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persecution and troubl. Mani signs and presages is ther of it: the liberti to wicked men; the restraint on them that fear His nam, and that the land cannot bear them; faithful men expeld and driven out of the land; lov of God waxing cold, and zeal for the inventions and traditions of men waxing hott; and a fload of violenc and ungodlines breaking in.

February 3. This day be 6 in the morning my daughter-in-law was broght to bed of her second daughter, Cathrin. My cousen Francis' wyf, hauing lipenda for that sam midwyf, and not knowing of another, cam to this hous also, and was at the sam hour and moment broght to bedd and deliuerd of her son, quhom shee purposd to call Alexander. Thus the Lord mixes mercie with corrections; and at once, quhil he is exercising my bodi with weaknes, and sicknes, and pain, he blesses with an ofspring, brings saf throgh childbirth, and comforts me in this. Therfor I ador, and bles his name. My bodili infirmiti continud. Let him bor my ear that I may heare.'

I heard of the miserabl and troublsom lyf which Burgi had with captions, and the lyk, and aknowledgd the Lord in it. . . . I heard that Newtoun Gordon [died] efter drink and intemperanc; and in this I aknowledgd the Lord.

I heard the Bishop's wyf was greatli afflicted with a moul or fals conception, or els, if a true conception, it was extraordinarie. I desird to exercis compassion toward thes that ar in distres, and to be learnd by this hand of God.

4. My grandchild, Cathrin Brodie, was baptizd, and Francis his son Al I was exercisd in som measur befor the Lord for them, that the Lord would bless the infants, and sanctifi that ordinanc of baptism to them for cleansing from sin, and for working faith in due tym, that they be not dead, but livli members of that bodi in which they ar now ingrafted.

27. I was detaind under sicknes and infirmities all thir days past, having, besid my pain off the gravell in my neers and loins, contracted a great distemper and debiliti in my stomach, being not abl to retain nourishment, nor to tak it, nor yet could want, for I had a gnawing at the stomach.

a

Lippened,-trusted, expected.

Robert Dunbar of Burgie, who was served heir to his father Robert, November

20, 1640. (Inquis. Retor., Elgin and Forres, no. 75.)

с

Neers, the kidneys.

On the 23, Innes and Kilraok cam heir al night from the west on the 26, Calder and Park.

Mr. Wm. Falconer was involvd in this matter of the teind. I saw in him both something to be pitied, something to be commended, and plac and relation to me to be reverencd.

I did reaceave word from

a

at London, betwix our statesmen : That La" had impeachd Midl. of treason; and a under this I was greatly affected, and wonder'd, considering what the Lord would bring forth out of it for his glorie, his churche's good, and comfort off his poor I worshiped, and lookd upward, desird to beleiv, and be establishd in the persuasion off this, that surely Sion's God livs, and [that] ther is a God that ruls the earth, who can bring doun the hauti and the proud, and lay even to the ground. . . . Ther is a conjunction off all power and councel in 3 kingdoms to mantain and keip up this man. He took insolent and proud courses: shall not God be observd, if he tak him in his oun counsels ?

Iff the Lord give health and restor, alas! I litl know how to mak use of it or improv it, nor know I for what end it is for. Oh Lord teach me effectualli! It is not to build, plant, eat, drink, acquir land, &c., but to honour Him and to doe good, and to glorifi Him, and to giv up my lyf to Him. Oh! soe oft as this is formalli and verballi don, albeit not realli and effectualli. Oh! hear the oft repeated prayer of my hart, that afflictions may be sanctified to me and deliverances, and that I may be by them, throgh Ilis grac, fitted for that which I am restored for.

My cousen Francis went yesterday, 26, to the Ladi Gordstn., to ask her opinion of my diseas.

27. The E. of Marr cam heer, and his Ladie, and young Pluscarden,b and Seaforth's brother, and did visit me; and the next day, being the 28, cam the Ladi Cromartie. I did observ that woman's sicknes, and simpathizd with her as I could. I could not but tak it as an token for wrath to that yong man, if the Lord should remoue her by death, as he is threatning. Innes writt to me anent Gilbert Innes son to be schoolmaster. March 2.-Mr. H. Forbes told me the exceptions he had taken at me for

a Short-hand in MS.

This was Thomas M'Kenzie of Pluscarden, not the brother-german, (according to the Peerage,) but the nephew of George,

Earl of Seaforth. He died previous to May 6, 1687, at which date his son Colin was served his heir. (Inquis. Retor., Elgin and Forres, no. 151.)

som sharp words he said I had spoken of him. I saw in this how vain creaturs men ar, ther lov soon lost. We ar soon changd.

I heard that som of the Articls given in against the E. of Midlton wer consenting to acts without the King's approbation, and the money which he took to himself of the old rests. Men knew not to what this would turn.

4. Mr. Hari spok with me anent the darknes we ar under, the mani great misteries in religion, and how litl they ar knowen.

Calder, and Park, and others cam heer about ther effairs; and my sisterin-law, the Ladi Westfield; and I perceavd that the Lord by affliction had don her good. I bless his nam for it. She told me how weil Mr. Alexr. Stewart preachd; and I desird to aknowledg the Lord and be instructed in it, that the Lord givs gifts to such men to profi this Kirk by, and refuses it to mani better.

9.-The Bishop and L. Duffus did visit me. My hart did chaleng me for over great familiariti with the Bishop, and assentation, albeit a ciuil conversation be allou'd. Lord! rid me of snars.

I heard that the buisines betwix Latherdaill and Midlton was lyk to setl by the King's interposing; that Latherdaill remaind in favour; that the hous of Commons wer against toleration of papists. The King had emitted a litl explanation of his declaration anent papists. I desird to be instructed by al thes things, and to aknouledg the Lord, and to committ to his wisdom the ordouring what concerns his church, peopl, enterest, or my self.

10.-I found in the forenoon som health; but with eating fish, or inordinat travel, I was distemperd, and disabld from anie servic to God. The Ladi Westfeild cam heer to visit us.

13.-Kilrack cam heir, and his Ladi, to visit me. I desird to retain and keip a firm friendship with him in sinceritie. But ther is nothing human that is firm; and corruption hinders and blinds, yet the Lord knows how to bring forth good out of it.

15. Die Dom. I was this night past exercisd with a new fitt of the gravel, which continud som hours. Therefter the Lord gav me som eas. I did in this see my frailti, and how uncertain my lyf and health is.

The wife of Robert Dunbar of Westfield, the son of Thomas Dunbar of Westfield, who had married Brodie's mother,

and who died previous to January 1, 1654. (Inquis. Retor., Elgin and Forres, no. 96.)

17. This night Cromarti cam to me. He said Midlton was intertaind by the King weil.

19.—I heard that Mr. Stewart was presented to be Dean, in plac of Mr. Hari Forbes, and this by Grang and Both: Mr. Wm. Sanders to be minister of Narn. Shal I not mourn under this, and be affected?

20. I was this day under much bodili weaknes and infirmitie. I had apprehensions that my sicknes was not at an end.

My Son went east to ordour the vessells and victual.

23-My brother cam hom yesternight, and this day Geo. Thomson. I heard that my good L. Cassills had bein veri sick, and at the dor of death; soe that he is not fre in thes tyms from common trials: And that Cesnock his Ladie was removd: That Mr. Huchon [Hutcheson], Douglas, and others, wer drawing themselves to corners. I ador the Lord in al this, and desir to be exercisd dulie in all that which befals the Kirk of God, and mani of His children.

24.—I repaid Geo. Dumbar in Brichtmani the annualt. that I took from him.

25. This night I past the greatest gravel ston that ever I past. It was to me matter of wonder, and matter of thanksgiving and fear. 1. I saw the Lord neided not anie outward instrument, sword, or staff, or hand of man to kil, or tak away our lyfe. He has, and can form weapons within our bowels, wherwith to tak away this lyf of ours a thousand ways. Shall we not fear Him, from whom ther is noe flying, noe phisick or medicin can hinder? 2. We neid not onli to seik daylie bread, but appetit to mak use of it, His blessing to nourish us by it, and, which is more, that quhen we mak use of it, it may not turn to be death to us, for it has death in it, even the morsells that we eat, which descends into our bellie. 3. This teaches me, if I could, to feed with fear. 4. By this I see what I am liabl unto. Lord! my tyms ar in Thy hands. 5. To liv from moment to moment in a dependanc on God, His soveranitie, power, and wisdom, and His compassion, lov, and piti. He knows my fram. 6. I see somthing of my inward condition, that oft turns my spiritual nourishment to my hurt. I know not my oun fram, nor the Lord's working, nor what I am reservd

Alexander Stewart, minister of Alves from 1661 till his death in 1675.

b Dunbar of Bothe.

• Or Brichtmonie in Auldearn.

for. Oh! let him fitt me, that I be found of Him in peac, and al thes things may be turnd to my good throgh Jesus Christ.

27.-I was in som bodili distemper this day, occasioned, as I suppos, throgh som painstaking in delving a litl. So frail a worm am I. . . .

28. We did adviz what resolution to tak anent my uncl Francis' particular with the E. of Murray.

And afternoon we met with Pluscarden and Lethin; in which I exprest my recentment of his malic against me and my freinds. I was jealous of my oun passion and heat, alac! much flesh, and of a carnal mind. Lord! subdue it. I was willing to be at peac with him; and, if he would repent, to forgiv him; but that appeird not. He was, by the persuasion of Grang and others, induced to com to me, and professd som kindnes. But I said to him, ani kindness from him or his to me or myn was al to com yet; which did irritat him. I desird to reverenc the Lord's providenc in disappointing me, qhuil I am so desirous of peac with that man and his freinds, and ever mor miss it. What my infirmiti or imprudenc is let the Lord pardon, and turn this man's malic to good.

29. Die Dom. . . . I heard that Midlton had bein sick, and tied to his chamber; and ther had been much adoe about the letter for delaying the King's proclamation. . . . Cromarti writ that the fynes would go on. “Let the Lord do whatever seims good to him."

31.-I did goe to visit my daughter and her children at Granghill, and desird to rejoic in the Lord and His goodnes, which had made me see so mani yong ones ishud out of my loins. My soul desird to bless them, and let the Lord himself bless them, and be ther portion!

Apr. 1.-Yesterday, Windihil's sone, James, was born, and baptizd.

I heard that Pluscarden and Lethin had not agreid; and he was verie stormie, and demanded allocation of his part of the band, which Lethin gav for the exempted cess. I saw his malic and prejudic, and that. I desird to aknowledg the Lord in this, and to trust in him that he will keip from ther violenc, ceas ther envi, or turn it to our good.

2.-I did consider the differanc betwix Pluscarden and Leathin, and for several considerations advizd him to mak peace, and to suffer wrong.

3.-Park and Leathin wer with me, and we did see much of God's hand on the yong man Calder, and his effairs.

Short-hand in MS.

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