THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES Kilmacolm : a Parish History M ^ 'i '^ KILMACOLM A PARISH HISTORY I I oo— 1898 P.Y JAMES MURRAY, M.A., Minister of the Parish -^%5^^^5i^- PAISLEY: ALEXANDER GARDNER yublishcr aiib |."iool!scUcr tc ^jcr ^tlajcsti) the (Qaccn 1898 ^ 7 PREFACE. I WRITE these few preliminary sentences., neither for the purpose of asking the forbearance of critics, if my book shall be deemed worthy of their notice, nor to point out its faults and imperfections, a task I leave to others as being more agreeable to tliem than to myself I desire to anticipate only one objection that may be urged — viz., that Kilmacolm has had no history that is worth recording. It is true that, until recent years, it has been a very remote and secluded parish, " out of the world ; " that no event of national importance has taken place within its borders ; that but few of its inhabitants have attained to eminence either in thought or action ; that no poet has drawn attention to the beauty of its scenery, or invested its hills and dales and sparkling streams with the halo of romance. But, while this is so, the student of past times, who knows that the vast majority of a nation must always be undistinguished, and that only a very insignificant fraction of its life is occupied with not- able events, may, perhaps, find it useful to know something of the commonplace doings of people quite unknown to fame. After all, local records, if only they be authentic, must aftbrd the surest, if not the only sure basis, on which a general estimate of the growth of the whole nation can rest. And so I venture to think that even a humble story like this may supply a thread or two, that the dignified dame who presides at the loom of history, may be willing to weave into the background of the pictured tapestry, the outstanding figures of which are glittering knights and fair queens, and magnificent courtiers. The by-path that I have traversed is new, not marked in any guide book. It may, therefore, well be that I have not laid it down quite cor- rectly, and that I have overlooked much that should have been noted. To those who may be good enough to point out errors and omissions, I shall feel very grateful. 5933S6 ENGLISH LOCAL PREFACE. I cannot attempt to express my thanks to all who have helped me ; but I may be allowed to say that I owe much to my friend, Mr. William Kidston, for all the trouble he has taken with the Illustrations ; to Mr. John Honeyman, R.S.A., for his architectural sketch of portion of old cliurch ; and to Mr. W. L. Walker, who contributed the notes on Natural History. The Professor of Celtic in Edinburgh University, while dis- claiming responsibility for the explanations ottered, kindly revised the chapter on Etymology of Place Names. I am indebted also to Mr. James Caldwell, County Clerk; Mr. C. Bine Renshaw, M.P., and many others ; and not least, to my esteemed Publisher. I append a list of the chief authorities quoted or consulted : — 1. MS. Records of the Presbytery of Paisley. 25, 2. 3IS. Records of t/ie Presbytery of Greenock. 26, 3. MS. Records of the Kirk-Session of Kil- 27, mctcolm. 4. MS. Records of the Heritors of Kilmacolm. ' 28. 5. MS. Genealogy of the Porterfields. 6. Accounts of the Lord Hiyh Treasurer of 29. Scotland. 30. 7. Exchequer Rolls of Scotland. 31. 8. Register of the Great Seal of the Kings of 32. Scotland. 33. 9. Register of the Privy Council of Scotland. 34, 10. Papal Registers and Petitions. 1 1 . Origines Parochiates. 35. 12. Fasti Eccle.'iae Scoticanae. 36. 13. Walcott's Ancient Church arts of the country. They lived in natural caves, or rude huts, and practised the utmost austerity of life. They were not missionaries, but the fame of their holiness awed the superstitious people, and thus their influence was felt in the neighbourhood. The whole history of the time is dim and obscure, and we have no means of tracing the development of the Culdee * The visit of Columba to St. Mungo at Glasgow is historical, and as, on that occasion, ho passed up the southern bank of the Clyde, he necessarily traversed a portion of Kilma- colm Parish. THK PAKLSH BEFOKE IT WAS A PARISH. 5 Church. The hermit stage, if it was ever more than au exceptional mani- festation, would naturally pass away as the people became Christianized. The poor folk would seek direction and, by and by, more regular instruc- tion from the hol}^ men, and would in turn offer them humble gifts of food and clothing. The landholders, or chiefs of the tribes, would begin to call upon them to be the spiritual guides of themselves and their clans- men, and would provide for their sustenance by assigning them lands, and by bestowing upon them tithes or teinds of the common property. The first rudimentaiy conception, then, of an ecclesiastical parish would be the boundaries of a clan. In the course of time a retrular church organization was established, and we find the Culdee, no longer a hermit or a wandering monk, dwelling in his own house, with his wife and children about him, and very often not more careful of his sacred duties than of his teinds and other temporal rights. Tlie Culdee Church grew and flourished and did good work for Scotland ; then it waxed fat, and lethargic, and indolent, till, towards the close of the eleventh century, its usefulness was really over, when the reformation took place that gave it a fresh start as the Roman Catholic Church of Scotland. Where, in the history of the period, are we to j^'ace the beginning of the Church of Kilmacobn ? The only reply possible must be a more or less probable conjecture. We know that in the twelfth century there was a Parish Church of Kilmacolm, with a rector well endowed with teinds ; but when we leave that foothold of fact we can but pray for a chastened imagination and such guidance as the historic sense may afford. It may well have happened that, in the seventh or eighth century, some missionary monk may have found his way to the " moors " and, being attracted by the spot, or possibly regarding the inhabitants as specially in need of enlightenment, have I'esolved to settle at Kilmacolm. Perhaps in the neighbourhood of the present village he would build some poor hut of wood, and erect a luunble cell for worship. The wild clansmen, probably not numerous in such a moorland waste, would gather round him and look up to him as their priest. As the years rolled past his successors would gain a firmer hold till perhaps the chief of the clan would profess Chris- tianity and be baptized, ordering his followers to submit to the same ceremony. A little church, built of wattles in simplest bee-hive shape. « KILMACOLM. would arise, and a decent provision for the Culdee parson would be allotted out of the possessions of the clan. This little church, or the original hermit cell, the monk with simple piety would seek to dedicate to the memory of some saint ; and who so fitting to receive that honour as his great master, Columba ? To his name he prefixed the endearing or reverent "ma" and thus his "Kil" or cell became Kilmacolm, the cell of the well-beloved Colm. The name, then, belongs to the very introduction of Christianity into the Parish. How the church grew and became en- riched by the freewill offerings of pious worshippers, or by the legacies of the superstitious, desirous thereby to secure their future welfare, we have Bo means of knowing. The predominant characteristic of the Celt is idealism. He is, by natui'e, specially amenable to religious influences. He readily believes in the supernatural and bows himself before the un- seen Powers. When he was brought into touch with the new faith, he would not be slow to acknowledge its sway. Nor would he be lacking in the ardour and impetuous enthusiasm that give birth to lavish generosity. True, his wealth was not great ; — especially amid the barren moorland and morasses of Kilmacolm the possessions of the inhabitants must have been scanty enough ;— but of what he had he would give liberally to his priest. But there were no deeds of gift, and there are no records to tell the nature or extent of the ecclesiastical property of these days. The inhabitants themselves are dim and shadowy: the mist that envelopes the period cannot be dispelled. When we get our first real glimpse of Kil- macolm, the old conditions have in large measure passed away, and a new order has begun. IL— EOMAN CATHOLIC TIMES— THE CHURCH. It is not our purpose to sketch, in even briefest outline, the general history of Scotland. We shall refer to public events only in so far as some knowledge of them is indispensable to following the story of the parish, or where we are naturally led to consider them in connection witli the doings of members of local families. Very notable changes in Church and State were inaugurated by the sainted Queen Margaret, a princess of the exiled royal house of England, who, in 1069, found a devoted husband and an able ally in all her efforts in Malcolm III., King of Scotland. In their reign, and in that of their three sons, Edgar, Alexander, and David, who, in succession, occujned the throne, there was gradually brought about what we may well call a Reformation of the Church and a Revolution in Society. On the one hand the Columban Church, that had formerly been in large measure independent, became Catholic and in sub- jection to Rome. On the other the ancient Celtic organization gradually gave place to the Feudal system. We are concerned in this chapter with the story of the Church. There is no doubt that the oM Scottish Church had become very corrupt and was ripe for reformation. To the pious soul of Queen Margaret the conduct of its clergy, the low ebb of its religious life, and the divergence of its ecclesiastical rites and ceremonies from those of Catholicism were unendurable. Not less shameful seemed to her the rude condition of ecclesiastical architecture. She threw herself into the work of reformation with all the detei'mined obstinacy of a Queen whose will is law, with all the enthusiasm of a woman, who makes light of difficulties, with all the devotion of a saint, who recognises a divine mission. And it need not be questioned that what she and her successors accomplished was a great gain to Scotland. We must not think of the Roman Church as it had become in the sixteenth century when it had lost its purity, and there was uraent need for another reformation. When the Scottish Church S KILMACOLM. became Roman Catholic it was as if new blood were ])OureJ into its veins : it was a reawakening of the beneficent power of true religion. Kilmacolm must have shared in the benefits of this religious revival, though our records for this early period are exceedingly scanty. Some time in the twelfth century the first Parish Church was erected. We cannot fix the date more exactly, but we may assume that it was well built, nnd, although small and plain, not without some true architectural taste. The portion of the chancel, partly restored, that still stands at the east end of the present church, sufficiently indicates its character. The parochial system was established in Scotland in the twelfth century. At that time the parish of Kilmacolm would be formed, though doubtless the name was in existence long before. The ordinary practice was that a church was built by one or more landed proprietors for the use of them- selves and their tenants, and the boundaries of their estates usually defined the limits of the parish. The church of Kilmacolm was probably erected by the lords of Dennistoun and of Duchal, and the parish com- prised these two estates. Very likely Dennistoun, as the larger pro- prietor, took the leading part, and became, naturally, the patron of the living. This is the more probable that we find later the lord of Duchal with a private chaplain of his own, and with the Chapel of Syde built in close proximity to his own castle. The church already possessed some property, and this was now largely increased by gifts from the Patron, by portions of land being set aside as Church lands, and by tithes of the produce being allotted to the clergy. It would seem that the Rector of Kilmacolm was not ill-provided for. The endowments of the benefice were considerable, and, so long as these were preserved for the parish, there would l)e ample provision for religious ordinances. At the time of the Reformation the rectorial revenues of the living, that were then in the possession of the Abbey of Paisley, were farmed out for the com- paratively large sum of 200 inerks per annum. But, unfortunately for the cause of religion in Scotland, the parochial system was hardly established till its benefits were, in very many cases, lost by the practice that arose of conferring Parish Churches, with their revenues, on Cathedrals and Abbeys. In this way Kilmacolm soon ceased to be an independent living by being attached to the Monastery at Paisley. In PORTION OF OLD CHURCH BEFORE RESTORATION. KOMAN CATHOLIC TIMES— THE CHUliCH. 9 the charter founding the Abbey in 1169 Walter, the High Steward, who ah'eady owned feudally almost the whole of Renfrewshire, by one fell swoop, piously disendowed many parishes and handed over the proceeds to the monks. The interesting deed begins thus : — " Walter, the son of Alan, greeting to all sons of Holy Mother Church present and to come. Be it known to you that I have given and granted and by this charter have confirmed to God and St. Mary and to the church of St. James and St. Mirin and St. Milburga of Passelet, and to the Prior and monks there, serving God according to the order of Clugny : for the souls of Henry, King of England, of King David, and King Malcolm, and Earl Henry, and of my departed ancestors : and for the salvation of my Lord King William and David, his brother, and of myself and my wife, and my heirs, in perpetual charity and free from all temporal service ... all the churches of Stragrif with all their belongings except the church of Inchinnan . . . and in addition to this foresaid charity of mine with their other honours I grant and confirm to them these privileges namely riffht to fines and to hold courts : freedom from tolls and customs : to hold slaves and to punish thieves." I have not thought it necessary to enumerate all the gifts — and they are many — conferred by this charter. We are concerned only with "all the churches of Stragrif" [Strathgryfe, ■i.e., Renfrewshire] " with all their belongings." It will be noticed that Kilmacolm is not here mentioned by name, though doubtless it is included under "all the churches of Stragrif." The first actual documentary notice of the name that I have been able to find occurs in a deed drawn up by Florence, Bishop-elect of Glasgow, in 1202-1207. In it, as ecclesiastical superior, he confirms to the Abbey all the churches already bestowed and enumerates them. Among the other churches he includes "ecclesiam de Kilmacolm . . . cum terris et decimis et omnibus ipsarura ecclesiarum proventibus et justis pertinentiis." In 1220 Walter, Bishop of Glasgow, makes similar confirmation mentioning " ecclesia de Kylmacolm." In the Bull of Pope Honorius in 1225-7 the churches of Strathgryfe are again mentioned, includincf " ecclesiae de Kilmacolme et de Villa Hugonis " [Houston]. The fullest record however of the rights and possessions of the Abbey is contained in the great Bull of Pope Clement IV. in 1265. As shewing the immense ecclesiastical sphere of the Abbey at that period 10 KILMACOLM. we may transcribe from the Bull the list of the churches that the Pope regarded as belonging inalienably to it : " the place in which the said monastery is situated with all its pertinents, and the chapel of Lochwynoc, with its pertinents : the churches of Innerwyc, of Lygadwod, of Katcart, of Rughglen, of Curmanoc, ofPolloc, of Merness, of Neilston, of Kylberhan, of Hestwod, of Howston, of Kylhelan, of Harskyn, of Kylmacolm, of Innerkyp, of Largyss, of Prestwic burgh, of the other [In the monks] Prestwic, of Cregyn, of Turnebery, of Dundonald, of Schanhei', of Haucynlec, of Kylpatrik, of Neyt [Rosneath], of Kyllynan, of Kylkeran, of St. Colmanel, of Soybinche, with chapels, lands, and pertinents : the chapels of Kyhnor, at Kenlochgilpe, with its pertinents." The majority of these names, though somewhat obscured by the spelling, will be readily identified. The Abbey was expected of course to serve vicariously the cure of all these churches. A Vicar, accordingly, was appointed to Kil- macolm, who received only the small teinds, yielding but the barest sub- sistence. In 1227 it is noted in the Register of the Abbey that the Vicar of Kilmacolra receives 100 shillings yearly from the altarage. Now and again, in the old charters of the Abbey, we catch the name of the Vicar for the time being. Thus in 1250 a Hiohlaud Chief, Donald Makgilchriste of Tarbert, described in the deed as "Dovenaldus de Gilchrist dominus de Tarbard," gave the monks the privilege of cutting timber on the shores of Loch Fyne, and among the witnesses of the deed we find " Sir Hugo de Parcliner, perpetual Vicar of Kylmacolme." So, in 1261, another High- land Chief, Dugald, the son of Syfyn, gave them the church of St. Col- manel, and this gift is witnessed by " William, Chaplain [capellanus] of Kylmacolm." I do not know whether this latter worthy were pai'ish minister, or merely chaplain in the private chapel of Syde. In 1294 the Abbot of Paisley was sorely tried by a certain Robert Reddehow and Johanna his wife, who laid claim to certain lands in Dumbartonshire, that had long been in possession of the Abbey. His diocesan, Robert WIshart, Bishop of Glasgow, the well-known friend of Wallace and Bruce, took up the Abbot's case, and deputed certain of his clergy, among whom were the Vicars of Kylmacolme and Kylberchan, to go and warn Reddehow of his impiety, and, if they should iiud him obdurate, to excommunicate him. The Bishop addresses his injunction thus : "Robert, by the divine mercy ROMAN CATHOLIC TIMES— THE CHURCH. II a humble minister of the church at Glasgow, to his well-beloved sons in Christ, the vicars of Kylmacolme, etc." It is dated from Casteltaris [Carstairs]. How the vicars prospered in their mission does not appear. In 1295 the church of Kyllernan was granted to the Abbey by Malcolm, son of Lauman, and the charter is witnessed, among others, by Sir Hugh, chaplain of the Parish of Paisley, and Vicar of Kylmacolm, " domino Hugone capellano parochlale de Passeleb vicario de Kylmacolm." In 1303 Roger, son of Laurence, Clerk of Stewarton, made an assignation of certain lands to the Abbey, and closes the deed thus : " and because my own seal is less known I have caused to be affixed to these presents the seals of Master Gilbert de Tempello, Rector of the church of Rothirsai, and of Sir Hugh de Sprakelyn, vicar of the church of Kylmacolm." Per- haps we have the name of another vicar in a document which at any rate is perhaps worth quoting for its own sake. It is described thus : — "Testamentum quondam Kentigerni Maxwell domini de New Werk factum apud, Kilmacolm, 11th July, 1547." It runs thus:— "I, Mungo Maxwell, of the New "Werk, haill in mynd and bodie makis my testament in this manner. I leyf my saule to God Almychty and constitutis and onlainis Elspeth Lawmont my wife and Robert Maxwell of the Bulross * my eym my executors, and John Maxwell of Dargavel o'r man : and also I leif the forsaid Robert Maxwell, my eym, tutor to my eldest sone, and guardian by the avise of the said John, my eym : and also, I leif my herschip of Fawslane and Bolannik, ye quhilk pertenis to me, to Marjory and Agnes my tway dochteris and ordainis my said spouse to mak the expense quhile the bairnis come to perfyte aige. At Kilmacolme day and yeir above written before this witness Sir John Robeson, George Flemyng of Kilmacolm, Jonet Maxwell his spouse, and Matthew Maxwell." The parson was usually called upon to witness such deeds, and as the above will was drawn up at Kilmacolm it seems not unlikely that Sir John Robeson was vicar of the parish at the time. The only other minister of Kilmacolm, of whom we have even the name, is Umphra Cunninghame, the last vicar of the parish, who held office at the time of the Reformation, * Bulrossie or Slates is still a small independent property that, for two generations, has belonged to a family named Holmes. 12 KILMACOLM. when the Roman Church was swept away. Examined as to the value of the living at that day he stated that the vicarage was worth 50 merks ; but, he plaintively adds, he had got nothing for the last three years. In addition to the parish church there was also, as we have seen, a chapel at Syde, erected and endowed by Lord Lyle of Duchal. No trace of its site now remains, though the memory of it survives in the name. Chapel, that a farm in the neighbourhood still bears. The parson was probably the domestic chaplain of Lord Lyle ; at any rate he had a chaplain, as appears from a charter, in 14.52, in which Robert, Lord Lyle, gave to the monks certain fishing riglits at Crukytshot, and in which one of the witnesses is designated " William Cokkar, my capellanus." Li 1555, also, we find record made of Master David Stonver, Hermit of Syde, as having witnessed a deed. These scanty and uninteresting jottings are all that we can learn of the men who were the religious teachers of Kilmacolm during the Roman Catholic period. One thing that may strike us as somewhat strange is the title " Sir " as applied to more than one of these humble priests. These Pope's Knights, as they came to be scornfully called, were simply priests who had taken only their Bachelor degree. Those who had pro- ceeded to the higher degree were addressed by the more honourable appellation of Maister. Sir David Lyndsay, whose satire did as much to bring about the Reformation as the preaching of John Knox, thus mocks at what in his day was regarded as an affectation of the priesthood : — " The pure priest thinkis he gets na richt, Be he nocht stylit like ane Knicht, And callit SCHIR befoir his name, As Schir Thomas and Schir Williame." It is difficult to form an estimate of the influence of the church and its ministrations on the pari.sh. Sometimes a vicar would be appointed by the Abbey who, through ignorance or indolence, was altogether unfitted for the sacred office. At other times, doubtless, he would be a man of earnestness and zeal, and the parishioners would readily turn to him for advice and guidance. I fear that it is almost certain that there would be long intervals in which there would be no stated minister, but only occasional visits from one of the monks of Paisley. Even when a " per- ROMAN CATHOLIC TIMES-THE CHURCH. 15 petuiil vicar " was appointed it does not follow that he regularly served the cure. He might if he chose act by deputy. Thus, for example, we find a note in the Rental Book of the Abbey in 1523 to this effect :— " We ordain and makis Sir William Hwyme our curet of the said Kirk (of Auchinleck) for all ye tyme of his life ; and quhen ye said Sir William may nocht mak seruis in ye parochin, he sal cause ane other to mak seruis for him, that sal be sufficient." I suspect there was difficulty sometimes in getting enough for the decent performance of the services of the church. The value of certain fisheries allocated to Kilmacolm is fixed at an annual payment ol "1 libra of seme." In 1529 tlie " Kyrkland of Kylmacom " is let to George Flemyn for twelve shillings to the Sacristan, with this further burden, that he should be the custodian of the teinds when they were collected, and should convey them on horseback to the Abbey when required. But manifestly neither the teinds nor the rental of the Kyrkland belonged to the vicar. It is probable that the stipend, such as it was, varied considerably din-ing this period. In Bagimond's Roll, a complete valuation of the livings of the church drawn up in 1275-6 for purposes of taxation, the vicarage of Kilmacolm is set down at £53 6s. 8d. In 1227, we have already seen from the Register of Paisley, tlie vicar has 100 shillings from the altarage; but this may have been only part of, or a supplement to the stipend. In 1560 the vicarage teinds are valued at 50 merks. In the Book of the Universall Kirk, among other sources of income allocated " to my Lord, now Regent, for support of his expenses, attending upon the King's persoun," we find noted the vicarage of Kilmacolm valued at £11. Manifestly even at that date, the absorption of church property by the rapacious Reformers had already gone on apace. To sum up, we may take it that the value of the livinof of Kilmacolm was about £200, of which it is safe to affirm that not more tlian one tenth was ever paid to the actual parish minister. Wliat service the Abbey rendered to the parish in return for the remainder it is impossible to discover or imagine. True, the monks were excellent land- lords, seldom changing their tenants or raising the rents, which were moderate, and they did much to encourage and direct the growth of agri- culture, but as their tenants in Kilmacolm were few these benefits were not directly felt. The Church undoubtedly exercised a great civilizing 14 KILMACOLM. influence, and the hold that religion had on the people of Scotland is apparent. There were no lapsed masses in those days; all the inhabitants attended the Kirk as they had opportunity, heard mass, and were doubt- less the better of their religious exercises. But the time came, towards the end of the fifteenth and beginning of the sixteenth century, when the Church no longer commanded or deserved the respect of the people. I do not think the Reformation was brought about by political reasons, however much these may have weighed with some of the leaders. The people, as a whole, were not concerned about politics ; and the Reforma- tion in Scotland was emphatically a popular movement. Nor do I believe that it was the result, so much as is sometimes assumed, of a change of theological views. I venture to affirm, spite of what is often said to the contrary, that Scotsmen have never, except for a brief and exceptional period in their history, been given to theology. Their per/ervidum ingenium, that has made them religious, has preserved them from becom- ing theological. The chief popular sources of the Reformation I take to be these two : first, the universal sense of oppression that appealed dir- ectly to all, and, second, that which is, as it has always been, characteristic of the Scottish people, the sense of humour. The exactions of the priest- hood pressed heavily upon all classes, and especially on the poor. The higher clergy lived in luxurious idleness, and often in open vice. The jDoor curates were forced for mere livelihood to extract from their humble 2)arishioners what they were denied from the legitimate ecclesiastical patri- mony of the parish. Every domestic event was made the occasion of en- forcing some church due. Especially when a death occurred were these exactions felt to be hard and oppressive. Before a widow was allowed to bury her husband she had to make terms with the priest. The breath was hardly out of the body before the vicar hurried to the house of mourn- ing, not to offer spiritual consolation or human sympathy, but to claim the " corpse present," the " upmalst claithes" of the deceased, and the " Kirk cow," the choicest animal in the byre. No wonder that the poor people began to ask what they got for all this grievous exaction. The.se were no true pastors, who made it their sole business to shear, not to feed the sheep. And when the question was once openly asked their sense of humour soon led them to see the ridiculous incongruity between the reli- ROMAN CATHOLIC TIMES-TIIK CHURCH. 15 gious profession and the conduct of its j)rofessors. It was but one step fui'thei' to challenging the veiy services of the sanctuary. What benefit could they get from the mumbling of unintelligible words from the altar ? There were not wanting poets to give voice to the popular feeling, and thus to intensify it. Among those none exercised a greater influence over men's minds than Sir David Lyndsay. He taught them to laugh at the Church ; and, when an institution has become ridiculous, its doom is sealed. His satire was of the boldest. The priests were fond of claiming exemption from all the duties and responsibilities of lay citizens. " I am a priest therefore I am exempt" was a phrase constantly on their lips. "Aye," says Lyndsay, " at the judgment day, when Christ says, ' Come ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom,' the priests will instinctively cry out nos sumus exempli, we are exempt." He represents the peasant coming from church and saying of the priest .• And meikle Latin he did raunimil I heard naething but hummill buraniill. We all know how full Knox's History is of this kind of humour. He held up the practices of the ancient Church to ridicule, and when he had made the jseople laugh at them, the work of the Reformation was far more than begun. Before the crisis came, — for nearly a hundred years before, — the cliuich existed only by sufferance ; hence when the hour and the man ar- rived, its overthrow was easy and comjjiete. Umphia Cunningham, the last vicar of Kilmacolm, I fear enjoyed but little respect in the parish. He testified that for three years before 1560 he had no stipend, and pro- bably for many years more his living had been of the scantiest. At the Reformation the people of Kilmacolm were almost unanimous for the change. They saw the old Church go, with but few to lament its loss. in.— EOMAN CATHOLIC TIMES— THE PARISH. In the reign of David I., the youngest son of Malcolm Canmore and Queen Margaret, a social change of immense importance, that had begun in the preceding reigns, was completed, in the general establishment of the feudal system. The old Celtic order disappeared. The Mormaer, or chieftain of the clan, gave place to the Norman Earl ; the duine wassails, or gentry, were replaced by knights and barons, freeholders by military tenure. The land that had once, in theory at any rate, belonged to the people, was now, in theory, the j^roperty of the king, and was by him conveyed to the nobles. At the time at which oar story opens, the original owners of the land in Kllmacolm had been dispossessed in favour of strangers. Among the Normans who flocked to the Scottish Court in the reign of David was a certain young man named Walter, the son of a Shropshire lord, whose descendants throve marvellously in Scotland, getting the throne by and by, and managing to keep it, too, through the centuries, founding a dynasty that has culminated in Her Most Gracious Majesty, ^\■ho now rides these I'ealms. It was he wlio, as we have already seen, founded the Abbey of Paisley, and in so doing disendowed the Parish of Kilmacolm. But when he came to Scotland seven hundred years ago, he was little better than a needy adventurer. The king, how- ever, made him the Lord High Steward of the kingdom, and gave him huge estates in Renfrewshire, including the wliole of the parish of Kil- macolm. He held the lands, of course, on feudal terms, that is, he was bovnid to bring to the king's army, when called upon, a certain number of knights and their followers. In order to provide for the fulfilment of this condition he, in his turn, parcelled out the estates among the knights in his train, binding them, in like manner, to provide military service in proportion to the extent of their land. With only two of these are we concerned, — one Ralph, who got a large slice of Kilmacolm for himself, and who built him a strong keep called Duchal, whose massive ruins may ROMAN CATHOLIC TIMES— THE PARISH. 17 still be seen. The site on which the castle was built is ahnost an island ; hence he was styled Ralph of the Island, oi* Ilalph de L'Ue, and so arose the family name of Lyle, by which his descendants were known. The other was called Denzil, or Daniel, who obtained the rest of the parish, which was called after him the barony of Danielstoun, or Dennistoun, which again became in time the family name of its lords. His chief seat was at the castle of Finlaystone. Till the end of the fourteenth century, then, we may conceive of the parish as being divided between these two great baronies, separated from each other by the Gr^'fe. Roughly speaking, we may say that all of the land on the right bank of that stream belonged to the Lyles of Duchal, all on the left bank, to the Dennistouns of Dennistoun. These respective lords retained in their own hands extensive farms, or "mains," especially round about their family residences, tilled by their slaves, probably the residuum of the original Celtic population who, however, seem to have died out, or disappeared, by the middle of the fourteenth century. The rest of the land they let to tenants, of whom we may distinguish two classes : farmers or husbandmen, who had holdings of 20 or 30 acres, and lived on their land, and cottars or crofters, who tilled small portions of the com- mon ground, and who would usually live together in the little village round about the parish church. A large proportion of the land was still moorland, and even what was under cultivation, with the primitive methods of agriculture then known, could yield but a scanty crop. It must be remembered that root crops, turnips and potatoes, were not introduced till much later. Each farmer was supposed to keep two draught oxen ; and one point of good neighbourhood that was rigidly enforced was that each should send his pair of oxen to work the plough that was common to six farms. This plough was a huge cumbrous affair that required twelve oxen to draw it. It is noteworthy that no fieldwork was required of women, save shearing during harvest. The rents charged from farmers or cottars were certainly not exorbitant. They were at first paid in kind, and perhaps an average rent would be about one boll of here per acre. There was, however, usually required in addition a fixed num- ber of days' work on the laird's mains, and, in all cases, that the tenants should be ready and equipped for military service whenever called upon. 18 KILMACOLM. In course of time the " do service " and payment in kind came to be valued and paid in money. In the Rental Book of the Abbey there is a table drawn up by the monks, with great fairness, for calculating the amount due. " Each capon is valued at 8d. ; each poultry at 4d. ; ilk chicken at 2d. ; a laid of coles [coals] 4d. ; ye pleuch [a day's ploughinuf] 2sh. ; ye day's sherin [shearing] 3d." This is Scots money, which is one- twelfth of sterling money. Thus a shilling Scots is one penny sterling; a pound Scots is one shilling and eightpence sterling. There was a time, especially in the reign of Alexander III., when Scotland was really rich and prosperous, and food was cheap and abundant. A poet of the thirteenth century tells us that — " A bolle of atis pennies foure, 0£ Scottis mone past nought owre, A bolle of bere for aucht or ten In common prjse sauld was then, For sextene a bolle of quhetes." We have an indication of the value of the ordinai-y necessaries of life in the Proclamations that were issued by royal authority when a Court of Justice was to be held. In order that tlie inhabitants of the Assize town might not take advantage of the unusual convocation of the lieges to raise the prices unduly, proclamation was made befoi'ehand that " All maner of victuallis, sic as flesche, fische, meitt, fowale, and uther necessaris, be brocht to the mercat and sauld for reddie money, for the prices following ; and that na prices thairof, nor yit the lugeing, bedding, stabbulling, or utheris quhatsumevir asiamentis and necessaris for lugeing and furneissing of our Souerane Ladeis leigeis, be rasit or hichtit upone thame ; hot that the samin be sauld and furneissit of the piyces following, That is to say, the laif of guid sufficient quheit bread, for sustentation of the Quenis Majesteis Hou.shald and remanent Nobill men, of .xxii unces wecht 4d The pynt of Burdeous vyne [Bordeaux wine] ... ... 12d Tho ])vnt of fine Scherand or Amzerk vyne... ... ... lOd Tlie quairt of guid Aill, to be sauld for ... ... ... 8d The best mutton bowik [carcase], for ... ... ... 6sh And uther nocht .sa guid, to be sauld under that pryce, as it is of aval 11. 18d 4d 12d Gd 4d ]2d Id 2sh 4d 36sh 8d 8d 8d 2d ROMAN CATHOLIC TIMES— THE I'AKISH. 19 The pryce of ane guiss ... The mulrfoull, The capone to be sauld for The peiss of pultrie Gryt chikkinnis The grjse [pig] Four eggis, for The kid, for ... The carcage of the best beiff, to be sauld for And utheris under, upone smaller pryces, as it is of availl. The peck of horse-corne that is guid The thi-eafe of fodder The pund of candill, of the fynest and fairest saif, for The leid of peittis [load of peats]... And that thair be guid cheir throw all the toune for Gentillmen and thair servandis, for 12d at the melteithe [meal-tide, or dinner] ... ... ... ... ... 12d The furneist bed, on the iiycht, and that to friethe the chalmer [the whole charge for the chamber]... ... ... 4d The stabill fie, for ane horse, xxiiii houris ... ... ... Id Under the pane of confiscatioune of all the guidis of the brekeris thairof" The particular Proclamation from which the above extract is taken is dated August, 1556, and is in connection with "the Justice Aire of Elgin and Fores."* In an earlier Proclamation, in 1510, it is simply provided " that na victualis be saulde of derrer pryce na thai war viii dais befor the cuming of the Kingis grace to this toune, and this present Aire, under pane of eschetin of the vittalis, and punissing of the persouins sellaris thairof; and that vittalis be brocht to the market for redy mony. And that nalugeing nor stabillis be sett or takin be ony personis, of derrer pryce nai thai war sett and takin at utheris Justice Airis obefor ; and quhasa dois, it sail be dittay to Justice-Aire." t The roads in the parish were very few and very bad. All carriage of produce was necessarily on horseback. A horse would carry on either * Pitcairn's Criminal Trials, I., p. 389. t Ih-, I-, P- 65. 20 KILMACOLM. side a sack containing a boll of meal. Hence two bolls were, and are still called, a " load." The only grain grown was oats. It was sown year after year in the same ground until the yield was not more than double the amount of the seed, when it was suffei'ed to lie fallow for a year or two. There was no manuring. At harvest time the ears only were cropped, the straw being left to rot on the ground. Weeds abounded in the fields. One weed especially, gule or guld — the wild chrysanthemum ; was the cause of much trouble to the farmers. An abbot of Paisley drew up a list of regulations for the church tenants, one of which runs thus : — " also he that dirties his land with guld and does not clean it by Lammas shall pay a nieik without mercy, and if the land afterwards be found dirty, all his goods shall be escheated." The houses were all of the poorest and rudest description. Some- times they were of wood, or of wattles filled in with clay, or " dry stane " without mortar, and usually roofed with "divots." Glass was unknown, and the openings for windows were either wanting altogether, or exceed- ingly small. Let us take a glance into the kitchen of a tolerably well-to- do Kilmacolm farmer of the period. Along one side was ranged the " dresser," and on it stood the " mawm " or basket for bread, and the " bossie," or meat trencher. Above it, was the " haik " or rack on which was arranged the family plate of pewter, or more commonly, of wood. Li the corner stood the " awmrie " in which were kept the household stores, and the " boyne," or " bow^e," for liquor. Perhaps there might also sometimes be seen — the guidwife's pride — the " buist " or napery chest, though, usually, the store of napery would be scanty enough. There was not lacking a certain amount of rough comfort. When, after the day's w^ork was over, the family gathered around the fire of peat or heather, seated on the long settle, or " bink," and tales of saints or fairies, or other "ferlies," were told, and songs sung, doubtless there was much simple mirth and enjoyment. The glow of the fire served them for light, but if more illumination was needed there were resinous fir-spills dug out of the bogs, or the oil " crusie." The rich imported from abroad 'long candles," but these were to be found only in the hall or castle. Li good times food would be plentiful, though for the most part the poor crofter lived through the winter on " druinmock " and water kale. ROMAN CATHOLIC TIMES— THE PARISH. 21 In regard to the civil rights of the people there is not much to say, though, it may be, we are apt to exaggerate the power of the feudal lord. Even in those early days in Scotland there was a certain amount of justice meted out to all. It is true the gallows hill was not far from the castle gate of the lord, who could execute his sentence without recourse to judge or jury. Still there was a limit to autocratic tyranny. If a man was accused of any offence he was assoiled, that is held guiltless, if his neigh- bours stood by him and guaranteed his innocence. For the thief, who was taken "backbearand," or the murderer tluit was caught "redhanded," there was no need of trial. A short shrift, and the gallows tree, was all that anybody thought of. It would be a mistake to su[ipose that our forefathers had not their amusements and recreations. The rich hunted, and fished, and preserved their game with great strictness. There were salmon in the Gryfe and snipe and teal in the marches. The wild boar gave the hunters, armed only with spears, more exciting and manly sport than the modern chase of the timid fox. Indoors, the games of cards and draughts and dice were played both in grange and castle. It is striking to notice how the games of childhood remain unchanged. We see the boys and girls of Kilmacolm five hundred years ago as much interested in "peerie" and "palall" as their successors to-day. Sunday was the poor man's holiday. After Mass in church there was many a dance and merry-making on the village green. It is curious to come on an old statute ot the fourteenth century forbidding the " haill " Sunday to be spent on "footba" and " gowff," which are described as games unprofitable to the commonwealth. The men are exhorted to practise with bows and arrows, an exercise which was likely to be of more service. By an Act of Parliament of James II. in 1457, the games of football and golf were declared Illegal. Butts for shooting were ordered to be erected near every parish church, and on Sundays every man must practise at them, shooting six shots at the least. Any one who failed thus to do his duty was fined 2d. ; and in order to secure that the fine was enforced it was enacted that the money should be spent on ale to be con- sumed by those who did attend. Wappinschawings were appointed to be held in every parish four times a year in order that each man might submit his weapons for inspection, and prove his skill in their use. From the age 22 KILMACOLM. of twelve to fifty every male inhabitant must '"busk him as an archer." Those over that age were directed to practise such honest games as suited their time of life, golf and football alone excepted. Every man was, of necessity, a fighter from his youth up. If there were no foreign enemies to fight there were always plenty of private feuds to occupy them. For a century and a half after the death of Alexander III. in 1286, Scotland was in a constant state of broil and battle, and in the wars of the time the men of Kilmacolm took their part. In 1263 the decisive battle of Largs freed Scotland for ever from the Norse marauders, from whom it had suffered much for centuries. Alexander, the High Steward, was one of the chief commanders in the Scottish army, and, under his banner, were the knights of Duchal and Dennistoun, with their hardy Kilmacolm retainers. Every man capable of bearing arms would be summoned to meet his chief at Duchal or Finlaystone. For the time being all work was suspended in the parish. Each man, leaving the plough or workshop, would buckle on his sword, grasp his spear or battle- axe, and hasten to the rendezvous. Then would follow a hurried march over Duchal Moor, the shore being reached by Brisbane Glen. Very soon the battle began, and, when the darkness fell, the victory was unmistake- ably with the Scots. A storm, that subsequently arose, made the triumph complete. The great fleet of Haco was scattered by the tempest, very many of the ships were wrecked, and only a miserable broken fragment returned to Norway. But with the death of Alexander III., Scotland had to reckon with an enemy nearer at hand and more powerful than Norway. The quarrels that aldose regarding the succession to the Scottish throne, gave an opportunity to the able and politic Edward of England, of which he was not slow to avail himself. Under various pretexts, he interfered in the affairs of our country, until at last he had it entirely in his hands. English garrisons occupied every fortified place ; almost all the nobles swore allegiance to the English monarch ; English garrisons ruled the land. There were many who resented the Southron yoke, but it was a knight of Ilenfrewshire who was the first openly to bid defiance to the English power. His name, than which there is none that more stirs the hearts of Scotsmen, was Sir William Wallace of Elderslie. We must not be tempted to enter on his exploits. Enough to iioIr that, as both Eyle liOMAX CATHOLIC TIMES— THE PAKLSH. 23 and Dennistouii weie on the patriotic side, the men of Kihnacolm must have been among the brave and enthusiastic followers of Wallace. In these days the fields must have been largely left untilled, as every able- bodied man was at the wars, and there must have been much consequent misery and privation in the parish. There were not a few Kilmacohn families who lost a father or brother at the glorious field of Cambusken- neth, or in the less glorious battle of Falkirk in 1298. After that there was quietness for a while, but soon Bruce was in the field, and again the High Steward summoned all the Renfrewshire retainers to follow him to the decisive fight of Baunockburn. On that ever-memorable summer day in 1314 many a Lang, Laird, Scott, and Holm, then, as now, the chief names in Kihnacolm, fought nobly for their country, and not a few never saw the Gryfe again. The Lyles and the Glencairns continued to take a leading part in the broils and battles of their time. In the Civil War, that ended with the death of James III. at the battle of Sauchie, there were many Kilmacolm peasants in both of the opposing armies. The stanchest supporter of James III. was the newly-created Earl of Glen- cairn, while one of the leading advisers of the rebel prince, afterwards James IV., was the lord of Duchal. Any interval of public peace was abundantly occupied with the private feuds of the barons. They suftered not their own swords, nor the ruder weapons of their vassals, to rust by disuse. We may take one example of these feuds, as exemplifying the rudeness of the times, and also the efforts made by the law to cope with the evil. The facts are taken from the bald entries in the old Criminal Records. It is but one episode in a long standing feud between the Sem- ples and the Cunninghames, in which all the branches of their respective families were involved. It appears that early in the year 1533 a party of the Semples had waylaid and slain William Cunninghame of Craigend, and his servant, Robert Alaneson. In August of that year Lord Semple, Robert, Master of Semple, his son; Gabriel Semple of Ladyinuir, his brother, and William, his son ; John Stewart of Barscube, John Semple of Fulwood, and a great many others, appeared before the Court and " found surety to appear before the Justice, on November 17, to undeily the law for the Slaughter of the Laird of Craiganis and his servant." One of the accused, however, Sir John Semple, Vicar of Erskine, claimed 24 KILMACOLM. the benefit of Clergy, and the Archbishop of Glasgow rescued him from the secular power, and " replegiated " him to the Church Courts. In the meantime, some of the younger bloods of the Cunninghame faction, headed by Alexander Cunninghame, son of the Master of Glencairn, the same who was destined to play so important a part in the Reformation, took the law into their own hands and waylaid Lord Semple, with the avowed purpose of putting him to death. The attempt failed, but they were all sum- moned " to underly the law at the next Justice-aii'e of Renfrew." One month after this outbreak some of the Cunninghames are again before the Court " for art and part of the foi'ethought felony and oppression done to Robert Snodgerse, Mai-k Sympill, and Patrick Young, coming with convo- cation of the lieges to the number of 100 persons, in warlike manner, within the lands of the said Robert, and forcibly seizing and imprisoning him." In this case the parties, both Cunninghames and Semples, were bound over to keep the peace, under the pains of 5000, 2000, and 1000 merks each, according to their respective ranks. Meanwhile the law was taking its leisurely course. In November two of the humbler offenders, Alex. Pincarton and John Bruntshiel, were convicted and beheaded. The trial of the remainder was then appointed for February in the following year. When the day arrived, Robert, the son, and Gabriel, the brother, of Lord Semple, did not appear, and his Lordship had to pay 1000 merks for each of them, while Robert and Gabriel were denounced rebels, and put to the horn, and all their goods confiscated. The trial then went forward, when John Stewart of Barscube, Matthew Semple, servant of the Laird of Stanely, and James Kirkwood, dwelling at the Kirk of Kilbar- chan, were condemned and beheaded, while Lord Semple and a number of others, including William Craig of Syde, in Kilmacolm, and Patrick John, and Robert, his brothers, were all acquitted. Gabriel Cunninghame, how- ever, the son of the murdei'ed Laird of Craigends, was not satisfied with this decision, and straightway presented a Supplication to the Lords of (he Privy Council, not for a new trial, but that he might be permitted to I'aise an action against the members of the Assize for wilful error. The Supplication is in these terms : — " My Lordis of Counsale, unto your lord- ships liuinelie nieiiis [moans, complains] and schawis we your seruitouris, Gabriel Cunynghame, soime and air of umquliile William Cunyngham of KOMAN CATHOLIC TIMES— THE PAFJSIl. 25 Craifanis, and the remanent of tlie kin and freindis of the said William. That quhair William Lord Simple and his comphces, beand putt to the knawlege of ane Assise, for art and part of the cruell Slauchter of the said William, is quytt be the said Assise, wrangouslie and injustlie to our grate apperand [evident] scaithe and dampnage, considering his officiar and houshald men wis fylit. Quharefor, we beseke that we may have ane command to the Justice Clerk to gif us the names of the persounis quhilk past upone the said Assise, sua that we may found oiu- actioune upoune tham for thair Manifest and Wilfull Errour." * This curious request was at once granted. All throughout this restless period the barons, each fighting for private revenge or for his personal aggrandizement, thought nothing of their poor followers, who suffered in silence. The feudal system had become the enemy of all progress and civilization, and the Pteformation of 1560 heralded the beginning of social and political, not less than of religi- ous, freedom for the great body of the people. * Pitcairn's Crim. Trials, I., 163-7. lY.— FROM THE REFORMATION TO THE REVOLUTION— THE CHURCH, 1560-1612. In the year 1560 the Scots Parliament, in successive Acts, adopted the Confession of Faith drawn up by the Reformers, abolished the jurisdic- tion of the Pope, and declared the celebration of the Mass illegal. In le- gard to this last the penalties attached were most brutally severe. Any one who dared to say, f)r hear, a mass was to be punished, for the first offence, with confiscation of goods, for the second, with banishment from the realm, for the third, with death. Thus at once, in a single day, so far as an Act of Parliament could do ifc, the old Church was destroyed root and branch and a new Churcli erected in its place. Of course the religious beliefs of a people cannot be changed in this fashion. Very many, in all parts of the country, refused to change their creed, and were content to suffer bitter persecution for their faith ; while, of the bulk of the nation that became Protestant, not a few conformed only in name, and continued to believe as their fathers had done. It is usually said that the Reforma- tion in Scotland was a popular movement, and certainly it was accom- plished not by, but in spite of, the Government. It is true that there was a wide-spread dissatisfaction among the people with the existing Church ; the preaching of Knox and the other reformers had stirred the hearts of many and prepared them for a change ; the poor, uneducated, classes were little qualified to judge, and probably v\ere little interested in, questions of theology, though they could see and condemn the manifest corruptions and immoralities that prevailed among the clergy, and that brought religion into disgrace and ridicule. But the Reformation itself was brought about not so much by them, as by the nobles. They — most of them with impoverished estates altogether inadequate to sustain their position — had long cast covetous eyes on the rich church lands and ;imple ecclesiastical reveiuies. some share of which they hoped to make their own. Their influence over their tenants and retainers, even in matters of THE REFORMATION TO THE REVOLUTION— THE CHURCH. 27 opinion, was still paramount, and it is certain that in tliose districts where the lords were Protestants the Reformation easily gained ground, while in other districts, where the lords held different views, its effect was hardly felt at all. When, therefore, we consider the preponderating in- fluence of Glencairn on Kilmacolin it will not be difficult to understand that tlie parish was quite npe for the Reformation. Even in the reign of James V. the Earl was already suspected of heresy. At the death of that monarch in 1542, a list of persons so suspected, drawn up the previous year by Cardinal Beaton, was found in the king's pocket, wliich contained the names of both the Earl and the Master of Glencairn. The young Master had indeed made no secret of his opinion, having written his well- known epistle in verse in which he holds up the priests of the Catholic Church to ridicule. Their captivity in England, and perhaps the pensions they received from King Henry, confirmed them in the Reformed faith, and they became the acknowledged leaders of the English, or Protestant, party. We find them defending George Wishurt in 1545, and the son, when he became Earl, is distinguished as the friend of Knox, and one of the most influential of the Lords of the Congregation. Some accoiuit of the part he took in the public affairs of the time is given elsewhere ; but the incident that connects the name of the great Reformer with the parish may be told here. That John Knox preached and dispensed the Com- munion in Kilmacolm is recorded by himself in his History. It was in the spring of 155G. " Befoir the Pasche," he says, "the Erie of Glencarne sent for him to his place of Fynlastoun ; whare, after doctrin, he Ivkwiese ministrat the Lordis Table, wbairof besydis him self war parttakaris, bis Lady, two of his sonnis, and certane of his freindis ; and so returned he to Calder, whare diverse from Edinburgh, and frome the countrey about, convened, as well for the doctrin, as for the rycht use of the Loi'dis Table, which befoir they had never practised." "' This was one of the earliest occasions, if not the very first time, in which the ''rycht use of the Lordis Table," ^.e., according to the Protestant form, was "ministrat" in Scot- land. The Communion cups used on this occasion were said to have been silver candlesticks reversed, the hollow foot forming the cup, though it is • Knox's Hist, I., 250. 28 KILMACOLM. difficult to understand how more suitable vessels should not have been found in this noble mansion.* In 1560, the new Church, thus suddenly called into existence, was confronted with the task of providing reUgious ordinances for the Avhole country. But it had two difficulties to face, want of men qualified for the office of the ministry, and want of money wherewith to support them. Every one is acquainted with the failure of Knox's " devout imagination " that all the ecclesiastical lands and revenues should be devoted to the three-fold purpose, the support of the ministry, the endowment of schools and universities, and the reUef of the poor. It seemed as if the greedy barons were determined to starve the Church, for which they liad pro- fessed to be so zealous. The teinds of Kihnacohn were made over to the Commendator of Paisley. Glencairn seized most of the Kirklands. He became patron of the chapel of Syde, and fulfilled his part by suppressing the chapel and annexing the lands of Syde that belonged to it. Finallv * These cups were regularly lent to the Parish Church for each Communion up to 1796, when they were finally delivered to the Countess of Glencairn at her request. Here are the entries regarding them in the Kirk Session Records. "Oct. 19th, 1791. The IModerator represented that he had requested the Right Honorable the Conntess Dowager of Glencairn a further loan of the Communion Cups in her family, and also produced and read her return granting the request, upon producing a receipt from the Moderator and other members of the Session. He further represented that he had sent her a receipt, signed by him, Robert Taylor, Alex. Laird, James Blair, and James Wilson, the members that could be procured at the time ; of all which the Session conjunctly approve, and hold themselves responsible for' the said Cups to the Honourable Countess and her family. Thej' also appoint the Cups to lie in the IManse, and Air. Brown to be responsible for them to the other members of Session." "11th Dec, 1796. The Moderator represented that the Countess Dowager of Glen- cairn had, by Mr. Paton, her factor, required the Communion Cups in his custody, used by the Parish, being the property of the family of Glencairn, for which she had a receipt signed by the Minister and Elders. Mr. Brown reported that, according to a late agree- ment of the Session, he had delivered said cups to the said Mr. Paton, for which he pro- duced his receipt, as also the receipt granted by the Minister and Elders to the Countess of Glencairn. The above was approved of and all exonored." " 30th April, 1797. The Moderator represented there was sent him from the Countess Dowager of Glencairn four Communion Cups, by Mr. Paton, her factor, in place of the four she required lately, which belonged to her family, for the use of the Parish, and consigned to the care of the Minister and Elders." The old cups, so priceless by their age and associations, have disappeared, and no trace of them can bo found. Perhaps they may be found some day, and restored to the Parish Church. THE REFORMATION TO THE REVOLUTION- THE CHURCH. 2& it was arrana-ed tliat the Chureh revenues should bo divided into tln-ee parts, two of which should belong for life to the old holders, bishops, abbots, priors, etc., while part of the remaining third should be applied to paying the ministers' stipends, the amount deemed sufficient being from 100 to 300 merks Scots, or from about £5 to £15 stg. Indeed it was not till 1633 that the vexed teind question was settled, and the stipends put on a fair basis, and made payable out of the teind of the respective parishes. But not less was the difficulty of getting ministers to undertake the charges. True, most of the parochial clergy conformed to the new order, but manv of them were considered too ic^norant to be entrusted with the full functions of the ministry. They were, however, employed in the temporary office of exhorter, or reader. In 1567 we find Robert Maxwell named as holding that position in Kilmacolm, with the magnificent sti- pend of £1 8s. stg. It took more than half a century before ;dl the parishes were provided with ministers. In 1574, a Register of Ministers and Readers was drawn up, with the salaries of each, in which we find the parishes of Kilmacolm and Lochwinnoch conjoined under one minister, with a reader under him in each parish. Here is the entry : — Kilmacolme, Lochquhinzeoch. James Craw, Minister, £80 Scots. Robert Maxwell, reidare at Kilmacolme, £1G Scots. Ninian Sempill, reidare at Lochquhinzeoch, £IG Scots. From this R,egister it appears there were at that time in the (Jlnu'ch 289 ministers and 715 readers." The duty of the reader was to read the service from the Service Book, and a portion of Scripture, on which he might make a few brief remarks ; but he was forbidden to marry or dispense the Sacraments. Kilmacolm was fortunate in securing a minister of its own at a very early date. In 1578 Robert Cuik, who had been minister at Killallan in 1567, whence he had been translated to Kilbarchan in 1575, was appointed to Kilmacolm. By this time a modified form of episcopacy had been intro- duced by the Concordat of Leith in 1572, and Mr. Cuik, accordingly, * The Register is given in full in Wod. MucclL, L .329-390. 30 KILMACOLM. Avould be presented to the charge by the Bishop of Glasgow. He was soon removed, whether by death, or deposition, or promotion, does not apjjear; but in 1580 we find Archibald Spittal, A.M., Glasgow, minister, wlio was apparently translated to Kilmarnock some time previous to 1588. In this latter year the charge is held by Daniel Cunningham, A.M., Glasgow, who is the first minister of the parish, who is to us more than a name. In the records of the Presbytery of Paisley * we can see him from time to time preaching and presiding, and taking a more or less important part in its business. We can hear him too giving in reports to that court concerning his parish, from which we may gather something of the kind of parishioners with whom he had to deal, and of how he dealt with them. It is curious to remember that for more than quarter of a century after the Reformation there was not a single Presbytery in the Church. It was in 1590 that the Presbytery of Paisley, to whicli Kilniacolm ecclesiastically belonged till 1834, was formed. It included nearly all the parishes in the County. In an account of Renfrewshire, written probably between the years 1647 and 1052, entitled " Descrijition of the Sheriffdom of Ranfrow, holden of the Princes and Stewarts of Scotland, described by 1 of Greenock, and Mr. James Montgomerie of Weitland," J it is stated that "there is in it (the Shire of Renfrew) one Presbytery, having 16 kirks, viz., Cathcart, Eastwood, Eglesham, Mearns, Ranfrow, Paslay, Neilstoun, Kilbrachanes, Lochquhinnoch, Houstoun, Inchinnan, Arreskin, Kilniacolm, Greenock, and Innerkip. The parishes of Cathcart and Eastwood are adjoyned to the Presbytery of Paslay." The sixteenth parish, Kilallan, is inadvertently omitted. It would seem that it was a mistake to include Cathcart and Eaglesham. Then, as now, they belonged to the Presbytery of Glasgow. Crawford, writing in 1710, says: — "All the parodies of the Shire, except two — Eaglesham and * The Records of the Presbytery of Paisley begin on 16th Sept., 1G02, and, with the exception of a break from 1G08 to 1626, and another from 1660 to 1663, are continuous down to the present day. For much of what follows we are indebted to these admirably kept Ivecords. t There is a blank in the MS., but the designation "of Greenock" suggests that the name omitted is .lohn Shaw. I The document is printed in Paisley Mayazine (1828), pp. ;jl2-3. THE REFORMATION TO THE REVOLUTION— THE CHURCH. 31 Cathcarfc, being in the Presbytery of Glasgow — are united into one Pres- bytery, whose seat is at Paisley." * In 1592, the first great struggle against the bishops ended in the complete triumph of the presbyters. We are bound, however, to confess that Presbytery triumphant, as mirrored in the faithful pages of their own Minute Books, does not present a very pleasing picture. There is abundant evidence of zeal and f uthfuhiess in the discharge of what they conceived to be their duty, of very praiseworthy impartiality in their treatment of offenders whether in high or low jilaces, of a most earnest desire to advance the cause of righteousness and true religion, but there is also very apparent a sad want of charity and tolerance towards those who differ from them. The meetings of Presbytery were frequent, and must often have been of long duration. The usual order of procedure was that one of the brethren should preach, and another should " eik " or add what seemed deficient in the doctrine. This is the " exercise with addi- tions." This was often followed by a disputation on some controversial question of theology, and then the business began. The cases brought be- fore the court were mainly persons " suspect of papistrie," failing to attend church, or guilty of some moral offence, such as brawling, cursing, swear- ing, charming, uncleanness, profanation of the Sabbath, etc. Witnesses were heard, evidenc-e weighed, and sentence pronounced. We may cite some of these cases from Kilmacolm. They afford us the most direct glance possible into the condition of the parish at the time. Here is one touching the highest of rank in the parish. The household of Glencairn had the bad taste to prefer another preacher to their own parish minister. This was intolerable to Mr. Daniel Cuningham, who brouglit his "grief" or complaint before the Presbytery : — " 10th Feb., 1603. Anent the grief proponit by Mr. Daniel Cuningham, Minister at Kilmacolme, touching the detaining of my lord. Marquis of Hamilton, my lord Erie of Glencairne, and there families, within the place of Finlaston upon the Lord His day, fra resorting to their ordinar paroche Kirk of Kilmacome, and that by the domestick preaching of Mr. Patrick Walkinshaw and Mr. Luke Stir- ling, being absent fra their Kirks in the companie forsaid for the time, * Crawford and Semple's Renfrewshire, p. C. 32 KILMACOLM. the brethren, for reraeid of the quhilk offence, have ordainlt the said grief to be proponit to the next Sjnodall Assembly, and the judgment of the brethren there to be receavit thereaneut." This was James, the 7th Earl of Glencairn. He was apparently submissive to the ecclesiastical autho- rity, but not so his wife, the Countess. It was sus^^ected that she absented herself from the Kirk because she was not in perfect accord with its doctrine. She must be sharply dealt with: — "24th Feb. 1603. For so mekill as Mr. Daniel Cuninghain delaited to the brethren the sklander and evil example given by the continuall absence and byding fra the Kirk of the Countess of Glencairne, to the evill example of the haill parochin where she dwells, notwithstanding of her manifauld promisis made to divers of the Commissioners of the Presbytery sent to her to desire her to remove the said sklander, which promis she had no wayes as yet begun to keep, the brethren have direct their Commissioners, viz., Mr. Pat. Stirling and Mr. Wm. Brisbane, to travell with her Ladyship, and press her by reasoning and the authority of God His Word, and His Kirk, to remove the said sklander, by repairing to her paroche Kirk foresaid, and, in case she be found contumax, they ordain the said Commissioners to cite the said Lady to compeir before the brethren judicially the 26th of this instant, to give the Confession of her faith." Her case being referred to the Synod on 11th April, 1603, we read : — "Mr. Pat. Hamilton and Mr. George Maxwell, appointed by the Synodall Assemblie to my Lady Glen- cairne, to try the cause of her not hearing the Word at her ordinar paroche kirk of Kilmacolme, and to see Mr. Patrick Walkinshaw and Mr. Luke Stirling acknowledge their offence in preaching in ane privat hous in the Place of Finlayston, upon the Lord's day, the ordinar pastor being preaching at the paroch kirk thereof, reportit that the said Lady alledgit herself to be unable to travell, although they saw no signes thereof, and that she had promist to hear the Word in her ordinar paroche kirk so soon as health of body suld permitt, and communicate so soon as occasion suld be offerit, for tryall whereupon all foresaid process is ordainit to be sus- pended against her by the space of ane moneth. As lykewise reportit that the said Messrs. Walkinshaw and Stirling did nothing anent acknow- ledging their offence foresaid, whilk is ordainit to be reportit to the next Synod." She was allowed one month, but it is eleven months before we THE REFORMATION TO THE REVOLUTION— THE CHURCH. 33 hear ao-ain of her case : — " 15th March, 1G04. The hrethreii having useil all kynd of diligence, baith by coramissioners and other wayes, that the Itight Noble Lady, Dame Margaret Cambell, Countess of Glencairne, suld have repaired to hir ordinar Kirk of Kihnacolnie for the hearing of the Word of God, and connnunlcating with the bodie and bluid of tlie Loid Jesus ; and yet she remaynes obstinat and disobedient ; as lykewayes, understanding that the said Right Noble and Potent Ladie will not com- peir in Paisley before them, therefor they liave ordainit to sunnnond the said Noble Lady before the nixt Synodall Assemblie, to lie haiilden at Glasgow, to heir herself decernit to have done wrong in her continua 1 absenting herself fra the reverent hearing of the Word, and receiving of the Sacramentis, as said is at the said Kii-k of Kilmacom thir ten yeirs bygaun or thereby, and to be ordaint in all tymes coming to resort to the said Kirk that by hir ex.imple the meiner sort may no longer be moved to contemn the Word of God." The Countess, I fancy, must have conformed, for we hear no more of her, but it Is difficult to conceive that she can ever have received much profit from the ministration of Mr. Ciiningham, which she had been so worried into accepting. But still more protracted, probably because she was more obstinate, was the process against the dowager Lady Duchall. She was a daughter of the family of Knox of Ranfurlie, and the second wife of the John Porterfield who purchased Duchal from Lord Lyle. At the death of her husband she had retired to a dower house near Renfrew, the original seat of the Porter fields. It is therefore Mr. John Hay, minister of Renfrew, who " delaits " her to the Presbytery. Evidently steps had been already taken, for, on 24th February, 1603, Mr. Hay reports that "Jean Knox, Lady Duchal, remaynes contumax, refusing to hear the Word of God preachit in the Kirk of Ptenfrew, or to communicat the Holy Sacrament ; therefore the brethren ordain Mr. John to cite the said Jean to compeir before them the 24th March to give the confession of her faith." On that date she does not compear, and is again cited judicially. More than a year is allowed to elapse when, on the 24th May, 1604, "the brethren, being crediblie informit by Mr. John Hay, Parson of Ptenfrew, that Jean Knox, Lady Duchall, remayned obstinat and disobedient in not communi- cating with the bodie and bluid of the Lord Jesus; therefore they ordainit 34 KILMACOLM. the said Mr. John to summonJ her to compear before the Presbytery the 7th of June instant." On tlie 7th June, she did not compeir, and was ordained to be summoned for the second time. On the 14th June, she still not compearing, is summoned for the third time. On the 21st, there being no sign of obedience, Mr. Hay is instructed to proceed to the fii'st admonition against her. Nothing being thereby effected, orders are given for the second admonition on 5th July. A week thereafter, the circum- stances remaining unchanged, the Presbytery order the third admonition. On 26th July, Mr. Hay reports that " Jean Knox, Lady Duchall, still remaynes disobedient," and is ordered to pray publicly for her for the first time. On 2nd of August, he is authorised to pray for her for the second time ; and again, on the 9th August, the third prayer is launched against her. This, at length, proves effective, and she conforms for a season. But ere long, she relajjses, and the good man will not leave her alone. On 2nd Ma}^, 1605, he again " delaltet the auld Lady Duchall for not communicating," and is ordained to summon her to compeir the next Presbytery day. The same pi'ocess is again gone through. She fails to appear, and on the 13th of June, and again on the 20th June, Is summoned for the second and third time. On the 27th June, Mr. Hay receives orders to proceed against her by public admonition for the first time, and then, on the 4th July, and the 18th July, for the second and third time. On the 26th July, orders are given for the first prayer against her for her disobedience. The prayer was not without some effect. On the 1st August, the old lady at last compears before the brethren "and being demandit upon what occasion she had refusit to communicate the bodie of Jesus Christ this twa yeir bygaen, ansered that it was for plane malice that she had conceived In her heart against her pastor, Mr. John Hay, for sindrle wrong she alledgit done by him to her, whilk she tuk in hand to give in befoir the Presbyter}^ the 8th of this Instant ; and therefoi-e the brethren ordalnit her .so to do, and to sustain the said complaint with her allein hand : And to that eftect smnmonded Iier, apud acta, to compeir the said day." Perhaps this was only a pretext to secure delay ; or, per- haps, she might well feel that, though she had just cause to complain of the meddlesome persecution of her minister, the Presbytery were not likely to recognize the reasonableness of such complaint. In any case, ou THE REFORMATION TO THE REVOLUTION— THE CHURCH. 35 the appointed day, she was aljsent ; and the process of prayer for lier, or against her — the phrase seems to be used indifferently — was resumed. Un 5th Sejjteniber, when the third prayer is appointed, the Presbytery also " ordains the Moderator and Mr. Galiriel Maxwell to confer with lier to see if they can bring lier to any conformitie." It does not appear that these commissioners ever reported the result of their conference. It may be that the old lady, worn out by the long struggle, made some show of compliance : it may be also that the unmanly and unchristian persecution hurried her to her grave. At any rate, she endured no more of the ad- monitions and prayers of the Presbytery. I do not know the date of Lady Duchall's death ; but, as her marriage contract is dated at Killoch- ries in 1545, she must now have been over ninety years of age, assuming that she was only twenty at her marriage. Nor were these the only parishioners of Kilmacolm who gave trouble to Holy Kirk. The ladies were the most obstinate or, let us say, most loyal to their faith. The same commissioners who, on 24th Feb., 1603, were appointed by the Presbytery to confer with the Countess of Glencairn, were also ordained " to travel with Marion Cunninghame, i-elict of umwhyle George Maxwell of New Werk, and to instruct her by reasoning and press her to pi'ei^are herself for the participation of the Holy Table of our Lord Jesus Christ, and that so soon soever as the Communion sail be ministrat at the Kirk of Kilmacome, with certification to her that, in case she obstinately refuses these halsome admonitions, the Presbytery will proceed against her by censure of the Kirk." We find her again in trouble on the same account two years later. On 13th June, 1605, the Presbytery ordains every minister to give in the names of such parishioners as had not " oflerit themselves to be Communicants with the Lord Jesus and the members of his Kirk, that, their names being knawn, the causes of their absence mocht be tryit, and such as suld be found contemners of the Holy Sacrament, and so adversaries of the trewth of God, mocht be delaited to the Civil Justice, according to the laws of this country. There are given in, in the parochin of Kilmacom by Mr. Daniel Cunninghame, the auld Lady Newwerk, and Gabriel Cun- ninghame of Carncurran." This Gabriel, the "Gudeman" of Carncurran, 36 KILMACOLM. was the nephew of Lady Newark, who was herself a daughter of WiUiam Cuunino-hame of Craig-ends. I suspect most of those dealt with satisfied the Kirk. The sentence of excommunication was not one to he lightly incurred. It implied out- lawry and exile, for no one was permitted to hold any intercourse what- ever with excommunicated persons. One marvels at the apparent sacri- lege of making the act of communion the test of loyalty to the true Church. They who still held Popish doctrines, were ready to do much for the sake of peace, but they naturally shrank from the Lord's Table. But the brethren were urgent, and had no sympathy with any conscien- tious scruples save their own. Here is one case which sufficiently illus- trates their procedure. Robert Algeo, Greenock, "delaited" by Mr. John Lang, minister at Greenock, compeared before the Presbytery on 5th June, 1606, and stated " that the cans of his not communicating was ane variance fallen out betwixt him and Mr. John Shaw ; but the brethren being surelie informit the cans thereof to be because he favoured the papistlcall heresies and used to reason in the same. Therefore they or- dainit the Moderator and Mr. John Lang to confer with the seid Robert in the ground of trew religion, and to iuforme him in the trewth of the same." Twelve days thereafter they report " that they found the said Robert to have no knowledge and reason in the poynt^s of religion con- trovertit. And therefore the said Robert, being present, was ordainit to be readie whensoever they sail charge him to subscribe the articles of the faith presentlie professed within this realm. As also that he be ordainit to communicat the bodie and blood of Jesus Christ at the next occasion, with certification that if he do not they will ordain his ordinar pastor to proceed against him to the sentence of exconmiunication. They also in- hibit and forbid the said Robert in all tyme coming to reason with vulgar people in poyntes of religion that are controvertit betwixt us and the ad- versaries of Godis truth, whereby he may ingender in the humble erroneous opinions." Even the confession of a grievous fault diil not free the offender from taking part in the Sacrament. On 17tli July, 1606, John Knox of Ranfurlie seeks to excuse himself on the plea of "a sclander he lay under for the slaugliter of his father's brother, whilk was not as yet removed nor he agreed with the |)arties, wliilk he hoped would be THE REFORMATION TO THE REVOLUTION— THE CHURCH, 37 shortly." The pretext did not avail him. He was ordained " to be redie to communicat within the Kirk of Houston at the next occasion as he sal be advertized thereof by the ordiuarie pastor." Even when siibmissicju was made, satisfaction had to be given for the past offence. Under date 4th June, 1607, Jolin Burns and David Walker accused of "continuall absenting themselves from hearing of the Word, Examination, and Sacra- ment of the Holie Supper, was found guiitie, and therefore was ordainit to remove the said slander by making their repentance in their lynen claithes in the public place of repentance within the Kirk of Estwood and to stand in the joggis, except everie one of them redeems themselves fra the joggis by payment of ane merk of penaltie to the said Session ; for fulfilling thereof and abstinence in tyme to come oidains them to find sufiBcient caution to the said Session." When the sentence of excommunication had once been pronounced, it could not be recalled without great difficulty, and not without the most abject recantation. It seems that David and John Maxwell, brothers of Sir Patrick Maxwell of Newark, had been noted Papists, and had been put under the ban of excommunication. David had been restored at an earlier date ; but on 2nd December, 1602, " Mr. Daniel Cunningham de- clairit to the brethren that he was in guid hope that John Maxwell, ex- communicat for papistrie, suld acknowledge his errour, and aggrie and reconcile with the trew Kirk of God." Nothing came of this at the time, but on the 10th of May, 1604, " the brethren gave libertie to Mr. Daniel Cunningham to confer with John Maxwell, excommunicat Papist, accord- ing to his supplication given in to the brethren for that eff"ect." The minister, however, did not find his parishioner so ready to listen to reason as he had hoped. It is not till 5th June, 1606, that the process for his restoration really begins : " The whilk day Mr. Daniel Cunningham, Moderator, presented before the brethren ane supplication direckit to them from Johne Maxwell of Barfill, bearino; in eff^ect that the said John ac- knowledged his former errour in religion, and consequently that the sentence of excommunication was dewlie pi'onounced against him for the same; fra the whilk he desyrit and thirstit maist earnestlie to be absolved, and to that purpose desyris sum of the Presbytery to be diiect to confer with him concerning the principall poyntes of religion controvertit betwixt 38 KILMACOLM. us and the Papistis. The hrethren having dewhe considerit and advysit upon all the poyntes of the said supplication, and finding the same reason- able, appoynts Mr. Daniel Cunningham and Patrick Hamilton to confer with the said Johne, and to report their diligence to the next Presbytery." On 19th June they reported that " they found the said John Maxwell willing to renounce Papistrie and to embrace the trew religion presently professed. The brethren, considering that the said John had his present residence within the Presbytery of Dumfries, ordaint Mr. Daniel Cun- ninci-ham to wryt to the brethren of Dumfries willing them either to relax the said John, or to give their consent thereto, or them to show some cans why the said sould not be done." The next minute brings the matter to a close. It is dated 6th Nov., 1606. " The whilk day com- peired Mr. Alexander Maxwell of Kilmacolme, and produced judicially before the brethren ane supplication in name of his brother germane John Maxwell of Barfill, conteyning in effect ane earnest and humble desyr of the said John to be relaxit fra the fearfuU sentence of excommunication, and that becaus the said John protestit that he was resolved in tlie groundis of trew religion, and fra his heart renounces Papystrie. The Moderator inquiring at Mr. Daniel Cunningham what assurance he had of the trew unfeigned conversioun of the said John, ansered that he could perceave no externall signe in him but that, in his judgment, he dealt sincerlie with the Kirk. Therefore the brethren, advysing u]3on the maner of the absolving of the said John fra the said fearfull sentence, they ordain that Mr. Daniel Cunningham, Mr. Wm. Brisbane and Mr. Andro Hamilton confer with him on the special poyntes of religion controvertit, before he be absolved, to the end he may be moved to renounce Papistrie and embrace the trew religion with the greater sinceritie ; as also that befoi-e his absolution the said brethren sail i^eceavo of him these bondis following of his gude behavior in tyme coming. First, that he sail pub- licklie in the Kirk of Kilmacolme, in presence of the congregation, sub- scrybe the Confession of Faith, sware, by haulding up his hand in presence of the people, that fra his heart he willingly renounces, and sail renounce hereafter, papistrie, and sail profess to his lyfe's end the treuth of God for the present publickly preached in Scotland and allowed by His Majesty's laws. As also that he S'lll find sufficient caution under the THE REFORMATION TO THE REVOLUTION— THE CHURCH. 39 payne of fyve hundreth nierks that he sail communicat at the table of the Lord betwixt the dait hereof and Witsunday nixt, and produce a testi- moniall fra the pastor of the Kirk where he has communicated under the forsaid payne ; That he sail be a diligent hearer of tlie Word and main- tayner of trew religion presently pi'ofessed in Scotland ; and that he sail in no wayes, directly nor indirectly, privatlie nor publicklie, speak nor reason against the same, but defend the same to his lyfe's end; and sail have no traffique with the enemies of the same. The whilk band being subscrybed in maner forsaid the brethren ordains the said Messrs. Daniel Cunninjjham and Andro Hamilton to relax the said John fra the sentence of excommunication upon the Sabboth thereafter." It is difficult to believe that such harsh measures were really helpful to the cause of religion, or that they tended to advance Protestant views. Mr. Cunningham was evidently a faithful pastor according to the standard of the times. We have seen, at his instigation, members of all the lead- ing families in the parish dealt with by the Presbytery, of Finlayston, of Duchal, of Newark, and of Cairncurran. With the common people there was not so much trouble in regard to doctrine, but their life and con- versation called for the most anxious supervision of their minister. The morals of the people were not of a lofty order. The sin of uncleanness prevailed to an alarming extent, due in part, doubtless, to the domestic conditions, that made decency well nigh impossible. Incest and adultery are frequent, and rioting and fighting, in which the women too take part, are constantly occurring. That there are comparatively few cases from Kilmacolm before the Presbytery may be due simply to the fact that de- linquents were more amenable to the Kirk Session than elsewhere. The ordinary penalty was that the offenders should stand at the Kirk door in sackcloth or in linen clothes, barefooted and bareheaded, between the ringing of the 2nd and 3rd bells for service, thereafter should stand within the church, and confess their guilt, and be solenmly rebuked in the presence of the congregation. One very common offence was profanation of the Sabbath. An inn-keeper in Kilmacolm is found guilty of selling drink in time of sermon, and of entertaining musicians with a view to a dance thereafter. The Scottish people had always regarded Sunday as a holiday, in which they might enjoy themselves. King James, who had no 40 KILMACOLM. liking for puritanical pi-acticea, decreed that the people should liave their May dancings, and Eobin Hood plaj's as formerly on Sunday afternoons, provided they had attended church in the morning. But the Presbyters sternly set their faces against this laxity. There are niimerous prosecu- tions for "keeping the Green with pypers and dauncing" on Sunday, especially in the parishes of Kilbarchan, Erskine, Lochwinnoch, and Neilston. In Kilmacolm, I fancy, Mr. Cunningham kept a stricter hand on liis parishioners, and was able to punish Sabbath breaking without having recourse to the Presbytery. Indeed Sunday in Kilmacolm in these days must often have been a sore weariness to the flesh. The religious exercises were "painful." The morning service, which usually began at 8 o'clock, lasted for at least four hours. In the afternoon there was a service, of at least three hours, when the young people were catechized on doctrine from Calvin's Catechism. It was imperative that all should be present at both services, which, when there was a Fast appointed, were still more protracted. It was regarded as part of the sentence against excommunicants that they were forbidden to attend public worship. We hear of one such who professed a desire to be instructed, and who humbly entreated the Presbytery " that he might have libertie to frequent the Kirk, and to hear sermons, whereunto the brethren ansered they thought it very lawfull he suld do soe, providing he came in after the first prayer, and went out before the last." Why the privilege of joining in the prayers should have been denied him does not appear. Perhaps it was thought that he might receive comfort thereby, to which he was not entitled, instead of only denunciation, which was his due, and which he was sure to get in the sermon. But gradually a change had been coming over the Church at large. Episcopacy had again begun to gather strength, fostered by King James after his accession to the throne of England in 1603. One of the first steps was the resolution of the king in Council to have perpetual Modera- tors in Presbytery nominated by himself This was approved by the so- called Assembly of Linlithgow in IGOG. The jiroposal was received with extreme disfavour, and very many Presbyteries absolutely refused com- pliance. The Pi'esbytery of Paisley, for some reason unknown, raised no objection of any kind. Their conduct on this occasion manifests a humble THE REFORMATION TO THE REVOLUTION— THE CHURCH. 41 submission that is extremely rare : — " 20th March, 1607. The wliilk clay the right noble James Erie of Abercorne, Lord of Paisley and Kilpatrick, sitting in judgment with the brethren of the Presbytery of Paisley, within the Paroche Kirk of the same, after invocation of Godis name, earnestlie entreats the brethren to accept and admit Mr. John Hay as Constant Moderator of the said Presbytery, conforme to the Act of the Assembly haulden at Linlithgow, the tent day of December last. Unto the whilk his Lordship's sute the haill brethren all in ane voice maist wlllinglLe yieldit, accepting and receiving the said Mr. John Hay as Moderator constant to the said Presbytery in all poyntes according to the tenour of the said Act of the forsaid Assembly, with the cautions and pro- visions containit thereuntill. Likeas the said Mr. John accepted the said office of Moderator. The whilk the said brethren designed to be enacted and registered in the Presbytery's Buik in perpetuam memoriam." There is in all this, on the part of the Presbytei-y, a glorying in their shame that makes us somewhat suspicious of their sincerity. From this date till the spring of 1626, we lose the invaluable guid- ance of the Presbytery Records. In the public doings of the time we can find but little specially beai'ing on Kilmacolm. It is the story of the opposition of the whole Church being overborne by the autocratic authority of a foolish king. He carried his point for the time. In the year 1612 Presbytery was overthrown, and Episcopacy fully i-e-established. The Presbyteries continued to meet, but they were subject to the Bishop of the diocese. In outward organization, though not yet in worship, the Church of Scotland was assimilated to the Church of England. There had been a time when such a result had been possible, and even welcome, but the method by which it was now forced on an unwilling people sealed its fate. Episcopacy, from being regarded with favour or indifference, became henceforth the object of bitter hate, to be resisted to the death. v.— FROM THE REFOEMATION TO THE REVOLUTION. THE CHURCH (2) 1612-1660. The Church was now under Episcopal rule, but indeed thei-eby its or- ganization was very little changed. In country parishes especially, things remained exactly as they had been. The minister and elders continued to meet in Kirk Session, and to exercise the same strict supervision over the manners and morals of the parishioners. Nor were the forms of worship in any way affected. Knox's Liturgy, or, as it came to be called, from being bound up with the Psalms, the Psalm Book, was read as before. But, still more incompatible with our modern notions of Episcopacy, the Pres- byteries met as frequently, and exercised the same functions as formerly. The Bishop intervened with his authoi'ity only in cases of excommunica- tion, and in the collation of ministers to vacant churches. The peoi^le might perhaps in time have grown accustomed to the new order, had the Government not in sheer perversity trampled on national prejudices hj seeking to make the Church of Scotland not Episcopal merely, but also Anglican. It was the attempt to compel the use of the English Service Book that stirred the wrath of the Scottish people and made them deter- mined to accept no compromise. When, in 1626, we again obtain the guidance of the Records of the Presbytery of Paisley, we find that court engaged still in the prosecution of papists. The Earl and Countess of Abercorn were subjected to a pro- tracted process that ended finally in the excommunication of the Countess, while only the flight of the Earl saved him fi'om the same fate. Many in all the parishes of the bounds are accused of " neither frequenting the house of God for hearing the Word of God preached, nor communicating with other parochiners of tlie congregation as occasion offered, whereby they gave just occasion of suspicion of their Apostasie and desertion of the trew religion, grounded on God's Word, presentlie professed within this kingdom, and authorised by his Majesty's laws." Sometimes the ac- THE REFORMATION TO THE REVOLUTION— THE CHURCH. 43 cused " compeired, and offered obedience to the Kirk," but very often they refused compliance, and the Presbytery proceeded to the highest censure. " IG Nov., 1G26, Mr. John Hamilton reported that he had pro- ceeded to the third prayer against David Stewart and Elspet his spouse for their obstinacie. And becaus the brethren pei'ceaved nothing lesse by their disobedience and obstinacie against the voice of the Kirk and good order thereof than that they were open and manifest enemies of the gospell and religioun grounded thereupon, therefor they ordained the pro- cess to be extracted and presented to my Lord Archbishop of Glasgow to the effect a warrant might be obtained for their excommunication." The sentence was duly carried out. Some of their neighbours ventured afterwards to hold intercourse with them ; and the minister was ordained " to intimate to his parochiners that whosoever of them haunted the com- panie of David and Elspet Stewart, excommunicate Papists, they should be delaited to the Presbytery and punished according to the laws and Acts of the Kirk." It was the rule when any one had been excommuni- cated that his name should be announced iu every church of the bounds on Sunday after sermon, " to the intent none sould have familiar conver- sation or conference with him under the pains and penalties contained in the Acts of the Kirk." About this time the Presbytery began to take some cognizance of schools and schoolmasters. There was not yet a school m Kilmacolm. The following minute deals with an appointment to the Grammar School of Paisley. It indicates, too, the plurality of offices that the schoolmaster so long held in Scotland in order to eke out his scanty living. " 20 Apiil, 1626, Mr. Robert Boyd of Trochrig, having receaved commission from the Presbytery to try whether or not Mr. William Hutcheson was suflScient and able to teach the Grammar School of Paisley, and read in the Kirk therof, did inform the brethren of the sufficiencie of the said Mr. William; and therefor they admitted him, upon his solemne oath of diligence and fidelitie in the said offices, as likewise, according to the said oath, ad- mitted him Clerk of their Presbyterie." Apparently this latter office at first carried no salary, but in February, 1628, " the brethren, considering the great pains which their Clerk sustains for the severall ministers within the Presbytery, have, of their owne accord, undertaken to pay 44 KILMACOLM. yeii'lle to the said Clerk amongst them, to be taken out of their Church boxes, the sowme of Twenty Pounds money yeirlie." In all their proceedings up to 1628 Mr. Daniel Cunningham took a somewhat prominent part ; but, thereafter, without any explanation, his name disappears. He seems to have resigned his charge, or left it with- out any formal resignation. In Fasti, Eccles. Scot., it is stated, on what authority I know not, that he was still living at Lochwinnoch in 1646. From the same source we learn that Mr. Alexander Hamilton, A.M., Edinburgh, son of Claud Hamilton of Little Earnock, was presented to Kilmacolm in 1629, but was translated to Haddington the same year. I think this must be a mistake. He may have received a pi-esentation to Kilmacolm, but he can hardly have been inducted to the charge as no mention of him occurs in the minutes of the Presbytery. Probably there was a vacancy for some time, and the proceedings in filling it up may be interesting to give in full, so far as they ar-e recorded in the Presbytery Books. " 28 Feb., 1630. The whilk day my Lord Archbishop of Glasgowe writt to the brethren anent Mr. Ninian Campbell whom he offered to be presented to the stipend of Kilmacolm. Therefore desires the brethren to try the Literature, Life, and conversation of the said Mr. Ninian, and to report to his Lordship with diligence. Therefore the brethren willed him to exercize his pastorall gifts the next Presbytery day upon 39 and 40 verses of the ellevent to the Hybrews." "11 March, 1630. The whilk day Mr. Ninian Campbell exercised his pastorall gifts upon the text prescribed. The brethren, finding him apt and able to perform the office of a minister, and to serve the Cure in doctrin and discipline at the said Kirk of Kilmacolm, v^ere pleased to re- port their approbation of the said Mr. Ninian to my Lord Archbishop of Glasgowe, to the effect ane edict micht be direct and served in favours of the said Mr. Ninian for his admission to the said Kirk, and that with dili- gence." " 25 March, 1630. The whilk day was produced ane indorsat edict fra my Lord Archbishop of Glasgowe at the instance of Mr. Ninian Camp- bell, the tenor whereof follows: — James, by the mercie of God, Archbishop of Glasgowe, to our lovit William Playfair, our officer in that )>art con- THE REFORMATION TO THE REVOLUTION— THE CHURCH. 45 junctlle and severallie speciallle constitut, greeting. Whereas we and the Presbytery of Paisley, have takeyn sufBcient tryall of the Literatur, quali- fications, good liffe, and conversatioun of Mr. Ninian Campbell, and thereby have found him willing, apt, and able to use and exercise the office of a minister within the Kirk of God. And therefore are mynded to ordain and adraitt him to the function of the ministrie at the Kirk of Kilmacolme : therefore we charge you and command that incontinent the presents seen you passe and lawfullie warne all and sindrie the parochiners of the said Kirk of Kilmacolm, and all others having, or pretending to have, interest, by publict reading of this, our edict, at the Kirk door of the said Kirk, in tyme of divine service, and affixing a copie upon the same, to compeir by themselves, or their commissioners lawfullie autho- rized, before us at Glasgowe, the first day of Aprile nixtocuni, to give their consent to the ordination and admission of the said Mr. Ninian Campbell to the ministrie at the said Kirk, or else to propone some reasonable cans why the same shuld not be done, certifying them that whether they compeir or not we will proceed to the ordination and admis- sion of the said Mr. Ninian Campbell to the ministrie at the said Kirk, conform to the order and practiques in such cases. The whilk to doe we commit to you conjunctlie and severallie our full power by this our edict, delyvering the same duellie execut and indorsat again to the beai'er. Given under our hand and sealed with our seall at Glusgowe the 12th day of March, 1630. Sic subscribitur Ja. Glasgowe." The endoi'sation of the officer bears that he read the edict "at the said Kirk door betwixt tlie second and third Bell-ringing," and made the appointed intimations : "this I did before these witnesses, Andro M'Farland of Dunfad, Gabriell Lyndsay of Syde, Robert Blair, servitor to Alexander Porterfield of that Ilk, and Alexander Maxwell, servitor to Patrick Maxwell of Newark, and John Lang at Mathernock, with others divers ; and for the mair verifica- ting hereof written and subt. with my hand, hereto my signet is affixed, W. Playfair." " 8 Aprile, 1630. The whilk day it was signified to the brethren that Mr. Ninian Campbell, according to his edict and tenor thereof, was at Glasgowe the first day of Aprile instant with all due solemnitie, with- out contradiction or opposition admitted to the ministei-ie of the Kirk of 46 KILMACOLM. Kilmacolme by my Lord Archblsliop of Glasgowe." In i-egard to this ap- pointment it is worth noticing (1) that the presentation is issued by the Archbishop, (2) that he submits his presentee to the Presbytery for their trial and approbation, (3) that the parishioners ai'e recognized by being summoned to consent or object to the admission, and (4) that the presentee is ordained and inducted by the Archbishop without the Pres- bytery taking any part therein. Mr. Campbell was a graduate in Arts of Glasgow University, and seems to have been a sufficiently able man. He held the charge for about twenty-one years. He was at any rate a faithful attender at Pres- bytery ; which is more than can be said for some of his brethren. Indeed the very frequent meetings of that court must have been a considerable tax on the time, and even on the slender means of the country ministers. Yet the Presbytery was not disposed to permit its members to neglect this duty ; and the measure they adopted to this end may be commended to the attention of Presbyteries at the present day. On 21st Feb., 1628, they ordained that " whosoever should be found absent from any meeting at the tyme appointed unless he excuse his absence by some reasonable cause and occasion worthie of the brethren's approbation he should pay, toties quoties, twelve shillings, to be disposed of at their optioun." Still it was recognized that there were occasions, when the Presbytery might be excused from meeting. Thus they adjourned from 11th Aug., 1631, till 20th Oct., " during which space the brethren have concluded their vacance till harvest be ended." Again in 1635 there was a much longer " vacance " caused by a storm of, surely, most unusual duration. " Since the thirteen day of November, 1634, to the present nynt of Aprile 1635, there was no Presbyterie kept, which was occasioned by continuall storm and tempest." During these years the exercise of discipline was in no way relaxed, but became even stricter, though it is noteworthy no parishioner of Kil- macolm seems to have been "delaited" to the Presbytery during Mr, Campbell's incumbency. I am afraid that we ai'e not entitled to infer from that fact that their general behaviour was better than that of their neighbours. It may have been due to the unfaithfulness of the minister ; indeed, as we .shall see presently, there were pious folks in his congrega- THE REFORMATION TO THE REVOLUTION— THE CHURCH. 47 tion who were thoroughly dissatisfied with their pastor, and roundly denounced his lukewarmness and latitudinarian laxity. But his brethren in the neighbouring parishes were not silent, and from their reports we can gather something of the general condition. It is evident that the ministers did not enjoy universal respect. Tlius in Oct. 1G28, "John Shaw of Bargfarrand, for his orreat miscarriage towards the Session of Ers- kine, and for his outrage against the minister in pulpit when he was exer- cised in preaching the Word, was ordained to confess his great offence in his own seat, crave God's pardon, and the minister's and Session's, and to resort to his owne paroch Kirk ordinarlie in all tyme coming." But this was not the end of the matter for John ; his own Session had yet to deal with him ; " and for his contemptuous disobedience and misbehaviour against the minister and elders of the Kirk of Erskine in not removing out of the place within the said Kirk, in which he ought not to have sitten, when he was bidden remove, and for giving in ane infamous libell against tlie minister of the said Kirk which was unproved, he was ordained to goe to the place of publict repentance within the said Kirk in his linning claithes, and there confess to the glovie of God and satisfactioun of the congregatioun, his great offence, under the pain of disobedience and maist severe punishment of the Kirk." Already we see the difficulty connected with the allocation of sittings in the Pari.sh Kirk beginning to emerge. In September, 1633, a parishioner of Neilston "being accused for not keeping the said Kirk answered that he had no hinderance but the want of a seat therein." A. still worse case was that of Robert Widdrowe, who brought the most vile charges against Mr. James Hutcheson, minister of Houstoun, which were held to be groundless ; " wherefor the brethren decerned and ordained the said Robert, for satisfactioun of the wrong forsaid, and removing of the scandal arising therefra, to passe to the Paroch Kirks after following, there to stand in sackclotlies betwixt the second and third bell-ringing, and thereafter to goe to the place of publict re- pentance in the Kirks following, viz., The first day ane Sabbath at the Kirk of Houstoun in sackcloths and in the joggis, the second at Paisley, the third at Kilmacolm, the fourth at Kilbarquhan, the fyfth at Killellan, tiie sixt at Erskine, the sevint at Inchinnand, in the habite onelie. And thereafler to return to Houstoun, and at the Kirk door thereof to stand 48 KILMACOLM. in sackcloth and in the jo_^gis the said space and for twa days. And moreover have ordained the said Robert to pay in penaltie to the Session of Houstoun fourfcie punds money." In these years important events were taking place in the general history of the Church, though in these the minister of Kilmacolm did not take much part. He did not oppose the action of his Presbytery, but apparently he did not co-operate heartily. I am afraid it must be con- fessed that Mr. Ninian Campbell was not a very zealous Presbyterian. The struggle against Episcopacy had never quite died down ; but had the King and his advisers had the smallest modicum of wisdom, there is little doubt that in time the Church of Scotland would have accepted bishops. But, fortunately or unfortunately, the King was bent on subduing the Kirk in all particulars to tlie Anglican pattern. We all know what followed the foolish attempt to force the Church to accept Laud's Service Book. Jenny Geddes literally struck the first blow in St. Giles' on that memorable day in 1636, and straightway the whole Church was in arms. Supplications against the use of the Service Book poured in from all parts of the country in the following year ; the " Four Tables " were formed, i.e., a Committee consisting of representatives from the four Estates of Nobles, Gentry, Clergy, and Burghers: the National Covenant was drawn up and signed amid much enthusiasm in Greyfriars Churchyard : the famous Assembly was held at Glasgow in 1638 which declared Epis- copacy illegal: a Covenanting army was formed: and finally in 1642 King Charles in Parliament, not only withdrew the obnoxious Service Book, but also confirmed the decisions of the Glasgow Assembly. En- thusiasts describe these proceedings as a second Beformation. Presbytery, at anyrate, was once more triumphant. We have but to note the local action in connection with these great events. On 13th October, 1637, the Presbytery of Paisley had before them the question of the Service Book, and "thought it necessar to draw up a supplication thereanent unto the Lords of his Majesty's Secret Council, and to appoint Commissioners to present the same." They state their case with great calmness. " We cannot but thynk ourselves bound in conscience to join with the rest of our brethren and other good Christians in sui)plicating your Lordships most humblie to deall with his Majesty that he wold be graciouslie pleased THE REFOKMATION TO THE REVOLUTION-THE CHURCH. 49 not to urge upon his good and loyal subjects the said Service Book after such a fashion, in our judgment contrar to the practice and custom of the Kirk and Kingdom, wherein, so far as we knowe, nothing hitherto of that kind hath been established without the consent of the General Assembly and Parliament. And seeing we have had a liturgie established by cus- tom, wherewith we have been bred and educated ever since the Reforma- tion, and the same not abolished, and the liturgie nowe urged seemeth to us in sindrie particulars to be dyferent from that we have embraced and professed, it wold please his Gracious Majestie to use such a fair course whereby his Majesty's pleasure may be accomplished without impeach- ment to the good and peace of the Church, and without grief and offence to the consciences of his Majesty's most loving and loyall subjects." Further the brethren "give and grant full power to Mr. Matthew Birsbane, minister at Kilellan to compeir before the Lords of his Majesty's Secret Council to pre- sent this our supplication unto their Lordships. And to advyse and consult with the rest of the brethren or other good Christians that shall happen to be present at Edinburgh, or elsewhere, concerning such a wise and fair course as shall be thought fitt and expedient to be taken concerning the Service Book presentlie urged." From this latter provision it may be assumed that they had no great hope of their supplication being success- ful. It is sometimes imagined that the objection of the Kirk was to a Service Book of any kind. This was not so. Ever since the Reformation, Knox's Liturgy had been in regular use, and it will be observed from the above that the Presbytery object to the new liturgy not only because it had nrt received the sanction of the Assembly, but also because it seemed to them inferior to their own familiar liturgy, " in which they had been bred since the Reformation." It was mainly through the influence of English Puritans that, a few years thereafter, the Scottish Prayer Book fell out of use. The innovations in worship sorely troubled the con- sciences of the brethren. On 24th May, 1638, " the brethren thought good that a solemne fast be kept on Sonday come eight days, and intimation thereof to be made on Sonday nixt throughout the whole churches of the Presbytery, for the removing of the sinnes of the land, and especiallie the contempt of the Gospel!, which justlie hath provoked God to permitt in- novations to creep in unto the Church. And that it would please God to 50 KILMACOLM. save the Kirk of Scotland from all innovations of religion, and that peace with the professioun of the present religioun may with libertie be enter- tained." On 22nd June all the brethren, Mr. Campbell included, reported that the fast had been duly kept. On the same date they dealt with the question of the constant Moderator presiding over them as the representa- tive of the Archbishop. The Assembly had resolved that the arrangement should cease. Mr. John Hay, however, alleging that as " he had his office of the Archbishop of Glasgow, with consent of the brethren, he could not lay it down unless his office were discharged by them of whom he had received it," craved delay " for further advysment in the said poynt." This delay was granted, but on 5th July, as Mr. Hay did not apjoear, " the brethren concluded that the Moderator hereafter shall be chancred everie six months, and continue onlie betwixt Assemblies. And for the present they elected and chose Mr. Matthew Birsbane, Moderator." The import- ant meeting of the Assembly at Glasgow was now approaching, and on 22nd September the Presbytery chose as their commissionex's three ministers and three elders, viz., Mr. Matthew Birsbane, Mr. William Birsbane, and Mr. John Hamilton, along with Sir Ludovic Houstoun of that Ilk, the Laird of Bishopton, and the Goodman of Duchall. They looked forward to the Assembly wdth peculiar interest. On 11th October " the brethren are appointed to keep a solemne fast through all their churches these two Sabbaths, viz., 4th and 11th November, for a happie meeting, a prosperous proceeding, and a gracious success unto the General Assemblie ensuing." And when it was over apparently all were perfectly satisfied with the notable doings of that Assembly. On 23i'd March, 1639, " all the brethren with ane voice declared that they approved the General Assembly as lawfull, and all the proceedings thereof to be law- full." Meantime the signing of the Covenant was being eagerly pressed in every parish. Was Mr. Campbell, the minister of Kilmacolm, quite sound on this all-important point? At any rate, on 30th August, 1638, he was called upon to " solemnlie swear that he was neither dealt with nor would suffer himself to be dealt with, to be perverted against the Covenant, nee prece, pretio, nee minis," i.e., neither by entreaty, bribe, nor threat. From this time the Kirk became even more strict and inquisitorial in THE REFORMATION TO THE REVOLUTION— THE CHURCH. 51 the exercise of discipline. All the brethren are exhorted — 23rd March, 1639 — " to execute condign punishment against notorious swearers, banners, drinkers excessivelie, profaners of the Sabbath, and such like." Again, on account of " the many and great abuses committed at marriage brydalls by piping and dancing, with blasphemie, drunkenness, and jDro- vocations to uncleanness," the ministers are ordained " out of pulpit publictlie to discharge the same under pain of what punishment the Kirk should enjoin." The morals of our forefathers in those days much needed correction, but surely it was a mistaken policy to seek to repress all merry-making. Men were grave, and doubtless the circumstances of the time were such as to make all thinking men serious enough. The Cove- nanters had now taken arms against the king, and their troops were encamped on Dunse Law. The Presbytery of Paisley did their part in pi'oviding abundant preaching for the soldiers in the field. The members are sent out in turn to the army, but it does not appear that the ministers enjoyed this service, for they are constantly petitioning to be relieved. In July, 1641, Mr. Ninian Campbell was appointed to this duty. The soldiers thirsted for the Word. After the breaking out of the Civil War the Scots army, over and over again, supplicate the Presbytery to send them preachers. But there were no funds out of which these chaplains could be paid, and the poorly-endowed ministers could ill-bear the addi- tional expense. In June, 1644, Mr. Campbell is again instructed " to goe to the Army, nowe in England, and supplie there as minister till he was rely vat, and that in my Lord Loudon's regiment." He, being perhaps but half-hearted in the cause, did not relish the appointment, and pre- ferred to remain in his manse at Kilmacohn. On 2nd January, 1645, it is reported to the Presbytery that " Mr. Ninian Campbell, who was appointed to exercise the ministeriall functions in the Chancellor's regi- ment, had not gone forth for the service, and therefore he was ordained to be summoned to hear himself censured for his negligence." In the meantime the Solemn League and Covenant between Scotland and England had been drawn up, and energetic measures were adopted in order that it might be subscribed in all the parishes. It was read and expounded from the pulpit on three successive Sundays, and thereafter all were called to sign it. On 4th January, 1644, "all the brethren present 52 KILMACOLM. declare that none within their several! parishes had refuised to subscribe." Fasts and days of special humiliation and prayer are very frequently appointed, and on the most varied grounds. The brethren were much exercised by an agreement made with the Scots Parliament in 1648, by which the Solemn League was to be sanctioned, provided none should be compelled against their wills to take it. This agreement, known as the Engagement, was denounced by the stricter Covenanters as an unworthy compliance with the times. The Presbytery of Paisley unanimously con- demned it as sinful and unlawful ; and, curiously enough, a petition was sent in from all the Kirk-Sessions of the bounds earnestly desiring the Presbytery " to supplicate the Parliament to supercede and desist from the Engagement." The minister of Kilmacolm was again found lacking in zeal. The Covenant had been solemnly renewed, and, under date 7th December, 164S, it is minuted that " Mr. Ninian Campbell was gravely admonished for not preparing his people duly to renew the Cove- nant, with certification that if he be found slack and careless in his dealing with his parochiners, he shall be more heavily censured," and for further security that the directions of the Presbytery shall be obeyed, they appoint Mr. John Hamilton " to joyne with Mr. Ninian and assist him to keep Session for purging of the Session, and trying of miscarriadges of the people in preparation for renewing of the Covenant." Mr. Campbell thus admonished, began to bestir himself, and one result is that for the first time in his ministry, a parishioner of Kilmacolm is brought to the bar of the Presbytery. The offence is political, but there is curiously joined with it also a moral transgression : — " 22nd Feb., 1649. Compeared Patrick Layng in Kilmacolme and confest his drinking of health to the overthrow of the Marquess of Argyle, and his cursing in drunkenness, who, humbling himself on his knees before the Presbytery, was appointed to stand two Sabbaths in tlie Kirk of Kilmacolme." Mr. Campbell, once started, is as energetic as any. In November of the same year he reported that he had summoned "the Erie of Glencarne for his malignancie in the late unlaw- full engadgment." The Earl did not appear, even when cited for the second and tliird times. In order to get out of their jurisdiction, he removed himself and his family to his Ayrshire estates, but the Presbytery straightway i*equested the Presbytery of Irvine to continue proceedings THE REFORMATION TO THE REVOLUTION— THE CHURCH. 53 against hiin. Six months afterwards he returned to Finlaystone, and once more Mr. Ninian Campbell has to thole a Presbyterial rebuke. On 2nd May, 1650, it is reported that " the Erie of Glencanie had come out of Conyngham, and had stayed bot a litell in Finlaystone, and was now- gone north. The Presbytery appointed that the process laid by them against the said Erie should be transferred to the General Assembly, and Mr. Ninian Campbell was rebuked for his negligence in not acquainting the Presbytery with the Erie coming within the bounds more timeouslie." This rebuke again I'oused him, and on 6th December he declared that there was " ane man in his paroch had sclanderit Goodie Scott and Janet Holme, and that the Session did find a difficultie in the tryall and cen- sure," and, accordingly, three ministers were appointed to assist him in Session business. The Scottish army was now in the field against Cromwell. The ministers, in their zeal, offered to maintain a regiment of horse at their own expense, but there was considerable difficulty in getting some of them to pay their proportion. On one point they w^ere resolved ; the army of the Covenant must consist only of " men well-afiected and of ane Christian conversation;" and on 16th July, 1650, Mr. Ninian Campbell was appointed " to speak to the oflicers of the armie at the rendezvous that they receive no souldier within their bounds without sufficient testimonial!." But Cromwell's Ironsides were quite as religious as, and were better soldiers than, the Covenanting levies ; and the Piesbytery has to record a defeat. " 4th Sept., 1650. In respect our armie in the field against the Sectaries was scattered at Dunbar, and that the gentilmen and ministers of the Western Shires are to meet at Kilmarnock, the Presbytery appoints Messrs. George Dunlop and John Maule to repair thither and to concur with them in anie good and necessarie measure for safetie of the cause and kingdom." They further instruct all their ministers to summon from the pulpit all who are "fitt and able for service against the enemie to enroll their names and to offer themselves cheerfullie and willinglie to the work." About this time prosecutions for witchcraft begin to appear, though they are not nearly so numerous nor so bitter as they became 50 or 60 years later. On 13th Sept., 1649, " everie brother was ordained to cause 54 KILMACOLM. search for one James Thomson, a vaiging beggar, alledged to be ane warlock." "27th Sept., 1649. Mr. John Hamilton reported he had found preg- nant presumption of witchci'aft, trjed in his Session, in Jean Scott, Janet Paterson, and Janet Loudon, parochiners of Inverkyp ; and that Mr. James Taylor had found pregnant presumption of witchcraft, tryed in his Session, in Janet Galbraith in Greenock. The Presbytery ordain the fore- named persons to be apprehended." " Oct., 1649. The Presbytery concludit that all the brethren sail that nicht and the morrow deal with the persons apprehendit for witch- craft to bring them to confession." " Nov., 1649. The brethren wei'e appointed to bring in the con- fession and depositions of witnesses against the persons apprehendit for witchcraft." " 22nd Nov., 1649. It was appointed that the severall brethren deall with the persons in prison for witchcraft at Paisley and Renfrew to bring them to confession, viz., that Mr. Hew Peebles deall with them in Paisley this nicht, and the morrow with them in Renfrew ; Mr. James Hutcheson on Monday with them in Paisley, and on Tewsday in Renfrew ; Mr. Thomas Hall with them in Paisley on Tewsday, and on Wednesday with them in Renfrew, etc." *' 24th Jan., 1650. Messrs. George Dunlop, Hew Peebles, and James Wallace appointed to attend the tryall of the witches in Renfrew on Mon- day come eight days." The parish of Inverkip was especially notorious for its witches ; as witness the old rhyme : — " In Inverkyp the witches ride thick, And in Dunrod they dwell ; But the greatest loon amang them a' Is auld Dunrod himsel'." * A number of witches were apprehended in Inverkip, Linwood, Neilston, and Kilallan, and an appeal was made to the Committee of Privy Council * This rhyme is certainly not more recent than the very beginning of the 17th cen- tury, as the last Lindsay of Dunrod alienated that property in 1G19. THE REFORMATION TO THE REVOLUTION— THE CHURCH. 55 for their punishment. " 26th July, 1G50. Find Janet Hewison in Kil- allan guiltie of divers points of sorcerie and witciicraft, and seriouslie recommend her to the Lords of Secret Councill or committee of Assembly that ane commission may be granted for her tryall and punishment." It was about this time that an incident took place in the parish that is worth recording, as indicating at once the dissatisfaction that was felt by some with Mr. Campbell, and also the condition of religious feeling among at least a section of the population. One of the most notable men of the period, and one of the ablest preachers, a man with a pei'fect genius for saintUness though of a somewhat morbid order, was Samuel Rutherford, minister of Anwoth. He is the author of innumerable letters, which many readers still find delight in reading, though, it is to be hoped in an expurgated edition, for his language is sometimes coarse, even for that not very delicate age. He occupied the curious position of a kind of Father Confessor to the whole Presbyterians of Scotland. Whenever people anywhere were troubled with spiritual or theological doubts they submitted them to Rutherford. So, certain serious folks in Kilmacolm, who were in perplexity about their own spiritual condition, or at least about their neighbours', and especially their minister's, bethought them- selves of asking his advice ; and, after much heart-searching, it was re- mitted to some of the most serious elders to draw np a letter to Rutherford. In it they bewail the deadness of the ministry at Kilmacolm, that they are not suflSciently roused by the terrors of the law, and that the young are in danger of backsliding. They, to do them justice, are not slack in condemning themselves. They lament their want of liberty and freedom in God's service. They fear lest they should have received the grace of God in vain. Rutherford's reply is not wanting in w^ise counsel. He admits that he has heard that their minister is not everything that could be wished ; but he presses upon them that it is no true religion that is dependent on the character of the minister; " it will not be bad for you for a season to look above the pulpit, and to look Jesus Christ more immediately in the face." In regard to their want of the feeling of free- dom, he tells them, " the less sense of liberty and sweetness, the more true spirituality in the service of God." Altogether the letter is still worth I'eading. Probably Mr. Campbell was a " fusionless " preacher, but 56 KILMACOLM. probably also he was not so bad as they imagined. At any rate Mr. Rutherford did the people good service in bidding them look more to themselves and less to the faults of their pastor. But Mr. Campbell's incumbency of Kilmacolm was now very nearly at an end. It had not been, as we have seen, an altogether pleasant one ; and therefore I cannot doubt, that he cordially welcomed the call that came to him from Rosneath. Patronage had been abolished in 1649, and accordingly the appointment was in the hands of the congregation. The proceedings in connection with the call were not very different from those followed at the present day. On 2nd Jan., 1651, a Commission, repre- senting the Presbytery of Dumbarton, and the parishioners of Eosneath appeared before the Presbytery of Paisley, and laid on their table a unanimous Call, sustained by the Presbytery of Dumbarton, together with reasons why Mr. Campbell should be transported from Kilmacolm to Rosneath. The Presbytery cited Mr. Campbell and the parishioners of Kilmacolm to appear at the next meeting to consider the said reasons. " 20th Feb., 1651. Duchall, Cairncurran, and divers others parochiners of Kilmacohne gave in their answers, and reasons in writt why the said Mr. Ninian sould not be transported from Kilmacolm. The Presbytery, being dewlie and rypelie advysed in the matter, they did find that Mr. Ninian Campbell, being a native hielander, was skillfull in the Irysch lan- guage, and that the paroch of Rosneth, or a great part thereof did consist of inhabitants who only had the Iiysch language ; they did find also that the said Mr. Ninian had no small inclination and disposition to preach the gospell to the people of his own country and native language, and con- sidering the Act of the General Assembly anent ministers in the lowlands who have the Irysch language, therefore they did, for these and other reasons, transport the said Mr. Ninian Campbell from the paroch of Kil- macohne to the paroch of Rosneth, and appointed Mr. James Taylor to goe to the Presbytery of Dunbrittane at their first meeting to see how he may be well accommodat in the paroch of Rosneth, and to desyre the Presbytery of Dunbrittane to be cairfull thereof, and appointed Messrs. J(j1iii Hamilton and James Taylor to goe to the paroch of Rosneth the day appointed by the Presbytery of Dunbrittane for the said Mr. Ninian's induction into and receiving of the charge of the ministry there, THE KEFORMATION TO THE REVOLUTION— THE CHURCH. 57 to countenance the same and be witness thereto." Mr. Campbell's con- nection with Kilmacolm did not, however, quite cease here. He had a claim against the parish for arrears of stipend and for certain outlays on the manse. The dispute lasted for more than a year, and was finally settled at a meeting of Presbytery, held at Kilmacolm, 20 June, 1652. " Both parties being present, the Presbytery did advyse that the paroch- iners paye audit hundreth merks to Mr. Ninian for his recoup in expense he was at for the manse, and to paye him the forth part of the year's stipend of Kilmacolm for the year 1651, his transportation having been in the month of February of that year. The parochiners who were present were content for themselves, and promised to acquent the rest." The vacancy did not last long ; at least a temporary minister was soon secured. Before his appointment the members of tlie Presbytery in turn held service every week in the Kirk on a week day. "28 May, 1651. Compeared the parochiners of Kilmacolm and humblie supplicated the concurrence of the Presbytery for invitation of Mr. Thomas Hall, come out of Ireland through the persecution of the sectaries there, to dis- charge the dewties of the ministrie among them, while the Lord sould provyde a minister to them, or open a door for his return to his own charge in Ireland. The Presbyterie heartily concur, and allow ane pro- portionabill quantity of the stipend of Kilmacolme to be payed to the said Mr. Hall." It will be observed that Mr. Hall was never inducted to the charge, and held simply the position of a locum tenens, or assistant. He remained apparently for about three years. From the Fasti Eccles. Scot., it would seem that before going to Ireland he had been minister at Erskine. It is certainly the case that a Thomas Hall was minister at Erskine about the time. On leaving Kilmacolm he returned to Larne, where he died in 1695. He was, it is said, a "person of solid learning and judgment, integrity, and piety, as well as of constancy as a sufterer for the truth, yet modest and humble." He was the author of a work en- titled A Plain and easy Explication of the General Assembly's Shorter Catechism. The Presbytery took some pains to make the manse suitable for his accommodation. It is curious to find the same house still occupied as the manse that was condemned as ruinous nearly 250 years ago. " 6 Nov., 1651. The Presbytery, considering the ruinousness of the Manss of 58 KILMACOLM. Kilmacolm, and that the stipend of the paroch was vacand for the year 1650, they doe therefore give power and commission to John Porterfield, yr. of that Ilk, to uplift the said stipend, and the produce of the Gleib for rej^airing of the said Manss, and payment of Mr. Thomas Hall, presentlie serving the cure of the said Kirk of Kilmacolm, conforme to the agreement formerlie made with him, and appointed the said John to be comptabill." It would appear that Mr. Hall's ministrations were very acceptable in the parish. The Presbytery visited each parish in the bounds at least once a yeai-. There is a record of a visitation of Kilmacolm in August, 1653, while Mr. Hall was minister : — " The minister and elders being removyt, and thereafter the elders called in, one after one, were examined upon their oath of fidelitie and eldership anent their minister, the exercise of his ministeriall calling in all parts thereof, and anent his life and con- versation, all of them did give him a good report, and declared they were well satisfied. The minister being then called in, and interrogat anent the elders, did give them a good testimoniall. Afterwards the elders are again called in and the minister, and they are encouraged to follow their dewties with cheerfulness, diligence, and faithfulness." On Mr. Hall's return to his own charge in Ireland, the pulpit of Kil- macolm was again vacant. Without, however, any considerable delay the parish made up its mind on a successor. It so happened that the parishes of Erskine and Neilston were also vacant, and all three set their affections on the same man. This very popular preacher was James Alexander, the eldest son of Robert Alexander of Blackhouse. He was a young man of great promise, a distinguished student of Glasgow University, where he graduated in Arts in 1653. He was under twenty years of age when he was inducted to the charge of Kilmacolm. The proceedings in the case were very simple and unanimous : — " 27th Jan., 1655. Mr. James Alex- ander having passed all his examinations, is licentiat to preach as an expectant. The same day the parochiners of Kilmacolm, Erskine, and Neilston, desyre the Presbytery to send Mr. James to preach in their respective congregations betwixt and the nixt Presbytery day ; but the Presbytery, having heard the said Mr. James declare that he inclineth to preach only in Kilmacolm, do therefore appoint him to preach there." On THE KEFORMATION TO THE REVOLUTION— THE CHURCH. 59 7th February the " parochiners of Kilmacolm submit a Call to Mr. Alexander, and ask the Presbytery to take him on trials." They appoint his trials for next meeting, when he delivers a controversial thesis in Latin, and is examined in " Chronologie, Cases of Conscience, problematic questions reconciling places of Scripture, and in Greek and Hebrev?." His trials are sustained, and his induction fixed for 29th March : — " 29th March, 1655. This day, being a day of solemne humiliation, Mr. Alex. Dunlop did preach, and thereafter Mr. James Alexander was ordained minister at Kilmacolm, with fasting, prayer, and imposition of the hands of the Presbytery, in the public congregation ; and Mr. Hugh Smith did preach in the afternoon." The induction was attended by no social or festive celebrations ; the act of ordination had a special virtue when the ordaining Presbyters were fasting, and a day of humiliation was a day given over to much preaching. The temporalities of the benefice were not yet quite clearly defined. Thus it would seem that during the vacancy certain of the landlords had appropriated the minister's glebe : — " 25th July, 1655. The Presbytery, finding Mr. Alexander minister of Kilmacolm to be presentlie without the possession of a Gleib, and have seen the designation of a Gleib to Mr. Ninian Campbell, the previous minister, in the whilk Gleib, designed as aforesaid, the Earl of Glencairn and the Laird of Newark pretend interest, and therefore the said Mr. James is withheld from the possession thereof: and further, they seriouslie recommend to the parochiners of Kilmacolm the reparation of the Manss, nowe verie insufiicient." On enquiry it was found that the glebe was inconvenient, both by situation and by being scattered over the parish, and a commission was appointed by the Presby- tery to arrange for an excambion and a final designation of the glebe of Kilmacolm. The result of their labours is contained in the following document, which seems worthy of being preserved for various reasons. It is an admirable specimen of an ecclesiastical deed of the period. It forms the only title to the present glebe, whose boundaries exactly coincide with those here described. It has interest also for the sake of the local place- names that occur in it. 60 KILMACOLM. Designation of a Glebe for Kilmacolm. " The brethren formerlie appointed for designing of Mansa and Gleib at Kilmacolm report their diligence to the Presbytery in a subscribed paper, the tenor whereof follows : — "'Att Kilmacolm, the 8th of March, 1658. We, Mr. James Hutcheson, minister at Killellan, Mr. John Stirling, minister at Kilbar- chan, Mr. William Thomson, minister at Houston, Andrew Arthur in Braidfield, Thomas Taylor in Davolsglen, and James Wilson in Lawfield, ruleing elders, commissioners from the Presbytery of Paisley for the effect underwritten, considering that the present Gleib of the minister at Kil- macolm is verie incommodious, being divided into three parts, each farre distant from another, and ane of them too remote from the present Manss, and that it is deficient of one horse and two cows' grass, according to the power granted by ane late Act of Parliament for desyning of minister's Manss and Gleib with horse and cows' grass ; and with consent of Alex- ander Cunninghame of Craigends for himself, and as commissioner for the Right Noble William, Erie of Glencairu, Alexander Porterfield of that Ilk, Alexander Maxwell of Overmains, William Cunningham of Carncur- ran, Gabriel Lindsay of Syde, and Alexander Tinkler of Craigbate, all heritors of the paroch, personally present, who, with all others interested herein, were lawfully warned to have been present this day for the effect following, — with consent also of Mr. James Alexander, present minister at Kilmacolm, — did designe, and hereby now doth designe, the old Manss, with houses, bigings, yards, old orchard lying at the back of the yard, and brae lying eastward contigue thereunto, with the pertinents thereof, to be the constant Manss of the said Mr. James and his successors in the ministrie there now and in all time coming. Likeas we did designe, and hereby, with consents foresaid, doth designe three aikers or thereby of the lands of Turnerstoun, heritably pertaining to the said Earl, lying and bounded as afterwards, viz., twa aikers thereof and eleven falls or thereby, possessed by Alexander Tinkler in Langrigs, bounded on the south by Turnerstoun Hill, on the west by the Way commonly called Dennistoun Gate, on the north by the Gledhill, possessed by John Park, and the lands possessed Ijy Luke Parker ; on the east by the three rude of land or thereby THE EEFORMATION TO THE REVOLUTION— THE CHURCH. 61 possessed by Hugh Pateson ; and the said three rude of land possessed by the said Hugh, bounded on the west by the said Langrigs, on the north and north-west by the said Gledhill, on the east and north-east by the said Hugh his house and yard, the Highway, and the Gillburne, on the south by the said Turnerstoun Hill ; and ane other rude thereof com- monly called * possessed by James Hyndman, lying betwixt the said Turnerstoun Hill and Dennistoun Gate, upon the east and west thereof, and betwixt the said Langrigs and the said * pos- sessed by John Hatrig, upon the north and south thereof; and the said three aikers or thereby of land now presently designed to be in lieu and place of twa aikers of land formerly part of said Glelb, whereof the one lying at the said Kirk is commonly called the Kirkland aiker, and the other the Chappell of Dennistoun aiker, with house, bigings, yard, and pertinents thereof, and in satisfaction to the said Mr. James and his suc- cessors there for the same. As also we did, and hereby doth designe, with consents foresaid, other twa aikers of land or thereby, heritably pertaining to the said Earl, lying upon the said Turnerstoun Hill, bounded upon the west by the said rude of land or thereby commonly called *, and now last designed ; upon the north by the said Lang- rigs, upon the east by the said Hugh Pateson his house and yard ; on the south by the march stones nowe presentlie sett betwixt the lands now designed and these lands possessed by Patrick Fleming, and these twa aikers or thereby now designed to be in lieu and place of other twa aikers of land commonly called the minister's or vicar's aiker lying in Cars- meadow, formerly a part of the Gleib, and in satisfaction and excambion to the said Mr. James and his successors for the same : for the whilk twa aikers in Carsmeadow the said Alex. Tinkler is to pay to the said Earl of Glencairn the full worth thereof as this shall be apprized, as also the whole heritors of the parish of Kilmacolm according to their respective valuations are to bear their proportionable part if the said twa aikers or thereby on Turnerstoun Hill, now presently designed, shall be apprized better than the other twa aikers in Carsmeadow which are excambed, making in whole fy ve aikers of land or thereby, being all contained conti- ♦ Blank in M.S. 62 KILMACOLM. gue and bounded as said is. And likewise we did, and with consent fore- said, doth hereby designe ane other aiker of land or thereby alledgit heritably to pertain to the said Alexander Maxwell, lying in Gillward and Gillbrae, bounded on the south by the present Manss and the Gilburne, upon the east and north by the uppermost part of the craig, on the north- west by the land possessed by the tenant of Portleven, on the west by the Gillburne : and this aiker of land to be in lieu of seventie falls of land or thereby of the Kirkland of Kilmacolm, formerly a part of the Gleib, and now possessed by Alexander Maxwell and his sub-tenants, with the house, bigings, yard, and pertinents thereof, and in satisfaction and excambion to the said Mr. James and his foresaids for the same : the whole heritors of the said parish being to bear their proportion if the said aiker of land, now designed in the Gillward and Brae, shall be apprized better than the said seventie falls or thereby with house, bigings, yard, and pertinents thereof which are excambed therefor : and, none appearing to object anie thing to the contrai', all the said commissioners, with consents foresaid, appointed and hereby appoints the whole foresaid six aikers of land or thereby now presently designed, lying and bounded as said is, to be the constant Gleib of the present minister and his successors in ofl&ce at Kil- macolme, and for full satisfaction of ane horse and two cows' grass, now and in all time coming : and thereupon, with consent foresaid, did give to the said Mr. James, for himself and his successors, possession of the said Manss, with the houses, bigings, yards, orchard, and brae thereto pertain- ing, and of the said six aikers of land or thereby now presently designed, lying and bounded as said is, by delyverance of earth and stone as use is : whereof the said Mr. James accepted, and thereupon took instruments in the hands of Ptobert Alexander, notary public, before John Maxwell of Southbar, Patrick Lang in Sclaits, James Hatrig at Kilmacolm, Hugh Pateson in Turnerston, and Robert Stewart, servant to the said Mr. James, witnesses. And further, the said commissioners, with consent of the said Mr. James, did and hereby doth dismember and disjoin the said Kirkland aiker, with the seventie falls or thereby lying at the said Kirk, and the Chappell of Dennistoun aiker, with the foresaid twa aikers in Carsmeadow, from being any part of the minister's Gleib at Kilmacolm or anie wayes pertaining thereunto, now or in any time coming : appointing, THE REFORMATION TO THE REVOLUTION— THE CHURCH. 63 as we with consent foresaid doth appoint and declare that the whole fore- said Kirkland aiker of Kilmacolm and Chappell of Dennistoun aiker with houses, bigings, yards, and pertinents of both shall appertain and heri- tably belong to the said Earl of Glencairn, his heirs and successors, now and in all time coming, and that the seventie falls shall in like manner belong to Alex. Maxwell, etc. " In witness whereof we have subscribed this present day and month and year and place foresaid. Craigends, Alexander Porterfield of that Ilk, Alexander Maxwell, William Cunningham, James Hutcheson, John Stirling, William Thompson, Gabriel Lindsay." The Presbytery approved the foresaid designation. VI.— FROM THE REFORMATION TO THE REVOLUTION. THE CHURCH (3) 1660-1690. Ml". James Alexander who, as we have seen, was inducted to Kihna- colm in 1655, was a young man of great abihty and of unquestioned zeal and earnestness. He is described as " eminent for piety, and a considerable scholar, singular for gravity, and of a most obliging temper." He seems at once to have obtained the I'espect and esteem of his parishioners. No longer had they to complain that they were not sufficiently roused. None "was suifered to fall asleep under his ministry ; nor were ill-doers allowed to escape the penalty of their transgressions. The Earl of Glencairn him- self was dealt with by the Kirk-Session for grievous misconduct. In the year 1657 no fewer than three young women of Kilmacolm, Janet Taylor, Christian Wilson, and Margaret Hay, admitted to the Session that he was the father of their illegitimate children. This great scandal Mr. Alexander deemed it necessary to bring before the Presbytery. They could not summon the Earl to their bar, as he was at the time a prisoner in the Castle of Edinburgh in connection with the abortive Highland rising. They, however, appointed one of their number to visit him in prison, who, on 20th Jan., 1658, reported that he had brought the Earl humbly to acknowledge his guilt, and to profess sincere sorrow for his sin. As he could not in present circumstances, make public repentance in the kirk of Kilmacolm, Mr. Alexander was instructed, on the next Sunday, to announce to the connfregatlon that the Earl of Glencairn confessed that he was guilty and earnestly craved forgiveness. The time was near at hand when the proud and crafty Earl was to deal, after a very different fashion, with church censures, and the doings of ecclesiastical courts. There is one brief notice in the Presbytery records of this period that is worthy of notice. The Scottish Kirk has always professed a great interest in the education of the young; and from the very beginning there are many Acts of Assembly dealing with the subject. It does not ap})ear, THE KEFORMATION TO THE REVOLUTION— THE CHURCH. G5 however, that hitherto any school had been established in Kilmacolm, doubtless from want of the necessary funds ; but, at a meeting of the Presbytery on 13th July, 1659, " a considerable number of the heritors of the paroch of Kilmacolm, being convened upon a publick warning given for the effect, condescended upon a sum yearly for a schoolmaster for the paroch." The amount fixed is not stated, nor is there any record of the appointment of a teacher ; but we may probably regard this meeting as the date of the foundation of the Parish School. The Restoration of the monarchy in 1660 was received in Scotland with great rejoicing, that was heartily shared by the Presbyterian kirk. Was Charles not a Covenanted king ? Had he not declared himself a Presbyterian, and sworn by the most solemn oaths to defend and maintain the Kirk ? This was so, but these oaths had been taken under compul- sion, and the king was very far from deeming himself bound by them. The Covenanters, when they had him in their power, had pressed their advantage, and now his turn had come. All unconsciously they had taught him to loathe Presbytery and all its works. And he lost no time in showing his true feeling. The Covenant was straightway declared to be illegal ; and, within a year of the Restoration, the Presbyterian Church was overthrown, and Episcopacy formally re-established, throughout the length and breadth of the land. All ministers, who had been inducted to charges since 1649, were ordered to apply for admission from a bishop, and to take the Oath of Supremacy, acknowledging the king supreme in all matters civil and religious. This order produced but little eftect, hardly a single minister conforming to the new regulations. The Presby- tery of Paisley, apparently, ceased to meet from the 27th June, 1660; and there was no authority to enforce obedience. Mi-. Alexander, the minister of Kilmacolm, continued to perform his pastoral duties with unabated rigour and faithfulness, his most loyal coadjutor in the exercise of disci- pline being the laird of Duchal. But sharper measures were soon to be taken with the Presbyterian ministers. The Earl of Glencairn had been rewarded for his loyalty and ■devotion by being made Lord Chancellor of Scotland, and, as such, a member of the Secret Council, which had been constituted to take charge •of Scottish aifairs. In October, 1662, the Council, at the instigation of 66 KILMACOLM. the bishops, passed the infamous Act of Glasgow, declaring that all minis- ters inducted since 1649 must fulfil the before-mentioned conditions, or remove from their charges within the space of one month from the date of the passing of the Act. With the utmost rigour the Order was en- forced, with the result that no fewer than four hundred ministers refused to conform, and were summarily " outed." It is said that every member of the Council that issued the Act of Glasgow was so drunk at the time that he hardly knew what it was about. They had been confidently assured that rather than lose their livings the great majority of the minis- ters would submit. But they might have known that Scotch ministers had always shown themselves to possess more than an average share of the national " dourness." The scenes that took place must have been something like those that add the romantic element to the Free Church secession of 1843, with this important difierence, that the Free Church chose its own time and circumstances in which to leave the National Church. In 1662 the Act was issued on 1st October, and on the 1st November all ministers, who would not conform, were driven from their manses and pulpits, and their stipends, even for the past half-year, for- feited. It matters not whether we believe these men to have been right or wrong, we cannot refuse to them the meed of admiration due to their brave sincerity in giving up all they possessed for conscience' sake. For it was no small sacrifice they made, no slight hardships that they bravely and willingly faced. " They were," says Wodrow, the painstaking histoi'ian of the period, " not only deprived of their livings in time to come, but also of the stipend for which they had served, and, in the winter season, obliged with sorrowful hearts and empty pockets to wander I know not how many miles with their numerous and small families, many of them scarce knew whither. But the Lord wonderfully provided for them and theirs to their own confirmation and wonder." Mr. Alexander was among- the " outed " ministers. He had been minister of Kilmacolm for some- thing less than 8 years before his ejection, and he lived thereafter for about 7 years, dying in 1669 at the early age of 34. He was a man of sterling uprightness of character, who had won the esteem of all his parishioners. One would have thought that Glencairn would have tried to protect his own minister, as he did, somewhat later, the well-known THE REFORMATION TO THE REVOLUTION— THE CHURCH. 67 Mr. Guthrie, minister of Fenwick. Perhaps he had not the power ; or perhaps, remembering certain strict Sessional dealings with himself, he forbore to exercise it. On the last Sunday on which Mr. Alexander preached, the limited space of the parish kirk would be sorely taxed to contain the crowd of worshippers. I do not know what his sermon was about ; but I guess, not altogether without grounds, that he did not dwell much on the duty of patience and Christian resignation. Rather do I imagine him denouncing his persecutors in no measured terms, and warn- ing the people against the kind of minister that was about to be imposed on them. In tlie following week a goodly number would gather at the manse to see the minister leave. Ready hands would help to load the carts with the household gear ; and then, the minister and his wife, lead- ing their little children — for they had a large family — would come forth from the old manse, which they were to enter no more. I do not suppose they had any difficulty in finding temporary shelter. Very likely their first move would not be fiu'ther than the old castle of Duchal, where they would be sure of a hearty welcome ; for there was no stauncher Presby- terian in Scotland, no more true blue Covenanter than the then laird, Alexander Porterfield of that Ilk. From him, or from his no less zealous neighbour, William Cunninghame, the gudeman of Cairncurran, they would receive hospitable entertainment. In any case, the paternal man- sion of Blackhouse was not far distant. The following Sunday, and for many Sundays thereafter, the parish kirk was closed ; but, in some hall or barn, be sure the minister failed not to preach to a congregation more numerous and more attached to him than ever. The Council was utterly surprised at the result of their Act ; so many more pulpits were left vacant than they had anticipated, that it was impossible at once to find men to take the place of the ejected ministers. But they were not parti- cular in their choice. They "laid hands" on raw uneducated lads, with- out any fitness or training, men often of the lowest character, and inducted them into the benefices. Making all due allowance for the exaggeration of contemporaries, there is no doubt that these " curates," as the people in derision dubbed them, were on the whole a contemptible class, and a disgrace to the sacred profession. No wonder that the people refused to 68 KILMACOLM. hear them ; no wonder that they flocked instead to Conventicles to Hsten to their own persecuted pastors. But in order to form a fair estimate of the newly-constituted Church and its doings it is important to view them from the standpoint of its own records. From 29th October 1663 vve have again the invaluable help of the minutes of Presbytery. We are apt to be astonished at the frequency and apparent ease with which the Church at this period passed from one form of church government to another, till we remember how very little external change, so far as the great majority of the people were concerned, was really involved. Thus, from this time up to the Revolution, the Church was nominally Episcopal ; and yet Presbyteries continued to meet everywhere, and to exercise the same functions, and with exactly the same forms, as before. As we peruse the minutes of the Presbytery of Paisley, but for the occasional refei'ence to the Archbishop, we might easily be persuaded that we are following the proceedings of a purely Presbyterian court. So in the parish churches, the service remained practically unaltered, and the Kirk Session continued to supervise the doings of the parishionei's. For the understanding of the history of the period it is important to keep this in mind. When the Act of Glasgow was passed on 1st October, 1662, the Pres- bytery of Paisley consisted of 1 5 ministers. These were Mr. James Taylor at Greenock ; Mr. John Hamilton at Tnverkip ; Mr. James Wallace at Inchinnan ; Mr. Hugh Peebles at Lochwinnoch : Messrs. Alex. Dunlop, John Drysdale, and James Stirling, at Paisley; Mr. John Stirling at Kil- barchan ; Mr. Patrick Simpson at Renfrew ; Mr. Hugh Smith at East- wood ; Mr. William Thomson at Mearns; Mr. William Thomson at Hous- ton ; Mr. James Hutchison at Killallan ; Mr. Hugh Wallace at Neilston ; and Mr. James Alexander at Kilmacolm. Of these, eleven were sum- marily ejected, leaving only the first four in the above list. About a year afterwards, three of these refusing to conform, were suspended from the ministry, and ejected from their charges ; so that out of the whole Presby- tery of Paisley, only one minister, Mr. Taylor, of Greenock, continued to hold office. In these circumstances it is not to be wondered at that there was an interval in the meetings of that court. But on 19th October, 1663, " the Archbishop and Synod, taking into their consideration the paucity THE REFORMATION TO THE REVOLUTION— THE CHURCH. 6^ of full and compleat Presbyteries through the want of settled ministers, according to the order and government of the Church, whereby the exer- cise of discipline is much interrupted ; therfore they ordain that whenso- ever thei'e are in any circuit of bounds, wherein there was wont to be a Presbyterie, four or fyve ministers established according to order, the Archbishop and Synod hereby empower them to convene, at such times as they shall find convenient, at the ordinary Presbytery seat, and there to act as a Presbytery in all matters that concern the discipline of the Church, and particularlie to doe all things incumbent on them for plant- ing of vacand churches." In terms of this Act, a meeting of Presbytery was held at Paisley ten days thereafter, " whereof Mr. John Hay, Parson at Renfrew, was appointed Moderator, and the rest of the members were Mr. James Taylor, minister of Greenock, Mr. William Pierson, minister of Paisley, Mr. Andrew Abercrombie, minister of Kilmacolm, and Mr. Alexander Kinneir, minister of Neilston." From this notice we see what progress had been made in filling the vacant charges, and learn that already a successor to Mr. Alexander liad been appointed at Kilmacolm. Of this Mr. Abercrombie, the first of the Episcopal ministers or " curates " of the parish, there is not much to say. Indeed, his incum- bency lasted only for about a year, when he was transferred to the parish of Strathdon. He was a native of Aberdeen, and a graduate of the Uni- versity of that city. Things did not go at all smoothly with him. At a Presbyterial visitation held at Kilmacolm, he complains that he is de- prived of his glebe ; " therefore the Pi'esbytery thinks fitt to write to the Lord Chancellour concerning that, and to the Archbishop to second their letter." The former Presbytery Records not being in their hands, they are unable to refer to the previous designation of a glebe. Mani- festly, too, all the old Elders of the Parish had demitted ofiice ; for, at the same meeting, Mr. Abercrombie is strictly ordained to choose a Session without delay. But in these days, and for years to come, it was by no means easy to get Elders to form a Session. Five years elapse before it is reported that there is a Session at Kilmacolm. Very urgent measures were employed to compel acceptance of the ofiice. The follow- ing minutes bear this out : — 70 KILMACOLM. " 23 Oct., 1664. Appoints, according to the Synod's order, that each minister summon before the Presbyterie everie person chosen by him to assist in the exercise of discipline in case he refuse to concur with him therein." " 27 Oct. 1664 The names of the elders at Kilbarchane the minister did nominate compeared, and were ordained to accept of the said office ; and, in case they obstinately refuse, the minister is appointed to give up their names to the Archbishop, in order to their being summoned before the High Commission. Only one, Robert Young, is represented as unfit for the office because of his being overtaken twice with drink of late, and therefore the Presbytery excluded him from the office, and ordained him to make his publick repentance for his drunkenness two severall Lord's days, and to pay fourtie shillings Scots in penaltie." "10 Nov., 1664. Oi'dains all ministers to endeavour with all con- venient hast, to get Sessions, and till the settling of them to summon all their delinquents to the Presbyteiy." " 9 Feb., 1665. Robert Pollok, refusing to become an elder in Ren- frew, compeared and gave his reasons, viz., becaus he had made a vow long ago that he would never be an elder again, which ground the Pres- bytery finding irrelevant [a rash and unlawfuU oath not being obligatory], and therefore ordains him to accept of the office, and appoints the minister to give up his name in order to his being summoned before the High Commission in case of his further refusall." As time went on and the feeling grew stronger, the shrinking from the eldership increased. On one occasion, at least, an elder-elect pre- ferred to acknowledge himself gviilty of grave moi-al offences, and to submit to censure therefor, to accepting the office under the hated Epis- copal parson. It is a curious case. Mr. Gadderar was the minister of Kilmacolm at the time. " 3 Sep., 1684. Mr. Gadderar, desyring advys of the brethren what pennance shall be put upon William Fleming in Kilmacolm, who hath confessed judicially before the Session of Kilmacolme that he lives in in- justice, stealing, drinking, lieing, and swearing ; and this he confest not with any remorse of conscience or sorrow for his imgodlie lyfe, but offer- ing it as an excuse why he could not be ane elder, though he had been THE REFOKMATION TO THE KEVOLUTION— THE CllUKCH. 71 one formerly ; and pi'ofessing withal that he could not relinquish his sinnes, alledging that his employment of trading and trafique oblidged him to it, notwithstanding of what the minister had held forth telling of the danger of these sinnes. The brethren, having seriously considered this affair, do enjoin and appoint the said William to stand in sackclothes before the congregation of Kilmacolme on four severall Lord's days, and if he give evidence of his repentance and resolution to lead a Christian lyfe, the Minister and Session may mitigate his penance, and enjoin a pecuniar mulct as they shall think fitt." But in refusing to undertake the duties of an elder, when duly called thereto, the man exposed himself not only to ecclesiastical censure, but also to punishment by the Civil courts. In the records of the Sheriff court there occurs the case of a Kilmacolm farmer, who was tried for this serious offence. In the month of April, 1686, Mr. Gadderar and his Session made choice of James Crawford in Auchenfoyll, and formally ap- pointed hiiTtt to the office of elder. Of this appointment he contented himself with taking no notice. Summoned to hold Session with the minister he bluntly declined to attend. His " dour" Covenanting spirit refused to acknowledge that there was either minister or Session in the Parish Church. Crawford was one of the larger farmers, and a man of some importance in the parish ; and Mr. Gadderar resolved to make an example of him. According to a recent Act of Parliament for the punish- ment of those who refused to accept public offices, he had, by his contu- macy, made himself liable to a fine of 200 merks. William Henderson, the Procurator-Fiscal of the County, was called upon to prosecute Craw- ford under the foresaid Act. He did so and obtained decree against him for the full amount of 200 merks, a sufficiently heavy sum for these days, equal indeed to about two years' rent of his farm. The Fiscal's complaint and the sentence of Sheriff"-Depute Hume are still in evidence. COMPLAINT. " Complains ye Pror. Fiscall of Court upon James Crawford in Auchenfoyll, that whereas be ane Act of ye last sessions of ye current Parliament ye refuisors and disobiders to accept of publik offices, being formally elected and appoynted yrto, be severely punishable ; yet, not- 72 KILMACOLM. ■withstanding yrof, the said Defr., being elected elder to ye church of Kihnacolme, in contempt of ye said Act of Parlt., refussed and still re- fusses to accept of ye said office, but absents and refraines from ye con- dition of and doing a duty incumbent to ane elder to ye said church, wherefor ye Defr shd be punished conform to ye sd Act of Parity to ye terror of oyrs." The sentence follows : — " 27 Apryle, 1686. Defr called, is absent, the Sheriff unlaws him in two Hundred Merks Scots." ^'' The new Presbytery showed a laudable desire to promote the educa- tion of the young. On 27th October, 1664, they ordained the heritors and elders of Kilbarchan to provide £100 Scots as a maintenance for a sufficiently qualified schoolmaster there, " and that they stent themselves for the same, whilk if they refuise to do, the minister is ordained to raise letters of horning against the paroch for this end." Some time previously we saw that steps were taken for establishing a school in Kilmacolm; but it would appear that nothing effective has been done in the matter ; for, at a visitation of Kilmacolm, held there on 24th April, 1666, it was found that the necessary funds to pay a schoolmaster were not forthcoming, and the minister was ordained to use all diligence with the heritors to that effect. So far as we can gather the new ministers in the Presbytery of Paisley were prepared to fulfil the duties of their office in their several parishes to the best of their ability, if only the opportunity of usefulness had been afforded them. Mr. Abercrombie was probably not a bad specimen of his class ; but he was not a success at Kilmacolm, as indeed the poor man had no chance of being. It was one thing to fill the pulpit, but it was another thing to fill the pews. The bell was rung on the Sunday morning ; but when the curate appeared it was found that of the people there were none with him. If the spectacle of sheep having no shepherd be pitiable, what shall we say of a shepherd having no sheep ? So long as Mr. Alexander was in the parish the people unanimously stood by him, and would have no other shephei'ding. Many a time in the summer months, wliile the parish church was deserted, large congrega- tions met in the fields about Duchal in the Greenwater valley, or on the * Hector's Judicial Records of lien/rewshire, 1st Series, j). 25. THE REFORMATION TO THE REVOLUTION— THE CHURCH. 73 Knaps, or in tliat meeting-place arranged by nature, known to the golfers of to-day as the Grampians, and listened to rousing sermons, and sang with lusty lungs the old Hebrew Psalms, to the now almost forgotten old tunes. But those in authority were resolved to fill not only the pulpits, but the pews also. The first step was to pass an Act commanding all ejected ministers, under severe penalties, immediately to remove tliem- selves, their families and substance, out of their respective parishes, and not to reside within twenty miles of the same, nor within six miles of any Ptoyal Burgh ; and, among others, Mr. Alexander was compelled to leave. But the people still preferred to travel considerable distances in order to enjoy the ministrations of Presbyterian pastors ; though soon this also was strictly forbidden. None might worship in any parish church but his own, and there he nmst worship, whether he would or no. Any trans- gressor of this order was to be punished with a fine equal to the fourth part of his yearly income. The military power was put at the service of the minister to enforce obedience. The method of procedure was ;it least simple. Let us enter the kirk of Kilmacolm any Sunday in 1GG3 or 1G64. Mr. Abercrombie in his surplice is in the pulpit. The congregation is still very scanty, consisting mostly of women and children. One old woman explained her attendance to a neighbour by saying that she was so deaf that she "gat nae ill fra the curate's preaching." The sermon over, there comes a startling innovation in public worship. The preacher produces a roll of all the householders in the pirish, and proceeds to call out the names, placing a black mai'k against the name of every one who fails to answer. The next morning he hies to Paisley, where a troop of soldiers is quartered, and lays the list of defaulters before the commanding officer. He, without further investigation, sends a serjeant with a soldier or two to exact the fines for non-attendance. Twenty shillings Scots is the least in which the poorest is mulcted, but for heritors, and men of substance, a much more serious amount. Think how the people must have loved a pastor who brought such a visitation upon them. Surely he was a mean soul who was willing t]]us to act the part of a spy and an informant in the service of a despotic government. In the list of absentees from church there were no names that occurred oftener than those of the household of Duchal. While Glencairn lived, thanks to his powerfid pro- 74 KILMACOLM. tection, they were for tlie most part unmolested ; but after the death of tlie Lord Chancellor in May, 1664, they no longer escaped. In that year John Porterfield, the young laird, was summoned before the High Com- mission for refusing to hear the minister of his parisli. His defence was that it was impossible for him to attend chnrcli because the curate took every opportunity of accusing him publicly of the most heinous offences, of which he was entirely innocent. He produced witnesses, who corro- borated his statements ; whereupon the Court called upon him to take the Oath of Supremacy. On his refusal he was ordered to confine himself within the bounds of the parish of Kilmacolm till the Court had resolved v.-liat to do with him. Soon after their sentence was announced ; he was fined in £500 stg., his estates to be sequestrated till it was paid ; and he himself to be confined to the burgh of Elgin till such time as the Court should see fit to liberate liim. It was four years before he was permitted to return to Duchal. On all such doings as this the records of tlie Pres- bytery are entirely silent. At the close of this year Mr. Abercrombie left Kilmacolm for a parish in Aberdeenshire, where Episcopacy was in better repute, and where, let us hope, he had a better time. The vacancy was very brief. In March, 16G5, John Irving was inducted to the charge of Kilmacolm by the Arch- bishop of Glasgow. There was no form of consulting the heritors or people, or of asking their concurrence in the settlement. This Mr. Irving, who served the cure for about seven years, was a graduate of Glasgow University, and belonged to the old family of Irving of Drum. He had no greater success in the parish than his predecessor. We find him con- stantly complaining to the Presbytery that his ministrations are utterly neglected by the people. In March, 1666, he svmnmons Alexander Tinkhir for "disorderly baptizing of his child," that is, for going to some "outed" minister for the sacrament ; and also submits a long list of those who re- fused to come to ordinances. He has difficulties too with his heritors. At a meeting of Presbytery, held at Kihnacolm, 24th April, 1666, Mr. Irving complains of the state of the church, that the windows are without glass; and that tlie manse is in an equally dilapidated condition. The heritors are straltly ordained to make the necessary repairs with all con- venient diligence. Part of the stij)end is withheld from him. He tells THE KEFOKMATION TO THE REVOLUTION- THE CHURCH. 75 tlie brethren that "his present Locahtie, as now payed to liim, is deficient of several! bolls contained in his official edict ; therefore he is ordained to use all diligence for the completing of the Localitie." He complains, moreover, that he is defrauded of a portion of his glebe. The minutes of Presbytery, containing the former designation, were not in their hands, but they knew of its existence, and generally its tenor. They therefore confirm the "formerly designed Gleib in all poyntes, viz., the two acres called the Longriggs, with the half acre next adjacent thereunto, with Meg Winks' Hill," the orchard with the brae above the same ; and the Ward at the backf of the Manse, with the braehead above the same, according to the marches fixed by the late Presbytery of Paisley.'' But Mr. Irving's greatest trouble was with his parishioners, who heartily despised him, and made only such attendance on ordinances as was compulsory. Sometimes they treated his remonstrances with defiance, sometimes with contempt. On one occasion he rebuked some worthy dames in the village for their absence from church. They, eager if possible to escape the fine, pleaded tlie pressure of family duties ; but he indig- nantly refused to receive the excuse. The next Sunday, to his surprise, there is a goodly gathering of matrons in front of the pulpit; but, alas! each has an infant in her arms. No sooner is the service be^un than one unhappy babe gives voice to its dissatisfaction with piercing screams. Another and another joins in the discordant chorus till the noise becomes altogether intolerable to masculine ears. With his hands to his head the discomfitted curate rushes from the desk and from the church ; and the matrons retire with a grim smile of triumph. They had made good the validity of their excuse for non-attendance. Very indecorous conduct doubtless ; but yet, one is grateful for any glimpse of humour in these sad serious lives. Nor was the minister of Kilmacolm exceptional in the treatment he x'eceived. In February, 1665, one John Hume in Kilbarchan was publicly rebuked for " interrupting the minister of the place by casting snowballs into the church in tyme of divine service." In spite too of his utmost efforts field meetings or conventicles were constantly being held in the * Corresponds to Tiirnerston Hill in earlier designation. f The present front of manse. 76 KILMACOLM. parish ; thuugli when he made enquiries no information regarding them could he ohtained. Kihnacohn was notorious for these conventicles, about which everybody knew except the unhappy parish minister. For example, on 20th December, 166G, the minister of Inverkip I'eports in the Presby- tery that there was "some surmise in the county of a conventicle that should have been in the parish of Kilmacolm about fyve weeks agoe ; upon which the Presbytery ordains Mr. Irving to use diligence in trying the truth of the same, and to search how it mav be legally instructed." Two months elapse before he reports, and then he is able to say only that " anent the conventicle reported to have been in Kilmacolm, he had been searching how it might be proven, but as yet has found none that can prove it." At length, on 28th February, 16G7, he is forced to confess that " after all diligence made he can find no way how the truth of the matter can be legally instructed." The Presbytery exhorted the brethren to keep a strict eye on the doings of outed ministers, " of their carriage, and how they live." It is to their credit that they one and all report concerning these outed minis- ters, that " none within any of their parishes carry themselves disorderly." In 1GG9 Mr. Alexander had ajjparently returned to the parish, and was holding conventicles there, for we find him brought before the Commission on the charge of breaking the law that forbade outed ministers to come within 20 miles of their old parishes. At the same time it was enacted that every heritor in the shire of Renfrew on whose estate any conventicle was hehl should be fined in £50 stg. But all these measures did not suc- ceed in driving the people to church. Sometimes they retorted on the ministers by accusing them of miwoi'thy behaviour. Thus a visitation was held at Killallan [on this occasion spelled Kilphyllan '"] on l;3th May, IG70, at which Mr. Binnie declared that "the ordinances were generally dlshaunted by the people, and that none brought their children to be baptized by him, that the people did not attend dyats of examination, and that his Session had deserted him, refuising to assist him in the exer- cise of discipline, the reason of which disregard of ordinances he dsclared to be because Mi-. Alex. Fleming did entertain Mr. James Wallace, who * The Church is dedicated to St. Fillan. THE REFORMATION TO THE REVOLUTION— THE CHURCH. 77 constantly preached at Barochan, before that time the people being orderlie." It appeared, however, on investigation, that another reason was that the parishioners were dissatisfied with his preaching ; " he was," they alleged, " too geuerall iu his application ; " and further, that he w^as negligent m visitation ; and finally, that he was "given to strong drink." The case against him was so strong that the Presbytery could not ignore it, and In the end he was deposed. The James Wallace above referred to was the outed minister of Inchinnan; and under the protection of Fleming of Barochan he continued to hold conventicles there for some years. But if the parishioners of Kilmacolm thought thej' had good reason to complain of Mr. Irving, there is no doubt that he was but ill-treated by some of them. There is one instance related in Crookshank's History^" with which we may close the story of Mr. Irving's ministry in the parish. In the year 1G70 he complained to the council that he had been stoned by a dangerous mob in his own parish, and had been besieged in the manse, and barely escaped with his life. A Commission was appointed to enquire Into this along with some similar matters. When the Commission met in Kilmacolm, and examined the evidence, it was found that it was a much smaller afiair than had been represented. It appeared that one Sunday when Mr. Irving was preaching in the church, some boys had thrown a rotten stick at him that rattled on the pulpit, that thereupon he had fled incontinent out of the church, and had been followed to the manse by a band of rude boys shouting and jeering. It was manifest that there had been nothing more than a rough frolic of idle and mischievous youths, who had enjoyed the terror of the nervous or cowardly minister. A little wholesome castigation might have been not undeserved, and Avould cer- tainly have been adequate to the offence. But the Commission took a sterner view. Four boys — their names are given, James Watson, James Rankin, John Hattrick, and William Sinclair — were found guilty as ring- leaders of the riot, and were sentenced to be transported to the planta- tions ; but the last two, because of their youth — they were only some 12 years of age — were pardoned upon their making a public acknowledg- ment before the congregation. In addition the parish was fined in £100 * Vol. I., p. 299. 78 KILMACOLM. stg., to be paid to Mr. Irving; and Duchal and Cairncurran, chancing to be in Edinburgh at the time, were detained there by the council till the fine was j^aid. After this we may well believe Mr. Irving found Kihna- colm too hot for him, and he supplicated his diocesan to be removed to another sphere of usefulness. The Presbytery do not record his transla- tion, probably because they were not consulted in the matter. But, eai'ly in 1671, he was appointed to the parish of Peterculter in Aberdeenshire, and Kilmacolm knew him no more. In September, 1672, the second Act of Indulgence was issued, ap- joointing certain of the outed ministers " to repair to the parishes follow- ing, and to remain therein confined, permitting and allowing them to preach and exercise the other parts of their ministerial functions in these parishes." Under this Act Mr. Patrick Simpson, late of Renfrew, and Mr. WilHiim Thomson, late of Houston, were appointed to preach at Kil- macolm. Mr. Thomson declined the appointment ; l)ut Mr. Simpson accepted. Curiously enough the Presbytery records take no cognizance of this arrangement, by which a considerable number of ministers were appointed to chai'ges within their bounds — to Paisley, to Eaglesham, to Neilston, to Kilmacolm, to Kilbarchan, to Killallan. The conditions, however, imposed upon these " indulged " ministers were felt by all to be irksome, by some intolerable. They were forbidden to go out of their particular parishes on any pretext whatever, without the license of the bishop. Even in their own parishes they must preach only in the church, under pain of being punished as keepers of conventicles. They dared not marry, nor administer the sacraments to any who did not belong to their own parish. Mr. Simpson, who was minister of Kilmacolm till 1679, was a man of some note. He was ordained at Renfrew in 1653, deprived of liis living by the Act of Glasgow in 1662, and was, as we have seen, "indulged" by the Council at Kilmacolm in 1672. He was not, however, inclined to submit to the restrictions imposed upon him. He was fined for refusing to keep sacred the 29th May. In spite of the heavy penalties attached to giving assistance to any outed ministers we find him calmly writing a letter from the manse of Kilmacolm to Mr. Alexander Peden, then a prisoner in the Bass, and enclosing him money for his needs. Especially did he fret against being confined in his ministrations to his THE REFORMATION TO THE REVOLUTION— THE CHURCH. 7'J own parish. He scrupled not to go and preach wherever he was called. At lenfjth a process was raised ajjainst him for transtfressinc his bounds — " breaking his confinement," as the phrase was — and he was cited to ap- pear before the Hii;-h Commission. Knowing well what was in store for him, he deemed it wiser not to appear. He quietly went away into hiding ; whereupon the Council outlawed him, and declared the Church of Kilmacohn vacant. This was in November 1G78. We may here briefly note his future career. After the death of Kino; Charles in 1687 he re- turned to his old charge at Renfrew. He was Dean of Faculty in the University of Glasgow from 1690 to 169i3, and was elected Moderator of the General Assembly in 1695. He died Father of the Church, " the last of the ante-diluvian ministers," on 26th October, 1715, in the 88th year of his age, and 62nd of his ministry. " He was," says Wodrow, "the most digested and most distinct master of the Scriptures that I ever met with." Kilmacolm was highly favoured with such a teacher for upwards of six years ; but thei-e is no record at all of his ministry. He w^as not, I suppose, a member of Presbytery, and during these years the name of Kil- macolm does not occur in the minutes. In 1679 Mr. David Barclay, student of theology, presented to the charge of Kilmacolm by the patron the Earl of Glencairn, was, on the appointment of the Bisiiop of Galloway, taken on trial by the Presbytery, and on the 24th September of that year inducted to the Church. Mr. Barclay, born in 1648, educated in St. Andrews, of which university he was a graduate, held office for a very brief term. Within a year of his ordination he was dead. On 30th June, 1680, the minute of the Presby- tery beai's that there was " no exercise this day because of Mr. Barclay's death, who was appointed to have it." During the vacancy that ensued, it is curious to notice that preaching is supplied not at Kilmacolm but at Finlaystone. It would almost seem as if the household of Glencairn were the only conforming family in the parish. On 29th September, 1680, Mr. Houston reports " that he went not to Kilmacolme as he was appointed, being advertized of the Earl of Glencairn and his ladies beingr from home." Again, on 12tli January, 1681, the brethren appointed "to preach at Findlayston doe report that they went not because of my lord and lady of Glencairn being absent at Edinburgh. The Moderator is appointed, so 80 KILMACOLM. soone as he shall he informed of their return home, to acquaint any of tlie foresaid brethren to goe down and preach there." At length the vacancy- was supplied by the appointment of Mr. James Gadderar, M.A., Glasgow, w^ho was presented by the Earl of Glencairn, and recommended to the Presbytery by the Archbishop. Accordingly, on 2Gth Januaiy, 1682, it was reported that Mr. James Gadderar had " received institution to the Kirk of Kilmacolme on Jan. 15, Lord's day, and IGth, the Monday there- after." On 17th May, Mr. Gadderar presents an order from the Arch- bishop of Glasgow authorising the Presbytery to visit the church of Kllmacolm, and the manse and houses belonging to the minister of the said church, " which are represented to his Grace to be in a verie ruinous condition." At the ensuing visitation, on the advice of experienced work- men, they order extensive repairs. The Presbytery making inquisition into the amount of tlie livings within their bounds, we have the following information regarding the stipend of Kilmacolm : — " 5th Mar., 1G84. Mr. Gadderar, minister at Kilmacolm, declares, verbo .sacerdotis, that the patron of the parochin of Kilmacolme is the Earl of Glencairn, and that the just provision of the said Kirk [according to the best information as to what w^as payed to his immediat predecessors], is fyve chalders, twelve bolls, two firlots, three pecks, and a third part peck, all meal, besyde three bolls, fyve pecks, alledged to be payable out of the lands of Overmains, but hath not been payed to Mr. Irving, Mr. Simpson, or Mr. Bai-clay, his immediat predecessors, as their discharges to Overmains declare, nor can the present incumbent have certain knowledge whether these three bolls be a part of the Modified Stipend untill he obtain the Decreet of Locali- tie, which he has not as yet gotten out of Mr. Irving's hands ; together with two hundred and one pounds, fyve shillings, ten pennies Scots money of Vicarage tithes, with fourtie pounds for Communion elements." The Presbytery at this time was much exercised regarding the carrying out of the Acts of Uniformity in public worship : — " 12th Jan., 1G81. The Acts of Synod were read, and the brethren intcrrogat as to their observance thereof, all of them report that they say the Lord's Prayer, and either sing or say the Doxologie, and they promise that, so soon as the country in any measure settle, they sliall cheerfuUie goe about obedience to the Act of the adniinlstralion of the I^ord's Supper. ' THE REFORMATION TO THE REVOLUTION— THE CHURCH. 81 At another meeting on 20tli August of tlie same year, " the Moderator reports that he observed all the Acts, except in making ready for the Communion, wherein he is hindered by the preparation that Mr. Simpson, his predecessor, is making amongst his people for the great Communion at Paisley. Mr. Houston answered that he is hindered from giving the Communion through the multitude of indulged ministers that are about him, who have drained his church totally of hearers, let be communicants. Mr. William Stewart reports that he reads the Sciiptures, says the Lord's Prayer, requires the Belief, only as yet he has not sung the doxologie nor kept the Communion. He is ordered to sing the doxologie on his hazard." Again, in September, 1685, enquiry is made regarding these Acts of Synod, " wherein we have all agreed except three or four of the brethren, who did acknowledge they omitted the repeating the Lord's Prayer in the afternoon, and the doxologie severall days from want of harmony, for which they were rebuked." Several had not " keepit Communion from paucitie of hearers." The following year there is a better record : — " 1st Sep., 1686. The Moderator asked the brethren if they repeated the Lord's Prayer and sung the doxologie both forenoon and afternoon everie Lord's day, if they preachit on the King's Birthday, and on the 29th of May, all which those present said they did." The indications of tlie bitter persecution that was going on in these years are very scanty on the face of the Presbytery records. On 21st September, 1681, orders ai-e received from the Archbishop " to administer the oath, called the Test, to all schoolmasters, doctors, and chaplains within the bounds of the Presbytery." Here are two suggestive entries : — - " 6th Sept., 1682. The Moderator enjoined the brethren to have rolls of the Separatists from their parishes ready to exhibit to the Arch- bishop at the Synod when they shall be called for." " 25th Oct., 1682. The brethren declare that their rolls of schis- matical Separatists are as yet not ready to be given in to the Ordinary, in respect that the Sheriff" is just now going through the Shire obliging the severall parishioners to keep their Parish churches." "We know how the Acts of the Council against non-conformity gi'ew in severity. Letters of interconnnuning were used against more than a hundred gentlemen, ministers, and others, who had failed to appear when 82 KILMACOLM. summoned before the Council. Those named in these letters were cut off from all intercourse with their fellows, and any one guilty of speaking to such, giving them food or shelter, or even merely failing to hand them over to justice, incurred the penalty of death. In 1671 the Highland Host wsls let loose on the West Country, with power to even non-commis- sioned officers to plunder and slay at their pleasure. Claverhouse and his dragoons became a terror to the whole country during those years famili- arly known as the " Killing Times." How many were slain, how much suffering was inflicted, can perhaps never be truly estimated. An impartial history of the period remains yet to be written. No wonder that the oppressed jjeople were driven to frenzy, and rose in armed rebelHon. But the troops of the Covenant, ill-disciplined, weakened by fatal jealousies among their leaders, were ill-fitted to co23e with the royal armies. The victory at Drumclog in 1679 was quickly followed, in a few weeks, by the crushing defeat of Bothwell Bridge. Thereafter, hori'ors followed horrors in rapid succession. Then arose the fierce class of fanatics known as Society Men, Cameronians, Wild Whigs, who openly threw off allegiance to King Chai-les. In small bands they wandered over the country, inflicting vengeance on the soldiery wherever opportunity offered, they themselves hunted nnd harried to the death. From bad to worse these evil days ran their course, till at length the cup of iniquity and mad folly of the Stuarts was full, and a bloodless revolution drove them from the throne. In the troubles of these times, Kilmacolm had its share. John, Earl of Glencairn, was a partizan of the Government. He was one of the Committee that guided the movements of the Highland Host, and it may be presumed he would guide them past Kilmacolm, not willing to expose to their ravages either his own lands or those of his neighbour, Porterfield, to whom he was bound by many ties. But Mr. Gadderar was not the man to let his disobedient parishioners escape. We have told elsewhere the story of the many sufferings endured by members of the family of Porterfield. They were among the most zealous friends of the Covenant. In spite of the stringency of the laws, conventicles were often held in the more secluded moors of the ])arlsh. Among the bogs and morasses above CaiTuth a considerable congregati<»n often gathered to listen to some per- THE REFORMATION TO THE REVOLUTION— THE CHURCH. 83 secuted minister, when strong meat in the shape of doctrine, was eagerly received, and often bitter feelings were roused. On one occasion at least the wild enthusiast and martyr, James Ren wick, was the preacher. On the very border of the parish there is a bleak moorland farm called Lady- muir, then the property of a Mr. Blair. There is a hollow between Ladymuir and Cniigminnen, called the " big ring," that is still pointed out as the scene of Renwick's conventicle. Sometimes the gathering was made more pleasantly human, when parents brought their little children to be baptized, and young couples stood uj) to be joined together in marriage. But all this meant sore trouble from tlie law. Those who were able to pay were mulcted in ruinous sums. Mr. Crookshanks gives a list of fines imposed on some gentlemen in the Shire of Renfrew, from which we extract the followinfif : — * Sir George Maxwell of Newark : — For 3 years absence from his Parish Church, ... ... £31,200 For a weekly Conventicle during that time, For 3 disorderly baptisms. 62,400 1,200 £94,800 itrocious 84,400 ... 15,833 6 The Laird of Duchal : — For the like atrocious crimes, William Cunninghame of Cairncurran True, this is Scots money, but it represents over £1(5,000 stg. ; an enor- mous sum for that time, or, for that matter, for any time. Had the full amount been exacted, these men must liave been bi'ought to bankruptcy. After much harassment the government agreed to a composition, which was paid. The Revolution of 1688 naturally closes this chapter of our parish history. Persecution was at an end. The blood of the Covenanters had not been shed in vain. The old divine ri^ht of kintrs was for ever abol- ished ; and the rights of the people established on a firm foimdation. It * Hhtvrij of Church of Scotland, Vol. 1., p. 340. 84 KILMACOLM. took some time to arrange matters ; but in 1G90 Presbytery was finally establisbed as the form of Church Government, which, in the most em- phatic fashion, the people had willed should prevail in Scotland. There were, however, impatient spirits, who could not wait for the legal and orderly setting right of what had been so long wrong. In little more than a month after the landing of the Prince of Orange the peasantry in the West proceeded summarily to make the necessary changes in their own parishes. On Christmas day of 1688 about 20 curates were turned out of the churches and manses, and bidden disappear for ever. This " rabbling of the curates " was not a very wise, certainly not a dignified proceeding. There was, however, more of mischievous humour displayed than vindictiveness. The parish of Kilmacolm had no part in this rabbling ; but that simply because they had anticipated it by a whole year. Mr. Gadderar had become intolerable to everybody ; and when, towards the end of 1687, a crowd, consisting mostly of women and chih dren, turned him out of the manse, and locked the door behind him, nobody was disposed to interfere. They escorted him with shouts of de- rision to the boundaries of the parish — no great distance — and then they suffered him to wend his way whither he would : an irregular expulsion, of a minister, but valid in fict. The after career of Mr. Gadderar '' does not much concern us ; but we learn from Wodrow that " he caused no small stir by the usages," that he was suspected of being favourable to Popery, that he was consecrated a bishop of the Non-jurant Episcopal Church, and was appointed to the diocese of Aberdeen in 1724. " Bishop Gadderar," says Wodrow, in 1725, "declares the Church of England schismatics, and all that support not their suffering Prince, the Pretender, in a state of damnation." He died in 1733, in the 78tli year of his age, and 58th of his ministry. * See Wodrovv's Correspondence, III., pp. 70, 71, 97, 127. THE MANSE. VII.— FROM THE REFORMATION TO THE REVOLUTION. THE PARISH. The materials for a sketch of the social and economic condition of the people of Kilmacohn during this period are hy no means abundant. Of their moral and religious life we have had some glimpses in our ecclesias- tical survey ; and, perhaps, we are not wrong in saying that, outside of their own homes and daily work, the affairs of the Kirk were their chief interest. The manners of the time were not refined, and the gross faults of drunkenness, coarse and blasphemous language, and heinous breaches of the seventh commandment, were all too common. But, if they sinned shamelessly, it must be said that they submitted with considerable meek- ness to the shame of public penitence. And there were among them many earnest serious souls, who were very zealous and "painful" in the cause of truth and righteousness. In the Covenanting period a great spirit of earnestness seems to have taken hold of the body of the people, and, of their sincere devotion to what they believed to be the right, there can be no question. Their religion was doubtless tinged deeply with super- stition ; they loved the sterner portions of the Old Testament better than the precepts of Jesus of Nazareth ; but withal, they were honest, con- scientious, devout, willing to be persecuted for righteousness' sake; and let him, who dare, judge them. Of the social condition of the parish it is not difficult to form some just conception. It is right to remember that, though large in point of area, it is impossible that it could have supported any considerable popu- lation. Probably there were not at any time more than eight or nine hundred. The sole industry was agriculture, with the exception of a kw fishermen who plied their craft at the Bay of Newark. At the liead of tlie community was the Earl of Glencairn, who exercised a paramount influence. Next to him were Porterfield of Duchal and the laird of Newark. Among the smaller heritors were Maxwell of Overmains, £2 6 8 61 50 47 5 86 KILMACOLM. Cunninghame of Cairncurran, Lindsay of Blacksliolm, Maxwell of Dar- gavel, Semple of Ladymuir, Semple of Craigbet, How of Syde, Maxwell of Bulrossie, etc. Cunninghame of Craigends also was an heritor in the parish ; and there is still a farm known as Craigends' Dennistoun. Gabriel Semple of Ladymuir, a younger son of John, Lord Semple, pur- chased the imi^ortant barony of Cathcart from Allan, Lord Cathcart, about the year 1546.* We have some indication of the relative importance of the different lands at the very beginning of this period from " The Stent Roll, and Old Retour of the Sheriffdom of Renfrew, 1554." t The following are the only entries referring to this Parish : — Porterfield, Ramforlie, Cunninghame, Waterstoun, Finliston, Finlayston Maxwell, The Lordship of Douchall, Craigbet, Tor, and Threplie, ... A hundred years afterwards, some time during the Protectorate of Crom- well, a complete Roll of the landholders of Renfrewshire was made, with their estimated rentals. It does not appear on what occasion the Roll was drawn up, but doubtless it was for j^urposes of taxation. From it we extract the portion referring to Kilmacolm. There were evidently a few smaller landlords not detailed, as the total for the Parish, £8,132, exceeds the sum of the rentals given. It need hardly be said that Scots money is meant. " Paroch of Kilmacolme. William Erie of Glencairne his lands within the said paroche estimat of yeirly frie rent to,... £2000 The Laird of Newark his lauds yr, ... ... 2000 The old lady Newark her frie rent yr, . . . 200 Alexander Porterfield of yt ilk, his lands yr, ... 2000 John Maxwell of Dargavell, his lands yr, ... 233 * Crawford's Ilislffrij of Renfrewshire, p. 194. t Transcribed in Paisley Mcujazine (1828), p. 374. G 8 THE REFORMATION TO THE REVOLUTION— THE PARISH. 87 William Cunninghame of Carncuran, his lands yr, £222 Boyd, his mother, her frie rent, ... 103 Alexander Maxwell of Ovirmains, ... ... .510 The lands perteyning to Lindsay of Blakisholme, . . . ... ... ... .?00 The lands of Craiglunscheoch, ... ... GG 13 4 The lands of Craigbait and Kersmedow, ... 160 The laird of Craigends lands of Denniestoune, 183 G 8 Gabriel Lindsay's lands of Syid, ... ... GG 13 4 Summa parochiae viij'" j° xxxij lib." * In the sanae Roll we note also the fellowinof entries under the headino- " PaROCH of ERSKIiXE. William, Erie of Glencarne, his lands within the said paroch, ... ... ... ... £480 The Laird of Newark's ten pund land within the said paroch, ... ... ... ... 580 In the descrijDtion of Renfrewshire, from which we have already quoted,t a list is given of all the principal houses or mansions in the county. In all twenty-four are enumerated, and three of these are in the Parish of Kilmacolm. The following is the list : — " The most considerable houses in the shire are Crookstoun, jsertaining to ye D. of Leimox, Pownoon, pertaining to ye E. of Eglintoun, Cathcart, Cochran, pertaining to ye Lord Cochran, Hawkwood, to the Lord Ross, Caldwell, Castlesempill, to ye Lord Semplll, Craigans, Ramforlie, Auch- names, Blackstoun, Castle of Houstouu, a strong hold, Barriechan, Boghall, Areskin, Bishoptoun, Finlastoun, pertaining to the E. of Glencarne, Newark, Duchill, Gudenok [Greenock ?], Gorrok, Ardgowan, Dunrod, Allerslie, from which has descended Wm. Wallace, sometime Governour of the Armies of Scotland." J * The Roll is given for all the parishes of the County in PoAdftj Muganne (1828). pp. 625-9. t See page 31. J Acconnf of the Sheriffdoms of Lanark and Renfrew, p. 141. 88 KILMACOLM. Next to the lairds in importance were the " tacksmen " or tenants, who held the land on lease, and " bovvers," who fanned the milk cows. Beneath them were the " pendiclers," who were usually sub-tenants. Till quite recent times there were many " pendicles " in Kilmacohn. There were also " cottars," who held a portion of land, but had no cattle, and whose land was tilled by the farmers for whom tht-y worked. Hum- blest of all were the " dryhouse cottars," who had only a hut and a kail- yaird in the village, with the right of pasturage on the common ground. There were also, of course, the necessary tradesmen, as smiths, wrights, and masons. Probably the " infield " or arable land, bore as yet a very small proportion to the " outfield " or ground still unreclaimed. Agricul- ture had made very little progress. The ground was poorly tilled, hardly manured at all, and the crop was uncertain and scanty. Add to this that the rents were high, and the price of produce low; and we can conceive that a fanner in Kilmncolm in these days was not likely to make a large fortune. About the end of this period we see the Pienfrewshire prices given in as follows : — ^' Bere, the boll, £7 12 6 Scots, or 128. 8d. stg. Oats, - 9 12 16s. stg. Oatmeal, 7 IG 13s. nearly. Butter, the cwt.. 21 4 35s. 4d. stg. Cows, each. 17 19 29s. lOd. stg. Sheep, each, 3 5s. stg. The taxation also was very high, though it is not easy to estimate its exact amount. During the Commonwealth especially the proportion of tax levied on Scotland seems very unfair. In 1655 the amount payable was fixed at the enormous sum of £10,000 stg. per month, of which the proportion levied on the shire of Renfrew was £190 15s. 6d. per month, t As showing the relative importance and wealth of Edinburgh and Glas- gow, it is curious to notice that while the former city is called upon to pay £540, the latter is charged only £97 10s. The country was poor, * Judicial Records of Renfrewshire, I., pp. 329, 331-2. t Cochran Patrick's Mediceval Scotland, p. 97. THE REFORMATION TO THE REVOLUTION— THE PARISH. 89 and the whole population probably did not exceed a million. Trade was in its infancy. In 1G5G the mercantile fleet of Glasgow consisted of 12 vessels, and she boasted that thi'ee of these were the largest in Scotland, being each not less than 150 tons burden. Manufactures had begun, and were indeed stoutly i)rotected by law. The Scottish Parliament in 1G86 passed an Act declaring it penal for any one to be buried except in linen dead clothes made in Scotland. Another bonus was conferred on manu- facturers by an Act in 1G63 empowering them " to seize all vagabonds, and idle persons, and make them work for a space, to the extent of eleven years, giving them meat and drink only." Tlie number of beggars — it is estimated that there were no fewer than 200,000 — must have been a serious drain on the "'resources of the country. Notwithstanding the most stringent regulations, these sturdy knaves swarmed everywhere, begging from door to door, each, according to the old rhyme, equipped with — " A bag for his oatmeal, Another for his salt, And a pair of crutches, To show that he can halt. A bag for his corn, Another for his rye, A little bottle by hie side, To drink when he's a-dry." As to the pleasures and recreations of the people, these were probably very few. The times were hard, and the cii-cumstances were not such as to engender mirth, during the greater part of the period we are considei-- ing. At fii'st they tried to make Sunday a holiday, and the younger folks, after service in the Kirk, engaged in football and other sports, finishing up with dancing to the music of the pipes on the village green. But the Church sternly forbade such levity, and Sabbath profanation ; and Kilmacolm, having for the most part zealous pastors in these days, did not long enjoy these Sunday amusements, though the neighbouring parish of Kilbarchan, being even then noted for its pipers,"" and its * One of the most famous of these pipers of Kilbarchan was Habbie Simj)son, who flourished in the ICth century. After his death he was the subject of an elegy by Robert Sample of Beltrees, who thus mourns — " For Habbie Simpson, Who on his drone bore bonny flags, He made his cheeks as red as crimson, And babbed when he blew the bags." 90 KILMACOLM. insubordination to constituted authorities, civil or ecclesiastical, main- tained its Sunday dances for many years. "Penny "Weddings," however, long continued to be the occasion of merrymaking among the humbler classes, though even on these their spiritual guides frowned, when they did not succeed in stopping them altogether. The custom was for each guest to contribute his share to the expenses of the marriage feast, the wedded couple providing drink and music. I daresay these weddings were sometimes the occasion for a debauch. The good folks of that day, on the whole took their pleasures sadly, if not sobei"ly, their chief delight being to consume vast quantities of " caldron yill," or home-brewed ale. When a marriage took place in the fiirmer class the feast was often pre- ceded by what was called " ryding the brewis," i.e., a number of the younger guests, mounted on horseback, rode a race from the bridegroom's house to the bride's. The prize was a bottle of whisky, with which the proud victor returned, and regaled the approaching guests. But, amid the enjoyments of the people, we must not fail to notice funerals."' The solemnity and gravity becoming the occasion have always been congenial to the Scottish agricultural mind. As soon as a death took place, the re- latives gathered to shew respect to the deceased by lykewakes, or taking turns to sit beside " the corp." The " kisting," or placing the body in the coffin, was a ceremonial accompanied by grave drinking. On the day of the funeral the friends and neicrhbours assembled betimes. Accordinsr to Presbyterian rule it was not considered right to have any religious service in connection with the dead ; but this omission was supplied by the minis- ter being aslresent proprietor, who married Margaret, daughter of Humphrey Fulton, late silk manufacturer there." The only other house of importance in the parish was Broadfield. In 1762 the 13th Earl of Glencairn let for fifty-seven years 108 Scots acres of the lands of Broadfield and Blackston to Dr. MoUeson of Port-Glasgow at a rent of £22 stg., on which he built a house, forming the back part of the present house. The Rev. Mr. Brown, in his statistical account of the parish, claims his work as " the most remarkable piece of improvement in this parish. On the farm of Bradefield he has built an elegant house. He has judiciously subdivided and inclosed the lands with thorn-hedges and belts of planting. Though of a shallow soil, it now yields a plentiful crop of oats, barley, beans, and grass of various kinds. His garden pro- duces the plants and flowers common in the climate, and he raises many from foreign countries which are useful in the line of his profession. These improvements do much honour to his judgment and taste. The lands were in a state of nature within these thirty years." + Semple and Crawford's History, p. 74. t Sir John Sinclair's Stat. Ace, IV., p. 579. w 162 KILMACOLM. Besides these, there were numerous small lairds, such as Foster of Auchinleck, Wm. Clerk of Killocliries, Jas. Blair of Pomillan, Jas. Holmes of Slates, Robert Erskine of Caldside, David Lang of Overton, and others. In the village itself there vvas but little change. The only important addition was a two-storied house that still stands, and is now known as Low Shells. " About three or four years ago," says Semple in 1782, " the Right Honourable James Earl of Glencairn built a good two-story slated factory [there being only two slated houses before that], but the weavers have to apply to Paisley and Kilbarchan manufacturers for their vvoi'k. There are two stocking-weavers in the place, who are likewise obliged to apply to distant manufacturers for their work. They have little trade in the jjlace, except in the wright and clockmaker way." The parish minister's accoimt gives a curious list of the inhabitants. " The small village at the Church contains about 45 houses and 126 persons. There are 5 wrights, a variety of professing masons, 2 clockmakers, 8 weavers, 35 Seceders, and 18 of the sect call Macmillanites."'" There were at the time only 951 persons in the parish, of whom the census returns showed that 443 were males and 508 females. The population had decreased considerably in sixteen years, for in 1775 it had amounted to 1,495. In 1801, however, it had risen to 1130 ; and in 1811 to 1474. The condition of agriculture was very little improved during the first quarter of the century, though afterwards it made considerable progress. The price of produce gradually increased. Oats that, in 1705, were 10s. per boil, were, according to the fiars prices of 1804, 19s. 4d. per boll. During the same period here rose from 12s. Gd. to 20s. 9d. per boll ; oat- meal, that in the first year of the century was 10s. per' boll, in the last year, 1799, was 32s. 9^d. This latter price seems, however, to have been exceptional, as five years earlier it was 17s. Id., and five years later 21s. lid. The farms in Kilmacolm were, for the most part, veiy small. In 1725 the rent-roll of Duchal shows the farm of Auchenfoil rented at £10 stg., Hillside at £5 stg., Burnbank at £4 3s. 4d. stg., Green at £1 6s. Id. stg., Mutehill at £2 10s. stg., with 4 bolls of meal ; mailing of Auchen- leck, £10 stg. ; lands of Nether Dennistoun, £3 13s. 8d. stg. ; Horsecraigs, * Statistical Account, IV., p. 275. THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY— THE PAKISH. 163 £5 9s. stf?.* Mr. Brown, in 1792, testifies that " fanners are small and numerous. For the most part, the farms rent from £20 to £60 yearly ; arable land lets at an average from 15s. to 20s. the acre ; meadow ground from 30s. to 50s. Oats is the prevailing crop. Natural grass abounds ; the artificial is little cultivated, though the hme quarry is only about three miles distant. The farmer imagines himself more profited i)y collecting earthen dunghills. Few horses are reared in the parish. The cows are generally of a small size, between the Highland and Galloway breed, but are mostly good milk cows. Slieep are rare. The ploughs are generally of the Scots form, and made very strong, as the ground is stony ; each farmer uses only one, as the farms are small. Tlie plough is generally drawn by three horses, and two men are employed. Much of the ground might be ploughed with two horses, and a plough- man accustomed to drive by the rein, which is introduced of late with success. Each farmer has usually a single cart. He has a ready market for every article at Port-Glasgow and Greenock, and a high price." t The growing of potatoes was introduced into the West in 1740, but the farmers of Kilmacolm were too conservative to welcome the new crop. Less than one-half of the acreage of the parish was under cultivation of any kmd. Farmers have always, as a class, been slow to move. Super- stitions and old prejudices linger long among them. Thus the belief in witchcraft, once universal, has died very hard ; indeed, it may be ques- tioned whether it be quite dead at the present day. So when fanners, for winnowing the grain, were first introduced from Holland in 1737, there were very many who denounced them as an invention of the Prince of the Power of the Air, as an insult to God, who maketh the wind to blow where He listeth. I am afraid it can- not be maintained that the farmers of Kilmacolm were enterprising in these days. "The people," says Mr. Brown, "cultivate their farms, and follow no other employment, yet improvements are not advanced to any considerable length. They are as economical as their neighbours, and frugal from their circumstances. Dress, customs and manners are considerably improved within these 50 years ; but the people * Hector's Jml. Rec. of Renf., II., p. 262-5. t Stat. Ace, IV., p. 276. 164 KILMACOLM. by no means border on luxury. . . . There are six ale-houses in the village, and three about the centre of the parish. There the country people meet to transact their business, and spend the social hour. Their drink is generally small beer and whisky ; the latter is too frequently attended with fatal consequences to the constitution and morals." In the Statistical Accouiit very many ministers tell of the mischief wrought in their parishes by the immoderate use of whisky ; but it is curious to note a still more marked unanimity in the condemnation of tea. When tea was first inti'oduced in 1750 great opposition was roused against its use, as likely to enervate the constitution and ruin the State. President Forbes marvels at the degeneracy of a people who could give up their wholesome beer for so deleterious a drug. He anticipates that the culture of grain for the manufacture of the national liquor might be superseded, and so agriculture be ruined.* Total abstinence societies were formed, the members of which bound themselves to abstain from tea and to drink beer. And yet the use of tea grew and spread over the whole country. In the Statistical Account there are constant mournful lamentations over the sad delusion. A minister in Orkney t has no hesitation in attributing increase of disease in his parish to the use of tea. The minister of Crieff J laments that his people are " betwitched by the mollifying influence of the enfeebling potion." The good folks of Coldingham § have only one extravagance, namely, that they breakfast on tea. The minister mentions also, but as comparatively a small matter, that they were given also to a somewhat immoderate use of whisky ; and regrets the cheapness of these " two superfluous and pernicious articles." He finds, further, that the increase in the number of the poor is largely due to the too common use of tea. The minister of Mortlach || roundly asserts that " drinking of tea instead of good ale is a miserable change," and that it is "exceedingly hurtful both to health and morals." I do not know whether tea-drinking had become common in Kilma- colm; Init certainly their morals were not yet beyond reproach. Drunken- ness, quarrelling, and profanity were all too common. Indisputable * Hill Burton's Hist, of Scot., VIII., 507. j I-. 386. % IX., 594. § XII., 55. II XVII., 438. THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY— THE PARISH. 165 evidence of this is found in the records of the Kirk Session, and of the Sherifl" Court. Of course it must be remembered that it was only ill-doers who were likely to figure there ; and they are therefore not to be taken as typical of the decent law-abiding population. One woman, for example, is charged before the Session with striking and otherwise cruelly abusing her mother. The worthy elders, sitting in judgment, find such conduct " unedifying," and pass sentence accordingly. Here, however, is a more serious affair that called for the interposition of the criminal court. It would appear that a feud had subsisted for some time between the families in the neighbouring farms of Slates and Netherwood. At length, in April, 1715, it came to a stand-up fight between them. On the one side were ranged Robert Lang of Slates, Jean Patison, his spouse, Mar- garet Lang, his daughter, Patrick Lang, his son, and Archibald Boag, his servant ; on the other side were Walter Barr of Netherwood, William, his son, Janet, his daughter, and Duncan Laraond, his servant. To it they went " tuilzeing and fighting" with might and main, and, according to the indictment, " comeing together upon the said tullzie, fell upon ane another, and beat, bruized, and abused ane another most barbarouslie and inhumanelie upon the head, breasts, and oyr parts of their bodies, to the great effusion of their blood." The sheriff did not deal lightly with the offenders. Robert Lang, and each of his family, except his wife, were fined £50 Scots ; and Walter Barr had to pay the same amount, and his servant £10 Scots. ^'' Take another specimen from the same source of the manner's of Kilmacolm agriculturists. One evening in February, 1750, Robert Millar, tenant of the Mailing of Mathernock, was visited by a neighbouring farmer, Robert Greenlees, tenant of Wateryetts. While Greenlees was sitting peaceably by the fireside Millar's son, Matthew, entered and seizing a large pair of tongs " attacked, wounded, beat, and blooded him, without any manner of provocation." Greenlees naturally sought redress at law, and, in the end, the sherifi' finds it proven that " Matthew Miller gave Robert Greenlees a stroak on the head with ane pair of iron tongs, and thereby cut and bled the complainer. Therefore ordains the said defender to make payment to the said complainer of one * Judicial Records of Eenfreivshire, I., 82. 166 KILMACOLM. Pound, one sliilling, and one halfpenny sterling of expense of process, and of Twenty five Pounds Scots of damages and assythment ; and fines and araerciats the said defender in the sum of Twenty Pounds Scots to the Procurator Fiscall for the cryme." '" One hopes that this smart sentence was an effective lesson in better manners to the ill-disposed Matthew. Let us take one more glimpse into the condition of farming life in Kilraacolm, of a more interesting kind, though it too is afibrded by the records of the Sheriff Court. The " plenishing " that he is able to give to his daughter on marriage was, and perhaps is, a fair indication of the worldly substance of a Scottish farmer. According to Scots law and practice, " where marriage desolveth by the death of either partie within year and day of the marriage, all things given in such matrimony, or on account of the marriage with any partie, doth return to the same condi- tion as before the marriage, and the survivor is lyable in restitution thereof" In the year 1724 John Lindsay, tenant in Langach, married Mary, daughter of Alex. Cochrane, tenant in Knaps. Within a year Mrs. Lindsay died without issue, and as the husband was slew to make restitu- tion of the property she had brought him, her fathers and brothers sued him to that effect before the sheriff". Their enumeration of the articles claimed is a fair indication of the outfit of a Kilmacolm farmer's bride of the period. They estimate " her Paraphernals and body cloathes, linens, and others, at the value of 300 merks Scots ; item, three seeks [for beds] worth £4 10s., ane smoothing iron worth half ane crown, ane dove worth sixpence, 3 kane fouls worth fifteen shillings Scots, two dozen of horn spoons worth six shillings sterling, 8 stone of lint, whereof the greatest part was heckled, worth £10 Scots per stone all over head ; item, other goods and gear to the value of ane hundred merks Scots money ; as also she took with her or received at the time of the marriage from her father and otherwise the sum of Twelve Pounds twelve shillings, Scots, and had pertaining and belonging to her ane hundred Pounds Scots in money due and addebted to her." The whole amounted to nearly £40 stg., a sum of considerable importance at that time when money was scarce and of high value. The reckoning seems to have been strict enough, as it included * Jiii/icial Rea/rds of Renfrewshire, II., 194. THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY— THE PARISH. 107 sixpence as the value of a dove that the poor bride had carried with lier. The sheriff decerned for the amount claimed, and the bereaved husband had to " thole " not only the loss of his wife, but also of her tocher, wlilcli doubtless he had already reckoned as part of his own estate.""' Another point of perennial agricultural interest is the preservation of game. We are quite prepared to find that the rights of the landlord.s were enforced with but small regard for the welfare of the tenants. At the present day we hear a great deal about the injury suffered by farmei's from game, but at the beginning of the eighteenth century they were not the " sufferers " who were regarded. In 1706 it was represented to the Privy Council by William Earl of Glencairn that " the game suffer extreamly in the Shyre of Renfrew," because of the want of a legal pro- tector, and accordingly the Privy Council forthwith appointed the noble Earl to the honourable position of Master of the Game for the County, with full power to enforce the penalties against all transgressors. The game thus placed under his august protection were " does, raes, hairs, plovers, black-cocks, grey-hens, muircocks, partridges, wild ducks or draiks, teeles, herons, or any such kind of fowlis," as also " salmon, trouts, and smolts." The law was very clear and explicit. None had any right to kill game except noblemen and gentlemen with a valued rent of £100 Scots, and their servants. All others, " common fowlers or shooters," were to be severely punished if they infringed this i-ight. And severely punished many of them were by fine and imprisonment. If a farmer sought to protect his scanty crop by knocking over an odd rabbit, the noble Master of the Game was not slow to teach him the sanctity of the law. In one day, in 1716, no fewer than fifty-two tenant farmers and others in the parish of Kilmacolm were charged before the sheriff for poaching. Their names were — James Holms in Buits, John Urie in Horse Craigs, James Rennie in Heugh, Alex. Millar in Newton, John Laird in Bai'sharrock, William Scott there, John Millar in Glen Miln, James Whytehill in Beerhill, Alexander Holms in Wraes, John Craig in Bridgend, John Holme in Wood, James Gardner in Blackholm, John Lyle in Bridgflat, James Arskiu in Mathernock, George Aikiu in Auchenber, * Judicial Records of Renfrewshire, 11., 185. 168 KILMACOLM. James Killock there, Patrick Crawford in Youngston, John Mathie, John Galbraith, Jolm Orr in Kilbryde, Andrew Rodger there, John Park in Auchendrach, John Hohnes in Castlehill, James Holmes there, John Campbell in Broadfield, George Arskin in Mathernock, John Taylor in Auchenleck, Alexander Holms there, James Lang there, Alexander Taylor in Auclientorlie, James Taylor there, John Laird in Dennistoun, Thomas Dennistoun in Bardrennan, Patrick Carruth in Dennistoun, John Caddie there, William Holme in Corsehill, Robert Orr there, John Pollock in Auchenleck, William Stirrat in Newark, William Haning in Dennistoun, Francis Millar, merchant in Newark, John Gardner in Walton, John Orr, smith in Kilmacolm, James Hall in Duchall, James Crawford in Park, John and Patrick Cuthbert and Charles Menzies, carpenters in Newark, and George Rolland, boatman, John Park and William Semple and Alexander Wilson in Kilmacolm. Against 3G of these the Fiscal had absolutely not a scrap of evidence, and, accordingly, on their taking the oath of purgation, they were discharged. Four of them, who did not appear, were each fined £10 Scots for contumacy, and ordered to be cited again. The remaining twelve were found guilty of having killed among them one bare, one cock, two teel, and two ducks and drakes, and were each fined in the large sum of £20 Scots.*" Later in the cen- tury, however, we find prosecutions against the landlords themselves. An Act had been passed declaring it illegal to shoot hares, under a penalty of £20 Scots. In 1775 we find Walter M'Gown, servant to Glencairn, and John Rankin, servant to Porterfield, adjudged to pay this fine. They had both killed hares by their masters' oi'ders, in spite of the law. We have seen that salmon also were pre- served. Even at the close of the century, the salmon fishings in the Clyde and its tributary streams were of considerable value. Thus the Burgh of Renfrew had fishing-rights in the Clyde, from Scotstoun to Kelly Bridge, which were rented at £75 per annum. f So also the salmon fishing at Govan was let at £41) per annum, f The fish was retailed at the high price of 5d. or 6d. per pound.§ There were large quantities of salmon-fry in the Gryfe in these days. In Mr. Brown's account of the • Jud. Rec. ofRenf., II., 1 02-;!. f Stat. Ace, II., 167. J Ih., XIV., 284. § Ik, IX., 62. THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY— THE PARISH. 16'J [laiish in 1792, he says — " The waters of Grief ond Duchul run thiough tlie parish from the west, ahoundiiig with fine trouts ; in the spawning season salmon come from the Clyde, and leave immense quantities of fry, whicli retnain till April, and then return to Clyde. By cutting a fin as a mark, several have been taken next season to the size of eighteen and twenty inches, so quick is their growth in salt water. There is also fine parr." "' The minister seems to have been rather proud of the number of bridges in the parish. He admits that " the roads are but indifferent, but there are thirteen bridges, generally built and kept up by the family of Porterfield, and are in good repair. There are three of a larger size, on the great road from Glasgow to Greenock, which runs through the north corner of the parish for about two miles, and is the only turnpike.t The bridges seem to have attracted also the attention of Semple, some of which he enumerates. Thus he tells us " at Mathernock there is a bridge, with one arch, over the river, and a walk mill, where anciently was a corn mill." Again, "at the Bridgend his Lordship has a corn mill upon the river Grife. The bridge has one arch." Again, at Old Duchal " there is a stone bridge with one arch, as also another stone bridge with one arch at the Step-ends, both on Duchal water." And yet again, " at Milltoun are a corn mill and a stone bridge with one arch. At Little Mill are a corn mill and a stone bridge with four arches; both bridges are built since 1710 upon the river Grife ; as also a corn mill, called Glen mill, and another corn mill called Margaret's or Maul's Mill, within the barony." J On such roads there was little wheeled traffic ; carts were few, and carriages quite unknown. We must remember that the first private carriage was seen in the streets of Glasgow in 1725. The ti\affic was carried on chiefly by pack-horses. Mr. Brown gives rather a dismal account of the climatic conditions. " The air in general," he says, " is moist, and there are frequent heavy i-ains from the western shores, often accompanied with high winds. The inhabitants are generally healthy. The most frequent diseases are fevers, consumptions, and rheumatism, occasioned, perhaps, among the common people, from frequent wetness and damp cottages." § He gives us also some idea of the prevailing wages and prices. " A labourer employed in * Stat. Ace, IV., 275. f ///., IV., 278. J Hi^f. of Renf., G-4-75. § Sfai. Ace , IV. 274. X 170 KILMACOLM. husbandry, at an average has about £4 the half year, which, together with the thrift of his wife, gains his family a decent livelihood, or through - bearing, as they term it. Her work is most frequently spinning to the manufacturers in and about Paisley of lint given by them, or raised in the place. A male servant has, at an average, £8 yearly, a female £3 ; both liave their victuals afforded them. Hired servants are found to be more ready on occasions, especially in harvest. Cottagers frequently live at some distance, and in this rainy climate a short time is precious at that season. The wages of a day-labourer are Is. 4d. ; the rent of cottages is from 15s. to 30s. yearly. Peat is the general fuel with the common people, and with others coal is brought from Quarrelton or Comehill ; the former are sold at 5d. the hutch, four of which are an ordinary cart-load, and about six miles distant ; the latter 3d. the hutch, five of which are a cart-load, and three miles distant.* We have already heard how the parish schoolmaster " frugally main- tained a wife and three children," not to speak of himself, on a salary amounting to about £15 per annum. He was therefore worse paid than a day-labourer. In comparison with this miserable pittance, the parish minister received a tolerable stipend. In the middle of the century a serious attempt was made to improve the temporal condition of the clergy. At that time it was found that out of 300 livings, nearly 150 were under £40 a year, only twenty-six above £100, and not one so high as £140, while the average was about £52. In the Church of England matters were even worse, for in England and Wales there were more than 1700 benefices under £20.t The stipend of Kilmacolm was better than the average, for in 1755 we find it valued at £92 4s. 5d. In 1792 this is what Mr. Brown has to say about the living : — " The stipend is £63 17s. 9^d. money, with three chalders of meal, which may be rated at IGs. the boll, amounting in all to about £102. The Glebe, of a shallow soil, at an average may be valued at £8." In 1797, on account of increased fiars prices, it rose to about £160. On such an income the minister could live, according to the manners of the time, if not in luxury, at least without any particular hardship. Where nearly all his parishioners were poor, it was fitting that he should not be wealthy. * Stat. Ace, IV. 277. f Cunninghame's Church lliMori,, II., 333. o XL— THE NINETEENTH CENTURY— THE CHURCH. On the death of Mr. Brown in November, 1817, there was a vacancy in the Parish Church for more than eighteen months. It was caused by disputes concerning the right of patronage, which, apparently, had changed hands more than once. At any rate, in March, 1818, a pre- sentation by Dr. William Anderson, physician in Glasgow, in favour of Mr. Robert Cameron, and Mr. Cameron's letter of acceptance, were laid on the table of the Presbytery. It appeared that Dr. Anderson had ac- quired the patronage only in the January preceding, and, therefore, after the vacancy had taken place ; and, accordingly, the Presbytery consulted the Procurator of the Church, Mr. John Connell, whether in these circum- stances, the presentation was legal. The Procurator replied that he did not know of any case of a presentation being objected to on the ground that the patron's right had been acquired after the vacancy had occurred. The question was then referred to the Assembly, which held that " in respect there does not appear to be any law prohibiting an absolute sale of a Patronage during a vacancy" it was the duty of the Presbytery " to proceed in the settlement of Mr. Robert Cameron with all convenient speed." But the case was not yet by any means at an end. In July, 1818, three elders from Kilmacolm, James Park, Robert Taylor, and William Stirrat, appeared before the Presbyteiy, and submitted in writing the following allegations : first, that no transference of the patronage from the representatives of the Earl of Glencairn had ever legally been made to anybody ; second, that " a fama clamosa frequens et jniblica has for years prevailed that the patronage was bought with the presentee's money, and that the transference to Dr. Anderson was a mei-e job to cover that simoniacal practice." The enquiry into the truth of these allegations did not yield any definite result. In the month of October the, Synod had the case before them, and ordained the Presbytery to obey the injunction of last General Assembly and proceed to the settlement. 172 KILMACOLM. It was not, however, till 25th February, 1819, that a call was moderated in to Mr. Cameron, signed by heritors, elders, and heads of families in Kilmacolm. At their meeting in April the Presbytery called upon the presentee to make the following declaration : — " I, Robert Cameron, solemnly declare, as I shall answer to God at the Great Day of Judgment, that I have come under no engagement, expressed or understood, with the Patron or Heritors of Kilmacolm, nor with any person or persons in their name, that neither by myself nor by any person with my knowledge has anything been given or promised to procure me a presentation to the vacant parish of Kilmacolm, and if at any time hereafter it shall come to my knowledge that anything has been given or promised to be given to the Patron, or to any other person, for procuring this presentation I will inmiediately reveal it to the Presbytery." Mr. Camei'on signed the above declaration, and, finally, on 6th May, 1819, he was ordained and inducted at Kilmacolm, and " was cordially received by heritors, elders, and parishioners generally." We may question whether it was worth his while to have gone through so much for the sake of such an appointment. But it must be remembered that he was a probationer of fifteen years standinff, havinji been licensed in 1804, and was at his induction more than 50 years of age. The living, though declining in value, was still respectable. Wilson, in his General View of Agriculture in Renfrewshire (p. 78), estimates it as worth in the year 1809 £317, exclusive of glebe and manse. In May^ 1830, Mr. Cameron represented to the Presbytery that his stipend was 5 chalders of meal, and 5 chalders of bere, payable in money, with £700 Scots, and £100 Scots for Communion elements. The full value of the living would thus be about £290. In this year [1830], however, he raised a process of augmentation, in which he craved an addition of 4 chalders of meal and 4 chalders of bere. Apparently he received less, for in January, 1836, in his account of the parish, he says : "the stipend is 16 chalders, half meal, half barley, with £8 Gs. 8d. for Communion elements." * The glebe he values at £13. According to the fiars prices of that year the stipend must then have been about £250. He seems to have been tolerably satisfied with the accommodation pm- * New Statistical Accmint of Renfrewshire, p. 60. THE NINETEP:NTH CENTURY— the CHURCH. 17:i vided for him in the manse. "The Manse," he says, " was built more tlian a century ago,'" and has undergone some extensive alterations and repairs. Upwards of 40 years ago two wings were added to it, and a handsome porch, which render the house as convenient as any modern Manse in the neighbourhood." t The chief event In the ecclesiastical his- tory of the parish during Mr. Cameron's incumbency was the building of a new church. As might be expected the proceedings in connection with so considerable a piece of work occupied no little time. In June, 1828, the heritors met and were " unanimously of opinion that the Church is in a most dangerous state, and unsafe for the pai-'shioners to attend service therein, and especially that the Belfry must at once be taken down." Accordingly, they obtained plans from Mr. James Dempster, architect, Greenock, for a church to accommodate 800 sitters, being two-thirds of the examinable persons of the parish according to census of 1821. He proposed that it should be built, not on the old site, " where It would be necessary to encroach on the graves," but on a part of the glebe. The plans were approved, but the Presbytery refused to sanction the change of site unless with the concurrence of three- fourths of the heritors. The endeavour to secure the necessary consents caused much delay, and on 17th March, 1829, the Presbytery met at Kilmacolm, "and the day being uncomfortable adjourned to Ptobin Laird's Inn," and decided that the church should be built on the old site. Thereafter the heritors had many meetings, and discussed three different sets of plans, finally adopting that "showing a tower." Porterfield, however, and others, objected on the ground that " the church proposed was unnecessarily expensive." Whereupon the Presbytery intervened, and, on 1st July, 1829, and on their own authority, adopted Mr. Dempster's plan— his estimate of the cost being £1,445 14s. 5d. stg., " umler deduction of £10 as probable value of materials of old church "—and assessed the heritors for £1,500. The Presbytery had, however, exceeded their powers, and, on an appeal to the Court of Session, they were enjoined to recal their decree, and to * Mr. Cameron is wrong. It was not Imilt then, but considerable improvements were made in 1736, the "two wings " being added in 1799. t New Stat. Ace, p. GO. 174 KILMACOLM. content themselves with ordaining the heritors to take the necessary steps. The worli was then proceeded with ; and, on 26th July, 1831, the Presbytery met at Kilmacolm, and inspected the new church " in and out," and found that " it contained sittings sufficient to accommodate 800, being two-thirds of the examinable persons, or nearly a half of the popu- lation, ascei-tained by the census just finished to be 1613. The Presbyteiy find it sufficient, and appoint it to be opened, and the keys to be delivered to the minister, which was done." It does not appear that any one thought of dedicating the building to Its sacred uses by a religious service of any kind. The church being situated on the very borders of the parish was inconvenient for many of the inhabitants, and must have been much too large for the population. Mr. Cameron, however, testifies that the people attended church very well, and that on an average about 400 usually partook of the Communion. It must be I'emembered that at tliis time dissent was almost altogether unknown. We have already seen how an attempt had been made, early in the eighteenth century, to form a seceding congregation at Killochries, but it had finally been removed to Kilbarchan. Towards the end of the century a church was built at Kil- macolm for a sect that had recently arisen, known as Macmillanites, or Reformed Presbyterians. It never was very flourishing, though its adherents were abundantly zealous. Some of them came from great dis- tances, travelling every Sunday from Ayrshire, Dumbartonshire, and Argyleshire. Mr. Cameron, in 1836, says: "they number about 20 members, and are not on the increase." The first minister was Thomas Henderson, who was ordained in 1787, and died in 1823. He was suc- ceeded in 1825 by William Maclachlan, who ministered to his select flock till 1856, when the congregation was removed to Port-Glasgow. The humble church at Kilmacolm was sold, and is now used as small dwelling houses. They were very strict in their religious opinions, and especially rigid in their observance of the Sabbatic rest. A story is told of how some country folk, worshippers in the parish kirk, one Sunday called upon a Macmillanite family, between sermons, and asked if they might be allowed the use of the kettle to make tea. " Na ! na ! " said the guidwife, " we canna dae that on the Sabbatli, and it the Sacrament forbye ; but the lass Jennock there, the cup o' her ineequity is near aboot fu' at ony THE NINETEENTH CENTURY— THE CHURCH. 175 rate ; she may pit on the kettle, and boil it, an' she likes." It is to be feared that " the lass " had shown a preference for the shorter services and more lax ways of the Establishment. There was also in the village a small and exceedingly humble meet- ing-house in which, for about seventy years, a few Baptists held their services. They never had a minister, and consisted of only two or three families. In 1839 they numbered only ten individuals. It was finally given up about 1870. They were an exceedingly worthy set of people. The preaching in whicli they delighted was of a very simple order. It is told how one of them expatiating on tlie happiness that awaited the faithful in heaven, expressed himself in this way :— " In heaven, ma freens, the saints are happier— aye, far happier, than if ilka ane o' them had a free raaiHn' here in the parish o' Kihnacolm." His imagination, or that of his hearers could not be expected to soar above that. In 1833 a petition was laid upon the table of the Presbytery from the three parishes of Greenock, and the parishes of Kilmacolm, Inverkip, Port-Glasgow, and Erskine, requesting that they should be formed into a new Presbytery to meet at Greenock. It was felt that for the due dis- charge of Presbyterial supervision there should be a Presbytery for the Lower Ward. It was suggested that the parishes of Largs and Cumbrae might also be disjoined from the Presbytery of Irvine and form part of the new Presbytery. The Presbytery of Irvine objected, but, on 31st May, 1834, the Assembly formed the nine parishes named into a separate Presbytery, the seat thereof to be at Greenock, and fixed the first meet- ing of the Presbytery of Greenock for the second Tuesday of July next. At the meeting of the Presbytery of Paisley in July, at which this decision was read, it was minuted that " they regret the severe loss which they will sustain by the separation of so many valuable members of their body, and beg unanimously to offer to them their expression of cordial good will." They also agreed "to allow the Presbytery of Greenock access at all times to the Minutes of the Presbytery of Paisley." From Sth July, 1834, the parish of Kilmacolm has formed part of the Presby- tery of Greenock, which now includes twelve new parishes in addition to the original nine. In the proceedings of the new Presbytery Mr, Cameron does not KG KILMACOLM. seem ever to have taken much part. Apparently, he was for some con- siderable time in bad health, and the afiairs of the parish were left to manage themselves. For some years there were no elders, but in 1839, Mr. Blackburn, schoolmaster, and Hugh Blair, Auchenfoil, were appointed to that office. Mr. Blackburn A\as responsible for an important change in the exercise of discipline. On 28th April, 1840, he proposed that in future all rebukes should be administered before the Session, as the prac- tice of rebuking in the presence of the whole congregation, he affirmed, did not tend to edification. It was agreed to make trial of the mode of discipline suggested ; and the stool of repentance that was placed opposite the pulpit, was never again occupied in Kilmacolm. Mr. Cameron died at the manse on 20th June, 1842, in the 74th year of his age, having been minister of the parish for 23 years. Notwithstanding the opposition to his induction he seems soon to have won the respect of the parishioners. He was a man of a portly presence which led the people to refer to him familiarly as " the Bishop." At the time of his death the great " non- intrusion " controversy, that had for so many years distracted the Chui'ch, was fast reaching its climax. In the Presbytery of Greenock the Con- stitutional, or Moderate party, were in a small minority. When the secession finally took place it was found that all the parishes of the Pres- bytery were left vacant with the exception of Port-Glasgow, Inverkip, and East Greenock. It is unquestionable that the movement that ended in the formation of the great dissenting body known as the Free Church, was, if not a piu'ely clerical movement, largely dependent on clerical influence. As a general rule, the congregations were led by their minis- ters : in those parishes where the ministers seceded a large number of the people followed them, where they remained in the Church there were few seceders. Kilmacolm being without a minister when the " Disruption " took place, the parish was but little affected by the event. For some reason the patron did not issue a presentation within the statutory six months after Mr. Cameron's death, so that the right fell to the Presbytery jure devoluto. On 10th January, 1843, the Presbytery resolved to leave the election in the hands of the male communicants of the parish, and drew up certain regulations for their guidance. The male comnmnicants were appointed to meet and nominate eight of their number, who, along TIIK NINETEENTH CENTURY— THE CHURCH. 177 with the elderd, should constitute the comujittee of selection. They were instructed to choose a leet of candidates, not more than five, nor less tlian three. Accordingly, on 25th January, a meeting was held in the cliurch, and the committee was formed as follows, viz. : — James Blackburn and Hugh Blair, elders; and Thomas Fleming, Rowantreehill, William Luird, Gibbliston, Thomas Kinloch, Bridgend, Robert Holms, Castlehill, Robert Craig, Hattrick, Matthew Kinloch, Horseward, Alexander Holms, Bankbrae, and John Wood, Auchentiber. The Comuiittee lost no time ; on 27th February they agreed, by a majority of six to four, to nominate the following leet, viz., Mr. W. Carrick, residing at Houston ; W. Park, at Glasgow ; W. Reid, at Gretna ; J. Cameron, at Glasgow ; and H. Murkland, at Annan. The dissenting members of Committee, however, appealed to the Presbytery, supported by a large number of parishioners, and the Court referred the matter simpliciter to the General Assembly. The Assembly instructed them to proceed, and, at a meeting held at Kil- macolm on 12th June, 1843, a compromise was affected by which the leet was unanimously accepted, on condition that the name of Mr. Brydson wcis added to it. By this time the Presbytery had been reduced to three ministers, and, with so many vacancies thrown suddenly on their hands, the labours of these men were incessant. A meetincr of Communicants was held at Kilmacolm on 4th July, at which the Presbytery attended. The Moderator having exhorted the electors " to integrity and unity in giving their voices," the vote was taken between Thomas Brydson, minister at Levern, and William Carrick, preacher at Glasgow— the other candi- dates liad letired— when there voted for Brydson sixty-nine, for Carrick thirty-five. The minority concurred, and signed Mr. Brydson's call, and finally he was inducted to Kilmacolm, 29th August, 1843. One of his first duties was to add to the Kirk-Session, and the following were ordained as elders, viz., Colonel Day Hort MacDowall of Carruth ; James Simpson, Leperston ; John Lang, Wateryetts ; Will. Laird, Overton; Alex. Holm, Bankbrae, and Robert Taylor, Glenmill. During his incum- bency no important ecclesiastical change took place in the parish. An abortive attempt was made to form a congregation in connection with the Free Church. Notwithstanding the efforts made to stimulate it from the outside, it never really took root. A humble edifice was indeed erected y 178 KILMACOLM. in 1845, that was designed to serve both as a chapel and as a schooh It nevei- rose above the dignity of a Mission station, and, after languishing for a nuniber of years, it was finally given up in 1859. Mr. Brydson died on the 28th January, 1855, at the early age of forty-nine ; he was never married. It was nearly four years before his successor was aj^pointed. The Kilmacoltn "disputed settlement" case or cases are notorious in ecclesiastical annals. It would serve no useful purpose to follow in detail tlie windings of the protracted litigation, but some brief outline of its course may be interesting. When the six months were ahnost expired, the patron, Robert Anderson, Writer, Glasgow, issued a presentation to Kilmacolm in favour of Mr. John Piobert Russell, and it, together with Mr. Russell's letter of acceptance, was laid on the table of the Presbytery on 1st August, 1855. The presentation having been sustained, Mr. R.ussell was appointed to preacli at Kilmacolm on Sunday, 16th September, and Monday, 17th September. On the 28th the Presbytery met at Kilmacolm to moderate in a call to the presentee, but not one of those present was willing to sign the call. Objections were then called for in due form, when a long list of objections were given in, subscribed by nearly a hundred parishioners. They alleged — 1. That the presentee was too old for a parish so extensive and scattered as Kilma- colm, " the largest in the County, eight miles in length from East to West, and 6^ miles, where broadest, from North to South, and containing about 19,800 acres." 2. That he was licensed to preach about thirty years ago ; that he had never before received a presentation or a call ; and that he had long since turned his attention from the ministry to other pursuits. 3. That years before he had repeatedly assisted Mr. Cameron, and the people did not like him, and that, moreover, there wei'e unpleas- ant stories about him. 4. That the presentation had been granted from " motives of private friendship and worldly gain, not for the spiritual benefit of the parishioners." 5. That his sermons, and particularly his prayers, were "cold, dry, and unedifying," and that his sermons were read, and ill-read at that. In addition to these general objections, Mr. James Lang added one of his own : " Mr. Russell's prayers are without fervour and appropriateness. His discourses are read in a vociferous, pompous, and theatrical style. His elocution evinces his personal satisfaction with THE NINETEENTH CENTURY— THE CHURCH. 179 the mode of delivery, rather than participation in the ideas pronounced. His manner in the pulpit is therefore very offensive. His diction is often very obscure and unmeaning, and therefore unintelligible. In his trial sermon the ground-work of Justification by Faith was not fully and fairly stated, if not misrepresented. The judgment of the Presbytery is peti- tioned to this and other points leisurely." The call was left at Kilmacolm for fourteen days in order that any parishioners who were disposed might adhibit their names. On 12th October it was laid on the table of the Presbytery, still without a single signature. At the same time there was submitted a memorial from 13G parishioners absolutely refusing to have Mr. Russell on any terms. An examination of this document shows that the dissatisfaction was felt by all classes in the parish. The first to sign it was J. C. Porterfield, and he is followed by H. MacDowall, Jas. Anderson, Jr., W. C. Bontine, M. R. Shaw Stewart, A. M. Burrell, John M. M'Phedraii, etc. The Presbytery held most of the objections relevant, and resolved to proceed to probation. During the succeeding five months, twelve days were wholly occupied with the examination of witnesses, and it was not till 18th March, 1856, that the Presbytery were enabled to come to a judgment. Their decision was entirely adverse to the presentee, whom they found disqualified for the appointment. An appeal was taken to the Assembly, but while the case was still pending, Mr. Russell died. On the Gth August the Presbytery have another presentation before them, bearing to be issued by John Cox of Gorgie in favour of Mr. William Law. Having satisfied themselves that Mr. Cox was the legal patron, on 3rd September they sustained the presentation, and appointed Mr. Law to preach before the congregation. On 26th September the Presbytery met at Kilmacolm to moderate in a call, but no one signed it except Mr. Cox's agent. Objections were then given in by James Lang, Alex. Scott, and Archd. M'Kellar, to the following effect — 1. That Mr. Law's prayers were without method, and full of repetitions, that they showed great poverty of thought and absence of devotional views and feelings, " not such as adoring, penitent, grateful, and needful worshippers would humbly present at the Throne of Grace." 2. That his sermons partook of the nature of rhapsody, made up of unconnected and vague ideas, the style " uninterest- ing, plebean, and puerile." 3. That his reading was hurried and awkward, 180 KILMACOLM. betokening irreverence and want of pathos. 4. "That he does not rightly understand the position of a minister of the Church of Christ." 5. That he is indolent in ministerial work, very deficient in visitation, and that two congregations have already dwindled under him. 6. That the parish of Kilmacolm, being large and important, needs a man of energy and devotion ; and, finally, that many will leave the church if he is appointed. Again the same weary process had to be gone through. On 8th October the objections were found relevant, and no fewer than seventeen days were occupied with the hearing of proof On l'2th March, 1857, the Pres- bytery sustained the objections, and found Mr. Law disqualified. On appeal, the Assembly sustuined the judgment of the Presbytery, and ordered notice to be served on the patron, calling upon him to issue another presentation. Once more the right of patroniige had changed hands, Mr. Cox having disposed of it to Dr. William Brown, son of a former minister. He presented Mr. Alexander Leek, and on 4th November, 1857, his presentation was sustained. The people of Kilmacolm had now become familiar with the procedure. On 7th December, when the Presbytery met to moderate in a call, instead of signing it, they submitted objections to . the presentee, in the name of about 70 parishioners. It is noticeable, however, that on tliis occasion none of the leadino' heritors were amonir the objectors. The allegations against Mr. Leek were (l), his lameness, that made him unfit for so large and rugged a parish, and (2), an impediment in his speech, that made his utterances difficult to follow. One marvels at the patience of the Presbytery in hearing evidence in support of these averments. For 27 long days the Court sat hearing witness after witness depone to facts that one would have thought needed no such elaborate demonstration. The proceedings before the Presbytery were spread over more than five months. It was not till 27th April, 1858, that the Pres- bytery came to a finding ; and it was unfavourable to the presentee. They refused to sustain his appointment. The ensuing Assembly, how- ever, on this decision being brought before fhem by appeal, reversed the judgment of the Presbytery, and ordained them to proceed to Mr. Leek's induction. Accordingly, on ^Oth July, 1858, lie was duly inducted minister of Kilmacolm, and the long vacancy was at an end. THE NINETEENTH CENTURY— THE OHUliCH. 181 Mr. Leek, at the time of his appointment was 38 years of age, and for five years previously he had been minister of Martyrs' Church, Glas- gow, where he was ordained in 1853. It cannot be questioned that he was intruded into the Church in opposition to the wishes of a large number of the parishioners. At the same time it seems likely that the opposition was directed not so much against liim personally as against the action of the patron. At any rate, a very large proportion of the con- gregation refused to accept his ministry, and left tlie Church. Some of them afterwards returned, but tlie rest resolved permanently to separate themselves from the Church of Scotland, and form a new congregation in connection with the United Presbyterian Church. They met for worship for some time in the building recently vacated by the Reformed Presby- terians, but in 1862 the present U.P. Church was opened. Mr. James E. Fyfe was ordained minister in 1860. It was a fortunate choice, for no one could have done more to allay the bitterness of feeling, out of which the secession had sprung. By his Christian urbanity he soon ^von, as he still continues deservedly to hold, the esteem and affection of all. Mr. Leek had a hard aad dis])iriting task before him. Not only were the pews in church well nigh empty, but even socially for a while the people stood aloof from him. But liis indomitable pluck and genuine kindliness of nature carried him through, though not without much suffering to himself; gradually the congregation increased, and long before his death there was not one in the ]:)arish who did not look on him with friendly eyes. Unfortunately, in 1873, he was struck down by paralysis, from which he never recovered, and, in 1875, the present writer was ordained as assistant and successor. He was presented by Colonel, now Sir David C. R. Carrick-Buchanan, K.C.B., of Drumpellier, who had obtained the patronage by purchase from Dr. Brown. When the Act of 18 74 abolishing patronage was passed Sir David generously surrendered his claim to com- pensation, to which he was legally entitled, amounting to one year's stipend. The presentation, which was among the last, if not the last issued in Scotland, is dated 5th December, 1874. Mr. Leek died at the manse, 13th September, 1876, in his 57th yeai*. Of the ecclesiastical history of the parish during the last quarter of a century not much need be said. The growth of the population led to 182 ' KILMACOLM. the formation of another dissenting co)igregation. A hall in connection with the Free Church was erected in 1880, and the first minister, Mr. James Durran, M.A., was appointed in 1881. He was a man of con- spicuous ability, and there was general regret when, in 1884, he left, having been appointed to succeed Prof Elmslie in the Presbyterian Church at Willesden. He is now minister of Queen Street Free Church, Edin- burgh. He was succeeded at Kilmacolm by the present minister, Mr. Thomas Gregory, M.A. A few years ago a pretty little church was built, which is an ornament to the village. In spite of the increase of dissent the congregation attached to the Parish Church is larger than at any period of its past history. In 1875 instrumental music was introduced into the worship, one of the very first country churches in Scotland to adopt the innovation. The church was re-seated in 1885, a much needed improvement. In 1890 the eastern end of the old church was rebuilt, and is now used as a vestry. The necessity is beginning to be recognized for a more commodious church. There is no longer sufiicient accommodation for the congregation, which is yearly increasing. As an indication of the increase it may be men- tioned that while, in 1875, the number of connnunicants ou the roll was under 70, it is now nearly 600. In 1875 the stipend of the minister was augmented, and again in 1896. It now is modified at 26 chalders, half meal, half barley, with £10 for communion elements, or 201 bolls, 9 stones, 2^ lbs. of meal, and 147 qrs., 6 bushels, 3 pks., of barley, with £16 12s. 2d. stg. in money. The value of the glebe has been considerably increased by part of it being feued, and is now worth about £90. PORTION 01' OLD CHURCH REblOREU, USED AS VESTRY. THE XIXETEENTH CENTUKY— THE CHUECH. 183- MINISTERS OF KILMACOLM. Before the Reformation. 1250 — Sir Hugh de Parcliuer, Pei'petual Vicar of Kylmacolrae. 1261 — William, CapeUanus of Kylmacolm. 1295 — Sir Hugh, Parochial Chaplain of Paisley and Vicar of Kyl- macolm. 1303 — Sir Hugh de Sprakelyn, Vicar of the Church of Kylmacolm. 1452 — William Cokkar, Chaplain of Lord Lyle. 1547 — Sir John Robeson, Vicar of Kilmacolm [?]. 1555 — Master David Stonyer, Hermit of Syde. 1560 — Master Umphra Cunninghame, the last Vicar of Kilmacolm, Since the Reformation. 1574- — James Craw, joint minister of Lnchwinnoch ; Robert Maxwell, reader. 1578-1580— Robert Cuik. 1580-1587— Archibald SpitLal, M.A., Glas. 1588-1628— Daniel Cnnningham, M.A., Glas. 1630-1651— Ninian Campbell, M.A., Glas. 1651-1654— Thomas Hall. 1655-1662 — James Alexander, M.A., Glas. 1663-1664 — Andrew Abercrombie, M.A., Aberd. 1665-1671— John Irving, M.A., Glas. 1672-1679— Patrick Simpson, D.D. 1679-1680— David Barclay, M.A., St. And. 1682-1687— James Gadderar, M.A., Glas. 1688-1692— James Hay, M.A. 1693-1704 — James Birsbane. 1706-1735— Robert Maxwell. 1737-1787— John Fleming, D.D., Glas. 1788-1817— John Brown. 184 KILMACOLM. 1819-1842— Robert Cameron. 1843-1854 — Thomas Brydson. 1858-187G — Alexander Leek. 1875- — James Murray, M.A., Edin. Session Clerks. James Semple, Robert Paul, schoolmaster and precentor, John Wark, precentor, John Millar, Robert Taylor, 'Jliomas MacMillan, schoolmaster, James Peebles, James Park, precentor, James Blackburn, schoolmaster, Donald MacDonald, schoolmaster, Archibald M'Kellar, blacksmith, John Kinloch, ... Edward L. Neilson, Nicol MacNicoll, in office in 1707. 1710-1720. admitted 1722. 1788-1798. 1799-1803. admitted 1803. 1805. 1839-1840. 1840-1856. 1856-1857. 1860-1874. 1875-1876. 1879-1894. 1894. Eldees. Alex. Porterfield of that Ilk, John Laird, Burnbrae, ... John Laird, Rowautreehill, Andrew Laird, Deunistoiin. Matthew Park, James Holm, John Barnhill, ... Alex. Laird, Matthew Crawford, John Taylor, Jolni Wallace, ... in office in 1705. 1707. 1708. THE NINETEENTH CENTURY— THE CHURCH. 185 John Gardner, Gills, in office in 1708. Patrick Crawford, Hugh Blair, Ladjmuir, ... ... ... ^^ Andrew Laird, Dennistoun, John Holm, Syde, James Lang, Robert Lang, ... John Henderson, ... ... ... ... ^^ 1709. John Love, J ... ,, ,, Andrew Robertson, onlained 1709. John Kelso, ... ... ... ... James Holm, Biancbal, Alex. Laird, Branchal, Matthew Crawford, 7 ... ... ,, ,, Robert Taylor, Gibblaston, ... ... ... „ 1715. John Lockhart, Craigbet, Alex. Laird, Jr., Newton, William Cuddie, Auchentiber, ... ... ,, 1722. Alex. Laird, Rowantreehill, Thomas Kerr, Villagfe, ... ' to ' • • • • • ■ 3) 33 James Crawford, Mathernock, ... ... ,, John Wood, in office in 1735. John Smith, James Scott, 3 ... ,, ,, Patrick Henderson, ... ... ... ... ^, 1744. John Love, ... ... ... ... ... .^ 1749. Alex. Laird ^^ 1770. John Cuthbert, William Park ' • • • 3 3 3 3 Robert Cuthbert, 3 ... ,, John Scott, James Blair, ... ... ... ... ... ^ 1786. James Holm, 3 ... ... ,, ,, John Taylor, ordained 1788. Robert Taylor, son of above, ... ./ ' 7 n 3 3 1771. )> 186 KILMACOLM. Robert Cuthbert, Alex. Laird, James Park, John Leitch, Nittingshill, died 1790,... James Wilson, ... James Holm, James Blair, Jr., Ninian Parker, Rowantreehill, William Buntain, Castlehill, ... John Turner, formerly of Rosneath, ... James Erskine, Cauldside, James Blackburn, schoolmaster, Hugh Blair, Auchenfoil. Colonel Day Hort MacDowall, of Carruth, James Simpson, Leperston, John Lang, Wateryetts, William Laird, Overton, Alex. Holm, Bankbrae, Robert Taylor, Glenmill, John Laird, Gibblaston, Hugh M'Lachlan, Bankbrae, ... Matthew Scott, Hardridge, James Lang, Planetreeyetts, ... Archibald M'Kellar, blacksmith, Finlaystone James Laird, Nittingshill, Matthew Gibb, Paismulr, *Robert Walker, Brownsfields, . . . Alex. Holm, Home Villa, John Kinloch, Ellenbank, resigned 1876, John Lang, Nittingshill, died 1891, ... James Shaw, Strathy, ... E. L. Neilson, formerly North, Greenock, Henry Taylor, formerly Bellahouston, ordained 1788. 1814. 1817. admitted 1828. ordained 1828. 1839. 1844. 1859. >> » 1873. 1874. 1875. admitted 1879. * Present Member of Kirk Session. THE NINETEENTH CENTURY— THE CHURCH. 187 *D. S. Carson, C.A., St. Oswald's, oi-dained 1882. ■"'Jolin Gardner, Miltonlea. ■''John Thomson, Dennistoun, ... ... ... „ ■''James Binnie, Belmont, Matthew Brown, died 1897, formerly St. Mat- thew's Glasgow, Partick, and Bellahouston, admitted 1885. George Sutherland, Craigroy, died 1893, ... ordained 1S90. '"'Neil Robson, Grafton, ... ■''James Rogers, St. Leonards, ... ... ... „ , John Stewart, Riversdale, died 1897, formerly South, Greenock, admitted 1890. ^Peter Fyfe, Miltonlea, formerly Pollokshields, ,, 1894. *Nicol MacNicoll, Gryfe Craig, ordained 1894. ■'^ Alex. S. Blair, Drurapellier Place, ■'^Andrew Smith, Parkleven, * Present Members of Kirk Session. XII.— THE NINETEENTH CENTUEY— THE PARISH. This century has witnessed a wonderful and altogether unexpected de\elopmeut in the fortunes of Kilmacolm. At the beginning it was per- haps the most secluded and unimportant of rural villages, at its close it is one of the most popular and frequented health resorts in the West of Scotland. And, indeed, this change has been wrought almost entirely within tlie last quarter of the century. On that summer day in 18G9, when the first railway train steamed into the newly- erected station, modern Kilmacolm was born. Before that date it was literally " out of the world," known only to one or two anglers, or to a very few pedestrians who loved to commune with nature in her quietest places. For centuries the population of the village had not exceeded 300, in IS 71 it had risen to 395, in 1889 it was 1,170, in 1891 it was 1,047, and now it is close on 2,000. The old picturesque hamlet, with its quaint thatched cottages has disappeared, and in its place there has arisen a section of common- place villadom, not at all picturesque. But the green fields and heathery moors that surround it have lost none of their beauty, and its bracing- untainted air is as life-giving as ever. And being " in the world " has proved to be not without its compensations in the increase of worldly comforts. In 1873 gas was introduced to the wondering amazement of those who had never known any artificial illuminant brighter than that afforded by the humble " dip " or sputtering "cruisie." In the summer of 1878 the parish held high holiday on the occasion of the turning-on of gravitation water from the Blacketty. The large addition recently made to the works has ensured for many a day an abiuidant supply of excellent water. The Hydropathic Establishment that now crowns the Barclaven Hills and dominates the village, was opened in 1880. Great improve- ments have been effected in the provision of educational facilities for the young. The Public School, a handsome building erected in 1887, is one of the best equipjied in the county, and recently the Girls' School Com- THE VILLAGE, 1898. THE NINETEENTH CENTUEY— THE PARISH. 189 pany have established a school of a high grade for girls. Few places can have more abundant provision for recreation : games of cricket, football, quoits, etc., are played in the Birkmyre Park, presented some years ago by Adam Birkmyre, Esq. ; there are tennis courts and a large bowling green ; there are golf links, that claim, like so many others, but with more justice than most, to be " the best inland coui'se in Scotland." But we are speaking of the Kilmacolm of to-day, while our present review has to do with the whole century that is now so near a close. First of all we may note the changes that have taken place among the holders of land in the parish. On the death of Alexander Porterfield in 1815 there were two claimants for the estate of Duchal — the one Sir Michael Shaw Stewart, the eldest son of the sister of the late laird, and the other James Corbett, his second cousin, the grandson of the sister of his grandfather."" The litigation lasted for sixteen years, in the course of whicli both Sir Michael and Mr. Corbett died, and the case was continued by their respective sons. It was finally settled in favour of James Cor- bett in 1831, who then assumed the name of Porterfield. There were great rejoicings in the parish to welcome one of the ancient name once more at Duclial. He, James Corbett Porterfield, died in 1855, when the estates passed to Sir M. Pt. Shaw Stewart, the present proprietor. He was already in possession of part of the unentailed lands, having pur- chased the Branchals, Lukestone, etc. Other portions of these lands had been disposed of, as, for example, the farm of Margaret's Mill to Alex. Love in 1833. In the Deed of purchase this farm is described as "the 3sh. 4d. land of Jordan Shaw." A more important alienation, however, was the sale of the lands of Craigends' Dennistoun, to James Wallis Dennistoun, a representative of the family that once owned the estate, from whicli they took their surname. The estate of Finlaystone, which at the very close of the eighteenth century had fallen to Ptobert Graham of Gartmore, remained in the family till 1863, when it was bought by Colonel (now Sir David) Carrick Bucha- nan, K.C.B., of Drumpellier. Portions of the original estate had previ- ously passed into other hands, a considerable share having fallen to Sir * See nnii>. 190 KILMACOLM. Michael. In the present year (1898) Sir David disposed of Finlaystone to Mr. George Jardine Kidston, who has occupied the mansion house for more than twenty years. At the same time a portion of the estate, comprising the farms of Auchenbothie and Leperston, was acquired by Mr. H. B. Collins, wdio is now erecting thereon a family residence for himself. Newark, which had belonged to Lord Belhaven, was sold, or at least the greater part of the estate, to Mr. Robert Farquhar, from whom it descended to Lady Shaw Stewart, his daughter and sole heir, and from her to her son, the present Sir Michael. A considerable portion, includ- ing Park and Parklee, w^as purchased by Mr. May of Broadfield, and other smaller portions were sold to various purchasers. Sixty years ago Water- yetts, Townhead, Planetreeyetts, Old Place, Parkleven, Gowkhouse, Burnhouse, Bulrossie, Netherwood, etc., all originally belonging to the barony of Newark, had become separate properties. Broadfield has had a large number of owners. Dr. Molleson sold it in 1806 for £3000 to Mr. John Sym, merchant, Paisley. Li the following year it was bought by Mr. James Crawford, Commander of the Custom House cutter. Royal George. 1\\ 1822 it was sold to Mr. James Anderson, Merchant, Port-Glasgow, who resold it next year to Mr. John May, mer- chant in Glasgow. It was puixhased, along with Finlaystone, by Colonel Buchanan, who, in 1875, sold it to Mr. A. F. Stoddard, from whom it was bought by Mr. J. P. Harrington, the present proprietor, in 1887. The following statement of the property in 1830 is taken from the Parochial Assessments. The total amount of the old valued rental of the parish is £5,500. Name of Propebtt. DucHAL Barony — Duchal entailed lands, Duchal unentailed, Newton, Newton, Killochries, Peopeietoe. J. C. Porterfield, >> William Stirrat, , James Stirrat, John Denniston,, Valued Eental. £1505 3 4 4G5 10 18 6 8 18 G 8 3G 13 4 THE NINETEENTH CENTURY— THE PARISH. 101 Name of Peoperty. Pomillaii, Chapel, Cauldside, Peopeietoe. James Blalr, Tlionias Whyte, James Ersklne, Valued Eental. £14 13 4 12 6 Newark Barony — Part of the Barony, Lord Belhaven, ... 375 Part of the Barony, Robert Farquhar, 816 13 4 Park, Parklee, John May, 33 6 8 Wateryetts, . . . John Howie, 25 Slates, ... .. Alexander Holmes, 50 Netherwood, ... .. William Glen, ... 50 Muh-edge, .. Matthew Hill, ... 2(5 13 4 Overton, ... Alex. Laird, 33 G 8 Parkleven, .. J. Caldwell, 33 3 8 Burnhouse, ... John Blair, 12 5 Gowkhouse, ... John Barr, 13 14 Land near village. Various proprietors. 40 17 4 FiNLAYSTONE BaRONY — Finlaystone, ... Finlaystone Policies, Broadfield, Laigh Auchinleck, Carrutli and Ladymuir, Hattrick, Craigbet, Gartmore's Trustees, R. C. Bontine, ... John May, Mrs. Foster, Miss Dougall, Alex. Watson's heirs, William MacDowall, William Maxwell, Alex. McCuUoch, 1121 5 125 12 6 69 15 10 16 13 4 16 13 4 16 13 4 290 146 13 4 110 Li the course of a few years the unentailed lands of Duchal, as above, were wholly alienated. In 1839 they are accounted for as follows : — 192 KILMACOLM. Name of Property. Unentailed Lands of Duchal- Phoprietoe. Margaret's Mill, Branchal, Lukestone, Black sholm, ... Nittingshill, ... Muirhouse, Craigends Dennistoun, Alex. Love, Robert Lang, Sir Michael Shaw Stewart, James Anderson, James Laird, Colin McMillan, James Dennistoun, Valued Kental. £17 14 104 133 35 20 142 10 £465 10 In like manner, the part of Newark belonging to Lord Belhaven was very- soon disposed of, and in 1834 we find it divided as follows : — Name of Property. Phopeietoe. Part of Newark lands, ... Robert Farquhar, Park, Parkhill, ... ... John May, Planetreeyetts and Old Place, James Maclean, ... Townhead, ... ... ... Piobert MacLachlan, Valued Eental. £66 13 4 166 13 4 83 6 8 58 6 8 £375 Of the Duchal lands there have since been purchased by Sir Michael the Nevvtons, Killochries, Muirhouse, and Cauldside. Of the Newark estate, Park, Parklee, Parkhill, and the Auchinlecks, now belong to Mr. George J. Kidston ; and Waterj'etts, Townhead, Planetreeyetts, and Old Place, to Mr. William Brown. Nittingshill and jaart of Carsemeadow have been bought by Mr. William Quarrier for his Orphan Homes of Scotland. The following is an abstract of the Valuation Roll for 1897-8, showing the principal proprietors at present, witli the real rental of each property : — Name o? Property. Proprietor. Rent. Duchal, Newark, and i)art of Finlaystone, Sir M. R. Shaw Stewart, Bart., £7002 Finlaystone, and part of New- ark, ... ... ... George J. Kidston, ... ... 2869 THE NINETEENTH CENTURY— THE PARISH. Name op PROPERTy. Carruth, Cairncurran, and Ladyrnuir, Aucheubothie and Leperston, Wateiyetts, Townhead, etc.,... Blacksholm, etc., Hattrick, Craigends' Dennistoun, Woodhall, Broadfield, Broadstone, Netherwood, ... Maiisefield, Craigbet, Garsliangan, ... Margaret's Mil], Gowkhouse, Gateside, Chapel, Pomillan, Nittiugshill and Garsemeadow, Carnegie Park, Bulrossie Slates, Waterworks, Cemetery, etc.,... Waterworks, etc.. Waterworks, Police Station, etc.. Gasworks, Schools and Schoolhouses, ... Establishment and ground, ... Railway, Bail way, Houses, PuorniETOR. Henry MacDowall, ... Hugh B. Collins, William Brown, James Anderson, Lieut. Hall Maxwell, B.N., ... J. Wallis Dennistoun, Scottish Provident Institution, J. P. HaiTinsfton, Jolm Birkmyre, D. A. MacMiUan, Trustees of William Scott, ... Trustees of J. M. M'Phedran, Matthew Hill Alex, and George Love, John Neill, P. L. Barr, William Crawford, James Blair, ... Orphan Homes of Scotland, ... Orphanage, Sailors' Orphan Homes, Burgh of Port-Glasgow, Burgh of Greenock, County Council of Renfrew, ... Kilmncolm Gas Company, ... Kilmacolm School Board, Hydropathic Coiupany, Ltd., G. & S. W, Railway Company, Caledonian Railway Company, Nearly 200 Feuiirs, 193 Rent. £1,154 458 489 3G3 333 230 719 209 307 221 180 116 70 40 38 36 35 30 2,670 377 150 1,540 693 716 311 155 686 3,319 1,646 15,186 £42,368 A 2 194 KILMACOLM. We have a reliable account of the condition of the parish in 183G, when the minister, Rev. Robert Cameron, wrote his description of it for the New Statistical Account, from which we make some extracts. As to the general appearance of the parish, he says that " it partakes of the Highland character. The lands in general rise in gentle swells from the river ; and in some places are rocky and moorish. Here and there are clumps of planting, wdiich give a beauty and variety to the surrounding scenery. This is particularly the case towards the south." Again, " the general appeai-ance is changed for the better. Green fields now appear where formerly stones and brambles were only to be seen. Clumps of planting are rising all over the parish, which are already affording shelter and adding beauty to the scenery ; and tracts, on wdiich nothing met the view but barren rocks, are now covered witli the fir, the birch, and the spruce." He tells us that " the inhabitants are generally healthy," though " the climate is moist, and all the houses are more or less affected with dampness. At certain seasons of the year, tliere are heavy falls of rain, attended with high winds, which injure the fields and gardens." He has an excellent account to give of their behaviour. " It is pleasing to see the improvement that has taken place in the character and manners of the people. The church is moi'e regularly attended ; the people are cleanly, and their dress tasteful. Their manners and language are also improving, and they are not surpassed in religion or morality by any ai'ound them. During the last three year's there have been only four illegitimate births in the parish." And this, too, in spite of this other fact that he chronicles: "In this parish there are seven ale-houses. They are not all, however, well attended, and it is rarely that the people go to excess in drinking." The only industry, of course, was agriculture. Out of a total population of 1613, of whom 756 wei'e males and 857 females, he says "353 males are employed in agriculture above twenty years of age ; 13 in manufac- tures ; and 57 in the retail of grocery goods, etc. There are 104 family servants and 2 surgeons. Fourteen individuals in the parish draw upwards of £50 yearly from the land, and are all independent in their cii'cumstances." Here is his classification of the acreage of the parish : — Cultivated or occasionally in tillage, ... 8000 acres. Constantly waste, or in pasture, ... ... 22,000 „ THE NINETEENTH CENTURY— THE PARISH. 195 That might be profitably cultivated, ... 1000 acres. Underwood, natural, 20; planted, 205, ... 225 ,, In undivided common, Duchall moor, ... 5800 ,, " The soil is light. A large quantity of land in the parish has not been brought into a state of cultivation. This is no doubt owing, in a gi'eat measure, to its general sterility, and the consequent expense attend- ing improvements. The farmer has done much, but cannot be expected to do all, unless he receive considerable assistance and encouragement. The manner of cultivating the land is all modern. Excellent cattle and good instruments of husbandry abound. It may be fairly said, that few places have made more progress in improvement, and there is little doubt that it will continue. The farmers were some time ago, thought rather behind their neighbours ; but, considering the nature of the soil, there is now no ground for such complaint. Their crops bring as high prices in the market as those of the adjoining parishes. The farm-steadings are not in good order ; but some new ones are building, which will be a great improvement. The average rent of land per acre is £1 ; for grazing an ox, £3 ; for pasturing a sheep, 5 sh. The real rent of the parish is about £7000. The average yearly amomit and value of raw produce raised in the parish, may be as follows : — Grain of all kinds, .. . ... £8000 Potatoes and turnips, ... 5000 Hay, ... ... ... 1500 Land in pasture, ... ... 3150 Gardens, ... ... ... 80 Miscellaneous produce, ... 200" His report of the state of education is satisfactory. " Tliere are six schools in the parish, and the parochial school is in the village. The teacher has the maxitnum salary, a dwelling-house and garden. The branches of education taught are reading, writing, and arithmetic, more being seldom required. The emoluments of the private teachers arise from school-fees — a school-room and dwelling-house being provided by the people. There are no persons in the parish who cannot read, and the joung do so remarkably well. All seem alive to the benefit and necessity 196 KILMACOLM. of education." With all the interest, however, in education, the school- master was still most miserably jDaid. Mr. Cameron does not state the amount of the " maximum salary," but from Wilson's General Vieiv of Agriculture in Re^ifreivshire, we learn that in 1812 his total emoluments including salar}', fees, and house, did not exceed £46. The average attendance of scholars was about 40. Nor was the schoolmaster of Kil- macolm worse j^aid than his neighbours. The average salary for the County was only £54, the lowest being that of Inverkip, amounting to £26, and the highest that of Renfrew, £85. Perhaps there is no sign of progress more marked among us than is afforded by the large sums now freely spent on making the Public Schools of our country efficient. Last year, for example, the School Board of this parish expended in educating an averaofe of about 350 children more than £1700. Our last extract refers to the care of the poor. " There are at present 14 poor upon the roll, who receive according to their circum- stances. Should they be able to work a little, they get 1 shilling a week ; and when unable to do anything, they are allowed on an average 2 shillings. Each of them also receives a quantity of coals at the New Year, equal in value to 10 shillings. When sick, a small sum is generally added to their weekly allowance, and medical attendance and medicine are provided for them. It is a subject of sui'prlse how they manage to live, and make so few complaints. They, however, do not look upon this kind of charity as in any way degrading ; and children, in good circum- stances, have been known to allow their parents to I'eceive it. The funds from which the poor ai'e supplied are derived from collections at the church-doors, fees of proclamations, and the profits arising from the letting out of a hearse and mortcloth. The deficiency is made up by the heritors, according to their valuations." The amount of the church door collec- tions he puts at £18 per annum. The fees for Proclamation of Banns were at the time of which he speaks : — one Sunday, a guinea ; two Sun- days, eight shillings ; three Sundays, two shillings. The mortcloths must have been rather magnificent affairs. In 1804 I find the Session paying to Messrs. Bell and Boyd, Glasgow, for two new mortcloths no less a sum than £40 sterling. It is curious to notice that while they were not very generous to the poor people in their lifetime, they do not seem Id liave THE NINETEENTH CENTURY— THE PARISH. 197 grudged their funeral expenses. Here is an extract from the parish ac- counts of the charges at the burial of a certain old lady called Grissel, who for many years had drawn her weekly dole of 2s. She died in April, 1824, and there was paid " to James Park for a coffin to Grissel, Gravedigging for ditto, Aquavitae at the funeral, ... Bread at ditto, The assessments levied in the parish afford some ground of judging of the social conditions of the inhabitants. The amount paid, for example, in name of " Window Tax" will indicate whether there were many houses of considerable size. Taking, then, the year 1851, the last year in which Window Tax was levied, we find only 13 houses in the parish liable to this tax. We give the list with the number of windows in each house, and the amount of rate imposed : — £0 15 2 5 10 £1 2 10 Mr.s. Vivian, Finlaystone, ... 58 windows, Andrew Wingate, Broadfield, ... 44 ,, Henry MacDowall, Canuth, ... 43 ,, J, C. Porterfield, Duchal, ... 40 A. M. Burrell, Springbnnk, ... 22 Kev. Mr. Brydson, The Manse, 20 Dr. Alex. M'Culloch, Craigbet, 16 Andrew Hair, Glencairnbank, ... IG ,, Robert Laird, The Inn,... ... 15 „ WiUiam Bell, Parklee, 13 Mrs. Parker, Clune Brae, ... 13 ,, Rev. William M'Lachlan, Village, 10 James Foster King, Carnegie Park, 11 ,, £18 12 14 14 14 6 5 3 3 3 2 2 1 1 7 7 8 11 17 17 9 12 12 15 9 9 3 G 6 3 3 3 In this same jear we find that only four are assessed for keeping private carriages : — Finlaystone and Carruth each pay £lO 10s. ; Broadfield, £4 10s , he driving a single horse ; and Craigbet, £3 5s. for the humble gig. 198 KILMACOLM. In the year 1S7G, Mr. William Quarrier began the erection of the Orphan Homes of Scotland (having purchased for the purpose the small property of Nittlnghill), which have steadily gone on increasing till now they represent property valued at considerably over £200,000, and contain a population of eleven or twelve hundred More recently Mr. Quarrier has acquired the lands of Carsemeadow^ on which he has erected Hos- pitals for Consumptive patients. Similar institutions have been erected also at the other end of the parish near Port-Glasgow, known as the Carnegie Park Oi'phanage. These latter Homes, however, are not dependent on charity, but have been built and are maintained by funds left for the jjurpose by James Moj0fat, a Wine Merchant in Port-Glasgow. This parish seems to have a special attraction for this kind of institution. Even while we write, the farm of Bulrossie or Slates, in the neighbourhood of the village, has been bought by Mi". Ptichard Hunter, who has already begun to build thereon a Home for Sailors' Orphans. We have already indicated the changes that have taken place in recent years, and it is not necessary to describe them further. Ancient Kilmacolm has disappeared, while modern Kilmacolm is as yet too young, to have any story to record. It may be of interest to append the popu- lation of the parish at successive periods : — 1791— 951 1831—1613 1871—1716 1801—1130 1841—1616 1881—2708 1811—1474 1851—1399 1891—3649 1821— IGOO 1861—1455 1898— 4000 (about) FINLAYSTONE. XIIL— LEADING FAMILIES OF THE PARISH— FINLAYSTONE. I. — The Dennistoums of Dennistoun. The first mention we find of the name is in the original charter of the barony of Houston, granted in the reign of Malcohn IV. (1153-1 1G5), in which the barony is described as bounded by the " lands of Danziel," which are manifestly Deuniston. This Danziel was one of the knights of the High Steward, who bestowed on him the lands of Dennistoun about the same time as Ralph received Duchal. In the ignoble list, known as Rag- man's Roll, of Scottish nobles, who, in 1296, swore fealty to Edward I. of England— without any purpose of keeping their oaths— there occurs the name of James the High Steward, Finlawe of Hustoun, knight, and Hugh of Dalneston [Denniston], knight. In 1367 we hear of a Sir John de Dan- velston, who held the important post of keeper of Dumbarton Castle, and who sat as one of the barons in the Parliament of 1371— a Parliament in which some important liberal measures were passed for the protection of the peasantry against the encroachments of their feudal superiors. This same Sir John Dennistoun of Dennistoun, as he is styled, " dominus ejusdem," witnessed a charter of Robert, Earl of Strathearn, in 1361, con- veying certain grants to the monks of Paisley. His son and hen-. Sir Robert Dennistoun, must have done good service to the State, probably in the never-ceasing wars with England, for we find King David Bruce in 1370 conferring on him the barony of Glencalrn in Dumfriesshire. In 1373, on his succession, there is a royal charter of Robert II. confirnnng him in the lands of Dennistoun, described as a £40 land, and Flnlaystone, " in the Barony of Renfrew and Shire of Lanark, to be held in free barony," and, in the following year, there is another charter of the same monarch conferring on him the lands of Mauldsly and Kilcadyow. His 200 KILMACOLM. already large estates were further added to in the reign of Robert III., in 1391, by a grant of the lands of Stanely, near Paisley. He had a younger brother, Walter, who made no small stir in his day, and achieved a great deal of notoriety, if not of fame. He was " a man of ane gryt spirit " '" of restless ambition and considerable ability, and it seemed to him that the Church presented the best sphere for the attainment of his ends. Accordingly he took priest's orders, and obtained the livino- of Kincardine O'Neil in Aberdeenshire. He became a Canon of Aberdeen ; and in 1392 we find him at Avignon ostensibly for study, but really for the purpose of ingratiating himself with the Papal Court, then resident in that city. In that year he presented a petition to the Pope asking that he might be preferred to a Canonry of Glasgow, " with expectation of a Prebend, notwithstanding that he had also papal jiro- vision of the church of Suitte, in the diocese of Glasgow, of which he has not yet got possession."! That the petition was granted appears from an instrument executed by Matthew, Bishop of GlasgOAv, in 1395, in which his name occurs, " Magister Walterus de Danzeltoun, Canonicus Glas- guensis ; " and in it he is further described as " discretus \'n\" But ecclesiastical preferment did not come fast enough to satisfy his ambition. Ere long we find him at the head of a considerable baud of freebooters, by means of whom he managed to surpiise and take possession of the strong •castle of Dumbarton. Perhaps he thought that he had some hereditary right to be Keeper of this castle, as the office had formerly been held by his father. At any rate, having captured the stronghold, he succeeded in keeping it in spite of all that the government could do to dislodge him. Nor does it appear that, though a manifest rebel, he was on that account held in any less esteem by the neighbouiing families. On the contrary, it would seem that his position was regarded by many as quite legitimate. Thus an important deed, dated 18th Dec, 1400, dealing with a partition of the family estates between Sir John Maxwell of Pollok, and his brother, Sir Ilobert Maxwell, of whom we shall hear presently, is actually executed at the castle of Dumbarton, and is signed there in the presence of "Nobillmen and mychty, tliat is to say, Maister Valtyre of Danyelstone, * Anahcla Scoliai, II., p. 8. t Calendar oj rapal j!c