A Short Testimony concerning CATHERINE ALLARDES, Late Wife to JOHN FULLERTOUNE of KINNEBAR: Who departed this Life, the last day of the last Month called February; Anno. 1670.  Psalm 37. verse, 37. 
Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace.  Psalm 116. v. 15. 
Precious in the sight of the Lord, is the death of the Saints.  Rev. 14. v. 13. 
Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth, yea saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours, and their works do follow them.  
Printed Anno. 1671.   

A short testimony concerning Katherine Allardes, late wife to john Fulertoune of Kinneber, who departed this life, the last day of the last Month called February, 1670.  
SHE was a woman of extraordinary patience, and meekness, and of few words that having been near 23. years married with her, I cannot say, that ever I saw her angry, though she could and did correct her children, and kept them in as much awe as most, and did reprove undutiful servants or others very plainly and downright: and yet without hasty rash words, for never in her life can any say that they have known her to take the name of God in vain, or let fall from her any of the (so recokened) petty oaths; she had always water in readiness to cast upon the breaking forth of any appearance of fire in any person. After our Marriage, once or twice I came upon her in the fields, when her eyes were streaming forth tears at prayer, and I being earnest to know what weighted her spirit, if it was dissatisfaction of her marriage, after much pressing, she at length told me it was not any thing of that, but she was grieved (for that she often testified against) that I should comply so much with the profane drunken neighbours, and others that frequented my house, and if I continued that way of entertaining them, the Lord would departed from our family, which words; though I made little answer unto them, than they were as bread cast upon the waters. She was also very extraordinary diligent in her calling and employment, as is well known to all about her, and had the care and accounts of all my corns and rents, and when I was often dissatisfied that she herself did spin, and handle yarn so much, she would answer, she had not peace in her mind to be unemployed in some honest necessary work, and would tell me, if the Lord permit the enemies of the truth to take our estate from us, or banish us therefrom, for conscience sake, I can, said she, through the Lord's assistance, mantain thee and my children in a comfortable way; And she often said, I am wholly out of covetousness, anxiety, or fear of want, knowing that I have a good and loving Provisor who never failed me. I often would speak of our many children, and what I should do with them; her ordinary answer was, if they fear the Lord they have enough, and we have enough of the things of this life to leave amongst them: if they fear not the Lord, there is too much to give them, I am willing they suffer for their folly. Some years ago my estate being very much run under debts, so that in the reckoning of all it was ruined, and all our relations gave us advice to sell it, and save something of the price; and these who were filled with malice and the spirit of persecution against us, (because we denied their way to be of God, and would not longer eat of their polluted Sacrifices, being about 13. years ago) they triumphed and insulted over our hard condition; when they heard of my creditors beginning their work against me and our estate, their words were, we see God bringing him down, and going to spew him out of the land, for it was reckoned I was going to Ireland, (as I did conclude to do) which words wounded me as arrows, not for my estate I can say, but because they who are now brought down, would get such advantage against the precious truth, because of which I being much brocken in my spirit, for many weeks I was not wholly satisfied that she was not as much touched: She told me, she was little moved with that aparent change at all. After some days the Lord in condescendence to my weakness, was pleased to show me in a very plain, clear vision, that my estate and house near feign should be recovered, which I not believing, within twenty four hours thereafter, he dowbled the vision again; and show me the way how it should come to pass (which is not fit here to mention, lest swine should tear and mock) the which I did then tell her, she told me, she was always confident the Lord would do that for us, or else that which was as good. And after some years when a change began to appear on our outward condition, and that it was told, that some witless idle talking people said, we had gotten money sent us from another place, she would answer that it is little matter what they say, for they know not him who is Lord of all, who hath seen it meet to bless now when men hath cursed, (But Balaam cannot curse Israel,) but we never received money from others, except such as were due to us, for fair bargaining, etc. Nor never could we, said she, so long as we had of our own to furnish us food and raiment, or could help ourselves by labour, and much have we given, but never yet received on any such account, knowing it is better to give then to receive. She loved such of the Presbyterians as was of a sober, serious, conversation: and for their zeal for curbing of wickedness among the people, and there making some difference betwixt the Precious and the Vile; but she had a great contrariety to their spirit of persecution, and concluded if ever they got the flesh they so much lust after, viz. power; it would be for a further stroke, and bitter cup, except the Lord redeemed them from that spirit of rigidity, bitterness, and persecution of tender consciences. She loved that little more moderation which appears in Episcopals, but hated the lose ungodly lives of most of them, and believed the Lord would in his due time meet with them because of their conniving at, or not curbing this flood of iniquity broke forth in the Nation under that government.  
She was one who was more than ordinary acquanted with, and had the secrets of the Lord revealed to her, which I can truly witness, though its like I shall be but little believed by the benighted world. I might name more nor now I shall, but a little touch I have freedom to give, When about 11. years since, he, called Mr. Thomas Cowper Minister at Montrose, had excommunicatted me after the space of some months; one morning on the first day of the week, (called the Sabbath) she and I approaching to wash our hands, she said, the Lord hath let me see that Thomas Cowper is laid by useless, and is to preach no more. Which was to me something strange, to hear her so positive as was not her ordinary, I said, it is very much if it be so sudden: she said, it is to be even so. And that day in the evening, there came one and told that Thomas Cowper going in to the Kirk to preach, was at the Kirk door struck with a distemper, and was carried back to his house, out of which he never came again with life, though he lived long after: And I may say, the man went about that work with great reluctancy and unwillingness against the light, not being so wholly given up as many of them now are, to hardness of heart, spite and enmity. For one day he and I walking in my garden, he said, I know its Reformation ye would be at, will ye stay among us to help us forward therewith: I answered, there was no stay in Babylon that was become the hold of every foul spirit, he said, is there none else there in that ye call Babylon; I answered, its like there is, but they should not stay there, nor was it to be expected that that few were able to carry on a Reformation, while among them, than he besought that either I or my wife would give him warrant to seek a delay of that sentence, seeing he had sought it so often, and now they disinherited him; she and I denied to give him warrant to seek one hour, and then he cried out (with tears falling from his eyes) alace for evermore, that ye will not grant me that request. And so the next day, did cast me out, who was not in their Church. And some years after, being about seven years since, this present Preacher at Montrose having excommunicate my wife, the which after seven days was told her, she said, it was strange the man would show so much malice and ignorance to curse her, that for any thing she knew, he never saw, and was sure he never spoke with her, nor knew never her principles nor practices, except it were what he had gathered from lying slanders, but said she if we follow that that is good what can harm us; and it is our place to watch that we may be kept holy and harm less in our Generation, not having an evil eye against that Generation who must be doing their work in this Age, as in former Ages against the Saints.  
I may also mention that about 5. or 6. years since, two of my Salmond-Fishers agreed to bring in to me lymestone, for so much the Boat full; (I then having building in hand, the lymestone about two or three mile off along the Seashore,) and one evening after their passing out of the water, there arose a mighty tempest of a Northwind, that they could get no shore, but gave up themselves for death, their oars being mostly washen from them, and their sail beat down: The next day they told me that two of my men were lost, which weighted me very sore, and the rather because one of them was a Fellow-sufferer with me for conscience sake, and the other was an extraordinary vicious person. While I was in this grief for them, my wife having been sick of a long time, and I sitting by her, the third day after their way-going, she told me the two men were safe and alive, and that the wicked person whom she named, was preserved for the sake of the other, and not only so, but the friend of truth was set safe on the rock, and the other was drowned in the water, but was drawn out again and saved by the friend, which was truly so; for their came word some days after, that after the middle of the night the boat came in among the mighty waves of broken water at Fife-ness, and one swell carried the boat upon the top of an high rock, where she set her bottom, being fallen out, the friend looked and found the boat fast, and stopped upon the rock and stood, the other began also to come out, and the waves plucked him over the rock, the friend looked for him (being Moonlight) and seeing him not, only saw a bonnet floating on the water, and having a tree in his hand, he reached the tree to the bonnet on the water, the other under the water striving with death, got hold of the staff and held fast as any do in such condition, the friend not knowing what it was, drew and he came up; and was saved to the admiration of many in that countery to this day, how they were saved: and he called Laird of Kin-kell Hamiltoune furnished them with money; after a day or two sent them home. The profane person after that he began to abstain from some of his wicked ways, and be more serious, so that his relations caused draw blood of him, as a madman, all which I concerned not myself into, knowing that his physic behoved to come from another, and after some time, I found it expedient to advise him to begin to walk in the good old way, the light, in which he would find rest for his soul, and as therein he was found faithful, he would come to know refreshment from the presence of the Lord: Which he listened to, and grew more and more clear in his judgement, and since hath born a measure of testimony for the truth both in words and conversation.  
Other things I might mention which is not fit here, that my dear Wife had revealed to her of the Lord. But now I shall touch of her carriage before her departur hence! About eight months since, she told me, it was shown her that she was married to another, she having gotten a new Name and a white-stone, and all called in white linen, the which, when told me was a wound to my heart; for I concluded, she was to be taken from me, and joined more near to the Lamb, yet I often cried to the Lord (that if it was his will) that bitter cup might departed from me, not knowing, but that he might be entreated to spare her a little than she began to grow sickly and six or seven weeks ago her sickness increased much, that was known she was in a dropsy; about twenty days since she was brought to bed of a child, (pretty easily considering her condtition) than I began to have some hopes, the Lord had granted my supplication; About a week after her delivery she began to be worse in her body, and about six or seven days before her removal, one day sobbing very sore, she told me, that the enemy of her soul was assaulting her very strongly to doubt of God's love to her, and telling her, that she had been too much in the encumbrances of the world and that she had been too little devouted for Heaven, and that she was not yet washen clean in the Blood of the Lamb; but that there stuck some of the earth to her, by her too much looking at me and her children. And she desired me to cry to the Lord for her, that the Son of righteousness would expel that cloud, and beat back the enemy. And after some words I had to her, I found that rock, that always in the wilderness follows and gives my thirsty Soul drink, then assisting me to pray before her bed, after which, she said, she had met with refreshment; about evening I enquired if the enemy continued yet his assaults, she said nay, the battle was ended, and she had the peace and love of GOD running down on her Soul as a mighty river: And after that, daily comforted and strengthened me, exhorting me not to mourn for her, and when I would be sitting by her at sometimes, when some few of us used to meet together in the Family, she would warn me not to neglect the occasion of waiting on the Lord; and of meeting together and edifying one another. And said she, thou hast more reason than thousands to be zealous for the Lord, seeing he hath done for thee beyond what he hath done for thousands, not can thou say that ever he failed thee in the time of thy need, and he will not fail to be a help to thee and thy children in my room. The time of her sickness was really a constant praying time unto her, and exhorting to the fear of God; she said to her sister, I can say, since ever I knew the truth I never wittingly disobeyed the LORD. Two days before she departed, she said to me, some had been the day letting fall, that our friends did not pray in the Name of jesus, which she could not receive nor own, and enquired me if I knew any such, I told her, I knew none such, nor would I own such, for the Scripture bids ask in the Name of jesus, as john hath it chap. 14.13. and chap. 16.24. And there was no acceptance but in the Name of jesus. The night she departed, being the last of the twelfth Month, I desired her that after her speech failed (while life continued) she would let it appear, her mind was fixed on the Lord by lifting up her hands, which she did almost constantly, for about two hours till her breath failed, during which time, her Sister speaking to me, said, what comfort would she now take of all the Kingdoms of the world if offered her; she answered again (so as with some difficulty it was heard by my laying my ear to her mouth,) the Lords precious truth is the sweetest thing that ever she knew, and a while after she said, blessed be the day that ever I knew it, repeating twice over. Then I said to her sister, I believe clouds are far from her now, she answered, away with clouds, clouds are far from me. Thereafter we could discern her lips moving, to take up this words often uttered, LORD JESUS. After speech failed, she beckoned to each child at home to come to her and having lift up her eyes and hands Heaven-wards, she laid them on their heads and blessed them. Then I rising to stand a little in the floor, in a little space she missing me, looked after me, and said, Dear, and hastily I drawing to her, breath was coming off, and she moved no more. Which was about the 12. hour at night, of the last day of the Month called February, 1670. and about the 40. year of her Age.  
The next day there came one that she dearly loved, that came several times to her in her sickness, viz. Arthur Straton of Kirkside his Wife; who was desirous to see her and lay her hand on her, the which when she had, she said her face appeared to her as the face of an Angel: that she never saw any thing whiter, and had a red on her cheeks, as it seemed at a distance, and others testify her beauty was wonderful to be seen on a dead body.  
She was generally beloved of high and low in this part of the Nation, which more appeared in her sickness by so many coming and sending to see how she was, even some who had never seen her face, and by the general sound of the multitude at the grave side, who sounded, such another woman they never knew, and such a Lady was there never before in Kinnaber, nor likely would never be again, for none upon earth can say they knew a spot in her conversation.  
This I writ not for exalting the creature, and drawing honour thereunto, but that the Lord may have the glory of his work wrought in her, for to him is only due all glory, honour, and praise, let all who have the breath of the Heavenly life, exalt the Lord, and abase self making it of no reputation, even so Lord, let this be thy work on me, and thine own work shall praise thee.  
JOHN FULLERTOUN, Kinnebar the 9 of the first Month, called March. 1671.