went at night to Kinloss, looking out the books of the Shyr. I found nothing in my actings quherof to be ashamed; yet in that I am not justified. . . .

2.-I went from Kinloss with Mortoun to Elgin. . . . Cam to Elgin, and met betwix Altera and Innes. I found him deal throughlie, and it was my corruption which inclind to restrain him. The Mountebank was in that place, quher I saw mani people drawn away with a curiositi to see him. Men will beleui ani imposter befor they beleeu the tru, sauing, and infallibl, pur word of God.

3, 4.-Thes days we spent in looking over his [Innes's] old papers. Soe careful ar men to know the estat of ther effairs in the world, and alac! so carless to know the certantie and condition off matters betwix our souls and God, and our rights and securiti to that inheritanc, incorruptibl and undefild, which is purchasd to us, and transmitted throgh a mediatour. I did see mani evidences of the antiquitie and estimation of that familie in the world

7. Die Dom. This night past, I had som imaginations in my sleip, which I retained with som impression. I thoght I was in the Cougat at Edinburgh, and ther was sitting on a dunghill, and was looking stedfastli on a gibbet befor me; and a sister or freind of Sir Jhon Nisbet's did com and speak to me, and bad tak me up. Besid the euel plac I lay in, she was feard, that the looking on that gibbet, and being afflicted with that which had befallen others, might mak too much impression on me. I cam estward to a chamber qulair mani persons wer, and Sir Jhon Nisbet did —————————— b I hav noe ground b But if by this the Lord be shewing me that He intends to humbl me, and to bring me low, even to the dunghill, let His will be don; onli let me not be given up to my filthi lusts which defil, whereby God is dishonourd, and our profession disgracd; otherways let Him lay on me quhat seims good to Him, onli let Him furnish with grac, and inward strenth, and patienc, and wisdom to bear it, and mak a right use of it.

8.-I heard of Calder's distress in his effairs, and desird to aknowledg the Lord, and to be humbl'd under the Lord's rod upon him; for in afflicting him He lais me low.

Robert Cumming of Altyre, who was served heir to his father James, October 28, 1652, and who died previous to April 28, 1688, at which date his son Alexander was

served his heir. (Inquis. Retor. Elgin and Forres, nos, 93, 100, 153.)

Short-hand in MS. Sir John Nisbet of Dirleton, Lord Advocate.

I went doun to see the seat in the Kirk that I was intending to build; and in this I feard a snar, for vaniti and ostentation is readie to creep in, and outward ornament is oft attended with inward decay.

9.-The Ladi Park my neic cam heer; and I was sorrie and afflicted that corruption should break in among us to seperat, as it does, and is lyk to doe, quhairin we by our deids walk unlyk Christians. I desird to be exercisd under it, and mad my supplication to God for grac to discern and withstand my oun corruption, and grac to my poor sone.

10. The L. of Innes was heir at an appointment of Cromarti, but he cam not, pretending a fall he had gotten. I did exhort the L. of Innes to shew himself a good instrument in advizing Kilraok to sober and kindlie cariag with his neibours, and especialli with Calder. His father was so happi that we had never mor peac then in his tym, and good understanding among all the families in our countre mor then had bein for mani ages befor. I wishd he might be an instrument to continu this blessing.

12.—I went to Leathin, and visited him, and saw in him much pains to instruct his familie. Let the Lord bless his pains, and him His poor instru

ment.

13. I went to Calder, and returnd at night.

14. Die Dom. Mr. Thos Craig preachd: "That we should not be hearers of the Word onli, but doers also."

b

I was desird to keep a meiting betuix L. Strathnauer and the Bishop of Cathnes. But being loth to appeir much in effairs, I did conceau it fitt to declin it, desiring to withdraw myself from my oun, and much mor from other men's buisines.

16.—My uncl Francis was with me anent the contract of his daughter, and was unweil; yet we did conclud it.

18-... I gott yesterday letters from Edinburgh, shewing the death of the King of Spain, and Don Jhon his successour: that old Mr. Canta and other ministers wer summond befor the Councel. . . .

I feard in going about to accommodat my self and my famili with a seat in the kirk, that vaniti, ostentation, glori, and corruption would creip in. . .

Sir Hugh Campbell of Calder.

b George, Lord Strathnaver, who succeeded his father John, Earl of Sutherland, in 1663.

Patrick Forbes, Bishop of Cathness. He was consecrated in March, 1662.

d Mr. Andrew Cant, one of the ministers of Aberdeen.

Mr. Thos Craig spok to me that ther was nothing doing for getting in his stipend.

I did visit thes in Teri. Mr. Ja. Urquhart cam to me, and I found myself profited by him. It was som ground of consideration to me that he had noe freidom soe much as to keep Presbs and Sessions under the Bishops, thogh he might enjoy a libertie to preach for soe doing. I desird to judg rightli of his tendernes. 2. To suspect my oun loosnes and libertie. 3. To remember him befor God, that he may be kept from snars upon the one hand, and myself on the other, and both of us from snars on the right hand and the left. He was inlargd in prayer for the Kirk of God, and the present state of corruption, beyond me. He had more of the burden of it upon him; and I desird grac not to be idl or insensibl, quhil others deir to God ar tossd and driven up and doun, the faithful shepheards driven away, mani formal, nay, and profan ar enterd.

21. Die Dom. . . . I heard that the Ladi Grant had died on Thursday, the 18 of December. Thus I see all flesh is grass.

25.-Mr. Hari Forbes and Mr. Tho. Urquhart wer heir. I did see Mr. Thomas his darkness and exercis, and desird to bear burthen with him.

30.-The Ladi Grant was buried: and 1. I found in going to that burial men inclind to affect vain glori and shew. I feard my son and freinds in this particular. Lord prevent us !

Ther was much debat I heard anent the carying of the croc upon the corps. I did hear men to be forward against this, that would litl withstand other corruptions; nay, and if authoriti wer not favorabl, would giv way to this also. L. 1 uffus and all that congr[egation] did stand up at the Doxologie, and at noe other part of the worship.

31.-This day Francis and Margt. Brodi wer maried.

1663, Januarie 1.—I heard from Edinburgh of the death of my weil beloued freind Mr. Downie; and that he had liud weil, and died in the faith of God's lov to his Church in this land.

Mr. Jhon Livingstoun, Karstairs, and others, wer inacted to be banishd. Shall I not mourn for this?

* See p. 87, note ↳

I heard that Chancellor Hyd's favour with the King was diminished.

.. I heard that ther was lyk to be a review of the fynns. 2.-Our freinds did return hom.

3.-I did cal for Wil. Lard, and enquir at him anent the reports which I heard of his familiariti with the Duell. I did warn and exhort him and his son, as I could; and having giuen his son a Bibl, took him engadgd to God to seru Him, with al his hart, and no other, and to lay up that book, and the words of it, in his heart.

I warnd and exhorted my Son to reflect on his oun ways and walking, how his hart stood to Godward. I exprest my jealousie of him, walking loosli and carlesli, growing secur, cold, dead, formal, making noe proficienci in grac, lov of God, mortification, diligenc, faith, watchfulness, comunion with God, holines. He did b But alas! so soon as thes ;b and I con

engadgments ar broken, and shaken off. I enquird cluded with prayer to God for him.

5.-I was the night past and this day under som bodili distemper, by pain of the collick and gravel. . . . Archibald Baili cam. He saw me, Mr. Hari, and Mr. Ja. Urquhart at night. We worshipd God together.

I heard that the Quein and som others Papists had giuen in articls against Chancellor Hyd. I dar not allow myself any joy in this; for I know not but ther may out of this fall spring forth a greater croc to His Church and work, albeit he be as he is.

с

8.—I heard the Ladi Moortoun was sick; and in the conscienc of my duti I went over to see her, and saw in her willingnes to be with the Lord, mixd with a desir (if it seimd good to Him) to abid in the flesh. We complaind on this, that we wer all slow and avers from death, and dyied becaus we could not liv longer, not becaus we choisd or desird it, or saw an advantage in it. We would tak up our rest heer, if He did permit it. Wer we as we should, we would desir and long to be at hom, and to be with the Lord, which is the best of all.

I heard that ther wer commotions in the other lands, and my soul desird to be afflicted with this for the land's sak, our rulers, and thes poor peopl that wer left to ways that I fear ar not approven of God. Therfor may it

Edward Hyde, Earl of Clarendon, Lord Chancellor.

b Short-hand in MS.

The wife of Robert Innes of Muirtown.

seim good to Him to allay thes troubls, and turn away His wrath. I desird from my veri hart to mourn under the tokens of the wrath of God yet.over the land, both peopl and rulers. God may justlie punish the one by the other, the spiritual wanntones, and prid, and giddines of the one by

the

I desird to mourn for the King, and besoght the Lord for him, that his government may be blest, and stablishd in righteousnes and equiti, for the good of His Church and all the peopl. . . .

This day I heard Arthur Forbes died suddenlie.

I spok with Mr. Ja. Urquhart, and persuaded him, if he might get it without a snar, to embrac his ministri. Refusing to concur with Presbitries. and Sinods, becaus they wer but the Bishop's delegats, could not anull ther calling, or mak it void. As it seimd to me this argument would inferr that thos whom the Bishops admited wer not ministers, and consequentli the Sacraments and Ordinances which they ministerd noe Ordinances; the consequenc wherof would cast all loos. But let me not be a snar to him in this; neither let Sathan borow or speak out of my mouth; for I, and my tongu, and specich ar the Lord's and noe other's. I desir to speak and councel to the Lord; but my corruption and blindnes will soon mislead me, and be a snar to others, if the Lord prevent not.

Err the night was don, I found my pain recurr, and had one of the most sharp and longest fitt of the gravel that ever I had all my lyf tym. It lasted from the 8 to the -, thogh not with a lyk measur of pains.

30. The Ladi Calder cam heir, and next day the E. of Murray, and did see me. My Son made some conclusion with the Bishop in his particulars.

On the 27, Kilravok his eldest son was born, and on the 2nd of Februarie baptizd at Innes.

We heard of the King's proclamation anent som liberti to Papists. I desird to enquir into this, and to be exercisd under it. 2. To see the mind of God, and what His will is, and He cals to. 3. That ther is a black cloud ouer our head of wrath, sin, and judgment: That He may therfor be a hiding plac to His peopl til thes calamities pass ouer, and guid us in His way, that we stumbl not upon the dark mountains. 4. We ar looking for