2 . 3 . Z 
 
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 § 
 

NARRATIVE 
 
 OF THE 
 
 USE, PROGRESS, and CONCLUSION 
 
 OF THE 
 
 PROCESS 
 
 AGAINST 
 
 Mr M A C L A G A N, 
 
 MINISTER OF MELROSE. 
 
 WITH R E M A R K S. 
 
 H A W I C K: 
 
 IN TED BY <-. EORG£ 
 
 1 7 
 
( J ) 
 
 NARRATIVE, &c. 
 
 WITH much anxiety has Mr Maclagan laboured te 
 bring the unhappy procefs carried on againft him 
 to a righteous iflbe : For to him it has been a long fcene 
 of the deepeit mortification and diftrefs. Though he is 
 at laft entirely acquitted from the crime laid to his charge, 
 by the final fentence of the Prefbytery ; yet this is far 
 from making a compenfation to him for what he has fuf- 
 fered. Actuated by that pride of character which no- 
 thing can perfuade him to relinqui/b, he cannot refufe 
 himielf the confolation of offering to the world a candid 
 account of this extraordinary tranfaclion, that his juftifi- 
 cation may appear to have proceeded upon the molt lolid 
 grounds. It is for this purpofe that he entreats a calm 
 attention to the following narration of facts, which are 
 fully proven; and to the reafoning which is founded up- 
 on them. 
 
 Mr MACLAGAN was ordained minifier of Melrofe 
 |n March 1768, and had the pood fortune to enter up- 
 on his charge with the general approbation of the people. 
 A % Durincr 
 
i ) 
 
 During the whole courfeof his miniflry,his only bufinefe 
 he duty of his ft at ion ; his only pic a fines \vc 1 e do* 
 ; and his only amufement a /mall firm of about 
 c acres. Thus he hoped to have (pent his life 
 in no mean degree of public ulcfulncfs, with much fatis- 
 t.iclion to himfelf ; and lie had the vanity to hope, that 
 he would thus maintain the friend fhip of good men, a 
 independence, a good confeience, and the good- 
 will of his people. He foon however found, tha: the 
 belt concerted plans, where there is any dependence up- 
 on the opinions of others, are very uncertain in their o- 
 perat:ens. He had a very numerous fefiion, and a parifh 
 in which there are betwixt four and live hundred heri- 
 tors, or feuars, and it is no wonder that amongtt them 
 occaiions of difcontent appeared from time to time. Be- 
 caufe Mr Maclagan refufed to be directed by his feflion, 
 n to employ as his afliftants when he gave the facra- 
 ment; becaufe he refufed to appoint a fad-day in the 
 midft of harvefl; becaufe he preached upon thanklgiving, 
 fobriety, and charity, annually, when God had crooned 
 the year with plenty ; becaufe, with the conlcm ( 
 heritors, he fought and obtained an augmentation of fH- 
 petid ; becaufe he applied for a defignation of a grafs. 
 ' ; and becaufe he rented the (mall farm above men- 
 tioned, — from all thcie caufes, and without gnable 
 
 caufes at ai!, difcontents frequently arofe, and were by 
 xd whimfical people carried a confider able length. 
 The i ,od taken by him to quiet auddifpel thefe dis- 
 
 contents was, a (teady and uniform difcharge of his duty, 
 and an uniform neglect of thofe perfons who were the 
 inflrumcnts of them — fo their defiens were fruttrated. 
 Happily for themfclves the parifh kept together, and Mr 
 Madagan maintained as much refpec! as he defired, or 
 1 I ift>es for no mere than to 
 rift as a mmiftcr. Thus, ret with. 
 : cf fatisfiiction, for many years did hp 
 
 care 
 
( 5 ) 
 
 carefully difcharge the duties of his public character ; and 
 in his private family he has the pleafure to think, that 
 for mutual affection, for uninterrupted peace, and the 
 cheerful difcharge of every relative duty, his family me- 
 rited to be confidered as examplary. 
 
 Mr Maclagan had not lived long !n Melrofe, when 
 he had occafion to employ in his fervice a daughter of one 
 
 :w Mein, and almoft ever fince, till lately, forne one 
 or other of that numerons family have been his fervants, 
 who always did their bufinefs with ability and fakhfulnefs* 
 Ifobel, the youngeft of them, was his fervant at IVlar tin- 
 mas 1778, when Janet Bunzie *, now wife of James 
 Ramfay, became her fellow-iervant, whole very excep- 
 tionable conduct and extreme impertinence, often ccca- 
 Goned her to receive fevere reprimands both from her 
 
 / and nmlrefs. At the fame time one Will. Aily 
 entered to Mr Maclagan's fervice, this man (though un- 
 known to his mafler) had lived a life of profligacy, he had 
 debauched a young woman, by whom he had a child, the 
 expence of whofe maintenance, with his other vices, kept 
 him in perpetual poverty; and he was fo involved in debt 
 10 the mother of the young woman, for maintaining his 
 baftard, that he wifely determined to marry the girl, to lave 
 himfrom diftrefs upon that article ; but, unfortunately for 
 
 v. hen he came to live with Ifobel Pv:ein, he became 
 melancholy and miferable, and could behave prevailed with 
 her would have broke through all his former engage- 
 ments; but being difappointed there, lie conceived that 
 inveterate averfion which made him join in league 
 Bunzie againft the family in genera!. zainft 
 
 Ifobel Mein, whom they reprefented as favoured ii 
 
 •The reader will remember carefully to cHftingnifli bctwiJ 
 two Janet Bunzies, mentioned in the courfe cf this narration, by 
 . confu£on will be avoided. 
 
 houfe 
 
( 6 ) 
 
 houfc with an unreafonable partiality. As they \\ 
 very noify in their quarrels, Mr Maclagan, who could 
 never endure any difpeace in his family, was fometimes 
 obliged to interpofe. Aily and Bunzie, in revenge of 
 this, had the malice to reprefent what they called his par- 
 tiality, in fuch colours, as gave firft rife to the unhappy 
 itories which have fince circulated to the difhonour of his 
 character, though at that time they had neither the con- 
 trivance nor villany to fix upon any particulars : And a- 
 gainft both of them proofs have been brought before the 
 Prefbytery, of moft improper condudt, efpecially againfl 
 Bunzie, whole malice and falfehood have been fully proven. 
 
 Ififcthe month of March 1779, by a very melancholy 
 and fatal accident Mr Maclagan loft a lovely boy ; and 
 Ifobel Mein, under whofe care he was, then left the fa- 
 mily, and never was once again under his roof. Through 
 the horrors of mind occafioned by the death of the child, 
 who fuffered in fome meafure by her carelefnefs, Ifo- 
 bel was thrown into violent hyfterical diftrefs, and her 
 friends looked upon her as dying. Upon the day on which 
 the child was interred, after having been repeatedly fent 
 for, Mr Maclagan went to fee Ifobel, and found her in 
 violent convulfions, and perfectly infenfible. This vifit 
 was one of the particulars which Aily and Bunzie repre- 
 sented againfl Mr Maclagan, as an evidence of too ftrong 
 attachment to her; and, what is ft ill more wonderful, num- 
 bers in the parifn took occafion to condemn him for hav- 
 ing performed this piece of painful though indifpenfible 
 
 duty. It was then that he firft underitood, that the 
 
 family of the Meins was fo much noticed, as to be the ob- 
 ject of an ancient parochial diflike ; and that two of his 
 predeceflors haddil'pleafed the parfliby the attention they 
 had paid them ;— it was then he firft learned, that fiories 
 were circulating to his prejudice, and this indeed (he being 
 confeious of perfect innocence) filled him with inexprefii- 
 
 b!e 
 
( > K 
 
 ble indignation. He then firft found it difficult to prefer ve 
 that equanimity and fteadinefs he had hitherto maintained; 
 for he found his paffions ready to mix in the very difcharge 
 of his minifterial duties, though cool reflection always ad* 
 vifed to defpife the unfounded calumny, and behave as if it 
 never had exifted ; efpecially as it then made little or no 
 impreflion upon the parifh. 
 
 Matters continued thus, in perfecl quietnefs, till 
 the end of the year 1781 ; during the moft part of 
 which time Ifobel IVIein lived with her father in 
 Newftead : But, at this time, one Robert Bunzie, 
 a feuar in Newftead, whofe houfe adjoins to Andrew 
 Mein's (for the moft obvious reafons as will appear 
 afterwards), began again to create and circulate ca- 
 lumnies againft Mr Maclagan. Exceedingly irritated at 
 this frefh and unprovoked attack, he went to one Robert 
 Grierfon an elder, who was always unfriendly, and after- 
 wards became the moft violent of his perfecutors— to this 
 man Mr Maclagan went, knowing him to be a man of a- 
 bilities,/o//V/ta/ his affiftance that he might be enabled to 
 obtain legal examplary redrefs for the injury under which 
 he fufFered. And Grierfon very frankly promifed his aid ; 
 but never was Mr Maclagan more miftaken. He did not 
 then know, that Grierfon lived in particular intimacy with 
 Bunzie, — Bunzie's infamous fifter Janet had been his fer- 
 vant, imbibed her firft principles under his tuition, and 
 that in all her varied fortunes he had ftill maintained his 
 ancient friend ihip to her, as he himfelf afterwards confeffed 
 upon Oath. Inftead therefore of finding him an ufeful 
 afliftant, Mr Maclagan found him a fecret infidious and 
 perfevering enemy. Grierfon engaged Will. Mabon, 
 another elder, they joined together to fupport B , 
 and, as Ifobel Mein was then with child, after tl 
 had concerted together, Grierfon wen: to her otl 
 pofe to advife her to leave the country and go to . 
 
 burgh 
 
.( • ) 
 
 burgh, which advice was extraordinary indeed for c) 
 to give to a woman in her (ituation, and the moft pefli- 
 lentious which could have been given for Mr Macbgan's 
 inrcrdt. 
 
 A little before this, Robert Bunzie, who well knew Ifo- 
 bel Mein's {ituation, had lent for his filler Janet * from 
 Edinburgh, that (lie might prevail with Ifobel toabfeond; 
 and, in confequence of her perfuafion, and the advice of 
 Grierfon,fhe actually, betwixt term t, went into Edinburgh, 
 and was received and lodged by Janet Bunzie. Roberc 
 followed her in a little while ; and probably to avoid fufpi- 
 cions from his frequent vifits to town, he that fpring took 
 up the trade of meal-making, which he never did before 
 nor fince ; and every thing was managed by Janet to his 
 perfect fatisfaclion. It was at that very time that Janet 
 was heard fwear " by the Lord God fhe would ruin 
 €i Mr Maclagan,for threatning to profecute her brother 
 " for fcandal," as mentioned above. 
 
 When Ifobel Mein's fituation could be concealed no 
 longer in Janet's houfe, fhe went and took a room for 
 her in one David Maxwell's, in the Canongate ; fne then 
 befpoke a midwife for Ifobel, telling her not to expect 
 much payment ; a for as the man was only a farmer to 
 "whom the girl was with child, he could notafford much. 
 She provided Ifobel with all her victuals ; fhe, and none elfe, 
 gave her money ; fhe paid the midwife ; employed and paid 
 
 * This Janet is a woman of notable fame, fhe was long a kept 
 miftrefs to a married man, fhe afterwards became bawd to his 
 pleafures with other women, kept a houfe and received an annuity 
 for that purpofe ; and, being at laft abandoned by him, fhe then 
 kept a houfe for the entertainment of any body; during all which 
 time of her being kept miftrefs, procurefs, and bawdy-houfe 
 keeper, fhe had her brother for her confident, and Grierfon, for 
 her unchangeable frL. 
 
( 9 ) 
 
 the nurfe, provided every thing neceflary for thfe cl 
 and it was agreed amongft them, that « :.s weaned 
 
 the child mould be fent to live with Robert in the coun- 
 try, pafs for a gentleman's child, and be taken care of un- 
 der the eye both of the father and mother. Dunn 
 this time that Ifobel Mein was in Edinburgh, neither Mrs 
 Maxwell with whom ihe lived, nor the nurfe,nor mi J 
 nor any perfon on earth ever faw Mr Maclagan near Ifo- 
 bel, nor knew of his takmo- anv concern whatever i 
 or her child, however boldly the libel averred the con- 
 trary: Yea, previous to this, though the libel (peaks of many 
 meetings in various places for criminal purpofes, yet have 
 not the profecutors produced a (ingle witnefs who ever 
 law them together in any fufpicious place or circumftance, 
 or who ever faw Mr Maclagan in any of the places men- 
 tioned in the libel, either by night or by day. 
 
 Isobel Mein, after bein" delivered of her child, re- 
 turned to Newftead in the month of July 1782; and it ap- 
 pears from the proof, that her intimacy with Bunzie was 
 as clofe, if not clofer, then ever, as he feems to : 
 made a practice of vifiting her when fne was in bed in the 
 inornings, after her father had gone to his work, and - 
 was nobody in the houfe to interrupt them. The 
 fits, no doubt, gave occafion for her fecond jourr 
 Edinburgh, when ihe arrived there, in June 1783, ihe was 
 ly entertained by Janet Bunzie," who told lfobel's 
 brother that me had provided a place for her. Janet was 
 by this time married to one Reid, a weaver, a man who 
 feems equal to herfelf in every bad quality. With thele 
 people Ifobel maintained the clofe ft intimacy, 
 interrupted by her refufing to join with them in their ini- 
 quitous fchemes they deviled againfl Mr Maclagan. When 
 the time drew near for Ifobel being delivered of her fe- 
 cond child, Jane: Bunzie, who fore few the impoflibilil 
 her brother carrying on this trafHck any longer, Ihe who 
 B had 
 
( io ) 
 
 had long fincc fworn " by the Lord God (lie wouM 
 ruin Mr Maclagan/ 1 haying now meditated a deep fcheme 
 of villany, lends for her brother, who accordingly went 
 into Edinburgh in July, then and there it was, that the 
 
 of ruin, devifed and fworn againfl Mr Maclagan by 
 Janet, was ripened for execution; which was no !cfs than 
 boldly to accufe him as father of Ifobel's child, and there- 
 by fave her brother the ihame and expence under which 
 lie juiUy deferved to fuffer : And, this being determined 
 upon, Robert Bunzie returned to the country. At this 
 time the voice of fufpicion was not heard, the parifli of 
 Melrofe was at perfect peace; but aftei Bunzie returned, and 
 hadfeveral meetings with Grierfonand IVlabon, they joint- 
 ly refolved to publifli their lies againft Mr Maclagan. 
 The whole fcheme far that purpofq was laid upon the 
 Saturday, immediately before celebrating the Lord's Sup- 
 per at Melrofe; and, with this dark purpoi'e brooding 
 in their hearts, Grierfon and Mabon fat down with Mr 
 Maclagan at the table o£ the Lord! What may not be 
 expected from perfons capable of inch ihocking propha- 
 nation? In the dead of the night of the Monday thereafter 
 Grierfon fee off for Edinburgh, and no fooner arrived 
 there than he went to a near relation of Benzie's, he lent 
 for William Reid, Janet Bunzie'shuiband; and having con- 
 certed their plans together, and in vain endeavoured pri- 
 
 .to bring Ifobcl Mein into-their meafures,they then 
 collected a number of laivlefs people, forced her down to 
 Leith, affronted her and fcandalized Mr Maclagan before a 
 lie in the flreet ; and then carried her before a magi, 
 flrate, to whom flie readily confefled me had born a child, 
 btjt not knowing the hand that Bunzie had in this violence, 
 me peremptorily refufed to name the father of her child ; — 
 • they would find him a different perlbn from 
 " the one they wi/bed her to accujl'." After this, Grierfon 
 once again vifited Reid and his wife, helped to bring their 
 ftoxy elurced to th\ country and boldly 
 
 difleminated 
 
( II ) 
 
 difleminated their falfehoods. In the mean time, Reid 
 and his wife fly through Edinburgh-with their calumnies ; 
 they went to the nurfe, to the midwife, and fevera! others, 
 and were guilty of tampering with them, and of theboldeft 
 attemps to bribe and fuborn fome of them to bear falfe 
 witnefs againft Mr Maclagan : For which iniquitous con. 
 duct they Hand condemned by the judgement of the Com- 
 miffion of the laft General AfTembly, and muft be marked 
 with the infamy of it for ever. 
 
 Mr Maclagan was filled with amazement at the 
 boldnefs of thefe proceedings, and the moment he became 
 acquainted with them, refolved to fearch the matter to 
 the bottom, by a fevere but legal enquiry, which he judged 
 would be a fure, though flow vindication of his character- 
 He ordered Ifobel Mein to bcinftantly fummoned before 
 Melrofe feffion; but the confederacy prevented this fum- 
 mons from being executed, and obtained a falfe return from 
 the officer. The feffion ordered her to be fummoned a 
 fecond time ; but the confederacy being now afraid (ha 
 would tell the truth, William Mabon went to Edinburgh, 
 for no other vifible purpofe but to prevent her from com- 
 ing out. He lodged three nights with Janet Bunzie, and 
 then employed an agent, one-Mr Gray, a writer, — a man 
 of fuch indefatigable induftry and zealous fervice , that if e- 
 ver Mr Maclagan has a had caufe to agent, he will certainly 
 employ him , By various mifreprefentations, he and Mabon 
 obtained warrants, for Living Ifobel Mein in prilbn,a:the 
 very time that they employed the Kirk-treafurcr, to bring 
 her to make a judicial confeffion ; hoping more pafily to 
 bring her to their meafures with the terrors of a prifon be- 
 fore her eyes, then if /he were examined in the country, 
 and were at liberty. They employed and paid Reid, in all 
 rheir illegal and dirty job*, to which they themfelves could 
 not fet face; and when Reid and his fd be no longer 
 
 of ufe to them in Edinburgh, they were carried, bei 
 
 B 2 ter 
 
( u ) 
 
 ?, to NewAead in the dead of winter, that they might 
 be aflifling to inflame the parifh; and that they might be 
 at hand :md under correction, if ever they fhoukl be cal- 
 led as wiroefles before the Preibytery, 
 
 In the mean time, Ifobel Mein having efcaped from 
 their fearch, and abfeonded for fome time ; and being full 
 of terror and in great want, in her extremity applied 
 to the midwife, informed her of her iituation, and told 
 her that Robert Bunzie, brother to Janet Bunzie, was fa- 
 ther of her child: By her advice, (he implored the afliilance, 
 and put herfelf under the protection of the Kirk-treafurer; 
 who, according to his duty, and agreeable to the defire 
 of Mabon, Gray, and Reid, brought her before a magi- 
 ilrate, where Jhe emitted a judicial declaration, which ihe 
 fubferibed ; wherein flie accufed Robert Bunzie as the 
 father of her child. 
 
 During all this time the elders were exceedingly in- 
 duflrious in imprefling the panfli with a peribafion of Mr 
 Maclagan's guilt; they indeed, for a while preferved an ap- 
 pearance of moderation, and attended public worlhip ; 
 but, this not ferving their purpofe, they fopn threw eff 
 the mafk, and agreed together not to hear Mr Maclagan 
 any more, and alfo to icatter the pariih : For this pur- 
 pofe they ordered the weaver's gallery, wheremoft of 
 the elders uiually fat, to be ihut up, which was ac- 
 cordingly done immediately ; and they themfelves came, 
 when the congregation were aflembling, and flood at the 
 church doors upbraiding and ridiculing the people for 
 to hear Mr Maclagan. During the time of pub- 
 lic worihip they went home, or amufed themfelves fome 
 unere near the church ; but returned to the doors of 
 the church when the congregation was difmiffing, ftiil ri- 
 dkrulii who attended. This they did for feveral 
 
 days, 
 
( }3 ) 
 
 days, irrigating the very children to rudenefs, until it 
 became unfafe for any perfon to attend divine fervice. 
 
 Considering thefe outrageous proceedings, Mr Ma- 
 clagan had little hope that Ifobel Mein would obey the 
 fummons, and attend the feflion of Melrofe ; or, if fhe 
 did, that matters could be conducted there with any de- 
 gree of' decency. He was then indeed utterly at a lofs 
 what plan to purfue, when the feflion relieved him from 
 this perplexity, by refilling to fummon Ifobel Mein a 
 third time ; which, being contrary to form, furnifhed him 
 with an opportunity of bringing the matter before the 
 Prefbytery. He immediately complained to them of the 
 conduct of the elders ; and befought them to enquire into 
 the foundation of the reports raifed, by which his cha- 
 racter and ufefulnefs were fo much injured : He intreated 
 them to caufe fummon Ifobel Mein before themfelves, 
 that they might know from her the truth of the matter: 
 Alio to caufe fummon fever al others for examination, who, 
 from their particular connection with her and Janet Bunzie, 
 had intimate accefs to know the truth. Mr Maclagan 
 had good hope, that, by examining thefe, a full difcovery 
 would be made of the whole tranfaction. Accordingly 
 all thefe perfons were cited to appear at Selkirk upon the 
 fir ftTuefday of December 1 783; but before that time came, 
 it was known at Newflead that Ifobel Mein had accufed 
 Robert Bunzie, as above fet forth. This occafioned great 
 diilrefs, and many confultations to the corabi nation; and 
 it became now their great object, either to prevent Ifobel 
 from coming to the Prefbytery at all, or, by fome means, 
 to perfuade her to retract her declaration. To accom- 
 plifh this purpofe Mabon firft applied to her brother John 
 Mein, and offered him money if he would go along with 
 him to Edinburgh to fee his lifter 5 upon this condition, 
 " That he would allow him (Mabon) to have a private 
 " converfation wkh Ifobel, before he, her brother, faw 
 
 or 
 
( 14 ) 
 
 "or fpoke to her." Failing in this artful fch r 
 next applied to her other relations to go and mt re her 
 on her way to Selkirk ; who accordingly went, and who 
 depone, " That they went on purpofe to tell their fitter 
 " liobel what an uproar the town of Newftcad would 
 u be in, if fhe gave her bairn to Bunzie ; and that 
 u they would be upon her when fhe went home." To 
 which fhe gave the following anfwer, t( I have made 
 u my declaration in Edinburgh already ; and they whom 
 " I have given it to has wrought well for it, and well 
 " deferves ijyand they fhall get it," 
 
 Upon that day the threatenings of thefe mefTengers be- 
 gan to be realized at Selkirk, the place where the Pref- 
 bytery met; a great multitude of people from Melrofe, 
 Newftead, and other places, headed by Grierfon, Ma- 
 bon, and Bunzie, appeared early there, and behaved in 
 the mod infulting and outrageous manner, — in fo much 
 as to oblige her to apply for protection to a member of 
 court on the ftreet, and afterwards to run away from 
 the place ; and it was with much difficulty fhe was 
 brought back to be examined. Yea, the court them- 
 felves could do no bufinefs until they obtained the pro- 
 tection of the civil magittrate ; for the mob threatened 
 to pull down the houfe where they fat, if Ifobel Mein 
 was not delivered up to their power; and it was in thefe 
 circumftances, in mid ft of their hiffings, and fcoffings, 
 and threatenings, and in the very prefence of Bunzie 
 himfelf, that Ifobel Mein emitted her folemn judicial de- 
 claration, wherein fhe confefled, u that ihe had born a 
 u child, and that Robert Bunzie was the father of it; 
 {c that his fitter Janet had perfuaded her to go to Edin- 
 €< burgh, promiling to conceal her iituation ; that fhe 
 c< had maintained her, gave her money, paid the mid- 
 " wife, nurfe, 6c. 6c. and fettled the plan for difpo- 
 
 " ling of the child after it was nurfed ; at the fame 
 
 * € time 
 
 
C *$ ) 
 
 " time folemnly declaring, that Mr Maclagan never was 
 " guilty with her, never gave her money," <bc. &c. 
 After /he had made this declaration, on the evening of 
 that day fhe went to Newftead with fome of her rela- 
 tions, and there fhe experienced the violence which had 
 been threatened againft her for giving her child to Bun- 
 zie. The fpirit of the mob which began to appear at 
 Selkirk burft forth at Newftead like fury, and put both 
 her life and the lives of her relations in the 1110ft imma- 
 nent danger ; — the mob burn: open their doors, and 
 with /bowers offiones demolished their windows ;. fo that' 
 her friends and their little ones were obliged to fly for 
 fafety, whilft Ifobel was left alone in midftof an inflamed 
 multitude, who did every thing in their power to com- 
 pel her to free Robert Bunzie, and accufe Mr Maclagan. 
 When they had filled all with terror and diftracYion, hav- 
 ing continued thus till part midnight without prevailing, at 
 that late hour deputations of elders, wirh many atten- 
 dants, were fent to catch the critical moment, — they ear- 
 neftly folicited Ifobel to retract her declaration. Now 
 they varied their manner of addrefs, they cajoled her 
 with promifes of protection and the good- will of the 
 whole parh'h ; yea, in the name of the parifn, they offered 
 to maintain her and her child all their lives; though, at 
 the fame time, they threatened her with yet harder things 
 than fhe had met with, if fhe refufed to fatisfy the pari//:: 
 But all this addrefs did not accomplifh the end they (o 
 much wifhed to attain, the moment they left her, fhe 
 tried to efcape from future violence by leaving the coun- 
 try ; but here (lie was difappointed, being clufely guard- 
 ed by night and by day. The fecond night the mob a« 
 gain aflembled ; and Will. Mabon, who had them under 
 abfolute command, went to her brother John, and told 
 him to go to Ifobel and tell her, that iix of the iirongeft 
 men in the parifh had engaged theinfelves to throw her 
 into the river Twced ; if that night fhe did not give 
 
( i6 ) 
 
 them fatisf action. In the mean time, Mabon fet a p 
 upon her brother's houfe, to preferve it from violence 
 till he ihould return with her anfwer. Upon this, her 
 father, her fitters, and brothers, wept around her, and 
 befought her to give the people fome fatisfaction ;— 
 for her own fake only, but for theirs and for their chil- 
 dren; for they told her, that that night their houfes were 
 to be fet on fire, if fomething was not done to quern 
 mob; — if at lead, (lie did not free Robert Bunzie. When 
 ihe was in this fituation, juft then appeared Mabon with 
 his trufly band, ready to execute his threatenings. She 
 had not a moment's time for recollection, What could 
 ihe do? Overpowered by terror and entreaty, fhe fa id 
 at laft, " Well then, I will free Robert Bunzie, at the 
 u peril of my life; but another man I never will file." 
 arid peremptorily refufed to fay any more; and even of 
 this, that very night ihe declared her repentance. 
 
 Thus was ihe perfecuted for three fucceflive nights, 
 during which time Ihe told them ihe had born a fecond 
 child, and informed them when and where this happened, 
 and where the child was ; but they, pretending to dif- 
 bclieve her declaration, gave information againft her as 
 a murderer, and obtained a warrant to carry her a pri- 
 foner 12 miles (ro Jedburgh) for examination. She was 
 then committed into the cuflody of conftables. Whilft 
 ihe was in this tremendous (ituation, Bunzie and-Grier- 
 ion thought it a proper time to operate upon her and 
 her friends : By the terror of a new-collected mob, they 
 caufed fome of her relations fign a paper, importing, 
 u That, to the bed of thei? belief, not Robert Bunzie 
 €< but Mr Maclagan was the father of Ifobel Mcin's child. " 
 Having fucceeded thus far, Bunzie and Grierfon went to 
 Ifobel herfelf, and thought to perfaadc her to declare 
 Bunzie perfectly innocent ; but ihe, having rather ga- 
 ther eu courage by oppreliion, to their otter* aflonifliment 
 
 boldlv 
 
( '7 ) 
 
 boldly accufed Bunzie to his face, " told him to hold 
 " his peace, fur he was a bad man ; and reminded hi 
 <i his coming to her in the mornings when in bed, after 
 " her father went out to his work:" Thus was he licenced, 
 and left her, and never after that moment could fhe be 
 perfuaded to free him; but faid, again and again, 
 " Robert Bunzie is a bad man, and I will uphold him to 
 u be fuch." When fhe was brought before the Sheriff, 
 ihe confeiTed fhe had born a fecond child, with which he 
 being fatisfied, fhe was difmifled; and was thus deliver- 
 ed from the hands of lawlefs violence, to the inexpref- 
 fible grief of Grierfon, who had done her the honour of 
 accompanying her to Jedburgh. The moment fhe was 
 fet at liberty fhe wrote to the Prefbytery, cor. fe fling 
 fhe had born a fecond child, and accufing Robert Bunzie 
 as the father of both. 
 
 A few weeks after this, the other perfons named in 
 Mr Maclagan's petition and complaint, given in to the 
 Prefbytery, were examined, and fully fubftantiated al- 
 moft every article of Ifobel Mein's declaration, and fully 
 cleared Mr Maclazan's character; — which ought to have 
 fatisfied every honeft man. 
 
 Mr Maclagan's adverfaries, having thus found 
 their arts and violence avail them nothing, and being juft- 
 ]y afraid of that punifhment which the illegality of their 
 conduct juflly merited, were now only folicitous for their 
 own fafety, and thought of nothing lefs than giving Mr 
 Maclagan a libel. But a circumftance at that time hap- 
 pened, which, though trivial in itfelf, wis great in its 
 confequences, as it renewed their courage and gave vi- 
 gour to their operations. It is therefore ncceflary that 
 the particulars of it be candidly related, though Mr Ma- 
 clagan does it with reluclance : There is one Mr Rid- 
 . writer, who foretimes refides in Melrofe, and 
 C ■ who 
 
( i8 ) 
 
 who is extremely zealous in maintaining the authority of 
 rhe game laws in their full extent; — two of Mr Macla- 
 gan's boys haying killed fome partridges, Mr Riddle 
 wrote Mr Maclagan a very imperioos and indifcreet let- 
 ter, upon which he immediately ordered his fons to dejijl 
 from that diver jhn : But happening to meet with Mr 
 Kiddle foon after, on his way to Edinburgh, and recei- 
 ving fome very indifcreet language upon that affair, he 
 bore it rather impatiently; and now candidly confeffes, 
 that he did fpeak a little ludicroufly of the affected great- 
 nefs of this great man. Upon that occafion Mr Riddle 
 iwore he would be revenged ; and accordingly, that ve- 
 ry week fet out port from Edinburgh to Melrofe ; 
 where he got together fome gentlemen of his own pro- 
 fefllon ; they then fent for Grierfon and other elders, 
 and, having heard their ftory, they gathered all their 
 fianders into a body, put them into form, and wrote a 
 paper to be circulated through the parifh, and fubferi- 
 bed by the pariihioners, binding the fubf crib erf to be^ar 
 the expence of profecuting Mr Maclagan. ^Mr Riddle 
 went and perfonally folicited the fubfeription of fome of 
 the heritors of the parifh, who gave too eafy credit to 
 fabrications, prefented to them by fucli authority. Thus 
 fome of the heritors, gentlemen who are fecond to none 
 In honour and humanity, became parties in a procefs 
 which was begun and carried on to fatisfy the private 
 
 perfonaj refentmentof Mr Riddle. Several advocates 
 
 and many writers were now employed. 
 
 From the time of Mr Riddle's engaging ifc this bu- 
 
 finefi with fuch malignity, the elders and others before 
 
 d, are not to be confidered in any other light, 
 
 as the willing inftruments of his revenge ; and the 
 
 i'icmc conduct of the caufe is to be viewed in a 
 
 ■•'cut light from what is above narrated, being 
 
 UjW 
 
( *9 ) 
 
 now the deliberate fchemes of fcientifc men y who, by 
 the methods they took, feemed to be firmly determined, 
 right or wrong, to ruin Mr Maclagan. In order to 
 obtain this end, the whole powers of their genius were 
 exerted, and every legal artifice was employed. Con- 
 cerning Mr Gray, their agent in Edinburgh, who aft- 
 ed under Mr Riddle's immediate direction, Mr Macla- 
 gan does not hefitate to fay, he employed artifices which 
 •were neither legal nor worthy of a gentleman 
 
 A libel was now framed againft Mr Maclagan, and 
 prefented to the Prefbytery on the ift of March 1784 ; 
 and the Prefbytery, for reafons beft known to them- 
 felves, referred the matter to the Synod for advice. 
 
 The profecutors pretended to be much offended at 
 the Prefbytery for advifing with the Synod, but more 
 truly were alarmed at the delay ; becaufe they were 
 afraid that the temper of the country would gradually 
 become more reafonable, and they would lofe the effecl: 
 of that violence, from which they hoped to find many 
 witneiTes ready to fwear with hearty good-will to their 
 caufe. They could have no other reafon than this for 
 the bold defign which they then formed of having Mr 
 Maclagan tried for his life at Jedburgh, at the eni'uing 
 April Circuit. For this purpofethey applied to the Lord 
 Advocate to iffue criminal letters againft Mr Maclagan; 
 but he juftly refufed to take their affirmations for fa&s f 
 and therefore ordered a precognition to be taken, be- 
 fore he would give his concurrence. This was accord- 
 ingly done, and Mr Maclagan was allowed to be pre- 
 fent and have a copy. It was there chat the vigour of 
 able and impartial magiftrates unvailed the fcene of ini- 
 quity; — it was there, that, by the keen ihveftigajion iA 
 the Sheriff of Edinburgh, who always deieryes fo well 
 C 2 
 
( 20 ) 
 
 of his country, truth was laid open and the plans of Mr 
 Maclagan' es utterly dciiroyed. There Ifobel 
 
 Mein was twice examined, ir\d confirmed, with nuny 
 additional circumOances, her former dt xlarations ; and 
 all the perfons examined by him gave full proof of the 
 abandoned character of Janet Bunzie and her huiband, — 
 of their notorious falfehood and bale attempts in this 
 prefertt caufe, and their malignity to Mr Machgan *« 
 The natural confequence of ail this was, that the crown 
 lawyers unanimouily refufed to give their concurrence 
 in a criminal profecution : And, if the gentlemen enga^ 
 ged had had either ju/tice or humanity, they would here 
 put a Jkp to all further pr (J e action; but Jo far were 
 they frcm this, that they appeared at the Prefbytery upon 
 the fird of May, and not only infifted upon the libel for- 
 merly given in, but alfo gave in a fecond libel,— r-the ar- 
 ticles of which were rather dike the ebullitions of mad. 
 nefs then the act of men who were in their fober fenfes, 
 and had any regard to truth or their own character. 
 The mod of the articles of- the »libel were declared by 
 the Prefbytery to be incredible, and the remaining 
 ones declared falfe by the Commiflion of Jaft Gc 
 Aflembly ; and on that account the fubferibers are 
 lying under the infamy, and iubject to the cenfure due t$ 
 lumniators cuid.flandtrers. 
 
 * It has been fait], that Mr Mat-lagan's acquital depended up- 
 on liis throwing Janet Bunzie and her hufband frem being witneifes 
 A him; but, though he laboured this point with juflice and 
 fuccefs, yet his fecurity did not reft there ; for as every word of 
 ations before the Sheriff, when they mention any other 
 pcrfon, was contradicted by thefe perfons upon oath, Mr Macla- 
 gan was therefore perfectly fecure of reprobating, by k. 
 witnefles, their teflimonies as utterly falfe, though they had not 
 been fet aiic'.e for malice and fuborna:ion. 
 
 When 
 
( SI ) 
 
 When Mr Maclagan was ferved with the firft libel, 
 he fcorned to fcreen himfelf under the forms of law, he 
 wi/hed to meet his profecutors in the open field of fair 
 inveftigation, he pafled over every informality in the Ii» 
 bel, and conduct of the libellers ; of one hundred and 
 forty witneffes, he only excepted againft f £r<?<f , viz. Robert 
 Bunzie, who was accufedby Ifobel Mein; Janet, his in- 
 famous fitter; and Reid, her hufband. His exceptions 
 were fo well founded and fully verified, with refpecl to 
 the two laft, that they were not only rejected, but re- 
 jected with deferved infamy by the Commiflion of laft 
 General Aflembly. Mr Maclagan's profecutors did not 
 meet him upon equal grounds, — every art was employ, 
 ed to fupport the credit of thofc worthlefs witnefTes; 
 upon every point, even the moft untenable , did they 
 take appeals, and create delays, which they might have 
 known could ferve no end, but to ruin Mr Maclagan's 
 family by the expence : Thirty appeals and upwards 
 were taken to the Synod, and all without fuccefs ; fe- 
 ven of what they thought moft important being carried 
 to the General Aflembly, were, every one of them, de- 
 clared to be frivolous and vexatious. There was 
 
 not a fingle witnefs adduced for any purpofe by Mr 
 Maclagan, againft whom they did not plead the molt 
 abfurd exceptions. They {ucceeded In nothing. They 
 had it not in their power to fet alide any of his witneffes 
 but one, or to contradict, in the fmalleft article, the de- 
 pofitions of any of them. There was fcarcely a word 
 uttered by Mr Maclagan in an unguarded moment, in 
 the heat of debate, of which they did not endeavour to 
 take the moft ungenerous and unjujl advantage, in or- 
 der, if pollible, to bring his caufe into difcredit with 
 his judges, 
 
 In 
 
( & ) 
 
 In fhort, to every impartial perfon they muft ap. 
 pear to have afted like men, who, having no hope of 
 fuccefs, laid down a deliberate plan to calumniate, to 
 teafe, to perplex, and to diftrefs Mr Maclagan ; and, 
 if poffible, to ruin his family by an accumulated expence, 
 which they had too good caufe to know he was very 
 little able to bear. But, confiding in his God, his inno- 
 cence, and the juflice of the meafures he purfucd for 
 his own defence, he has at laft brought the procefs to 
 a conclufion. The profecutors failed fo totally in their 
 proof, that they were not able to form a pleading upon 
 it : And the Prefbytery, upon the 31ft of Auguft, after 
 having fully advifed the proof, gave final judgment, 
 aflbilzying him from every charge contained in the 1U 
 bel. 
 
 Mil 
 
( *3 ) 
 
 MR MAC LAGAN wifhed to have publiflied the 
 proof itfelf, but the expence attending fuch publication 
 put it out of his power. Haying given this hiflory 
 of the rife, progrefs, and concluiion of the procefs, 
 wholly founded upon it ; he begs, in fupport of the pu. 
 rity of his character, an indulgent attention to a few ar- 
 guments deduced from that hiflory and from the proof 
 itfelf ; which he has no doubt will fatisfy every candid 
 reader. 
 
 IN the fir/} place, Mr Maclagan thought it necefiary 
 to adduce wicnefTes to prove the character of Robert 
 Bunzie, who is accufed by IfobelMein as the father of her 
 children; — the witnefTes adduced for that purpofe uni- 
 verfally bear teftimony to him, as an honeft man and ve- 
 ry good neighbour ; but, when queftioned concerning 
 his character for licentious intercourie with women, 
 they almoft as univerfally refufed to aufwer queitions 
 upon that fubject. This proves to a demonftration, 
 that in this refpeft his chara&er is not equally pure. 
 This of itfelf gives a ftrong prefumption to the truth of 
 Ifobel Vein's charge againft him; efpecially when it is 
 confidered, that flie lived within a few. yards of his 
 houie, and had many opportunities of criminal inter- 
 courfe without the reach of public observation ; and 
 this will make the more deep inipreffion when it is far- 
 ther confidered, that /he could be under no po/fible 
 temptation to accufe him falfely. He was a married 
 man, he had always lived in intimate correfpondence 
 with her father's family, and (lie could not expect to ob- 
 tain any pecuniary advantage by acculing him fcilfdy . 
 Had Mr Maclagan been the guilty man, and had Ifobel 
 
( U ) 
 
 meant no more than to fcrccn him from puniflr,;, 
 Robert Bunzie would have been the laft man in the 
 world fhe would have chofen to accufe ; much more na- 
 turally would fiie have been led to have given her child 
 to fome young man, to fome ftranger, or' have refufed 
 to delate any perfon at all : either of which fchemes 
 would have ferved the purpofe infinitely better than to 
 
 have accufed Bunzie falfely. Have Mr Maclagan's 
 
 profecutors indeed found him fo great a fool, as to fup- 
 pofe, that, if he had been advifing Ifobel Mcio, he 
 would have overlooked thefe plain and obvious circum- 
 frances, and have put her upon a plan, every way fo 
 abfurd? Surely no perfualion, but the force of truth, 
 could have induced her to accufe Robert Bunzie as the 
 father of her children. 
 
 In the place. It appears plainly from the- 
 
 proof, That, when Ifobel Mein was four months gone 
 with child, Robert Bunzie fent for his lifter from Edin- 
 burgh, who perfuaded Ifobel to go to Edinburgh to' 
 conceal her pregnancy; that, at that critical time, Ro- 
 bert, and he only, was induftrious to calumniate Mr 
 Maclagan's character; that Robert Grierfon, after hav- 
 ing concerted with Bunzie, did advife Ifobel to go to 
 Edinburgh ; that fhe accordingly went, and lived 
 Janet Bunzie ; that Janet did take care of her in t 
 refpecl, till fhe was delivered and returned home ; and 
 fo far was Janet from appearing to have been in confi- 
 dence and correfpondeiice with Mr Maclagan, that, at 
 that very time, fhe is proven to have entertained the 
 nioft determined malice againft him, — in fo mud?*, that 
 fhe f wore by the Lord God ihe would ruin him for 
 the fake of her brother. Now, let any candid man fay 
 if any thing can appear more natural than the conduct 
 of thefe people, fuppofing Bunzie guilty. In his per* 
 
C *s ) 
 
 plexity he applies to his fitter, whofe character he well 
 knew, who lived in a place convenient, and was dee; 
 experienced in fuch tranfaclions ; he neither was afraid 
 of a refufal nor treachery, he met with neither ; but met 
 with afliftance- beyond what, at that time, he had the ' 
 wicked nefs to wifh for. 
 
 On the other hand, fuppofmg the charge in the libel 
 had been true, and Mr iviaclagan had been reduced to 
 the unhappy necefficy of concealing his connection with 
 Ifobel Mein, can it be fuppofed that he is fo perfectly 
 devoid of common-fenfe, as to have trufted a fecret of 
 that importance to any woman in the world ! — If he 
 mud have employed a woman, that he would have com- 
 mitted himfelf to the mercy of one of a character fo ut- 
 terly abandoned as Janet Bunzie ! — If no perfon but 
 fome abandoned wretch could have been prevailed upon 
 to afliit in concealing his crimes, that he would have 
 been fo mad as to employ one who knew him, who 
 knew he was a clergyman, whofe friends all lived in his 
 immediate neighbourhood, and who iffight have kept 
 him under perpetual terror and contribution/ Will it 
 be bejieved, that Mr Maclagan is fo ignorant as not to 
 know, that a fmall fum of money, well applied by the 
 public officers in Edinburgh, could hide any fuch tranf- 
 adtion in darknefs, and baffle inyeftigation? When there- 
 fore, on the one hand, preemptions againft Bunzie are 
 fo ftrong as almofl to amount to demonltration, — his con- 
 duct appearing artful, prudent, and perfectly well calcu- 
 lated to ferve his purpofe ; and, on the other hand, fup- 
 pofmg the libel true, Mr Maclagan's conduct appears 
 prepofterous, irrational, and mad, — in fo much, that the 
 very fuppofition of it is ridiculous. Can any man of 
 fenfe hefitate to decide which of the two is inno- 
 cent > 
 
 D But 
 
( ^6 ) 
 
 But the proof farther fays, that Bunzie's fitter pro- 
 every thing neceflar) for Iibbel Mein; not only 
 when ihe lived in her honfe, but when ihc lived in 
 Maxwell's, and even carried her vi&U 
 more then G length of the town of Edittbi 
 
 that Iibbel had no money but what fhe got from J met - 
 that the midwife, nurfe, cir. were all paid by J. met, 
 who alfo took care of the child from the moment it 
 born ; and that her intimacy continued with Ifobel till 
 the elders were fent into Edinburgh by Robert Bunzie. 
 When thefe things are duly confidered, let any man fay, 
 if it is poflible they could Rave happened had Mr Ma- 
 clagan had any connections with Ifobel Mein. Can it 
 be fuppofed he would have employed Janet to have 
 carried ready dreffed victuals to Ifobel, when fhe could 
 lb ealily have provided and dreffed them for herfelf? 
 Will it believe, that he employed Bunzie to give her 
 the only money ihe got, had it been true, as is averred 
 in the libel, that he himfelf faw her fo often? Is it con- 
 fident with the affection he is fuppofed by the libel to 
 have maintained for Ifobel, to leave her thus miferably 
 ndant upon Bunzie; or that, in her circumftances, 
 ihe would with patience have born that dependence? 
 Would Janet Bunzie have haggled to reduce the price 
 of the midwife, on account of the poverty of the father 
 of the child, if Mr Maclagan had been that father? Is 
 there need for reafoning here? — a perfon with half an 
 eye may difcern the truth. 
 
 ly y It is plainly proven, and merits notice, That 
 rt Bunzie, and he only, did fallely calumniate Mr 
 Maclagan's character, juft before Iibbel Mein went to 
 Jive with his tiller, in the beginning of the year 1782; 
 iliac at that very time Robert Grierfon, and his friend 
 Janet Bunzie, flrongly concurred in advifmg Ifobel 
 
 Mein 
 
( 27 ) 
 
 Mein to leave the country ; that, very foon thereafter Ja- 
 net f\vore,by the Lord God fhe would ruin Mr Maclagan 
 for her brother's fake. Farther, let it be remarked, that 
 
 . after Robert Bunzie had returned from Edinburgh in the 
 year 1783, having privately communed with Grierfon 
 and Mabon, he was the firft who informed the country 
 of Iibbel Mein's having born a child, — and the firft who 
 accufed Mr Maclagan as the father of it ; that, after 
 Robert left Edinburgh, Janet Bunzie and her huiband 
 were the firft and only perfons to defame Mr Macla- 
 gan's character in town. Let it be noticed with what 
 affiduity and earneftnefs, at that time, Bunzie and her 
 hufband propagated their (tory in Edinburgh : Let* it not 
 
 . be forgotten, that thefe perfons are convi&ed of malice 
 againft Mr Maclagan, of tampering with witnefTes, and 
 of itrong attempts to fuborn them. Let thefe things all 
 be duly confidered ; and then, fuppofing the libel true, 
 let any man fay upon what principles thefe people 
 have acted in the whole tranfaction. What motive had 
 they to accufe Mr Maclagan? what reafon for fuch vio- 
 lence againft him? Why take unlawful methods to pro- 
 cure his condemnation ? — Were they actuated by a prin- 
 ciple of virtue ? — it is not amongft adulterers and 
 bawdy- houfe keepers me takes up her pure and facred 
 habitation. Was it becaufe they had a refpect to their 
 own character? Was not their voluntary accufation of 
 Mr Maclagan, fuppofing it true, a wanton publication 
 of their own wicked nefs and difgrace? Did they act by 
 a principle of avarice? Had the libel been true, 
 might have perfuaded them to conceal, but; never to 
 publifli it. Or, finally, Was it conference? — is : 
 an honeft man on earth who will be found to fay, that 
 he believes there is the fmalleft principle of c< 
 jjmongft them? In ihort, upon the fuppotition of Mr 
 Maclagan having any intereft in this Bun* 
 
 D z 
 
 ft 
 
( »« ) 
 
 - \ «1 have acted in direct contradiction to eve* 
 
 ly known principle of human nature, whether good or 
 But, upon the fuppofition of Bunzie's guilt, their 
 whole conduct proceeds from obvious principles, found- 
 ed upon their particular circumitances ; for to conceal 
 Robert's guilt, to avoid a ruinous expence, to fatiate 
 private n . and to earn the fums of money which 
 
 Grierfon, JYIabon, and Gray liberally bellowed upon 
 them, are powers fufficient, in minds like theirs, to 
 caufe them perpetrate any fpecies of villany. 
 
 4fhly, Having thus feen the part the Bunzies have 
 acted, in corj-mclion with the profecutors, let the con- 
 duct of Iibbel Mein now be carefully inveitigated, as 
 appearing in proof, and Mr Maclagan is convinced it 
 will itrongly enforce the perfualien of his innocence. 
 
 Whilst me was under the care of Janet Bunzie, little 
 or nothing can be dilcovered from heir ; even when /he 
 was carried to Leith by Grierfon and Reid, as me did 
 not then know the hand that Bunzie had in the violence 
 dene to her, ihe care f ul!y concealed her fecret, and per- 
 emptorily refufed to declare the father of her child; 
 only faying, " they would find thcuiiiehcs mHiaken in 
 the man they wiflxd he?' to accujt" But no fconer 
 did flie find herfelf defertcd by the Bunzies, than ihe 
 was [ten, in a fort of defpair, opening up her mind to 
 the midwife, to whom /lie ofren laid, that Robert Bun- 
 zie, Janet's brother, was the father of her children. She 
 who, a little while ago, was feen plentifully fupplicd 
 with every thing necefiary, then appeared to be in 
 extreme want ; fo that the midwife advifed her to put 
 berielf into the hands of the Kirk-treafurer for imme- 
 diate fubiiilence, which ihe accordingly did. Now, 
 yriH any man of common fenfe fay, that, if Mr JMacla- 
 
 I 
 
- ( 29 ) 
 
 gan had maintained Ifobel Mein before this, he would 
 now have left her, even to the neceffity of felling her 
 very clothes for immediate fupport. Would he have 
 thus acted by the fuppofed object of his affections ? 
 Was this a time in which he durft have deferted her? 
 Would he not rather now have doubled his afliduity 
 and attention towards her? that, if poflible,, fhe might 
 be preferved firm and fecret. Could it be any thing 
 but the defertion of the Bunzies which reduced her 
 to this diftrefs? and, when in that diftrefs, ihe did not 
 apply for any help to Mr Maclagan, for with him fhe 
 had no concern. And it is evident from the proof, 
 that, at this time, neither the nurfe, nor midwife, nor 
 Mrs Maxwell, with whom fhe (laid, had ever feen the 
 face, or fo much as heard of the name of Mr Ma- 
 clagan; fo far was he from keeping up the in- 
 tercourfe with Ifobel Mein fo falfely averred in the 
 libel. 
 
 It will not furprife any perfon, who has attended to 
 the oppreffive and illegal conduct of the elders, that 
 Ifobel Mein did not obey the fummons to appear before 
 Melrofe feffion ; but whenever fhe was fummoned be- 
 fore a court where fhe had reafon to hope for juftice, 
 ihe gave immediate obedience ; and there, in the pre- 
 fence of Bunzie himfelf, fhe openly accufed him, and ex- 
 prefsly vindicated Mr Maclagan. But it muft have ex- 
 cited the indignation of every unprejudiced man, to have 
 obferved what arts were ufed to prevent her from tell- 
 ing the truth. — what violent methods were employed 
 to make her retract her declaration after it was emitted ; 
 to fee an outrageous mob, headed by Grierfon and Ma- 
 bpn, thofe venerable elders, raging in the darkeft hours 
 of the night, with multitudes roaring like a tempeft, on 
 ofe to intimidate the mind of a (ingle fearful young 
 
 woman 
 
( 3« ) 
 
 woman. What mill of virtue can maintain even a juft 
 moderation, when he fees men of their character in 
 clofeft intimacy with adulterers and bawdy-houfe keep- 
 ers ; when he hears thofe men, of /acred characler, tell- 
 ing Ilbbel Mein, that, whatever ihe is, whatever flie 
 lias clone, whatever fins fhe may have committed, fhe 
 will be refpected, beloved, and regarded, if fhe will only 
 retract her declaration ; yea, when thofe elders are 
 heard proftituting the public faith, and, in name of the 
 parifh of Melrofe, promifing to maintain her and her 
 children all their lives, if fhe will only fatisfy them in 
 this article ; — whilfl thus, on the one hand, thefe arts 
 are employed to make her retract ; and, on the other, 
 fhe is feen alone in the midft of an enraged multitude — a 
 prifoner, with nothing before her but hatred, contempt, 
 and banifhment from her friends for ever, if fhe refufed 
 to gratify the multitude. Is not her fteadinefs, in 
 fuch circumftances, a proof of truth beyond many wit- 
 neffes ? Let it not be faid, that her freeing Bunzie, at 
 the peril of her life, will fhake her credibility ; for who- 
 ever confiders th^ circumflances of this tranfaction, 
 will find it rather confirm than impeach her truth, efpe- 
 cially as that very night fhe declared her repentance of 
 what fhe had faid ; and next day, in prefence of Grier- 
 fon, (lie accufed Bunzie to his face, and never after- 
 wards varied from that declaration. A falfe declaration 
 have been prepared and uttered before a court, 
 but this preparation could not have pervaded a long 
 courfe of conduct, and never be contradicted by any 
 circumftance ; fome particulars will always, in fuch cafes, 
 be found to difarrange fuch fabrication, and truth will 
 burft forth in fpite of all reftraint ; but no fuch thing e- 
 ver happened in the prefent cafe. Yea, Mr Maclagan 
 begs attention to a ftrong part of the proof, where pre- 
 paration was impoflible. So long ago as harveft 1782, 
 
 Ifobel 
 
 
( 3i ) 
 
 Jfobel Mein, returning to Newftead from Whinfield, 
 where me had been fhearing, in company with William 
 Miller, her brother-in-law, whilft, upon that occafion, 
 fhe was full of mirth and jollity, Miller accidentally men- 
 tioned the name of Bunzie, in a moment Ifobel loft her 
 cheerfulnefs, her confcience feemed to fmite her, and 
 fhe haftily cried out, " Robert Bunzie is a bad man." 
 This unexpected fpeech flruck Miller, and (till more 
 did her fudden and unexpected ferioufnefs. This 
 inftigated him to put the queftion, " Why do you fay 
 u fo ; did he ever do you any harm l n once and again 
 did he put it, and it was with much difficulty he brought 
 her at laft to fay, u he has done me too much ;" but 
 fhe would explain herfelf no farther. This could be no 
 premeditated fchefne ; it was not at this time known 
 that Ifobel Mein had born a child, and Bunzie was not 
 then even fufpected with her. Jt was nature, it was 
 truth buxfting from a troubled mind, — the,- teftimony of 
 which leaves an impreflion almoft equal to conviction up- 
 on the mind of every unprejudiced man -j but when all 
 this is confidered, in conjunction with what is above fee 
 forth of the conduct: of the Bunzies, it is evidence even 
 to a demonstration. 
 
 5thly 9 The libel fets forth, That Mr Maclagan was 
 fo mad with paffion for Ifobel Mein, that, even after he 
 had been publicly defamed on that account, and advifed 
 to give up correfpondence with her and her friends, he 
 obftinately perilled in his criminal intercourfe, and con. 
 tinued it for many years, in many different places.- 
 That a man, regardlefs of the opinion of the world, 
 after he is difcovered, may maintain his correfpondence 
 with the woman he loves, is poflible : But this furely 
 has hardly ever happened to a man who pays the imall- 
 eit refpect to decency j but for a clergyman, who wirh- 
 
 aut 
 
( 32 ) 
 
 out character is contemptible, who, 
 be ruined ; for fuch a man, in the midft of fufpicion, 
 when the eyes of hundreds were upon him, — whole jea- 
 loufy maintained a conflant watch by night and by 
 fo that his molt innocent looks were mifconftriMed ; — 
 for one in thefe circumftances to maintain fuch a corre- 
 spondence is the moft unfuppofable madnefs ; for Mr 
 Maclagan to have done it, perfectly impoffible. He 
 at a full mile's diftance from Newftead, the place where 
 Ifobel Mein lived ; and both Melrofe and Newftead are po- 
 pulous villages, fo that even the foot-path betwen them 
 is the mod frequented road in the parilh. He lives in 
 the midft of a numerous family of children and fervams, 
 by whom difcovery would have been unavoidable ; for 
 him, in fuch circumftances, to have attempted it would 
 have been madnefs, to have done it impofTible. Ac- 
 cordingly no fuch correfpondence ever exifled, though 
 his profecutors have accufed him boldly. Now that 
 the prccefs is concluded, they have not produced a 
 fmgle witnefs to a iingle fact or circumftance contained 
 in the libel; not the fhadow of unreprobated proof, 
 of the fmalleft impropriety of Mr Maclagan's conduct 
 concerning Iiobel Mein ; or any one who ever law him 
 with her in any of the places mentioned in the libel. 
 Whereas, every perfon related to Ifobel, with whom 
 fhe lived, who muft have feen fufpicious circumftances, 
 if any fuch had fexifted, univerfally and exprefsly de- 
 pone, That they never faw the fmalleft impropriety in 
 Mr Maclagnn's conduct refpedting her; and every fer- 
 vant, both man and woman, who ferved him during 
 that period, uniformly unite in deponing to the fame 
 thing ; fo that every fyllable of the libel muft appear a 
 daring fabrication of the profecutors. 
 
 Mr 
 
( 33 ) 
 
 Mr Maclagan was going finally to add, That the 
 manner in which he has uniformly conducted himfelf in 
 his family, in his parifh, and in the world in general, 
 ought furely, with candid minds, to have ftrongly haU 
 lanced in his favour , even in oppofition to preemptions, 
 if fuch had appeared againft him : For, without being 
 thought guilty of arrogance, he thinks himfelf entitled to 
 plead his character, on which malice itfelf had never 
 fixed a ftain ; and his conduct as a minifter, which the 
 word of his enemies have, upon oath, been obliged to 
 confefs was more then above the reach of cenfure: 
 But he fcorns to ufe the argument, it was not neceflary 
 in the procefs, it is not neceflary with impartial men; 
 for, from firft to laft, fo perfectly unfounded is the 
 libel, nothing has ever appeared againft him which 
 could make the mod perfect character to blufh. 
 
 Upon one circumftance indeed did the profecutors 
 triumph, and it is not doubted but it had' a confi- 
 derable influence upon the minds of many, to Mr 
 Maclagan's prejudice. It was this, they produced a 
 letter in procefs, faid to be of Mr Maclagnn's 
 hand- writing, addreffed to Mrs Reid. To prove this 
 letter to be his hand-writing, they aduced witnefles 
 who freely fwore that they believed it to be his ; but 
 fome of thefe very witnefles, when afterwards cited by 
 Mr Maclagan, peremptorily refufed to fwear whether 
 a paper produced by him was of their own hand-writing, 
 which made their former depofitions appear in a very 
 ftrange light. The truth is, Mr Maclagan freely ac- 
 knowledges, that the letter bears a flrong refemblance 
 to his hand, though he is poiitive he never wrote a word 
 of it : But, concerning it he begs leave to obferve, that 
 nothing is more eafy than to fabricate an imitation of any 
 man's hand ; of this he gave a demonftration, by produ- 
 E cing 
 
. ) 
 
 lo the Prefbytcry fuch perfect imitations of the wri- 
 tings and fubferiptions of mod of the members of court, 
 and of other people, that they themfelves could not di- 
 ilingui/h them from tlie originals ; and from this he did 
 plead, that little flrefs could be laid upon fuch evidence, 
 when the letter itfelf can by no means be traced, by any 
 circumihncc, to Mr Maclagan, and bears not his fub- 
 icription. But this will appear much ftronger when it 
 is confidered, that this letter is faid to have originated 
 from Janet Bunzie, whofe notorious bad character makes 
 every thing fufpected which came from her hands ; but in* 
 iinitely more fo in theprefent cafe, — fhehas been convict- 
 ed of entertaining determined malice againft Mr Maclagan, 
 and attempting to fuborn witnefies to fwear againft him. 
 Befides, the letter is ufliered into notice by Will. Reid, 
 her hufband, who pretended he picked it up when it fell 
 accidentally from his wife's pocket. Now, this Reid is 
 proven to have perjured himfelf concerning that very 
 tetter. Will any man then give credit to any thing com- 
 ing from fuch a contaminated fource — from perfons, 
 who, by a fentence of the fupreme court, are declared 
 infamous and unworthy of any credibility ? But what is 
 more to Mr Maclagan's purpofe than all this is, that he 
 found an opportunity of examining John Bofton, an 
 elder, and Robert Gricrfon, a profecutor, who firit faw 
 this letter in the hands of Reid, and both thefe perfons 
 concur in giving upon oath a precife and determinate 
 accottnt of its contents ; but when the letter itfelf is exa- 
 mined and compared with their depofitions, it in no 
 particular appears to be the letter feen by them: This 
 
 ./, has a very ugly appearance. That there -Mere tivo 
 Utters never ivas pretended even by themfelves. Is it not 
 
 evident to a demonflration, that, upon fecond thoughts , 
 they had found their firft fabrication not properly con- 
 
 led; and therefore they vsere under the necejfity to 
 
 begin 
 
( 35 ) 
 
 begin afrejh and fabricate a fecond letter, luhicb they 
 laid their account with fupporting, feme viay or other } by 
 the proof *, though in this , after all \ they entirely failed* 
 Such is the fabrication with which the profecutors have 
 paraded and amufed the world, but which now mud be 
 confidered as ovjer whelming themfelves with diftionour. 
 
 It has been a very melancholy thing, for Mr Ma- 
 clagan to be obliged \ during the courfe of this procefs, 
 to obferve how fatal the influence of prejudice and paflion 
 is in the human mind ; as to this alone he could attri- 
 bute the many direct falfehoods to which the witnefles of 
 the profecutors have been guilty of f wearing, of which 
 Mr Maclagan has produced the mod plain and per- 
 emptory proofs. It is exceedingly unfortunate for a 
 witnefs, when he allows paflion to dictate his depofition, 
 or when he has a ftrong inclination to ferve a party; 
 but facts are ftubborn things, and yeild not to the boif- 
 terous tides of paflion. By facts Mr Maclagan has ac- 
 compliflied his perfect j unification before the Eclefiafti- 
 cal courts ; and he is fully perfuaded, that, upon the 
 fame immoveable foundation of truth, he has clearly e- 
 ftablifhed himfelf in the good opinion of every candid 
 man. And, row that he has had an opportunity of 
 being heard for himfelf, he refufes to be indebted to 
 favour, — he appeals to the candid and the juft, with 
 them truth and juftice muft prevail ; and by them, he is 
 well aflured, he muft now be reftored to the honour of 
 his name, the deareft of his rights, from which he has 
 been for fome time fo unjuftly caft down. Having ob- 
 tained this he has only one wifli more ; and that is, that 
 lie may be again reftored to his ufefulnefs. He enter- 
 tains the firmed faith in our holy religion, the moft ar- 
 dent love to Chriftianity and its divine author; he ne- 
 ver had a greater ambition than to be ufeful and found 
 E 2 faithful 
 
( 36 ) 
 
 faithful in his fervice ; and he fondly hoped, that, as in 
 the parifh of Melrofe he had long laboured with unre- 
 mitting afTiduity, fo he had not laboured in vain : But 
 no tongue can exprefs how much he feels dejected, 
 when, from the prefent flate of the parifh, he fees his 
 long and painful labours as it were entirely blafted. 
 Still deeper is his dejection, when he looks foreward to 
 the uncomfortable, untried path of duty which is be- 
 fore him ; but as, by the bleffing of God, he has hither- 
 to kept a good confcience; {o 9 with unremitting atten- 
 tion, will he labour, that his God may approve, and his 
 confcience may teftify for him in his laft moments. He 
 trembles indeed, left the arduous duties fuited to his 
 prefent ftate be above his reach, though he ardently 
 wilhes to teach Chriftianity even as a fuiferer. 
 
 O thou who infpireft the fouls of men with the fublime 
 virtues of the character of the Author of the Chri- 
 fHan faith, give him meeknefs, give him patience, 
 give him fteadinefs of mind ; O give him a mer- 
 ciful and forgiving fpirit ; and do thou, Father of 
 mercies, hide from thine eyes for ever the fins of 
 his people, and blefs the Parifh of Melrofe with 
 every bleffing in Chrift Jefus. 
 
r 
 
 *r?r. 
 
I*