157.Sir George Mackenzie got £1500 of Sir William Scott of Harden’s fine; the Duke of Gordon and the Marquis of Atholl shared the fine of Harden, junior—three thousand five hundred pounds between them! Some degree of honour, as the times went, might perhaps then attach to the open driving of their neighbours’ cattle, not infrequent on the Highland borders, as it was accompanied with danger and required at least brute-courage; but these legal thefts, like the pilfering of the pick-pocket or the petty-fogging lawyer—his twin-brother in our day—excite unmingled disgust, because the thieves know they can do it safely.
157.Sir George Mackenzie got £1500 of Sir William Scott of Harden’s fine; the Duke of Gordon and the Marquis of Atholl shared the fine of Harden, junior—three thousand five hundred pounds between them! Some degree of honour, as the times went, might perhaps then attach to the open driving of their neighbours’ cattle, not infrequent on the Highland borders, as it was accompanied with danger and required at least brute-courage; but these legal thefts, like the pilfering of the pick-pocket or the petty-fogging lawyer—his twin-brother in our day—excite unmingled disgust, because the thieves know they can do it safely.
157.Sir George Mackenzie got £1500 of Sir William Scott of Harden’s fine; the Duke of Gordon and the Marquis of Atholl shared the fine of Harden, junior—three thousand five hundred pounds between them! Some degree of honour, as the times went, might perhaps then attach to the open driving of their neighbours’ cattle, not infrequent on the Highland borders, as it was accompanied with danger and required at least brute-courage; but these legal thefts, like the pilfering of the pick-pocket or the petty-fogging lawyer—his twin-brother in our day—excite unmingled disgust, because the thieves know they can do it safely.
But the chief instigators were the curates, and among them Peter Pierson, at Carsphairn, particularly distinguished himself.When Grierson of Lag held a court at Carsphairn church the preceding autumn, he sat with him, described the characters of the parishioners who were summoned, and appeared and gave information respecting the absentees. Soldiers were in consequence sent after them, who spoiled their houses and haled many old and infirm people, and women with child, and the sick, before the commissioner, who handled them but roughly. The whole parish was thus thrown into confusion, and Pierson being a surly ill-natured man, and very “blustering” withal, boasting in public companies that he feared no whigs—he only feared rats and mice—he came to be very generally disliked throughout the district, and was particularly obnoxious to the wanderers who were under hiding in that quarter. A few of them, therefore, determined to force him to sign a written declaration, that he would give up his trade of informer, and proceeded to the manse early in December, when they understood he was alone; for he did not even keep a servant. Two of their number being sent before, got entrance and delivered their commission, which put Pierson into the utmost rage, and drawing a broadsword and cocking a pistol, he got between them and the door. Upon this they called out, when other two, James Macmichael, gamekeeper to the Laird of Maxwellton, and Rodger Padzen came and knocked at the door. Pierson opened it, and was proceeding to attack them, when Macmichael shot him dead on the spot. The rest at a distance, on hearing the noise, ran up and cried—“Take no lives;” but it was too late. This deed was instantly and strongly disavowed by the wanderers, who would never allow any of the party to join with their societies; but one of the assassins was afterwards discovered to be a government spy, and Padzen ere long enlisted in Strachan’s troop of dragoons, which gave credibility to the report, that the whole had been a government plot, to bring discredit on the persecuted wanderers, and justify the savage, unconstitutional measures the managers were pursuing.
Several instances of severity, which occurred during this month, evince the natural tendency of persecution to harden the hearts and destroy every good feeling in the breasts of the persecutors. A poor man, who had been imprisoned in Dumfries jail, for nothearing the curate, having broken the prison and fled to England, his wife with seven small children begged their way after him; but finding no shelter there, she was forced to return. When journeying back, she had stopped to rest at a small alehouse. While sitting peaceably there, Johnston of Wester-raw, with some other persecutors happening to come in, required her to take the test, which she refusing, they haled her to Dumfries prison; and though she earnestly begged they would allow her to take her sucking-child—an infant of three months old—along with her, they would not consent, but threatened unless she complied next day they would drown her. Still she held fast her integrity, and lay for five weeks in jail, till she was sent to Edinburgh, whither her poor children, who, forbid to enter Dumfries, had been supported by charity, followed her, and where she somehow or other got released.[158]
158.The poor children who were able to walk came afterwards to Dumfries, and the eldest applied to the bailies that they might only have liberty to see and speak to their mother. This request was refused, and they were turned out of the town. When going past the prison, one of them saw her looking out at a window, but was not suffered to speak to her. When forced away from the spot, the child blessed the Lord that he had once more seen his mother.—Wodrow, vol. ii. p. 441.
158.The poor children who were able to walk came afterwards to Dumfries, and the eldest applied to the bailies that they might only have liberty to see and speak to their mother. This request was refused, and they were turned out of the town. When going past the prison, one of them saw her looking out at a window, but was not suffered to speak to her. When forced away from the spot, the child blessed the Lord that he had once more seen his mother.—Wodrow, vol. ii. p. 441.
158.The poor children who were able to walk came afterwards to Dumfries, and the eldest applied to the bailies that they might only have liberty to see and speak to their mother. This request was refused, and they were turned out of the town. When going past the prison, one of them saw her looking out at a window, but was not suffered to speak to her. When forced away from the spot, the child blessed the Lord that he had once more seen his mother.—Wodrow, vol. ii. p. 441.
John Linning, a dyer in Glasgow, a blind man, chargeable with nothing but non-conformity, was confined fourteen weeks. When a young daughter of his was taken sick, she cried out passionately for her father; yet would not the magistrates either suffer him to visit her on her deathbed or attend her funeral.
Claverhouse acted up to his instructions, and merited well of his employers. When ranging through Galloway (December 18) he came unexpectedly upon some of the wanderers, who were under hiding at Auchincloy, near the Water of Dee, and surprised six of them together; four he murdered upon the spot, and two he carried with him to Kirkcudbright, where, calling an assize, he went through the farce of a trial, and immediately ordered them to be executed! Nor would he permit them to write a few lines to their relatives to inform them of their fate. Other two escaped, and were pursued by some of the soldiers, who being informed of a house at which they had called in passing, but never sat down,entered the cottage, and missing their prey, took all its inmates prisoners and burnt it to the ground.
James Graham, a tailor in Corsmichael, was not so fortunate. Returning home from his work to his mother’s house, he too was overtaken, when walking peaceably along the highway, by Claverhouse and his squad. They knew him not, and had nothing to lay to his charge; but searching him, and finding a Bible in his pocket, that was crime enough. They took it and his tools from him, and carried him as a disloyal rebel to Kirkcudbright; thence he was sent to Dumfries, where he lay some time in irons, and was afterwards sent to Edinburgh, where, being questioned upon the declaration of the societies, and refusing to answer, he was found guilty of the treason he had not confessed—and of which there was no proof—condemned and hung!
About the latter end of this month, Lady Cavers, who had been in prison, first in Edinburgh tolbooth and then in Stirling Castle, upwards of two years, for keeping conventicles and being present at them, was released through the intervention of her son, Sir William Douglas, upon his return from his travels, who became bound for her living regularly in future or leaving the kingdom within three months. Yet was she not let go till she paid an enormous fine of five hundred pounds sterling—a sum, says Wodrow, exceeding three years’ rent of her estate—though the said rents had been sequestered, and her tenants plundered, during the time of her imprisonment.
About the same time, Dame Margaret Weems, Lady Colville, was imprisoned in Edinburgh tolbooth, for her ecclesiastical irregularities, especially for breeding up her son, Lord Colville, in fanaticism, and putting him out of the way when the council was going to commit his education to others.
In the parish of Nithsdale, James Crosbie, for refusing the test, had his ears cropt and was banished as a slave to Jamaica. In the parish of Auchinleck, William Johnstone being summoned to the court, and not appearing, a party of soldiers were sent to his house, which they plundered; and, as he and his wife had fled, they carried away with them a maid-servant who had charge of the children, leaving two or three destitute infants to shift forthemselves; and because she refused to take the abjuration, which she told them she did not understand, they put burning matches between her fingers, and roasted the flesh to the bone. Her patience and composure under such torment so astonished the savages, that, after the infliction, they allowed her to return home. John Hallome, a youth of eighteen, seized while travelling on the road by Lieutenant Livingstone, and refusing the oath, was carried to Kirkcudbright, where a jury of soldiers being called, and he of course found guilty, he was instantly shot.
The year closed with the appointment of ten special commissioners, to whom two were added in January next year, to hold justiciary courts in twelve shires. Their instructions were, to hang immediately in the place all males who owned or did not disown the “horrid principles” of the declaration, and to drown such women as had been active in disseminating them; and the same day a proclamation was issued, requiring all heritors, and in their absence, their factors and chamberlains, to convocate all the inhabitants on their lands, and to bring them before any of the privy councillors or commissioners appointed by the council, and cause them swear the abjuration-oath, and receive a testificate to serve as a free pass, without which any person who should adventure to travel should be holden and used as a communer with the said execrable rebels; and all housekeepers, as well as hostler-houses, inn-keepers, or other houses of common resort, were forbid to entertain any person who could not produce such a testificate, under the same penalty; which testificate the holders, if required, were obliged to swear was no forged or false document—so suspicious ever are rogues of deceit!—and finally, whoever should discover any of the said traitors and assassins, who had been in any way accessary to the said traitorous and damnable paper, or the publishing or spreading of the same, were to receive a reward of five hundred merks, Scots, for each of them who should be found guilty.
[1685.] This year was ushered in by increasing severities, and whoever would not disclaim the society’s declaration, and take the abjuration-oath, were subjected to be shot by any trooper who chose to interrogate them, or to be sent by the justiciary miscreantsto slavery, exile, imprisonment, or death, after being robbed of all they possessed. Nor did the decrepitude of age, the stenderness of sex, or even boyhood, afford any plea for mitigation. Captain Douglas, the Marquis of Queensberry’s brother, stationed in the parish of Twineholme, oppressed it terribly in the beginning of January, having prevailed with a poor tenant, after many severities, to swear the oath, they insisted upon his discovering the retreats of the wanderers. While dragging him along with them for this purpose, they met another poor man upon the road, who would neither answer their questions nor swear. Him they immediately murdered; and when their prisoner entreated the captain to give him a little more time, and not be so hasty, they beat and bruised the intercessor so cruelly, that in a few days he died the victim of his humanity.[159]
159.How low the clergy could descend in their malice, may be judged from the case of a cripple but pious beggar, John Watson, in the parish of Cathcart. Mr Robert Fennie, curate of the parish, enraged at the poor man, because he would not come to hear him, gave information against him as a disloyal and dangerous person, and procured a party of soldiers to be sent to seize him. John could neither get from them nor go with them; nor would he swear the abjuration-oath. The soldiers, ashamed of their errand, were at a loss what to do, when some of his neighbours offered to send him to Hawk-head, Lord Ross’s residence, in a sledge; and they were proceeding accordingly, when his lordship hearing of the cavalcade, and being informed of the circumstances, sent his servant with an alms, and ordered them to carry the cripple home again.—Wodrow, vol. ii. p. 457.
159.How low the clergy could descend in their malice, may be judged from the case of a cripple but pious beggar, John Watson, in the parish of Cathcart. Mr Robert Fennie, curate of the parish, enraged at the poor man, because he would not come to hear him, gave information against him as a disloyal and dangerous person, and procured a party of soldiers to be sent to seize him. John could neither get from them nor go with them; nor would he swear the abjuration-oath. The soldiers, ashamed of their errand, were at a loss what to do, when some of his neighbours offered to send him to Hawk-head, Lord Ross’s residence, in a sledge; and they were proceeding accordingly, when his lordship hearing of the cavalcade, and being informed of the circumstances, sent his servant with an alms, and ordered them to carry the cripple home again.—Wodrow, vol. ii. p. 457.
159.How low the clergy could descend in their malice, may be judged from the case of a cripple but pious beggar, John Watson, in the parish of Cathcart. Mr Robert Fennie, curate of the parish, enraged at the poor man, because he would not come to hear him, gave information against him as a disloyal and dangerous person, and procured a party of soldiers to be sent to seize him. John could neither get from them nor go with them; nor would he swear the abjuration-oath. The soldiers, ashamed of their errand, were at a loss what to do, when some of his neighbours offered to send him to Hawk-head, Lord Ross’s residence, in a sledge; and they were proceeding accordingly, when his lordship hearing of the cavalcade, and being informed of the circumstances, sent his servant with an alms, and ordered them to carry the cripple home again.—Wodrow, vol. ii. p. 457.
On the 18th, four of the persecuted were surprised at prayer, in a sequestered spot in the parish of Monigaff, in Galloway, by Colonel Douglas, with a party of horse; and as their serious occupation was sufficient evidence of their “atrocious rebellion,” they were, without any process, murdered on the spot. On the 26th, three remarkable characters were forfeited—Sir Patrick Home of Polwart, George Pringle of Torwoodlee, and Andrew Fletcher of Saltoun. They all escaped to the Continent, and were reserved by Providence for better days. On the 30th, Dalziel of Kirkmichael and Lieutenant Straiton, with fifty soldiers, surprised a few of those under hiding asleep in the fields at Mortoun, in Nithsdale; but they all fled and escaped, except David Macmichael, who from bodily indisposition, and being wounded, couldnot follow. Him they took to Durisdeer, and told him if he would not own the supremacy in church and state, and take the oath that would be tendered, the law declared him guilty of death. “That,” said David, “is what of all things I cannot do; but very cheerfully I submit to the Lord’s disposal as to my life.” The commander said, “Do not you know your life is in my hands.”—“No!” replied he, “I know my life is in the Lord’s hand; and if he see good, he can make you the instrument to take it away.” Being ordered to prepare for death next day, he answered, “If my life must go for his cause, I am willing; my God will prepare me!” He next day suffered at Dalveen with a composure and courage that melted even the rude soldiers who shot him.
An instance of the ferocious thirst after blood which urged on the persecutors, occurred February 1st. John Park and James Aldie, two young men, in Eastwood, were brought before the commissioners for Renfrewshire, Lord Ross and Hamilton of Orbiston; and when they were persuaded to consent taking the abjuration, “that shall not save you,” said Orbiston; “unless you take the test, you shall hang.”—“Then,” replied the intrepid conscientious youths, “if the abjuration will not save us, we will take no oath at all.” They were condemned, and immediately led to execution. While they were yet hanging, Robert King, miller at Pollockshaws, in the same parish, was brought into court, and had the test offered to him, which he refused. He was then led to the window, bid look upon the two suspended before it, and told if he did not comply, he should immediately be tied up along with them. Still resisting, he was shut up in a dark corner and assured that he had only an hour to live. They would, however, out of charity, give him three warnings by sound of trumpet, but if he sat the third, there was no mercy. He heard the two blasts, when his courage failing, he took the test. His wife was a “composed woman, of uncommon sound sense.” One day, as some of the plunderers were driving away her cattle, having rifled the house besides, she came to the door, and was looking after them, when a soldier, rather more merciful than his comrades, turned and said, “Poor woman, I pity thee.” Janet answeredwith great gravity, yet cheerfulness, “Poor! I am not poor; you cannot make me poor! God is my portion; you cannot make me poor!”
On the 3d of February, the privy council passed an act for classifying prisoners; but the king dying, these measures underwent considerable alteration. Charles, it is said, having become dissatisfied with the rash violence of the Duke of York’s proceedings, meditated the recall of his favourite bastard Monmouth, the exile of his brother, and the adoption of more moderate measures. If he entertained any such designs, they were never to be accomplished. An attack of apoplexy, or poison, as was suspected at the time, finished all his earthly projects; and, after a few days’ illness, he died in the fifty-fifth year of his age. But oh! how different his deathbed from the scaffold scenes we have been recording. He could only mutter he hoped he would climb to heaven after all! and eagerly grasped at the delusive phantoms of Romish superstition. When Huddleston, a papist priest, who had saved his life at Worcester, was introduced to save his soul, he sighed out expressively, “He is welcome!” received the last sacraments of that church, and expired in her communion.