I meet with in the day by the way; scarc[e] a thoght of God. Alac[e]! for such travelling, and such uncomfortabl journeys. In this place I found much welcom; but I desird to be afflicted. 1. For my unprofitablness and unusefulness in this place; not a word almost of God among us, either to ther edification, or my own. 2. Except the famili worship, not a knee bowd. 3. Much neglect of secret fellowship with God in worship. 4. A meeting at Ancrum, and yet I did not keep it, nor yet Torwodlee."

27. With great importuniti I was staid heer, and desird to reverenc the Lord's wisdom and providenc. I did conferr with the Ladieb on the care and duti that lay on us that ar parents towards our children, to exhort, warn, admonish at al seasons, and to give them up unto the Lord, to be His.

Shee said, Quhen shee could not be rid of unsoundnes, and could not win to that integriti, and to give the whol hart to God, then she would pray the Lord to take her by her word, and to fulfil the desir of her mouth, albeit her heart was not as it should. I said, That veri prayer was not without the hart, even a good measur of the hart.

. . I visited old Whitbank. 1. I desird not to inuie nor grudg albeit other men had mani gifts of industrie, government, domestick discretion, and dexteritie, which I had not. 2. That the spirit of another was mor fitted to som things then myn. 3. I desird to be keeped, as from complaining, so from setting my hart on ani thing but on God, or counting micle of ani induments, or gifts, or faculties. Grace is all; Christ is al to me. . . . 4. Whitbank had pretti natural gifts of pollicie and discretion, had houses and gardens, and a sweit pleasant dwelling: mani things that I had not. Now I desird to ador God in his wisdom, and in his dispensing of outwards things: he had not appearanc to haue succession, for his son had noe children. 5. He told me, that Traquair saying to him, He thoght him a happi man; he answered, You may be al happi if you would; could you content yourself with such homlie privat employments and exercyse; did not desir of greatness and court, confidence of parts and wisdom transport you and depriue of contentednes, how easili might yow sitt doun and enjoy all that I doe, and much more

I heard that the goodwyf of Gallowhales [Galashiels] had 10 sones, and

George Pringle of Torwoodlee. (Wod

row's History, vol. iv., p. 227.)

The wife of George Pringle of Tor

al graceles. I adord God, and concluded, it is not in children, or the multitud of them, or beautie, or welth, or prosperiti, of them that our happiness consists, but in this, that they be honourd with the knowledg and fear of God.

This familie [Torwoodlee] has all things plentifull and successful, and ar blest with friendship and ofspring about; let the Lord bless it to them! noe such emulations and factions heer as is among us.

28. I cam from Torwoodlie to Edinburgh, and did speak a word to the Ladie elder, and to Janet, and to yong Torw. anent what the Lord was requiring of them severally. They al took it weil of my hand.

I found at my return-1. My poor goodwyf at point of death 2. Buisiness with D. Lenox making noe progres. 3. That other, with the General, anent Ila, noe better. Under all thes I desird to be humbld. . . 4. I read Waristoun's letter for covenanting, and desired to lay this befor the Lord, even the motives, and objects, that I be not found against the Lord.

This night, about ten at night, Dame Edmonstoun, who had for mani years lodgd me in her hous, was removd by deith. At my veri first comming, quhen she saw me, she embracd me, and said, I was com to buri her. Ah! Lord, and so it fell out. She died in the Lord, and in the faith of Jesus Christ, and of his promises for forgivness, and to be raised up at the last day, to be presented without blame befor God, through the Lord Jesus.

30.—Die Dom. Mr. Jh. Stirling preachd 14 John 13. . . . I went to the burial as dead as the corps; so litl motion or sence I had. In the evening I met with much stupiditi in the servants.

.. Mr. Douglas told me he was not ashamd of coming up the way with the President; 2. That the General had told them, that he would not permitt Aberdeen Synod to sit without Mr. An. Cant's testimoni.

1 October. This day Garthland did visit me, and told me, that the Minister's stipends, and other things, wer to be burdend with cess: and personal estats; that Cassils was mor[e] mild. I did acknowledg the Lord in this, and desird to consider.

.. I heard of the defeat of the Spainard at Pauia in Itali; and that Venabls and Pen wer returnd, and imprisond, had left som men in Jamiaca, and wer beaten at Hispaniola. That the English ships wer al arested in Spain's dominions; that all beyond the Lyne was out of the peace with

Spain. That the Spainard had since taken from the English the Ile of Prouidenc. That Lord Blak[e] was on the coast of Spain with 22 ships, and 12 going to him. I heard of the exertion off the great empyr of China. In al thes I might see the power, wisdom, and souerainti of God. This day a new proclamation, taking restraints of the ministers, and giuing them to the 1 of Nouember to forbear with certification. . .

I wryt to Swintoun shewing that I would not tak employment. He cam and visited me; as to ani good purpos, or yet ciul buisiness, I was barren, and had nothing to speak to him. .

2.-The ministers did begin to forbear praying for the King, thinking the other proclamation fred them much..

I was of new invited earnestli to goe to London, which did beget me much anxietie and exercyse; yet, at last, efter al the tossings, my understanding led me to judg it lawful as the cace stood. But 1. On the hopes that the E. of Lothian had to doe it. 2. On my fears and suspicions of my self, I did devolue and rol it ouer upon God. In His wisdom and alsufficiencie, He might, if He thoght fitt, bring it to pas by the means that is us'd; and if he would not, I had then to consider what he cald me

unto...

I did this day feel my unsatisfiednes with Waristoun anent the Covenant, especialli in that of rooting out heresies; . . . and the devision it would work.

...

3.-Wednesday. I came from Edinburgh late, and did that night lodg in a hous of one Stewart, neer Dalrei [Dalry], who did express his hatred of al godlines under the nam of Sectaries.

Next day, I found a merciful providenc in croceing Queensferie, in a great storm, and did quietli commit my spirit to God, when I saw the billows, as opin graves, readi to reaceave me into ther bellie. . . . I cam in by Rosnyth.

5.-I cam this night to Kirkaldie, and the next day to a privat hous neer Brechin. Thes two days my thoghts wer litl worth: I found disposition to wear out tym with vain thoghts; but scare a word or a thoght towards God.

On the 6 of October I cam to Donsyd; and did meet with Judg Mosley, and Goodear, the day befor, in ther return from the Courts.

7. Die Dom. At Druminour. . . . Mr. William Urquhart preached

on Ex. 20. 24. . . . Ther was noe familie worship this day in the hous. In the morning I had admonishd, warnd, and exhorted my nephew.

9.-I cam from Innes to this hous, which I dar not call my own, nor my home. I spoke with the Erl off Murray['s] sons, and Duffus at Lethin, anent his fynn.

. . . I heard that the assyse did assoili Kilboyak from that murther he comited on Hemprig's brother. Now, Oh Lord! piti the land and forgiue; and charg not the blood, and the fals clearing of the guilti upon us: now it lies on Thee, when men have refused, or wil not doe justic, to tak cognisanc of it, and to enquir: may it be for thy glori, for the terrour of others, and wer it in merci to the soul of that wretch! For money he was assolied. I heard ther was much corruption in clerks and advocates about that Court. This I desird to consider and to bewail. I heard Jhon Cuming was letten out, but noe particular sureti to me for his indemnitie; and that he and Jhon M'Patrick had much hatred against us. Now, Lord! be our shadow and hiding place; for besid Thee we hau noe defenc against wicked and wild men.

I heard off much insolencie, and oppression, and violenc, committed against this poor countrie for some publick dues: this I commit to the Lord.

I heard that Mr. Tho. Urqhart was enterd on his trials, and wel reported of; and for this I desird to worship and to ador the Lord, and to look for good from Him to this poor place as yet

10.-The Earl of Murray resolud to goe to London anent his fynn, and to tak Spini with him; and I desired to remark and obseru what the Lord was about therby. Even quhen I was about this I reaceivd a letter from Generall Morgan to com to Aberdeen. This surprizd me, soe that I knew not what to mak out of it. That 1. I and Leathen onli should be sent for, and noe other. 2. At such a tym when I had not had one day's rest at home I need not call this place, nor this world my home. 3. That it might not have com a day sooner, and then I had been exonerd, or els that I cam not by Aberdeen; and then this travel would hau been holden in.

First, I adord God in it, and in my darkness and confusion, and when I was at my wit's end, and could not giue a reason, yet then to ascriue righteousnes and wisdom to God. 2. I found myself apt to quarel with God, as if I had been deluded in concluding, that I was al weil directed, wheras it might hau been better if I had com in by Aberdeen. Lord! this

is sinful. I desir to be silent, and yet to think weil of Thee, albeit I should be quarterd or kild at Aberdeen. 3. His thoghts are not myn. 4. The Lord reprovs my hastines! He that beleevs maks noe hast. 5. Becaus the ordour is peremptor, without quareling, I desird to see if the Lord cald and warranted me to goe; and scing noe impediment but my disacommodation, and the fear of my weaknes, and unstablnes, I conceaued it wer not to be alloud, if I should incur ther censur for disobeying

11.-This day my difficulties of going to Aberdeen did encress, and my perplexities.

This day at even, with Mr. H. Forbes and Mr. Joseph, I did prosecut the call from Ila to Mr. Wil. Ros, and found his spirit sober, and his discouradgments mor clearli from sens of insufficiencie. He yeelded to wrytt; he prayd that he might not be sufferd to put his foot a sparr; that his hart may be enclind to the way that pleases Him; and he might not goe unsent, nor stay when cald forth. Oh Lord, heer!

We dealt with Mr. Jhon M'Gulican, with quhom we saw mor of a peremptor spirit, predetermind aganst it. I did reason sharpli with him, and cried to God, quhil I was reasoning, to be kept from marring this man, and moving his spirit, with my indiscreet passion and pryd. I offerd nothing to him but the peopl's necessitie and call, his designation and separation to that employment. He replied, that the report they could have of him was not sufficient for them to giv a call. Mr. Jos. and Mr. Harie thoght he said nothing that had weight to exoner him. He promisd to ansuer by wryt. Mr. Tho. thoght mor of his argments; that report could not giv warrand to a peopl to choos; but it might sure [lead] to call. I desird to commit thes things to God.

12.-I cam to Moortoun, and heard that Craigstoun had attempted to bui, [buy] or exchang, his lands for Cromarti. I saw much off my own confident, daring, ambitious, covetous natur. I did not mor piti him then abus my self under mani such lyk thoghts..

14.-Die Dom. I cam to Inverurie to sermon; I had lit or noe particular exercyse. I staid heer al day, and desird to piti His people; for minister and people ar litl the better of other.

I heard it was anent Justices of Peace that Morgan sent for me; I was considering soe poor a buisiness to cal me for, if he had noe mor.

15.-I cam to Aberdeen, and found, that al the buisiness which this