She prayd, and I did concurr and join with her in prayer with all

my hart.

17. Som poor peopl were seeking charitie. I was tempted to have giuen them dranings of beare. But should I giue that which is lam or torn to Him, should He not haue the males, and best of the flock and the field so He deliuered me from it. We met anent the putting away loos woemen to Barbadoes. I desird the Lord's direction in it.

19. I heard from Edinburgh that the fynns were unavoidable. I see the distress that the Land would be in therthrogh, and that Earl Murray and other families wer redacted to much strait, so wer the families of our Kings, and al that adheard unto them. This might instruct and humble and teach me, iff I wer not ignorant and dull.

I din'd in Darnway; but gott not the papers which I was seeking, and if by any impediment of this sort the Lord would have me stayd, and not proceed, I desire to be throghlie at his bidding.

20.-Die Dom. The Lord discouered this day to the Session a deceaver calld Thomson, who caried a child about with him, and reported he had 2 twins, and that his wyf ther mother was dead; whyl yet she was found to be alive. He did shedd teares, and dissemble as egregiousli as if it had been truth. Now I desired to consider this, and from that man's hypocrisi to trie my own hart and affections, and quhil I liue to suspect my self..

I conferrd with the poor woman Cath. Hendrie, and made supplication with her to God; and observ'd that the Lord had ridd her for som days past off the external exercyse which she apprehended of scratching and violence; onli now groand under an apprehension of feare and God's anger, and want of Christ in the hart and desertion. . . . That she found it easier to win to repentance then to win to faith; and found a greater want of the one then of the other. This I cannot say of myself; for sound repentance, and due sense of sin, is that which I miss oftenest, and can least be without.

21.-I went to Darnway and lookd on somethings of young Stewart's compts; saw the confusion and distress which was upon that familie Yet anger was not turnd away: I desird to be unfeinedli humbled and cast down. We did this day adviz anent Leathin's seeking reparation from the English, and it was ther opinion to forbeare. This I did allow of, and reverenc'd the Lord's wisdom and prouidenc.

S

24.—I did, after some conference with the poor woman Cathrin Henrie, mak supplication to God with her and for her. . . . She told me how Sathan approached to her somtyms in the shap of som freind, or her brother, sometym in the shap of a catt with burning fyri eys, sometyms in one and another; told, he would mak her a poor woman, and tak al from her that she had; and shee professd willingness to bear it so the Lord laid it on, and would forgive her iniquities and becom her God. I could not tell what to mak of this, or quherfra it cam, but I desir'd that the Lord would learn me how to conceiv of this trial, and would not in the meantyme forsak the work of his hands.

a

25.-I went to Quarelwood to a meiting with the E. of Murray and his friends: I saw the distress and perplexitie of al persons, and desired to be humbl'd with ther trouble under ther effairs.

Jhon Lang, I heard, was verie weak, and at the point of death: I am concerned also in that providence. This evening he died.

I heard of Dauid Dunbar his wyf's death, and Dr. Seaton's son, who maried Ladi Ann Montgomrie.b

26. In reading the contract of mar: betwix my deir deceasd father and mother, I saw mani providences together. 1. The tym that I was not, and the conjunction of thes persons by whom I had my being. 2. To ador the Lord and reverence them. 3. To be lit in my own eys. 4. I hav mani of my father's children removd som elder then I, yet I am as yet to the fore in my generation, and seing a posteriti growing up efter me. This day Jhon Lang in Forres was buried.

28.-This day Cathrin Hendri cam to me, and told me, she had found the Lord dealing something mor comfortablie and kindlie with her; for which I desired to bless the Lord. She said, Sathan had oft appeared to her lyk an angel and enticed and tempted her to sin, and cited the New Testament for it. We did setle the conditions betwix yong Cailachie and Grang his sister.

a Alexander Stewart, fourth Earl of Moray. (Douglas's Peerage, vol. ii., p. 259.)

Lady Ann Montgomery was the daughter of Hugh, seventh Earl of Eglintoun. (Douglas's Peerage, vol. i., p. 503.) She married, for her second husband, in 1658, James, third Earl of Findlater. In the Memorials of the Montgomeries, vol. i., p.

93, the author says her first marriage is not supported by evidence, an assertion which it is unnecessary in this place to contravert. Dr. Seaton's son who married Lady Ann Montgomery was, "Robert Seaton, eldest lawfull son to Sir George Seaton of Hailles:" he died in 1655. (Commissary Records. 24 August, 1655.)

I did beseech the Lord to bless the purpos, that it may be for his glori and his churches good. I did speak with Mr. Jhon M'Gulican, and did

warn and exhort, [and both] him and we prayed.

1 June. Park supp'd with me and Mr. Wil. Saunders. I heard that both said that they wer feard for my oppression, and I swayd judges and took two parts of my will. Oh Lord! help me to examine this, and purg my hart from pryd, violence, contempt of others, oppression, covetousnes, partialitie, self-conceit, and give ane humbl, lowli spirit for the Lord's sake.

3. Die Dom. Efter repetition of sermons we catechizd on the three first Petitions of the Lord's Prayer; and reservd the other three, with the Beleef to anie new occasion.

4.—I heard the Erl of Murray his complant upon distres and heavy troubls coming on. I desird to look up to God and aknowledg him in it, that the imediat distres should light on him that was the soberest person of the familie.

At night goeing to bedd I heard the monstrous imprecations which my daughter was using against som person quhom at present I knew not: I desired to be afflicted for it.

7.—This was the day of Craigstoun's mariage with L. Barbara M'Enzie. Let the Lord bless that purpos for ther good and his churche's.

9.-I heard that ther had been much follie and loosnes at Craigstoun's mariage. I desird to chalandg my oun hart for being soe little troubld with it. It should burden me more. Oh! let not the Lord lay it to my charge, nor to the land's.

a

15.—I met afternoon with Moynes and Leathin.... Efter supper we spok of familiar spirits, divination, and witchcraft, and wer enquiring into the reasons of the Lord's great jealousie against that sin aboue anie other. It was a high degree of undervaluing the Lord, discontentedness, pryd, curiositie, unbeleef, open joining hands, conjunction and familiariti with his enemies, preferring ther counsel, communion, help to his. It wer noe wonder that he should tak thes ill. .

16.-Park came to me, and we conferrd and soght the Lord together for our own souls, and for our families, and for that desolat place of Auldearn.

John Dunbar of Moynes. (Inquis. Gener., no. 4768.)

b Brodie of Leathen.

17.-Die Dom. I am this evening to open the three last Petitions of the Lord's Prayer, and catechize on it.

I heard that the Protectour had beheaded the Erle of Manchester, and manie others. I desir'd to enquir and to be cast doun, and to consider, understand, and be instructed by this the Lord's dealing, and what this wil tend unto.

18.-I heard ther was soldiers on Monaghtie, and I desir'd to have my spirit guided, not to rule over my brethren with rigour. . . I heard Aikinway was in prison. I desird to consider the Lord's dealing, and to have that croce sanctified to his poor wyf.

20. The Laird of Innes and his Ladie wer with us in ther going to Ross.

26.-Mr. Harie Forbes cam heir, and Mr. Tho. Hogg. I conferd with Mr. Harie on secluding the profane from prayer in a familie or societie anent baptizing promiscuouslie the children of al; anent freedom and restraint in approaching to God; the Magistrates power to compel ad fidem, and ad media fidei. .

I receaud letters of the Tutour's coming, and reverenc'd the Lord in disappointing my voyage to Ila, and to meet with Argyll, and acknowledges the Lord in al, and looks upward.

2 Julie.-Mr. Hari told me what work he had with witches, ther lifting him, and bowing his bodi together in his bedd; ther confessions, and Sathan's own, that they could doe him no harm; made his image of wax, but could not hurt him. Oh! what confirmation was this to my soul to beleev in God al sufficient, and not to turn asyd to crooked paths.

5.-This day was a verie great floud, and delug of rain, which raisd all the waters to a great height. Let not the Lord destroy a land and a people that ar dround in sin and ingodlines. . . . In this matter of Mr. Harie Forbes, Lord, purifie my heart, mind, affections, judgment, will, and understanding, for I sett Thee over all. I remitt the bridling, curbing, restraining of Cathnese's wickednes to Thee, for quhen thou calls him, thou art bound to tak the care off them.

7.-Cath. Hendri told me, that one had said to her, that one told her

a Sir Robert Innes of that ilk, and Grizel Stewart, his wife, the Laird of Brodie's

father-in-law and mother-in-law. (Douglas's Baronetage, p. 17.)

that Sathan was angrie at me for dealing for her, and that I was seen and a book in my hand, speeking to Sathan and that I said, shee would neuer be weil. Oh Sathan's leis. Shee was yet much troubl'd, apprehended that shee fell in a deep water, and saw three black ruiks.a

14 Julie, 1655.—EFTER dinner we went forth, Mr. Hari and I, quhen I 1632. did rehears to him how the Lord had dealt with me from the year 1632 until this day. 1. How strong violent temptations I had mett with in my youth, and was miraculously deliuered: how the Lord had begun to chalandg 1635. me at Aberdeen, efter som loos walking and declining in St. Androes: how much sin the Lord prevented quhen he setld me in honest mariage; how micle loue and prouidence did he exercys about me in that matter. At that tym I was but strongli seeking God, and not soe veri seriouslie, until he bor'd my eare and wakend me. First I questiond my own cace becaus 1637. I wanted remarkable croces, hauing had my education in plenti, and hauing had noe want nor exercyse as yet. The Lord told me plainli, and seald it on my hart, that he should put me out of that stumbling ere long: answerablie he presentlie enterd me to a school of affliction (if I may call so sweit and weil season'd exercyses affliction), which I look back upon with delight and joy; but sad wer they in the meantyme.

1638.

My first tryal was by the smyth's wyfe, quho, by my hastines, was broght to death's dore, and a child in her bellie also, for shee fell being with child, I having her by the hand. All men took her and the child for dead: my deir wyfe dealt to get a declaration from her that I was frie of her or her child's death. It was suspected that the M. of Huntlie should have taken occasion to pursue me in case she had died: quhen the Lord had broken my spirit into pouder, and made it willing to goe to the scaffold, I did, in the faith of his prouidenc, upon my knees burn the woman's declaration, renounc al carnal confidenc off witt, policie, wrong means, and brunt the papers, and committed my soul, lyf, estat, credit, familie, the affliction and ishue of it, and the woman and her child, to God. Efter mani days deep exercyse in humiliation, supplication, cries, and tears, and submission at a Sacrament in Aldearn, having found the Lord unspeakablie and unutterablie gracious in that ordinanc, in that veri day, quhen I was

a Ruiks, or rooks, crows.