime Officers and Leaders in the present Rebellion against the King and the Government: Which Insurrection is made upon design to overthrow the Monarchy, and the present Government of this Church, and to model both according to the Covenant.  
But for the clear and full satisfaction of the world, concerning the Lord primates fair and equitable Transactions with Haxstoun of Rathillet, and his charitable goodness to the children of Lovel of Cunuchie, together with the falsehood of what that Author allegeth, concerning the motives of Balfour of Kinloch, provoking him to commit this execrable Assassination; I shall here subjoin a missive Letter from Mr. David Falconer, Doctor of Divinity, and Professor thereof in the University of St. Andrews, directed to Sir William Sharp of Stainiehill concerning this affair; to which the more credit must be allowed, in regard he is the person who transacted with the Lord Archbishop for the money due to him by Haxstoun, and is Cousin-German both to him and Balfour aforesaid.  
SIR,  
THe Paper you sent me, under the Title of, A true Relation of what is discovered concerning the murder of the Archbishop of St. Andrews, and of what appears to have been the occasion thereof; contains so many gross and notorious lies, published upon the most malicious design, that it is no wonder you are greatly troubled thereat. My Relation to Lovel of Cunuchie, and Haxstoun of Rathillet( being the nearest save that of a Brother) as it moved my Lord Archbishop to make me privy to his transactions with both, so it gives you just ground to expect from me a faithful and true account thereof, which I do impartially give you, upon certain knowledge, in the following Narrative.  
At the time of Lovel of Cunuchie his decease, a considerable Sum, viz. betwixt 4 and 5000 mark, was owing by him to my Lord Archbishop, for the Fueduty of his Lands that for many years had not been payed( my Lord forbearing him in his life time, out of pity, because of his encumbered estate, and out of a personal kindness to himself) My Lord Archbishop, being by Law preferred to all other Creditors, was to have the Rent of the Lands ay and while he should be payed, and therefore gave order to Cunuchie's own Servants to labour and sow the Land that year he died, as formerly; after which he gave a gift of his Escheat, comprehending the Corns that were left after the Seed, with the cattle and whole furniture of the House,( which might have been claimed by my Lord, though he had been no Creditor, as superior of the Lands) to a confident Person, who was to have made Money of them for the behoof of the Children. This Donator of the Escheat, was, by my Lords order, to assign his Gift to the said Haxstoun of Rathillet,( a man altogether unknown to my Lord, and so far from being a Favourite or Servant, that he had never spoken with him in his life before that time) he obliging himself, that after payment of that Creditor, at whose instance Lovel of Cunuchie was denounced Rebel, he should employ the remainder of what Money he could make thereof, for the relief of the Children: The truth of this can be made appear, to any that will desire to be satisfied therein, by a Paper exstant, signed by Rathillet's own hand; and that Rathillet did actually dispose of these Goods, and uplift the Money and prices of them, can also be made appear by a stated Account of his Intromission, signed also by his own Hand, to be shown to any that has a mind, by my Lords Factor. The reasons why this Trust was given to Rathillet, were, his near relation to the Children, his being nominated their Tutor by their Father, his many protestations to be faithful in it, and importunity upon these grounds to have it. The first years Crop that should have been uplifted for my Lords payment, was sold to Haxstoun, at the easiest rate of the country, on purpose, that he taking the opportunity of selling the Corn at the best avail, might have something after the price that was to be payed to my Lord, to bestow upon the Children: However, all that my Lord received for that years Rent, was Rathillet's Bond for between eleven and twelve hundred pound Scots, to be payed three quarters of a year after the Term at which the Rent was payable. The time of payment being come, before which Rathillet had sold all the Corn, he nevertheless fulfilled not his Obligation, and giving nothing but fair excuses for what was past, and peremptor promises of speedy payment at diets, which he always deserted; he eluded the execution of the Law for near four Months, while at last he was apprehended by a Messenger in St. Andrews, by order from one of my Lords servants, my Lord himself knowing nothing thereof, as being then at Edinburgh: All that day he was kept in a private House, and offer was made to him, if he would pay presently any considerable part of the Sum, which( as my Lords Factor averred) he had faithfully promised he should have brought with him the day before, or give a Precept for so much upon any honest responsible Men, who had bought the Victual, it should be accepted in part of payment, and discharged accordingly; he himself be set at liberty, and a further time granted him for the payment of the rest: both which he shifted and declined; whereupon at night he was committed to the public Prison, where he lay for some time, until I became Debitour to my Lord for the Sum, and so procured his enlargement: At which-time, neither I, nor any person that was with him at his coming out of Prison, heard any thing of the desperate resolution, either to desert the Church, or be revenged on the Archbishops person, alleged( by the Author of the Paper) to have been expressed by him, with a terrible imprecation before Witnesses. After this, my Lord hearing of the straitned condition of the Children, ordered by his Precept the Tenant of Cunuchie to deliver for the Childrens use twenty Bolls of Victual, and thereafter signed a Paper with the other Creditors, some of whom he moved to condescend thereto, and to all whom he gave the example, being the first Subscriber for a yearly allowance to them.  
By what hath been said, the falsehood of that Paper, and the malice of its Author, is clearly discovered, as to that part of it which relates to Haxstoun, and how groundless the insinuations are of the Archbishops uncharitable oppression of Cunuchie's Family, or Creditors, his rigorous usage of Haxstoun, and provoking of him thereby to so execrable a revenge by that horrid murder.  
As to what is reported in the Paper of John Balfour of Kinloch, Brother-in-law to the said Haxstoun of Rathillet, that he is no Presbyterian, though an enemy to the Bishop upon the injury done to Haxstoun: Balfour himself and all that have conversed with him these seven years will disprove it, he having deserted the Church, and followed after Field-Conventicles all that time, and glorying to be reputed one of the most furious Zealots and stoutest Champions of the Phanatickparty in Fife; for which he was denounced and intercommuned long before my Lord had any knowledge of, or intermeddling with Haxstoun his Brother-in-law. And for which, Captain Carstairs had received orders from the Privy Council to apprehended the said Balfour. In pursuance whereof, Captain Carstairs, with his Servants, and one Garret an Englishman, for Scarlet the Tinker( known since to be one of Welch's Guard) as he would never have assisted Captain Carstairs in any attempt against any of that Gang, so was he never reported or suspected by any of this country to have been one of their number. Coming one day near by his House, resolved to make search for him there; It being known, he was no stranger to it( as is alleged) he was found with a company of armed Men feasting in his House, and upon Garrets alighting, fired his Pistol upon him, and thereafter breaking out of the House, overtook him before he could reach his Horse, knocked him down with their Swords, and left him not while by many fearful deadly Wounds, they thought they had murdered him, and then pursued Captain Carstairs most furiously, while being desperate of getting the like done with him, though they fired frequently at him, they retired. It is to be observed of this Scuffle, that it happened some four Months before Rathillet's imprisonment, and consequently before it can be supposed Balfour should have suffered any thing from the Archbishop on the account of his Brother-in-law Haxstoun. And further, that besides Balfour of Kinloch, there were others said to be present there, who are found to have been with him also at the Archbishops Murder.  
For what is further said to have been the occasion of the execrable Murder, viz. The robbing and spoiling committed by Bailiff Carmichael, I leave it to all sober men to consider, whether the executing the Laws of the Land by a person clothed with Commission from His Majesties Privy Council and the Principal Sheriff of the Shire comform to their Instructions, and a warrant under His Majesties own hand deserves these Epithets: Only this must say that it can be proved, that my Lord Archbishop had, out of his own mouth, ordered the Sheriff deputs to suspend the execution of their Sentence in poinding or distreining of Goods, six dayes before his murder.  
As for what concerns the Murder itself, and the inhuman and barbarous manner thereof, I hope you are sufficiently enabled to expose the defects and falshoods of this pretended true Relation, by the full Information you have thereof from my Lords own Daughter and his principal Servants, who to their inexpressible grief, were forced to be eye witnesses thereof. This account I cheerfully give you, for your satisfaction, or whatever use you please; providing it be accepted as a part of the duty, that is and ever will be owing to the blessed memory of my dear Lord, by  
Your most humble Servant, 
 D. Falconer.  
As for the manner of this horrid and execrable Murder, the following Account, attested before famous witnesses by my Lords own Daughter and his servants, who had the misfortune to be helpless, but sorrowful Spectators and Eye-witnesses of this barbarous cruelty, will, I hope, prove very acceptable and satisfactory to the world; and a sufficient confutation of all false Relations or Narratives concerning it, that have already been spread abroad, or may hereafter appear in Writing or Print.   

A NARRATIVE Of the manner of the execrable murder Of the late Lord Archb p of St. Andrews.  
ON the third of May, a day remarkable in the Church calendar, for the invention of the holy across, this excellent Prelate found his, and I hope obtained his Crown,( in which month also, Henry the fourth of France, and Cardinal Beaton, one of his Predecessors, were assassinated) About nine of the Clock in the morning, he took his Coach in Kennoway, a Village ten Miles distant from St. Andrews, where he lay the night before, accompanied only with four of his own Servants, and his eldest Daughter in the Coach with him: about half an hour before he was attack't, his great Soul, it seems presaging what came to pass, he fell on a most serious and pious discourse to his Daughter, giving her such pious instructions and directions, as he would have done if upon his death-bed, whereunto she gave such becoming and satisfactory answers, that he embraced, and formally blessed her; afterward, coming near to a Farmor's House, called Magus, he said, there lives an ill natured-man, God preserve us my Child; within a very little time after, the Coach-man perceiving some Horse-men on the spur after them, calls to the Postilion to drive on, for those men had no good in their minds. My Lord finding the Coach run so hard, look't out to see what the matter was, and then perceiving armed men pursuing, he turning to his Daughter, said, Lord have mercy upon me my poor Child, for I am gone; upon which presently three or four of the Ruffians fired at the Coach, but touched neither of them in the Coach: the Coach-man put faster on, and outrun the most part of the Rogues,( my Lords own Servants, of which, the best armed was wounded in the head by a Sword, being mounted on weak Hackney Horses, had fallen behind before this, and were disarmed at the first coming up) while at last, one of the best mounted overhyed the Postilion, and by wounding him on the face, shooting the Coach-Horse which he lead in the back, and cutting him in the Hams, turned the Coach out of the way, and gave the rest the advantage to come up; then they fired again, one of them had his Pistol so near my Lord, that the burning calfing was left on his Gown, and was rubbed off by his Daughter, which wounded him two or three inches below the right Clavicle, in betwixt the second and third Rib, and then another of them on the other side of the Coach run him upon the region of the Kidneys with a small Sword: thereafter they called, Come out cruel bloody Traitor, but not any offered to lay hands upon, or drag him out of his Coach, as is falsely reported in the Relation; the Assassinats being all yet on Horse-back, whereupon, most composedly he opened the door of the Coach himself and stepped out, and then said, Gentlemen, you will spare my life, and what ever else you please to do, ye shall never be questioned for it; they  told him there was no mercy for a Judas, an enemy and Traitor to the Cause of Christ; well then, said he, I shall expect none from you, but promise to me to spare my poor Child, directing his Speech to one whom it is suspected by his looking him broad in the face, he knew, and reaching forth his hand to him, the bloody villain starts back from my Lord, and by a mighty blow, cut him more than half through the Wrist: then said my Lord, I hope ye will give me some time to pour out my Soul to God, and I shall also pray for you, and presently falling on his knees; he said, Lord forgive them, for I do: Lord receive my spirit: while thus praying on his knees,( one of the traitors standing some paces off, called to the rest, spare those gray Hairs) and his Hands lifted up, they struck furiously at them, and wounded him therein in three places, which nevertheless he kept up bleeding to Heaven, while one of them cut him to the Very bone, a little above the left eye, whereupon my Lord said; now you have done the turn; then falling fordward, he stretched himself out, and laid his Head on his Arm, as if he had been to compose himself for sleep, when some of the Villains from their Horses, and others afoot( having alighted) gave him about fifteen or sixteen wounds in the Head, and in effect, the whole Occipitial part was but one wound; after which, they riffled his Pockets, and took some Papers out of them; and so mad was their spigth and rage, that even after he was dead, and the Murderers gone some way from the body, one of the furious and bloody Assassins returned, and thrust twice or thrice at him with a Sword. They Robbed his Daughter of some Gold and other things she had in a little Box( they had wounded her, thrusting at her Father, betwixt whom and them she had interposed her self by a stab in her Thigh, and one of her Thumbs) then they took away my Lords Night-bag, Bible, Girdle, and some Papers of moment, they also robbed his Servants, and took their Arms from them, and then went away as they came; and encountered one of my Lords Gentlemen, he had sent off some time before to salute the Earl of Crawford in his name, having passed near to his House; one of them called to kill him, for he was one of Judas Servants, others came and took his Papers in his fore-pockets, and Arms, and bid him be gone, for his Master was gone home before him. The place where this horrid murder was committed, is called Magus Moor, within two Miles, and in sight of the Town of St. Andrews.  
Thus fell that excellent Prelate( whose Character and worthy Acts deserve, and no doubt will find some excellent Pen) by the hands of nine fanatic Ruffians. That they were so, is not to be doubted, their names being all now known, and all of them denunced, or intercommuned for frequenting field Conventicles, and the known Champions of that party in the Shire of Fife, besides their holy sanctified discourse at the time of their bloody actings, shows what temper and spirit they were of. I have done with my Relation,( attested to me before famous Witnesses, by my Lords Daughter, and these of his Servants that were so unfortunate to be spectators of this execrable villanny) when I have observed how ridiculous the Author of the pretended true one is, where he endeavours to discover the occasion of the murder of the Arch-bishop of St. Andrews; for, what need was there of any thing more to provoke them, than his being an Arch-bishop, and the Primat of Scotland; and the most active, as well as the most Reverend Father of this Church? was it not for this reason, that he was on the Streets of Edinburgh shot at by Mr. James Mitchel, while in his own Coach? was not this the reason, that these fanatic Books from Holland, both sometime ago, and of late, marked out his Sacrum Caput, as they termed it, and devoted him to a cruel death, and gave out Predictions that he should die so? which they easily might, being so active in stimulating and prompting instruments to fulfil their own Prophecies.  
O Lord, how unsearchable are thy judgements, and thy ways past finding out!   

EDINBURGH, Printed by the Heir of Andrew Anderson, Printer to His most Sacred Majesty, Anno Dom. 1679.